Chapter 17

Seventeen

Aria

U nless you want everyone to know we just fucked in the woods.

I trembled at the words he’d used to describe what happened between us. It had been raw, the most real thing I’d ever experienced. I loved letting go with him, exploring whatever this was. I felt alive for the first time in my life, and I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want reality to come crashing down around us.

Breaking off the kiss, I moved to straddle him.

Finn lifted my skirt so that it didn’t drag on the ground and get dirty. He was always doing small things like that. It made me think he cared for me as more than just a lover.

He tipped his thighs so that I pressed harder against him. I could feel him stirring again beneath his zipper.

He kissed my neck and my chin. “How is it possible that I can want you again so soon?”

“You’re insatiable,” I teased.

“I think it’s because it’s you. I want more time with you. I want to see you naked.”

“Hmm. We haven’t removed much of our clothes, have we?” I asked, wondering where this light-hearted side of me was coming from.

“No,” he said so seriously, regret filling his voice.

I laughed. “You sound like a child who didn’t get the cookie they wanted.”

He pouted. “I feel like that around you.”

“Like I’m a cookie you can’t have?” I asked.

“Exactly like that.” Then he kissed me, and I forgot about everything else.

Eventually, he slowed until they were small chaste kisses. “You should get back.”

My lips had to be swollen, my hair a mess, and I didn’t even want to think about my dress.

Finn stood and set me on my feet. He pushed the hair out of my face and smoothed my skirt. “That’s as good as I can get it.”

He took my hand, and we moved closer to the trail. He turned and touched my cheek, running a thumb over my lower lip. “You look beautiful.”

I felt a pang in my heart at his sincere words. “Thank you.”

“You go first, and I’ll follow to make sure you’re okay.” Then he let go of my hand and swatted my butt.

I didn’t want to go. I wanted to go home with him, but I was still working. Each step took me closer to reality, to my job, and to everyone who would have a problem with us being together.

I understood what Finn was saying: No one else’s opinion should matter. But that was a fantasy. We weren’t living in a bubble, no matter how much I wanted to. I felt him following behind me, and I felt safe and cared for.

He’d just fucked me against a tree, but we’d also connected. Every time we came together, I felt closer to him. I knew him a little better. It was crazy because it should be just sex. It shouldn’t be more. He’d never made any promises except to be honest with me.

I smoothed my hair again and walked into the reception, prepared to work. I put Finn out of my mind.

Later that night, I rode home with Ireland. I felt guilty as she chattered on about the wedding and how great it turned out. Gia hadn’t worked this one, so maybe she trusted us to handle more on our own. But then it had been a vow renewal, not a wedding.

And Ireland was there. It wasn’t like she’d trusted just one of us to take care of it. I kept my opinions to myself because Ireland didn’t need this job like I did. Plus, I felt guilty for fucking her brother and keeping it from her.

Finn said no one else needed to know, but I wasn’t so sure. Was I betraying my friend by keeping it from her? I’d only just moved in with her, and it would be awkward if she found out.

The thought of keeping it a secret weighed on me. I didn’t want to keep it from everyone forever, but it was the best course of action for now. Especially if Ireland reacted badly or if Gia fired us for fraternizing with each other. There were too many variables.

Ireland glanced over at me. “You’ve been quiet tonight.”

“I have a lot on my mind.” I feel guilty for screwing your brother.

“You can talk to me.”

“I know.” But I couldn’t. This was her brother. There was no chance she’d be okay with what we were doing. Not when Finn was known as a player, and I was a romantic.

“Are you seeing someone?” Ireland asked as she glanced over at me.

“What? No. Why would you think that?” Unease spread through my chest.

“I don’t know. You just seem happier, more content.”

“I think it’s living with you. I feel safe.” I could say that honestly because it was true.

Ireland winced. “I hate that you didn’t feel safe where you were living before.”

“I didn’t say that to make you feel guilty or anything. It’s just a fact. I’m sleeping better because your apartment is quieter.” There were no sirens or fights. I wasn’t jerking awake at every strange sound.

“I’m so happy you’re with me now.” She reached over and squeezed my hand, and I felt even guiltier.

“Me too.”

“I worry about Finn. I wonder if he’ll ever find someone or be happy. I can’t say I blame him, given our past, but I want more for him. I want him to see that true love exists. Maybe you can rub off on him.”

I laughed. “I don’t think so. He’s set in his ways. I can’t convince him of anything, not with your parents’ history.”

She laughed as she made a left turn to go downtown. “That’s true. We’re a lost cause.”

“You feel the same as Finn?”

“I’m not as forthcoming about it as he is. I don’t tell everyone I’m dating that I’m not looking for a relationship, because I am. I just don’t believe it’s possible for me, you know?”

I heard the vulnerability in her voice. “Of course, it is. You’re a great person. You’ll find the one who’s meant for you.”

“I turned on my dating apps again. I’m going to put myself out there.” Ireland’s tone was hopeful.

“That’s great.” Although I wasn’t so sure it was. I’d never used those, preferring to meet people in person. It was difficult but not impossible.

“I think so too. I’m going to be open to finding someone.”

“That’s the first step.”

She frowned. “Finn doesn’t like it though.”

“You told him?” I asked, surprised they discussed her dating life.

Ireland shrugged. “We’re close.”

She told him she was ready to start dating again, and he didn’t feel the need to tell her about me. I think he was in denial. They were closer than other brothers and sisters because of the way they were raised. Ireland was going to be hurt to find out we were both lying to her.

The rest of the ride home, I thought about our encounter on the path. How I’d been surprised and then thrilled he’d found me. I was curious to see where he was taking me and what he wanted. I followed him because I wanted to feel the way I had that night at the bar.

Part of the thrill of us being together was being caught in public, but the other part was just letting go. I trusted Finn. He wouldn’t put me in a compromising situation. He’d always protect me.

I wasn’t so sure about his ability to hurt me. I think he was capable of it, and even if he didn’t want to do it, it would be a by-product of us being together. The reason why I was so reluctant to get involved with him was that he had this power over me. He made me lose my mind, and I knew my heart was next.

The next day, all the wedding planners were checking out a new venue, a local Christmas tree farm owned by the Monroe family. More brides were requesting holiday weddings, so Gia thought it would be a good idea to scout some new locations.

As we drove up, there was a wooden sign that read Monroe Tree Farm with a tree etched underneath it. There were rolling hills with rows of trees in different stages of growth. You could see how the sections would be cordoned off, depending on whether they were ready to be cut.

We followed the gravel lane around a pond until we came to the main house and the barn, but there were other buildings on the property too. I wondered if the family lived here and ran it together.

“This place is beautiful,” Ireland said.

I had to agree. I could close my eyes and see the twinkling lights hanging from poles and a bunch of decorated trees by the pastor while he married a couple. “This will be perfect for holiday weddings.”

“I can’t wait to see inside the barn. It’s so cute and rustic,” Ireland said.

We got out and met Gia behind her small convertible. Her tablet was out, and Harper stood next to her.

“The brother I talked to on the phone was reluctant to work with us. He thinks weddings might be an issue during the busiest time of the year,” Gia said with a frown.

“Do we have an appointment this morning?” I asked, assuming we did.

Harper nodded. “With the mother. She seemed excited to give us a tour.”

“But if the son isn’t on board, aren’t we wasting our time?” Ireland said.

“We’ll see,” Gia said as a woman opened the door to the side of the barn and approached us with a smile.

“You must be the wedding planners. I’m so excited you’re here.” The woman clasped her hands together as she met us on the lane.

Gia introduced her to us as Lori Monroe.

“I run the farm, along with my husband and sons. I have a couple of nephews who chip in during the busy season, too.”

“I can’t even imagine what it takes to run a place of this size,” Gia said. She was always interested in other people’s business practices. She hoped to glean tips whenever she could.

“We started out just selling the trees, and then I convinced my husband to let me use the barn to sell holiday crafts, decorations, and hot chocolate. I’d love to have the shop open year-round and see if we can expand the business to more than just trees, but I’m getting some resistance. These things take time. Especially when your husband and sons are stubborn.”

“We are interested to see if this location could work for some of our brides who are looking for a holiday wedding. I have to say, it’s beautiful, but we have some challenges with the weather, and we wouldn’t want to interfere with your main business.”

Harrison’s truck pulled up and parked next to Ireland’s car. When he stepped out, he said, “Sorry, I’m late. I had some trouble getting my daughter to school this morning.”

“Don’t even worry about it. Mrs. Monroe, this is our supply guy, Harrison Cain. He wanted to tag along to see if the property was conducive to putting up tents. We’d need heat for the time of year we’re talking about.”

Mrs. Monroe shook his hand. “The more the merrier. I was going to show you the barn first, and then we’ll walk the property.”

We followed her inside.

“In season, we put our largest tree in the middle of the store and decorate it with the crafts and lights we’re selling. Then we have more ornaments in the baskets under the tree. We place smaller trees around the store, decorating them in a theme. We also have other wares, the larger yard decorations against the wall, and hot chocolate and cookies at the window on the left.”

The place was adorable inside. I could just see the trees lit up, decorated by theme. “I bet it’s lovely during the holiday season.”

“It is, but I’d like to branch out into the other holidays too. But you’re not here for that.”

Gia clutched her tablet to her chest. “It’s possible your property could work for us year-round. We have to see what you have to offer. We do a lot of weddings at Lily’s Rose Farm near Annapolis, but we’re getting inundated with requests for farm weddings, and we can’t accommodate them all.”

“I’m happy to hear that farms are the main attractions for weddings these days.” Mrs. Monroe led us back outside to the pond and showed us the few flat areas that she thought we could use to set up.

Gia asked her questions about parking, bathrooms, and the logistics of holding a wedding during the prime tree-selling season.

“That’s the problem, you see. I need to talk to the guys about this. See if it’s feasible. I’d love to hold weddings on the property. But there’s a lot to consider.”

We were standing outside the main farmhouse in front of the pond when a man approached on one of those small Jeep things that look a little like a golf cart. He’d barely stopped before he was out of the vehicle and stalking toward us.

My first thought was that he was huge. The very definition of a mountain man. His shoulders filled out his shirt, making him seem even more imposing.

“What is this?” he asked Mrs. Monroe by way of greeting.

“This is my son, Emmett.” When he didn’t respond, she said, “Emmett, these ladies are with the wedding planning service I was telling you about, Happily Ever Afters.”

“I told you we don’t want to have weddings on the property.” His jaw was tight, and his shoulders were tense.

She placed a hand on his chest and said firmly, “And I said I was going to look into it.”

His jaw clenched, and I wondered if he was grinding his teeth. I couldn’t help but think that this was a common reaction to anything new. Emmett said no to everything, and his mother brought him around to the idea. I knew Gia was watching their interaction closely. She wouldn’t want to waste her time on something that wasn’t likely to happen.

She dropped her hand and turned to face us. “Let me introduce you.” As she went through the introductions, he crossed his arms, nodding his head at each one of us, not offering to shake our hands.

“I already showed them around the property, and we discussed possible locations, but we still need to discuss the logistics. The weddings would need to take place during the busy season,” Mrs. Monroe said.

“That’s why I said no,” Emmett grumbled.

“We’ll discuss it as a family. One person doesn’t say no for everyone.”

I was fairly positive he growled in response to that, but his mother must have been used to his grouchiness because she didn’t react.

“I’ll have to get back to you on this,” she said, her tone apologetic.

“We think your farm would be the perfect location for holiday weddings. It would also provide advertising for your business. It would be a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“I don’t know how that could be when you’d be taking up space and clogging up parking during our busy season,” Emmett said, his muscles bulging under his shirt.

“That’s what we’d like to talk about. Is there an alternative lot or a path that we could use that would keep us away from your main checkout area? I know you alternate the fields you’re cutting from each year, so it might be something that evolves and changes, but I think it’s something we can work out.” Gia kept her tone professional.

“We’ll need to talk amongst ourselves and see what we can come up with,” Mrs. Monroe said in a pleasant tone of voice as if she was used to covering for her grouchy son.

Gia shook Mrs. Monroe’s hand and said, “Thank you for meeting with us this morning. It was so helpful to see the layout. I love your farm, and I hope that we can work together in the future.”

Emmett glared at us as we walked away.

“That was interesting,” Ireland murmured to me when we reconvened by our cars.

“I’m glad we came. I think it has potential, but the ball’s in their court now,” Gia said to us.

“Did you show them the offer?” I asked her, knowing what she was prepared to pay to rent the property was above and beyond other venues because there was a potential for interruption of their business. She wanted to compensate them for that. The brides knew that this venue would be more expensive during the holidays.

“I did. That’s why Mrs. Monroe wanted to meet with us in person. Let’s head back to the office,” Gia said, getting into her car.

The rest of us followed, and when we were alone in Ireland’s car, I asked, “What did you think of Emmett?”

She whistled. “He was hot and grumpy. Makes you wonder if you can be the one to tame him.”

“He was very grumpy.” Grouchier than Finn when we’d first met.

“I don’t normally go for mountain men, but I could make an exception for him.”

“Maybe it’s time to look outside your usual.”

“I don’t know if I could handle a man like that. You saw how he acted with his mom. I have a feeling he’s always like that.”

“But wouldn’t it be fun to distract him from his troubles? To get him to be passionate and focused on you, instead of all the other things that he’s resisting?”

Ireland chuckled. “He’d be a good time all right, but I’m sure he’s already taken. He’s probably one of those men who has a woman he meets up with when he’s in the mood. He wouldn’t want to take the effort to get to know someone new.”

“Maybe we’ll start working with his family, and you’ll see him at the weddings.”

Ireland shook her head. “That’s probably not going to happen. You saw how he was against the idea. He wouldn’t even consider it.”

“How persuasive do you think his mom is?”

“I think she gets what she wants, but who knows how long that will take?”

“That’s too bad. It’s an amazing location. Brides would love it,” I said, enjoying the other farms as we drove back to town.

“Can you imagine living there? I’d be filled with holiday cheer year-round.” Ireland said it so seriously, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I don’t think Emmett has any holiday cheer.”

“He owns a Christmas tree farm,” Ireland said indignantly, and then we both erupted into giggles.

I couldn’t see him smiling as carolers came to his door, or even decorating a tree for his house. He was a total scrooge.