by Kendall Ryan
I froze and slowly shook my head.
She laughed—harder and louder than seemed appropriate for the situation, causing the whole room to turn and look at us. I forced a nervous, weak smile, nodding at the people closest to us like everything was normal. Meanwhile, Amber continued laughing, fits of giggles rolling through her as she placed a hand on her chest and dabbed tears out of the corners of her eyes.
What the hell is going on?
When she saw the look on my face, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her brows knit together in apology.
“I’m so sorry, I’m not trying to make fun of you. It’s just, you were the most careful guy when we were together. Always made sure I took my birth control. Always used a rubber, no matter how plastered we were in your truck. You didn’t want anything getting in the way of you turning your dad’s piss-tillery around, especially not a baby and a shotgun wedding. Do you really not remember any of that?”
I stared at her dumbfounded, mouth hanging open. Guess I wasn’t as much of an idiot ten years ago as I thought. Thank God, but this still didn’t add up.
“I’m not sure what to say. He looks so much like me.”
She raised her eyebrows and shook her head, smiling like she wasn’t surprised in the least.
“Well, breathe easy, Duke Wilder. You’re not a father. You can go back to laser-focusing on achieving your goals, back-logged child-support free.”
I chuckled, downing my whiskey and ordering another. “Wait a second. If I’m not the father, then who…?”
She took a quick breath in, pulling her lips back over her teeth. “Some guy I barely knew. Out-of-towner just passing through.”
She shook her head and stared down at her lap. “Were you ever able to get ahold of him?”
“We didn’t exchange numbers. I didn’t even know his last name. I won’t sugarcoat it, it hasn’t been easy. But Payton changed my life, and I can’t imagine it without him.”
“It’s amazing what you’ve done. Payton seems like a good kid.”
“Thanks. I think so.”
We both smiled, but my heart sank at the thought of Amber struggling all those years, then bristled at the thought of the asshole who knocked her up. But if anyone in this town understood the appeal of out-of-towners, it was me.
“Can I give you one piece of advice, though? As someone who used to know you pretty well,” Amber said, cocking her head to the side.
I shrugged. “Fire away.”
“Don’t get so laser-focused that you can’t see all the other good things around you. I’d hate to see anything else important slip away.”
I nodded, my mind already on the next morning. “Oh, don’t worry. I won’t.”
“Thanks for meeting me. It was good to see you again.” Amber grinned.
“Likewise. And if you plan on sticking around, let me know. I’d be happy to show Payton how to throw a spiral, or take him fishing or something.”
She nodded. “I know he’d like that. Thanks.”
Chapter Nine
Valentina
Zipping my suitcase closed, I stood it upright and rolled it by the door. I wasn’t planning on taking it to Duke’s, but I wanted to be ready to leave as soon as possible, just in case our meeting went south. I had a plane ticket to LA on hold for later that day, and I’d spent the whole morning steeling myself for bad news. Like if Duke was the kind of man to have a ten-year-old son he didn’t know about. Like I was the kind of idiot who fell for that kind of man.
I checked my reflection one last time before walking out the door. Black leggings, a soft, cotton V-neck that skimmed my body just right, and my favorite pair of Nike running shoes. I’d made the decision to wear my comfy plane clothes to Duke’s as further preparation for the worst. The last thing I wanted was to wind up on a plane wearing a cute-ass outfit I’d just been royally rejected in.
The walk to Duke’s felt longer than usual, and as I got closer, I started to feel lightheaded. My stomach was churning with nerves, a tingly feeling spreading to my toes. Why am I so nervous?
I climbed the porch steps slowly, taking deep breaths in and out. One look at the railing sent me right back to that night with Duke. His hands in my hair, his lips on my skin. I shook my head, running my hand on the back of my neck. One more deep breath, then I knocked on the door.
Within seconds, Duke swung it open, and that deep breath I’d just taken blew out of me all at once. He stood there smiling at me, a white T-shirt straining over his muscled chest, those stupid, adorable dimples sending a shock straight to my core. Damn him for being so irresistible. Damn him for making it so much harder to let him go.
“Glad to see you remembered to put clothes on this time,” I said as he ushered me in.
“That can change if you want,” he replied, his eyes wandering to the tight fabric perfectly hugging my ass.
I narrowed my eyes, and he immediately backed off.
“Right. Too soon for jokes.”
As I walked into the kitchen, my mouth dropped open. Every inch of counter space was covered in bouquets of pink dahlias—my favorite—and the table was scattered with my favorite foods and drinks. A huge bottle of top shelf tequila stood tall in the middle, surrounded by freshly-cut pineapple, carnitas tacos with cilantro and onions, a plate of homemade cinnamon rolls, and a basket filled with my favorite snacks and candies. On the edge of the counter was a to-go cup from Starbucks, and based on the markings on the side, I knew it was my order: a non-fat latte with a dash of cinnamon.
“Duke, I…what is all this?”
He smiled, stepping around me, shrugging and stuffing his hands in his pockets.
“Guess I just wanted to give you a few more reasons to stay.”
“But—”
“I might have bribed Charlotte into telling me a few of your favorite things.” He grinned.
“Duke …”
“Hold on. Just listen. I know Shady Grove is a far cry from the city. We don’t have a wide variety of restaurants or bars, we’ve got one tiny café that’s closed on Sundays, and we’re so far in the middle of nowhere that some fruits and vegetables that are commonplace everywhere else seem exotic and rare. But I looked into it, and the nearest Starbucks is only an hour away. And a couple towns over, there’s a Mexican place that claims to be authentic. As for the rest of this stuff, I had to do some digging—”
I cut him off with a kiss on the lips, throwing my arms around his neck.
“But what about Amber?”
“Payton isn’t mine. She cleared it all up last night.”
I kissed him again, this time running my fingers through his hair. He wrapped me in his arms, my body sinking into his broad chest. When we parted, I looked around again, shaking my head at all the things he’d gotten me.
“Dios mio, cabron, when did you get all this?”
His proud, dimpled smile made my heart melt.
“Let’s just say it was an early morning. Turns out, I’m no good at coring pineapple. That’s attempt number two.”
“You bought two pineapples?”
“I had a feeling I’d need a spare.”
I smiled and shook my head again, bringing the lukewarm latte to my lips. The familiar scent wafted up through my nostrils, a scent that used to bring me comfort and calm on hectic mornings, and on occasion, in the middle of a crazy day. But when the liquid hit my tongue, something about it tasted different. The barista did fine. The order was spot-on.
It was me. I was different. I didn’t need the comfort and calm as much as I used to. The country had done that instead. I didn’t need the liquid form.
“Everything you ever dreamed of?” Duke asked, amusement on his face.
“Nothing tastes quite as much like corporate America.”
He chuckled, a serious look quickly falling over his face.
“Now, I want to be clear, darlin’, all this is meant to show you that life here in Shady Grove doesn’t have to be all that different from the city. I’m not try
ing to bribe you into staying. My winning smile and matchless charm already do that for me.”
I rolled my eyes, making a face like I was going to be sick. But he was right. I didn’t have to stay. Even if he didn’t have a ten-year-old son, there was no guarantee that what Duke and I had would last. We barely knew each other, only had sex one time. What if it was all just a fluke? What if the moment I decided to stay, the magic disappeared, and we quickly started to resent each other for the time and energy we were both wasting on a relationship that was never meant to go past a summer fling?
I looked up into his eyes, those two green gems that had the power to make my blood boil with frustration one second and with lust the next, and I knew that none of that was true. From the moment we met, our dynamic came naturally, the playful energy between us a symptom of the cellular-level connection we had. It was too real, too magic. That was why we insisted on teasing and fighting. Because the idea that soulmates might be real, that love at first sight might exist?
That was scarier than hating each other’s guts.
“My firm did just roll out the option of working remotely,” I said, slipping my arm around his waist.
Duke beamed down at me, relief and joy radiating from his face.
“And we do have an extra house on the property for you. Before you move in with me, of course.”
“What makes you think we wouldn’t move into my place? Your place is cute, but just wait ’til you see what I can do with a Home Goods catalog.”
“Charlotte let me in on a few of your big-city secrets, darlin’.”
“Charlotte seems to be helping you out a lot these days.” I arched a brow at the spread on the table, knowing full well I’d only told him about half of these favorites.
“She might have tipped me off about the dahlias,” he admitted.
I raised another brow.
“And the pineapple.”
I laughed, rubbing his back before returning to the table to take a bite of the fruit. Sweet and tangy, it was fresher than I was expecting. Definitely worth the wild goose chase I’m sure he went on.
“Oh my god, that reminds me. I need to call Charlotte. She’s going to freak out that I’m staying.”
I reached for my phone, but Duke stopped me, taking my hand and pulling me to him.
“Actually, I had one more thing planned, just in case you decided to stay.”
His free hand dropped to my waist, sliding over my hip before cupping my ass as he drew my hips to his. I could already feel his erection growing, pressing into my belly. My knees grew weak, warmth spreading between my thighs.
“But there are so many other details we still have to figure out.”
“We have time for all that,” he whispered, bringing his lips to my ear, nibbling on my lobe before trailing his tongue down my neck, teasing my skin. His touch sent shivers down my spine, and I let him lead me to his bed.
After all, he was right.
For once, we had all the time in the world.
Epilogue
Valentina
“Need a little help there, darlin’?” Duke asked as he walked into our master bathroom and found me struggling to get my necklace clasped around my neck.
“That would be great, thanks, babe.” I handed him the delicate gold chain, which he easily maneuvered around my neck, fastening the little clasp with a small click of his tongue.
“Muy bonita,” he said, sliding his hands over my shoulders and down my hips, admiring the reflection of my form-fitting maroon dress in the mirror. He pulled my tumbling curls to one side and placed his lips softly on my neck, sending happy shivers down my spine.
I reached back and ran my fingers through his tousled hair, letting my nails dig a little into his scalp, and he responded by nipping my delicate skin, not so hard that it hurt, but just enough to cause a tingle between my legs.
“If you keep that up, we’re going to be late to your party,” I purred, arching my back and pushing my behind against his groin. He groaned into my neck, taking a deep breath in as his hands roamed freely over my body.
“You tempt me.” His voice was muffled as he spoke into my skin, giving me one last kiss before pulling away. Already my body missed his touch, but I was right. You’d think that a full year and a half together would have tamped out some of the fire between us, but if anything, it had only made it burn brighter and way more intense. Both of our sex drives were through the roof, and we were starting to get a reputation for being late to things, something we were secretly proud of. But still, tonight was different. The event we were attending was too important to be late to.
I checked myself in the mirror, adjusting the neckline of my dress and rearranging my hair around my shoulders before following Duke to the car. He opened the passenger side door for me, giving my rear a little pat as I climbed in. It was the kind of small thing that I used to roll my eyes at, but after a year and a half together, it was sweet that he still took the time for gestures like that—with a little bit of Duke playfulness thrown in there too.
“Nervous?” I asked, reaching across the center console and taking his hand in mine. He rubbed his thumb over my knuckles, turning to give me a sideways dimpled smile.
“With you by my side? Never.”
He brought my fingers to his lips, pressing them against my knuckles. I smiled, a warm, contented feeling washing over me, followed quickly by regret that we had somewhere to be and couldn’t pull over somewhere for a quickie. Good Lord, I’m hornier now than I was in high school.
We pulled up into the parking lot of the distillery, which was slowly filling up with cars. Vintage string lights had been hung up all throughout the back patio of the tasting room, casting a warm, inviting glow over the space. Inside, the tables were all set with gold silverware and place settings, with huge centerpieces full of wildflowers in the middle.
“Charlotte really outdid herself this time,” I murmured as we walked through the door. Duke nodded, taking it all in, a small, appreciative smile spreading across his face.
“City slicker knows how to throw a party, that’s for sure.”
“You know Charlotte and I are both from cities, right?”
“LA and New York are pretty different cities, darlin’.”
“All I’m saying is it might be time to find a different thing to tease her about. Besides, you know she’s a little more sensitive than usual these days.”
Duke shrugged just as Charlotte and Luke arrived behind us, the fabric of Charlotte’s pale blue shimmering dress stretching over her swollen belly. She squealed when she saw us and quickly waddled over to us, the excited noise quickly followed by immediate tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
“Oh, Char, this place almost looks as beautiful as you do,” I said, wrapping my arms around her. Even after seven months, I still wasn’t used to the new distance between us when we hugged. Which was often. Pregnancy had made Charlotte more emotional than ever. And as crazy as it was that my best friend in the whole world was literally brewing a new human inside her, I was more grateful than ever to be living in Shady Grove so I could be with her and experience the freaking miracle of it all with her every step of the way.
“Val, you seriously can’t say things like that!” she cried, grabbing a napkin from a nearby table and dabbing at her eyes with it. “At least let me make it through cocktail hour before I lose all my mascara.”
I rubbed her back as we joined the boys, who were pouring themselves each a glass of whiskey at the bar.
“Can I get one of those?” I nodded to Duke’s glass, and he responded by handing it to me, wordlessly pouring himself another. I smiled and kissed his cheek in thanks.
“Ugh, I’m so proud of you two,” Charlotte gushed, placing a hand on Luke and Duke’s shoulders. “Winning the Best in Texas award for Excellence in Whiskey within the first couple years of statewide distribution? That’s unheard of. The Wilder men are a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”
“
Thank you, duchess,” Luke said, leaning over and planting a kiss on her lips.
Duke turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
“For the record, I’m proud of you guys too,” I said. “Char’s pregnancy glow is hard to top, though.”
We all laughed, and the men ushered us to our table to drop our purses before the rest of the crowd showed up.
We’d gotten the call that Wilder Whiskey was being honored this award season about a month ago. If opening the tasting room and expanding distribution statewide was Duke’s dream come true, this award was his wet dream. We decided that we had to celebrate in the biggest way we could think of, and given Charlotte’s years of experience throwing impressive dinner parties and events in New York, we thought a full-on red carpet style night of celebration would be fitting. We invited the whole town and pulled out all the stops, which included a catered dinner, a full band from a few towns over, and the unveiling of a new signature champagne and bourbon cocktail, Bourbon and Bubbles.
As people began milling in, the whole town dressed to the nines, Luke and Duke stood near the entrance of the distillery, greeting everyone as they arrived. I loved how hands-on they still were, despite how quickly things were taking off. Watching Duke in action always made me swell up with pride, though I was hesitant to gush over him as easily as Charlotte did for Luke. I’d learned over the course of our relationship that that kind of attention had the tendency to only go to his head, whereas a serious conversation at the end of the day could serve as a meaningful reminder that I saw how hard he was working and appreciated it. But then again, what did I know? It still felt like I was learning something new every day in this relationship, and I loved every twist and turn.
“Oh my God, Val, you’re an absolute vision in that dress.” I turned to find Molly standing behind me, dressed in a floor-length gauzy rose-colored number that made her look like a fairy princess. Her hair was curled and pinned back loosely around her temples, which only made her trademark Wilder green eyes pop even more.
“Aw, thank you, Mols, you’re always way too sweet to me.”