Chapter 1-2
904 Words
Bella Chase sat on the edge of the dock and took a deep breath. The water helped clear her head. She longed to dive in and float around in the dark water, but she could see her breath, and even she wasn’t crazy enough to think swimming in that weather was smart.
She pulled her jacket tighter around her and closed her eyes. It was peaceful there. Quiet. She felt like she could breathe for the first time in far too long. The pain in her chest eased as she sucked in one after another deep breath.
Going home was the right thing to do. Her father was probably worried about her. She almost laughed out loud. Her father. She spent the first twenty-seven years of her life thinking he didn’t exist, and after one conversation, she’d moved in with the man she never knew. Of course, she had nowhere else to go, but she didn’t expect him to open his home to her, or to be so welcoming to her.
Bella laid back on the dock and promised herself she’d go in a minute. It was hard to walk away from the place, even though she knew she didn’t belong.
“Are you okay?” a deep voice came through the quiet, foggy night.
Bella sat up, startled and curious. She was sure she was alone. She turned toward the voice and found a man not far from the end of the dock.
“Are you hurt? Did you fall in the water?”
Bella shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
“Good,” he said. “Then mind telling me why you’re trespassing?”
The harsh edge in his voice sent a shiver down her spine, the kind of shiver she hadn’t felt in far too long. She liked men who took charge, mostly because then she didn’t have to think. She spent her entire life letting everyone else take care of her, and old habits were hard to break.
“I was just enjoying the moonlight. I didn’t realize it would be a problem,” Bella lied. She knew it was a private vineyard, and even though it was open during the day for tastings and meals, she understood that being out there at night wasn’t okay. Neither was wandering around a vineyard. At least, that’s what her father told her.
“This is private property. Unless you’re a guest of the inn, you shouldn’t be down here. Even guests are asked not to wander the vineyard. The vines are delicate.”
“You sound like you know a lot about it,” Bella said, turning on her flirtatious tone. She knew how to make men forget she wasn’t supposed to be doing something. And even though she couldn’t see the man in front of her, she could tell by his voice he was young, maybe close to her age.
“I do,” he said gruffly, crossing his arms over his wide chest. He wore a dark coat and jeans with heavy boots. His hair was short and dark, and he was tall. She wished he’d take another step toward her so she could see his face.
Bella stood, surprised at how far the man towered over her. “I’m Bella. I’m new to town. Maybe you could tell me all about making wine?”
“We have tastings available during the day. Whoever is in the tasting room can answer your questions,” he said. “I think it’s time for you to go. How did you get here?”
Bella shrugged. “I walked.”
“From town? It’s a bit of a hike. Especially this late.”
“Should I be worried? Is it safe?”
The guy nodded. “Yeah, Bereton is a safe town. You don’t have to worry about that. The worst that would happen is getting chased by someone’s dog or walking home with people after a night out. Do you want me to call you a ride? We don’t have Uber around here, but there are locals who will pick you up if you need it.”
Bella shook her head. For some reason, she didn’t want him to know where she lived. “I’ll be fine.”
She walked off the dock and stopped when she was next to him. She looked up at him, and he finally met her gaze. His eyes were too dark to see what color they were, but she could finally make out the rest of his features. A straight, narrow nose, full lips, thick, dark hair, and stubbled jaw. He was gorgeous. And not just because she hadn’t been able to bring herself to sleep with anyone since her mom died, but because he was honest-to-God hot.
“I’m sorry about the trespassing. It won’t happen again.”
The edge of his mouth curled up and he laughed. “I doubt that. You don’t strike me as a rule follower.”
She grinned back at him. “You never know. There’s a first time for everything. Maybe I’ll surprise you.”
He nodded. “Maybe you will.”
Bella started to walk away, then paused. “You never told me your name.”
“Ryan,” he said.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ryan. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”
He chuckled. “Hopefully not at midnight on my property again.”
She grinned and waved, then walked up the path. She stopped at the side of the inn and looked back at the water, but the tree blocked the view of the dock. She wondered if Ryan was still there.
She shook her head. She wasn’t there to meet a guy. She was there to get to know her father.
She took a breath and kept walking, up the driveway and across Highway 89 to her father’s vineyard, Perry Mount Vineyards.
- Writer
