Chapter 31
Clayton
“You think that went well?”
I glanced at the woman walking through the vineyard next to me, so sure and confident moments ago and now awash in nerves.
She was a conundrum, but one I loved trying to figure out.
I was quickly coming to realize it wasn’t the only thing I loved about her, a thought that didn’t terrify me as much as I thought it would.
Son, one day you’ll find a woman like I found your mother and you’ll know. You’ll know it deep down, even if you don’t have the words for it. You’ll know it by the way she makes you feel, by the way she makes you better.
Father would have adored Reese.
Reese twirled her grandmother’s ring around and around on her finger, looking anywhere other than in my direction. Funny, how only a couple of weeks ago the fact she’d sent it rolling under a desk somehow altered so much.
“I think it went extremely well.”
Despite her worries, our presentation had gone off without a hitch.
Her relatives had been inquisitive and displayed a surprising amount of business acumen for people not running large corporations.
Now the elder Henleys were discussing whether to accept my offer.
Not wanting to sit within earshot, I hustled her out the door and into nature and the flourishing vines.
We’d spent two days working on a proposal for her family, outlining every way I could make her vision a reality.
Somewhere along the way, her dreams for their property had merged with mine for Conti-Montgomery.
This would be a revitalization of Father’s legacy, one I would be proud to lead.
Tomorrow, I headed to New York to tackle what would hopefully be the last hurdle.
Ideally, Reginald would see the writing on the wall and exit gracefully, though I had reservations. The man did not go down easily. I didn’t even care about the money he’d stolen. I simply wanted my company.
And Reese.
Her most of all. I wasn’t ready to give her up. I couldn’t. She simply was the part of me I’d never even known I was missing.
“You do?”
This woman would be right by my side tomorrow. Grandmother kept pestering me about telling Reese what was going on and had brought me to Henley Falls in the first place, but if everything worked out, she never needed to know.
I don’t think that’s the best game plan.
It may not be, but it was the one I was taking.
I turned to face her, the lush greenery cocooning us. Everywhere I turned, something else reminded me of our interactions, of our time together.
“Did you not see the looks on their faces? They were enthralled.”
“I’m sure that was during your part,” she whispered as she kicked a rock.
I didn’t like her turning in on herself, especially because of the older generation.
This was not the woman I knew, but it could be a part of her essence.
She was so strong, a force of nature, but nobody could be strong all the time.
I wanted nothing more than to be her port in the storm when she needed protection.
“It was not.” Clasping her shoulders, I let my hands knead along the tension I found there, all the way to her neck.
“All I did was explain how we could fund the project, bringing it under the Conti-Montgomery brand, in return for a portion of the profits. Let me tell you, your Uncle Randy is going to negotiate the hell out of it.” I had every intention of having fun in the process.
“Reese,” I waited until she looked at me.
“I know this has been a struggle. You tried for a while and went nowhere, but that ends now. We’re in this together, and we’re going to make it work. ”
She looked up, her eyes full of questions, but she didn’t voice any.
Still, I knew what they were.
Only business partners? Are we nothing more? Do you want there to be more?
Smoothing my hands down Reese’s arms, I pulled her toward me.
The way she fit against my body felt right.
She felt right. Cupping her elbows, I lifted her onto her tiptoes and pressed my forehead to hers.
This close, I could see tiny dark blue flecks in those stunning eyes of hers, see the fire sparking as our bodies brushed together.
Forever wouldn’t be long enough to spend looking into her eyes.
Here, in the stillness of her family’s property, nature, and their legacy surrounding us, the words came naturally. “This isn’t over, Reese. We’re not over.”
I didn’t know where we would wind up. Distance and differences would rear their ugly head, but I had no intention of letting her go.
I couldn’t.
A smile spread across her mouth. Raking her hands through my hair, she dragged me down and whispered, “I don’t want us to be over yet either.”
I wished we weren’t waiting for the parentals to summon us back into the winery. I’d much rather lay her down right here, beneath the sun and beauty that was her home, even though it couldn’t compare to her.
Her hands tunneled through my hair and dragged my mouth down to meet hers.
Kissing had never really impressed me all that much.
It was something I gave a woman if it seemed she wanted it, but with Reese it was different.
Her mouth and what came out of it were such a part of her personality, it felt like a gift every time she let me occupy it with my own.
A gift I had no intention of giving up anytime soon.
A loud cough had her jumping away from me, both of us turning from the direction we’d come.
Her father stood there, fists propped on his hips, looking for all the world like a man who did not approve of who they had just found their daughter kissing.
I couldn’t blame him, but it was not in me to shy away from something I wanted.
And I wanted Reese.
“They sent me out to fetch you.” Lawrence Henley’s booming voice carried well down the vineyard row.
A tall, lanky man, with those remarkable blue eyes and a ready smile, it was easy to see who Kellan took after.
“Reese, your mother would like a word with you before you go in. She’s back by the door. ”
Reese froze next to me, the spark in her eyes dimming until it was gone.
“They hated it,” she whispered under her breath.
“They’re going to say no. It’s too much.
” She stepped away and straightened her spine.
This was her dream, and if her assessment was accurate, it now lay smashed at her feet.
She was putting on a brave front, but I knew she was heartbroken and I had to do something about it.
Her father patted her shoulder as she sidled past, likely offering consolation. Anger coursed through me. Parent or not, he had no right to crush her so ruthlessly.
Waiting until she was out of sight, I followed in her footsteps, stopping as I came up to him. The man had a couple of inches on me, but I wasn’t about to back down on this. I’d liked him the minute I met him, shortly after first meeting Tricia, but I was now questioning that assessment.
“What the hell was that?” I spat at the man, anger taking over. “I don’t care who you are; you had no right to be so cavalier about crushing her. She fucking worked her ass off, and you act like tossing aside her dreams is nothing.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I had to give it to him; he looked confused.
“I’m talking about the fact that you’re pushing her off on her mother to what, cushion the blow?
If you knew her, you would know that nothing would do that.
She’s one hundred percent invested in this, and you all shooting it down will destroy her.
” I pushed past him. “Pardon me while I go find her. I’ll be there for her. ”
“You’ll wait right there.” He reached out and grabbed my arm. “Don’t you tell me I don’t know my daughter.” His face turned a bright shade of red as he spoke.
With a shrugged I dislodged his grip. “You don’t if you think what you just said wouldn’t bother her.”
“What the hell did I say?” Now he simply looked confused again.
“I asked her to go talk to her mother before heading back inside so we can discuss where we’re going from here.
I have to say, I think my brother is going to try to get that percentage of profits changed.
He’s a bit of a hard ass when it comes to money. ”
“What?” I rarely appeared shocked in negotiations, but this was going to be one of those rare instances.
“What?”
This whole family was making me question my sanity. Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I stared Lawrence down. “What do you mean? You’re agreeing to this?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, I have to say it’s concerned me over the years.
Reese’s dreams seemed so big, so unattainable, in a way that was unique.
Much like the woman herself. You would think I’d say that about my son’s dream, but playing big league ball was a walk in the park compared to trying to wrangle this opinionated group.
Ree had it a hell of a lot tougher.” His brow furrowed, and he stared my way. “Why’d you think we said no?”
“To be honest, I didn’t at first, but your daughter sure as hell did. What you said then and what you said now do not match up, Mr. Henley.”
He paled and ran a hand through his hair. “Aww shit. Tricia’s going to kill me.”
“She may have to stand in line.”
His brow arched and I felt like a teen in front of his girlfriend’s parent, but then again, that’s what I was. “Is that a threat, young man?”
“I was referring to Reese; she’s got a bit of a temper.”
“That she does. Do you have a problem with that?” He glared down at me, almost expecting me to, indeed, have a problem.
“I do not. It keeps me on my toes.” His stance relaxed, and I realized I’d given more away than was probably wise. “You could have handled that a bit differently.”
“I see that now. I’m going to have to sleep on the couch tonight, I fear.
” His hand came down on my shoulder. “Now, let’s discuss what’s going on between you and my daughter.
This common for you, Montgomery? Starting something with a prospective partner, because I have to say, I have issues with that.
Reese is one of a kind, the best daughter I could have asked for.
” He looked around before leaning in. “I mean, my twin got Ever. God help him.”
I laughed, because Reese’s cousin was definitely something else, but sobered quickly. “It is not common, sir.”
“Good. Good.” He turned, so we stood side by side.
“Family is who I am. It’s who we all are.
This land is who we are.” Reaching out, he ran his hands over the grape leaves, a tangible reminder of his ties to their property.
Their legacy. I didn’t have that with my parents’ companies, but I felt it just the same.
The attachment to something bigger than myself.
Lawrence kept his gaze on the plants, a smile reminiscent of a memory tipping his lips.
“I know I can’t protect my little girl like I used to.
She has to live her life, and I’ll be there if she falls, just like I was when she fell off her bike the first time.
These scrapes won’t be as easy to mend though.
They won’t be on her knees anymore; instead, it will be her heart that pays the price. ”
He turned to me, worry clear on his face.
“Be careful with her. She’s strong, but there’s a tenderness inside she tries to hide.
It’s one that I think everyone, including all of us, has trampled on a time or two without meaning to.
Hell, sometimes without even realizing we did it.
My daughter is not too much.” The words came out strong, the conviction behind them telling me he believed them.
“She’s not, but she needs to hear that.” I extended my hand. “I’m honored to have your business, Mr. Henley.”
“Larry,” he replied, clasping my hand.
“I have no intention of hurting her, Larry. She’s…” I paused, not sure of the word I wanted to use. So many came to mind, but few were all-encompassing. “She’s singular. She’s Reese.”
He nodded. “That she is. Whatever happens between you two, just remember that, remember how special she is. Not only to all of us, but in her own worth. I think sometimes she doesn’t see that.
She sees herself so much as a Henley that she forgets she’s worthy just by being her.
” He chuckled, the sound low and self-deprecating.
“Tricia asked me to find out what your intentions were, like we were living in the 1800s or something, but I’m not going to do that, because I think you’re as confused about all of this as Reese is.
” He slapped me on the back and started back to the tasting room where everyone had gathered. “Ain’t love grand?” he called out.
Love.
I think I agreed with him.