Chapter 22
Viv pasted on the fake smile, her cheeks hurting from the effort of putting on a cheerful face for the gathering of people at Westwinds Vineyard, celebrating something or other. Viv didn’t really care. She just wanted to do her job, serve the wine, and get these people on their way. Spending the evening in a cocktail dress only made this night even more hellish, especially since in the three weeks since she’d been home, she’d done nothing but eat her feelings, so the dress was super tight, earning her a lecture from her mother on a healthy lifestyle. Yeah, Mom, I get it. That was literally the job I had and loved that you ripped me away from.
She hated being home, wearing the vineyard uniform of khakis and different polo shirts every day, discussing wine with visitors, selling wine to people, and being on her feet all day. She’d gotten multiple calls from Greta asking how the heck she’d managed the goat gang, which had been terrorizing the staff since she’d left. And a plethora of baby spam from her friend, who was clearly missing spending the day with her little one.
But it was radio silence from the one person she wanted to hear from. Wade. He hadn’t called or texted since she’d left, so she guessed it was truly over. She had thought maybe she’d try to go back when the busy season here was over, see if they could talk, but since he hadn’t reached out once in three weeks, she would not embarrass herself and throw herself at someone who clearly didn’t care about her.
A couple stepped up and smiled.“You look amazing, Viv. I’m so happy you’re home, just in time to help me plan my wedding.”
Viv hugged her best friend, Eden, then her fiancé, Josh. That was the one bright spot in being home. She got to spend time with her bestie, and that soothed her soul. Eden had spent the first few nights with Viv after she got back, being her best girlfriend, doing the break-up thing.
“You look great, sweetie. That dress is amazing. Maybe wine red for the bridesmaids’ dresses?”
Viv rolled her eyes.“Dear God, no. I wear this color every day of my life here. It will just feel like a uniform. Any other color, please.”
Josh hugged her, then wandered off, leaving the girls to chat quietly.“Have you heard from him?”
Viv looked away.“No, and I don’t expect to. It was a summer fling, a vacation thing. And now it’s over. I should’ve known better than to get involved. Me, the queen of keeping things light.”
“Honey, it’s okay to fall for someone. It’s only been two weeks. Maybe he’ll miss you so much that he’ll come here and see you.”
Viv laughed, the sound rusty to her ears.“Doubtful. He has a ranch to run. He’ll never leave Montana.”
Her mom chose that moment to sweep by, and Eden stepped away.“Genevieve, darling. Everything going okay with the wine? You need any refills?”
“No, everything is fine.” She gave her mother the smile she’d been using all night and her mother paused.
“Are you all right, dear? You don’t seem happy to be home.”“Everything is fine.”
Her mother arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow.“I didn’t believe you when you said that as a teenager, and I don’t believe it now. Did you really enjoy living on a ranch that much?”
Viv let out the breath she felt like she’d been holding ever since she got back.“It wasn’t just the ranch. I loved my job there.”
Her mother frowned, true confusion clouding her gaze.“As an exercise instructor?”
Viv strove for patience.“No, Mom. I wasn’t just an instructor. I managed the entire center for the guest ranch. I did scheduling, accounting, designing programs, and more. Their guest ranch is hugely popular, one of the top five in Montana.”
Her mother’s eyes widened.“I didn’t realize this was such a big deal to you, Genevieve. Can you go back?”
She shook her head.“No, I was only there temporarily, filling in for someone. But the owner said she would give me a recommendation if I wanted to look somewhere else.”
Her mother paused, considering her words, then let out a breath.“Then I think you should do it. If it makes you happy, then you should find your joy. Clearly managing events is not your thing, though you pulled this event off without a hitch.” She paused, her eyes searching Viv’s expression.“I can’t help but think something else is bothering you.”
Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to clear them.“I really don’t want to talk about it, Mom.”
Her mother’s gaze drifted over her shoulder and sharpened on something.“Could it be a cowboy that broke your heart?”
“What?”
Eden stepped up next to them and jutted her chin in the same direction.“Viv, cowboy, six o’clock, coming in hard and fast. I’m thinking he’s here for you. And, oh my, he’s a sexy son of a bitch.”
Viv stiffened and turned. Her eyes widened. What was Wade doing in Lovelorn? She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. He stopped in front of her and everyone else faded away. She lifted her chin and gave him an arrogant look.“White or red?”
He let his gaze travel over her slowly.“Definitely red.”
She slowly turned away.“Sorry, we’re all out.”
Her hands shook as she reached for a bottle of wine to pour and Wade’s hand settled over hers.“Can I talk to you? In private?”
Her throat tightened, the tears that had been her constant companion these two weeks threatening to erupt. She wanted to refuse, wanted to scream and rail at him, but she calmly nodded.“Follow me. We’ll use my mother’s office.”
* * *
Wade followed Viv out of the room, feeling the eyes of several very well-dressed people watching him. He hadn’t bothered to change from jeans and a decent shirt that his aunt had insisted on, so he was definitely out of place with the suits. But it didn’t matter as long as he had Viv.
She opened a door, flicked on the lights, and gestured inside. When she’d closed the door behind him, leaning against the door, he faced her.“You look gorgeous tonight. I almost didn’t recognize you. Where are the colors in your hair?”
Her hand touched the blond curls on top of her head, then she clenched her fist and brought it back down to her side.“My family didn’t think colored hair was a good look in the tasting room or running events.”
He lifted a hand and brushed a few strands away from her cheek.“I miss the color. They’re a part of you.”
She pulled back.“Why are you here, Wade?”
“I’m here for you.”
She blinked.“Too little, too late.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, knowing this was going to be harder than he’d expected.“I made a mistake. I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years when it comes to family and home and love. I’m making my amends there, or I’m trying to. And I want to tell you that I’m sorry. I’m more sorry than you know for letting you walk away.”
She stared at him, her eyes wide and uncertain.“Why?”
“Because I fucking love you, Viv. And home is wherever you are. If you don’t want to come back to Montana, I’ll follow you wherever you want. I can find a place to work or whatever. As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.”
Her eyes sparkled with tears.“Yes, it does. It matters. Your family is in Montana. The ranch, the family. They’re a part of you, Wade. And now it’s a part of me too. I want to go home with you, too. Because home is wherever you are. We belong in Montana.”
His heart pounded in his chest.“You mean that? You’d really come with me to Montana?”
She nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.“Yes, Wade. I love you and I want to go home.”
Wade opened his arms, and she walked into them. He held her close, feeling complete for the first time in his life.“Did someone call you and tell you that we have an opening for a spa manager?”
She lifted her head.“No? What happened?”
He let out a breath.“Greta wants to stay home with her baby, only work part-time. So the job is yours if you want it.” He gazed into her eyes.“So you really wanted to come home even before that news?”
She laid a hand on his cheek.“Even if I didn’t have a job, I’d still go back. I could always wrangle the goats. I love you, Wade.”
He squeezed her close and kissed her, pouring all of his love into the kiss.
The door spilled open and her mother, Eden, and Josh stood there looking sheepish.“Sorry, we had to know what was happening.”
Viv just laughed and laid her head on Wade’s chest.“Meet the man I love. Mom, I quit. I’m moving to Montana.”
The older woman sighed.“That’s okay. You weren’t suited to the tasting room, anyway. I just want you to be happy. And now your father and I have a new vacation place to visit.”
Wade held out his hand.“You’re welcome at the Guest Ranch at Buck’s Falls anytime, ma’am.” He turned to Josh and Eden.“You both are welcome anytime too, as thanks for your help with this.”
Viv turned and glared at her friends.“What does he mean?”
Eden shrugged.“You’ve been miserable. Wade called looking for you earlier, and your mom asked us to help get him here. Josh picked him up at the airport.”
Viv stared at everyone.“You were all in on this?”
Wade turned her to face him.“Does it really matter now? They care about you and wanted you to be happy.”
“Or we wanted the chance to kick your ass if you screwed up,” Eden add in helpfully.
Josh tugged her close and put a hand over her mouth.“Sorry, man.”
Wade shrugged.“She’s not wrong. I screwed up, but I plan to spend the rest of my life making up for that mistake, if Viv will let me.” He turned a heated gaze on Viv and she moaned, leaning into him.
Eden sighed and leaned into Josh.“Can you speak like that tonight, honey?”
Josh scowled.“Way to make us all look bad, man.”
Viv grinned.“He makes everyone look bad, Josh. Now get out of here so I can welcome my man home.”
* * *
Do you want to read more cowboys? How about a book about one of the Buchanan brothers, Gabe, the one who left the ranch? Check out The Wrong Cowboy. Check out the excerpt on the next page.
If you want to read the story about Eden and Josh and how they were matched by the Lovelorn matchmaker, check out Matched by Mistletoe. There is an excerpt after The Wrong Cowboy.