Page 28 of A Wilder Wedding

Amos

The next morning it was all I could do not to sit outside of Naomi’s place and make sure she was safe. But that would put me into stalker territory, and I already hated myself enough. I didn’t need to add any felonies or misdemeanors.

When the authorities had pulled us from each other so they could check on her and ask us questions, it took all my self-control not to bundle her up in my arms and take her with me. To never let her go.

But I also wasn’t going to be the man who forced her to stay, not after what that asshole Morgan had done. I still couldn’t believe that had happened. That a man had taken it into his own hands to try taking Naomi from us.

Her scream would once again echo in my dreams until the end of time. But she was safe. Adam had a mild concussion and needed two stitches on his forehead but was fine. He was more angry with himself than anything, but I told him it wasn’t his fault. After all, it was the asshole Morgan who had done it. Adam had put his body and life on the line to protect the woman that I loved. I owed him everything.

Even if Adam thought differently.

The next Wilder wedding was the next day, and I knew there were a thousand little things we needed to do to make sure we were prepared. We were not going to let a thing like assault and a threatened kidnapping affect Ridge and Aurora’s wedding. They had already been through enough hell. They didn’t need to have this in their way. So after I finished with my duties at the winery that morning, I was helping set up.

I hadn’t seen Naomi yet, but I would soon. She would be at the wedding, and I would have to hold back so she didn’t hate me. But I needed her to know that I loved her.

I needed her to believe me. It was on me that she hadn’t. After all, I hadn’t said the words because I had been too chickenshit before.

I had let my relationship with my ex affect me, and I wasn’t going to do it again. The fact that my ex wasn’t even part of my vernacular these days told me I was over her. But I had been too damn scared, and I wasn’t going to let that happen again.

“Hey, Amos? Can we talk for a second?”

I turned to see Eli standing there, the big man scowling a bit, but it didn’t look like it was directed at me. At least I hoped to hell it wasn’t directed at me.

If anything, he looked contemplative and a little worried. And that set me on edge.

“What’s up Eli?”

“It’s about Naomi.”

I stepped forward, my palms sweaty. “Is she okay? Did that asshole get out of jail? Where is she? Is she safe?”

Eli held up both hands. “I’m sorry. I should have prefaced by saying she’s fine. In fact, I just finished speaking with her in my office. And that’s why I’m here.”

Dread pooled in my gut, and I didn’t want to hear what he had to say, but I knew I didn’t have a choice.

“She’s fine. But she was on her way to me yesterday for a meeting where she was going to give me her notice.”

The floor beneath me quaked and I held on to the railing to keep from falling over.

“She’s leaving?”

“You can’t be surprised, can you? She wants to try new things. And she wants to be happy. I know the two of you need to talk, need to work through things. Or you need to let her go. I’m already having to hold Alexis back from kicking your ass because we don’t want to lose Naomi.”

“I’m already kicking my ass enough for both of us.”

Eli shook his head. “Not enough. Fix this. Because we can find a way for Naomi to build a future here. If she doesn’t want to be the innkeeper anymore, but wants more responsibility? She can do whatever she wants. We will find a position for her that works. Because she’s family. And I’m going to tell her that. But if she needs to leave because of you?” Eli shrugged. “Then we’re going to have a problem.”

“I’ll go. She doesn’t need to. This is her home. Her family.”

I knew the way her brothers were, the way her father was. I knew all of that. There was no way that I was going to let her leave the family she had made to start all over again. She didn’t fucking deserve that.

No, I loved her. And I needed to prove it to her. I needed her to stay.

And that was what I would do. I would walk away. I hoped to hell she would stay.

“You’re family too, Amos. Just fix it, okay? I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but let’s just work through it. Don’t make me get involved.”

And with that, Eli walked away. I let out a deep breath before I followed him towards Naomi’s place. I hopped in the golf cart and drove the distance there, telling myself that this trip felt far longer than it should have.