Always (A Ditched novella)

by Amity Hope

“No, go ahead. Just come find me later.” I understood his surprise. Jake, from what I’d gathered, didn’t attend many social events.

  Max took off in Jake’s direction. I headed toward the gift table. My eyes darted around. Being relatively new to town, I recognized very few faces. I reached the back table and carefully wedged the gift bag into the growing pile. When I turned around, intending to make my way to Paige, I found Clarissa standing in front of me. Paige was only a few steps behind her.

  “Thanks for coming,” Clarissa said sweetly. She looked adorable in a short pink skirt and a soft looking, white angora sweater. “This whole thing is so embarrassing,” she confided conspiratorially.

  “What do you mean?” I had started to assume that her birthday party was commonplace. Perhaps Harmony Bay’s own version of a coming out party.

  “My parents. I told them I didn’t want to have a party. I mean, I’m nineteen now for crying out loud! But I knew if I said no, they’d have one anyway. Probably turn it into some surprise. At least this way, I know the humiliation is coming. I can face it head on.”

  I knew a little bit about overbearing parents. Or at least, overbearing mothers. The party suddenly made a little bit more sense to me.

  “She’s adopted,” Paige announced with a teasing grin. Clarissa smiled and shrugged as if that should explain everything. “Her parents couldn’t have kids. So she’s been spoiled her whole life. She hates it. She used to fight it,” she said with a laugh. “Now? She’s given up. She just gives in. Refusing the party wouldn’t have been worth the emotional fallout.”

  I nodded. This? This was something I could understand. My parents had thought they’d never have kids. I’d shown up when they were happily settled into middle age. I was the first to admit that I’d been a bit babied, a tad spoiled. Suddenly, I felt a bit of sympathy for the girl.

  Clarissa seemed anxious to change the subject. “So did you two have fun yesterday?”

  I nodded.

  “What were you doing?” she asked curiously.

  “We were shopping,” Paige told Clarissa. “You should come with next time. Holly’s been searching for months for the perfect Valentine’s Day present for Max. So far, she hasn’t found it but we’re not giving up,” she said as she gave me a reassuring smile.

  “Oh!” Clarissa said, her voice excited and breathy. “Do you know what you should get him?”

  It seemed like a redundant question considering that Paige had just told her that I did not know. The expression on her face, the tone of her voice and the implication of that redundant question told me that she thought she had the answer. Begrudgingly, I asked, “What?”

  “Fish!”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Fish?”

  Clarissa’s head bobbed as she glanced at Paige. To my surprise, Paige looked slightly impressed with the suggestion.

  “When we were kids,” Clarissa explained, “Max had this great aquarium. It was full of tropical fish. Clown fish were his favorite. You don’t have an aquarium at the beach house, do you?”

  I shook my head. Already, I wasn’t hating the idea. My first full day in Harmony Bay, it had been rainy. Max had taken me to an aquarium. Now that Clarissa jostled my memory with her comment, I did recall him telling me that he had an aquarium when he was younger. It had seemed like a good memory.

  It vexed me that Clarissa had been the one to come up with it.

  “You should keep it in mind,” Paige said. “He would probably really like an aquarium. But, I’m sure he’d be happy with anything.”

  “Of course, he’d like whatever you picked out,” Clarissa assured me with a pat on my shoulder. “’Cause isn’t he just the sweetest?”

  “The sweetest,” I echoed in agreement.

  Her gaze skimmed over the crowd. I was pretty sure she picked out Max. He was sitting at a table with Jake and two other guys I didn’t recognize. They were all laughing over something. She smiled adoringly.

  “Clarissa, I can’t believe you don’t have a boyfriend.” I had tried my luck at matchmaking only once. It hadn’t exactly been a success. At the time, I told myself I would never meddle again. However, I just couldn’t help myself. “Maybe you and Jake…?” I suggested.

  Paige snickered beside me.

  Clarissa cocked an eyebrow at me. “Jake?” She was already shaking her head. “No. Not a good idea. Jake had a rough year last year. Dating is pretty high on his list of least favorite things right now.”

  “What?” I asked. Sometimes this girl confused me.

  “His story to tell. Trust me. He’s not into dating right now.” She shrugged. “Not that it matters. We’re just friends.”

  My gaze scoured the crowd. There had to be somebody for this girl.

  “Max!” she exclaimed.

  I swallowed down a groan. I hadn’t seen him approaching but apparently Clarissa had.

  “Hey, Clarissa!” he said as he scooped her up in a hug. “Happy birthday!”

  “Thank you!” she said as she landed back on her feet. “I’m so glad you and Holly could make it! In fact, I’m just so glad you’re back in town! I still can’t believe it! You have no idea how much I missed you all those years.”

  I sealed in a sigh. I just bet she missed him all those years. He glanced at me over the top of Clarissa’s head. I must’ve accidentally been wearing a look of irritation because he cocked his head, silently questioning me.

  The chords of an unfamiliar slow song saved me from more of Clarissa.

  “Dance with me?” Max asked as he sidestepped her.

  “Absolutely,” I agreed. He reached for me. His hands on my waist as he guided me out onto the dance floor. The night was just getting started and there weren’t a lot of people out on the dance floor yet. However, there were just enough that we could blend in, but not so many that we’d be crowded and bumped around. We found a spot, off to the side, out of the way. I twisted around in his arms, letting a happy sigh slip out when he pulled me closer.

  “You didn’t look like you were having much fun,” he said worriedly. “Is something wrong?”

  I shook my head. Now that I was in Max’s arms, the rest of the party just drifted away. He pulled me in just a little bit closer. I loved the feel of his body pressed against mine. His strong, protective arms caging me in. His scent surrounded me and it was blissful, one of my favorite things. My hands slid up, over his shoulders. I let my fingers play with the hair at the base of his neck.

  “I love you,” I murmured.

  “I know,” he said with a teasing wink.

  I giggled as I rested my head against his chest. I could hear his heart beating. I could feel his muscles straining as his arms tightened again, hands coasting up and down my back, leaving a fiery trail. His lips pressed a kiss onto the top of my head and his hands finally stilled as they settled against the small of my back.

  “I love you, too” he whispered against my ear. Despite the warmth of his breath, or maybe because of it, I shivered. “Always,” he said firmly.

  CHAPTER four

  Walking into the formal dining room of Charles and Villette’s home the next afternoon felt an awful lot like walking into a board meeting. Not that I’d ever taken part in a board meeting, but I had to assume this was what it would be like.

  The long, massive, walnut table was devoid of any place settings. A large bouquet of freshly cut flowers sat at the center in a low vase. The room was large, covered in floral wallpaper. The floor was hardwood and I tread lightly, not wanting the low heels of my sandals to cause too much of a racket.

  Three middle-aged women, obviously Max’s aunts, sat on one side of the long table. Charles sat at the head of the table while Villette sat across from their daughters. After some awkward introductions, Max took the seat next to his grandmother. I slid into the chair next to him.

  His three aunts looked quite a bit alike. All three had hair similar to the color of Max’s. Although the bronze shades did vary slightly. They were all dressed as if they had s
omeone to impress. Expensive jewelry glittered on each of them. Not one of them wore a smile or an even remotely friendly expression.

  I felt a little frumpy in my lightweight white sweater and jeans.

  I could only imagine how intimidated Max felt, knowing that he was the cause of the dour looking expressions. Not that he was at fault for that.

  An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally Veronica, one of Max’s aunts, cleared her throat. She leveled her gaze on Max.

  “I really don’t think it was necessary for you to be a part of this,” she started. “But Mother and Father insisted.”

  “Of course we insisted,” Villette said hotly. “Max is very much a part of this conversation. He deserves to hear what you have to say.”

  “Then let’s get straight to the point. The winery is worth a small fortune,” Maureen pointed out. “How can you give it to Max when you have six other grandchildren? Do you realize how unfair that is to them?”

  I felt Max tense beside me. I knew he hadn’t been aware that he was going to be given the winery. We both turned to his grandparents, waiting for them to correct Maureen. Neither did.

  “I don’t see how it is that the three of you determine what is fair,” Charles began. “Villette and I, as you are obviously well-aware, are not getting any younger. We’d like to retire completely within the next few years. If you don’t think Max should have the winery,” his tone was low and ominous, “what do you suggest we do with it?” He looked at each of his daughters in turn. Not one of the trio spoke so he continued on, pointing at each one as his gaze leveled on them. “Do you want to run it, Veronica? Maureen? Deborah? No?”

  “Father,” Deborah said, her tone complacent, “you know we all have careers of our own.”

  “Precisely,” Villette declared. “You didn’t answer your father’s question. What do you think we should do with it?”

  The silent answer hung in the air. We all knew what they intended to do with it if given the chance. I didn’t think anyone would actually have the nerve to utter the words out loud. I was wrong.

  “It would only be fair if it was sold,” Veronica stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “You think it should be sold so that the profit can be distributed amongst the four of you?” Villette asked, obviously including Max’s father, Marc, who was not present. She had a sour look on her face.

  Her daughters nodded.

  “Of course you shouldn’t part with it until you’re ready,” Maureen said, her tone placating. “But when the time comes, we do believe a sale is the best option.”

  “Holly,” Villette said in a firm voice.

  I tried not to cringe. I did not want to be pulled into this argument and I couldn’t imagine why she was calling me out. I felt Max’s aunts irritated gazes fall on me. I kept my eyes on Villette. “Yes?”

  “How many hours a week did Max spend at the winery last summer? Just an average guess? Twenty?” She was peering around Max’s impressive form at me. I shook my head. “Thirty?” I shook my head again. “Forty?”

  “At least,” I said. “He worked forty hours a week but if there were special events planned over the weekend, and it was prime wedding season, so that happened often, then he worked even more.”

  “So fifty hours a week?” she demanded of me.

  “That sounds about right.”

  “And now?” she continued on, sliding her gaze over to Max. “You’re going to school full-time and you’re still working an average of twenty hours a week. Is that right?”

  Max nodded.

  I wanted to add that unofficially, it was probably more than that. Even when he was home, he was researching or trying to apply his homework to the business. It was always on his mind.

  Villette frowned as she turned to Maureen. “When is the last time you even stepped foot in the winery Maureen? Or you, Veronica? The only time you seem to visit the winery is when you decide you need to bring home a few cases of our finest to hand out to your friends. And Deborah? This is the first time you’ve decided to return to Harmony Bay in six years. Yet you think you have the right to come back to tell your father and I how we should distribute our assets?” Her anger was evident in both her tone and her demeanor as she leveled her gaze on them.

  “Mother,” Debora said. I think perhaps her tone was meant to be soothing, instead I found it condescending. It appeared that Villette felt that way as well. She visibly bristled. “Why don’t you tell us how you believe everything should be distributed? When the time comes, of course.”

  “We plan on seeing to it that Max gets the winery. As for everything else, you can just wait until the reading of the will. When the time comes, of course,” she tacked on with a trace of sarcasm.

  “If you leave the winery to Max, how do you intend to compensate your other grandchildren?” Veronica demanded.

  “You mean the grandchildren that we never see? The grandchildren who have shown no interest whatsoever in the family business? The grandchildren who have not come for a single holiday for years? The ones who never write, never call, never give a simple thank you for all of the birthday and Christmas gifts I’ve sent over the years? Those grandchildren?” she clarified.

  “I barely remember their names,” Charles muttered under his breath with a scowl. I was sure he was simply trying to prove a point.

  “Any one of our grandchildren could have shown an interest in the winery. Other than Max, none have. We’re thrilled that he wants to carry on with our family’s legacy,” Villette said firmly. “If we choose to reward him for that, it’s our prerogative.”

  Veronica shifted in her seat. “And how do you know that he isn’t going to just sell it off and reap the profit?”

  Max vehemently shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. I think the winery should stay in the family. That’s the reason I’m so interested in it. I like the fact that I’ll be the third generation. I think that’s something to be proud of. I never expected them to give it to me. In fact, I still don’t.” He turned to his grandparents. “Obviously, we need to discuss the financial aspect.”

  Villette reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder. She whispered quite theatrically. “That’s exactly what we are going to do.” Then she turned her attention to everyone else. “Up until this very afternoon, your father and I were not entirely sure how we planned to handle the transfer of ownership.”

  “But, you three have made it an easy decision to come to,” Charles added on. “Upon your barging in here this morning, flinging around demands, your mother and I have decided to do exactly as she said. We plan on simply transferring ownership to Max.”

  “You don’t mean that,” Maureen said.

  Villette’s face brightened. “Oh, but we do. Your greed, your attitude of self-entitlement has made it an incredibly easy decision.”

  Max was shaking his head. “I can’t let you do that. I want to run the winery, of course. But I do want things to be fair.”

  “Fair?” Maureen repeated. “You’ve been living off of your grandparents since last summer. You should at least be paying rent.”

  “I’ve offered,” Max said meekly. “In fact, Dad’s offered too. He’s told Grandma and Grandpa that he’d be happy to pay them rent. Just like he would if I were attending a university somewhere else.”

  Villette and Charles refused to take a penny. They insisted it was a perk of his job. As for me, I’d offered as well and only been scoffed at.

  “How dare you!” Villette sputtered as she slammed her hand down on the table. Her normally pale, powdered complexion had turned an alarming shade of red. “How dare you belittle him for staying at the beach house? Your father and I purchased that house years ago with the hope that you, our children, would use it. You didn’t. It sat empty, year after year. Not once did you come to visit. Not once did you decide to use the beach house. We were delighted when Max agreed to stay there. You,” she said as she pointed to each of them in turn, “all three of you and your fami
lies had ample opportunity.”

  “You know,” Charles began, he sat with his hands folded in front of him, “the three of you are terribly presumptuous. Who is to say that we plan on including you in our will at all?”

  I was sure I heard sharp intakes of breath from the trio.

  “Perhaps we would prefer to donate all of our assets to charity,” Villette said as she shared a smug smile with her husband.

  Deborah shook her head. “Oh, Mother, you wouldn’t.”

  Villette smiled as though the idea appealed to her greatly. She bobbed her head lightly. “I do rather like that idea,” she muttered.

  “It is quite brilliant,” Charles agreed.

  “We could help save the whales. Or perhaps the polar bears,” she said, looking amused with herself. “I have heard they’re having some troubles.”

  “Mother,” Veronica snapped, “you don’t even like animals!”

  “At the moment,” Villette said hotly, “I’m not particularly fond of you three, either.”

  Her daughters narrowed their eyes at her. Matching looks of utter disbelief marred their faces. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure that the Campbells were bluffing. In fact, it looked as though the idea was growing on them with each passing second.

  “It is brilliant, isn’t it?” Villette asked her husband. “I do like the idea of our money going to a cause that does not expect it but who would actually appreciate it. Unlike the three of you.” She returned her gaze to them with a frown. “I’m just not sure where I went wrong with you. I had no idea I was raising you to be so greedy.”

  “We’re not being greedy,” Deborah said, clearly offended.

  “That’s right, you’re just incredibly worried about fairness,” Charles tossed back at her.

  Deborah and her sisters nodded.

  “Well, then in all fairness,” Villette began, “I must point something out to you. Your father and I were the ones to work our derrieres off for most of our lives to make the winery what it is today. I think it’s only fair that we decide what becomes of it. I think it is only fair that we determine where our money will go. I think it is only fair that we decide whether we feel as if you should receive an inheritance at all.” All three aunts flinched at her words. “I think it’s rather unfair that you feel you have the right to money that you did absolutely nothing to earn.”