Brynn smoothed down her shirt and opened the door. It was Roland.
Probably the best option if it had to be another Miles, but Roland wasn’t exactly good news either. Since he’d moved back, he’d taken up the mantle of protective big brother just like the others. And he had money for lawyers.
I needed to get out while I still could.
“Hey kiddo. You weren’t answering your phone.” Roland glanced over and noticed me. “Oh, hey Chase.”
“So, do you want me to close the hood?” I asked, gesturing outside toward her car. Thank god my voice sounded mostly normal. “Your car should be good to go for a while.”
“Sure. Thanks.”
I nodded to them both and slipped past. When I got outside, I let out the breath I’d been holding. Holy shit, that was close. I closed the hood, making sure it latched, and glanced back. She was standing in her doorway, talking to Roland. Her eyes flicked to me for a second and I thought about waiting until Roland left.
But then he went inside, and she closed the door. I couldn’t very well loiter outside her cottage. That would be suspicious. And I needed to process what had just happened. I hadn’t come here intending to kiss her. I’d only wanted to see her, maybe figure out what was wrong with me.
Fuck. What the hell had I just done?
My shop was closed on weekends, but I went there anyway. I needed to think.
I worked out of an industrial building on the east edge of town. My shop was flanked by an auto body repair guy and general contractor. I worked in the field pretty often, since a lot of the machinery I worked on was too big to move—like the bottling equipment at Salishan. But about half the time, I worked here.
I went inside and flipped the switch for the lights. They flickered and buzzed as they came on. The familiar smells of oil and rubber hung in the air. It was cold, but I wasn’t going to bother with the heat.
My boots echoed on the concrete floor, the sound filling the cavernous space. I went back to the office and rifled through the papers on my desk. Nothing I wanted to deal with now. What I needed was to get my hands busy.
Back in the shop, I had an orchard tractor in for some repairs. It was a great piece of machinery—low emissions and quieter than standard tractors. There were a lot of pear orchards and vineyards in the area, so I worked on these all the time. I could fix them in my sleep, so I grabbed some tools and let my mind wander while I worked.
I’d kissed Brynn. Really kissed her. I could claim it had been an accident. That I hadn’t meant to do it. Which was true. I hadn’t. Cooper would still be pissed, but I knew how to calm him down.
But that would mean calling the kiss a mistake. I’d have to tell Brynn I hadn’t meant anything by it. That it wouldn’t happen again.
Seeing her had helped clear my head, but it hadn’t gotten her out of it. She was there, and I knew now she wasn’t going anywhere. Kissing her had only confirmed what I’d already known, deep down. I wanted her.
I wanted Brynn more than I’d ever wanted anything in my entire life. I didn’t understand how it had happened, but now that it had, I couldn’t deny it. Something inside her called to something deep inside of me. She’d awoken a need I hadn’t realized existed.
Now that I was seeing her clearly, everything was coming into focus. Brynn was smart, funny, and loyal. She was sweet, but still sassy. She always had been; I’d just never allowed myself to see it.
Most of the girls I’d hooked up with over the years had been in it for a good time, and not much else. Looking for the same thing I was. I’d always steered clear of girls like Brynn—the ones who’d actually make good girlfriends. Cooper did too. It was the real rule number one—and we both knew it—but it had always gone unspoken.
I didn’t want to hook up with her. It wasn’t about getting in her pants. Wanting her body would have been easy to shrug off. That was nothing. I loved women, and there were always more.
Brynn wasn’t just a woman. She was the woman. And fuck, she was changing everything.
I tightened a bolt and wiped away some excess grease with a rag. If I did this, I’d have to do it for real. Take her out. Get to know her better. Date her and let things unfold. Granted, I didn’t exactly know how. I’d never been a relationship guy, so this opened up a world of unknowns. But I had pretty good instincts when it came to women, and I could figure it out.
Cooper was another matter. He didn’t want anyone to date his sister. He was going to be tricky. But if I could explain to him how I felt, and that I was serious about her, I was pretty sure he’d listen.
I put the wrench down. Ran my thumb over the cool metal of the tractor. It was like Brynn had flipped a switch. I’d had a taste of her, and there was no going back.
Seven
Brynn
I was ready to burst by the time Roland left. He’d stopped by to tell me our half-sister Grace was coming over later, which added a whole new layer to the chaos in my brain. I nodded and gave short answers so he wouldn’t catch on to the fact that I was about to lose my mind.
After he left, I leaned against the door and breathed out a long sigh, trying to calm my racing heart. Thankfully he hadn’t asked any awkward questions about Chase.
Chase. Holy shit. What had just happened?
He’d pushed me up against the wall and kissed me. The shock of it was so acute, I could barely think. I touched my swollen lips, amazed Roland hadn’t been able to tell. Shouldn’t it have been written all over my face? Wouldn’t anyone be able to take one look at me and know? I felt like I’d been marked. It had to show. But Roland hadn’t said anything.
I pushed aside the curtain and looked out the window. The hood of my car was down, and Chase was gone. I wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed, or relieved.
Mostly, I was confused.
Why had he done that? I’d been yelling at him for messing with my car. Damn it, that had been a pretty crappy thing to do. I’d been angry at my family, and he’d been the unfortunate recipient of my frustration. He’d been trying to do something nice for me.
But that kiss. God, that kiss. It still blazed across my sensitive skin—warmth and tenderness and surprise. I could feel the scratch of his jaw, the firmness of his lips. It had felt good. Really good.
I had no idea what to think. I’d daydreamed about Chase kissing me like that a thousand times when I was younger. Now that it had actually happened, it left me reeling.
Times like this, I missed my friend Carrie. Maybe not her specifically—she’d been sleeping with my boyfriend—but I missed having a best friend to turn to. I’d made friends at school, but no one I’d feel comfortable confiding in.
I had a hard time relating to the people I met at school. It seemed like half of them were only there because their parents expected it, not because it was what they wanted. And so many were living off their parents’ money. They had no idea how lucky they were. I worked my ass off so I could be there. Working part time—because I needed money—and studying kept me busy, so I didn’t go out partying a lot. I’d had some fun, but so often I felt like the only serious one in every group.
Although in some ways that had been a nice change. At least people at school took me seriously. Unlike my family.
I loved my family, but sometimes they were a lot to handle. And tonight I had to go meet my half-sister. I wasn’t sure how to feel about Grace. I didn’t have anything against her personally. It wasn’t her fault our father was a cheating asshole. He’d screwed her over just as much as he’d screwed us.
But it also meant a change in our family dynamic. I didn’t want to be a brat about it, but I was used to being the only girl. I liked the idea of a sister; I just wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Did she want to be a part of our family? Did she want to get to know us?
She was probably struggling with it as much as we were. And she and her mom had been through a lot with her little brother. Our little brother.
God, this was weird.
I distracted myse
lf with unpacking and cleaning until it was time to meet Grace. It was good to get my mind on something else. I turned up the music and before I knew it, the afternoon had passed.
After a quick shower and dabbing on a little makeup, I went over to the Big House. No one had said so aloud, but I knew we were meeting her here so Leo would come. He hadn’t been off Salishan land since he’d come home after his medical discharge.
There were guests in the tasting room, but I found my family in the event space upstairs. It was normally used for small groups—lunches or private tastings. Roland and Zoe were already here, so I helped them set up chairs around one of the tables. Leo and Cooper came in shortly after me.
“I found him,” Leo said.
“You mean Dad?” I asked.
My dad had gone missing not long after my mom had kicked him out. From what we knew, he’d moved in with his most recent mistress. But soon after, he’d dropped off the map. Disconnected his cell. Deleted his social media accounts. Emails we’d sent all went unanswered.
“Yep,” Leo said. “He obviously disappeared on purpose. Back in June, his mistress liquidated a bunch of assets. They’ve been using cash ever since.”
“Let me guess,” Zoe said. “He’s down in Mexico living it up on the beach.”
“No, he didn’t go far,” Leo said. “Or if he did, he’s back. He’s living in Seattle.”
I was insanely curious as to how Leo knew that, but he kept his secrets close. I didn’t bother to ask because I already knew he wouldn’t tell me.
“Does this mean Mom can file for divorce?” I asked.
“That’s exactly what this means,” Roland said. “We have the paperwork ready to go. We just needed to be able to serve him. This will make the whole process a lot easier.”
It bothered me that he was still so close, yet trying to stay hidden. Granted, I wanted my mom to be able to get her divorce, so finding him in Seattle was good news. But what was he doing there? Why go to all the trouble to avoid contact with us? He was with another woman; he couldn’t possibly be avoiding the divorce.
“What do you think he’s doing?” I asked. “Why try to disappear in the first place?”
“I don’t know,” Roland said.
Cooper snorted. “Because he’s a dick.”
Roland shrugged, like that was as good an answer as any. He was probably right.
There was a soft knock on the open door and we turned to see Grace, clutching her purse. I felt sudden surge of sympathy for her. Here we were, on our home turf, and she had to come to us. This couldn’t be easy.
“Hey,” I said, pulling out a chair. “Come on in.”
“Thanks.” She smiled and came in, taking a seat at the table.
We went through introductions, although she remembered our names. While we talked, Zoe brought out wine and poured us each a glass. She filled hers with water.
Grace was beautiful. She had pretty blue eyes, and blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. She bore a slight resemblance to both Leo—or at least the way Leo used to look—and Roland. They looked more like Dad, whereas Cooper and I took after Mom. I had a feeling Grace looked more like her mother, though. There was a bit of Dad in her, but not much.
“I’m sorry it’s taken a while for me to come back,” Grace said. “This has all been a little overwhelming.”
Roland shrugged. “It’s fine.”
Cooper didn’t sit, nor did he reach for his wine. He held onto the back of a chair and leaned on it. “Nice ring, Gracie. Are you engaged? Married? Aren’t you kind of young for that? It’s weird that I didn’t notice it the first time. Did you have it then? Because normally I can smell a ring without even seeing it.”
Roland glanced at him. “Jesus, Cooper.”
Grace smiled and looked down at her hand. “Yes, I had it then. I’m engaged, but we’re not married yet.”
“You better invite us to the wedding. Do you have a venue picked out? You should have it here.”
“Um, no. We haven’t set a date.” She glanced at her hand again and there was something in her expression I couldn’t quite place. Like she was hesitant to talk about her engagement.
“That’s fair,” Cooper said, clearly oblivious to the hint of sadness in Grace’s expression. “These things take time. Just make sure he’s not dragging his feet because he isn’t serious. If he gave you that ring, he should be ready to step up and marry you.”
“Are you giving her relationship advice?” Leo asked.
“Why not?” Cooper asked. “I’m awesome at giving advice. And she’s my sister now, so I have responsibilities.”
“When was the last time you had an actual girlfriend?” Leo asked.
Cooper’s brow furrowed. “What does that have to do with anything? Gracie’s our sister, Leo. She can’t be my girlfriend. Fucking gross.”
Leo shook his head. “That’s not what I… Never mind.”
“I’d say they’re not always like this, but they’re always like this,” Roland said.
Grace smiled. “It’s fine.”
I figured she might appreciate a change of subject. “How’s your little brother?”
“Our little brother,” Cooper said, pointing at me.
“Cooper, chill,” I said.
“He’s doing great,” Grace said. “He’s still susceptible to complications if he gets sick, so we’ll have to be careful this winter. But right now, he’s running around like a little kid should.”
“What’s up with your mom?” Cooper asked. “Did she know about our mom, or—”
Zoe reached over and smacked his arm. “Coop!”
“What?” he asked. “It’s a reasonable question.”
“It’s really okay,” Grace said. “This is why I’m here. No, my mom didn’t know he was married. She was only nineteen when she met him. She got pregnant with me and I think he helped her out a lot in the beginning. But after a while, she got tired of him only being around part time. She wanted to get married, but he didn’t. His reasons are obvious now, but she didn’t know at the time. She broke up with him when I was about five, and after that I didn’t see him much.”
“But he’s Elijah’s dad, too?” I asked.
Grace nodded. “About eight years ago, he started coming back around. At first my mom didn’t want to have anything to do with him. After a while, he wore her down, I guess. He swooped in with money. Fixed a bunch of things on our house. Bought us new furniture. Then he took us on a cruise, and nine months later, I had a brother. But Dad didn’t stick around, and Mom broke things off with him for good not long after Elijah was born.”
He took them on a cruise? God, he’d never taken us anywhere. I guess we’d gone to Disneyland once. But Leo had gotten sick and we’d had to go home early. I’d been about four; I barely remembered it.
“Some of Mom and Dad’s financial problems were due to him supporting two households,” Roland said. “It looks like he was paying your mom child support until about eighteen months ago.”
“Exactly,” Grace said. “He was pretty good about helping her financially, even though he wasn’t around. But then he just stopped. We all appreciate what you did for her. Things are so much better now that she’s not drowning in all that debt.”
“I’m glad we could help,” Roland said.
Grace had a lot of questions for us. We told her about Salishan. How we’d all grown up here, and now we all worked for the winery. She and I laughed over the fact that I was going to college in the town where she lived. Roland and Zoe told her about getting married twice, and once Cooper started talking about himself, it seemed like he’d never stop. Leo didn’t say much. To Grace’s credit, when he did talk, she always looked him in the eyes, and never once flinched at his appearance.
The door opened, and my mom appeared, dressed in a Salishan Cellars t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun. The tension in the room heightened. Mom had known Grace was coming; Cooper had told her. We didn’t want to hide anything from her. Dad had done enough of that al
ready, and we’d all agreed that wasn’t how we were going to handle this. But none of us wanted to cause her more pain. Grace was a living, breathing reminder of her husband’s infidelity. If she wanted to keep her distance, we didn’t blame her.
“Mind if I come in?” Mom asked.
Grace shifted in her seat. “Hi, Mrs. Miles.”
“Please, call me Shannon.”
Cooper pulled out a chair next to Grace. Mom smiled at him and sat. He stood behind her, keeping a hand on her shoulder.
“Grace, I think the best thing for me to do is be honest with you,” Mom said. “I spent a lot of years holding things in, and it didn’t do me a lot of good. So I want you to know, I don’t blame you for anything. Your father made those choices, and now we all have to deal with the results. But you didn’t ask for it any more than your brothers and sister did.”
“Thank you,” Grace said. “And since we’re being honest, my mom didn’t know about you. She feels terrible.”
“I know,” Mom said. “But hopefully she feels a bit better now. We had a very nice talk earlier today.”
We all stared at her. She’d talked to Grace’s mother?
“Mom, you spoke with Naomi?” Roland asked.
She nodded. “I reached out to her. She’s as much a victim in all this as I am.”
“Thank you for that,” Grace said. “She’s been sick over it since I told her about all of you.”
“Don’t go thinking I’m a saint,” Mom said. “A few months ago, I wasn’t exactly in the same frame of mind. But I’ve had time to work through it. And I decided I wasn’t going to let him cause any more pain.”
Cooper squeezed Mom’s shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you so much,” Grace said.
We all relaxed as we talked. Even Leo opened up a little more. By the time Grace said she had to go, she no longer seemed like a stranger. She and I made plans to meet for coffee during the week when I’d be at school. I wasn’t sure if we felt like sisters—whatever that was supposed to mean—but I did feel like we could at least be friends.
Forbidden Miles Page 5
