Forever with Me (With Me in Seattle, #8)(71)

His face sobers.

“Your parents didn’t deserve you, blondie. I sure as f*ck didn’t deserve you either. But it didn’t have anything at all to do with you not being lovable.”

“It seems I’m the common denominator here, J.”

He shakes his head adamantly. “You had shitty luck when it came to the people who were in your life. And I’ve wanted to see you for a long time to say I’m sorry.”

“Well, this isn’t what I was expecting.”

“Were you going to rail at me, throw my coffee in my lap, and stomp off all self-righteously?”

“Something like that.”

“Well, before you do that, just know that I’m sorry for being a douche. You deserve someone who will love you and appreciate you in ways no one ever has before. I want that for you, blondie.”

“Thanks,” I whisper, and bite my lip to keep the tears at bay.

“You never came to get your piano or your other things. They’re still at the house. You can come get them whenever you want.”

“You didn’t sell the house?”

“No.”

“I don’t want the piano.” I sniff and shake my head, looking out the window to the waterfront.

“Seriously? But you’re so damn good at it.”

“I only ever played it for my parents. I won’t play it again.” I gaze over at my ex-husband and finally offer him a soft smile. “It was good to see you too, J.”

He reaches for my hand, and for just this moment, I let him.

It feels familiar, but it’s not the hand I want to hold mine. Not even close.

“I want you to shine, Alecia. And I want to tell you, right here in our place, I’m so f*cking proud of you.”

I lean in and kiss his hand, then smile at him. “Thank you.”

And with that, I stand and walk away, not looking back.





Chapter Twenty One


Dominic





God, I’m so f*cking tired. Being gone from my vineyard for ten days was too damn long. Celeste is fantastic, but I like things to be done a certain way, so I’ve done nothing for the past forty-eight hours but work and sleep, trying to shake this God-forsaken jet lag.

I hit send on an email, cementing a partnership with a new restaurant in the Portland area called Seduction, intrigued by the five owners, and make a mental note to take a trip down there soon to check it out.

I begin reading through an application for an event for this fall, and stumble when I see that it’s Alecia who is planning the affair.

I wish she’d talk to me. I’ve tried to call her several times over the past few weeks, but she’s not answered, and I refuse to beg her to answer the goddamn phone via text.

That’s just ridiculous.

I eye my phone and wonder just how ridiculous it really is, just as there’s a knock on my door, and am surprised to find Steven standing outside my office.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, as I stand and gesture for him to come inside. I close the door behind him.

“Oh, yes, I called earlier and Celeste said you were in today, so I thought I’d drop in and see how your trip went.”

“It was…necessary,” I reply and sit in my chair as he takes a seat before me. “But the issue seems to be resolved now.”

I secured a loan for Gianna, without telling her that I’m the one backing it, so she can get back on her feet. And I managed to have a heart-to-heart with Marco, right after I knocked him on his ass.

Both were immensely satisfying.

“I’m glad you’re home,” my father replies with a smile. He steeples his hands. “Did Alecia enjoy Italy?”

I lean back in my chair and shake my head. “She didn’t go.”

“Why not?”

I watch my father and consider lying, but instead I simply say, “I think I f*cked up, and Alecia and I are done.”

He cocks a brow. “What did you do?”

I stand and turn my back to him, push my hands in my pockets and stare out the window that looks out over my land. The remnants from Will’s wedding are long gone, and it’s as though Alecia was never here.

Except that I see her everywhere I look.

“I thought I caught her having an affair with her best friend,” I admit softly. “I was angry. Hurt, actually.”

“Of course.”

“But now, I’m not so sure that what I saw was what it looked like, and I can’t get her to take my calls. I have a feeling she’s done with me.”

I sigh and turn back to him.

“So now, I need to know how I’m supposed to get her out of my system and move on.”

“Well, you know what they say about getting a woman out of your head, son. Put another one in your bed.”

My eyes narrow as anger shoots through me.

“I’m not interested in f*cking someone else. I can’t hop from the bed of the woman I’m in love with to someone else’s. Maybe you can tell me how to do that, Dad.”

Steven doesn’t even flinch. “I deserve that.” He nods slowly for a moment.

“Yes, you do.”


“I think it’s very telling that you’re not interested in other women, Dom. Maybe it’s not as over as you think it is. Seems a shame to give up on something you worked so hard to have in your life.”