by Darcy Burke
Everything was trimmed, flowers bloomed in the beds, climbing roses twined up the sides of the new the pergola. Several large pots, overflowing with plants in the wedding colors of lavender, blueberry, and sage, surrounded the covered outdoor area that would be the dancefloor.
“I’m glad you like it,” Maggie said. “I was just finishing up. The sprinklers are all set, and the pots have drip systems.” Dylan and his crew had been instrumental in pulling this off. Without their help moving dirt, installing the sprinkler system, and building the pergola, this would all still be an idea on paper.
Chloe touched Maggie’s hand. “Thank you.”
Maggie smiled warmly. “It was my pleasure. Congratulations. I hope tomorrow is everything you dreamed it would be.”
“You can see for yourself.”
“Oh, I won’t be here tomorrow. My work is done.”
“Not to work. I invited you to come, remember?” Chloe reached into her car and pulled out a small duffel bag.
“I know, and thank you for including me. I hope you understand, but I’m exhausted after this week. I also have a prior commitment.” Not that she’d spend tomorrow evening cleaning out her office—she’d likely be done before the wedding—but she still wasn’t coming.
Chloe frowned briefly. “That’s too bad. Well, if you get done early and aren’t too tired, I hope you’ll stop by. I’m sure the party will be going late, and there’s enough Archer beer to float a fleet of ships.”
Maggie laughed softly. “I’m sure. Take care.”
“Don’t be a stranger,” Chloe said. “Sara and I thought it would be fun to go out sometime. I’ll get your number from Kyle.”
For a brief second, Maggie panicked, wondering why Chloe would think she could get her number from Kyle of all people, but then she realized it was because he’d been the one to hire her. Duh. Maggie only nodded in response, not wanting to encourage her. Anyway, she doubted very much that Kyle would give them her number. Her chest constricted as she thought about a future in which she didn’t see or talk to him.
Maggie waved before she turned and walked to her car. As she put the bucket, her pruners, and her gloves in the backseat, she watched Chloe unlock the cottage and go inside with her bag.
She didn’t know if she’d be back up here ever again. While she’d suggested other landscaping elements—some pathways, a water feature—they hadn’t hired her to do anything. And if they contacted her, she didn’t know what she would say. She didn’t want to hide behind “Magnolia” anymore. She was Maggie Trent, former therapist to their beloved Alex. If she couldn’t be honest about that, she’d have to walk away. And so that’s what she was prepared to do.
Determined, she got into the car and put the key in the ignition. She supposed she might come up here some day after the hotel and restaurant were open. It was going to be quite the hot spot in the valley. But could she come and eat in Kyle’s restaurant? She leaned her forehead against the steering wheel and closed her eyes. That sounded like torture.
Get a hold of yourself, Maggie!
She sat up, shook her head, and started the car. Time to put this behind her. Time to break free and embrace the future.
“HIT ME,” HAYDEN said, holding out his wineglass. They’d finished the wedding rehearsal about twenty minutes ago and had made a few toasts. Soon they would head over to the dinner being held at the winery where Dylan’s brother, Cameron, worked. Sara had worked with him to organize the event.
Kyle refilled Hayden’s glass with the garnet-red wine. “Not too much of a French wine snob now to drink our local pinot?”
“Hell no. If anything, it’s made me love it even more. France is great, but the wine we make here is unparalleled.” He toasted Kyle before taking a drink.
Kyle splashed more wine into his glass—he needed a buzz to power through this joy-fest, which was at complete odds with his black mood. So far he’d done a good job of putting on a happy face the past few days, but he didn’t know how much longer he could last. A wedding was just about the worst place to try to get over a breakup. He mentally shook himself: pull your head out, Archer; she said it was for the best, and she was right.
He pushed thoughts of Maggie to the back of his mind but knew they wouldn’t stay that way. “Thanks for not being pissed about the best-man thing.”
“No sweat. It was always your gig.” Hayden glanced around the interior of the wedding cottage. “It’s good to see everyone here for something happy.”
It was, even if some of them weren’t exactly on the best terms. Liam and Tori were over near the windows chatting, probably plotting their next steps toward world domination. Evan was standing nearby with Sara and Dylan. Chloe and Derek were with her family—her parents, brother, sister, and three grandparents—as well as Mom and Dad, plus an old friend of Chloe’s from Pennsylvania who was in the wedding party. Mom and Dad seemed to be getting along pretty well. It wasn’t yet the happy warmth he recalled from his childhood or even from four years ago, but the air was less stilted. He only hoped the joy of this occasion would linger for a while. Too bad it wasn’t doing shit for his state of mind.
The spectre of Maggie rose once more, as did the weight of his gambling addiction and when he planned to spill the beans. He’d found a GA group and attended a meeting yesterday, which had helped. At least on that front. As for the Maggie problem, it had only reminded him of her—the way she cared about him. The way no one had ever cared about him before and maybe never would again.
“Dude, you look way too serious. What’s up?”
Hayden’s question prompted Kyle to come up with a reasonable explanation for his air of gloom. No way was he revealing the real reason. “I was just thinking about Natalie. I’m glad they arrested her this morning. Makes tonight even more of a celebration.” The drugs from her desk had been OxyContin. Upon investigating her medical records, the police found a pattern of drug-seeking behavior. She was obtaining drugs and then selling them—and she’d lied about stopping after Alex died.
Hayden raised his glass in a toast. “Right on. I’m still shocked it was her. And so pissed. I hope she goes to jail for a nice long time.”
That would depend on a lot of factors, but the prosecutor planned to swing for the fences, despite her lack of a criminal record. She’d certainly have to pay penalties, and Dad was considering a civil suit for negligence. None of it made up for anything, just as Maggie had said it wouldn’t, but it did offer a small bit of closure.
Sipping his wine, Hayden scrutinized Kyle. “I get the sense there’s more to your mood, but I won’t bother asking since you’d just change the subject. Tell me about this year’s Oktoberfest plans.”
Relieved to turn the conversation to something that wasn’t about him and would distract him from thoughts of Maggie, Kyle gladly launched into an overview of the annual fall festival hosted by Archer Enterprises in downtown Ribbon Ridge.
After a few minutes, Dad interrupted everyone with a gentle clink on his glass. “Time for us to get to the winery. Sara’s put together a great dinner.” He lifted his glass toward Derek and Chloe. “One more toast for the bride and groom.”
Cheers sounded around the room as glasses clinked. All eyes were on Derek and Chloe as he pressed a kiss to her lips. They both smiled, love shining in their eyes and practically blinding everyone around them with its brilliance. Or maybe that was just how Kyle felt. He turned away and set his glass on a tray, then went around collecting glasses, preferring to be a worker instead of a participant.
Tray full, he took the glasses into the kitchen and carefully loaded them into one of the dishwashers.
Sara peeked her head in. “Need any help?”
“Nah, thanks.”
She flashed him a smile. “ ’K. See you over there.”
“Yep.” Even as he said it, he thought about how he could simply not go. He’d done his best-man duties at the rehearsal; did he really need to go to a dinner and pretend to be happy?
He could
hear Maggie telling him he had to go, that he’d be sorry if he didn’t. Maybe he would be. He was more sorry that she wasn’t here with him. Was there a chance she might want to be? He’d thought so, but then the other night she’d told him to choose his family over her. Maybe she didn’t feel the same way about him as he felt about her. Maybe she’d been ready to let him go.
Damn, that hurt even worse.
He set the dishwasher to run and hesitated in the kitchen. He’d just gotten paid, and his Archer paychecks were more than enough to pay the bills on Hayden’s house, take care of his own expenses, and still have plenty left to stash away. Or gamble . . .
He didn’t know how long he stood there staring at the wall, but Derek’s cough startled him. “Kyle? You ready?”
Kyle shook his head. “Yeah. You go on ahead. I’ll meet you there.”
Derek came further into the kitchen, frowning. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been miles away all day. The last few days, actually. It’s not Alex’s letter, is it?”
“No. It was good.” He offered a weak smile. “Just contemplating things, I guess.”
Derek rested his hip against the counter and crossed his arms. “What things?”
“Nothing. Come on, let’s go.” Kyle moved toward the door to the main room, anxious to evade this interrogation. That made two nosy inquiries so far tonight, and if he went to the dinner, it would just get worse. He could either suffer through it—but fuck, he was tired of doing that—or bail.
Derek snagged his forearm and drew Kyle to stop. “Let’s not. Spill. I’m not leaving until you do, and then you can have the wrath of my bride on your head. You don’t want to piss Chloe off.”
Kyle turned, anger flaring in his chest. “Let it go, will you? This is your day. Weekend. Whatever.”
“So? Life happens. And if life is happening to you right now, let’s talk about it. Waiting until after my honeymoon might be too late.”
“God, I hate when you’re logical.”
Derek shrugged. “It’s a gift.”
“More like a menace. Fine. I’m miserable.”
Derek resumed his arm-crossed stance against the counter. “Why? You want to gamble? I see that weird glint in your eye.”
“Christ, you can look at me and see when I want to gamble by the look in my eye? Remind me to wear sunglasses from now on.”
Derek’s mouth quirked up briefly. “Not really, I just took a guess. Maybe I’m wrong?”
Kyle turned and leaned his backside against the opposite counter. “You’re not wrong. I was just calculating how much I could wager tonight.”
Derek nodded, pivoting so they faced each other across the small space. “Your paychecks are pretty good, so I’m guessing that was a dangerous amount.”
Self-loathing itched up Kyle’s spine. “Any amount is a dangerous amount.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that, but yeah, I guess so.” He winced. “Sorry.”
Some of the tension left Kyle’s muscles. He was actually relieved that Derek had interrupted him. “Don’t apologize. I need to do a better job of explaining this to you. Of helping you understand my addiction.”
“I’d like that. What about everyone else?”
Kyle ran his hand through his hair and exhaled sharply. “I need to talk to them. I just . . . I don’t know how. When I think of telling Sara, my stomach twists in knots. And when I think of telling Liam, my teeth grind.”
“I can understand that. But I’ll be there for you every step of the way.” He looked at Kyle with concern and compassion. “You know they’ll support you, right? Even Liam. His bedside manner may not be the best, but maybe this will help him, too.”
“Help him feel superior,” Kyle muttered.
Derek laughed. “You guys are so competitive.”
“Ha. It’s hard to compete with someone who routinely kicks your ass in life.”
“Not true. Liam is nowhere near as genial as you.”
Kyle snapped his gaze to Derek’s and arched a brow. “Genial? What am I, ninety?”
Derek laughed again. “You know what I mean. He’s always so focused and uptight. He practically broods.”
“Good description.”
“Anyway, if he’s a jerk about it, screw him. No one else will do that.”
Derek was right. They would all be supportive, especially Sara. And with a team behind him, maybe he could make it . . .
But he realized there was someone missing from that team. The person he wanted most on his side. The person he constantly thought of and went to the very moment he felt wobbly. “I don’t want to hide who I am anymore.”
“That’s good.”
Kyle looked over at Derek, feeling tentative but determined. “Alex’s letter . . . he called me on that. But it’s more than the addiction. There’s someone who’s important to me, someone you’re all going to be inclined to hate.”
Derek’s brow furrowed. “I can’t imagine why.”
“Just trust me. I was inclined to hate her too, but then I got to know her, and she’s smart and funny and caring and pretty much the best person I know.” He threw Derek a sheepish smile. “No offense.”
“None taken. Sounds like you’re in love with her.”
“Completely.” The admission soared through his chest and banished all of the darkness and weight he’d been carrying. He couldn’t stop from smiling.
Derek smiled back. “Awesome.” He reached over and briefly clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “I’m so happy for you. Can I ask, is it Magnolia?”
“Yeah, but that’s not really her name. It is, but . . . never mind.”
“Why didn’t you bring her tonight if you guys are together?”
“Because we aren’t together.” A shadow fell over him as he remembered where they’d left things.
Derek put his hands on the counter on either side of him, bracing himself. “Why the hell not? You’re in love with her. She’s probably in love with you.”
“I don’t know that, actually. She broke up with me a couple of days ago.”
“What the hell for?” The outrage in his voice gave Kyle comfort—damn, it was good to have Derek with him again.
“It’s complicated. You’ll understand when you meet her.”
Derek looked confused. “I have met her.”
Kyle shook his head. “I’m not doing a good job explaining, and I can’t right now.” He suddenly had to see her, had to know if she truly didn’t want him or if she’d just been doing the most amazing thing anyone had ever done for him. “Would it be okay if I went and got her and brought her to the dinner?”
Derek pushed away from the counter. “I was just going to insist that you do.”
“It’s going to take me a bit—she lives in Newberg.” He hoped she was home.
“Take as long as you need, but, bro, if something happens”—he wasn’t specific, but the implication was if things went south, either with Maggie or with wanting to gamble—“call me.”
Kyle nodded, already moving toward the door.
“I mean it,” Derek said loudly, following him.
Kyle turned and gave him a little shove in the shoulder. “I promise. Now fuck off.”
Derek grinned. “You first.”
Kyle practically ran up the road to the parking lot, where Hayden was waiting for him. Shit, he’d forgotten all about Hayden.
Hayden leaned his head out the car window. “Where’ve you been? I was about to put out an APB.”
“Listen, can you catch a ride with Derek and Chloe to the winery? I need your car.”
Confusion clouded Hayden’s eyes. “Uh, I guess?”
Kyle opened the door for him, anxious to be on his way. He resisted the urge to pull Hayden out of the car, jump inside, and tear out of the lot like he was commandeering his vehicle and taking off on a hot pursuit.
Derek pulled into the lot—he’d parked down by the cottage—and rolled down his window. “You’re coming with us, Hayden.”
Kyle
sent Derek a silent thank-you and a wave.
Hayden finally got out of the car, leaving the door open. “Where are you going?”
“See you in a bit.” Kyle jumped into the car and fired it up, then sped out of the lot only slightly less chaotically than he’d envisioned.
Apprehension, excitement, anticipation—all of it bubbled inside of him. He likened the feeling to when he went to the racetrack or the casino or a poker game, but it was so much better. Maggie was an addiction he didn’t want to fight, and he hoped she felt the same way about him.
Chapter Twenty
AS MAGGIE FINISHED watering her garden, she softly apologized to the plants for neglecting them a little this week. “But don’t worry. I’m done with those hectic hours.” She ran a finger over one of the ripening tomatoes and felt a pang of sadness over the loss of Kyle’s salsa.
“Will they be ready in another week maybe?”
Kyle’s voice seemed to come from somewhere inside of her. Had she been thinking about him so hard and for so long that she now imagined she heard him?
“Eh, maybe closer to ten days.”
This time she swung around.
Kyle held up his hands. “Are you going to drench me again? Please don’t, I spent a lot of time on this outfit.”
And he looked gorgeous. He wore a black button-down with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of dark blue jeans that hugged his thighs in just the right way. But on his feet were one of his many pairs of flip-flops. You could take the man off the beach, but you apparently couldn’t take his shoes.
She felt plain and disheveled, though she’d showered when she got home. After that, she’d wound her hair up on top of her head, donned a pair of cut-off shorts that looked like they could be in her mother’s closet, and she hadn’t stopped there—she’d put on a tank top without a bra. And she realized it wasn’t the first time as she recalled the night after the accident at the clinic.