Page 112 of A Vine Mess
I drained the rest of the marg and set the glass down, scanning the room in search of Liam. I found him talking to his mom, hugging her, and my heart expanded in my chest. I hated for him that his brother and father were such shitty people, but I wasso grateful he’d at least had his mother and grandfather to pick up the slack, to remind him that he was loved no matter what anyone else might say.
I had them to thank for the manIgot to love.
He let his mom go and turned toward the bar, and I couldn’t look away as he walked, forever mesmerized by the way that big body so fluidly ate up space. How he moved with such grace, each movement intentional. Everything about Liam was intentional, from his words to his actions to his clothes, his home, the people he chose to surround himself with.
It would forever be a gift that I was the person he’d chosenforeverwith.
He was maybe ten feet from the end of the line snaking toward the bar when a woman stepped in front of him—Mellie.
They exchanged words before she put a hand on his arm and gestured for him to follow her out of the room.
I saw red with that touch.
I’d never considered myself a possessive woman. Even watching fans throw themselves at Alfie after shows hadn’t done much to raise my blood pressure.
That right there should’ve been a sign I wasn’t as invested in the relationship as I should’ve been.
But everything was different with Liam, and I didn’t appreciatehisex putting her hands on what belonged to me.
“I’m sorry, Bill,” I said, rising from my chair. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.”
“No worries, Ella,” Bill said, patting my hand. “Just bring my grandson back with you.”
I gave his shoulder a squeeze as I moved past him, rushingacross the room in the direction I’d seen them disappear, as quickly as I could on my stilettos. Eventually, I gave up, leaned against a wall to slip them off, then continued on my way.
Beyond the ballroom where the reception was held, hallways bobbed and weaved like a maze with numerous doors leading in all directions. On near-silent feet, I walked slowly, ears straining for any sound to alert me to where they went.
“So, ‘Liam,’ huh?” I heard someone ask faintly.
Coming to another corner, I peeked around it and into the room on the other side, finding Liam and Mellie standing in the middle of it.
Liam had his arms crossed over his chest, really testing the limits of that shirt as it strained against his arms and shoulders, looking entirely unimpressed and unwilling to be standing there.
“I’ve always gone by Liam,” he told her. “You just refused to call me that.”
“Because it sounds so…common.”
“Yet you allow people to call you Mellie.”
She snorted. “Touché. I’m just saying…you’re not common, Liam. You were destined for more than that girl you brought with you and being some vintner at some shitty little place in Michigan. Come home,” she implored him. “Take over this place with me. Let’s begin our dynasty.”
“No.”
I grinned at the absolute certainty in that word.
Mellie remained unperturbed and stepped closer, tiptoeing her finger up Liam’s tie, wrapping all five of them around it just below the knot.
I waited—waited for him to push her away, to step out of herreach.
Instead, I watched in horror as Mellie leaned in and pressed her mouth to his.
All the air left my lungs, and I swore my heart stopped in my chest.
Not again. Not again. Not again.
Tears blurred my vision, and I didn’t wait to see what happened next. I merely turned and ran, groping through my clutch for my phone, dialing my sisters before I was even safely ensconced in my room.
Ourroom.
