Page 8 of A Wilder Wedding

“Let me walk you. Come on. We’ll get you to Maddie or something. I’m sure she has some cheese for you. And get you some wine.”

“I don’t need you to help me, Amos. I don’t need you for anything. That was clear the last time we really spoke. You don’t need me either.”

“What the hell are you going on about?” he asked and looked oddly confused.

“You are the one who broke up with me, Amos. You don’t get to act all protective and growly over me.”

“And who does?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

A scowl covered his features as he moved forward, and I held up both hands, keeping him back.

“Stop. Just stop. You wanted it to be over. Well, it clearly is.”

I turned suddenly, not wanting to see his face, and ran smack into Eli and Elijah. Both Wilders looked between us, concern etching their features.

And that’s when I knew I was a complete idiot.

Here I was, once again fighting with Amos. In public. On work property. While the two bosses watched on.

I didn’t know what they were going to say, and I didn’t want to hear it. Instead, I just moved past them, running away. I heard Amos call out to me, and I heard Eli tell him that he should just let me go.

And what a crock that was.

Amos had let me go a long time ago.

I just needed to let him go.

I knew exactly what I needed to do to make it happen.

Even if it broke me.

CHAPTERTHREE

Amos

Iwatched as Naomi ran away, and it was all I could do not to follow her. I wanted to hold her close and promise I would never let her go. Only I had fucked up one too many times when it came to Naomi.

First, she had been too young. Then we had been so focused on making sure the Wilders could make it after so many setbacks and other issues, that I hadn’t been able to keep her safe. Then finally I realized that all I was doing was making the same mistakes I always did when it came to her. I’d wanted to set her free so she wouldn’t be stuck with some guy who was never going to own his own winery, and who would always be stuck working for whoever owned this place, or the next place I showed up at. Naomi still had the rest of her life ahead of her, and I hadn’t wanted to hold her back. After all, I had done that before with my ex-wife. I hadn’t moved when she needed me to. I hadn’t changed my life so she could have exactly what she desired. And while the choices she made hadn’t made sense to me, and had blown up in her face, I should have believed in her.

At least, that’s what I told myself. My family had all thought that me moving would have been an epic mistake considering that my ex hadn’t even had a job in New York. She just wanted to get out of South Texas and move on.

And she had wanted me to go with her, falling into a new life that had never made any sense to me.

I had made the wrong choice for her, just like I kept doing for Naomi.

“Let her go.”

I turned to my boss and friend and ran my hands through my hair.

I let it grow out a bit longer this past winter, and I could now put it in a small stubby ponytail if I felt like it. Now it fell over my eyes and I constantly had to push it back. Between that and my bushy beard, I was looking more and more like a mountain man instead of a vineyard manager. It was my job to take care of the vines, as it was Jay’s. But Jay was with his family more often than not these days, so I was out of the suits and back into jeans and flannels, keeping our livelihoods safe.

Elijah was the one in the suits now. Though he seemed to always wear them, even while doing quick checks in the vines with me. Somehow the man never got dirt on him, and I wasn’t quite sure how he did it.

He was far too spiffy for his own good. Not that I would tell him that. Because you didn’t tell Elijah anything. He seemed to know all.

Just like he knew I was once again fucking it up when it came to Naomi.

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