Chapter 37 #2
“Now that’s more like it. Let’s sit outside.
” She led me to the table on the balcony before sinking down into a chair.
I copied her and pretended I hadn’t avoided this area for two days.
Even now I couldn’t look at the railing and not think of Clay on his knees in front of me.
At this rate I was going to have to move, because my bedroom and shower were no better places for avoiding memories.
I shook my head, trying to get the images out of my mind. The last thing I needed to do with my aunt in front of me was have sex daydreams about a man who I should be hating right now and who probably definitely hates me. Didn’t mean my body didn’t remember exactly what it’d felt like that night.
“I’m sorry. I know I fucked up. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to Clay’s stepfather, but what if that contract was legit?
What if Clay’s going to take our land and he was using me to get it?
Because why wouldn’t he since I practically threw myself at him like a sex-starved maniac?
I should have stayed away and let someone else handle everything.
Someone who could be more professional. Like Ever,” I paused and shook my head.
“Yeah, someone else. Logan’s good. Or Beck.
He’s got a lot on his plate though with Abby.
Marshall is sort of stodgy; he could have handled it.
Then I wouldn’t have done something dumb like fall for the guy who was going to take away our land. ”
When I finally stopped to suck in a breath, Aunt Martha chimed in, “Are you done? For a moment, I thought Ever was still here.” We shared a smile for a second, until mine turned into a frown. “Reese, don’t be upset.”
“How can you say that?” I wasn’t going to ramble again, but something compelled me to talk. “I screwed it all up.”
“First of all, nothing is screwed up.” She held up her hand when I opened my mouth. “At least not yet and honestly, I don’t think it will be.”
“But the contract.”
“Does not negate the document the parentals signed. All of us agreed to work with Clay and not a single one of us signed anything selling our property. We were not born yesterday, Reese.” The look she gave me almost had me crawling under the table with embarrassment.
“A lawyer looked everything over, which both your father and Clay insisted on.”
Why hadn’t I known that? How come no one, even Clay, thought to tell me that little tidbit? Especially Clay. Was he using that as some sort of leverage so he could talk, or rather sex, me out of our land?
“Maybe we should have gone with one of the other companies that had come calling.”
Aunt Martha waved off the suggestion. “None of them were right for us. They didn’t want to work with us.”
“Obviously, neither did Clay.” Apparently, my aunt was wearing rose-colored glasses.
“I trust your instincts, Reese, and I don’t believe you would have fallen for him if you didn’t also trust him.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
I said the words, but they rang hollow. No matter how many times I tried to convince myself I made the right move, that Clay could, in fact, not be trusted, the words tasted bitter on my tongue.
“You fell in love, dear. Of course, you trusted your instincts, and before you say anything, that makes you human, not stupid.” She opened her purse and pulled out an envelope, setting it on the table.
“I watched that man, and I saw love in his eyes, same as I did yours. You don’t get to be surrounded by as much love as we have in this family and not recognize it.
Now, I’m not saying he didn’t abuse it, or at least bruise your trust, because it seems as if he did. ”
Maybe that was part of my problem. Part of why it was so easy to believe Reg. Clay was clearly hiding things from me. He’d only told me about the deal to get control of Montgomery, and I still didn’t know why he high-tailed it out of bed and the apartment at three in the morning.
How could I trust someone who didn’t tell me everything?
I twirled Grams’ ring around my finger, absentmindedly. “So, what are you saying?”
Aunt Martha glanced at the envelope. “I’m saying we all love and trust you.
” She reached out and patted my hand. “I’m saying I do believe everything will work out okay in the long run.
” Sliding the envelope my way, she added, “I’m saying that sometimes the best words can come from the most unexpected places. ”
I flipped over the envelope, my name in Gramps’ familiar scrawl across the front. “What is this?”
Aunt Martha brushed back my hair, leaning in to kiss the top of my head, a move my grandmother always made when we were little and hurting.
“I didn’t understand what he meant—that I would know when to give these out, but I did.
Giving this to you now is as much a gift to me as it is to you.
It’s connected me to my brother again, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.
” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her grab her bag, but all I could do was stare at the envelope.
Her hand smoothed my hair once again. “He may be gone, but he somehow always knew what we needed. I doubt that’s changed. Just listen.”
She stepped to the door leading back inside and turned toward me. “Read this, then come to the winery tomorrow afternoon. We’ll have a family meeting and go from there.”
I nodded, or at least I think I did. My entire being was focused on the envelope in front of me. I’d wanted so badly to talk to Gramps again and now, in an odd way, I had it.
I just worried I didn’t want to hear what he said.