He pulled through the circle drive as Winnie stared up at the building with wonder. “Ty, this is incredible.”
“I hope the food is as good,” he said as someone opened his door.
A valet grinned at him, and Ty nodded at the man. He’d ridden in limousines, with drivers, and the pop of photography in his eyes when he’d won the National Championship in Las Vegas.
He knew how to shutter everything away behind a mask ofnonchalance, but he could scarcely believe a place like this existed in Three Rivers, Texas.
He moved around the truck and helped Winnie down, tucking her arm in the crook of his elbow as he noted the overhead heaters warding off any chill in the covered drop-off zone.
A man opened the doors for them as they approached, and Winnie looked at him while he looked at her. He grinned, nodded to the man, and then entered Bellissima through carved wooden doors. As he stepped into the restaurant, it felt like he’d stepped into another country entirely.
Exposed stone and dark wood beams stretched everywhere, with an enormous fireplace crackling in the center of the room. Fresh flowers overflowed from vases on every surface, and soft Italian music played from hidden speakers. The maitre d’—a man in an actual tuxedo—greeted them with a wide, warm smile.
“Mister Greene, welcome to Bellissima.” He nodded to Winnie, his voice filled with radiance. “Ma’am. Your table is ready.”
He led them through the main dining room and out onto a covered terrace that overlooked the Texas hills. Even Ty wanted to take a moment to soak it all in—the beauty of the earth, the way it rolled and rose, the evergreen trees, and those that were still bare of leaves but absolutely stunning.
Heaters kept the February chill at bay, and their table sat in a private corner with a view of the sunset painting the sky in shades of pink, violet, and gold.
“This is perfect,” Winnie said after she’d sat down, they had their menus, and they’d been told their waitress—a woman named Liv—would be with them in a moment.
“Ty—”
“Welcome,” a woman said, and Ty looked up at Liv. It really had only been a moment. She came with a man holding a wine bottle and glasses, both of them exuding Southern charm.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said, glancing from him to Winnie. “Are you two celebrating anything special?”
Ty looked at Winnie too, his mind once again a blank slate. But Winnie raised her chin, grinned with all she had, and nodded.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said, and Ty thought she sounded a little more Texan in that moment. A smile curved his lips as he watched a hint of pinkness come into her cheeks.
Winnie reached across the table, and Ty met her halfway, feeling the tension in her touch as she squeezed his hand. “We’re celebrating the fact that I didn’t marry the wrong man a year ago.”
“Oh, uh.” Liv glanced at Ty, who ducked his head and started to chuckle. Winnie wassuchan incredible woman, and he realized in that moment that he’d have to continue to work to be the man she deserved.
And he’d never wanted to work so hard for something in his life than to be the man on Winnie’s arm.
“It’s okay,” Winnie said. “I mean, for a long time, I wasn’t sure it would be okay, but it is.” She smiled over to Ty. “And now I’m on a date with someone who treats me like a queen, and wears a red bow tie for me when he never wears anything but black, and has found this gem out in the country to make the whole month of February something brand new for me.”
Liv smiled too, and the man said, “We’re very happy for you.”
“Thank you,” Winnie said, and she released Ty’s hand with a small nod.
He looked up at the waitstaff. “I’m sure you have wines that will pair amazingly well with the food, but neither of us drink. What have you got in terms of mocktails?” He nodded over to Winnie. “That one likes something fruity and fun, and I want something sour.”
He looked up at Liv, who beamed down at him, nodded to her second, and said, “Yeah, that about tracks.”
Winnie burst out laughing, and even Ty joined in, because tonight was Valentine’s Day, he’d worn a red bow tie, and Winnie had said so many things, done so many things, and wore so many things that had him spiraling into a freefall. If he wasn’t careful, hewas going to be in love with her before he dropped her off tonight…and right now, Ty was okay with that.
25
“This is unbelievable,” Travis Walker whispered to himself. He tilted his phone toward his friend, Colt, who sat on his right side. Colt, in turn, dipped his head to read the text that Trap had just received.
Disgust ran through him, and he had no idea what Pastor Glover was even saying anymore.
The words from the text had been ingrained on the back of his eyelids, and he kept his eyes open for as long as he could, simply so he wouldn’t have to see them again.
I need you to meet me at the build site in one hour.
