Chapter 17
I’m fucking scared… and not because I’m on a ladder with my body wedged between snow-covered tree branches, a freshly sharpened lopper in my hands.
The winter breeze ruffles my fur. This is where I’m most at home.
What’s making my palms sweat is that I bared my soul to Vanessa a few weeks ago and the world didn’t end. If anything, there was relief after I let her in. She was utterly and completely on my side. And the flare of possessiveness when she threatened to hurt Annabelle—yeah, that was sexy as fuck.
The past few weeks of video calls, daily texts, and weekend visits have been easy.
She’s fit herself into my world like she’s been there all along.
Modern feminine decor is scattered throughout my home.
Her clothes fill half my closet and dresser.
And her pretty face consumes my thoughts for the majority of the day.
But it’s still terrifying. Even though I believe Vanessa when she says she wouldn’t cheat on me, there’s still the underlying paranoia that Annabelle left behind when she tore my heart out and stomped it into the dirt and mud.
Plus, Vanessa still has her career in the city, something I can’t ask her to give up for me. That would be wrong and eventually lead to resentment on her part. I want her to be happy to spend her life with me, not feel forced into this because of a mate bond she didn’t choose.
Sighing, I clip the dead branch. It falls to the snow-covered ground with the rest, and my eyes scan the apple tree for any other imperfections.
Time will tell if Vanessa and I are meant to be together. I hope my heart can handle it if our flame fizzles out.
“Morning, loverboy!”
The cheery voice has my hoof slipping off the ladder rung, my arms flailing as I grab hold of the first branch my fingers collide with.
“Calisse de tabarnak! Never sneak up on someone on a ladder, Mags!” I peer down through the branches to meet her green eyes.
Laughter dances there as she bites her lip, the February sun beaming down on her.
“Sorry. You’ve been out here for a while. Thought maybe you could use a break.” She raises a thermos, and steam rushes out of the open top. “And maybe we could talk?”
Since I’m fairly certain my job isn’t in jeopardy and everyone is healthy, there’s only one thing she’d want to talk about—my love life.
Fuck. Me.
With a nod, I climb down the ladder and lean the lopper against the tree trunk. My hooves sink into the melting snowpack as I approach my boss. Over the last few years, she’s become so much more. A friend. Family.
So I’ll indulge her and listen to the advice she has to give.
Pouring steaming liquid into the lid of the thermos, Maggie hands it to me, and we start a slow path through the orchard.
I take a sip once it’s cooled a little. Rich chocolate fills my mouth, warming my throat. My eyes widen at the lingering burn of the distinct smoky flavor of…
“Spiked it with whiskey.”
I cough, but take another gulp of my drink. “Rough morning?”
Maggie sighs, rolling her pretty eyes. “Wedding planning has me stressed. Why did I think having the ceremony here would make things easier? What if it rains? What if the trees don’t bloom in time? What—”
I grab her arm to halt her steps. “Mags. Breathe. Everything will be fine. We ordered tents as backup. And even if the trees aren’t in full bloom, it will still be beautiful.”
Viktor and Maggie’s wedding is set for April, when the orchard should be full of fragrant blossoms. As the foreman, my duty is to make sure the trees are pruned and the grounds are prepped, which is why I took advantage of today’s February heatwave.
Her lips tip into a shy smile. “You’re right, I’m just overthinking.” She pauses, walking down the row of trees, and I follow. “Beautiful weather we’re having, isn’t it?” Looping the strap of the thermos across her body, she tucks her hands in the pockets of her coat before smiling up at me.
“Cut the small talk, Mags.”
She winces but bumps me with her shoulder. “Okay. You caught me. Vanessa has been around quite a bit. How are things going?”
We’ve been alternating weekends, so I go to the city every other time and she comes to Maple Ridge Hollow the rest of the time.
Shortening my stride so Maggie can keep up, I tuck my free hand into the pocket of my jeans. “It’s been really good…”
“But?”
The heavy sigh that leaves my mouth could probably knock the dead branches from the surrounding trees. I stop and face Maggie. “I don’t know. It’s been so easy, and it’s like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop… for something bad to happen.”
Maggie’s dark-blonde eyebrows pucker in the middle. “Why would something bad happen?”
“Because it did last time. My last serious partner cheated on me.”
Her soft gasp floats across the quiet air.
I press on. “Vanessa says she wouldn’t do that to me and, logically, my brain knows she wouldn’t. But my heart is a different story, Mags.”
“Actions speak louder than words. Has Vanessa done something to make you hesitant?” Maggie asks.
I shake my head. “Non, the opposite, actually. We text constantly and video call most nights. She’s attentive and listens.
And she does little things.” Even thinking about her now has a smile spreading across my face.
“She bought my favorite coffee creamer for her place. And she switched to my toothpaste brand, thinking I wouldn’t notice. ”
“See? I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Jean-Luc. In fact, after having dinner together last weekend, I’m positive she’s just as smitten as you are.”
Last Saturday, when Vanessa was here, we had dinner with Maggie and Viktor. The conversation was lively and comfortable. The food—fuck, Viktor knows what he’s doing—was delicious. It’s something I wouldn’t mind doing on a regular basis.
“But our lives are in different places. I can’t ask her to give up her business, her dream, in the city.”
Maggie squeezes my arm where the sleeve of my flannel is rolled up.
“Give it time. Things have a way of working out when they’re meant to be.
I was terrified when I realized I was falling for Viktor.
He fit so perfectly into the chaos of my life.
But if I remember correctly, a very wise friend told me I could use some good in my life.
Maybe a vampire is the answer for you, too. ”
Me and my big mouth. I recall that conversation almost like it was yesterday.
Maggie was on the verge of losing the orchard when Viktor showed up to nanny her daughter.
She needed something good after losing her husband and struggling to stay afloat on her own.
Just so happened, Viktor was the answer. “You still remember that, mon amie?”
Cheeks rosy from the brisk air, she winks. “Like it was yesterday, friend. Maybe Vanessa is your good. Let your heart love again, Jean-Luc. Don’t rush it. Enjoy getting to know each other and spending time together; the rest will come when it’s supposed to.”
By now, we’ve made it back to the tree I was pruning, and my belly is warm with whiskey and hot chocolate. “Thanks, Mags. I think I needed someone to listen to my fears and help me realize I was being stupid.”
“It’s not stupid to be afraid. Someone who was supposed to love you unconditionally hurt you in the past. I can understand why you’d be hesitant to open your heart again. Vanessa may have some of the same fears, so maybe you should talk to her, too.”
I nod, pulling her in for a hug. “I will. And don’t worry about the wedding. Viktor and I will make sure everything is perfect.”
Her laughter fills my ears and warms my soul as she heads back toward the main house. Heart beating wildly behind my ribs, I pull my phone out of my pocket and open an internet browser.
Open your heart, Luc.
I’m going all in, even if it blows up in my face.
“Thank you for the flowers, big guy. They made all the other girls at the spa incredibly envious.” Vanessa’s beaming face fills my phone screen.
After my conversation with Maggie a few days ago, I ordered the biggest, most beautiful floral arrangement I could find and had it delivered to Urban Oasis. “Happy Valentine’s Day, mon soleil. De belles fleurs pour ma belle fleur.”
Matching the blooms in the vase on her nightstand, Vanessa’s smiling cheeks turn a soft pink.
But my heart stutters when her lips twitch into a frown. “I feel bad. I didn’t get you anything.” Burgundy eyes lift to meet mine.
“This… Seeing your perfect face after a long day is more than enough, Ness. You’re my favorite gift.”
Now her cheeks are crimson, and the color spreads down her chest as well. My chest puffs, knowing my praise causes such a visceral reaction.
“So how was your day?” she asks. Every night, we slip so easily into sharing the ups and downs of our days.
Not only are we compatible—extremely compatible—sexually, but we seem to be just as compatible in every other facet of life. I never expected to enjoy domesticity so much, but I do. And for the first time in a long time, I’m… happy.
“Kept my mind off you as much as I could by getting another batch of syrup ready and trimming up another row of trees at Maggie’s place. Wish you were here.” I groan and crack my back. “I could use a full-body rub.”
Ness settles against her pillows. “That could be arranged.” A sultry purr takes over her voice.
Before my cock commandeers the conversation, I tone things down again by asking, “How was your day?”
The loose hairs around her face ruffle with her harsh exhale. “I’ve had better.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Maggie hooked me up with Antoinette. Her sister-in-law… I guess. What do you call your dead husband’s brother’s dragon shifter mate?” She chuckles. “Anyway, that’s beside the point. Annie is a commercial realtor here in the city, so she showed me a potential location for my new spa.”