Page 89 of Cherished Lands
"And now you get to share it with the world." Her eyesswept across the bustling taproom. "I'm so proud of you, Theresa."
My eyes burned, and I looked away, blinking hard. How long had I waited to hear those words from either of my parents? It took a few seconds to compose myself. When I trusted my voice again, I turned back to her with a watery smile.
"Thanks, Mom. How are you holding up?"
She made a brave attempt at an airy shrug. "Oh, you know me. Keeping busy. The lawyers think we can save most of the vineyard's assets. Your grandfather's original investors are being very understanding, given the circumstances."
"And the workers?"
"Most have found other positions. Some are here tonight, actually." She nodded toward the bar where Mike, our lead contractor, was chatting with our old vineyard manager. "Though I hear you've hired quite a few yourself."
"We needed the help, and they needed jobs. It made sense."
Mom reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "That's my girl. Always looking out for people." She set her empty glass on a nearby table. "Which reminds me, I should go say hello to Emma. That woman has been an absolute saint."
I watched her weave through the crowd toward my mother-in-law, who immediately wrapped her in a hug. The sight made my eyes burn all over again.
"You okay?" Elliot's familiar warmth pressed against my back as his arms circled my waist. When he folded me in his arms, it was like stepping into a hot bath. All the stress and pressure of the opening day melted from my shoulders.
"Yeah." I leaned into him and my eyes drifted closed. "Just... grateful. For all of this. For you."
He rested his cheek on my head. "I'm grateful for you too, Princess."
I smiled. I'd spent years hating that nickname, now it was one of the sweetest sounds in the world.
"Come on," I said, turning in his arms. "Let's go make sure Chase isn't telling everyone about our fake marriage."
Elliot groaned. "He's never going to let us live that down, is he?"
"Nope." I rose on tiptoes to kiss him softly. "But Chase has done some pretty embarrassing shit himself over the years. I'm sure if we get your mom tipsy enough, there are plenty of mortifying stories she could distract people with."
"Bold of you to assume we'd have to get her tipsy. She's probably been steadily collecting Tessa anecdotes too. You're an Everton now. You get to be embarrassed with the rest of us."
I smiled and laid my head on his chest. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
It was midnight,and the last of our patrons had trickled out. Finally, after a day of chaos, Elliot and I had a moment alone. I rounded the bar and grabbed the bottle of champagne I'd stashed away for the occasion.
"Celebrating our first night of business?" Elliot asked. He was leaning against the countertop and watching me, an amused smile lighting up his features.
"More like celebrating how far we've come," I said, my heartskipping at the sight of him. The tension of the day was ebbing away, leaving only the excitement of this evening's success and the anticipation of what was to come.
I released the cork. The soft pop sounded like a tiny explosion in the quiet space. Foaming champagne erupted over the rim, and I filled two glasses.
"To new beginnings," I said.
Elliot clinked his glass against mine. His eyes sparkled with warmth and affection as he held my gaze. "And to the best partner I could ever ask for."
I took a sip, and the bubbles tickled my nose before I swallowed. I watched as Elliot drank, the way his throat worked, the muscles in his neck straining slightly as he emptied his glass. My tongue darted out to lick my lips. The air between us was thick and heady with desire.
Setting my glass down, I stepped closer to him. "You know, I couldn't have done any of this without you," I said, stroking a hand up his arm.
"Yeah? You were the one who did all the hard work today." He stepped even closer until the space between us shrank to nothing. "I'm just here to make sure you don't get overwhelmed."
"I appreciate that." I bit my lip as his fingers brushed against my bare arm, sending a shiver down my spine. "But I want to celebrate more than just hard work."
"What did you have in mind?" he asked, his voice dropping to a husky rumble.
I leaned forward, pressing my body against his, feeling the hard lines of his muscles beneath the warmth of his shirt. "What if we make this evening a little more... intimate? A little less about business and a lot more about pleasure?"
