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“I’m sorry.”The war in his eyes told me he wanted to choose me, but something was holding him back.
“Then fix it,” I pleaded.
“I’m trying.”
“That’s not good enough,” I said.
I closed my eyes, breaking the hold he had on me, and gave him a taste of his own medicine.I walked away.
Chapter 19
Ben
Watching Sherry with Alec ripped at my very soul.It was no different than her speaking with one of her siblings or with Murray, who usually did the rental deliveries, but this was different because Alec was someone who could take her away from me.Not that I had a claim on her.She wanted more, and I pulled back.
If I could just tell her the truth, we could put this all behind us, but I couldn’t.I didn’t think I was scared of my father anymore, but his threats lingered.The knowledge of what he had done to those who crossed him…
I really was a fucking coward.I was ready to stand my ground and burn his entire empire down, but the minute Sherry reached for me again, I folded like a pathetic sack of shit.
I told her and myself it was to protect her.That keeping her in the dark was the only way to keep her out of my father’s crosshairs.Hiding behind that excuse was easier than facing the fallout.If I told her everything—the sabotage, the threats, who I really was—she might not ever look at me the same, and the thought killed me.
But watching her laugh with Alec felt worse than dying.
I didn’t deserve her, but damn it, I wanted her.
It was time I told her the truth.If she rejected me, at least there would be no more secrets between us.She’d left the vineyard at least an hour ago, and I had been off the clock for as long, but I didn’t want to go home.Part of me was afraid my father would send some more of his goons to do damage, and I refused to let that happen again.Another part of me didn’t want to sit in my townhome alone.
The tasting room was open for another two hours, so I doubted they’d be dumb enough to show up when the place was literally crawling with people.So I locked up the warehouse, made sure to double-check all the locks, then headed out.Instead of heading home, I made a right toward Sherry’s place.
I didn’t call.Didn’t text.If she was home, fate was giving me one more shot to get this right.If she wasn’t… then it was for the best.
The streets were quiet as I drove through Vine Valley—the only kind of quiet I could find in a small town like this.I normally found it peaceful, but the closer I got to Sherry’s, the more unease settled in my gut.
I turned onto her street, and her house came into view.A soft glow illuminated her porch, and one of the front windows was lit.
I pulled in beside her car and parked.I sat there for far too long, contemplating leaving.The minute I walked up that porch and knocked on that door, I was making a choice I couldn’t turn back on.
I climbed out of the truck and crossed the short walkway.A whole new wave of fear rammed into me.What if she slammed the door in my face?Told me I was too late?What if Alec was inside?No.That was ridiculous.
My steps grew heavier with each movement.Every mistake I made up to this moment weighed on me.I lifted my hand to knock, but the door swung open before I could make contact.
Sherry stood there, barefoot with a soft green blanket wrapped around her shoulders.“You’re not the delivery guy.”
My heart stuttered.“Alec?”
“What?No.Chinese.”
Relief rushed through me, and muscles that tensed began to ease.
“Unless you’re here to growl at another delivery guy, why are you here?”
“I don’t want to lose you,” I said.“Pushing you away after dinner will always be my biggest regret.”
She rolled her eyes and yanked the blanket tighter.“You’re just mad you missed out on sex, and you’re here to scratch an itch.”
I took a step closer, hands up as if I was approaching something fragile.“That’s not why I’m here.”
The sound of a car echoed around us, the door slamming as a man hurried toward us, holding a to-go bag.