Ditched (9 page)
Authors: Amity Hope
Max had never really asked me about Collin before. I figured it was because he was a guy. Asking me about another gu
y just wasn’t the kind of thing guys did. Instead, we talked about everything else: The uselessness of small dogs. Why peanut butter tasted so much better with chocolate. The negative impact global warming could have on grape production. We frequently discussed our odd accounting teacher, Mr. Chanter. He wore his toupee at random. Either wear it, or don’t. Switching it up doesn’t impress anyone.
But never had he really asked me about Collin before.
“I thought we weren’t going to talk about him.” My right hand automatically flew to the opposite wrist, which suddenly felt inexplicably naked.
“I’m making an exception.”
I gritted my teeth for a second and then sighed. “I don’t know. Our moms have been best friends since we were little. We grew up together. Most of our family vacations were together. When we were just kids, they used to tease us, telling us that we’d get married someday. Only, I don’t think they were teasing. I really think they expected us to. I guess we both grew up thinking that we would. I mean, we always got along.” I frowned. “Or at least I thought we did. Then when Collin decided to go into architecture, he got really close to my dad.”
My wo
rds got caught in my throat. Was Lanna right? Had Collin really
ever
been interested in me at all? Or was he just trying to make our families happy? And trying to start off his career in the best way he could? Was I nothing more than an inconvenience he had to tolerate?
I shook my head, telling myself that wasn’t true.
He had loved me. I was sure of it. Maybe not enough, maybe not in the right way. But he had. Maybe he even still did. But apparently that wasn’t enough, either.
Maybe we were both guilty of caving to the pressures we didn’t even realize we were under. Maybe it was sim
ply that we were too young. Maybe we both needed to grow up a little. Maybe if we’d waited longer, things wouldn’t have turned out the way they had.
There I went again, chasing after the “maybes”
. Those “maybes” that I would probably never know the answer to.
Maybe
it all happened for a reason I was never going to understand. I wasn’t sure I could live with that. Then again, maybe I wasn’t going to have a choice. Sometimes, there are things that can’t be explained away, no matter how badly you want them to be.
“Holly.” My name emerged from his mouth sounding like a sigh.
I swiped at my face, realizing I was crying again.
“Sorry,” I sniffled. “It’s not just Collin, or cancelling the wedding. It’s everything. What am I going to do now?”
“You’re going to get on with your life,” he said simply.
“Right,” I said around a sniffle. It was a simple solution for a complex problem.
“
I’m sorry. That was a completely jackass thing to bring up.” He tapped on the brakes and the car began to slow. “I know it’s really none of my business but it just never made sense to me. We have our whole lives ahead of us. I just never saw the point of rushing into something like that. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be. So why rush things along? Why not take your time and enjoy it?” he asked as he pulled over.
I glanced around.
The only things in sight were the never ending fields and a body of water that might be a poor excuse for a lake.
“What are you doing?” I asked. He’d come to a complete stop on the shoulder.
“Hop out, switch me places,” he commanded. “I made you cry. The least I can do is let you drive my car.”
He didn’t give me a chance to protest. Not that I wanted to. I just thought it might be the polite thing to do. He jumped out and I followed, scurrying around to the other side.
“H
op in,” he said as he held the driver’s door open for me.
The look on his face was reminiscent of Mrs. Cooper’s the first time she left her infant alone with me back in my babysitting days.
“You don’t have to,” I finally managed. As far as protests went, it wasn’t very convincing.
He seemed to think it over. He looked at his car and back at me.
“Just,” he took a deep breath, “be careful.”
I spent a few seconds readjusting everything
while I waited for him to get in. I smiled as he grimaced.
“Don’t go over the speed limit,” he instructed as I eased back onto the road.
“Yes sir,” I said. In no time, I realized why he gave me the warning. The car took off way faster than I expected it to. “Nice!” I said in appreciation.
“Yeah, I know,” he muttered.
I reached over, ready to give his knee a reassuring pat. He caught my wrist before I reached him.
“Both hands on the wheel, Holly. Both hands on the wheel.”
He set my hand back down on the wheel, where it apparently belonged.
“Got it.”
“And eyes on the road.”
“Max! I’ve been driving a car longer than you have!”
“By two months!”
“Well, you’re kind of taking all of the fun out of it. I mean, come on.” I motioned to the highway ahead of us. There was
nothing.
And it seemed to go on forever. “Relax.”
He leaned back in his seat. “I’ll relax if you will.”
I smiled over at him, feeling more relaxed already.
I was done with Collin. Done.
Done talking.
Done t
hinking.
D
one dwelling.
Done m
oping.
Done with all of it.
Even though I knew it wasn’t going to be the easy way, it was the only way.
The more distance Max
and I put between us and Chamberlain, the more miles that passed by, the firmer my resolve grew. That wasn’t to say I was
over
Collin. I wasn’t.
But I was
done
with Collin.
Chapter
7
It was our second full day, and therefore our last day, on the road. We’d stayed in another small hotel in Washington
, near the southern border. I’d managed to stay on my side of the bed. I had also managed to completely keep my tears away. I was absurdly proud of myself over that accomplishment. Max, the conversation, the traveling, the scenery…They were the best kind of distraction.
I was so grateful to him for all of it.
Undoubtedly, if I’d stayed behind I’d either be in my bedroom wallowing in my sorrow or I’d be listening to my parents tell me how disappointed they were in me. Looking back, I should’ve cancelled the wedding immediately. I knew that
now
. There was nothing I could do with that revelation except move on.
Now, w
e’d already crossed over into Oregon. Max had decided to make a few stops along the way, to break up the monotony. He’d decided we were making good time and we didn’t need to be in such a rush. We’d actually stopped and eaten somewhere decent for lunch instead of eating in the car. Better yet, Max had stopped at the most incredibly beautiful waterfall.
He was shocked that I’d never seen a waterfall, an ocean sunset or the Pacific in general. I’d also never, in my life
, spent so many days in a car.
It had felt good to get out and stretch our legs. But after we’d seen all there was to see
at Multnomah Falls, we were back on the road again. This time, Max ushered me back to the car with a bit of urgency. I decided he’d taken the time out to see the waterfall on my account and perhaps I’d put us behind schedule.
Once in the car again,
I listened intently as Max told me about the winery. He’d told me a little bit about it over the past half year. We’d probably had this exact same conversation the other night, when I’d been such a mess standing in my backyard. I was too embarrassed to admit I hadn’t been paying attention and he was too nice to point it out. Instead, this time I listened raptly, taking in everything he had to say.
I already knew that the business had belonged to his grandmother,
Villette’s, parents. They purchased it the same year she was born; hence the name, Villette Vineyards. When his grandpa, Charles Campbell, married Villette they eventually took the business over from her parents.
“I just have so much to learn,” he admitted. “It’s all so overwhelming. I mean, there’s the vineyard and I know nothing about growing grapes.
I’ve got a vague understanding of the fermentation process but it’s different depending on the type of wine. I know
nothing
about the business end. Or business in general. So,” he said cheerily, “I guess it’s good that I have the next several to figure it out. I’m going to be the third generation and I don’t want to be the one that messes everything up.”
“You won’t, Max. You’ll be great at this. I know it,” I said. I believed it, too.
Whatever he lacked in current knowledge, I knew he’d make up for with his enthusiasm.
I cocked my head to the side. He was driving with one arm resting against
the window, his sunglasses on. He looked so at ease. Something about him looked just a little bit different.
“You look really happy,” I finally said.
He gave me a sideways glance and the permanent small smile that had been present all day turned into a full grin. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said with a little nod.
“I guess I’m just in a really good place right now,” he admitted. Then he gave me a sheepish look. The smile fell from his face. “Sorry. That’s kind of a thoughtless thing to say. I mean, under the circumstances.”
I cut him off before he could say anymore. “No. It’s not. I’m really happy for you.
I think this move is going to be good for you. Just talking about the family business, it makes you look really happy.”
“It’s funny,” Max said, “but growing up, I never thought twic
e about it. Hell, until last winter I never thought twice about it. But when I was there visiting, Grandpa took me out to the vineyard and he got to talking and I got to thinking and,” he glanced at me, “I thought maybe it would be a good idea.” I knew Max had been struggling, trying to decide what to major in. He’d taken a full load of general classes while he tried to decide. “I started to feel attached the place,” he explained. “Since it
is
the family business and my grandparents want to keep it in the family…” He shrugged. “Lucky for me, at this point, my dad couldn’t care less and none of my aunts are interested, so it works out well for all of us.”
“Tell me about the winery,” I requested.
Max gave me a sheepish look. “Well, I don’t know nearly as much as I should
.” He repeated what I already knew. He was planning to learn the ropes, so to speak, over the summer. He’d come to an agreement with his grandparents. He would start out working in the gift shop and move on from there. Someday, after he’d finished his degree, he would take over the winery and its vineyard. But first things first and his grandpa wanted him to learn the business from the bottom up. So this summer he was starting an unofficial internship of sorts.
This fall, he’d be attending their local university and hopefully, if all went as planned, he’d be ready to take over once he
graduated.
“Right now, both of them are
supposed
to be retired. They probably should’ve sold everything years ago but they just can’t seem to let go of the place. They have someone managing it now. But as far as I know, they’re both there every single day so they’re not really retired at all,” he said with a smile.
“Are you sure they’re going to be okay with this?” I asked. “I mean with me?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Do they know I’m coming? I mean, it is their house we’re staying at, right?”
“I called them the other night after I carried your luggage out. I talked to my grandma. She was fine with it. I think they’re just happy to have someone there. They bought the place thinking more family would visit. My dad has three sisters but they’re all so busy and scattered all over the country. My grandparents thought if they had a nice place to stay it would help, you know? But no one ever comes. The last few years they’ve been thinking about selling it. But now, they’ve decided to keep it. Letting me live there was part of the deal. So the place is mine. For now. And yours too,” he said with a grin.
