Blush, Book 3 the Crescent Lake Winery

by Lucinda Race

  “Did she? Not that it makes it right to act like an ass.”

  With a shake of his head, Jack said, “No, but she didn’t want to date him anymore.”

  “Were you the guy he thought she was interested in?”

  “Not exactly.” Inwardly, he cringed. He didn’t want to say the words, but there was no choice. Peyton would never stay in a long-term relationship with him if he wasn’t truthful. Honesty was the foundation for all long-lasting marriages. “Corine was convinced there was only one way to get him out of her life, and that was to get married to someone else.”

  Peyton’s mouth fell open and her eyes became like saucers. “Please don’t tell me you thought that was a great idea.” She smacked the middle of her forehead with her hand. “Of course you did. That’s how you ended up married.”

  He looked at the floor and when his eyes met hers, he could see tears of anger and hurt. “We got married before a justice of the peace with two of her best friends as witnesses. When it was over, we made the decision to only tell the ex and a few of her very close friends to create the illusion of a happy couple. We agreed not to tell our families.”

  She stammered, “You what?”

  “Right from the beginning, I think we both knew it wasn’t the best idea and we didn’t have the maturity to think of a different solution, like tell her parents she was being bullied. The marriage certificate was just a piece of paper.”

  “And a name. Your name.” Peyton jumped to her feet and turned to the backyard. Then she swung around.

  He couldn’t look at her while those five words hung in the air. An oppressive silence weighed down on them.

  Her face twisted. “How could you not make sure everything was finalized?”

  * * *

  He heard the accusation in her voice and he agreed with her that he had been stupid. “After a few months, her ex had left town and we filed for the divorce. I signed the paperwork and forgot about it. Apparently, after she dropped off the documents at her family’s lawyer, something happened and it never got filed with the court. She only found out when she went to get a marriage license. A couple of months ago, she called and I didn’t give her a chance to talk. I kept cutting her off since I didn’t want to think about the past. I was focused on a future with you.”

  Peyton paced the length of the deck and back again. “Why would you do something so harebrained as to marry her? People break up all the time and they move on.”

  “I was protecting a friend from a dangerous situation the only way I knew how. She was convinced he would never leave her alone. We agreed it was the only solution.”

  Peyton smacked her hand on the railing and winced. “You lied to me all this time. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were married, especially when we’ve talked about the past. We covered all of that and during those conversations, you never thought to say I made another mistake…” He could hear the anger mixed with hurt in her voice. It was a powerful combination.

  “Peyton, I didn’t tell anyone. Less than a handful of people knew, and my family certainly didn’t.” He got up and stood beside her and took her hand. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  She jerked it away. “That’s right. Jack to the rescue. Is that what you’ve been doing with me? Because if it is, I don’t need to be rescued.” She didn’t attempt to disguise her anger.

  “It’s not like that and you know it. I love you and have since we were kids. What’s between us is real.”

  With a snort, she said, “Right. If it was, why on earth wouldn’t you tell me? Would you have ever told me if Corine hadn’t come to Crescent Lake?” She held up a hand and looked away. “Don’t answer that since I’m pretty sure I know the answer.”

  “I would never have withheld that from you.”

  “Then when would you have told me?” She took one giant step away from him. “You’ve had over seven years to say, By the way, I married a girl but divorced her and don’t worry. It didn’t mean anything.”

  He ran a hand over his face. “Peyton. It’s not like we were dating at the time.”

  “But we had been dating and you left. I have to know if we hadn’t broken up, would you have married her anyway and not told me?” Her voice was flat but her eyes softened. “Did you ever love her?”

  “Not the way you mean. She was my friend and I’m not sorry I helped her.”

  * * *

  “While I was studying and working my butt off in college, you were out having a great time with your new friends and getting married.” She waved her hands in the air when he tried to hold them. “No. You don’t get to be all lovey-dovey right now. We’ve been dating for a few months and you should have told me.”

  He understood why she kept repeating this and he wished he could say he was just kidding and he hadn’t really been married.

  “And to not tell your family about the marriage? All I can say is wow.”

  He clenched and unclenched his fists. “It was water under the bridge by the time I came home. Why bother telling them anything? Besides, you know how my family feels about marriage. Look at my parents, Don, and Tessa, and Anna, and even Liza. When a Price commits to one person, they love them with all their hearts and will do anything for their partner.” He touched her arm and waited until she looked up. “You are the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

  * * *

  She heard the emphasis he put on his last sentence but she turned away. She didn’t want to look at the man she loved and have him see her cry. Her shoulders slumped. “You need to leave.”

  “Not until we clear the air.” He put his hands on her arms.

  The warmth of his hands took away the chill that had stolen through her. She wanted to lean back into his chest so he could wrap her in his embrace. But she remained stoic. “I can’t do this anymore. Just go.”

  “Peyton, please. There is more we need to talk about.”

  She could hear the sadness in his voice. It broke her heart, but she couldn’t cave in to his needs. Not now.

  With a slow shake of her head, she whispered, “Go.”

  For what seemed like an eternity, she knew Jack stood behind her. He hadn’t moved. She wouldn’t relent even though she longed to.

  Finally, he took a step back. “I’ll call you later.”

  She didn’t acknowledge him, and when she heard the truck’s engine rumble, she turned to look at where he had stood moments before. Her heart was hemorrhaging. How could you, Jack? How could you not be honest with me, and how could you do this to us?

  28

  The last week had been hell but Peyton had been all in mom mode with Owen’s birthday party, and he loved his new bright-blue bike. But he was disappointed Jack hadn’t come to his party and kept asking where he was. She just said he had to work; things were busy at the winery. So far, she was able to distract him, but that wouldn’t last much longer.

  She longed to talk to Jack, but at the same time, she didn’t want to talk to him. He called, texted, and left bouquets of flowers on the bar for her every day she worked. He even left a present for Owen, but she hadn’t given it to him, not yet. Lily and Tony knew something was going on, but to their credit, they never said a word. On top of it all, Owen was now asking when they could go fishing again on Jack’s boat.

  Don had called to check and see how she was doing since she learned about Corine. He’d been point-blank and asked if she was thinking of leaving CLW. That had come as a shock since there was no way she was letting her personal situation derail her career. Don told her she had a future with the Price family business for as long as she wanted.

  She stood in front of the tasting room door and dug into her bag for the keys while juggling her to-go coffee mug and a hanger with her freshly laundered work shirt. She looked up as tires crunched in the driveway and raised her hand in greeting.

  Lily got out of her car. “Hi, Peyton.”

  “Hi.” She noticed Lily was dressed in the winery logo polo shirt, crisp khaki-colore
d capris, and tan ballet flats. She was ready for a busy workday.

  Lily took the hanger. “Let me help.”

  Peyton jingled the keys and forced a smile. “Found them.”

  She turned the lock and pushed open the door. Lily reached in and flicked on the overhead lights. The sun streamed into the room, bathing the center display of wineglasses, books, and other items, all wine-related, in a brilliant light. Peyton marveled at how much had changed for her in the last couple of years. Her role in the business had grown; she had good friends, and up until a week ago, an amazing boyfriend.

  Lily took the hanger and walked toward the bar. “I’ll hang up your shirt and then get set up for the day.”

  “Thanks.” Peyton set her coffee on the bar and turned on the LED lights underneath. They were bright enough to see all the supplies. “Tell me how it’s going with Beth. Is our marketing guru overwhelming you yet?”

  Lily popped out from the back. Her grin was wide. “Amazing. I’ve learned so much about wine and pairing it with different foods to create appeal to lots of different demographics and how you need to understand the basics before you can influence a customer to purchase. I mean, I knew about marketing, but to really reach a customer and make an impact, you need to understand the wine too.”

  Peyton knew more was coming since Lily’s enthusiasm bubbled up and over like champagne.

  “Did you know there are wines that even a beer drinker might like?”

  “Really?” Peyton gave her an indulgent nod. “And I do.”

  “Yeah, and that champagne is from a region in France and we have sparkling wine here, but it can’t be called champagne.”

  “I did, and I can see that you’ve been learning a lot from the ground up.”

  “There was so much I had no idea about; I was naïve, in fact. It’s like I’m a kid being given a brand-new book that holds the secrets to a new world. This is going to be the best job ever.”

  Peyton held back a chuckle and Lily’s very serious expression fell.

  “What’s the problem then?” Peyton asked.

  “This isn’t permanent, so when the tasting room slows down, I’ll be out of a job.”

  “You never know. The company is expanding, so something might open up.”

  “Well, worrying about what might happen won’t get the inventory done or us ready to open.” Lily picked up the clipboard and pen and hurried down the hall to the climate-controlled storeroom.

  Peyton made a mental note to check in with Don to see if there was a place for Lily long term. She was an excellent worker and Peyton remembered what it was like to be young and starting out. It reaffirmed her decision to support the girl. Everyone deserved a chance.

  She double-checked the shelves to make sure there was enough glassware. Next was the dishwasher, which she set up to be able to run glasses if needed. Most people liked to buy the glass, but there were always some left behind.

  She opened the door to the storage room and called to Lily, “Can you bring out a case of crackers? We’re out.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  The afternoon was a whirlwind of people and another big sales day. Not a record-setter for a Thursday, but definitely a good day, and for part of the shift, Peyton had stood back to see how Lily handled things. She was doing great and her confidence was growing.

  After the tasting room closed, Peyton loaded the dishwasher for a run. She noticed a tall, handsome blond man walking in her direction. “Jack, how long have you been standing there?”

  “Not long.” In two short strides, he was standing in front of her. “Too long.”

  Her heart skipped and she longed to lean into his body for a long, slow, sensual kiss that would rock her to her toes.

  The look in his eyes sent a jolt of electricity to her heart. He touched her hand. “Can we talk?”

  Someone cleared his throat. Jack stepped back and they looked up.

  “Don. We didn’t hear you come in.” Peyton didn’t move away from Jack, but she did force a smile. She was uncomfortable with Don walking in on them. She wanted to keep their disagreement private. It was embarrassing for everyone to know that even she hadn’t been aware of Corine.

  “What’s up, bro?”

  “I got a call from Anna, and she and Colin will definitely be home next week even though they’re a couple months behind schedule while she worked on that new blend. And as you know, Mom loves to have a reason to host a family dinner. Just thought you’d want a heads-up.”

  His brow arched. “Thanks.”

  Don’s gaze slid between the two of them. “Good day for the tasting room, Peyton?”

  She breathed a little easier now that the conversation had shifted to work. “It’s been steady.”

  “Good.” He gave her a warm smile, reminding her of the talk they had. No matter what happened between her and Jack, she had a place here.

  “Thanks, Don.”

  “See you both later.” He left the way he came.

  Peyton looked around the room. “I don’t think we should have a personal conversation in here. Anyone can walk in, and I really don’t want the entire family to know any more of our business than they already do.”

  “Will you take a ride through the vineyard with me?”

  Torn, she looked at her watch, calculating how much time she had before needing to get home. “I have an hour to spare.”

  * * *

  He didn’t like the clipped tone in her voice, but he would take what he could get at this point. She hadn’t spoken to him or returned his calls or texts since they had talked about California. He extended his hand, but she didn’t take it. They walked out the back to where his two-seater UTV was parked.

  They went down the drive at a slow speed. Jack lifted his hand in greeting to several of his guys, who were on their way out of the fields for the day.

  “How’s Owen?” He glanced her way. She was looking straight ahead.

  “He’s good. He loves school.”

  “Is he going to try out for soccer this fall? I hear the coaches are solid.” He wanted to keep the conversation light until they were farther away from the buildings.

  “It’s up to him. I’m sure once he knows which of his friends are playing, he may decide to join the team. I’m pretty sure he knows that Johnny and George are playing, so he’s leaning in that direction.” She folded her hands in her lap as her shoulders relaxed a little.

  Jack took this as a good sign. “I’ve missed you.”

  She didn’t respond verbally but her chest heaved and her breath caught.

  He slowed even more and turned down a grass-covered path. “I wanted to take you someplace that’s important to me.”

  She didn’t respond. Jeez, she was making this hard on him.

  He took a deep breath. Everything would work out.

  They hit a rut hard and he reached out a steadying hand to keep her secure in her seat. She flashed him a grateful smile.

  “We’re almost there.” He took one final turn and slowed to a stop. They were surrounded by a newly cleared field.

  She squinted. “What’s all this?”

  He leaned over the steering wheel and let his gaze run from left to right. He smiled. “The future.”

  “Jack, I’ve seen fields before; what’s so special about this spot? And the more important question is what does it have to do with me?”

  Ouch, that stung. He held up a hand. “Hear me out. I should have told you when we first started dating again about what had happened in Napa with Corine. I don’t regret helping her, but I should have found a better way to do it, and my biggest regret was not being completely honest with you. I’m hoping you can forgive me. I promise from today and for the future, I will never keep anything from you.”

  “Are you still married to her?”

  “No. She confirmed the paperwork was filed and her lawyer pushed it through since she had a wedding to plan. She is in love with a good man and they’re starting a new life together.” />
  “Why didn’t you tell me this the other night?”

  “You didn’t give me the opportunity—you asked me to leave.”

  She was quiet but then asked, “Does she know about me? That we were dating?”

  Jack turned in his seat so he could face her. “She knew about you from the first time we met. You always popped up in conversation. She knew I loved you then and always would.”

  Her smile softened.

  “My friends out there couldn’t believe you didn’t come with me to Napa, and more than one of them said I was a fool to have left you behind. I’m pretty sure they thought they knew you from all that I had said.”

  Her smiled faded a bit. “I’m still angry that you kept it from me. You know every detail about my life. I have zero secrets from you, and if we’re going to have a future, you have to promise that you will not keep anything from me again. No matter how awful you might think it is. I will not settle for less than a one-hundred-percent open and honest relationship.”

  He slid the short distance across the bench seat until they were thigh to thigh. He could feel her warmth flood his veins. “I didn’t talk about the marriage thing because I wanted to be able to say I married once and she is the love of my life.” He kissed the palm of her hand. “You are the love of my life.”

  Her gaze was unflinching. “But being involved and getting married, even if it was in name only, are two very different things.”

  “I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

  She blinked away tears and pressed her body into his. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest until his heart beat in concert. With their arms around each other, they held on tight. Not speaking, just letting the moment wash away any remaining hurt. Yes, he had hurt Peyton by withholding the absolute truth, but he had also hurt himself. This last week had been so much worse than the last time they broke up. This time, he could have lost her forever. It was not a risk he was willing to take again.

  “Tell me again why we’re here?”