CH 1-10

Summary

Issalia has faced many obstacles in her life. A cheating boyfriend, the loss of her parents and even a sleazy boss, but in a strange twist of fate, the greatest obstacle she’ll ever face is the one that will finally bring her home.

Chapter 1

Issalia

Sometimes love just isn’t enough. That’s what everyone kept telling me. Is that supposed to make me feel better? I was with Greg for six years before I found out he was cheating on me. It isn’t just that love wasn’t enough, but it’s that I wasn’t enough. The day I walked in on him was earth shattering. His eyes met mine and he just kept drilling into the mystery woman like I didn’t even exist. We were supposed to get married in four months, but from what I’ve been finding out…he’s been cheating for the last four years. How the hell could I have been so blind?

I finish the final touch ups on my makeup and grab my blazer that’s hanging on the closet door, pulling it on and buttoning the three buttons in the front. I’ve missed two weeks of work while I tried to get my shit together and now, the idea of going back has my nerves on edge. What if I’m not good enough at my job too and just haven’t realized it? I grab my purse and walk out the door to my brownstone before I give the thoughts the chance to completely drown me. I climb in my Durango and pull away from the curb then make the twenty-seven block drive to the office where I work as director of human resources for L.M. Stone Enterprise, the company I’ve been working with for the last year.

I pull into my spot in the parking garage and rush to the elevator that’s still open, step in and press the button for the twelfth floor. The ride to my floor feels like it takes an eternity and when the doors finally open, I practically lunge through them. I walk at a swift pace through the reception area and down the hall to my office, not stopping until I close the door behind me. I slide into my chair and turn on my computer then start sorting the stack of files on my desk while I wait for it to boot up. The moment my PC flares to life, I’m blown away with the horrendous sound of alerts booming from the speakers as two weeks work of email alerts come flooding in. I begin sifting through the messages and one in particular, from the CEO’s secretary, catches my attention.

Ms. Issalia Montenegro,

You have a mandatory meeting with Mr. Seth Iverson at 11am, Tuesday the 9th.

Sincerely,

Eileen Daniels

I look at the clock and let out a sigh of relief when I see it’s only 10am. In the year I’ve worked here, my presence has never been requested by any of the higher ups. I sort through more of my emails and finally leave my office at 10:45, take the elevator to the seventeenth floor and step out to be greeted by Eileen and her smile that suggests she would rather chew glass than see me standing in front of her.

“I have an 11 o’clock meeting with Mr. Iverson.” She looks at me as if I just asked her to help me watch paint dry.

“I’m aware. I did send the email after all. Have a seat and he’ll be with you shortly.” She lowers her gaze back to her computer monitor as I turn around and take a seat in the waiting area. I sit there with my legs crossed, head lowered and my hands clasped in my lap as I nervously wait.

“Ms. Montenegro?” As I lift my gaze I find shiny black men’s dress shoes, perfectly pressed black suit pants that are perfectly fitted to large, long legs, a black suit jacket that’s tightly hugging bulging muscles with a crisp white button down shirt beneath it. My eyes finally reach the face of the tall god-like creature where I nearly gasp when I see his perfectly sculpted features, bright green eyes, and black hair that’s slicked back with the sides cut short. I rise to my feet and close the distance, hoping I hadn’t been staring too long. I stop in front of him and he extends his hand to me which I shake nervously, trying to ignore the warmth of his touch.

“I had planned to meet with you sooner, but I was informed you were on vacation. I hope you enjoyed yourself.” I shift nervously and my eyes drop to the floor.

“Not really.” I don’t miss the way his body tenses slightly. Fuck…I just made it awkward.

“Follow me please.” He turns then heads down the hall and I stay close behind him, turning into a large office about halfway down the hall. “Close the door please.” I slowly close the door and turn to see him gesturing to a chair across from him, which I rush to take a seat in. He remains silent for what seems like hours as he looks at his computer screen and my nerves are getting the better of me, so in a possibly foolish moment of nervousness, I decide to break the silence.

“I’m sorry sir, but can I ask why I’m here?” He pulls his hands away from his keyboard and rests his elbows on the armrests of his chair with his hands clasped in front of him.

“I’ve been reading your employee file and I figured it’s about time we meet. I usually familiarize myself with our employees much sooner, but things around here have been chaotic with all the new clients that have come in.” I relax in my chair and let out an audible sigh.

“Oh, I thought maybe I had made a mistake.” He chuckles softly and leans forward to look at his screen again.

“From what I see, you haven’t made one yet. It seems that everyone enjoys working with you.” I give a soft smile and my hands fidget with the hem of my skirt.

“I really like working here. Most everyone is kind and they helped so much when I first got hired.” He seems pleased with my answer as he nods.

“That’s great to hear. Are you having any issues at all?” I shake my head and my smile fades.

“Nothing work related.” He raises a brow and I quickly avert my gaze.

“Well, if you have any issues you need help with, please let me know.” I nod and my eyes dart back to him and catch his unreadable expression.

“I will, thank you.” He stands up and I follow his lead as he reaches his hand across his desk and I cautiously place mine in it, but jolt back as several sparks shoot through my hand. I look up to see him giving me a strange look then politely excuse myself before hurrying out of his office. Eileen gives me a cold glare as I walk out of the hall and stop at the elevator, trying my best to ignore her. When the doors open I step inside without hesitation and push the button for the twelfth floor then lean against the wall with my eyes fixed on the floor, but before the doors can close a large figure steps in. My eyes drift up to find the nearly glowing green eyes of Mr. Iverson. He goes to press a button, but pauses and withdraws his hand and after that uncomfortable flicker of a moment in his office, my nerves are completely on edge in his presence. The sound of my phone ringing shakes me out of my daze as I grab it and stare at the name on the screen, Greg, and send the call to voicemail then a moment later it rings again and I once again send it to voicemail. When it rings a third time I send it to voicemail then turn off the volume on my phone and catch the curious look and raised brow on Mr. Iverson’ face.

“You can answer your phone, I promise I don’t mind.” I give a nervous smile and shake my head.

“I would rather swallow broken glass.” The elevator dings and I rush out, making a beeline for my office, but am stopped by Sarah, the receptionist for my department.

“Hey Issalia, you have several message from a Mr. Greg Baker.” My hands clench into a fist at my sides and I try to keep my tone firm and my voice steady.

“If he calls again, please refrain from taking a message.” She stares at me in confusion.

“What would you like me to tell him?” I let out an exasperated sigh and lower my head.

“Tell him that if he would like to talk to someone, he can talk to his mistress.” I walk away before my anger can break free, turning into my office and slamming the door closed. I pace my office as I try to settle my nerves, but I freeze when my office door flies open and there stands Mr. Iverson. I squeeze my eyes closed as I wait for him to yell, or even fire me for my behavior, but when the door closes, I open my eyes to see him standing with his hands in his pockets and a concerned look on his face.

“So, I take it your two week vacations was actually a two week break up?” I drop into one of the chairs in front of my desk and he takes the seat beside me.

“It was a two week pity party.” A soft chuckle slips past his lips before he stops himself.

“If you need more time off, I’m sure we can arrange it.” I shake my head adamantly.

“No, coming back to work was the right decision. I just hadn’t expected him to…well…to be the way he’s being.” He sits back and runs his fingers over his jaw.

“Something you have probably already learned from this, men are idiots. More often than not, they don’t realize that they had a good thing until it’s too late. Don’t let yourself dwell on it too much. Take your time to mourn things and then get out there and show him what he’s missing.” I give him a confused look.

“Sounds like you’ve learned from experience.” He nods and a soft sigh escapes his lips.

“Like I said, men are idiots. I want you to take the rest of the day off. Go to the spa, or the bar, or home, but go relax.” I shake my head in protest which causes his brow to raise again.

“I would rather be here and get to work. I’m so far behind already.” He sighs and just when I think he’ll admit defeat he gives me a sly smile.

“Too bad. Now go.” I slowly stand up, eyes locked on his as I move behind my desk and shut down my PC then grab my bag. As I walk out of my office, he follows me to the elevator and then inside. Once the doors close and I push the button for the parking garage, I turn to him and decide I might as well ask the question that’s now running through my mind with violent force.

“Am I fired?” He chuckles loudly and shakes his head.

“No. If you were being fired, security would be escorting you out, not me.” Wait…he’s escorting me out?

“Can I come back tomorrow?” He nods with a warm smile stretched across his face.

“Yes. I actually have an interview tomorrow that I would like you to attend.” I nod as the elevator door chimes and the doors open.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” I walk out of the elevator and to my Durango, unlocking the doors as I approach and climbing in. Mr. Iverson stands in the elevator until I pull out as if he thinks I’ll try to sneak back in if he dares to turn his back on . I can’t think of anywhere I want to go, so I drive home. I walk up to the front door of my brownstone townhouse, slip the key into the lock, turn and then swing the door open as I head inside. By the time I’m getting ready for bed, I have 53 missed calls and more than 30 text messages from Greg that I ignore as I lay my head down and drift to sleep.

Chapter 2

The next morning, I arrive at work feeling more refreshed than the day before. I go to my office and fire up my PC so that I can check my emails and see if there’s one about the interview Mr. Iverson wants me to sit in on. After scanning through all my emails and finding none from him, I grab my office phone and dial Eileen.

“Mr. Iverson’s and Mr. Stone’s office, Eileen speaking. How may I direct your call?” Her voice is professional, but there’s an underlying tone of boredom that immediately irritates me.

“I need to speak with Mr. Iverson please.” I keep my response short and as pleasant as I can.

“And who should I tell him is calling?” I roll my eyes, not that she can see it.

“Ms. Montenegro.” I hear her annoyed sigh as she places me on hold then I hear the phone ring and it’s quickly picked up.

“Seth Iverson, what can I do for you Ms. Montenegro?” His smooth deep voice flows through the phone, wrapping around me and making my nerves tingle with awareness. This man is dangerous, or maybe thanks to my recent failed relationship, I feel like every man is dangerous.

“Yesterday you had mentioned wanting me to sit in on an interview. I was wondering what time and which room it would be taking place in.” I hear the sound of him typing before he replies.

“1pm in conference room 2 on your floor.” I write the information on a post it note and stick it to the edge of my monitor.

“Thank you, Mr. Iverson. I’ll see you then.” We end our call and I get to work responding to emails and sorting files. I get so lost in my work that I miss lunch and it’s already 12:50 when I look at the clock again. I rush out of my office and down the hall to the conference room where I find that Mr. Iverson is already seated at the large table.

“Hello, Ms. Montenegro.” He speaks with his eyes glued on the papers in the file in front of him. I quickly take a seat next to him where a file is waiting for me.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Iverson. I would’ve been here sooner, but I was caught up on some of my paperwork.” He flashes me a warm smile and I quickly open the folder then begin reading over the resume inside.

“We all get lost in our work now and then, Ms. Montenegro.” He closes the file in front of him and leans back in his chair. “This applicant is applying for the position of Human Resource Assistant and would be working directly beneath you, which is why I wanted you to be here for the interview. I want you to feel them out and see if you think they’ll be a good fit.” I nod as I flip through the resume. She’s clearly qualified, but skills don’t always equal out to capability and professionalism. There’s a soft knock on the door before it opens to reveal Sarah.

“Your 1pm interview is here, sir.” She gives him a smile that’s more flirtatious that I would’ve expected for her, but I get it…the guy is drool worthy.

“Send her in.” Sarah walks back down the hall and a few moments later, a woman walks through the door and my jaw drops. Flashes of her face mid climax while Greg plowed into her flood my mind. I had never known her name before today and now it’s all I can do to not fly across the table and wrap my hands around her long neck.

“My name is Mr. Iverson and this is Ms. Montenegro.” I see the sudden realization hit her when he speaks my name.

“Oh god…I…you…” I lean forward and catch Mr. Iverson’s eyes shooting between us as I stare her down.

“I was Greg’s fiancée and you…” I look at her name on the resume, “Lila Hughes, were his side piece.” I lean back in my chair and fold my arms across my chest.

“I had…I had no idea…” I raise a brow and tilt my head to the side.

“No idea that what? That he was engaged? Or no idea that you were applying to work with his former fiancée?” She lowers her gaze and shakes her head.

“I’m so sorry.” I smirk at her pathetic apology.

“Water under the bridge. You can have him, by the way. Shall we get this interview started?” both of them are now looking at me like I’ve lost my damn mind…and who knows…maybe I have. They’re both silent for a moment before Mr. Iverson speaks.

“I think we know everything we need to. Thank you for your time, Ms. Hughes.” She nods and rushes out the door.

“I…I don’t know what came over me. I’m so sorry. I’ll go apologize to her right away.” I start to rise from my seat when he places a firm hand on my shoulder and pushes me back down.

“No, you won’t.” I search his face for some understanding of how mad he is when he speaks again. “If I were stood face to face with the person who had been caught sleeping with my fiancée, I don’t think I would’ve reacted anywhere near as calm as you just did.” He chuckles softly as he runs his hand over his face.

“I’ll admit, my gut reaction was to choke the life out of her, but…at the end of the day…she’s not the one who betrayed me. My anger was misplaced, but now I assure you, it’s being redirected where it belongs.” I stand up then walk out of the conference room and return to my office, take a seat at my desk then get back to work. I’ve heard my phone vibrating since shortly after I returned to my office, but have made great efforts to ignore it. It’s almost four when I hear shouting somewhere down the hall and before I can even get up to see what the commotion is, my door flies open and Greg is standing in the doorway. I shoot up out of my chair and slam my fists on my desk, my anger boiling to near explosive levels at just the sight of him.

“Get out!” He walks in and slams my door closed then leans back against it with his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? I fuck up and you decide to take it out on Lila?” I scoff at his comment and sit back down in my chair.

“Did you know she was applying to work here?” He walks to my desk and sits in one of the chairs across from me as if he has a damn right to.

“No. I haven’t seen her since…that day. I can’t believe you threw her out of the interview.” I smile and lean back in my chair.

“I didn’t. The CEO did. If you haven’t seen her, how did you know about this anyway?” He gives me an angry glare that’s probably meant to intimidate me…but it doesn’t.

“That’s probably because you yelled at her for fucking your fiancée in front of him! She called and told me everything!” I roll my eyes and lean forward, placing my elbows on the edge of my desk with my fingers laced together.

“Ex-fiancée. It sucks that your side piece didn’t get hired, but maybe she can apply somewhere else. Somewhere where she hasn’t fucked the significant other of one of the employees would be her best bet. She has an impressive resume…and a less impressive fake orgasm face.” He flies out of his chair and slams his fists on my desk causing me to jump.

“You’re a vindictive cunt, you know that? I…” He’s cut off when my door flies open again and I see Mr. Iverson and two security guards standing on the other side.

“Ms. Montenegro, is there a problem?” He walks into the room and makes his way to my side.

“An insignificant one.” I glare at Greg, but feel my attention drift to the tall, hard body that’s now pressed against my side, flooding me with warmth as his hand slides around my waist. He leans down until his mouth is by my ear.

“Follow my lead.” I look at him with a furrowed brow as his mouth moves from my ear to my lips taking me in for a demanding kiss that has sparks lighting up every inch of skin that’s coming into contact with his. My body melts into it and my arms go around his neck. Damn…he’s good at this. When he breaks away I look at Greg who’s sitting rigid in his seat with his fists clenched tightly and I can see the rage and shock in his features.

“I believe Greg is ready to be escorted out.” His deep voice billows out from beside me and the two guards don’t hesitate to remove him. Once the door is closed, I drop back in my seat and laugher tears through me causing him to laugh as well.

“That was priceless! Did you see the look on his face!” I can barely finish my comment because I’m laughing too hard.

“Sometimes you have to show a man you’re over him by showing him that you moved on.” He gives me a soft smile and walks to the door. “It’s time to get out of here, Ms. Montenegro.”

“Thanks for…well…the whole thing.” I almost fail to hold back my laughter, but I don’t doubt my cheeks are flushed bright red.

“It’s always fun to put an asshole in their place. Have a good evening.” I nod and turn off my computer, grab my things then head out of my office. I take the elevator to my Durango, unlock my doors and climb in as my mind replays the entertaining end to my workday. When I get home, I have a glass of wine while my mind still replays the events of my afternoon and I go to sleep with a newfound sense of peace.

Chapter 3

When I make it to my office the next morning it’s chaotic and everyone seems to be rushing around. I make my way to Sarah, who seems as panicked as everyone else with papers scattered across her desk that she’s frantically sorting through.

“What the heck is going on here today?” She looks up at me with wide eyes that break away to quickly scan our surroundings before settling back on me.

“Mr. Stone is upstairs and he’s in a mood.” I nod and rush to my office, the sudden panic now making much more sense. I’ve never met Mr. Stone, but I’ve heard all the unpleasant stories about him…and there are plenty of them. He’s forty-five years old, handsome and ruthless to the core. It’s rumored that his love for money far outweighs his compassion and consideration of others, then there are the rumors of his ‘less than professional’ behavior toward female employees that I’m trying not to think about too. I’m about to turn my computer on when my office phone rings.

“This is Issalia Montenegro, how can I help you?” I’m expecting to hear Sarah’s voice, so when I hear a deep smooth voice come across I’m slightly taken aback.

“Ms. Montenegro, I need you to come to my office.” I take a deep breath and feel a slight twinge of nervousness.

“I’ll be right up.” I hang up and rush out of my office, into the elevator and once the doors open on the seventeenth floor, I rush past Eileen and straight back to Mr. Iverson’s office. I smooth my hands over my skirt and knock softly on his door, honestly wishing I was anywhere else right now.

“Come in.” His voice calls out from the other side of the door. I open the door then step in and as I’m walking toward his desk, that’s when I notice a man sitting in one of the chairs in front of him.

“Ms. Montenegro, please have a seat.” He gestures to the empty chair in front of his desk and I quickly make my way to it then slide into the chair.

“Ms. Montenegro, this is Mr. Stone.” I look over and take in the sight of the tall, tan, dark haired, well built man beside me. His eyes are a golden brown and as I look at him, I see them grazing over my body and it makes my stomach turn, because that’s not inappropriate as hell or anything. Good to know he’s living up to the rumors before he even opens his damn mouth!

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Stone.” I offer my hand and he slowly places his in mine, the simple touch making my entire body shudder with disgust, but instead of shaking my hand he pulls it to his mouth and kisses the back softly, an action that has me fighting the intense urge to cringe.

“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Montenegro. Seth here was just telling me about how hard you’ve been working and he insists you’re an asset to the company. As you know, we do yearly evaluations and yours is overdue. Tell me, how has your experience here been so far?” I smile and glance at Seth before I respond.

“I love working here. It’s been a very enriching experience.” He smiles satisfactorily, looking more like a predator than a CEO.

“That’s great to hear. We’ll get everything processed through and you’ll see your raise reflected on your upcoming paycheck as well as the back pay for the last month and a half. Will you be attending the charity event next week?” I furrow my brow and shake my head slowly.

“No sir, I’m not big on the glitz and glamour.” He gives me an exaggerated look of disappointment with his lips set in a pout like a petulant man-child.

“I wish you would reconsider. We encourage all of our employees to attend. It looks good for our company when our employees show a united front.” I understand what he’s saying, I really do, but this man is making me exceedingly uncomfortable.

“I’ll think about it.” He smiles wide and rises from his seat, which has me eagerly stand up from mine, more than ready to get the hell out of here.

“Hopefully we’ll see you there!” I nod and exit the office as quickly as my legs can carry me. I make it to my office in record time and dive right into my work, managing to work through my lunch yet again and only realizing it when there’s a knock at my door.

“Enter at your own risk.” I call out as I place another folder in a stack on my floor, having given up more than an hour ago on trying to appear organized.

“Organized chaos?” I look up into Seth’s piercing green eyes and smile.

“Something like that.” I rush to clear the files off one of the chairs in front of my desk. “Please, have a seat.” He slowly sits in the chair I cleaned off as I return to my chair behind my desk. “What can I do for you, Mr. Iverson?”

“I want to apologize if Mr. Stone made you feel uncomfortable.” I smile and shake my head, unwilling to confess that the guy was a solid ten out of ten on the creep-o-meter.

“Don’t worry about it. I heard all the rumors, so I was fairly well prepared. I was surprised to be meeting him, but not surprised by how he behaved.” He chuckles and leans forward in his chair, looking strangely relieved.

“He does have quite the reputation. His behavior was unprofessional, but he wasn’t lying about the event next week. We do encourage our employees to attend to support the company. You don’t have to go, but we would all love to see you there.” I smile and nod while mentally running through every possible excuse not to go.

“I understand. I don’t exactly have anything to wear to something like that though.” He leans back with a sly smile, his eyes shimmering with mischief.

“Is that what’s preventing you from going?” I nod and look down at the files on my desk, hoping like hell he can’t see the lie in my eyes. Sure, it’s one of the things keeping me from going, but there’s honestly a pretty long list right now.

“Yes. I had looked at dresses before the gala back in March, but the cost is ridiculous.” He smiles and grabs the sticky note pad off my desk then grabs a pen and begins writing.

“Go here and tell them I sent you.” I raise a brow as he slides the sticky note over to me. “They’ll take care of you.”

“I…thank you?” I’m mentally fumbling through all my other excuses when he nods and stands up.

“Now no more excuses. Monday at 8pm, Grand Lasiter.” He exits my office and closes the door as I sit staring at the address on the small sticky note. It looks like I should’ve used a better excuse!

I finish out my day and head to the address on the paper. The store is more luxurious than most bridal boutiques I’ve seen and the dresses look like they were made to wear on the red carpet. A tall brunette walks up to me with a huge smile on her face, looking more than eager to assist me.

“Welcome to Holstein’s, is there anything I can help you find?” I smile as I realize she can probably see how overwhelmed I am. My entire outfit screams ‘I don’t belong here’, so how could she not?!

“Mr. Iverson told me to come down here and get a dress for the charity event on Monday.” Her eyes light up and she scans my body then smiles. Her open appraisal feels invasive, but not creepy like Mr. Stone’s.

“I was expecting you! Let’s go work some magic!” I follow her to the back of the store and she grabs several gowns then guides me to a fitting room. I try on five dresses before finding the perfect one. It’s a midnight blue silk dress that’s floor length with a slit that goes all the way up to the top of my thigh. It’s sleeveless and has a collar that’s made of rhinestones and twelve strings of rhinestones run from the collar to the hem of the open back that rests just above my tailbone. She even finds me a pair of silver strappy stilettos that tie the outfit together perfectly. I’m leaving the fitting room when I see the price tag dangling from the dress in her arms and let out an audible gasp.

“That’s far too much!” She turns and smiles widely, but continues walking, managing to maneuver around the displays with ease while not even looking.

“Good thing it’s already paid for.” I pause as she continues to the register and slides the dress into a dress bag. I don’t hide my shock and confusion, but her smirk tells me she finds it amusing.

“What do you mean?” She tilts her head as if she’s confused by my confusion. “Mr. Iverson instructed me to charge whatever you wanted to his account. Is there anything else you need?” My eyes are the size of saucers and I quickly shake my head, praying like hell that she doesn’t try to add any more items to the already obscene bill..

“I can’t let him do that.” She chuckles as she sets the dress and shoe box on the counter.

“It’s already done.” She hands me the items and I thank her before walking out of the store in shock.

Chapter 4

The rest of the week and weekend flew by and before I know it, it’s Monday. I’ve tried reaching out to Seth, but he’s been out of his office since last Wednesday. The day is drawing to a close and I rush home to get ready for the event. I have the dress and shoes on and style my long black hair in soft curls with the sides pinned back then I apply a smokey eye with dark blue mascara to help enhance not only my dress, but it also makes my grey eyes pop. I decide to take a taxi since I know alcohol will be served and the ride to the Hotel is nerve-wracking. I’ve never worn anything this fancy before and the closer we get, the more out of place I feel. The taxi pulls up in front of the hotel and I pay the driver then climb out of the car where I’m greeted by a man in a tux.

“Welcome to the Grand Lasiter.” He bows slightly and I give him a nervous smile.

“Thank you.” I nod then walk past him and up the stairs where I see a lot of familiar faces mixed in with a lot of strange ones. I finally make my way inside and am immediately offered a glass of champagne which I gladly accept. I can feel eyes on me and it’s unsettling, but then I spot Sarah sitting at a table by herself and rush over to her. We may not be close, but the comfort of a familiar face is a necessity if I’m going to survive the night. I take a seat next to her and offer her a warm smile.

“Oh my god! I almost didn’t recognize you! You look amazing!” I smile shyly and lower my head.

“You look beautiful too, Sarah.” She’s wearing a red velvet halter dress that perfectly hugs her curves and her blonde hair is elegantly braided and falls over her right shoulder.

“You’re the one drawing all the attention here.” She giggles and I look around and see several sets of eyes staring at me.

“This is the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been in my life.” We both laugh as I turn my back toward the dancefloor.

“I’m glad to see you made it.” I see Sarah’s eyes go wide as the deep smooth voice billows out from behind me. I turn to meet his green eyes and give him a nervous smile, praying like hell that my cheeks don’t light up red from the unexpected compliment from my boss.

“Well, someone was rather insistent that I be here.” He smiles and I watch his eyes graze over my dress, but the action is pure appreciation, unlike Mr. Stone’s creepy appraisal.

“That person has my appreciation. You look breathtaking. I need to go mingle, but I hope you enjoy yourself.” I smile and watch as he quickly vanishes into the crowd.

“Holy shit! Did you see the way he was looking at you?!” I give her a confused look, hoping she didn’t see the same heated look in his eyes that I did.

“What do you mean?” She smiles and wriggles her eyebrows at me.

“He looked like he was about to take you right here in front of everyone! God, you’re so lucky!” I shake my head and sigh.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I shrug off her statement and continue sipping my champagne. Dinner is served a short while later and I feel thankful that Sarah and I are the only ones at our table. We enjoy our meal while talking about our lives and it turns out we have a lot in common, including a piece of shit ex fiancée. As dinner wraps up and the dessert bar is opened, the DJ begins playing music once again and the dance floor slowly fills with people. Sarah and I have both had more than enough champagne to give us courage to hit the dance floor and we let loose while dancing together, having more fun than I thought would be possible at an event like this. We sway and dance while giggling at ourselves, but then the song ends and the next song is a slow song, so we exit the dance floor and return to our table. Before I can take a seat, I hear someone clear their throat from behind me and turn to see the golden brown eyes of Mr. Stone.

“Can I have this dance?” I feel my body tense and I want to say no, but I don’t want to offend my boss, so I give a stiff nod and he swiftly slides his arm through mine then practically drags me to the dance floor. He spins me into his chest and holds me uncomfortably close as he begins to sway with the music. The song feels like it drags on for an eternity as his hand slides far too close to my ass for comfort. I can feel the hard length of his erection pressing against me and it’s all I can do to keep from tearing away from him and running, or throwing up…maybe both…at the same time. The second the song ends, I excuse myself and return to the table and Sarah who’s giving me a sympathetic look.

“He’s such a pig.” I nod in agreement as I down the rest of my glass of champagne. Several more faster songs play before another slow song comes on and I quickly rise from my seat and excuse myself, claiming I need to use the restroom when in reality, I’m just eliminating the chance of another uncomfortable dance with Mr. Stone. I’m just about out of the crowd of people when I feel a hand grab my arm gently causing tingling sparks to erupt across my skin as I whip around in shock. Standing before me is the god-like man with the most beautiful green eyes. He leans toward me so that I can hear his words over the noise of the room.

“Care to dance?” My head nods before I realize what I’m doing and he doesn’t hesitate. He pulls me toward him and my body gently grazes his, but he doesn’t force me against him. He’s a perfect gentleman as we sway to the music and unlike my previous encounter, part of me doesn’t want this to end. Our eyes are locked together and it feels like the other people in the room just fade away. Unfortunately it does end, the song fading out and a faster song flaring to life causing his body to stiffen as his hold releases.

“Thank you, Ms. Montenegro.” He smiles and gives a slight bow.

“I think this is hardly the time for formalities. Call me Issalia…or Izzy. Either works.” He leans down so close to my face that I can feel the heat from his breath fanning over my skin.

“Ok Izzy. If we’re ditching formalities for the night, you can call me Seth.” I smile and watch the green in his eyes light up as if they were glowing.

“I’m going to step out on the terrace for some fresh air. Thank you for the dance.” I turn and walk away from him while everything in me begs me to stay. Once I’m on the terrace, I feel the cool spring air graze my skin and I welcome the feeling while drawing in a deep breath and being greeted with the smell of lavender and honeysuckle. I lean against the brick wall and stare out over the garden, taking in the colors of the many different flowers. I love the feel of the breeze through the silk of my dress, causing it to glide against my soft flesh. I hear footsteps coming up behind me and turn, my body going rigid and my blood running cold the second my eyes meet those too familiar golden brown eyes.

“Fancy running into you out here. You’re even more ravishing under the moonlight.” His brown eyes have a glowing yellow hue and his voice is rough and cold.

“Thank you, Mr. Stone. I needed to get some air. I don’t do well with large crowds.” He steps closer and I swear I see him sniff the air before his eyes fall back to mine.

“You have had quite a bit to drink tonight, Ms. Montenegro.” I offer a weak smile.

“I don’t usually drink so much. I really should get back to Sarah before she starts to worry that I ran off.” I go to step around him, but he steps in front of me.

“I’m sure Sarah will be fine. Your scent is divine…intoxicating, really.” I give him a confused look and step back, but he follows me step for step.

“Mr. Stone, I really would like to go back inside.” A deep rumbling sound vibrates out of him almost like a growl.

“I really would like another dance.” He places his hands on my shoulders and pulls me toward him.

“She said she wants to go back inside.” A deep and very angry voice shouts from the doorway. Mr. Stone steps back and turns his head to look at the person who interrupted our unwanted interaction.

“We were just having fun, Seth.” My entire body is trembling as he continues to hold me tightly against him.

“She’s clearly not having fun, so I suggest you let her go, now!” He releases his hold of me and walks toward Seth, stopping only inches away from him.

“Look at you, defending the weak. Wouldn’t your daddy be proud? Alright, you can have this one Seth. She seems like too much work anyways.” He walks away and I stumble back to the brick wall with my head lowered as I try to steady my breathing and mentally dissect what the hell just happened.

Chapter 5

Seth rushes to me and gently places his fingers under my chin, my face flushes in response as that damn tingling sensation hits me full force as he tilts my head up until our eyes meet.

“Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” I shake my head, but all I can focus on in this moment is his touch.

“No. scared, yes. Hurt? No. Is he always so…” I pause as I search for an adequate adjective to describe him, knowing that most that pop into my head might land me in trouble to some extent.

“Such a dick? Yeah, unfortunately he is.” I smile and feel my body slowly relax. At least I’m not the only one who sees it!

“Thank you…for coming to my rescue.” He smiles as my head raises and our eyes lock. I swear, his green eyes are so damn entrancing!

“Always. Do you want to go back in?” I shake my head and my brow furrows. Going back inside is the absolute last thing I want to do at the moment!

“I think I might call it a night. I’d prefer to avoid anymore unwanted encounters with the big bad boss.” He nods his understanding as he lowers his head and I hope like hell I haven’t disappointed him, though I don’t know why I care so much if I did.

“Can I at least give you a ride home? I promise to be a complete gentleman.” I laugh as he flashes a wicked grin, one that doesn’t look gentlemanly, but it certainly stirs something in me that I’m not willing to even attempt to sort out right now.

“Don’t you have more mingling to do, Mr. Iverson?” He shakes his head, his grin turning into a heart stopping smile that damn near has me melting at his feet.

“Why do you think I mingle when I first arrive? I always leave these things early.” I give him a surprised look as I fold my arms over my chest when the breeze sends a chill up my spine. He removes his tux jacket and sets it over my shoulders, fully solidifying his image as the gentleman he promises to be.

“Ok, Mr. Iverson. Let’s make our escape.” He chuckles as he holds out his arm and I don’t hesitate to slide my arm into his after sliding my arms into the sleeves of his jacket. He leads me around the outside of the building and stops at the valet as we wait for them to bring his car around. I feel my heart skip a beat when a black Audi R8 pulls up to the curb. Seth pulls open the passenger door, waits for me to climb in before closing it then walks around to the driver’s side and slides in behind the wheel.

“Put your address into the GPS, Izzy.” I smile and type in my address then sit back as he pulls away from the curb and onto the busy city street.

“Thank you for taking me home, Seth…and for helping me sneak away.” He smiles and responds as he weaves through traffic, following the directions on the screen without ever taking his eyes off the road.

“Not a problem. Did you at least enjoy yourself a little?” I think for a moment and then turn to look at him, the answer is simple and surprises even me.

“Aside from the regrettable interaction with Mr. Stone, it was actually kind of fun.” He smiles as he glances at me and now I know I’m losing my fucking mind. I could swear his eyes are glowing!

“I’m really happy to hear that.” He pulls up behind my Durango then parks the car and I see a strange look on his face when I turn to thank him, so I follow his gaze to my brownstone where the front door is wide open.

“Fuck!” I shout as I rush out of the car and toward my door, but somehow he has managed to reach my side before I can even make it to the stairs and grabs my arm.

“Wait, Izzy!” I flip around to look at him, feeling confused and irritated. Before I can say anything I’m startled by the sound of glass shattering inside and without thinking I rip my arm free and run inside with Seth hot on my heels. I stop just outside the arch of my living room where I can clearly see the disheveled figure slumped over on my couch with the shattered glass from my coffee table scattered at his feet.

“Jesus Christ Greg, what the fuck are you doing here?” He slowly lifts his head until his eyes find mine and I can instantly tell he’s drunk, not that it’s a surprise, really.

“I-I needed to shhe you. I need to fix thish.” He stands up and stumbles toward me, but then freezes and I watch rage fill his eyes. I turn to see Seth standing directly behind me and he quickly grabs my shoulders and moves me to the side so he can step forward, positioning himself in front of me.

“I think you better leave.” Seth’s voice is commanding and dark, sending chills across every inch of me, but it’s not in a bad way…I don’t think. Greg clenches his fists and lunges toward Seth, but his movements are slow and sloppy. Seth catches Greg by his throat with a firm hand, but not squeezing tight enough to hinder his breathing.

“Thish ish all your fault!” Greg shouts with tears pouring from his eyes. I can’t believe he’s trying to pass the blame for his actions and his mistakes…and onto my boss no less!

“What the fuck, Greg? I caught you fucking another woman and you want to go and blame Seth? I didn’t even know him at the time! This…” I motion between Greg and myself, “This is all on you. You fucked anything that moved for four fucking years while I sat around thinking that I had a kind, loving and faithful fiancée! You know what? I’m fucking done. Give me the fucking key to my house and get the fuck out!” I have never been this angry in my life…not even when I caught him plowing into Lila. When Greg doesn’t move, Seth begins searching his pockets with his free hand then stops, pulls something out of Greg’s right front pocket and hands it to me…a key.

“Is this it?” I walk over then try it on the lock and feel relieved when it works.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” I walk back over by Seth and stare Greg directly in the eye as I clench my fists at my side. “Listen and listen good, Greg. I’m fucking done with you. Don’t Call. Don’t text. Don’t come near me. Do I make myself clear?”

“I’m not giving up on us, Izzy.” I think the hand around his throat has helped to sober him up as I notice his slur is almost non-existent now, too bad he’s still spewing nonsense.

“There is no us. Please…please just let me go.” I feel myself on the verge of breaking and I’m fighting it as hard as I can not to let this bastard see it.

“I can’t, I love you, Izzy.” When I look into his eyes I feel a tear slip free, but it’s not from sadness…it’s from sheer exhaustion. I’m tired…tired of this…tired of him…tired of all these damn feelings of inadequacy.

“Well, I don’t love you.” Seth grabs Greg by his shirt and leads him to the front door then down the steps.

“If I find out you bothered her again, you’ll be dealing with me.” I barely heard Seth, but his words held such a clear threat. I stand, frozen in place, as Greg finally relents and walks away. Seth comes back up the stairs and through the door, but he pauses when he looks at me. I feel my body trembling, but I’m not sure if it’s from anger or if the frightening encounters with both Mr. Stone and Greg have taken their toll. I don’t know why it took this long to hit me, but I feel shame wash over me as I realize that tonight Seth has rescued me twice in one night. He must think I’m so fucking weak!

“I’m so sorry, Seth. This night has been such a fucking disaster.” I lean against the entry to my living room and scan over the mess of broken glass scattered over most of the living room floor.

“It wasn’t a complete disaster and being there to help you wasn’t exactly a hardship for me. Would you like me to help you get this cleaned up?” I sigh and shake my head, knowing I can’t even consider letting him help me even more today than he already has.

“No, I can handle it. It isn’t the first time I’ve cleaned up one of Greg’s drunken messes, but I’m going to take comfort in knowing it’ll be the last.” I feel his hesitation, but thankfully he concedes.

“Ok. I’ll get going, but if you need anything just call.” He hands me his business card, but I notice a phone number handwritten on the back. “That’s my cell and you can call anytime.”

“Thank you, Seth.” I smile shyly and walk him to the door. As he walks down the steps he pauses to look back at me and his green eyes look as if they’re glowing again. I’ve got to be losing my damn mind. Once I’m safely locked inside my home, I change out of my dress and head back downstairs to clean up the mess before I finally head to bed, falling asleep almost immediately when my head hits the pillow.

Chapter 6

My morning alarm jolts me awake and my mind instantly drifts to all of the ridiculous shit that happened yesterday. I quickly shower, style my hair and pull it up into a French braid, apply a natural makeup look then slip on a black knee length pencil skirt with a slit up the back that stops mid-thigh and a black silk short sleeve button down v neck shirt. I slip on my black stilettos, grab my phone and my bag then hurry out the door. On the drive to the office, I have my music turned up to near deafening levels and by the time I reach the parking garage, I feel calmer, more relaxed. I take the elevator to the twelfth floor and step out to see Sarah smiling at me as I walk by her desk. She hurries over to me and I can see how excited she is as I brace myself for the onslaught of questions.

“Ok, spill!” I feign a look of innocence and confusion, hoping like hell to avoid an interrogation so early in the morning.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I walk to my office as quickly as possible, but she follows me in and closes the door.

“Oh no, no, no. You need to tell me all about your dance with not just one, but both of our bosses!” The memory of dancing with Seth is pleasant enough, but thinking about Mr. Stone makes my stomach feel uneasy.

“Mr. Stone is the biggest pig I’ve ever met. He was way too handsy and it made me feel so uncomfortable.” I shudder at the memories that slither into my mind.

“Well, that’s not really a surprise, but what about Mr. Iverson?” she gives me a hopeful look.

“He…shit, I don’t know. It was really nice, but then he walked onto the terrace as Mr. Stone was getting aggressively handsy and then he drove me home afterward only to have to deal with Greg’s drunk ass. He helped get the prick to leave, thank god. He probably thinks I’m crazy by now.” Her expression is a perfect blend of remorse and excitement.

“So, he danced with you, came to your rescue and then drove you home…where he rescued you again?” She places a hand dramatically on her chest and releases a heavy sigh. “You’re so damn lucky. You’re going to piss off a lot of single women who’ve been hoping for even an ounce of his attention.”

“Sarah, it’s nothing more than him being polite. Besides, my life is too much of a raging dumpster fire for me to be trying to worry about wooing my boss.” She rolls her eyes and we both jump when there’s a loud knock on my office door.

“Come in.” Sarah steps to the side just in time to miss being hit by the door as it swings open. I feel my stomach lurch when I see Mr. Stone standing there looking back and forth between Sarah and myself.

“I’ll get back to you about that shortly, Ms. Montenegro.” She whips out in an attempt to cover our non-work-related conversation.

“Thank you, Sarah. How can I help you Mr. Stone?” He flashes a wicked grin, but quickly recovers as his facial expression becomes serious again.

“M. Montenegro, I would like to personally apologize for my behavior last night. I had drank far too much and, unfortunately, I behaved quite unprofessionally as a result.” I raise a brow as I consider if he’s being serious, but it’s easy to see he’s not. He’s apologizing out of obligation, not because he genuinely regrets his behavior.

“Thank you, Mr. Stone. How about we start over…clean slate and all that.” He nods and smiles, clearly not picking up on my insincere tone.

“I would appreciate that. I need to get back upstairs, but I wanted to apologize personally.” I give him a forced smile…easily seeing that there’s no way he’s being genuine. His body language and his words are telling two different stories right now.

“Well, I appreciate your apology and I hope you have a good day, Mr. Stone.” He nods once more and exits my office. The thick tension exits the room with him, so I walk over and close my office door then decide to get to work. I put on my headphones then turn on some music as I sort through my emails and get started on processing the files on my desk.

I’ve been sitting at one of the couches in the corner of my office for the last hour, singing and getting lost in my music while I sort through each file. My back is toward the door and with the volume of my music, I failed to hear when someone knocked. The sudden jolt of a hand on my shoulder sends me into an instant panic and I jump to my feet and rip the headphones off my head.

“It’s ok, Ms. Montenegro. I tried knocking, but I figured that you must not have heard me when you just continued singing.” My face flushes red and his beautiful green eyes don’t miss the shift in color which has a devilish grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Iverson. I…I was focusing on work and I had my music on.” He shakes his head and walks over to look at the stack of folders on the table in front of the couch.

“No apologies necessary. You have a lovely singing voice. So, how are you after everything last night?” I slowly sit back down on the couch and let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m doing a lot better, thank you. I know I keep saying it, but I’m really sorry about everything. I really hate that my boss has had to come to my rescue like that. It’s pretty embarrassing.” He sits down on the edge of the table in front of me and folds his hands in his lap.

“You don’t need to apologize for the actions of others. Did you at least have a little fun last night before…everything?” I see the hopeful look in his eyes and it makes me smile.

“I did. It wasn’t at all what I had expected. Seeing everyone dressed up and having a blast was nice.” He smiles proudly and sits up straight.

“I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed yourself. So, what’s all this?” He motions at the files on the table beside him.

“Well, these are new employee files and these are files with password and key card changes…and this stack is the stack of terminated employees whose accounts need to be deactivated.” His brows raise and his head tilts slightly.

“There are a lot of terminated employee files here.” I nod and grab one of the files and open it then hand it to him.

“This employee was terminated four years ago, but his key card and account are still active. No one finalized the termination by deactivating his access. I have thirty or so files of the same content.” He hands the file back to me.

“How recent is the most recent file?” I place my hand on the stack of files and slide the bottom file out and hand it to him.

“Eighteen months. It was two months before I was hired here.” He shakes his head and sets the file down.

“Are you able to check if any of the accounts were accessed using their logins after the termination date?” I sit back on the couch and nod.

“It’ll take some time, but yes.” He runs a hand over his chin.

“What if you had help?” I let out a sigh and shake my head.

“I don’t know that I would trust just anyone to help with this when I’m not entirely sure what we’ll find.” He smiles and leans forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

“Would you trust me to work with you on it?” I roll my eyes at his question.

“You’re the boss, you can work on whatever the hell you want.” He stands up and starts to walk to the door.

“I’ll have Sarah order us lunch so we can get to work.” I shoot up off the couch, shaking my head.

“I’m fine, but thank you. You’re going to work on it in here?” He raises a brow and smirks.

“Yes. I need you to show me what to look for. I’m having her order you something to eat. You think I haven’t noticed that you’ve been working through your lunches?” He doesn’t allow me any time to respond before he leaves the room. I grab the terminated employee files and head back to my desk to get started, putting my headphones back on and fading back into my music. When Seth returns to my office, I quickly show him how to access the employee accounts and check logins and access codes. I’m so lost in my task that I don’t even notice when Sarah comes in and sets a pizza on one of the end tables. Seth slides my headphones off to get my attention, causing tingles to assault me as his fingers graze my temple.

“Hey, break time.” I stand and stretch before heading to the couch and plopping down on it. Seth hands me a napkin with a piece of pizza on it then takes a seat on the couch across from me. We eat in silence, but every now and then I catch him looking over at me as if he wants to say something and yet, he remains quiet. I finish eating and sit back on the couch, dropping my head back and exhaling a deep breath. I hear my cell phone ringing in my desk and let out an annoyed sigh as I walk over and pull it out of my drawer only to throw it back in and slam the drawer shut. I sit down in my chair and pull out one of the files then start typing.

“More ex issues?” His deep voice sounds almost as irritated as I feel.

“I swear it never ends.” I close my last file and set it on top of the others. “How many more do you have?”

“I’m on my last one. It looks like we got lucky. I haven’t found any issues on my end. How about you?” I let out a sigh of relief and smile.

“All clear here too. I need to get this mess cleaned up so we can get out of here.” He gives me a look that makes me blush and I quickly realize how I phrased my sentence.

“And where would we be going?” He chuckles and gives me his devilish grin.

“Well, I’m going to head home and change my locks.” I set the files in a box then turn and look at Seth. “Oh, I put in for time off a few months back. Do you know if it was approved or not? I meant to check sooner, but with everything going on…I kind of spaced it.”

“What days do you need off?” There’s a strange look that pulls at his features, but he pulls his stoic mask back on quickly.

“It is this Thursday, Friday and next Monday.” He raises a brow and hesitates.

“That should be ok. Taking an actual vacation this time?” I laugh and nod excitedly.

“Yeah. I was invited to go to a vineyard owned by my cousin and his wife.” He stands up and walks over to my desk.

“Garett’s Vineyard?” I Stare in shock and nod.

“Yeah, how did you know?” He chuckles and shakes his head.

“I’m there every weekend. My brother works there. Talk about a small world.” I nod, still feeling shocked.

“Indeed. Well, perhaps I’ll see you there.” I grab my purse and phone then walk toward my door. “Have a good evening, Mr. Iverson.”

“You too, Izzy.” My heart skips a beat when he says my name, but I quickly brush off that whole situation then I quickly make my exit and rush home.

Chapter 7

Wednesday flew by and before I know it, it’s Thursday and I’m driving through the country on my way to the vineyard. The drive is beautiful with trees, green fields and small bodies of water stretching for miles. I turn onto the dirt road with the sign for Garett’s Vineyard and feel my nerves tingling with excitement the closer I get. After the events of the past month, I can really use a break away from it all. The dirt road is long and the right side of the road is lined with rows of grapes growing on perfectly maintained vines while the left side is overrun with rows of fruit bearing trees, some apple and what I think are peach. After driving almost two miles I can see a large house slowly coming into view with several smaller cabin style houses off to either side. The driveway curves around the front of the larger house and as I come to a stop in front, I see my cousin, Matt, jogging over to me. I put my car in park and climb out, throwing my arms around him the second he’s close enough.

“Izzy! Fuck, I’m glad you finally came out!” I giggle as he pulls back and looks me over.

“I’m glad I did too! I really needed to get away from everything back home.” He gives me a nod and a soft smile.

“I know it’s probably still too soon, but I’m going to say it anyways. I’m so glad that piece of shit is gone. You know that none of us liked him, right?” I laugh and nod my head. Matt and his wife were never shy about letting me know how they felt about Greg.

“I know. I wish I had listened to everyone before shit got so messed up. He really is a piece of shit.” We both laugh as he pulls me in for another hug.

“You’re too good for the shit he put you through. Enough about the past though. Let’s spend the weekend focusing on the present. Casey can’t wait to see you. We should get in there before she rips my head off for keeping you from her.” He places his hand on my shoulder and leads me up the stairs and into their large log cabin style house. The inside is just how I remembered it. A large open entryway with wood extending halfway up the wall where it meets the off white paint. There are some new landscape paintings, but otherwise it’s the same as when I came here seven years ago. We’re about ready to round the corner to the kitchen when I hear the sound of fevered footsteps rushing toward us.

“Where is she?!” Matt steps to the side and the second Casey’s eyes meet mine, she squeals in delight then throws her arms around me, nearly knocking the wind out of me in the process.

“Hey Casey! I missed you too!” We all laugh as she pulls away and places a kiss on my cheek.

“We have quite a few people that will be here this weekend, but we have you staying in cabin number one. I’m glad you came when you did because we have four weddings scheduled out here over the next five weeks so you’ve arrived before the chaos hits.” I wipe my brow in an exaggerated movement which causes Matt to let out a deep belly laugh.

“Yeah, things have been pretty busy around here for the last few years. Weekends like this are our chance to relax. I’m pretty sure Casey will have you working with her at some point today, but for the remainder of the weekend I want you to relax. Go explore, or read a book…whatever you like doing these days.” I laugh and shake my head.

“I couldn’t tell you what I like to do anymore. I guess this is a chance for me to figure it out.” He gives a firm nod just before Casey grabs my hand and drags me to the kitchen. I can smell the fragrant aroma of tomatoes, seasoning and a rich meaty scent filling the air and it becomes more potent as we near the kitchen.

“I’m making chili tonight. I know how much you love comfort foods.” Casey’s voice is soft and just as sweet as I remember.

“You’re the best. The best food is soul food, that’s what mom used to always say.” She gives me a kind smile and then turns to stir the pot of chili on the stove.

“So, how are you really doing, Izzy?” I shrug and slump against the counter.

“I don’t know. It’s pretty crazy. The last month has been so…fucked up.” She turns with a look of concern painted across her face.

“I’m really sorry. I’m not sorry that you’re not with him anymore, but I’m sorry he hurt you.” I try to stifle my laugh, but fail.

“The crazy thing is, at first it hurt, but then…I don’t know…I just got mad. I wasn’t even that angry over him cheating. I’m pissed because he wasted six years of my life and made me doubt myself for a bit. I actually thought that maybe I just wasn’t enough, you know? If he didn’t want to be with me, why the fuck didn’t he just leave?” It’s her turn to shrug as she walks over to me and slumps against the counter next to me.

“Don’t waste any more of your time trying to find answers because I don’t think there are any…at least none that will make you feel any better. As far as you not being enough, that’s complete bullshit. I think Matt’s right, but don’t let him know I said that. You need to take some time for you. Relax, drink some wine, enjoy the peace and quiet and center yourself. You’re a smart, kind and beautiful woman and any man will be lucky to have you. Someday you’ll find one who knows it too.” I find myself surprised by how much I needed to hear her say this.

“Thanks, Casey. Do you need any help with dinner?” She playfully smacks my arm and gives me a fake angry look.

“Guests don’t cook. Go get settled in your cabin and we’ll eat at five.” I raise my hands in surrender and give her a hug before heading out to my car to get my bags. I carry my bags to the cabin and when I step inside I pause as I take in the beautiful space. The outside looks like a cabin, but the inside looks more like a Luxury suite. The walls are light grey with pictures in black frames. The couches and chairs are the same light grey as the walls with black end tables and a black coffee table with a glass top. There’s a stone fireplace with a large tv mounted above it and the room is perfectly accented by several different plants. I set my bags down just inside the door while I explore the rest of the cabin. There’s a kitchen that’s in the same colors as the living room and the bedroom is the only room located upstairs with much the same color scheme as the rest of the small home with grey, black and white furniture and bedding. The bathroom is what really catches my attention. There’s a Jacuzzi that could easily fit four people my size and a large, tiled shower with a rainfall shower head. I’m pretty sure I’ve died and gone to heaven at this point. I manage to get my things put away and get showered just in time to make it inside for dinner.

“Casey, I think I’m in love!” She whips around with her eyes wide as saucers, splattering chili on the counter as she swings the spoon around with her.

“What?!” I burst out laughing as I grab a towel to clean up the mess.

“That shower is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. Hell, the whole bathroom is. I’m in love with it. It’s going to be really hard to leave on Monday.” She laughs and shakes her head while turning around to finish dishing up bowls for everyone.

“I guess that means you’ll have to come visit more often then!” I walk around her and start grabbing bowls to bring to the table.

“Damn, how many people are you feeding?” She chuckles and turns toward me with four bowls balanced in her arms.

“We have you, Matt, Eric, Chad, James, Kris and his brother…and then me.” We set the bowls on the table and head back to get the silverware and her famous cornbread muffins.

“Damn, so a small army…got it.” She laughs and shakes her head.

“No, just a small family.” We finish setting the table before she pulls out her phone, types a message and places it back in her pocket. It only takes a few minutes before people start filing in and taking their seats. I’m walking out the kitchen when the last two people walk in and I feel my breath catch in my throat when I see that Seth is one of them.

“Ok, dig in!” Casey shouts and I feel my nerves tingle when Casey points for me to sit next to her…which puts her at my left and Seth at my right. I sit down without saying a word as everyone begins eating.

“Izzy, how was the drive up?” Matt’s voice breaks the silence.

“It was beautiful once I got past the outskirts of the city.” He laughs and takes another bite of his chili.

“I thought that tomorrow you might want to go check out the lake. It’s a short drive from here and I remember how much you used to love the water.” I perk up and flash an excited smile.

“God yes, that would be great.” He smiles and seems quite pleased with my enthusiasm.

“I’ll get you the directions in the morning. You still wake up before the ass crack of dawn, or have you learned to sleep in?” Several people laugh and I give him an annoyed glare.

“I wake up around five, it isn’t that early.” Matt rolls his eyes at me.

“I don’t even wake up that early and I run shit around here.” Everyone seems to find his comment thoroughly amusing, but then Casey chimes in.

“Leave her alone. She likes to make the most of the day. There’s nothing wrong with that. Not all of us can sleep till eight and start work whenever we want.” Matt feigns a look of shock which has everyone laughing even harder.

“It’s a perk of being the boss. Kris, what will you two be working on tomorrow?” My body stiffens as I wait for his response.

“I have to tend to the delivery. Did you want to go with me, Seth? You can always hang out here with these losers. Not calling you a loser, Izzy, you just have the unfortunate circumstance of being friends with the losers here.” Everyone laughs as I sit and wait for Seth to speak while avoiding looking at him.

“I’m here to help out if you all need it and if not, I’m going to relax and unwind.” Casey gives me a suspicious look and I see her lips pull into a smile.

“Maybe Izzy could use company tomorrow!” I smack my hand to my forehead…real subtle Casey.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude, but if she wants company then I would be more than happy to accompany her on her adventure.” I glance over at him and give him a nervous smile.

“That wouldn’t be a bad idea. Seth knows how to get to the lake so we wouldn’t have to worry about you getting lost.” I slowly turn and give Matt a sharp glare.

“That was one time, Matt…and I was seven!” He laughs just as he was taking a drink and nearly chokes on his wine.

“She decided to go for a walk all by herself because she didn’t want to wait for me and my brother to finish our chores. We didn’t find her till the next morning!” Everyone chuckles as I shake my head.

“I was seven! I haven’t been lost since!” Matt chuckles and smacks his hand on the table.

“We can thank GPS for that.” I roll my eyes and down the rest of my glass of wine.

“Matt, you better leave her alone!” Casey speaks with a clear threat to her tone.

“Oh? Why’s that?” I turn to see the sinister smile on Casey’s face and I sit back, patiently waiting for what I already know is coming.

“Why don’t you tell everyone about when you got lost in the woods after skinny dipping with Hannah in tenth grade?” She turns to face the rest of the people at the table. “He was found hours later and was butt naked because Hannah took his clothes and ran! Needless to say, it was very cold that night!” Everyone bursts out laughing and I’m relieved to have the attention off of me. Casey pours me another glass of wine as I’m about to leave the table.

“Thanks, Casey. Do you want some help with the dishes?” She stands up and gives me a hug.

“No, Chad and James do the dinner dishes. Matt will have the fire pit going soon if you want to go join the boys.” I give her a tight hug then pull away and smile.

“I think I’m going to head back to the cabin, but thank you.” She nods and I quickly take my leave. I walk out onto the large front porch and immediately get lost in the view of the night sky. I forgot how beautiful the sky is when it’s not obstructed by the city lights. I breathe in deeply, savoring the crisp country air and slowly walk toward the cabin.

“Izzy!” The deep voice startles me and my wine sloshes in my glass, splashing me and the ground at my feet.

“Fucking Christ! You scared the crap out of me, Seth!” He gives me a warm smile as he jogs toward me, stopping just in front of me.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” I smile and shake my head then take a large drink of my wine to ensure it’s low enough to not splash me again.

“It’s ok, really. I was distracted, so I didn’t notice anyone was out here.” His green eyes are burning though me…or maybe it’s the wine? Yeah, definitely has to be the wine…

“I wanted to see if you wanted company tomorrow. If you want time alone, I understand.” My gaze drifts back to the stars above us as I think about his offer.

“You know what, company would be nice. Would you be ready to go by eight?” He smiles wide and nods.

“Eight sounds good.” I can’t fight my smile at the excitement in his tone.

“I’ll see you in the morning then. Goodnight Seth.” I feel hesitant to let our interaction end, but I feel the wine kicking in and don’t want to take a chance on saying anything inappropriate to my boss.

“Goodnight.” He turns and walks toward the backyard where I can see the orange glow of the firepit. I turn and walk to the cabin then head straight to bed without finishing my wine.

Chapter 8

I open my eyes, stretch across the king sized bed and sit up to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Go figure, 5:15am. I take a shower and get dressed in a red bikini, a pair of short jean shorts and black crop top then slip on my no show socks and black slip on shoes before heading out to the main house to get a cup of coffee. Lucky for me, Casey has always been just like me and is always up before the sun rises. I walk into the house and am hit hard by the overwhelming aroma of fresh brewed coffee that pulls me toward the kitchen where Casey is already fast at work making breakfast.

“Good morning my beautiful cousin-in-law.” I smile and slink over to the counter where she’s just placed a cup of coffee for me, you know, because she’s just that damn amazing.

“I fucking love you.” She giggles and gives me a proud smile, knowing she’s my savior at the moment.

“I love you too, sweet cheeks.” I raise a brow and take my first sip of the heavenly black liquid while trying to fight my urge to smile.

“I was talking to the coffee.” We both laugh as she throws a potholder at me, but she’s always had awful aim, so it lands in the sink instead.

“Fine, no breakfast for you!” I give her a fake pout which has her flashing a victorious smile.

“I was only playing. Please don’t let me starve. You know I love you, oh amazing goddess of all culinary things.” She places her hands on her hips and gives me a playful scowl.

“Ok, but only because you’re already too fucking skinny and i like when you call me a goddess!” We both chuckle while I continue sipping my coffee, enjoying the way it wakes up every muscle and nerve slowly.

“You ladies sound like you’re having too much fun in here.” God his voice is like heaven! I turn to see Seth leaning against the frame of the kitchen entry and give him an offended look while he’s flashing that sinful smile, that one that makes me weak in the knees.

“Who are you calling a lady, Mr. Iverson?” He laughs and I see the look of confusion on Casey’s face which has me laughing too.

“Do you two already know each other? And why the hell are you addressing him by his last name?” Seth and I both smile at her and nod, though I’m surprised she hasn’t figured it out already.

“He’s my boss.” Her eyes get huge as her gaze shifts back and forth between us.

“The…the asshole?!” I burst out laughing and shake my head while Seth stands quietly with his brow raised in question.

“No, that would be Mr. Stone.” She gives me her ‘Oh!’ face and I glance over and catch a smirk on Seth’s face.

“Shit, sorry.” Casey quickly apologizes, but Seth only laughs. At least I know he’s aware of his business partner’s asshole behavior, so I know he’s not bothered by Casey’s comment.

“He is an asshole, so it’s ok.” We continue laughing and sharing small talk while I help Casey finish breakfast. We sit down and eat with everyone seated at the table and after we finish, I help Casey with cleanup.

“Shit, I may never let you leave. You’re too fucking helpful!” I laugh and give Casey a warm hug while trying not to let myself focus on how much the idea of never leaving fills me with warmth.

“It’s the least I can do for the provider of my morning coffee.” She gives me a proud smile and pats me on the shoulder.

“I put some things in your car for your trip to the lake. Are you going alone?” A smile pulls at my lips as I look at this amazing woman, wondering what the hell I did to deserve having her in my life.

“You’re too sweet, Casey. Thank you. Seth is going to go with me.” I see the look of shock and excitement on her face. This woman lacks any form of subtlety and her eyes are far too expressive for her own good.

“Oh shit! You’re going on a romantic outing with your boss?! Well done!” I laugh and shake my head at her, not wanting to think about this as something more than it is…me and my boss going to the lake.

“It’s not like that. He’s nice, but he’s still my boss. Besides, I think I shouldn’t be getting into anything anytime soon. Shit, you know how many of the women at work want to get with him? Even if I were to be interested, and I’m not saying that I am…I wouldn’t stand a chance. I mean, then there’s still the whole ‘he’s my boss’ thing which means it’s a no go for me.” We both laugh and she gives me a soft smile. Casey has known me for longer than most and she’s always been one of my biggest supporters.

“You don’t realize how fucking amazing you are, Izzy. You’re smart, beautiful, funny and you have an amazing personality. It isn’t your fault that you found the one piece of shit out there that couldn’t realize it.” I love how reassuring she is, something that hasn’t changed over the years.

“Well, I don’t know about all that, but thank you.” She pulls me in for a bear hug which I happily return. I appreciate this woman more than she’ll ever know.

“You ready to go?” Seth’s deep voice fills the room and Casey quickly pulls away and smiles.

“You two have fun. I’ll have dinner ready at five.” Seth smiles as I walk toward him and he follows me out the door then over to my car.

“You get to drive. I don’t know where I’m going.” He laughs and takes the keys then opens my door for me. Once I’m seated, he closes my door and quickly gets in the driver’s seat, adjusts the seat and mirrors then takes off. We head down the dirt road to the highway, but turn left onto another dirt road that leads into the heavily wooded area of the forest just beyond the field of grape vines. I soak in the beauty of the forest and roll my window down so I can breathe in the warm country air.

“You really like it out here, don’t you?” I turn and smile at Seth while the wind coming through my open window whips my hair around and fills the car with the wide array of scents of the forest.

“I love it. The city life isn’t bad, but I live for this.” I gesture to the forest around us.

“Have you always lived in the city?” I sit back, my head laid back against the headrest and a soft smile pulling at my lips.

“No. I moved there for college and then I met Greg. I always planned to go back home, but it just never happened. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but I do miss all of this.” He has a very strange expression as I study his features closely.

“So, you stayed because of him?” I sigh and nod as my eyes shift back to the scenery outside my window. Greg is the absolute last person I want to be thinking about in this beautiful place.

“Yeah. Pretty dumb huh?” He places a hand gently on my knee which causes that ridiculously addictive tingly feeling to spread through my leg.

“Being dedicated to another person, so much so that you give up something you want, that’s not dumb. The fact that he took something like that for granted, now that is dumb.” I feel a strange pulse of energy around me and shift in my seat.

“What about you? Have you always lived in the city?” He smiles and shakes his head.

“I don’t live in the city. My home is about thirty miles outside the city limits.” His answer surprises me…a lot!

“If I lived out here, I would have a hard time bringing myself to go to the city for anything, even work.” His smile is warm, contagious and utterly captivating.

“So, now that he’s gone, will you be leaving to go back home?” I feel emotions pulling me in every direction, not something I really want my boss to witness.

“There’s nothing for me to go back to now. My parents passed away three years ago. My home in the city is the only home I have now.” It’s as if he feels the weight of my emotions. He stops the car in the middle of the dirt road and turns in his seat until he’s facing me.

“A home isn’t made of brick and mortar. A home is a place where your soul finds peace. So, where would your soul be at peace, Izzy?” I look at him with a furrowed brow, surprised by his question, but even more surprised by my lack of an answer.

“I honestly don’t know.” His smile returns, but it seems much softer than the one I usually see on his face.

“Then it sounds like you need to do some soul searching.” He turns back around in his seat and continues the drive down the dirt road, neither of us saying another word, but then again, we don’t really need to.

Chapter 9

After ten more minutes of a peacefully quiet drive, I see the shimmering waters of a large lake and my heart begins racing in excitement. He pulls up to a clearing and parks the car, both of us quickly exiting the vehicle. I walk to the edge of the water and draw in a deep breath, feeling my body relax into the scent of pine and the lake. I kick off my shoes, pull off my socks, shorts and shirt then slowly start walking into the warm water. I’m knee deep before I turn to find Seth leaning against my Durango with a soft smile on his face.

“Are you just going to sit on the shore? The water’s warm.” I smile and begin walking backwards until the red from my bikini is fully submerged. Seth pulls off his shirt and kicks off his shoes, giving me an excellent view of his muscular chest and stomach, then runs into the water, diving in several feet away from me. I laugh at his childlike behavior and dunk my head under the water to wet my hair. Seth rises up out of the water behind me and playfully splashes water at me.

“Is that better, Ms. Montenegro?” I laugh and splash water at him then try to swim away before he can retaliate.

“You fight dirty, Mr. Iverson!” I think I’m getting far enough away to prevent his attack, but he quickly dives under and disappears into the dark depths. I scan the surface of the water for any sign of him, but the water is still and after over a minute passes. I feel myself beginning to panic as the seconds tick by, quickly passing beyond one minute…then two.

“Seth?! SETH!” I shout his name and am greeted with silence. I feel tears stinging my eyes as I begin swimming toward where he went under. Suddenly I feel arms around my waist, bringing with them the intense sparks that his touch always does and I begin thrashing to get free when a deep voice soothes me from behind.

“It’s ok, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I turn as quickly as I can and feel my body relax the moment our eyes meet.

“What the fuck, Seth?! I thought you drowned or something!” I shout as my panic turns into anger.

“I know, I’m sorry! I can hold my breath quite well, but I never meant to scare you.” He pulls me to his chest and I feel a strange calm wash over me as the tingles seem to wrap around me.

“No more scaring the shit out of me…got it?” He chuckles and I can feel the vibration through his chest which causes me to laugh too.

“I promise.” I pull away and give him a soft smile before splashing him again for good measure. We continue our playful game for a while longer then head back to the shore to get something to drink. I open the back of my Durango and find that Casey packed not only snacks and drinks, but also a large blanket. Seth reaches around me to grab the blanket and lays it out on the soft ground near the water while I grab the basket with the drinks and snacks.

“It seems like Casey thought we’d be starving.” Seth chuckles as I sift through everything until I find a bowl with strawberries and grapes, I pull it out and remove the lid then set it on the blanket. I place a grape I my mouth and close my eyes as the flavor jolts my tastebuds to life the second I bite down. Seth pours us both a glass of lemonade while I continue devouring the fruit in the bowl.

“She wouldn’t have been wrong from what I can see.” He chuckles and my face flushes.

“I can’t help myself. Try this!” I grab a strawberry and hold it out for him. I watch as he bites into it and his eyes close and a soft moan escapes him.

“That’s amazing.” I laugh and give him a smirk as I shove another grape in my mouth.

“Not so mouthy now, are you?” We both begin laughing as a loud crack of thunder is heard in the distance.

“We should probably think about heading back. Looks like a storm is moving in.” I lean forward and smile.

“Are you afraid of a little rain, Mr. Iverson?” My challenging tone causes his eyebrow to raise.

“No, but I’m a little uncomfortable with the idea of being struck by lightning if I’m being honest.” I try to bite back my laughter as I stand up and start pulling my shorts on.

“This is my favorite weather.” I smile and grab my shirt, shoes and socks off the ground.

“You like gloomy weather?” The questioning tone of his voice amuses me.

“I love the way the clouds open up and cleanse the earth below. It’s like every drop helps to make way for a fresh start.” He gives me a curious look as I pull my shirt on.

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” I feel the first few warm drops of rain hit my face and it brings me an instant feeling of peace.

“Maybe.” I respond as the drops fall faster and the sound of the drops hitting the lake water creates a beautiful melody that only nature can produce. I stretch my arms out to my sides and let the rain wash over me, quickly soaking my once dry clothes and causing my hair to stick to the sides of my face. Seth hurries to get the basket and blanket into the back of the car then turns to watch me once he closes the back. I feel his eyes on me, but in this moment, I’m more at peace than I’ve ever been.

“You’re soaking wet, Izzy.” I look at him with an elated grin.

“So are you!” He walks closer to me with an unreadable expression on his face. “So, you remember when you asked me where my soul would be at peace?” He stops only inches away from me, drops of rain gliding down the smooth skin on his face.

“Yes, I remember.” I drop my arms back to my sides and let out a relaxed sigh.

“Right here. This is what makes me feel whole.” I see his emerald eyes shift and almost glow as he watches me. I had thought I was seeing things before, but now I’m absolutely certain of what I’m seeing. I should probably be afraid…or hell, at least a little concerned, but all I feel right now is calm.

“You’re not like everyone else, are you?” I smile as I look at his glowing eyes.

“I think the same could be said about you.” Another loud crack of thunder sounds above us, much closer than the first and he pulls me into his arms as if he’s trying to shield me from the storm.

“We should go back.” I don’t fight him this time as we both walk back to the car and climb in, sitting silently as he pulls away from the lake while the sound of the rain beating down on the metal of the vehicle sings to me on the deepest level. We only make it a short distance before the sound lulls me to sleep. I feel myself floating, sparks dancing across the entire left side of my body and slowly open my eyes to see that I’m cradled in Seth’s arms as he carries me to the cabin.

“We’re back?” He looks down at me and smiles.

“You were out cold for pretty much the entire drive. Anyone ever tell you that you snore?” I smack his chest as he sets me on my feet on the porch at the front of my cabin.

“Do not!” He chuckles and sits on the railing of the porch with a playful smile.

“You do, but it was a cute little snore.” I glare and place my hands firmly on my hips, likely showing more attitude than I’m feeling.

“Cute?” He chuckles and nods.

“Yes, cute. Why don’t you go get into some dry clothes before dinner?” I walk to the door, but pause once it’s open.

“Thank you for taking me today. It was so beautiful out there and I really had a good time.” I feel my nerves tingle when he smiles at me.

“Thank you for letting me come. I’ll see you at dinner.” I step inside and close the door, waiting for the strange feeling to leave, but it doesn’t. I take a hot shower and throw on a black sundress with small sunflowers embroidered across the chest then slip on my black flip flops and head to the main cabin just in time for Casey to announce that dinner is ready. I take my seat beside her with Seth on my other side and I damn near drool over the smell of the chicken alfredo on my plate.

“Did you two have fun on your adventure today?” Casey asks in between bites.

“We did! It was so beautiful up there.” Casey smiles and glances at Seth which makes her smile grow wider.

“What are your plans for tomorrow?” I pause eating while I consider the options.

“I think I might drive down to Ashbury.” Matt drops his fork on his plate and gives me a sharp look while I continue eating like I didn’t just drop a metaphorical bomb at the dinner table.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” His voice shows the concern that his face manages to hide.

“Yeah, I don’t know why, but…I just feel like I need to. I think it’s time, honestly.” Matt sits back in his chair, clearly having given up all pretenses of acting like he’s not worried.

“I can go with you, Izzy.” I stand up from my chair and he follows suit, pulling me into his arms the moment I’m close enough to prevent me from issuing whatever argument I might have.

“It’s ok, Matt. You’re needed here. I can do this. I appreciate you wanting to support me through this, but I got this.” I keep my voice at just above a whisper.

“Are you sure?” I pull away and nod.

“Yeah, I’m sure, Matt.” He gives me a reassuring smile and returns to his chair. “I need some fresh air. Dinner was delicious, Casey. I probably shouldn’t have eaten so much of the fruit you packed us though.” She gives me a soft smile as I grab my wine glass and walk out of the room th out to the front porch. The rain has died down to a light drizzle and I slowly walk out into the open air and let the rain wash over me. I find a bench along the walkway to the backyard and sit down on the cold concrete. There’s thunder in the distance and it only adds to the calm of the rain that’s gently kissing and caressing my skin. The sound of shoes crunching on gravel catches my attention, but I continue to sit there in hopes that whoever it is will just keep walking.

“What’s in Ashbury?” Seth’s voice is deep, but soft and his tone is cautious.

“A past life.” I stand up and turn my head slightly. “Goodnight Seth.” I walk toward my cabin, but am stopped by a large hand wrapping around my arm, the unexplainable current of sparks making it impossible to not know whose hand it is.

“Izzy, talk to me.” There’s something in his voice that pulls me and I feel like I can’t deny him what he asks.

“It’s where my parents died and it’s where they’re buried.” His grip loosens slightly.

“How long has it been since the last time you were there?” I release a shuttering sigh, my eyes clenching tightly closed.

“Six years. I didn’t even go back for their funeral services.” My tears are falling, in spite of my tightly closed eyes, and blending in with the rain as they slide down my cheeks.

“Why?” My body tenses and I feel a sob tear through me.

“Because I couldn’t. He killed her and then himself. I…I couldn’t face that.” I pull my arm free and wrap my arms tightly around my waist. It’s been three years since they died and this is the first time I’ve spoken the truth out loud. Matt and Casey know what happened, but we’ve never talked about it and I’ve always been thankful for that. Why do I feel the need to do this now? Why couldn’t I just let this be a relaxing weekend and call it good? If I waited three years, couldn’t this wait a little longer?

“Izzy, let’s get you inside.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders and guides me to my cabin. He leads me to the couch by the fireplace and grabs a blanket off the back of the couch, wrapping it around me and helping me to sit down as I stare blankly ahead while he gets a fire going. He sits on the other end of the couch and we’re both silent as the crackling of the fire blends with the sound of the rain on the metal roof. I lay myself down, my feet hanging off the arm of the couch and my head resting only a few inches away from Seth’s leg. I feel the sudden and unexpected contact of his hand running through my hair as he gently pets and caresses my head, those damn beautiful tingles slowly dragging me into the warm hands of sleep.

Chapter 10

I woke up almost an hour ago and found Seth passed out on the couch next to me. Part of me was screaming to get the hell out of here, but the other part…the more dominant part of me…it needed the comfort of his close proximity. It was as if being near him would help to recharge the confidence I need to face the past that I’ve been running from for the last three years. The sun is beginning to peek over the mountains in the distance when I finally find the strength to get up and head to the bathroom to shower and prepare to face what lies ahead. 

I end up staying in the shower far longer than usual and by the time I finally come out to get dressed, the sun is shining brightly through the windows of the bedroom. I settle on a pale blue ankle length sun dress that fits tightly around my chest and waist then flows loosely down to my ankles. My black hair is loosely braided with several tendrils falling freely around my face and I take a moment to admire the way the dress makes my blue eyes stand out. I slip on a pair of black ballet flats and exit the room then I find Seth sitting on the couch with his eyes glued to his phone. The sound of the bedroom door closing instantly catches his attention and when he turns to look in the direction of the sound, his eyes catch mine and a smile quickly forms on his perfect, full lips. Considering he just recently woke up, his hair looks perfect and his clothes are not at all disheveled.

“Good morning.” The only sign that he recently woke up is the groggy undertone in his voice.

“Good morning. We better get in for breakfast before Casey comes out here and drags us in.” He chuckles as he stands up and walks toward the front door with me following closely behind him. We remain quiet during our walk to the cabin with Seth opening the door for me to enter before him. As we round the corner to the kitchen, we immediately catch Casey’s attention.

“I was beginning to think you left already!” She gives me a soft smile that quickly widens once Seth comes into view.

“I wouldn’t dream of missing breakfast…and coffee.” She chuckles and quickly turns to get me a cup of coffee, placing it in front of me and giving me a huge grin as she steals glances of Seth who’s now talking to Matt in the doorway. She walks around the counter and stops inches away from me then speaks in a whispered tone.

“So, what did you two get up to last night?” She wriggles her eyebrows suggestively and I have to choke back my laughter.

“Nothing. He and I were talking and next thing I know, I woke up on the couch and he was passed out still.” She gives me a look that suggests she isn’t sure she’s willing to buy my explanation.

“So, you slept next to that…” She tilts her head toward Seth, “and you didn’t take advantage of him?!”

“You’re terrible.” We both chuckle as she turns around to finish what she was working on at the stove. We sit down for breakfast and I enjoy listening to the small talk while I eat. Once everyone is finished, I help Casey with the dishes before preparing to head out on my dreadful journey. I head back to my cabin to grab my purse and my keys then get in my Durango and begin the drive down the long dirt road. I feel my tension rising the moment I pull onto the highway and it only becomes worse when I see the first sign stating ‘Ashbury 27 miles’. Slowly, but surely the scenery becomes more and more familiar and the tightness in my chest is slowly becoming a physical ache.

I round a sharp corner and see the sign that I remember so vividly, ‘Welcome to Ashbury’, that sits just before the bridge over the river that I used to play in as a child. I pull into the town and I’m amazed to see that so little has changed. I come to a stop at the only traffic signal in town and turn left as soon as the green arrow appears. The drive to the cemetery is only a half mile, but it feels like it drags on forever. I finally pull into the perfectly maintained cemetery and follow the directions Matt texted to me to find the row where my mother and father were laid to rest. I stop the car, but it takes several minutes for me to get up the courage to get out.

As I climb out of the Durango, my feet feel like they’re made of lead, each step is slow and my heart is racing as I see the black granite headstone with my mother’s name come into view. I stop in front of the beautiful stone and read the words etched into it with careful precision. ‘Maria Montenegro, January 18, 1972 – August 27, 2019, Beloved mother, daughter and sister’. I run my fingers across each word as the tears spill freely from my eyes. There’s only one headstone beside hers and I force myself to not even spare it a glance, he doesn’t deserve any of my attention.

“Momma, I miss you so much. I’m sorry I left. I should’ve been there, I should’ve protected you.” Heavy sobs shake through me and I collapse to my knees in front of the cool black stone. I sit before the stone memorial to my mother and break down, releasing all the emotions I’ve bottled up for three years. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but the sobbing subsides and I draw several deep breaths and feel a small smile pull at my lips.

“Momma, you would be so happy. I left Greg. I got a real good job and I think I’m starting to actually feel happy again. I wish you could be here with me though. God, I miss you every damn day. I’m going to make you proud, mama, I promise you I will. I love you.” I slowly rise to my feet and walk back to the car with everything in my soul feeling lighter. I climb into the car and slowly drive out of the cemetery and back toward the vineyard. I see the small dirt road to the right that Seth took to get us to the lake and decide to turn and go spend some time out there to give myself a chance to let it all sink in before Matt and Casey bombard me with questions.

The beautiful drive is even more breathtaking the second time around and it seems to take only minutes to arrive at the clearing. I park the car then climb out, kick off my shoes and walk to the water’s edge where I sit with my knees pulled to my chest and my feet barely in the water. I take in the sounds of the birds and the sight of the overcast sky reflecting off the crystal waters. I’ve watched the sun slowly move across the sky and if I had to guess, I would say I have been here for about two hours when I hear the light growling of a car coming down the dirt road. I keep my eyes focused on the water that’s now beginning to shift as a breeze picks up and helps stir the fragrant scents of the forest. I hear a car door open and close, followed by footsteps crunching across the grass and rocks behind me.

“Finding peace?” Seth’s voice is deep and smooth, the sound instantly soothing my frazzled mind.

“Something like that.” I reply quietly as he sits down beside me and places his feet in the water beside mine.

“Are you ok?” I let out a sigh as I consider his words carefully.

“No, but I will be. What are you doing out here?” I don’t even have to look at him to know he’s smiling because his voice gives it away.

“Finding my own peace I guess.” A soft smile pulls at the corner of my lips.

“They say great minds think alike.” I hear the sound of his body shifting beside me.

“I don’t believe that. I think great minds think great things. I think we’re more in the ‘troubled minds seek tranquility’ territory.” I turn my head to face him with my cheek resting on my knee.

“What has your mind troubled?” His smile falters and it causes my heart to sink slightly. He always seems so happy and confident, so this glimpse of his turmoil is unsettling.

“It’s nothing. Just family drama.” I turn my head and rest my chin on my knees, staring out at the water in front of us.

“Do you have a big family?” He’s quiet for a moment before answering.

“It’s pretty big.” I let out a soft sigh, biting back the tears that are threatening to fall.

“Drama or not, cherish them. Life is too short to live with regrets.” I feel the shifting of energy around me and it causes me to shudder as a chill ripples through me.

“How was your trip to Ashbury?” I think for a moment and feel the relief of my release at the cemetery and can’t help but smile.

“It was good. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was good.” I hear the muffled ringing of my phone in my car and jump up to get to it, swiping to answer it as quickly as I can.

“Hello?”

“Hey, where are you?” Casey’s voice sounds off and she’s speaking low, as if she’s trying to prevent the others from hearing her.

“I stopped at the lake to clear my head. Why?”

“Just stay there for a while.”

“Casey, what’s wrong?”

“Greg’s here.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“No, he just showed up about five minutes ago and he’s outside yelling at Matt.”

I hang up the phone and rush to the driver’s side door, flinging it open and jumping in. As I go to close it I feel resistance and look up to see Seth standing there with a concerned look.

“What’s going on?” His tense voice matches his expression perfectly.

“Greg’s at the vineyard. I need to get back.” He lets go of my door and jumps in his car as we tear down the dirt road at what’s most definitely an unsafe speed.