You're Still the One (3 page)

“What do you mean by that?” Bex asked as the elevator door opened. She stepped into the hallway, and Tori followed her. “I hope you aren't planning to run interference between me and Hayden—we don't need that.”

Alex had tried doing that when she and Hayden first started having problems after living together a few months. They'd argued about where to live—she'd wanted to leave Ribbon Ridge and have some adventures before they settled down, and he'd said he couldn't. With all of his siblings gone, he'd felt it was his responsibility to work for the family business and also support his brother, who'd been chronically ill.

“I know you don't. I didn't mean it like that.” Tori blew out a breath just as Sara came out of a door across the hall.

“Hey, what's up?” she asked, a sunny smile brightening her face.

“Hayden's home, and he ran into Bex downstairs,” Tori said darkly.

Sara's smile died. “Oh crap.” She looked over at Bex. “What did he say?”

“Not much,” Bex said. “Listen, I don't want to make a thing out of this. I just wish you'd told him.” She'd known it would be awkward. But this had been a level of discomfort she hadn't anticipated.

“We should have.” Tori looked at her sister. “We really screwed this up.”

Sara nodded and turned back to Bex. “We all talked about it and thought it would be best to tell him when he got home. We had no idea he'd show up unannounced. Totally our bad. We'll fix it.”

There was that damned word again.

Once more she thought about their responses and how they'd planned to wait until he'd come home to tell him, like it was really bad or at least earth-shattering news. “Do you think Hayden is going to have a problem with my working here? I thought you all said it would be fine, but now it seems like you were worried about his reaction.”

Tori seemed to pick her words somewhat hesitantly. “I think he'll be fine. We don't know too much about your breakup, but you said you were good, right?”

Yes, she'd said that, but seeing him again, she didn't really know. She'd have to find out. It would suck to have to back out of this job, but if it would be best for Hayden, she'd do it. “Look, let's not make this into more than it is. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and we weren't expecting to run into each other this morning. I mean, look at me. I didn't realize the guys would be downstairs at all.” Or she would've put a bra on. At least she'd brushed her teeth.

Tori snorted. “They shouldn't be given how late they were up. Sean was drunk-texting me at four this morning.”

Bex couldn't suppress a smile. Sean was Tori's husband.

“But Hayden's in a completely different time zone,” Sara said. She gave her sister a sheepish look. “How pissed is he going to be at us?”

Tori exhaled. “Let's go find out. Bex, again, we're so sorry.” She pushed the down button, and the elevator immediately opened.

As the Archer sisters disappeared behind the doors, Bex turned and made her way back to her room. How she hated family drama. No,
hate
wasn't the right word. Back when she'd been with Hayden, she just hadn't known how to handle it. The entire concept of family and relationships had been completely foreign. She'd done her best, but ultimately had pulled away from it as much as possible. She'd started skipping the family dinners and other events. It was just so much easier to be alone.

And she'd absolutely perfected that.

H
AYDEN STOOD STARING
into the massive fireplace that dominated the center of the wall in the sitting area off the lobby of The Alex. A few members of Kyle's staff had set up chafing dishes and asked if Hayden was ready to eat, but he was fine with just coffee. Which he probably shouldn't be drinking since he hadn't slept. But hell, his internal clock said it was cocktail hour, not breakfast time.

Tired and turned around as he was, he hadn't been hallucinating last night after all. He
had
seen Bex.

She looked as beautiful as he remembered, even without makeup this morning and her dark hair scooped into a messy ponytail. No, she was even more stunning. Her pale jade green eyes were the same, but her legs seemed somehow longer, shapelier, her curves more pronounced. But he could just blame the fact that she'd been wearing summer pajamas, which hadn't left much to his imagination. And given their three-year relationship, he had plenty of
memories
, which were a step better than imagination anyway.

Damn, he'd hoped to be immune to her.

He didn't want to go back to missing her, to feeling like there was a hole in his heart. That hole had finally healed, and he wasn't going to let his body's reaction to his former lover open any old wounds.

But he sure as hell wished he'd been prepared for it.

“Hayden?”

He turned at the sound of his sister's voice and saw that Tori wasn't alone—Sara was beside her. They wore matching expressions of contrition. Good.

Sara launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you so much.”

He hugged her back. “I missed you, too.”

She stepped aside and let Tori have her turn. “Wow, how much do grapes weigh?” Tori grinned as she looked up at him. “You've put on some serious muscle.”

“It's a lot of grunt work.” And it had felt good after years toiling behind a desk.

He thought about whether to ask about Bex now or save it for later when his brothers were around. But the decision was made for him when Liam and Kyle walked in. Okay, it wasn't everyone, but it was close enough. Evan would hate the confrontation anyway.

Ultimately, Hayden didn't have to say anything.

“Hay, can we talk to you for a second?” Liam asked, running his hand through his dark hair, which was standing completely on end. In fact, both he and Kyle looked as though they'd just rolled out of bed. Literally.

Hayden casually sipped his coffee, but on the inside his emotions had begun to seethe. The shock he'd felt at seeing Bex and hearing about her job had transitioned to anger and hurt.

He gestured toward his sisters. “Let me guess, you two ran into Bex. Then you texted these two”—he pointed toward his brothers—“to meet you down here. That sound about right?”

“Nailed it,” Kyle said. His blond hair was just as tousled as Liam's. More so, since it was a bit longer. “Look, we're really sorry we didn't tell you. We'd planned to when you got home. You know, on
Tuesday
.”

Hayden's anger got the better of him. “I'm terribly sorry my surprise fucked up your plans. Guess that'll teach me to try to be the fun one.” He sent a pointed look at Kyle since he seemed to have the market on fun. But that's how it was in their family. Everyone had a place, a role, an identity. And forget trying to break out of that.

“We deserve that,” Tori said softly. “And you
are
the fun one. So much more fun than these losers.” She rolled her eyes at Liam and Kyle.

Hayden appreciated her saying that, but knew it wasn't true. Kyle was the life of every party. And while Liam wasn't fun, he was exciting, what with his daredevil adventures and playboy attitude.

Meanwhile, Hayden was dependable. Friendly. Boring.

Geez, he was seriously jet-lagged. He shook his head and worked to gain control of his emotions. But it was hard. As the unplanned seventh kid with sextuplet siblings who'd had their own freaking reality show, he'd always felt like the odd kid out.

Liam threw an irritated glance at their brother. “Kyle didn't mean to say it like that. He meant we wanted to tell you in person. We thought we owed it to you.”

Hayden wasn't buying it. “I'd think you'd owe it to me to talk to me before you actually hired her. Tell me, Liam, how would you feel if we'd hired Whitney Parker?”

She was the woman Liam had hooked up with for a while and who had tried to extort him for sex a few months ago when her father had filed an appeal against their zoning change for the hotel. She'd offered to make the legal battle go away if Liam would sleep with her.

“You can't compare her to Bex,” Liam said, frowning. “Please, for the love of God, don't compare her to Bex. We
like
Bex. We always have.”

That was great, but Bex hadn't dumped them. If she had, maybe then they wouldn't like her. Hayden hadn't, but at the same time, he hadn't been able to stop loving her either. Not until Alex's death had given him the wake-up call he'd needed to finally put his life in motion.

He didn't want to be bothered by Bex working here. But was his anger about her, or was it about his siblings leaving him out of a decision and once again making him feel like the odd one out? He realized he didn't want to address either one. It was too damn much effort.

“You know what? It doesn't matter. I'm not here for the day-to-day anymore, so what you decide to do hiring-wise isn't my business.”

“Of course it is,” Sara said, her blue eyes crinkled at the edges with concern, making her look so much like their mother. “You still own your equal part. We should've consulted you.”

She wasn't really helping their cause, but he wouldn't put it past the others to have talked her out of contacting him about this before hiring Bex.

“If you have a problem with her working here, just say the word,” Kyle said. “We completely screwed the pooch here, and we'll make it right, bro.”

By rescinding their job offer? Whatever history he and Bex shared, she didn't deserve that. Even if it was surprising that she'd accepted it in the first place—she'd been eager to leave Ribbon Ridge five years ago and had done so in a hurry. “Did she apply for the job or did you guys ask her?” The answer mattered to Hayden, and it shouldn't have.

Liam answered. “We contacted her at Dad's behest. He's ready to lighten his load, especially with Archer splitting into separate entities.”

Liam was taking over the real estate arm and wrapping it into his Lion Properties, which he'd started in Denver with great success. His company would now be headquartered here, where he planned to live with Aubrey. The brewery side was going to be overseen by Derek, and they were expanding the operation from their chain of ten brewpubs to bottling, something Dad had been resistant to in the past.

“Dad wanted her?” It wasn't the answer Hayden had expected, but it was probably the most palatable. And he shouldn't be surprised. Bex had interned with Dad after college, and he would've offered her a permanent job if there'd been anything open at the time.

“Adamantly,” Kyle said. “This is a good step for him. With everything he's gone through the past year and a half, we've been hoping he'll at least semiretire. If we don't keep Bex, we'll have to find someone else he approves of.”

In other words, they needed Bex. And just like that, Hayden did what he always had: He rolled over and let his family rule. “It'll be fine. You offered her the job, she's here, Dad wants her, it's all good.” Good? She'd be living here in Ribbon Ridge, working with his family, a constant reminder of the haze Hayden had lived in for four years as he'd struggled to get over her. The job in France was looking more attractive by the minute.

Oh fuck it anyway. They didn't need him here. They were running things fine without him, and back in Burgundy he
was
needed.

“I wasn't going to mention this until later, but it might relieve you to know that I won't be here, so it doesn't really matter that Bex will be working here.”

“What do you mean?” Sara asked.

“I've been offered the assistant winemaker position, and I'm going to take it.” He hadn't decided until that moment, but yeah, it seemed the right choice. For someone who once thought he'd never leave Ribbon Ridge, he now wondered what it would take to lure him back.

Kyle shook his head. “Wow, that's crazy.” He smiled and reached over to clap Hayden on the bicep. “Congrats, that's awesome. I'm so proud of you.”

“Thanks, but keep it quiet for now. I haven't talked to Mom and Dad yet. I'm heading over there now.”

Tori flinched. “Uh, just so you know, Bex will be staying in the garage apartment for a few weeks until she finds a place. The rental market is pretty tight around here just now.”

Hayden had been well aware of the real estate market in Ribbon Ridge before he'd left, and it didn't sound much different now. Real estate was a good portion of their family business—the one
he'd
actually worked for while they'd all been scattered to the four winds. He swallowed a snarky comeback and blamed his jet lag again. He needed some air.

“Thanks for letting me know.” He tried not to sound sarcastic, but acknowledged he hadn't been completely successful.

Tori came toward him and touched his wrist briefly. “Hayden, I am so sorry. You have every right to be angry. I guess we were busy getting everything ready after the zoning was finally cleared. We were in a rush to fill all the positions, and we made a bad decision.”

Hayden wanted to shrug it off and be okay with it. And eventually he would. But right now he needed to get out of here. “Thanks, Tori. Really, I'll be fine. You guys look like you need to go back to bed.” He summoned a smile and shook his head at his brothers, who had to be nursing brutal hangovers. Given that, he appreciated how quickly they'd come downstairs. At least pissing off Hayden was a fire they wanted to put out. Wouldn't it be worse if they didn't give a damn?

“Good call,” Kyle said. “See you later, sisters.” He clapped Hayden's arm again, this time letting his palm linger a second. “Later, bro.”

He headed out, and Liam nodded toward Hayden. “You always were a good sport. About everything.”

Yep, that was Hayden. And he could live with that. Especially since it would be for only a few short weeks. Then he'd be on his way back to France.

A
FTER RETURNING TO
her room to put on real clothes, Bex enjoyed a fun, if slightly nerve-racking, breakfast with the women from the bachelorette party and the men from the bachelor party—at least those who were able to rouse themselves. Now she was on her way to the Archers' house, which she'd call home for a few weeks. It was also where Hayden was staying, and, as Sara had informed her, he was apparently already there.

As she drove up the long driveway toward the house, butterflies flitted in her belly, and anxiety nested in her spine. She hadn't been here in so long, and yet it still gave her the sensation of home. She supposed that made sense because she'd lived in the garage apartment one summer in college while working at The Arch and Vine. Then, after college, she'd interned with Rob Archer while working shifts at the pub. She'd stayed in the apartment again until Hayden had bought a house after about six months. They'd moved in together, which had sparked all sorts of excitement as his family believed an engagement was forthcoming. And she supposed it would have if things hadn't gone completely and horribly off the rails.

Was it any wonder she was nervous as hell to be back here?

She clutched the wheel as she drove into the turnaround in front of the house. The waterfall fountain in the center was on, and if her window was down she'd be able to hear the gentle sound of the water and smell the pine trees dotting the land. The Archers had two hundred or so acres, including an old homestead built by the founders of Ribbon Ridge. Or their kids. Something like that. The area was rich with Archer family history.

She drove through the porte cochere and parked outside the garage apartment, on a patch of pavement between the garage and the main house. She grabbed her purse and stepped out of the truck, closing the door.

Bex pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and stared at the back door that led to the mudroom. Presumably Emily Archer was just inside—in the kitchen probably. Bex's anxiety kicked up a notch. She and the Archer matriarch had been close once, but Bex dumping her son had pretty much severed their relationship. Bex had fled Ribbon Ridge and hadn't looked back, aside from keeping in moderate touch with Tori and Sara.

She shook the thoughts away from her brain. Revisiting that painful time just as she was about to step inside the Archer stronghold was
not
what she needed to be doing.

Taking a deep breath, she started toward the house. Back in the day, she would've let herself in, but that had been a long time ago. Instead, she knocked.

A moment later Emily opened the door. Petite and blonde, with bright blue eyes and the warmest smile Bex had ever known, she was everything Bex's mother had never been—present.

Seeing Emily again stirred feelings of longing and love, and the tension that she couldn't seem to shake since running into Hayden that morning.

“Bex!” Emily held her arms out and embraced her.

Bex held her tight for a long moment. “It's so good to see you.”

Emily patted her back. “You too, dear. Come in!” She glanced at her purse. “Is that all you brought?”

“Oh no, I have more in the car.” She had a small load of clothing and toiletries and would bring another when she returned on Monday after cleaning out her apartment in Eugene. The rest of her belongings—furniture and household goods—were going into storage pods until she found a place to live. “I'll take them up to the apartment in a bit.”