Page 65 of The Vineyard Crush

“Shh…” Leo smoothed the loose tendril of hair from my damp cheek with the calloused pad of his thumb, his maple syrup and woodsmoke scent enveloping me like a weighted blanket. “You know Mom can be…harsh when she gets one of her ideas in her head.”

A mordant huff of mirthless laughter slipped past my trembling lips. “That’s one way to put it.”

“But she’s wrong this time, Em.” The rumble of Leo’s baritone vibrated against my side as he gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. “You’re not some burden to be borne—not for Ridge or anyone else. Just because your strengths might not fit into her narrow definition of capability doesn’t make them any less valuable.”

I blinked up at him, my brother’s cider-brown eyes warm with conviction. “You love deeply and freely, ma lutine. You nurture with your cooking, you get lost in stories and words. Those things you do so beautifully…they’re a gift, not some failing.” His mouth curved into my favorite lopsided smile. “And if this Ridge can’t appreciate that, then he’s the one missing out, not you.”

The jagged shards of hurt and insecurity still lodged in my chest eased a fraction at his words, smoothing over with the salve of his steadfast belief in me. A watery smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I gave a tiny nod and whispered, “Yeah…yeah, okay.”

Leo’s returning grin crinkled the laugh lines around his eyes. “That’s my girl.”

Ruffling my hair, he levered himself off the couch with an exaggerated groan. “Now, what d’ya say we go grab your brother from that fancy vineyard of his and find a decent whiskey bar? I’m in desperate need of some high-proof therapy after dealing with the latest Buchanan corporate drama.”

I couldn’t stifle my snort of laughter as I rolled my eyes. Trust Leo to bring some levity to any situation. “You do realize Ethan practically owns said ‘fancy vineyard,’ right? As in, CEO and you are the CFO?”

“True…” Leo tapped his whiskered chin in mock contemplation. “But where’s the fun in that? I know this kick-ass little dive not far from here. Think they’ve got whiskey on tap?”

Chuckling under my breath, I allowed him to tug me off the couch, basking in the soothing comfort of my big brother’s presence as he slung an arm around my shoulders.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go find this magical whiskey oasis. Just don’t go breaking any more hearts, okay? I can only handle refereeing so many bar brawls in one night.”

His answering laugh rumbled through us both as we ambled outside, the lingering shadows of self-doubt momentarily banished in the face of Leo’s easy acceptance. Mom’s criticism might have stung, but my weird, wonderful brothers would always be there to remind me of who I really was.

* * *

Despite Leo’s reassurances, Mom’s doubting words continued to burrow under my skin like insidious barbs. You’re too much for him. An added burden. The harsh echos reverberated through my mind no matter how I tried to silence them.

Because what if she was right?

What if I wasn’t the lighthearted respite Ridge deserved after dealing with the weight of being a single dad, but simply one more complication in his already complicated life? The very last thing I wanted was to become another source of stress, another responsibility he didn’t ask for.

So over the next few days, I started…pulling away. Putting the tiniest slice of distance between us, avoiding too much one-on-one time together. If Ridge noticed the slight shift, he didn’t let on. Not at first.

But then he started catching me in those quiet moments I’d crafted—passing moments of retreat from the confused mess of feelings and second-guessing churning inside me.

Like tonight.

I’d spent the afternoon tidying up Ridge’s place after Cody and Lily’s latest whirlwind playdate, restoring a semblance of order with toys re-binned and crumbs swept away. By the time I finished straightening the throw pillows on the couch, I could hear the rumbling growl of Ridge’s truck pulling into the drive.

Grabbing my tote, I made a beeline for the front door in a flurry of purposeful strides, only to screech to an abrupt halt as Ridge’s low drawl drifted toward me. “Emma?”

My head snapped up at the sound, drinking in the chiseled angles of his face, framed by waves of inky dark hair. Those piercing green eyes, vibrant as sun-dappled jade, narrowed with…confusion? Concern? “Everything all right, little flower?”

Little flower—his usual endearment washed over me in a bittersweet wave. I tried for a breezy smile, nodding toward the door. “Yep! All cleaned up and ready to head home.”

I turned to find him framed in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, forearms roped with tanned cords of muscle from a long day’s work on the ranch. My gaze snagged on the flex and pull of his shirt stretching taut across his broad chest, the waist of his well-worn jeans hanging a shade too low on those narrow hips. His striking green gaze swept over the newly-tidy room with scrutinizing intensity. When he turned that penetrating stare back on me, I fought the urge to shrink under its weight.

“Somethin’ seems off.” The rough pad of his thumb brushed my wrist, igniting a trail of tingling goosebumps.

A flush of warmth bloomed across my cheeks as I quickly averted my eyes. “Nope,” I chirped with a brightness I didn’t feel, sidling past him toward the exit. “Just…gotta run.”

“Why are you in such a hurry then?” The gentle rasp of his voice followed on my heels, thick with the kind of concern that tugged insistently at my heartstrings. “You seem to be in a rush a lot these days. Feel like I never see you these days.”

“Yeah, umm…sorry.” I inched closer to the front door and freedom, sidestepping away from the magnetic pull of him. “Leo has us working a lot for the festival prep.”The lie tasted like acid on my tongue.

“Oh yeah?” One of those expressive dark brows inched higher, his emerald eyes darting to my mouth and back in that way that never failed to liquefy my insides.

Still, I pressed on with a breathless, “Yep,” and tried valiantly to skirt around his towering form without actually looking at him.

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