36
The vineyard resort is straight out of a dream.
Rolling hills covered in grapevines, stone buildings with ivy climbing the walls, and gardens that look like they were designed by someone who understands the exact relationship between sunlight and romance.
It’s the kind of place where people come to get engaged, renew their vows, and fall in love all over again.
No pressure.
Tessa and I check in at the front desk, and I’m trying to figure out how to casually ask about West’s room situation when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
“Tessa! There you are, sweetheart.”
I turn around to see Mrs. Carmack approaching with the kind of smile that suggests she’s been looking forward to this moment for weeks.
She’s exactly how I remember her from high school. So perfectly put-together, warm but sharp, the kind of woman who notices everything and forgets nothing.
Tessa gives her mother a hug and a kiss on the cheeks, and then Mrs. Carmack greets the kids.
“Hi, Mrs. Carmack,” I say, giving her a hug.
“Oh, honey, call me Linda. We’re past formalities.” She pulls back and studies my face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” My heart dips because I thought she knew about West and I. Tessa gives me eyes.
“She’s with me,” comes West’s voice from behind her.
I turn to see him walking toward us, and my heart does something insane in my chest. It’s in a tight knot.
He looks beautiful. Relaxed but put-together, like he belongs in this wonderful place. Like he’s genuinely happy to see me.
“You two are really together?” Linda asks, looking between us with raised eyebrows.
“Yeah. She’s my... we’re...” West trails off, clearly struggling with how to finish that sentence.
“We are together,” I supply, hoping it sounds more confident than it feels.
Linda stares at us for a long moment, then smiles.
She looks at me with the kind of knowing expression that makes me feel like she can see straight through to my soul.
“Well,” she says finally, “you look beautiful, Liv. That dress is stunning.”
“Thank you.”
“And you,” she says, turning to West, “look nervous as hell.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Honey, you’re rattling. I can see it in your shoulders.”
He glances at me, and I offer a kind smile because my heart is in my throat too.
His mom continues on, grabbing his shoulders. “Can we not do this here?” West asks, glancing around at the other wedding guests who are definitely listening to our conversation.
“Of course. We’ll continue this later.” Linda pats his cheek.
She walks away, leaving the three of us standing in silence.
Charlie and Emma run to their uncle West. “Mickey Mouse!” Charlie says, and Emma hits his knee.
“I threw up,” Charlie announces proudly to West.
“On the plane?” West asks, lifting her up.
“On Daddy.”
“Poor Daddy,” Tessa adds.
Charlie says, “He said bad words.”
West answers, “I bet he did.”
We’re interrupted by David approaching, looking like he’s been through a war.
“They were angels,” he says sarcastically. “Absolute angels.”
“I can see that,” West says, trying not to laugh.
“Where’s your room?” Tessa asks. “I need to get these two settled before they destroy something expensive.”
“Third floor. You?” West answers, looking at me. “You’re with me,” West says quickly. “I mean, we’re sharing. A room. Like we discussed.”
Tessa answers, “We’re on the second.”
I say to West, “Right. Like we discussed.”
Except we barely discussed it. We didn’t confirm any details.
“Room 337,” he says, handing me a key card. “I’ll help you get settled.”
“Actually,” Linda says, appearing at my elbow like she materialized out of thin air, “I was hoping to steal Liv for a few minutes. Girl talk.”
“Mom—” West starts.
“It’s fine,” I say, even though it’s definitely not fine. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“You sure?”
I flash the keycard at him. “I’m sure.”
He looks like he wants to argue, but Linda’s already linking her arm through mine and steering me toward the terrace.
“Now then,” she says once we’re alone, “let’s have a real conversation.”
“About what?” I ask.
“About whatever’s really going on between you and my son.”
My stomach sinks. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Honey, I’ve known you since you were a teen. I’ve watched you grow up. I’ve seen the way you look at West, and I’ve definitely seen the way he looks at you.”
Now I’m confused. “How does he look at me?”
She guides me to a small table overlooking the vineyards, and we sit down in the late afternoon sun.
“So,” she says, settling back in her chair, “is it real?”
“Is what real?”
“The relationship. The feelings. Any of it.”
I want to lie. Want to stick to the story we’ve been telling everyone. But something about Linda’s expression—kind but knowing—makes me tell the truth.
“It started fake,” I say finally, but I say it slowly.
She seems like she was expecting that. Did Tessa tell her? No, I don’t think Tessa would. “And now?” she asks.
“Now I don’t know what it is.”
“You don’t know, or you’re scared to know?”
“Both.”
She nods like this makes perfect sense.
“Have mercy on my boy,” she says gently. “He’s loved you since high school.”
“What?”
“You heard me. He used to ask Tessa about you all the time. What you were studying, who you were dating, whether you ever asked about him.”
My inner teenage girl is screaming, but I keep my composure. “I had no idea.”
“Of course you didn’t. West’s never been good at expressing his feelings. Takes after his father that way.”
“Mrs. Carmack—”
“Linda.”
“Linda. I don’t know if—”
“Liv!” Tessa appears at our table, slightly out of breath.
“I’m just having a chat with your mother.”
“About what?” She looks at her mom.
“About the fact that your brother’s been in love with this girl for years and she’s been too scared to admit she loves him back,” Linda says matter-of-factly.
“Mom!” Tessa says.
“What? It’s true.”
“You can’t just—”
“I can and I did. And now we’re going to help them figure it out.”
“We are?” Tessa asks, confused. She looks at me.
“We are. This is exactly the kind of romantic gesture this family needs.”
“What kind of romantic gesture?” I ask, suddenly nervous.
“The kind where you tell him how you feel,” Linda says. “Tonight. At the reception.”
Now I’m flabbergasted. “I can’t just—”
“You can and you will. Tessa, tell me you brought that gorgeous dress you were talking about.”
“The green one? Yeah, it’s in my room.”
“Perfect. And the shoes?”
“The strappy ones. In her suitcase.”
“Even better. And the location?”
“I was thinking the garden. By the fountain. Very romantic.”
“What is happening? What are you two planning right now?”
They both look at me and say, “You’ll see.”
This feels like some sort of sick way to be welcomed into the family.
Because they look at each other and smile.
And my stomach turns into knots at the sight.