I SET my laptop down on the oak-top bar as I settled on the stool, overlooking the empty tap room. It was days like this that I got to really take in the beauty of the place. The finished wood, the gorgeous bar, the exposed beams.
I’d done a damn good job. Renovations were a nightmare, but the fruit of that labor was worth it.
Citrus Cove Wine & Ciders was going on its third year. It was stressful. I worked more than I ever had before, even when I’d been in construction. But I loved it. It was another way for the Harlow legacy to live on and helped our farm flourish tremendously.
Plus, I got to be my own boss. That was one thing I learned early on about myself—I didn’t do well working for others. This place was a wild dream turned into reality, and that was best for me and any unlucky sap who might have been my boss in another universe.
The winery would open in a few hours and would be busy, given that it was Friday night. Being down the road from Austin meant we got some out-of-town traffic, which was good for business.
My family owned an orchard and vineyard that we’d been growing and tending for over eighty years. There was even a big old oak tree at the center of the farm that every couple within the family carved their initials in once they found love, a Harlow tradition. My great-great-great-grandfather started that when he’d found the first love of his life, Essie. She’d passed not long after they married, and he fell for Anna. They’d carved their initials into the oak tree too. Between his first marriage and second, he had ten children. All of those children carved their initials into the tree when their time came.
I was thirty-two and sometimes wondered when it would be my turn. Almost every Harlow in the family seemed to find their one true love, except for me and my two brothers. I’d joked with my mom before that we’d be the end of the line, which always earned me a swat. Mama Harlow had made it abundantly clear that she expected grandchildren at some point, even if she said it with a slightly hopeless and exaggerated expression.
I pulled up our book-keeping program and did a quick run through of expenses. How in the hell had I ended up with such an adult job? And why was doing expenses something I looked forward to?
I mindlessly categorized everything, adding tags, approving things, sending invoices, gawking at how much supplies cost to keep our business going. This place was my pride and joy, even if it pained me sometimes. I let out a low whistle in seeing how much I’d spent last week, feeling my balls shrivel just a little.
Still, we were in the green.
Now, if only I could stop working so damn much. I needed a good fuck, a good beer, and a massage. Most of the time when the whole family was around it wasn’t such a big deal, but recently, I’d been manning the winery, farm, and watching my parent’s dog, Benny.
Speaking of.
“Damn it,” I muttered, glancing up at the clock. I needed to stop by and let Benny out at some point. I had time though, and it was just a quick ride down the road from here.
I lost track of time working. It wasn’t until I heard tires outside on the gravel that I leaned back and rubbed my eyes, rolling my neck and shoulders.
“You’ve got that glassy-eyed look, partner.”
I looked up, seeing my co-owner and best friend of twenty years.
“Colt,” I greeted as he slammed the door shut behind him. He came over to the bar and leaned over, running his hands through his blond hair and fixing his baseball cap. “Might as well get some of those ponytail holders and wear it up,” I teased him. “It’s at your shoulders already.”
“You’re just jealous. I’ve got the looks,” he quipped, wagging his brows.
“And I’ve got the brains.”
He laughed. “And yet, who’s the one that makes all our ciders and wine, huh?”
“True,” I snorted.
Colt was part of the reason this whole dream had come true in the first place. The two of us made a damn good team.
I glanced out one of the massive windows, eyeing the sunshine warily. We hadn’t been lucky with the rain this year, which worried me for the farm. It would be hell for all of us if we didn’t start getting some rain soon. All I could do was hope that April and May lived up to their legacies and brought us more showers. “It’s hot already, and it’s not even May,” I muttered.
Colt glanced out the windows and shrugged. “Texas,” he said. “Click your heels three times, and then we’ll get flash floods. You know that.”
I rolled my eyes, but he was right. I didn’t want to hope too hard for the rain because then we’d end up with a damn flood. Which would also fuck with the farm.
Colt slid onto a stool, giving me a look. That look.
Did I even want to know? “What do you want? What are you dropping by for? How did you know I was here?”
“I saw your truck. And you’re always here. All the time. I think you should start keeping boxers in the office.”
“Fuck off, man,” I sighed.
“I’m here to gossip, actually,” he said with a coy smirk. One that didn’t sit well with me. “And to make sure you’re not working yourself to death. Have you talked to Hunter lately?”
I narrowed my eyes on him. Gossip in Citrus Cove was a regular commodity, but I didn’t like the hint of mischief I heard in his voice. I’d known Colt my entire life, and his misdirection questions rarely worked their magic on me. “He’s out of town for another few days. When he gets back, I’ll take a load off. I’m splitting my time between here and the farm.” It had been a lot. Too much, in fact, but I wasn’t one to complain. Once Hunter was back, he’d jump in, and everything would be alright again. “Mom and Pops are in Tampa for another week, and then they’ll be back home.”
“Getting that Florida sun,” Colt said. “Jealous.”
“We’ve got plenty of it here,” I mumbled. I couldn’t fault my parents for taking a vacation though, even if it was the third one in six months. They deserved to do whatever the hell they wanted after raising three boys—four if we counted Colt, which we all did.
“And Sammy?”
I snorted. “Sammy does all our social media, is a ‘cook influencer,’ whatever the fuck that is, and plays live music three times a week. I can barely get a text back. But yes, he’s covering the bar, too, until everyone gets back into town.”
“You know, I think his cooking videos are just porn. I saw his video one time on Instagram, and he fingered a grapefruit. The comments were wild.”
“Probably. Wouldn’t put it past him.” I loved Sammy, but he was a wild card.
Colton made a disgruntled noise, drumming his fingers on the bar top. He had a hard time sitting still, and I was surprised he even sat down. “You should hire someone else.”
“We live in a small fucking town and are too far for people to want to drive,” I grumbled. “We’ve had this conversation like every week.”
“Right. So, maybe someone new in town…”
“Get to your point.”
He hesitated dramatically.
I raised a brow, unamused. “Spill it. You already have someone in mind.”
He grinned. “Of course I do. Brains, remember?”
“Colt, I swear to god.”
“I’m gonna tell your mama you did. I heard that Haley Bently is back in Citrus Cove. And according to her grandma, she’s here to stay for a while.”
My blood ran ice cold. “Really? Interesting.”
Haley Bently.
After all this fucking time.
I kept my voice as neutral as possible. Colt knew some of the history there, which was why he was being so damn nosy and mischievous about her arrival. But he didn’t know it all. And hell, I didn’t want him to. “How in the hell do you know that?”
“Well, you know all the ladies tell me everything.” He wiggled his brows, and I shook my head at him again. “And also, I stopped by Mrs. Hamilton’s to make sure that oak hadn’t done any more damage since the wind storm a few weeks ago. Those branches damn near took off her roof.”
I nodded, letting out a soft grunt. That was why I’d live here for the rest of my life. We all looked out for each other. You couldn’t get that in the big cities, especially like the ones the infamous Haley-hates-small-towns-Bently ran off to.
Why had she come back? I couldn’t help but wonder. She hated this place. I remembered that much about her. Maybe she’d gotten married but now was getting a divorce and wanted to see Honey. Maybe she’d decided to move to the other side of the world. Maybe…
There were so many maybes, and all of them meant jack shit. Just the mention of her set my blood to boiling, and not in a good way.
“I doubt a city girl like her is looking for a job,” I said, clicking on my laptop mindlessly. I wasn’t even sure what I was working on. What was I even clicking on? Emails? The same email button over and over again just to pretend to be busy?
That time of my life was a sore wound. I’d bullied Haley because I was a moron. My mama raised me better, but I’d been an idiot. More than an idiot. I’d been an asshole.
The older I’d gotten, the more I’d come to realize how much I’d probably hurt Haley just by being an ass. And I hoped that none of it stuck with her, but if it had…
Another flash of guilt rolled through me. I tried to shake it off. I needed to stop making assumptions, right? I’d changed. I’d grown up.
“She could always go work for Sarah. That cafe needs help,” I said.
Colt’s eyes darkened. It was barely there, a spark that had never gone away, not even after Sarah Bently got married and had twin sons. It was Sarah Connor now, wife of David Connor, a man that both of us despised. A man that I’d throw hands with on sight, law be damned.
It lasted a split second, and he didn’t miss a beat. “She’s already been here for a week, and the grapevine says she wants to work. I’m gonna invite her out tonight.”
I felt a prickle of heat along the back of my neck. If I told Colt no, he’d dig his heels in. And then he’d pick me apart. The best way to handle this was like I didn’t care, even if the idea of her being around me made me nervous, cranky, guilty…Damn it. “Fine. Whatever. I need to get some work done, Colt.”
“Yeah, yeah. Get some more coffee going in the back so you’re not a grump tonight. I’ll see you later.”
“Hey, can you let Benny out?” I asked.
“Do you want me to just take him the rest of the week?”
“Man,” I sighed. “I would have but he hates being away from the house. He’s old and set in his ways, otherwise I’d bring him here. You can try if you want?”
Colt nodded. He’d always had a way with animals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Benny actually listened to him. “Alright. I’ll let him out and give him a run around. Maybe he can ride with me for errands. And I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Thanks,” I said, mentally checking another box on my to-do list.
I stared at my screen as he left, my focus ruined.
All I could think about was how I’d always done everything right in my life. I’d always been kind…well, most of the time. Always been good for the most part.
Except to Haley Bently.
When she was new to our school, I’d done everything from sticking gum in her hair to stealing her books. Starting rumors about her. All because I didn’t want anything to change, and a new girl meant change. Fuck, I’d done some terrible things. And then I’d found out that her mother passed, and when I’d tried to make it right, I’d made it worse.
That girl hated me. Even though I grew to regret my behavior—I’d done the work to manage my own emotions and not take it out on others—I was enemy number one to Haley Bently, and I understood why.
And to think that it was all because I was a selfish, arrogant kid who didn’t think about how my actions would hurt her. Back then, Haley somehow became the girl I pined over but instead of self-reflecting, I did stupid things.
It pained me, looking back. If I could go back in time and punch myself, I would. I’d knock myself clean out. Hell, Hunter had done so at least once.
I’d talked a lot with my therapist in the years since about why it was only ever Haley. I’d learned a lot about how insecurities could manifest as anger, and how someone can be a catalyst and end up taking the brunt of those unmanaged emotions.
That was over fourteen years ago, but I still felt the sting of embarrassment and shame.
I’d learned so much since then. And had unlearned so much misogynistic, toxic male bullshit.
One day, I’d find the right woman. And when I did, I’d do anything to make her happy.
But I didn’t need Haley working for me. I needed someone who didn’t hate me. Someone that wouldn’t set my teeth on edge.
In fact, I was entirely certain that she would turn down Colton’s invite. Why would she ever want to come near me after all I’d done to her?
