A Stonecreek Christmas Reunion

by Michelle Major

  “She’s right,” her grandmother agreed, rising from her chair. “Mary Margaret’s love life is no one’s concern but her own. Stonecreek is the best choice for LiveSoft regardless of whether she’s dating the CEO or not.”

  “Thanks, Grammy,” Maggie whispered.

  Vivian nodded as she walked to the door, gesturing to Irma to follow. “But wear that navy dress with the scoop neck to dinner, dear,” she called over her shoulder. “The color makes you look not so washed-out.”

  Maggie swallowed a shocked laugh. Her grandmother giveth support and her grandmother taketh away.

  She should be angry but couldn’t quite muster the emotion, understanding why everyone was so invested in Stonecreek winning. It was also difficult to deny that Christian’s interest in her was more than simply professional. He’d been texting her regularly, messages that appeared innocuous on the surface but contained a flirty undertone that Maggie wasn’t certain how to handle.

  It would be easy to fall for a guy like Christian—smart, powerful, handsome and wealthy. Yet even if Maggie hadn’t sworn off dating, Christian wouldn’t be the man she’d pick.

  She had to make it clear that all she could offer was friendship and the promise of life in an amazing town. Surely he’d be fine with that. They barely knew each other. Whatever chemistry people saw between them on social media was a trick of the camera.

  Stonecreek would win the competition because it was the right choice, not due to anything she did or didn’t do with the CEO.

  She opened the drawer to her desk and shoved her new skin-care products into it. Christian and Griffin were meeting at Harvest Vineyard today to discuss environmental sustainability and corporate culture—two subjects they both seemed to find fascinating. Christian had asked her to attend, and although she’d tried to offer excuses, he’d been insistent.

  The drive to the vineyard made her heart ache. The last time she’d been out there had been for the hospital gala and after she’d spent the night in Griffin’s arms. The landscape looked totally different now, cold and grim and nearly barren. A gray sky loomed above her, perfectly matching her mood. Had Griffin heard the gossip about her and Christian?

  She tried to tell herself that she didn’t care about his reaction, but that was too big of a lie even for her to swallow.

  Panic crested like a wave inside her as she got out of her car. It crashed over her, and she took a step back. The hulking black SUV Christian drove while he was in town sat in the parking lot outside the winery’s main office along with Griffin’s vintage Land Cruiser.

  She thought about the two men, what each might want—what she wanted for herself. The town’s expectations and the pressure of making sure everything went according to plan over the next few weeks. It was too much.

  Was she really equipped to deal with any of it? She wanted to believe she could handle things. Yet she had difficulty having that kind of confidence in herself. What had she done to earn it?

  Instead of heading toward the office where she was due to meet Griffin and Christian, Maggie started down the hill that led to the massive estate vineyard. The temperature had dropped at least ten degrees since she’d left downtown. A fog was quickly descending over the fields, and she could feel the cold to her bones. Zipping up the parka she wore over her wool sweater dress, she kept moving until she was making her way down the rows of dormant vines.

  Her tension propelled her forward, like she could outrun her nerves or freeze them from her system. Central Oregon in December was typically rainy, but she could tell from the low-hanging clouds and the fact that she could barely feel her nose that any precipitation they got today would be in the form of snowfall.

  As if on cue, a few flakes appeared in the air in front of her. Snow was unusual, so she stopped and tipped up her face, holding out her tongue to feel the snow on it.

  “It doesn’t taste like nuffin’.”

  Maggie gave a sharp cry and whirled, shocked to find a solemn-faced boy staring at her from the row next to the one where she stood.

  “Snow tastes like water,” she said, clasping a hand to her chest.

  “My mommy told me snow tasted like cotton candy,” he reported, tiny slashes of dark brows furrowing.

  Maggie shook her head. “Not so much.”

  “She also told me she wasn’t gonna die,” the boy said, his small voice never wavering. “That was a lie too.”

  “Oh.” Maggie’s heart lurched. The pain she felt on this child’s behalf chased away her panic more quickly than anything else could have. “I didn’t know your mommy, but I bet what she told you was more of a hope than a lie. My mom died when I was fifteen and my sister was only a little older than you at the time. I know it was her greatest hope that she’d find a way to keep living.”

  “How do you know how old I am?” he asked, ducking under a branch and then between two vines to stand directly in front of her.

  “It’s the sign on your forehead,” she told him then winked when he lifted a hand to his face. “Just kidding. I’m actually pretty good with ages and I’d guess you’re around four.”

  He nodded. “My birthday was in August.”

  “Mine’s in March,” she told him. “It’s kind of cold today.”

  “That’s why there’s snow,” he confirmed, kicking a dirt clump with his toe.

  “I’m sorry about your mommy. You must miss her very much.”

  The boy nodded and wiped his nose with the back of one sleeve.

  “It’s really cold out here, huh?”

  Another nod.

  “I’m Maggie.” She held out her hand. After a moment the boy shook it, his fingers icy cold. “What’s your name?”

  “Joey,” he told her, barely above a whisper.

  “Do you live near the vineyard, sweetie? Is your daddy home right now?”

  His brow scrunched. “I don’t have a daddy.” He drew back his hand. “I have Griffin. Mommy gave me to him.”

  “Oh, my—” Maggie pressed a hand to her mouth. She should have realized it earlier. Griffin had told her he’d gone to Seattle and Cassie had died. Of course, he’d forgotten to mention that he’d become the guardian of his ex-girlfriend’s young son.

  She straightened as she heard a deep voice calling the boy’s name. “Does anyone know you’re out here?” she asked.

  Joey shook his head. “They were busy.”

  “Right now they’re busy looking for you.”

  “I like it out here,” he told her, kicking the dirt again. “Even when it’s cold.”

  “I understand.” She crouched down in front of him. “When my mom died I liked being outside too. The quiet helped me talk to her.”

  “Yeah,” the boy murmured, his eyes seeming to flash with relief at being understood.

  “But you have to let a grown-up know where you’re going when you leave the house. They get worried otherwise.”

  Joey seemed to think about that for a moment. “Okay,” he agreed, nodding.

  “Let’s let them know you’re okay.” She smiled. “Okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  Maggie turned in the direction of the loudest of the voices. “Over here, Griffin,” she shouted, taking Joey’s hand in hers to begin walking toward the end of the row.

  A moment later, Griffin appeared, silhouetted against the creeping fog. “Joey,” he shouted and ran forward.

  The boy gripped Maggie’s hand tighter. “Griffin’s mad,” he whispered.

  “Not exactly mad,” Maggie assured him. “He’s worried.”

  “Where the hell have you been?” Griffin demanded of the boy as he came to a stop in front of them.

  Joey looked up, giving Maggie an “I told you so” glance that would have made her grandmother proud.

  “No swearing,” she told Griffin, arching a brow.

  His eyes narrowed.
“Are you joking right now?”

  She squeezed Joey’s hand. “We’ll talk to Jana about getting a swear jar for the house. Every time he curses, that’s a dollar in the swear jar. You get to use the money for whatever you want.”

  “Really?” Joey asked, his mouth curving into a small smile.

  “I promise.”

  “What are you talking about?” Griffin shook his head. “Joey, you scared Ms. Jana half to death.”

  The boy’s lower lip trembled. “I don’t want her to die.”

  “Griffin.” Maggie kept her voice soft but widened her eyes so Griffin would get her message. “You’re scaring him,” she mouthed above the boy’s head.

  Griffin closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. “Joey, I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair, making the thick tufts stand on end. He looked wild and desperate and absolutely unsure of what to do next. It melted Maggie’s frosty heart.

  “I told you,” Maggie said to the boy, crouching down again. “Griffin and Ms. Jana were worried. That’s why you have to tell someone when you leave the house. In fact, a grown-up needs to go with you if you want to come down to the fields.”

  “They bury the canes so they don’t get cold,” the boy said matter-of-factly, reaching out a hand to touch one of the exposed vines.

  “I can tell who he’s been spending time with,” she said, lifting her gaze to Griffin.

  His face softened and the glimpse of vulnerability she saw in his eyes there struck to her core.

  A gust of wind whipped down the row of vines, making the boy shiver. “Let’s get you back to the house,” Griffin said, closing the distance between them and lifting the boy into his arms.

  Maggie noticed that Joey stayed stiff, unsure of how to relax in Griffin’s arms.

  She trailed along behind them, trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Griffin as a father figure.

  The snow came down heavier, blanketing the fields with a coat of pristine white.

  “Will there be enough for a snowman?” Joey asked, unaware of the tension simmering between Griffin and Maggie.

  “Maybe,” Griffin answered, glancing around at the literal winter wonderland surrounding them. At least a wonderland compared to what they normally experienced in this part of Oregon. “This is what I wanted to talk to you about the other night,” he said to Maggie.

  Before she could answer, a relieved cry sounded from the top of the hill they were climbing.

  “Joey,” Jana called on a choked sob as they made their way up. Griffin’s mother looked beside herself with worry. She wore a cream-colored turtleneck sweater, dark jeans and worn work boots that came up to her knees. The boots didn’t mesh with Jana’s otherwise polished appearance, and it made Maggie remember that this woman was tougher than she looked.

  Maggie respected Jana for it and liked to think they had that inner strength in common. She drew in a breath, thinking of her near breakdown when she’d first arrived at the vineyard. A few minutes of doubt were manageable. Maybe even normal.

  But she’d proven she could handle whatever life handed her. She was infinitely blessed but had also dealt with losses, setbacks and challenges. Each one she’d overcome and she was determined to continue in that vein.

  “Maggie found him in the estate vineyard,” Griffin reported to his mother as she took the boy from his arms.

  “You must be freezing,” Jana murmured. Joey wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into the soft fabric of her sweater. It was so different from how he’d reacted when Griffin held him.

  A quick glance at Griffin’s stony features and Maggie realized he was well aware of the boy’s contrasting reactions.

  “I wanted to check on the grapes,” Joey said softly to Jana.

  Griffin closed his eyes for a moment. “We should get him to the house to warm up,” he said, his dispassionate tone belying the emotions Maggie could almost see swirling inside him.

  “I’ll take him,” Jana said. “Joey and I can have hot chocolate while he tells me about his adventure. You finish the meeting.”

  At that last word, Maggie looked toward the office to see Christian moving toward them, a scowl marring his perfect features. The snow had already stopped, although the air was still bitterly cold for the valley. She knew most of what Griffin planned to show Christian was inside the winery, but she still thought that between the scare with Joey and the weather, the time wasn’t right for the kind of attention the CEO needed.

  “We can reschedule,” Griffin told his mother.

  “He’s fine,” Jana said gently.

  “I want hot chocolate,” Joey announced.

  “Cancel if you want,” Christian called, his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets. “But this is the only day I have available.” He paused then added, “I’m heading to Timmins to talk to the city planner over there. LiveSoft is interested in their environmental initiatives. Did you know Timmins has the most environmentally certified buildings per capita than any other city in Oregon?”

  Griffin gave a sharp shake of his head.

  Christian glanced toward Maggie. “The town council has offered to donate a tree to every one of my employees to increase the community’s overall canopy. Impressive, right?”

  “Sure.” Maggie grimaced inwardly even as she tried to keep her emotions from showing on her face. She understood that Christian was a busy man and LiveSoft had to be his priority, but his reaction seemed insensitive at best.

  Going forward with today’s meeting had to be the last thing Griffin wanted to do.

  “Maybe we could reschedule for next week,” she offered, moving to stand next to Griffin. She didn’t want him to think she expected him to carry on like he hadn’t just had a huge scare.

  Christian shook his head, suddenly looking like a petulant schoolboy. “It’s now or never.”

  She swallowed. “Well, then—”

  “We’ll go over our sustainability initiatives now,” Griffin interrupted. He turned to his mother, who was setting Joey on his feet. The main house was situated across a wide swath of snow-covered lawn. “Call if you need anything.”

  “We’ll be fine,” she repeated in the way of an experienced mother. Maggie had no doubt Jana would be able to handle Joey with no issues.

  Griffin ruffled the boy’s hair. “If you want to visit the vines, tell me next time. I’ll take you down.”

  “You were busy,” the boy answered, his eyes trained on the ground in front of him.

  Crouching down until he was almost at eye level with Joey, Griffin placed a finger under the boy’s chin and tipped it up. “I’m never too busy for you. Never.”

  The boy tilted his head, studying Griffin as if to discern whether he meant the words. After a moment he nodded. “Okay.”

  Jana took the boy’s hand as Griffin straightened again, and they walked toward the house.

  “Are you and the kid’s mom divorced?” Christian asked when it was just the three of them again.

  “Not exactly,” Griffin said tightly.

  “I get it.” Christian nodded. “It’s complicated.”

  Griffin glanced at Maggie. “I hate that word.”

  She ignored him and instead smiled at Christian. “Did you know Harvest was the first vineyard in Oregon to be certified organic?”

  A bit of the impatience in his gaze disappeared. “What made you decide to go that route?”

  Griffin was silent for several seconds, and Maggie wondered if he was going to answer the question. Christian might not realize it, but it was clear to her that Griffin couldn’t stand the successful CEO.

  She cleared her throat and after another moment he said, “This valley is a special place. We want our fields to flourish in harmony with the land and the people who live here. Environmental stewardship is more than just planting trees. Would you like to see the bottl
ing operation?”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Let’s head over to the winery.”

  Maggie hung back, and Griffin turned to her. “Are you coming with us?”

  “I’m going to stop in and see Brenna for a minute,” she said, forcing a bright smile. “I’ll catch up with you.”

  Griffin’s eyes narrowed but his smile remained fixed in place. “Don’t be too long.” He leaned closer and added in a whisper, “Or I might throttle your CEO boyfriend.”

  “He’s not my—” She shook her head. “Never mind. I won’t be long.”

  She turned and walked into the Harvest office, breathing in the warm, vanilla-scented air. Brenna rose from behind the receptionist desk and walked toward Maggie. “I’m so glad you found Joey. Jana was really worried.”

  “You knew about him?” Maggie asked, pressing a hand to her stomach. Her shock at finding the boy and gratitude that he was safe were beginning to wear off, anger taking their places inside her heart.

  Brenna shook her head, her big brown eyes filled with sympathy. “Of course not. Not until Jana came rushing in here a few minutes before you showed up. I was about to get my coat on to help with the search.”

  “But he lives in the main house,” Maggie whispered. “Marcus runs the vineyard. Did he know?”

  Marcus Sanchez was the Harvest Vineyard’s CEO. Jana had given him the leadership position after her husband, Dave, died four years ago. Marcus was a soft-spoken man in his late forties. He’d worked at the vineyard for years and had more than earned his place in the business. He had a gift for working the land. Apparently he’d also had a serious crush on Maggie’s best friend, Brenna Apria, since she’d come to work in the Harvest office two years ago. It was only after Maggie’s aborted wedding that the two of them had connected romantically.

  Brenna had known about Trevor’s infidelity but hadn’t admitted as much to Maggie until the day of the wedding, and her friend’s silence had felt like an additional betrayal on top of Trevor’s cheating. Maggie had eventually found a way to forgive Brenna, as well as Trevor, and she was sincerely happy Brenna and Marcus were such a perfect fit for each other.