Page 20 of Blurred Lines

The Tipsy Cow is a burst of neon and mismatched furniture, it's cheer defiant against the slumber of our town. The smell of stale beer and fryer grease hangs heavy in the air. Caeleb's parked near the back, leaning against his Honda, bathed in the orange glow of a streetlamp.

I slide into the passenger seat. "Thanks for coming."

"Course, man. Spill. What's got you all twisted up?" He eyes me, concern etched on his face.

I take a deep breath. "There was an attack at Harvey's Vineyard today."

Caeleb listens, brows furrowed in concentration, as I launch into the events of the day, sans the bit where I kissed Emily's cheek.

Of course, he doesn't miss out on much.

He whistles, low and long. "Damn. Emily? That's a surprise. You two been spending time together?"

The way he says her name, a hint of something else beneath the casual question, sends a jolt through me. "Yeah. Sort of. Listen, Caeleb, there's more …" My voice falters. How do I even begin to explain the kiss? I'm a tangle of emotions that has me acting like a fool.

Truthfully, the concept of sharing a woman isn't foreign to any of us. I just didn't think I'd get to experience it in this lifetime.

If Caeleb is okay with it, of course. If not, well?—

"Just say it, Finn," he says, his voice gentle, a brother's patience in it.

I meet his gaze. "I think … dammit, Caeleb, I think I might be falling for Emily."

7

EMILY

My heels click a hurried beat against the hardwood as I make my way out of the makeshift backstage area. The show was a success, the crowd generous, and Finn was lovely. But exhaustion gnaws at the edges of my composure.

Slipping behind the wheel of my car, I crave the solitude of the drive back to the mansion. My mind has been occupied since the moment Caeleb, Finn, and Silas left my dad's funeral. It's almost unfair how I can't get them out of my head.

How can I possibly want them all, and at once? Back there with Finn, I almost …

God knows how much self-control it took me to not pull him to me, to kiss those lips, to ask for more.

I rub my face with my free hand, trying to change the stream of sinful thoughts churning in my mind.

A flashback hits … the stuffy afternoon of the will reading, the sharp scent of old paper, and Verona's shriek of rage when the will was read. Dear Flora, how she'd marched in and promptly thrown out Verona and a sputtering Alec.

The road unfolds, a dark ribbon slicing through the landscape. I roll down the windows, letting the quiet night air of the country wash over me. In the distance, two silhouettes walk hand in hand beneath the watchful moon. A pang of something like envy twists in my chest. It's a familiar ache, the longing for a love that feels safe—something my father never modeled.

On impulse, I dial Flora's number. "Flo, I need you. Meet me in the vineyards?"

Dad's vineyards at night were always a magical place. The vines stretch in endless rows, their leaves shimmering silver under the moonlight. Flora's already there when I arrive, leaning against an old trellis, a comforting presence in the vastness.

"Well, this is mysterious," she says, her voice a warm counterpoint to the night's chill.

I pluck a grape from the vine, its plump skin bursting in my fingers. The juice is sweet and tart, a jolt of pure flavor. "It's just … everything has turned upside down."

We walk together, my footsteps silent on the soft earth. The air is heavy with the scent of ripening grapes and damp earth, a comforting mix of summer and the approaching fall. "I can't forget how you kicked Verona and Alec out," I chuckle, a flicker of warmth chasing away the gloom.

"A personal favorite," she quips back. "But I sense there's more on your mind than just stepmothers and inheritance squabbles."

I sigh, my gaze drawn to the distant hills. "I think I'm … I might be falling for someone." The confession hangs heavy in the air.

"Ooh, exciting!" Flora claps her hands, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Spill the details!"

"It's complicated," I hedge. "Actually, let's say there's multiple someones. And, well, it's terrifying."

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