Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
NATALIE
We pulled up to a big wooden sign that said, “Welcome to Galloway Distillery.” It was a massive property offering something for everyone: hayrides, live music, food, and drinks. There were also adorable little shops scattered around that I wished I had time to explore.
“This looks like a place I’d like to come back and visit someday,” I said as we passed by a restaurant called Whiskey Bites. The front porch was adorned with rocking chairs, and there was a giant stone-walled fire pit off to the side, surrounded by traditional wooden picnic tables.
“We can come back later when everything is open if you want.”
I picked up my coffee from the cupholder and took a sip. “I wish I could, but with me leaving at the end of the week, I can’t afford to miss any more work.”
“Oh, that’s right. You have to fly to Boston for Gina’s bridal shower on Friday.” He rubbed his hand along his jaw. “You really trust me alone, unsupervised?”
I shook my head. “Try not to get arrested or burn the place down while I’m away. ”
He grinned. “Does that mean I have to cancel the keg and the strippers?”
“No, you can keep them.”
He reached over and squeezed my leg. “Best wife ever.”
This was the first conversation we had since we left the hotel this morning.
On the drive over, we were both quiet, which worked for me. When I woke up this morning, I might have freaked out with all the thoughts running through my head. At first, I smiled at the comfort of waking up in his arms. It was a feeling I could get used to. Then reality set in, and my mind started buzzing, contemplating the long list of complications that we still needed to work through. This photo shoot would be a good distraction.
We stepped out of the truck and were greeted by a man wearing Wrangler jeans and a flannel shirt. “Hello. Welcome to Galloway Distillery. I’m Joe, the general manager. Zoe is waiting for you in the main room.”
Rhett introduced me as we walked by the barrels of whiskey and bourbon that led to the tasting room. The place resembled a mixture of old country western and hipster-chic with its tall ceilings, rich brown walls, and knotty wood floors.
“Rhett Daniels, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.” A woman in tight jeans, brown cowboy boots, and a short black sweater approached us. She was stunning and carried herself with an air of confidence that I admired.
He held out his hand. “You too. I believe you spoke to my manager on the phone.”
“We truly appreciate you coming here,” she said with a bright smile. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“None at all. This is my assistant for the day, Natalie.” He smiled smugly .
Assistant, my ass.
“Wonderful.” She glanced at me before turning back to Rhett. “I’m the one that will be taking the photos; I can’t wait to get started.” Her deep brown eyes peered up at him. I didn’t like the vibe I was getting, so I inched my body closer to his.
“I’m sure you have done a million of these shoots before, but I would be happy to walk you through whatever you need me to.”
“You’re the boss today, so I’m just going to follow your lead.” He winked and rewarded her with a smile that caused his dimples to pop out. My eyes narrowed, and jealousy started licking its way up my bones. I didn’t trust her as far as I could throw her, but I needed to tame the green-eyed monster in me and remind myself that the smile and the wink didn’t mean anything. He made his feelings quite clear to me last night.
Zoe directed us down the hallway to a room on the right. I tried to push my growing suspicions about her aside because it wasn’t going to do me any good.
Joe came strolling back in. “Can I get you anything? Water, coffee, or a glass of whiskey.”
Rhett laughed. “I might take you up on the whiskey offer once we’re finished. I’ll have water for now. Thanks.” He turned to me. “How about you?”
“Water is fine.”
“So, Rhett, how does it feel to have another Super Bowl win under your belt?” Zoe asked while taking a few things out of her bag.
“It feels out of this world. We worked our asses off.”
“Well, congratulations. I’m happy for you. You looked great all season, so I’m not surprised.” Her dreamy smile intensified as she stared up at him and then glanced at me. “Would you mind if I stole him for a minute and brought him to the makeup room we have set up next door?”
“Go ahead, I need to return a few emails. I’ll be right here if you need anything.”
I sipped my water and watched them walk out together, wondering what he thought of her. Could he tell she was flirting? Or that she was interested? Everything from her striking features, generous curves, and sultry voice was intimidating to me. He dealt with women like her every day. Why on earth would he want just me when he could have a variety to pick from whenever the mood struck?
Normally, I wasn’t easily intimidated, but when it came to matters of the heart, I wasn’t as strong as I’d like to be. I’d been hurt and lied to, and thanks to my ex, my confidence had taken a beating. Just when I felt like I was bouncing back, I was hit with another level of uncertainty. Would I be enough for him? Would he truly be happy settling down with one person? The truth was, I didn’t know him well enough to answer those questions.
Instead of letting my doubts fester, I opened my iPad and went through my inbox to keep myself busy. When they returned to the room, Rhett was dressed in a black shirt with snaps for buttons, a pair of heavy-looking tight jeans, a gold belt buckle, a cowboy hat, and boots that had me salivating at the mouth. Holy fuck, did he look hot. I was never into cowboys until now.
“What do you think?” He turned around and stuck his butt out. “Does my ass look good in these jeans or what?”
Never in my life have I seen a sexier man until that moment.
“You look all right. You’re just missing the bandana and the leather chaps.” I shrugged, trying to play it off. I took a sip of my water because, holy hell, this Texas heat was getting to me .
Rhett’s lips curled up to the side. He knew I was full of shit.
Zoe walked over and started playing with the collar of his shirt. “Can you undo the top buttons?”
“Sure.” He handed me his water bottle.
I was becoming irritated with how she kept touching him—a little brush of the shoulder here, a light arm squeeze there. If that wasn’t enough, she kept batting her eyelashes and biting down on her lip, trying to get his attention. Rhett was used to this type of behavior, but that didn’t make it any easier for me to watch.
Joe and another man popped their heads in. “You guys ready?”
The three of us made our way into the main tasting room, where all the equipment was set up. Rhett confidently walked up to the bar. I couldn't help but notice Zoe's intense gaze. Her eyes seemed to devour him with a hunger that was hard to ignore.
“We’re going to do a couple shots here where we can get the best close-ups, then we’ll move out back and put you on the tractor.” Her voice was low and husky as she directed him into a pose, making sure to capture the best angles.
Rhett placed his hands in the front pocket of his jeans as she instructed. “I’m ready when you are.”
Everyone got in position while I stood back and took out the camera. My job was to take a few shots for the Arrows’ social media pages, although the pictures I was capturing didn’t feel like work. Rhett was the epitome of Southern charm, with his chiseled jawline and captivating eyes—eyes that were on me, sparkling and teasing.
I adjusted my lens, feeling a flutter in my stomach. I had to compose myself. I had a job to do, but all I could think about was how those lips felt against my skin and how capable those strong hands were.
God, the things that man could do should be illegal.
Zoe placed her hand on his forearm and whispered something in his ear. He looked up at me and cleared his throat. Unease gripped me as I observed their exchange. He murmured something back to her, and I felt my anxiety grow with each passing second. I couldn’t hear what was said, but that knot of insecurity in my chest started to tighten.
She brought the camera to her face and started snapping away. “Lean back against the bar. That’s great.” She beamed at him as he held the glass of whiskey in his hand. “Flex those muscles, handsome,” she called out. Her voice was full of suggestion. I couldn’t have been the only one who picked up on it.
My eyes stayed on them as the photographer continued to flirt and make passes at him. With each click and shutter of the camera, she became bolder.
“Let’s try something a little more intimate,” she said, trying to guide him out of the room. “I have a mattress in the back. I’m thinking you can strip down to your boxers, and I’ll prep your skin with some oil to give it a shiny look.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
His eyes met mine in a rush of panic. Couldn’t she tell he was uncomfortable?
“I think you have enough images,” I snapped, causing the room to go silent. “Mr. Daniel’s time is limited, so I think it’s best that we move this outside so we can wrap this up and be on our way.”
She looked taken aback by my bluntness. “Oh, okay. Sure.”
This was the second time in a row that I had to step in and intervene when a woman started getting too handsy. I couldn’t believe he had to deal with situations like this all the time. He obviously could take care of himself, but he shouldn’t have to.
Once the shoot was moved outside, I tried to be less standoffish. It was hard to ignore how she was throwing herself at him. To Rhett’s credit, he wasn’t doing anything to encourage her interest.
That should have made me happy, but I almost lost it when she leaned in and slipped him her number at the end. I didn’t want to feel vulnerable and insecure. He’s given me no reason to doubt him, but those old wounds started to fester and chip away at me.
I hung off to the side, unsure how I was going to act with him without sounding irrational. Logically, I knew I had nothing to worry about. These were the types of challenges we would face. Even if the world knew he was married, the fangirls would still flirt, not giving a damn that he was in a committed relationship or not. I had to have faith in him, no matter how tempting some of these women could be.
Once the shoot was wrapped up, Rhett and I said our goodbyes and walked to his truck. All the while, his hand stayed on my back. I opened my door, and he helped me in, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved that we were leaving.
“Are you going to talk to me or give me the silent treatment the entire way, like you did earlier?”
I sighed, feeling like my emotions were hanging in the balance. It didn’t feel like I was going to be getting a handle on my state of mind anytime soon, so I figured it was best to be honest with him.
“I didn’t know how to bring this up.”
“Bring what up? ”
“Today was hard for me. Watching Zoe hit on you was a wake-up call.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t know what to do or say to make you understand that you are the only woman I want. And at the same time, I am second-guessing myself, wondering if I’ll ever be able to earn your trust.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” I quickly added. “I don’t know how to compete with all these women. I was never an insecure person before, but after dating a player and being cheated on, it’s hard to silence the doubts in my head sometimes.”
With an exasperated sigh, he smacked his palm on the steering wheel. “Don’t compare me to that jackass. It’s not fair that I’m paying the price for his fuckups.”
“You’re right; it’s not fair, and I’m sorry, but I can’t ignore the fact that you have a reputation.” I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. This was wrong. I was lashing out, and he didn’t deserve it. But at the same time, I was dealing with a lot of insecurities, and they only seemed to continue to pile up.
“Natalie, how I’ve lived my life is no secret. Women know who I am and think because of my reputation that they have a shot with me.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I can’t rewrite the past, and I wish I could. But I thought after last night that you were finally giving me a chance to prove myself.”
This was so unfair to him because last night, I did give in. I woke up in his arms and convinced myself we could do this. Then, seeing Zoe flirt with him was a reality check. I was letting that fear of never being enough to keep a man like him satisfied ruin all the progress we’ve made.
“You shouldn’t have to prove yourself. You shouldn’t have to change who you are. ”
“Don’t you get it? I want to. I want to be a better man. That man with the reputation, that’s not me anymore.”
I folded my arms across my middle, feeling the need to apologize. “I shouldn’t have thrown your past in your face. That was unfair. These are my insecurities. Feelings I need to deal with. I’m not putting space between us.” I swiped a tear. “I’m just trying to find a way to keep my heart safe.”
Rhett cursed under his breath and pulled down a side street. We turned into an empty parking lot of an auto repair shop. He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned against the console.
“Look at me.” He cupped my cheek, forcing me to look his way. “It’s okay to be scared.” His eyes tracked over my face. “I’m scared too, but we will figure this out together.”
Now, I felt embarrassed about making such a big deal out of something that didn’t need to be. “For a guy who has never had a relationship before, you sure know the right words to say.”
Tenderness swam in his eyes. “I’ve just never had the right person to say them to.” He skimmed his knuckles across my cheeks. “I’m glad that the paperwork was stalled. It’s given us a chance to take a step back and gain some clarity. I know you’re not all the way there yet, but when you’re ready to move forward, I’ll be right by your side.”
The idea of putting my heart on the line again was terrifying, but Rhett wasn’t Levi. He deserved at least the benefit of the doubt. For him, I would try.
“Can we take it slow?”
“We can.” His mouth quirked. “As long as I get to kiss you.”
My face brightened, and I seriously questioned how I would survive, taking things slow and steady. “What kind of kiss are we talking about?”
He gripped my chin. “This kind.” His mouth met mine in a gentle, soft kiss. I sighed into him, feeling exhausted from fighting these feelings. No one but Rhett has ever been able to make me feel so weak yet so alive at the same time.
The noises from the cars whipping by in the distance faded away. Rhett sunk his fingers into my hair, angling my head exactly where he wanted me. My feelings for this man were so strong that they scared the living daylights out of me. Maybe that was a sign that what we had was worth fighting for.
“Let’s talk this through,” he said, tracing his thumb along my lips. “Tell me what I can do to help you move past these fears you have.”
“I don’t want you to think that I’m comparing you because nothing could be further than the truth. I know what it feels like to make someone your whole world, just like I know what it’s like to lose it.”
While Rhett wasn’t Levi, it was hard to break down the walls I carefully built to protect myself. I couldn’t just jump head first and put all my hopes and dreams into a future with him until I was one hundred percent positive that we were strong enough to survive long-term and that I wouldn’t end up broken in the end.
“Have you ever considered that maybe you and Levi didn’t work out because you weren’t meant for each other? You might find some peace if you acknowledge that.”
“Oh, trust me, I have accepted that.”
“I would also like to add that you might not have been right for him, but you’re perfect for me.”
I shook my head and questioned how I got lucky enough to find someone so remarkable. “There you go again, saying all the right things. You make it sound so easy. ”
“It won’t be easy, but I’d rather try to have something real with you than fake it with someone else.”
“I don’t like to think about you with anyone else,” I said, going for honesty.
A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. “I told you before, there is no one else. When are you going to get that through your thick head?”
I nudged his shoulder. “Just when I was going to apologize again.”
“I don’t want your apology,” he said, linking his fingers with mine. “I want you to go on a date with me.”
My eyes burned with tears. I just laid out all my insecurities for him to pick apart, and instead of scaring him away, he accepted me for who I was and still wanted to move forward with me.
I squeezed his hand. “I would love to go on a date with you.”
“Good.” His smile was so genuine that I couldn’t help but smile back. “I know just where I’m going to take you when we get back to Atlanta.”