Page 28 of All I've Waited For

“I wish I could, but the private party’s contract explicitly states there are only to be employees on-site, and each of us has been asked to sign an NDA. So a wedding is out of the question, I’m afraid.”

The air in the office crackled. “And what aboutourcontract?” Though Derek’s voice remained steady, it was laced with steel. “If I contact my attorney, will he tell me I have grounds to sue you for breach of contract?”

Ashley’s gaze ping-ponged between them. Much as she hated that this was happening, she couldn’t afford to burn bridges with Janessa.

She placed a hand on Derek’s forearm. His eyes shot toward it, then up to meet her gaze.

Before she could explain her thoughts, he stood. “I don’t see that there’s any reason to stay here any longer. I expect a full refund on our deposit, Ms. Kennedy.”

“Of course. And I can offer you a twenty-five percent discount on a future event booking.” The woman smiled.

How magnanimous of her.

Ashley followed Derek out into the lobby. As soon as Janessa’s office door shut behind them, she dropped her head into her hands. “I’m so sorry, Derek. I can’t believe this.” Tears burned her eyes. Oh no. She couldn’t cry. How unprofessional.

It had gotten so quiet she was sure Derek had left her there. But after several achingly long moments, he placed a hand on her back. The warmth traveled all the way to her toes.

“Why are you sorry?” His voice had gone soft, and she looked up. “It’ll be okay. We’ll just get our heads on straight and start calling around, looking for another venue.”

“Derek, you don’t understand.” Ashley stepped back, and his hand slipped away. “There won’t be any more venues. It was a pure miracle this place was available.”

He looked away, breathing out steadily as her words soaked in. “Come on.” He put out his hand.

She just stared at him.

“Ash. Come on.”

Ash.It was the first time he’d called her that since returning. And it was like a blanket thrown over her shoulders on a winter day. Like a chocolate chip cookie straight out of the oven.

Like coming home after a long trip.

Slowly, Ashley reached out and accepted his hand—and nearly sighed at the immediate warmth of her fingers tucked inside his.

Derek led her out the front door and to his beat-up blue Jeep. Without speaking, he took her notebook and purse from her, stuck them in the back, and grabbed a few water bottles before handing her one. Then Derek locked the doors and snagged her hand again.

The air was crisp and cool, a beautiful seventy degrees or so, and as they walked down the long driveway of the lodge, dead leaves and rocks crunched beneath their feet. Today, she’d opted for her nicest jeans, a blazer with three-quarter-length sleeves, and comfy flats—a good thing if she were right about Derek’s intentions.

And yeah, it was most definitely wrong of her, but she allowed herself to relish the feel of her hand in his. His fingers had always been slightly roughened from all the work he did around the vineyard. But instead of chafing against her skin, his calluses served as an anchor, holding her hand more securely so it didn’t slip.

They crossed the property until they got to a service road they’d frequented many times together before. A small wooden sign was the only thing marking this as a sanctioned hiking trail, one that locals had managed to keep a secret from tourists so it wouldn’t become overcrowded.

As they passed the sign, Ashley’s shoulders relaxed. The gentle slope of the trail, the twittering of birds high above them, the commingled smell of pine needles and ocean were all as familiar as breathing.

“Feeling a little better?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Good.” He dropped her hand and kicked at a rock, shoulders hunched forward as they moved down the trail.

“Thanks for bringing me here. I’ve always loved it.”Always loved being here with you.

“Being out in nature has a way of calming me down.” He peeked at her for a moment. “I thought it might work for you too.”

“Always the problem solver.”

That got a smile, albeit a sad one. “Some problems are easier than others to solve.”

What other problems were weighing on his shoulders?

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