Page 86 of The Vineyard Crush

The silence that followed was deafening. I could almost hear the gears turning in Mom’s head, processing this bombshell I’d just dropped on her.

“The ranch,” she repeated slowly, as if tasting the words. “Emma, darling, are you sure about this? It’s such a big step, and you’ve only known Ridge for-”

“I know it seems fast,” I interrupted, my voice stronger now. “But Mom, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Ridge… he’s everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I never knew I needed.”

I could practically see Mom’s brow furrowing, her lips pursing in that way they did when she was trying to choose her words carefully. “Emma, I understand that you have feelings for Ridge. He seems like a nice man. But moving to a ranch? I get that you didn’t want a big corporate job and I agreed let you do your thing with the vineyard because I though you would see your potential and go for something bigger.”

My heart almost slows to a stop and jumps into my throat. I can feel a burn behind my eyes as I wait for her impending words how much I disappoint her “Emma, sweetheart, I just want to make sure you’ve thought this through. Being a stepmother, living on a ranch… it’s not going to be easy. Are you sure you’re ready for that kind of responsibility?”

I felt Leo’s arm wrap around my shoulders, offering silent support. “I know it won’t be easy, Mom,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. “But nothing worth having ever is. Ridge and the kids… they’re worth everything to me. I’m ready for this. I want this life with them, challenges and all.”

I heard Mom take a deep breath, and I braced myself for another argument. But when she spoke, her voice was softer, tinged with something that sounded almost like resignation. “You really love him, don’t you?”

“I do,” I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “More than I ever thought possible.”

There was a long moment of silence, and I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But when Mom finally spoke again, her words took me completely by surprise.

“Well then,” she said, her voice thick with emotion, “I suppose I’d better start looking for a nice housewarming gift for you two.”

I blinked, sure I must have misheard. “Mom? Are you… are you saying you’re okay with this?”

A soft chuckle came through the phone. “Oh, Emma. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy. I know I went about it all wrong but after our last fight I think I realized that maybe I need to stop trying to tell you what to be happy about and just be happy in water makes you happy. And if Ridge and this new life make you happy, then how could I possibly object?”

Tears spilt over, running down my cheeks in hot trails. “Oh, Mom,” I choked out, overwhelmed by a mix of relief and joy.

“Now,” she said, her voice taking on that brisk tone she used when she was trying not to get emotional herself. “Don’t start blubbering on me.”

I laughed through my tears, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. “Soon, Mom. We can talk about all of it soon. I just… thank you. For understanding. For supporting me.”

“Always, my darling,” she said softly. “Always.”

Thirty Five

Epilogue

3 Months Later

Ridge

The gentle whisper of Emma’s breath against my neck sends a shiver down my spine, despite the cocoon of warmth we’ve created beneath the covers. Outside, a blanket of snow muffles the world, but here, in our bed, time seems to stand still. Three months have passed since Emma moved in, and each day feels like a gift I never knew I needed.

I carefully untangle myself from her embrace, my skin instantly missing her touch. The hardwood floor is cold beneath my feet as I pull on my sweatpants and sweater, casting one last glance at Emma’s sleeping form before padding downstairs.

The kitchen is bathed in the soft, gray light of a winter morning. As I gather ingredients for Emma’s birthday breakfast, the weight of the small velvet box in my pocket seems to grow heavier with each passing moment. Pancakes – her favorite. The familiar motions of measuring and mixing soothe my nerves, a welcome distraction from the butterflies in my stomach.

As I whisk the batter, my mind wanders to the journey that brought us here. From that first day when Emma stumbled into my life, quite literally, with a plate of her mother’s pancakes, to this moment – on the cusp of asking her to be my wife. It seems both an eternity and a heartbeat.

Lily and Avery’s excited voices echo in my mind. “You have to propose on her birthday, Daddy! She loves her birthday! It’ll be so romantic!” The memory brings a smile to my face, even as my heart races at the thought. My girls, always plotting and planning, their enthusiasm for Emma a constant source of joy.

I remember the day I told them about my plans to propose. Lily had squealed with delight, already planning the wedding in her head. Cody, ever the quiet one, had simply nodded and said, “She makes you happy, Dad. That’s good.” And little Avery, too young to fully understand, had clapped her hands and demanded to be the flower girl.

The doorbell’s shrill ring cuts through the quiet, and I hurry to answer it before it wakes the entire house. James stands on the porch, a to-go cup of nitro cold brew clutched in his gloved hand, his breath forming small clouds in the frigid air.

“Next time, get it yourself,” he grumbles, thrusting the coffee at me. His nose is red from the cold, his scowl deepening as he checks his watch. “Now I’m going to be late to teach the last class of the semester.”

I can’t help but chuckle at his expression, so reminiscent of when we were kids and I’d drag him into my schemes. “Thanks for this, little bro,” I say, accepting the cup. The rich aroma of the coffee wafts up, a promise of the caffeine boost Emma will need. “I’m sure your students will be very happy that they have to look at your ugly face a little less.”

“Fuck you,” James retorts, but there’s no real heat behind his words. A ghost of a smile tugs at his lips before he turns on his heel, leaving me to watch as his car disappears down the snow-covered driveway.

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