Page 65

He slips his boxers off, his cock hard against his stomach, andjumps back in bed. I squeal as he pulls me underneath him, spreads my legs, and slowly slides inside me. It’s intense, quick, and fully satisfying. And I’d be more than happy spending every morning for the rest of my life just like this.

I pullup outside my family’s attorney’s office and throw the truck in park. I guess I should call him my attorney now since I’m taking on the responsibility of the vineyard, but I don’t like the sound of that. I’m not a fan of Richard but there aren’t many options around here. Watercress Falls is small, and if I want a new attorney, I’ll have to look beyond this town.

For now, I’ll deal with it. At least I’m confident Richard will do the things I ask. He may not like it and push for a different outcome, but in the end, he’ll listen.

I open the door to his office and am immediately greeted by a young perky receptionist. “How can I help you?”

“Jessica Evans, here to see Richard.” I smile in return and start to sit in one of the chairs in the waiting room when she speaks up.

“You can go on in.” She points to the closed door behind her. “He’s expecting you.”

“Thanks.” I nod and walk past her. I knock on the door and wait until I hear Richard call me in.

“Hi, Jessica. Glad you’re finally ready to make some decisions about the property.” He smiles but it doesn’t feel genuine. Nothing with Richard ever feels genuine.

“I have, but I’m not sure they’re the decisions you’re hoping for.” I don’t bother beating around the bush and just tell him what I think. “I’m keeping the vineyard.”

His smile fades and he leans forward onto his elbows. He narrows his eyes and pinches his lips together until they disappear. He lets out a long breath before he speaks. “And how exactly do you plan on running a vineyard as large as this one from Seattle?”

“Well, that’s the thing.” I smile, refusing to let him intimidate me. “I’m not going back to Seattle.”

He straightens his back and furrows his brows. “What do you mean, you’re not going back?”

I chuckle which draws out more of a scowl on his face. “It means I’m moving home. I’m staying in Watercress Falls.”

“But why? Your life is in Seattle now.”

I shake my head and roll my eyes. “Well, now my life is here. Where it always should have been. Things change, Richard. This is my home. I love the vineyard, and I’ve always dreamed of running it someday. Granted, not quite under the current circumstances, but life doesn’t always go as planned. But I am here to stay.”

He huffs and runs his fingers through his hair before he shuffles some papers around on his desk. When he finds what he’s looking for, he scribbles a few notes then pins me with a stare. “What about the house?”

“Well, that’s a bit more complicated. I’d like—”

“Now, you just wait a minute. Jimmy had a deal in place with Matt. Denying him that house is just cruel.”

“Will you relax and let me finish?” Remarkably, my voice remains calm. He sits back in his chair and has the audacity to look offended after how he just spoke to me. I knew this would be a difficult meeting, but he could at least let me talk before he goes off half-cocked. “I’m going to sell Matt the barn and land behind it. That way he’ll always have security in his business and have room to grow if he needs it.”

“He’ll be pleased to hear that. I’ll let him know he can stop looking for a new location to relocate to.”

“What?” My jaw drops and my palms turn sweaty. I feel a hint of betrayal sinking its claws into me again. Why didn’t he tell me this? “He’s planning on moving?”

“Well, he was. He couldn’t exactly risk losing his livelihood because you’re being selfish.”

My anger spikes. “Did he say that?”

Richard shrugs and makes a few more notes before he looks up at me. “In so many words, yes.” My expression must have given away the war of emotions swirling around inside me because he continues. “Don’t act so surprised. You waltz back into this town after beinggone for nearly two decades and disrupt everyone’s lives. Matt has to put Emmie first. You must know that.”

“I do.” I shift my eyes away from his and stare out the window. Have I misread everything that’s been happening between Matthew and me? Richard may be a lot of things, but he’s not a liar. I can’t imagine that he’d be making any of this up. I thought Matthew wanted to make another go at things with me. But now I don’t know. A million doubts are running through my mind. Did he lie and betray me yet again? Maybe he’s just using me to get what he wants to keep his daughter happy.

“What about the house?” Richard asks. When I look back at him, he’s watching me like he’s oblivious to my current emotional state.

“The house is a bit more complicated.” I answer. I don’t elaborate as I stand. I have to get out of here and clear my head—make sense of everything he just told me.

“Complicated how?” He barks.

I turn my back and wipe my face clean of the tears I feel trying to escape my eyes. I let out a deep breath before I turn back to face him. “Complicated in that I thought I would be living there, too. But maybe I was wrong. Start with the barn and the land he uses for his clinic. I need to talk to Adam first about creating living space for me behind The Wine Room before I commit to selling the house.”

He says something else, but my mind has already shut down. I race out to my truck and peel out of the parking space like it’s on fire. I need to clear my head and give myself time to process what he just told me. I need to lose myself in something else. I head to the vineyard since there’s no way in hell I can go back to the house and risk seeing Matthew right now.