Page 84 of The Addendum

“Heather, I don’t have time right now. I have too much on my plate.”

She glanced at her phone. “Anne, our events manager, says the larger events space has some openings in the spring. You could bring your client to see the space if you want. I’ll forward you the number.” She looked up, meeting my eyes. “Maybe that would help ease a little of your stress.”

The winery and grounds were beautiful. The backdrop for a perfect spring wedding. The food had been wonderful, and I recalled the decadent cakes we’d had. The bride I was working with now had told me one thing she had to have were great desserts since her fiancé had a huge sweet tooth. The venue was exclusive enough it might please the mother. Still, I hesitated.

Heather watched me, smiling sadly. “If he weren’t your dad, would you still refuse my help?” She shook her head. “I have no argument with you, Ashley. I like you. I thought you liked me, and regardless of the fact that we now share a father, that hasn’t changed on my end. I think on some level, I knew you were more than just Luc’s girlfriend. We clicked so quickly because of our shared DNA.”

I shut my eyes and blew out a long breath. “Sorry, Heather. I’m still reeling from all this.” I reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I do like you. That hasn’t changed at all. And yes, I would love to see the space and bring my clients to it.”

She smiled widely. “Awesome. I’ll send you Anne’s information.”

“Thank you.”

“Can we do dinner one night? The four of us? We all got along so well.”

“Sure,” I agreed. “As long as we stick to other subjects aside from your father.”

“Our father,” she corrected. “You certainly have his stubborn streak. You and Gracie.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re all stubborn—you’ll figure that out on your own, but Gracie has Dad’s temper and his stubbornness. Combined, it’s lethal at times. She’s so angry—” She stopped talking.

“About me?” I asked.

“Yes. They argued. She and I argued. She’s pregnant again, so that’s adding to the mix.”

“I’m sorry.”

She waved her hand. “Not your fault. Dad admits he told her with the wrong mind-set.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was upset when he told her. He should have calmed down before he did. She fed off his worry and jumped all over him. Now they’re not speaking.” She frowned, picking at a loose thread on the arm of the chair. “He’s miserable. She’s upset. Jaxson is pulling his hair out, and I’m caught in the middle.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “As I told you, I like you, Ashley. I defended you to Gracie, and she got upset with me. I talked to Dad, and he was upset about how she is taking this piece of news. So I can’t talk to either of them. Thank God for Mom. She told me to let things settle. She’s the one who encouraged me to reach out to you.”

“Why would she do that?”

Heather smiled. “She knows you’re not the enemy, Ashley. My mom is a walking example of love and warmth. Once you get to know her, you’ll realize that.”

Before I could respond and tell her I had no intention of getting to know her mother, she stood.

“Okay, I’ve taken up enough of your time. Call me about dinner or get Luc to talk to Reed. I’ll get Anne in touch with you. Maybe we could have coffee the day you come to see the winery. I’m happy to show you and your clients around and answer any questions.” She winked. “As a satisfied client, I could help. So could Addi, Beth, or…” She trailed off, a sad look crossing her face. “Well, we’ll leave it at those three.”

I knew she was about to say Gracie but stopped. She left with a smile, not trying to hug me or push for more. After she left, I stared at the door. For some reason, it bothered me that her sister was upset with her over me. That Richard was at odds with his eldest daughter because of me.

Then with a start, I realized she wasn’t his eldest—I was. I ran a hand over my hair, feeling a strange twinge of guilt. I had given no thought as to how this news would affect everyone in Richard’s family. I hadn’t thought of anyone but myself.

Somehow, that bothered me more than I expected.

* * *

Luc picked me up at six, looking sexy in a button-down with the neck open and his shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing his forearms. His smile was wide as I opened the door, and he pulled me into his arms, kissing me hard.

I loved kissing him. The touch of his mouth on mine was something I swore I would never tire of. He pulled back and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Hello, love. You look lovely. That dress is killer. I love you in red.”