Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ryan

T he storm outside has settled, leaving only the soft patter of rain against the windows. Inside, the air is still thick with the scent of us, the sheets tangled beneath our bodies as we lie together, her head resting on my chest, her hair brushing my skin. The anger that burned so fiercely between us earlier feels distant now, replaced by a quiet calm, a fragile peace.

I stroke her back absently, my fingers tracing lazy patterns along the curve of her spine. She’s quiet, her breath soft and even, but I know she’s not asleep. Neither am I.

“I’m sorry,” I say, breaking the silence. The words come out rougher than I intended, heavy with the weight of everything I didn’t say before. “For not being there. For leaving when you needed me most.”

Her body stiffens for a moment, and then she sighs, raising up on her elbow and shifting to look down at me. Her eyes are clear, no longer clouded by anger, just a trace of sadness lingering in their depths. “I’m sorry, too,” she says quietly. “For not telling you. For shutting you out.”

The apology takes me by surprise, and I cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheekbones. “You had every right to hate me, Candace. I wasn’t there. I didn’t know, but I should’ve been. And I’ll carry that guilt for the rest of my life.”

She settles back down beside me. Her hand comes up to rest over mine, her fingers warm against my skin. “You didn’t know, Ryan,” she whispers. “And I was too proud—too hurt—to tell you. It wasn’t just about the baby. It was everything. Losing her, losing you… it broke me in ways I didn’t know how to fix. I didn’t want to need you, and I sure as hell didn’t want to ask for help.”

I tilt her chin up, meeting her gaze. “You don’t have to ask anymore. I’m here, Candace. I’m not going anywhere. Not this time.”

Her lips twitch, the ghost of a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Big promises, Murphy. You sure you can keep them?”

“I don’t break promises,” I say firmly. “Not to you.”

Her smile softens, and she settles back against me, her fingers trailing absently along my chest. For a moment, we’re quiet again, the only sounds the steady rhythm of our breathing and the distant crash of waves.

“I never stopped loving you,” I murmur, the words spilling out before I can think to temper them. “Not for a single second. And I don’t want to pressure you—I know we have a lot to figure out—but I need you to know. I want a future with you, Candace. I thought I was coming back to rescue the vineyard, but the truth is, I think I came back to rescue myself. And you.”

Her head lifts, and she looks at me, her expression unreadable for a long moment. Then she smirks, a little flicker of that fire I love so much returning to her eyes. “Captain America strikes again,” she quips.

I laugh, shaking my head. “I mean it, Candace. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, and I’m not asking for forever right now. But I want to try. With you.”

Her smirk fades, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. “I’ve always loved you,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “Even when I hated you, I still loved you. And that scared the hell out of me.”

I tighten my arms around her, pulling her closer. “We can figure this out,” I say, my voice steady. “Together. If we want kids, we’ll figure out how to make that happen, too. Adoption, surrogacy—whatever it takes. We’ll write our own story.”

Her eyes search mine, and I can see the doubt warring with hope. “You make it sound so simple.”

“It won’t be,” I say honestly. “But money goes a long way to making things happen. Luckily for you, I have lots and lots of money.”

She exhales, her forehead resting against my chest. “You’re relentless, you know that? But for the record, I don’t need your money. I have plenty of my own.”

“How about we make it our money? As for relentless, you should know people who work for me say it’s one of my few endearing qualities,” I reply, grinning.

She snorts, but the tension in her shoulders eases, her body relaxing against mine. For the first time in what feels like forever, I think we’re finally on the same page.

After a few minutes, I run my fingers through her hair, tilting her face up to mine. “There’s one more thing.”

“What now?” she asks, her tone wary but amused.

“I want to take you to the vineyard,” I say. “To break the news to Brennen.”

She groans, rolling onto her back and throwing an arm over her eyes. “Are you trying to kill me? Brennen hates me… and for good reason. God, Ryan, I’ve made his life miserable.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” I say, sitting up and pulling her with me. “Emma hates you, but even if she does, I don’t give a shit. You’re part of this—part of me—Candace. They need to understand that.”

She peeks at me from under her arm, skepticism written all over her face. “You really think this is the right move?”

“I do,” I say without hesitation. My gaze locks onto hers, steady, unwavering. “They need to understand this isn’t about revenge anymore. You and me—we’re in this together. No more lashing out just to hurt people in this town, including my family. If we do this, we do it for the right reasons. And if Brennen’s got a problem with it, then he’ll have to deal with me.”

Her expression flickers, something shifting behind her eyes. She exhales slowly, nodding. “Alright,” she murmurs. “I’ll back off.”

“Maybe you can take the properties you acquired and turn them around. Instead of trying to destroy Pelican Point you can add to its revitalization.”

She rolls her eyes and groans.

“Enough,” I say firmly. “You and me, Candace. We’re a package deal. My family will get on board or they’ll have to deal with me. Either way, we’re doing this together.”

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she nods slowly, her hand slipping into mine. “Fine. But if Brennen throws me off the property, I’m holding you responsible.”

I squeeze her hand, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Deal.”

As we sit there, tangled together in the aftermath of everything that’s brought us to this moment, I feel something I haven’t felt in a long time: hope. For the vineyard. For my family. For us. And for the first time since the night of the crash, I let myself believe that we might just be able to make this work.

The sun dips low over the vineyard, casting everything in a golden haze. The air is thick with the scent of ripening grapes and the hum of summer insects. It feels like the calm before something big, and I can’t help but take a deep breath as Candace and I pull up to the vineyard on my Indian.

She’s quiet behind me, her arms wrapped around me, head resting against my back. I can feel her nerves radiating off her in waves, and I reach down, lacing my fingers through hers, before bringing them to my lips to kiss.

“Hey,” I say softly. “It’s going to be fine. Brennen’s not your enemy.”

She exhales, glancing at me with a wry smile. “No, but he and your sister see me as theirs. It’s easy for you. You’re the big brother they’ve always adored. They’re not gunning for you.”

I squeeze her hand. “They’re not gunning for you. Trust me.”

The gravel crunches beneath the tires as I park near the main house. Brennen is already waiting on the porch, his arms crossed over his chest. For a second, wariness flashes in Candace’s eyes, but she straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin.

That’s my girl.

“Candace,” Brennen greets her as we get off the motorcycle and head towards the porch. His tone is surprisingly warm, and I watch as she blinks, clearly caught off guard.

“Brennen,” she replies, her voice steady but cautious.

“I wanted to say…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck like he’s not used to apologizing. “I didn’t know. About the pregnancy. About the crash. Dad never said a word.” His voice softens. “If I had known, Candace, things might’ve been different.”

Her shoulders relax slightly, and she nods. “Thank you for saying that,” she says quietly. “I appreciate it.”

I watch as some of the tension melts between them, and for the first time, it feels as if my family—all of it—might just have a shot at healing.

Candace reaches into her bag and pulls out the folded note, handing it to Brennen. “Here,” she says. “It’s signed, and it’s yours now. Take it to the bank, and everything will be settled.”

Brennen stares at the paper for a long moment before looking up at her, his expression unreadable. “That’s an awful lot of money to just give away.”

Candace smiles faintly, her gaze flicking to me before returning to him. “I have something worth a lot more than money,” she says simply.

Brennen looks between us, something softening in his eyes, and he nods. “Well, damn,” he mutters, tucking the note into his pocket. “Thank you, Candace.”

She nods, and I can see the emotion flickering behind her cool exterior. I squeeze her hand, grounding her as much as myself.

A Week Later

The vineyard is alive with activity by the time the sun begins to set. The lights strung between the rows of vines twinkle like stars that have fallen to the ground, casting everything in a warm glow. Tables are set with white linens and fresh flowers, and the smell of grilled food wafts through the air.

Candace is suspicious—she knows something’s up—but she hasn’t said anything yet. She’s watching everything with wide eyes, her gaze darting to me every few minutes like she’s trying to figure out what I’m up to. She’ll find out soon enough.

Joselyn is bustling around, her clipboard in hand, directing the caterers like a general leading her troops. Isabella is chatting with a group of social media influencers she called in to help boost the vineyard’s presence. Sophie is by the bar, overseeing the unveiling of the new line of wines with Alex practically attached to her hip. I have to admit they’re kind of cute together, but I hope he knows that girl will keep him on his toes.

And me? I’m a bundle of nerves, but I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.

My sister sidles up next to me. “Ready?”

“More than you can possibly imagine. And I expect you to learn to behave. Dawson isn’t going to put up with your sass.”

“And if I don’t?” she teases.

“I’ll introduce Dawson to the advantages of having a spanking horse in your bedroom as well as a set of restraints.”

“Ryan!” she exclaims, turning red. Good to see I can still shock my baby sister. “Don’t you dare.” She turns and heads to Dawson. Poor baby sister. She has no idea… Dawson already knows these things.

“Ryan,” Candace says, coming to stand beside me as the first fireworks light up the night sky. “What’s going on?”

I grin, my heart pounding. “Just wait.”

I lead her to the center of the gathering, where everyone is beginning to quiet down, their attention shifting to us. Brennen steps forward, raising a glass.

“I want to thank everyone for being here tonight,” he says, his voice carrying over the crowd. “This vineyard has been through a lot but tonight is about new beginnings. And we have someone very special to thank for making that possible.” He looks directly at Candace, his smile warm and genuine. “Candace Prescott, thank you for being the catalyst in bringing my family back together again, and helping us fulfill my mother’s legacy.”

The crowd erupts into applause, and I can see the surprise and emotion on Candace’s face as she looks around.

And then it’s my turn.

I step forward, taking her hand and drawing her attention back to me. “Candace,” I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “From the moment I came back, you’ve kept me on my toes. You’ve challenged me, pushed me, and reminded me of everything I was missing. You’re the reason I’m here, and you’re the reason I’m staying.”

Her eyes widen, and I drop to one knee, pulling a small box from my pocket.

“I thought I was coming back to rescue the vineyard,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “But the truth is, I came back to rescue myself. And to rescue us. You’re my home, Candace. You always have been. Will you marry me?”

The crowd holds its breath, the moment stretching into eternity as she stares at me, her eyes glistening. And then, finally, she smiles—a brilliant, radiant smile that lights up the night—and drops to her knees in front of me.

“Yes,” she says, her voice strong and sure. “Yes, Ryan. I’ll marry you.”

The crowd erupts into cheers as I slide the ring onto her finger, standing to pull her into my arms. Fireworks burst overhead, painting the sky with brilliant colors, but all I see is her—my future, my everything.

As the celebration swirls around us, I hold her close, my heart full in a way I never thought possible.

We’ve weathered the storms—most of which we have created ourselves, but that’s okay, we both like storms. We’ve faced the past and come out stronger on the other side. And now, as the music swells and the stars shine above, I realize it wasn’t so long ago that I didn’t believe in happily ever afters, especially for me. I now know, without a doubt, that this is only the beginning of ours.

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