Always (A Ditched novella)

by Amity Hope

  I blinked as she emerged from the backside of the building. She raised her hand in a wave. Max waved back before she slid into her car.

  I did not wave.

  I sat with my teeth clenched, willing myself not to get upset.

  I expected Max to stop and talk to her but she took off as we pulled in.

  He didn’t offer further explanation and as much as I wanted to ask for one, I was afraid to. I was afraid it would only ruin our night, cause another fight. I was not going to argue with him on Valentine’s Day.

  I just wasn’t.

  He pulled into the spot that she had just vacated. He got out and quickly rounded the front of his vehicle to get my door. He opened it then reached for my hand to guide me out. It was unnecessary, of course. But that’s what made it so sweet.

  The smile he wore held so much excitement that I couldn’t help but smile back, despite my frustration.

  “They just finished yesterday,” he explained as he led me to the backdoor. Clarissa had left it unlocked so he didn’t have to bother with a key. As he pushed the door open, I was met with the scent of fresh paint.

  The back door led into a narrow hallway that held two offices. Nothing had been changed back here. Max’s hand tightened around mine as he led the way. We passed both doors and spilled into a small corridor. The large, formal dining room was to the left. To the immediate right was the wine tasting room. Closer to the front on the same side, the gift shop.

  From here, the new hardwood floors were evident. The stressed pine, stained in a dark finish, gave off an antiquated feel. The walls were painted in a warm shade of burgundy.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I said as I took it in.

  “This is just the start of it,” Max said.

  He showed me the formal dining room. The old flooring had been replaced with mocha colored tile. Small wedding receptions, retirement parties and anniversaries were often held in here. Having worked my share of functions by now, I appreciated how easy the tile would be to clean.

  Next came the wine tasting room. Again, new paint and stressed pine flooring.

  “This is what I was really excited about showing you,” Max said as he led me to the gift shop. A glass wall divided it from the corridor. I jumped as he slid his hands over my eyes.

  “What’s this about?” I asked as a laugh slipped out.

  “You’ll see,” he said as he carefully guided me forward. He took great care in weaving us around what I was sure were display racks. “Ready?” he asked as we finally came to a stop.

  I nodded and his hands fell away. I gasped in surprise, my hands flying to my mouth.

  “Do you like it?” he asked hopefully.

  “Max!”

  I stood in front of a brand new display case. It was full of my jewelry. The jewelry that Clarissa had supposedly borrowed. It was apparent that every item had been arranged with great care. A light shone down on everything, adding an extra sparkle.

  I turned to Max. “This is incredible! When did you have time to do this?”

  He shook his head but he was smiling. “I didn’t. Clarissa put it together for me. I wanted to surprise you with it but I just don’t have the knack for creating displays. I usually have you do it. But,” he said with a shrug, “that obviously wasn’t going to work. That’s why she’s been hanging around so much. She’s been helping me with tonight.”

  “That’s why you gave her my jewelry,” I said, now that it was clear.

  “Yes,” he said, looking relieved that I understood.

  I glanced around at the rest of the shop. Everything looked exquisite. “You did a fantastic job. Everything looks amazing. Have your grandparents seen it?”

  He nodded. “Yes, they seemed happy with it.”

  “I’m sure they’re thrilled.” I moved away, wandering around the rest of the gift shop. I realized I was anxious for the winery to reopen. I missed working here.

  “There’s more,” Max said.

  I raised my eyebrows at him. There weren’t any more rooms to check out. He reached for my hand again and I let him lead the way. He took me back to the offices and nudged the door of his office open.

  I was hit with the aroma of something scrumptious, something that the scent of the paint had masked when we first walked in. He stood back and I stepped inside. The flickering of countless candles lit the room. The small table was set to perfection, two enormous pillar candles at its center. Dinner, presumably, was tucked under the silver serving platters that I recognized from the dining hall.

  “Oh, wow.” I breathed out the words as I moved closer to check it out.

  Max pulled out a chair and I slid into it. He took the one across from me. When he was seated, he reached for the cover of the platter and lifted it.

  “I wanted to do something special for tonight. I didn’t want to eat at a crowded restaurant. So I started thinking that it would be nice to eat here, where we had privacy. But I wasn’t sure how to get everything set up. So, again—”

  “Clarissa?” I interrupted as I scrunched my face up in embarrassment.

  He nodded. “Yeah. She knew I wanted to plan something special. She’s not seeing anyone right now but she said she’s a sucker for Valentine’s Day. She offered to help. That day you came home from shopping with Paige? We were going over a list of everything I needed done. Dinner needed to be picked up. I wanted the candles lit, that kind of thing. The night we ran an errand, I just brought her out here so I could show her around. I showed her the display case and we talked about the best way to set it up. All of the calls and texts, they were just confirming the details.”

  I groaned as I tugged my hands through my hair. I couldn’t believe how badly I’d overreacted.

  Max seemingly read my mind because he said, “Don’t worry about it. In fact, we should probably just eat before it gets cold.”

  “Lasagna and white chocolate mousse?” I asked as I cocked my head to the side. It was the meal that I had made for Max and me, the night we’d decided to officially try dating. “I cannot believe you remembered.”

  He made a slightly offended face at me. “Of course I remembered.”

  “Have I mentioned lately, just how much I love you?” I asked.

  He grinned back at me. “Yes. But I will never get tired of hearing it.”

  We talked comfortably while we ate—the dessert was divine. As we finished up, Max sat back so he could reach into his pocket.

  My stomach did that horrible little flip. As much as I loved Max, I wanted to take things slow. I wanted to enjoy every day and not rush anything.

  “I have something for you,” he said.

  He pulled out the tiny box and my heart took a dive. I was so not ready for this. Yet I didn’t want to ruin our first Valentine’s. For just a moment, frustration burned through me. It seemed like Max always knew what I needed before I even knew myself. But this? How could he not know that I just wasn’t ready?

  “Holly,” Max said as if it wasn’t the first time.

  “I can’t take that, Max.” My voice sounded too high, too tight. Max’s face crumpled into a look of confusion as I continued to prattle on. “It’s too much. I mean, it’s too soon! I mean, it’s gorgeous and maybe someday I can accept it. But not now. I just can’t—”

  “Holly! Calm down.” He leveled his gaze on me and I took a deep breath. “If you would just listen, I’ve been trying to tell you this isn’t what it looks like.” He raised his eyebrows as he cautiously flipped the top up. Inside, pressed into the slit that typically held a ring, was a shiny penny.

  “A penny?”

  His face fell. “You didn’t think it was a…” His complexion turned pale. “Wait, what did you mean by ‘it’s gorgeous’? What’s gorgeous? What did you think was in here?”

  “It’s a ring box,” I said meekly as I eyed up the penny.

  He stared at me a moment, I could almost hear his thoughts clicking into place.

  “You didn’t really think I was going to propose,
did you?” He looked equally amused, horrified, and worried. “I love you. You know I do. But don’t you think it’s a little soon for that?”

  “It’s a lot soon for that,” I agreed.

  “Then why would you think…? I mean, I thought you knew me better than that.”

  I cringed as I prepared to admit the truth. “I saw a ring. The other day, when I was looking for a flashlight.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “Oh. That.”

  “Yes. That.”

  His expression turned sheepish. “I suppose I should explain.”

  I nodded. “Please.”

  “Do you remember the day that Grandma came home from the hospital?” I nodded again. “The reason she wanted me to come over alone was because she wanted me to have her mother’s wedding ring. She wanted me to have it to give to you. Someday. She was afraid that if I didn’t take it now, my aunts would get their hands on it.”

  I thought back to that night. It was the same night he’d run his errand with Clarissa. I remembered how he’d gone straight to the bedroom first. When I’d asked about his visit with Villette, he’d behaved strangely. I nodded slowly. “Ohhhh.”

  He grinned. “Yes. Ohhhh. I didn’t tell you about it because I didn’t want to freak you out.” He was still grinning when he said, “You did freak out, didn’t you?”

  “Just a little bit,” I admitted and he laughed. “So,” I said as I tried to deflect away from my embarrassment. “The penny?”

  I took the penny out of the box and inspected it. For the life of me, I couldn’t see anything remotely special or unique about it. Our very first Valentine’s together and Max had gotten me a penny. Was it supposed to be a gag gift? Just in case it wasn’t, I had no idea what to say.

  Max pushed his chair back as he stood up. He held out his hand to me. “The penny has a purpose,” he explained as I stood up to join him. He led me to the front of the winery and hit a light switch near the front door. The outside lights turned on as he led me outside.

  I was immediately aware of the sound of rushing water.

  “Oh!” I exclaimed. “Is that…”

  He turned to me and smiled. “It’s a fountain. I had a fountain installed. I remembered that one day last summer during a wedding; you had mentioned what an amazing backdrop it would make for photos. Grandma loved the idea. So when we were doing the renovations, it seemed like such a perfect time.”

  “So the penny…” Now it was all becoming clear.

  “I wanted you to be able to make the very first wish.”

  “Awww. That is so sweet!”

  I had the penny cupped in my palm. I circled the large, beautiful creation. It had a circular base made of layers of brick. At its center was a cupid. Water flowed from the base it was standing on. Underwater lights glowed, making the fountain look magical.

  “A cupid?” I asked Max with a laugh.

  “I thought that made it perfect for a Valentine’s Day unveiling.” He slid his arms around me in a backward hug. “Are you ready to make your wish?”

  I thought for just a moment, then nodded before tossing the penny in.

  Always and forever with Max. That’s what I wished for. I twisted around in his arms and pressed up on my tiptoes. Before I could press my lips to his, he tilted his head away from me. A devilish smile danced across his face.

  “Wait,” he narrowed his eyes at me. “You thought I was going to propose tonight?”

  I gave him a sheepish nod, expecting him to tease me.

  Instead, his expression was simply curious.

  “What was your answer going to be? I mean, if you found the ring a few days ago, you must’ve been thinking about it.”

  I didn’t bother to correct him because I hadn’t simply been thinking about it, I’d been obsessing about it.

  I took a deep breath. “I love you so much. I cannot imagine my life without you. When the time comes, I will definitely say yes.”

  CHAPTER eleven

  I was so happy I might as well have been humming to myself as I walked down the familiar sidewalk toward the café. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect Valentine’s night. Only Max would be thoughtful enough to be sure a display case was included in the renovation. That meant a lot to me. It meant that he liked my creations and he thought highly enough of them that they should be prominently displayed.

  And the fountain? I’d mentioned it a few times. I had thought it would be a beautiful background for photos. But I never actually thought he’d take me seriously. Max said they would be having new brochures made up now that the renovations were complete. The fountain, in all its glory, would be prominently displayed on the front page. It was an addition that would set it apart from other wineries in our area.

  I walked into the café with a direct purpose in mind. I was supposed to meet Max here shortly. He’d called, sounding ecstatic about something. He wouldn’t tell me what but said that he wanted to meet me at the café to celebrate. All I could think was that maybe he’d aced the Econ test he’d been so worried about.

  Whatever it was, I couldn’t wait to see him. I was sure that Clarissa was working so that’s why I’d decided to get here a little bit ahead of Max. She was busy with a table when I walked in. She glanced my way and smiled as I crossed the floor to my favorite booth. I waved back, confident she’d come over as soon as she had a free moment.

  I pretended to look at the menu I had memorized while I waited for her.

  “Hi, Holly,” she said a few minutes later. She wore her usual smile and I thought Max was probably right. She hadn’t been bothered at all by my outburst.

  Even still, I needed to apologize.

  “Hi,” I said. “I know you’re working so I’ll make this fast. I just want to apologize for what I said on the phone the other day. I am so sorry. I feel so bad.” And incredibly embarrassed.

  Her mega-watt smile somehow became even brighter. “It’s okay. Max just wanted everything to be perfect. You should’ve seen him fretting over everything for weeks. He’s always the first person to jump in and help someone. He’s helped me out more times than I can remember. I just wanted to return the favor. He wanted you to be surprised. You were surprised weren’t you?”

  “Yes,” I said, smiling back because her smile was pretty infectious.

  “That’s all that matters.”

  “No, that’s not all. I wasn’t very nice to you. I think I was just feeling insecure and I took it out on you,” I explained.

  She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. Looking back, I can see how it all looked a little suspicious. All the phone calls, the texts, and especially being at your house but it was all innocent, I swear. Max is so completely in love with you. Having a crush on him would be like asking for a broken heart. I do consider him one of my best friends though.”

  “I know,” I said. “No hard feelings?”

  “None,” she said with a smile.

  Someone called her name from behind the counter. She motioned to them that she would be just a moment before turning to me. “You and Max are great together. I just want you to know that I’m really happy for him. For both of you, actually, because I know he’s a great guy. I’ve been friends with him for a really long time. I would really like it if you and I could be friends too,” she said, almost shyly.

  “Absolutely,” I said with a nod.

  “Great!” she was practically bouncing on her tiptoes as she said it. “Did Paige tell you we’re planning a girls’ night out next weekend?”

  I shook my head.

  “Oh, well we just decided.” She reached for my arm, her hand clamping down on my shoulder as her eyes went wide with excitement. “You have to come! It’ll be so much fun!”

  “My friend Lanna is coming for a visit. She’ll be here by then,” I said.

  She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Bring her with! The more the merrier. Oh! I better go take care of that order! I’ll be back in a little bit!”

  She bounced away and I glanced out th
e window in time to see Max pull up.

  At his insistence, I’d taken a good look at the ring. He wanted to be sure it was something that I would be happy with. The diamond was round, a full carat and in the most amazingly ornate, antique setting. What was not to love? For just a moment I’d felt disappointed that it wasn’t on my finger just yet. But it would be. Someday. For now, Max had tucked it in the very back of the nightstand.

  My heart pounded with adoration as I watched Max cross the street so he could make his way inside. I was having one of those moments where the immensity of my love for him was almost overwhelming.

  I popped out of the booth as he got close. I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. His chest rumbled with laughter but he squeezed me tightly.

  “What was that for?” he asked when my arms slid away.

  I shrugged. “Just because.”

  He took a seat and I slid back into mine. His excitement was radiating off of him. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him look this happy.

  “What’s going on?” I asked as I leaned across the table.

  He readjusted in his seat and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. He held it up. I noted the address of a law firm emblazoned in the corner.

  “The vineyard is mine,” he said. His tone was flooded with excitement. “I just met with Grandpa and Grandma. I didn’t know they’d met with a lawyer last week. I had no idea they were having papers drawn up. But,” he said as he waved the envelope in the air, “they did. I have to complete my degree in Winery Management and I have to manage Villette Vineyards for one year after my graduation to show that I’m capable. One year after completion of both stipulations, and everything is mine. The vineyard and the winery. My grandparents assured me that everything is iron-clad. There is absolutely nothing my aunts can do about it.”

  “Max!” I exclaimed as I bounced out of my seat. I rounded the booth and threw my arms around him as I landed next to him. “That’s awesome! Wow, seriously, that’s fantastic! I don’t even know what to say!”