Page 88 of One Week Wingman

“Roxy?”

Nita catches me as I’m hurrying down the hallway. She’s smiling and shimmying, champagne in her hand—until she registers my expression. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

The concern in her voice makes my eyes fill with tears, but I shake my head. “Nothing,” I lie.

“Roxy…”

“I can’t talk about it right now,” I tell her, swallowing hard. I try to force a smile, like my heart isn’t breaking. “Don’t worry.”

Nita squeezes my arm. “You know I will kill him if I have to, right?”

Because, of course, it’s obvious who my tears are about.

And then the man himself appears. Sebastian saunters over with Evan, smiling widely. “Turns out, the tour was a big hit,” he grins, sending me a private wink. “I’ll be running them all night. A few people already want to talk about hosting weddings here, and anniversary parties. Could be a big new revenue stream for the vineyard!”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Nita nudges me, but I can’t smile along and act like nothing’s happened. Not with the way my chest aches right now.

“I’m going to get some food,” I say, backing away from the group. Sebastian makes a move to join me, but I quickly shake my head. “Don’t. I’ll be right back!”

I hurry away from the group, searching for a place to escape. I can’t look at Sebastian right now, or anyone else, but there are people everywhere. The party is getting rowdier now that everyone’s a few glasses—or bottles—deep into the Modesto wine reserves, but I circle the terrace, and manage to find a quiet spot away from the crowd. It’s hidden from the rest of the party, in the shadow of an old archway, with a view of the dark vineyards beyond.

Finally alone, I take a deep breath.

You’ll get through this,I tell myself. It’s only been a week. How much can you fall for someone in just a few days?

But I feel the answer, aching in my chest.

All the way.

“Roxy?”

I jump, startled, and turn to find Jason wandering over. Dammit. “Hey,” I say brightly. “Are you looking for Daisy? I think I saw her inside, busting some moves with the old dance squad.”

“Uh, actually, I was looking for you.” Jason seems awkward, loitering nearby.

“Oh yeah?” I run my fingers under my eyes, hoping my mascara hasn’t smudged. Bad enough that my heart is breaking, but I don’t want everyone at the reunion knowing about it, too.

“Crazy, isn’t it?” he comments, leaning against the railing. “Being at prom again?”

I swallow hard. “Crazy is one word for it, yeah.”

“I can’t believe it’s been ten years, you know?” He furrows his brow, getting that wistful look again. “I mean, the time just disappears. Feels like only yesterday, it was the two of us dancing to all the slow songs, making plans for the future.”

“Uh huh,” I murmur, my mind a million miles away.Fuck. I realize, suddenly: I’m going to have to see Sebastian at work, at Mavericks,getting a front-row seat to all his seduction plans.

I can’t do it. I’d rather quit and find another bartending gig somewhere than see him flash that smile at some other woman; use his lines on anyone but me.

“… Everything seemed so simple back then, you know?” Jason is still talking, even though I’m barely listening to a single word. “It felt like we had our whole lives ahead of us. We could do anything. Travel, see the world, build a life a million miles from Ashford Falls.”

“Right.” I sigh. My hometown always felt small to me, but it’s going to be nothing like New York City with Sebastian out roaming around. How am I supposed to avoid the guy now, when we share all the same friends and hangout spots?

“It made me think about what we had back then,” Jason continues, fixing me with an earnest look. “You were so great, Rox, everything just made sense when we were together, you know? I should have never broken things off.”

Wait, what?

I blink at Jason, finally registering what he’s saying. “It’s fine,” I say quickly, taking a step back. “We were young. It was a million years ago! And it all worked out for the best, now that you’re with Daisy.”

But Jason shakes his head. “No, I fucked everything up. Daisy’s great and all, but she’s not you. You’re the only one—”

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