Twenty-three
Sadie
A few days later, I’m halfway through drying the breakfast dishes when there’s a knock at the front door. Not a polite tap. A firm, official knock.
Beckett looks up from the couch, frowning as he stands. I dry my hands on a dish towel, my stomach already turning.
When he opens the door, Jonas Goodwin and Elijah Fallwell are back, this time in casual clothes.
“Sorry to bother you again, Sadie,” Jonas says. “Do you have a minute?”
Beckett looks my way, and I nod, even though everything in me wants to slam the door and pretend I’m not home.
Jonas pulls out his phone, swipes a few times, then holds it up to show me a photo. “Do you recognize this man?”
My breath stalls.
I think I do.
He looks like one who was at the house the night before I left.
He showed up with a few other guys, all covered in tattoos, guns strapped to their sides like it was normal.
They didn’t talk to me. Alex made sure of that.
He told me to go to my room, shut the door, and put my earbuds in. I did what I was told.
I don’t know who the man is. I just know he made my skin crawl. And the fact that the police are interested can’t mean anything good.
“I’m not sure,” I say, my voice careful. “He looks…familiar. Maybe from around town?” I pull on my shirt sleeve.
Jonas watches me, expression unreadable. I feel like he knows I’m holding back.
“Let us know if anything comes to you,” he says after a pause, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “Thanks for your time.”
They leave without another word.
I close the door and lean against it, heart pounding. Beckett is watching me.
“Sadie?” he asks quietly.
But I can’t speak yet. My past is getting too close again, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep pretending it can’t touch me here.
“I wish I knew what Alex and Simon are up to.” I shake my head as I return to the kitchen.
Later on, I’m grateful to have work to distract me as the early-afternoon sun glints off the glass bottles lining the bar in the Paradise Vineyard tasting room.
I’ve just finished pouring another tasting flight for a nice couple from San Francisco.
The room is buzzing—light laughter, clinking glasses, and the scent of oak filling the air.
It should feel familiar, normal. But the next time the door opens, all of that comfort drains away.
First the police this morning and now this.
She walks in like she owns the place—Julia Tremblay.
Alex and Simon’s sister. I recognize her in an instant, though it’s been months since I’ve seen her.
She’s a big-deal real estate agent in town.
She has sleek dark hair, designer sunglasses perched on top of her head, and the kind of effortless confidence that used to make me feel like I didn’t belong in the same room.
My throat goes dry. She shouldn’t be here.
I glance around, hoping she’s just a tourist with a passing resemblance, but no.
It’s her. She sees me and smiles—familiar, wide, and deliberate.
My pulse spikes. If Julia’s here, it means Alex and Simon know where I work and possibly where I live.
The fragile peace I’ve been holding on to shatters.
“Hi,” she says, gliding up to the counter like we’re old friends. “Fancy seeing you here.”
I force a smile. “Hi, Julia.”
“I’ve been doing some work nearby,” she says, her voice all sugar and varnish. “I have a dinner with friends and wanted to pick up a bottle of wine. I always go local. How’s life been treating you since you left my brother? Truly the smartest thing you’ve ever done.”
How’s life? My palms sweat as I place wine glasses on a tray. “Busy. I’m really enjoying working in the tasting room.”
She peers around like she’s casing the place. She nods to the couple now looking at us. “Isn’t the wine here spectacular? I grew up in Paradise, and I’ve always loved it. They’re the best.” She winks at me, and the couple goes back to their tastings and hushed conversation.
There’s an edge to her compliment. But I busy myself with the guests, guiding them through the tasting notes—cabernet with hints of cherry and spice, Chardonnay kissed with pear. I keep my tone light and professional, even as every cell in my body screams .
After a minute, Julia takes a seat at the bar, orders a glass of wine, and listens as I talk, sipping thoughtfully. She laughs at the right moments, nods along, and even compliments the wine. On the surface, she’s just another customer.
But I know better.
A little while later, I ring up the couple’s purchase—just shy of a thousand dollars in wine and merch. I should be excited. This is a big win for the vineyard, but instead I’m moving into a full-blown anxiety attack.
I motion to Zach and give the sign we use to indicate needing the restroom before I slip out to the back hallway, past the private cellar and into the office. I close the door behind me, heart pounding so loud I can hear it in my ears.
I press my back against the wall, hands trembling. What the hell is she doing here? Did she follow me? Do they know I’m here? Do they know I’m living with Beckett? Is she here to lure me back or to warn me? To threaten me?
I try to breathe—four seconds in, hold, four out—but it doesn’t help. A knock rattles the door before I can collect myself. I freeze.
“Sadie?” It’s Julia.
Of course it is.
“I’m not here to make trouble,” she says. “Can I come in?”
I don’t answer, but the knob turns anyway. The door creaks open, and she steps inside, closing it behind her. Her expression is calm. Pleasant.
“I just want to talk,” she says, leaning against the desk like we’re having a casual chat. “You looked surprised to see me.”
“That’s because I was,” I say, trying to keep my anxiety attack at bay. “How did you find me?”
She shrugs. “Like I said, I like to buy wine here, and I happened to see you.”
I don’t believe her for a second. But I keep my face neutral.
“Alex was upset when you left,” she adds, like she’s sharing a piece of family gossip.
My jaw tightens. “He doesn’t get to be upset. I only took what was mine.”
Julia nods, almost like she agrees. “I told him that. I always liked you, Sadie. You were good for him. For a while, anyway.”
My stomach turns. She says it like I was a failed investment. “If you’re here to guilt me—”
“I’m not.” She raises both hands in mock surrender. “Just…checking in. Offering an olive branch. Maybe we could grab a drink later? Just to talk. Public place, of course.”
I study her, trying to read the real message beneath her perfect smile. Every instinct I have is screaming not to trust her. And yet…agreeing might be the only way to figure out what she’s really doing here.
“Sure,” I say coolly. “Let me know the place.”
Her smile widens. “Wonderful. I’ll text you. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
Before I can respond, the office door opens again. Zach fills the doorway, arms folded.
“Sadie, your break’s over,” he says, eyes darting to Julia.
Julia straightens, brushing invisible lint from her blouse. “Don’t let me keep you. I’ll see you later.”
She brushes past Zach, her perfume lingering like a warning.
Zach frowns after her. “How did she get back here? What are you doing?”
None of your damn business. “She’s my ex’s sister, and she wanted to catch up.”
“Is she going to be a problem?”
“No. Just an old…acquaintance.”
His eyes narrow. “Did you invite her back here? This is an employee-only area.”
“Yes. She wanted to talk, but I didn’t want to speak in the tasting room,” I lie. “It’s fine.”
He doesn’t press, but I can tell he’s watching me closely as I return to the bar. I go through the motions—pour, smile, describe—but my hands won’t stop shaking. My focus blurs. My smile feels glued on .
Julia’s visit confirms what I guess I already knew, what’s becoming more clear all the time. Paradise is too small, and I didn’t disappear. I didn’t escape. They found me. I’m not safe.
By the time I clock out, my nerves are shredded. I drive aimlessly for a while before pulling over near the cliffs, the vineyard stretching behind me like a golden sea. I rest my forehead against the steering wheel and breathe.
What if they come for me? What if Alex shows up?
What if Beckett gets dragged into this?
A gust of wind rocks the Jeep, and for a second, I imagine Julia’s face again—smiling, pleasant, calculated. Maybe she’s still loyal to Alex. Maybe she’s testing me. Maybe she wants me to come back. Or maybe she wants to scare me into silence.
I rub my arms, suddenly chilled.
I did the right thing. I know that. Leaving Alex, taking my suitcase, vanishing. I had to. I saw what he was becoming. And if I’d stayed, I would’ve lost myself completely.
But now I’ve dragged the vineyard into it. Beckett’s family. Rosie. The people who’ve taken me in and made me feel seen again. What if I’ve made them targets?
I don’t have answers, just a million spinning thoughts and a rush of fear.
My phone buzzes.
Julia: Can’t wait to catch up. 7 p.m. at the Blue Bird Lounge. See you soon . ??
I stare at the screen. Every part of me wants to delete the message and block her number. But I need to know what she was doing here. What they want.
Me: See you there.
I toss the phone on the passenger seat and grip the wheel until my knuckles turn white. Whatever she’s planning, I need to stay one step ahead. I’ve come too far to let them pull me back. Never again.