Hold Me (Ribbon Ridge #7)

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

A fter having lunch with his dad, Hayden went back up to The Alex to continue helping Kyle set up his wine cellar. He saw Bex’s truck parked outside the brewhouse and considered walking in that way.

But why? He could walk in through the main entrance of the restaurant or the back way next to Kyle’s office. There was absolutely no need for him to enter Bex’s sphere twice in one day, and he shouldn’t want to.

Shaking his head, and hopefully clearing it of thoughts of her, he walked into the restaurant and beelined back to the kitchen where Kyle and his staff were working on a test meal. They’d been practicing the past week to prepare for Friday’s rehearsal dinner, which would be held here.

“What’s cooking?” Hayden asked.

Kyle looked up from the fish he was filleting. “Salmon. It’s our last practice before we do a run-through tomorrow night.”

That was Thursday, the day before the rehearsal. “You’re making the same meal two nights in a row?”

“Three, actually. The staff’s families are coming up tomorrow night to be our guinea pigs, and then we’ll serve it for real at the rehearsal dinner.” He finished up with the fish and nodded at one of his employees to come and take over. He went to wash his hands. “Thanks for coming back. That shipment came in while you were gone.” He’d been expecting several cases of wine from a distributor, and Hayden was going to inventory and stock them.

Hayden nodded. “Sure thing. Gives me something to do.”

Kyle wiped his hands and laughed. “Like you wouldn’t be up to your eyeballs in work over at Archer Enterprises if you wanted to be. Just say the word and anyone in this family would put you to work.”

Hayden had always jumped in to help. When he’d been the only one to stay in Ribbon Ridge after college, he’d wondered if he was alone in feeling a responsibility to the family business. “Probably true.”

“Come on, I’ll walk down with you for a bit.” Kyle led him down the stairs to where the passageway led to Archetype. They’d use it to deliver food from the kitchen to the small pub.

Hayden followed him into the wine cellar, which Dylan had converted from a root cellar, enlarging the space and installing floor to ceiling racks as well as a temperature control system. They’d inventoried and stocked several cases already that morning, and after Hayden finished with the shipment, he’d determine what else they needed to fill in the blanks. He already knew there was only one sparkling variety, and they’d need more than that to call themselves a respectable restaurant.

The cases were stacked in various towers around the room. There was a worktable in the middle, on which sat the laptop they were using to log the bottles. Hayden opened the first case and whistled. “Nicely done.” It was a set of library vintages from a local winery. Kyle had to have called in a favor to get them.

Kyle went to the table and opened the laptop. “Thanks. I’ve been working all angles. You can thank Cam for that batch. He knows everybody.”

He did, and damn that would be an excellent asset for their not-happening-right-now winery. “Cam is very good at what he does.”

“True dat. I’m ready whenever you are,” Kyle said.

Hayden did what they’d done earlier that day—he read out the winery, variety, vintage, and any tasting notes he could recall. He’d tasted a lot of this wine, but not all of it. He’d have to look some up later. Or tomorrow.

When they’d finished logging the case, which held three different wines, Hayden went about finding the appropriate location to store it then reported it to Kyle, who noted it in the program. Each slot in the rack had a specific address so they could find and pull the wines easily.

“I really appreciate you helping me out like this,” Kyle said. “Once again, you are the lifesaver.”

Hayden finished putting the bottles away and went to open the next case, which held just one kind of pinot noir. “Is that how you all see me?”

Kyle chuckled. “I don’t know. You’ve just always been responsible.”

“So’s Liam, and you don’t call him that.”

“Hell no, he was way too self-involved for too long—not like you. You’ve always looked out for everyone.” He looked up at Hayden and blinked. “Why do you think you’re the most well-liked?”

Hayden laughed. “Is that it? You don’t think it was selfish of me to bail on The Alex when I did?”

“I can’t speak for anyone else, but I didn’t think so. But then I’m the last person to fault anyone for getting out of Dodge.” He was referring to his own departure several years ago, following a nasty situation in which he’d gotten in over his head with his gambling. Derek had found out and told their father, who’d paid off Kyle’s bookie. Kyle had been pissed at Derek for breaking their confidence, and it had taken years for them to patch things up.

“Anyway,” Kyle continued, “leaving when you did was good for you. Wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” For so many reasons. Dealing with Alex’s death, getting over Bex, allowing himself to be exactly what Kyle said he wasn’t: selfish. But was pursuing your dreams selfish? It didn’t feel that way, but he’d blamed all of his siblings for being just that after they’d done the same thing.

Maybe he’d been too harsh. Or immature. Or both. It was nice to know they didn’t think badly of him—or at least Kyle didn’t. “I have to admit I wondered why no one else felt a responsibility to stay here like I did. Maybe I’m just weird.”

Kyle shook his head. “No way. I thought about it—briefly—but I wanted to cook.”

“Didn’t Dad offer you a job at one of the pubs before you went to Florida?”

Kyle cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. I just needed to get away. Like I said, I’m the last person to burn anyone for needing to leave. I was a mess back then, Hayden. I’m only slightly less of a disaster now.”

“That is not true!” Maggie declared as she came into the wine cellar. She went directly to Kyle and kissed his cheek. “You’re not a disaster. Maybe a small nuisance from time to time, but totally manageable.”

Kyle grinned down at her, and their love and companionship filled the dim cellar, making Hayden feel like a third wheel.

“Hello?” Liam’s voice echoed in the passageway. “I heard there’s a party in here.” He walked in with Aubrey, and it suddenly seemed it might be heading that way. He stopped to look at what Hayden was pulling out of the box. “Definitely a party. I love that pinot.”

Aubrey peered over his shoulder, her chin nudging his shirt. “Yum, me too.”

Liam picked a bottle up and took it over to the table where there was an opener. Glasses for tasting hung beneath the tabletop, and he reached down to grab a few.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Hayden asked, despite knowing precisely what his brother was doing. “We’re in the middle of inventorying.”

“So inventory this one out.” Liam peeled the foil off then paused as he noticed Hayden staring at him. “What? You’ve got at least eleven more, right?”

“Yes. Fine. Whatever.” Hayden wasn’t used to his siblings—or at least Liam—interrupting his work.

“You good, brother?” Liam asked. “Didn’t mean to overstep.”

“No, it’s good. It’s just weird having you here.”

Both Liam and Kyle laughed. “It is taking some getting used to,” Kyle said.

Liam looked at Kyle as he pulled the cork from the bottle. “Like you being here isn’t damned bizarre. Or the fact that you’ve managed to pull this restaurant together.”

“And star on TV,” Maggie put in. “Sorry, Liam, but you can’t cast Kyle in the role of slacker anymore.”

Liam poured out wine into five glasses. “Nope, I guess I can’t.” He held up his glass. “To my brother, the former slacker.”

Kyle lifted his glass. “Gee, thanks. Next we’ll drink to my brother, the current asshole.”

This was met with laughter, including from Aubrey, who winked at her fiancé. “Sorry, babe, he’s got you there.”

Liam winced, but grinned nonetheless. “Ouch.”

“What the hell’s going on down here?” Dylan walked in and looked around. “Don’t you people work?”

“Too damn much,” Liam said. “But still not as much as you. I’d tell you to sit the hell down and drink with us, but there aren’t any chairs.” He poured another glass. “You can drink though. Here.” He handed him the pinot.

“Dude, I just stopped in on my way over to Archetype. I have to finish installing the lighting.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “ Dude , you can take a fifteen-minute break. I’m pretty sure I’m your boss, so consider that an order.”

Liam was the boss? Rather, a boss. Hayden supposed they were all “bosses” on this project. Was he ? He had been before he’d left for France, but he felt completely disconnected, and he didn’t like the sensation.

“I don’t know, jackass,” Dylan said. “The only guy down here who was around when I was hired was Hayden. I think he’s more my boss than you.”

Hayden couldn’t help but smile, both at feeling included and at his future brother-in-law burning his most arrogant sibling.

“This is where you all are?” Tori asked as she walked into the cellar followed by Sara.

Damn, this really was turning into a party. A party in which everyone had a date except Hayden. And Tori, he realized. Except Sean took that moment to walk in.

“Who wants to know where we are?” Maggie asked, sipping her wine.

Sara shrugged. “I was just looking for my fabulous fiancé.” She smiled at Dylan as she walked up to him and curled her arms around his waist. Dylan held her close for a moment and kissed her forehead. He whispered something to her, and Sara’s smile broadened.

Hayden looked away. Third-wheel status confirmed.

“I think we need more wine,” Liam said. “You cool with that, temporary sommelier?” he asked Hayden.

“Fine with me. It’s not my restaurant.” He looked over at Kyle, who waved a hand.

“I’ve got two more cases of this somewhere around here, so open away.”

Hayden handed a second bottle to Liam, who pulled out more glasses. He stopped. “Wait, I shouldn’t be opening this.” He turned and moved to the side, making a grand gesture for Hayden to come forward. “You should do the honors.”

Everyone was staring at him, and things had grown quiet. Hayden wasn’t used to being the center of anything in this family. He went to the table and took the wine opener from Liam. “Thanks.” He felt simultaneously happy to be singled out and odd to be the focus. He opened the wine and poured glasses for Tori, Sean, and Sara.

Conversation picked up again, and Hayden couldn’t help but notice the couples all stood together. They were either very close to each other or touching in some way. Hayden had never felt more alone in his life. His siblings had all found happiness—love. And in the wake of Alex’s death. Hayden had been excited to immerse himself in his new life in France, and he realized it had allowed him to bury everything else—Alex, Bex, his family, and this project that was really just an extension of Alex.

He liked being home, but it meant he couldn’t bury anything anymore, especially with Bex living here. Going back to France ensured he could compartmentalize everything. He could leave all of these issues in Ribbon Ridge, where life seemed to be moving along quite well without him.

Bex drove into the mostly full lot outside The Arch and Fox for Sara and Dylan’s rehearsal dinner. Plucking her small clutch purse from the console between her seats, she slid out of the cab and locked the truck before heading to the door of the restaurant.

She was immediately greeted by the hostess, whom she’d met the other day. “Hi, Lisa,” Bex said as the door swept closed behind her. “This looks terrific.”

Flowers and decorations in the wedding colors of sage green, pink, and navy adorned the interior, and the tables were organized in a special layout with the bride and groom sitting in front of the massive fireplace, which wasn’t running tonight. Even though it was quite cool in here, a fire in mid-July would be silly.

“Thanks,” Lisa said. “Come on in. Servers are circulating with appetizers, beer, and wine. If you’d like a cocktail, just head over to the bar.”

Bex flashed her a smile. “Will do.” A cocktail sounded good, so she headed to the bar where Miguel was pouring and chatting up a storm. He was going to be a fantastic bartender. They’d spent a good half hour discussing beer the day before, and Bex was stoked to work with him.

He grinned when he saw her. “Hey, Bex. What can I get you? I’ve got a great thing going with mojitos tonight.” He winked at her.

“Sounds terrific, thanks.”

Sara came toward her and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for coming!”

“I wouldn’t miss it. Thanks for letting me crash. The rehearsal was beautiful.” Bex had watched them practice the ceremony in the backyard before coming over. All the tents and tables and chairs were set, the decorations in place; all they needed was the day to dawn.

Sara smiled. “You are not crashing at all . I’m honored you could be here with me. Sit wherever you like. I’m not a fan of assigned places.” She gave Bex’s arm a rub before moving on to welcome the next guest. Dylan was nearby, talking with one of the Archer cousins. Blake Archer, Rob’s brother’s son, was also staying at the house. Bex had eaten dinner with him and his sister, Laurel, last night. Neither lived in Ribbon Ridge, but said they never ruled out a return. Ribbon Ridge, it seemed, had a pull on all of them.

“Here you go.” Miguel slid the mojito over to her. “Enjoy!”

She picked up the glass and took a sip. Oh, this guy knew how to mix. “Fantastic. Careful, Miguel, or I’m going to need a designated driver.”

He grinned in return. “The Archers have that covered, if necessary.”

Of course they did. They thought of everything. Bex turned from the bar and was approached by one of the servers bearing a tray of lobster puffs. Bex helped herself and nearly moaned in delight. Kyle was a wicked chef.

Suddenly, people started moving to the tables to sit down. Nothing was announced, but Sara and Dylan sat, and everyone knew to follow suit.

Bex looked for the nearest table, which had six chairs, and found a seat. Cameron Westcott came up beside her. “Mind if I sit here?”

She glanced around, wondering if it meant Hayden would sit there too, but she didn’t see him. “Sure.”

A tall redhead walked up to the chair on Bex’s other side, at the end of the table. “Is this seat available?”

Bex didn’t know the woman, but that didn’t matter. “Yes.”

“Hey, Sabrina,” Cameron said. “Do you know Bex Holmgren?”

Sabrina sat down and offered her hand to Bex. “No, we haven’t met. Hi, I’m Sabrina Davies, Dylan’s sister. Half-sister.”

Bex knew the basics of Dylan’s family. His parents had divorced when he was very young, and each had remarried and started new families. His dad and new wife had raised three boys—the Westcotts—while his mom and her husband had just one child, Sabrina. Sabrina and her folks lived in the nearby town of Newberg, while the Westcotts lived in Ribbon Ridge. Bex had met all three Westcott boys, and had gotten to know Cameron quite well since he was Hayden’s best friend, but she’d never met Sabrina.

Bex shook the younger woman’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. You’re a snowboarder, right?”

She nodded, smiling. “Yep. Training for the X Games in January, and of course South Korea.”

Bex recalled hearing that Sabrina had missed the last Olympics due to an injury. “How’s that going?”

“Great. I’m training up on Mount Hood right now. Best summer skiing in the country.”

Bex knew that of course. But she’d done all of her snow sports on Mount Bachelor since moving to Bend after her parents’ divorce. She loved being outdoors, and Oregon’s climate pretty much allowed her to be year-round. “Sounds awesome. I haven’t gotten to ski or board as much as I’d like the past few years because of work.”

“Come up to Palmer this summer,” Sabrina offered enthusiastically. “It’s a great time.”

“I’d love to.” But she was pretty sure she’d be too busy working. It would be hard enough to pull off the hike she wanted to do at the end of the month.

“Don’t plan on keeping up with her,” Cameron said. “I’ve tried. It’s impossible. And I’m no slouch.”

Bex remembered. She’d been skiing with him once before. She, Hayden, Cameron, and his then girlfriend had spent the weekend at the Archers’ cabin on Mount Hood. Bex tried to recall Cameron’s ex’s name, but couldn’t. She could see her short, dark hair and sassy smile—she’d been a lot of fun. Crap, now that she thought about it, they’d broken up not long after that ski trip, and it had been messy. Messier than hers and Hayden’s, in fact. She decided not to mention that trip.

Tables started to fill up. Liam and Aubrey took the two seats on the other side of the table, which left one lone chair at the other end, between Cameron and Liam. Naturally, it was Hayden who appeared behind it. He looked extra sexy tonight in a French blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to midforearm and crisp khakis. “Looks like this is my seat.”

Bex glanced around, and it did appear as if there weren’t any others available. Her pulse sped a little faster at the prospect of having dinner with him, which was dumb. Nevertheless, she seemed unable to quell her excitement, interest, awareness . . . whatever it was that she felt when he was near.

Cameron picked up his beer to take a drink. “Have a seat, bro.”

Dylan stood and thanked everyone for coming then encouraged the group to enjoy Kyle’s delicious food. Servers appeared and began distributing salads. Bex took a drink of her mojito as their table was served.

“Looks good,” Liam said. “But then I expected nothing less from Kyle.”

Everyone dug in for a moment, and there seemed to be a collective sigh followed by a stream of compliments. Bex could hardly wait to add her contribution to the menu here.

As if he’d read her mind, Cameron asked, “So, you’re making the beer here now?”

“Monday morning. I can’t wait to get started.”

“How long does that take?” Sabrina asked between bites of salad. “I mean, what’s the time frame on brewing the beer?”

“It depends on whether it’s an ale or a lager—ales ferment at a higher temperature and finish faster. Lagers are made cooler and take a bit longer.” Bex purposely kept her description basic. She could delve into an hour-long lecture about brewing, but this wasn’t the appropriate venue. “Ales can be done in under two weeks.”

Aubrey had listened to her intently and now asked, “How many varieties do you think you’ll have for the opening?”

Bex had spoken to Rob about which beers would be brewed down at The Arch and Vine and trucked up here and which ones she’d brew on site. “I’m going to get Crossbow, Longbow, and Shaft from The Arch and Vine because they have a larger facility. Plus, as long as they’re making it, they might as well brew enough for us. I’ll make some of the other Archer varieties up here—Robin Hood, Arrowhead, Will Scarlett, Feather, and seasonals.”

“But you’re making something special for the opening, right?” Hayden asked, sparking a thrill in her belly.

She’d seen him only in passing since he’d helped her out in the brewhouse the other day. “I am.”

Hayden had his right hand wrapped around the base of his pint glass. Her eye went to his right ring finger. It was now bare, but once he’d worn a silver band she’d given him on their first anniversary. It hadn’t really carried any sentimental meaning. He’d mentioned once that he might like to wear a ring, so she’d bought him one. She had no idea what had happened to it and wondered if he’d thrown it away after she’d left. Whereas she still had the arrow necklace he’d given her on their second Christmas together as well as the gold and opal bracelet from when they’d moved in together—not that she’d dare wear them. She’d considered selling them a time or two, but could never seem to part with them.

Hayden’s lips curved into a half-smile, and she was glad her reaction was completely internal. At least she hoped it was. He was as attractive as ever, maybe even more now. He had a different air about him, something very masculine and incredibly sexy. “Are you going to tell us, or is it a surprise?”

What had they been talking about? Her beer, right. “I’m not quite ready to share, but I have a few recipes I’ll be cooking up.”

Liam laid his hand against his chest and arched a brow at her. “May I present myself as a tasting guinea pig?” He grinned before touching his fiancée’s shoulder. “I think Aubrey would probably like to volunteer, too.”

Aubrey nodded vigorously. “Absolutely. Just tell me when and where.”

Bex laughed. “You got it.”

“No fair,” Sabrina said. “I’ll be back on Mount Hood.”

“Well, that’s closer than France,” Cameron said, casting a look at Hayden. “Bex, I’ll also throw my hat in the ring for tasting help.”

“Thanks.” She glanced at Hayden. “Hayden, you’re welcome to taste too—you’re staying through the soft open, right?”

He nodded. “Yep.”

Almost three weeks. She could bury her reemerging feelings for three weeks.

Sabrina took a sip of her wine and set the glass back on the table. “Hey, Liam, I invited Bex to come up to Palmer this summer. You should come, too. No heli-skiing though.” She flashed him a teasing grin.

Bex was confused for a moment then recalled that Liam had been injured in a heli-skiing accident last winter. He was a total adrenaline junkie. She’d always wanted to go skydiving with him. Maybe now she could since they were both living in Ribbon Ridge.

Aubrey put her arm around Liam. “Ha! I don’t think so. Liam’s cut back on his thrill seeking by half.”

Liam turned a grin on her. “Had to. I’ve got plenty of thrills right here.” The look they exchanged was hotter than the asphalt in the parking lot this afternoon. Bex felt a pang of envy.

Cameron coughed, and it sounded suspiciously like, “Get a room.” This was met with laughter, especially from Liam and Aubrey.

The servers picked up their salad dishes and quickly brought out the main course after obtaining everyone’s preferences. They had to choose between a mushroom gnocchi, salmon with prosciutto butter, and pork with gorgonzola polenta. Bex had a hard time deciding, but ultimately went with the salmon. She consoled herself with the fact that she’d eventually taste everything on the menu—assuming these dishes made it past tonight’s trial.

Aubrey tasted her pork and closed her eyes. “Oh my God, this is amazing. Liam, I hate to admit this, but I’m only with you because your brother makes such fantastic food.”

“I think I’m going to marry this salmon,” Bex said. Marry? Really? She flicked a glance at Hayden, but he was busy eating his pork.

Liam swiped a napkin over his lips. “So Bex, Tori tells me you’ve become quite the hiker in the past few years. What are you up to this summer? Maybe Aubrey and I could tag along. We decided that’s an activity we can both enjoy, since she sort of hates the idea of flinging herself out of a plane.”

“I’d love to do that,” Bex said. “I’ll take you guys hiking if you take me on a jump.”

“Deal.”

Hayden looked at his brother. “Yeah, I heard you took Kyle, Derek, and Sean. I feel kind of left out.”

“I’ll take you up tomorrow, just say the word.”

Aubrey gently elbowed Liam. “Duh, your sister’s getting married tomorrow.”

Liam winked at the table at large. “Right. Not tomorrow then.” He leaned toward Hayden and stage-whispered. “Sunday’s good.”

Hayden chuckled at Liam. “I’ll think about that.”

Liam flicked a questioning glance toward Bex, nonverbally asking if she was in for Sunday, but she didn’t say anything. Going skydiving with Hayden seemed like a bad idea, given this crush she seemed to have going. Crush? Were they twelve?

Liam swallowed a bite of salmon before asking, “Bex, what do you recommend for our first hike?”

“Depends on what you’re up for. I’m going to do Slide Mountain, that’s west of McMinnville, at the end of the month if I can squeeze it in.”

Liam looked at Aubrey, who lifted a shoulder in response. They seemed to have a conversation without saying a word. Liam smiled at Bex. “Would you mind if we joined you?”

Bex preferred to go with a group. “Not at all.”

“Is there a place to camp?” Aubrey asked. “We could make it an overnight.”

Bex had researched the hike, and it seemed there was a primitive site with a fire ring, but nothing else. “Yes, but we’ll have to pack everything we need, including water, tents, everything .” She was prepared for that, but didn’t know if they would be. Who was she kidding? If anyone was ready for that, it would be Liam Archer.

“If it’s warm enough, we may not even need tents,” Liam said. “Might be fun to just sleep under the stars.”

“Well, now I might have to come down off the mountain for this!” Sabrina said.

Cameron nodded in agreement. “Yeah, this might need to be a group excursion.”

Hayden cleared his throat. “I hate to be Debbie Downer, but that’s right before the soft open here. Will there really be time for an overnight camping trip?”

Liam flashed him a smile. “Listen to you, being all responsible. I think we can manage. It’ll be good for us to get away before the craziness really starts anyway. Besides, isn’t this supposed to be your vacation? So far we’ve put you to work! You need to have some fun, too.”

“An excellent point,” Cameron said, glancing toward Hayden. “You deserve a weekend of fun with your family and friends. And anyway, I have no problem going at the end of the month.” He winked at Bex.

If she’d been anyone else, she might’ve thought that Cameron was flirting with her. But there was no way he’d do that with his best friend’s ex, even though they’d broken up five years ago.

Bex finished the rest of her mojito and decided to have one more. “Be right back. I need a refill.” She stood and turned toward the bar.

Cameron joined her a moment later with his empty pint glass. “I needed another, too.”

Bex looked back toward the table. The others were engaged in conversation. Hayden laughed at something Liam said. Did he suddenly look more relaxed now that Bex had left, or was that her ridiculous imagination seeing things that simply didn’t exist?

“Uh-oh.”

Startled by Cameron’s utterance, Bex turned her head to look at him. “What?”

He studied her for a moment. “Nothing.” He nodded toward Miguel. “Another pint of Robin Hood, please. And she’ll have another mojito.”

Miguel smiled at Bex. “Glad you liked it.” He went to take care of their drinks, leaving them alone.

Bex stared at Cameron. Why had he said “uh-oh?” She’d been looking at Hayden . . . Did he see something she’d been hoping to conceal? Gah, no! There was nothing. Just a haunting sense of nostalgia about a relationship that was long dead.

Cameron rested his hand on the bar and gave her a sidelong look. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Hayden was hung up on you for a long time.”

Bex’s insides curled. He’d been devastated when she’d left. But she hadn’t been able to stay after losing the baby. Factor that in with Hayden’s guilt and disappointment and his family’s overwhelming closeness, and Bex had packed up and left within a week. It hadn’t been easy. She’d still loved him on some level. But sometimes love wasn’t enough.

Even so, knowing he’d carried a torch gave her a burst of hope. Maybe this could be more than an unrequited crush she was experiencing.

“What do you mean?” Bex asked softly. “How long?”

“Until Alex died, and he decided to go to France.”

Shit. Almost four years. Bex had started dating less than a year after she’d left. She’d been trying to dull the memories and the pain, to move on. She inwardly flinched. “Why are you telling me this?”

He shrugged. “I figured it was something you should know since you’re going to be living here. You don’t need to do anything with that information, however—nothing needs to be discussed or resolved.” His look seemed to ask if she understood.

She nodded.

“I just saw the way you were looking at him. Maybe I read it wrong, but you seemed . . . I don’t know . . . interested .” He looked her in the eye, and his gaze was full of compassion. “He’s in a good place now. A great place. You have to give him his space. You have to let him go.”

Oh, she’d let him go five years ago. But now, it seemed, she wanted him back.

Which was incredibly unfair to him. After everything he’d suffered—the guilt of driving the car when they’d slid off the road, losing the baby, her breaking up with him. She’d not only let him go, she’d pushed him away.

Miguel returned with their drinks. “Here you go!”

Cameron passed him a twenty. “I know we aren’t supposed to tip you, but whatever. You’re working your tail off, and I appreciate it.”

Miguel chuckled and took the bill. “If you insist.”

“I do.”

Bex picked up her drink. “That was really cool.”

Cameron tipped his head to the side. “I have my moments.”

They walked back to the table, where the conversation had turned to issues surrounding the soft opening. Sabrina looked a bit bored, so Bex started to talk to her about training for the Olympic team. Thankfully, Bex became so immersed that she didn’t think about what Cameron said.

It wasn’t until much later, when she climbed into bed to go to sleep, that she began to doubt her decision to return to Ribbon Ridge.