All I See Is You

40. Girl Who Drank Wine

Chapter forty

Girl Who Drank Wine

Quinn

S o, as it turned out, I was wrong about my dad partying it up in the Caribbean… But when Hux and I ventured up to the main house Sunday morning, we found him packing his things to head off to the Bahamas instead.

Hux and I had stayed at his parents house late the night before, figuring out details for the event next weekend, as well as logistics for Hux’s dream for the ranch.

Not gonna lie, I was a tiny bit disappointed when Hux hadn’t even gotten halfway through his proposal and Dad said, his words a bit rushed, albeit a bit hopeful, “You want the ranch? It’s yours.”

Hux and I had worked so hard on the proposal, and I was more than prepared to have to fight my dad on this to convince him, so his quick acceptance was a bit—okay, a lot—of a let down.

But in the end, we got what we wanted.

My dad had mentioned he’d work with his loan company, work up a fair deal, and get it to Hux asap. Perks of being a realtor, I guess. He also said he’d help make some calls to get the ball rolling on any of the permits and licenses and other things we might need to turn this ranch into a therapy center.

The rest of the week was chaotic and hectic, but really productive, thanks to Hux and his family. But even as Saturday morning rolled around, my nerves wouldn’t settle. Not completely unheard of. I always got a bit nervous on the day of an event.

But this was different. This was my first event. If anything went wrong there was no one to take the blame but me. Anything forgotten: my problem.

“Okay, the florist should be here within the next half hour,” I said, walking into the living room of my guesthouse. Whit, Walker, and Dotty were already there, chatting quietly amongst themselves. “Caterers are coming around 4. The party rental company is getting the pool planked, while Hux and the guys set up chairs and tables. Oh, the DJ should be here around 3:30 to set up, and the mechanical bull and 360 camera thingy should be here sometime this afternoon as well.” I blew out a breath. “What am I missing?”

Whit stood from her spot on the couch and came over to me. “Nothing, Quinn. You got this, girlie. You just need to sit back, have a mimosa, or, like, five, let the hair and makeup artist doll you up in a bit, and just relax!”

So why wouldn’t the knots in my stomach lessen? I was missing something. I had to be. If it wasn’t any of the things I’d already mentioned, then what was—

“Oh my God, it’s my dress. I need to pick it up at the drycleaners.” The realization was like a weight off my chest. Thank God .

Whit waved it off like it was no big deal. Which, in the grand scheme of things, I guess it wasn’t. “Eh, that’s no problem. One of us can go get it really quick, or if you want to go catch a break for a moment, we can hold down the fort while you’re gone. Actually—” She strode forward and pressed warm, reassuring hands to my shoulders. “You go get yourself a coffee, take a breather, and get your stuff. We can manage.”

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

Dotty's words of reassurance settled whatever dwindling remnants of anxiety I had left. “Quinn, sweetie, go take a moment for yourself. You’ve done an amazing job. Between the three of us, we’ll keep these boys in line.”

“Okay, okay. Does anyone want anything from the coffee shop?”

I’d just put the orders into my phone when I got a call that made my stomach drop and twist, forming tight knots once more. By the time I hung up, my heart fluttered like hummingbird wings in my chest.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at everyone’s expectant gazes. “So, that was Isidro. His mom’s in the hospital and he’s no longer going to be able to work the bar tonight.”

“What about one of the hands?” Walker asked.

“We’ve already got them tasked out doing things.” I began pacing once more, willing my mind to think of another angle. This wasn’t anything more than a setback. I can make it work . “Okay, I’m gonna go into town, grab my dress, the coffees, and see if I can find any servers who want to make some extra cash. Tell Hux I’ll be back.”

I checked my phone for the time as I grabbed my car keys. 12:30 PM. Okay, I could make this work. I got this. I got this. It’s all going to be okay.

I hoped.

I picked up my dress without a problem, but trying to find someone to bartend seemed to be an impossible task. Everyone either was under twenty-one or way too old. I’d honestly resigned myself to just working behind the bar myself by the time I gave up my search and headed to get coffees—I’d worked as a server for a bit, and while I wasn’t great, I could make it work if needed.

I sat at one of the tables in Sunshine's by the little pick up counter, waiting for my order, and shot off a text to Whit about how I hadn’t found anyone and was heading back. The bell above the door dinged, announcing a customer, but I didn’t look up, too distracted on how the hell I was going to pull off serving alcohol all night to about a hundred or so guests. I didn’t know how to make any specialty drinks other than a gin and tonic or a jack and coke.

God, I was so fucked.

Jimmy, the old man who owned the little coffee shop with his wife, greeted the newcomer before telling her he’d be right with her.

“You guys wouldn’t happen to be hiring, would you?”

I glanced up at the owner of the smoky, feminine voice and stopped dead in my tracks.

Holy God, she was gorgeous. Not in, like, a classically pretty way, but more of a sucker punch to the throat kind of way. She had a predatory grace in the way she moved, reminding me of a panther.

Long, midnight colored hair with a single chuck of icy blonde that gave off the illusion of a split dye fell in thick waves down to her full, hourglass shaped hips. She had the most gorgeous deep, coppery tan that made her look like her skin glowed against her dark clothes. Her right arm was covered from shoulder to fingertips in gorgeous grey and black ink. I couldn’t tell what from the distance, but I think I saw some feathers and flowers mixed in there.

“We aren’t currently, miss. There might be a couple places in town, though. What all can you do? Maybe I can point you in the right direction.”

I tried to be discreet as I watched the conversation unfold. Mostly because I was just being nosey at this point, but also because, well, she was just so damn striking.

She shrugged, tossing her hair back off her shoulder. “I can do basically anything. I can serve, I can cook. Clean. I’ve worked on cars, worked in customer service. I can make deliveries. Basically, whatever you need done, I can do it.”

Jimmy’s gaze flicked up and down her, as if measuring her up. He nodded. “The Hitching Post doesn’t open up until 3 PM, but you might find somethin’ there.”

“Thanks, sir,” she replied, flashing him a grin before her gaze fell to the glass display full of pastries. “Are those chocolate croissants?”

He nodded. “The missus makes them fresh daily.”

I could hear her little hum of approval all the way from the other side of the room. “I’ll take one please—actually, make it two.”

Jimmy nodded once more with a chuckle as he placed my order of drinks on the pickup counter. “Here you go, miss Quinn. Have a nice day.”

“Thanks Jimmy, you too.”

I grabbed my things and looked at the girl once more. She was probably around my age, if not a couple years older. Definitely old enough to serve alcohol. And she clearly needed a job if she was asking around town.

“Would bartending happen to be on that list?” I asked.

Her gaze settled on me and I finally got a full view of her. She had light eyes, but there was something odd about them. The more I looked, the more apparent it became. Her eyes were two different colors. The right was an icy blue, so light it looked more silver than anything, while the left was more of a golden hazel color. It was a striking combination.

Her mismatched gaze turned assessing as she took me in from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I shivered. “Who wants to know?” she asked, her words oozing with a confident, almost playful edge. Her full, pouty lips seemed to tug upward of their own accord, as if stuck in a permanent smirk.

“Oh, um, hi. That was really rude of me,” I replied, stumbling over myself. “I’m Quinn Decker. I have an event tonight, and my bartender called out. I’ll pay you, and whatever tips you make are yours.”

She pursed her lips a moment, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

“It’s a big event,” I added, “ there’s gonna be at least a hundred people there. You’ll make good money. And if you need a place to stay, I have room on the ranch.”

Her eyes twinkled as a smile formed on her lips. “I’ll follow you on my bike. My name’s Ollie. Ollie Ravenwood.”

B y the time we got back to the ranch, it was nearly 2 PM. All things considered, it hadn’t set me back much. At least I still had enough time to introduce Ollie to everyone, get myself ready, and be there to oversee all of the last minute preparations. I found Whit, Dotty, and Walker with the ranch hands and Hux, helping put tablecloths on all the tables and setting up some of the decorations.

“Hey, guys!” I called, trying to get everyone’s attention. “Can you come over here for a second?”

Whit was the first over, her dark gaze fixed on Ollie with interest. Dylan, Wyatt, and Brooks looked like they were about to start salivating at the mouth over her. As obnoxious as it was, I couldn’t really blame them. She really was something to look at. But Walker’s reaction to her was probably the most honest and wholesome of all.

“Holy shit, you’re like…scary pretty,” she said, coming up to stand beside Whit.

Her mother tsked her, chastising her under her breath. “Walker Rose, don’t be rude.”

“What? It’s not rude. It’s true.”

If Ollie was annoyed from all of the attention she was getting, she didn’t show it. A smoky laugh fell from her lips as she placed a hand on her hip and asked, “Do you mean it’s scary how pretty I am, or that I’m pretty in a scary way.”

Walker’s head tilted to the side for just a second before she shrugged. “Both, I guess.”

Ollie laughed again. “I’ll take it as a compliment either way.”

“You guys,” I said, getting everyone’s attention. “This is Ollie. She’s here to save our asses tonight.”

If I had any reservations about Ollie settling in with the group and having any problems, they dwindled away with each passing moment. She had the ranch hands all but eating out of her palms, and had a get-the-job-done attitude that I seriously appreciated. Between her and Dotty, I didn’t know which one was more bossy. But they were so effective that within an hour we were ahead of schedule. Enough so, that I felt comfortable enough to go inside and have my hair and makeup done.

M y heart fluttered as I walked through the backyard, getting my first look at everything finally finished. This was always my favorite moment of an event. The few quiet minutes before all the guests came in, where I got to simply soak up all of the magic I’d helped create.

The flower arch and arrangements had turned out beautiful—a mixture of blushes and rusty reds, with pops of mustard yellow and burnt orange here and there. All of the details—subtle rustic nods with the whiskey barrels, the western stitching on the napkins, the rope accents and wrought-iron touches—couldn’t have come together more beautifully. Georgette had been an evil bitch, but at least something good came out of her wedding.

“You out here, darlin’?”

I shivered at the sound of Hux’s deep, silky voice, and turned to take him in.

Holy God, he looked good. The cream colored suit jacket against the soft, sage green of his long sleeve shirt was the perfect combination to go with the light wash of his Wranglers. His hair was slicked back underneath a straw hat.

“I am,” I said, making my way over to him.

Some of my pre-event nerves eased as I placed a hand on his chest and melted into his touch. I think I had the same effect on him as he had on me. He inhaled deeply, some of the lines of his face softening. “You smell nice,” he said, pulling me tighter against his chest.

Pushing up on tiptoe, I smiled and kissed him. “So do you. And you look great. I like this color combo on you.”

His head cocked to the side and he stilled beneath my touch. “What color is it?”

“Your jacket is cream-colored and the shirt is a light sage.”

He huffed a soft laugh. “I thought I was wearing black.”

It was probably rude of me, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “Hux, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in black other than the first time I met you. And even then, I’m pretty positive it was like a navy color.”

He shook his head, pulling his hat off to spear a hand through his hair before righting it once more. “Mama had one job…”

“What do you mean?” I asked, running a hand over his heart.

“Since the accident, Mama gets my clothes for me. I told her to just get me black so I wouldn’t have to worry about not realizing if I’m matching or not.” He chuckled.

I pushed up on tiptoe once more and kissed him. “Well, your mom has impeccable taste. I have been so impressed with the outfit choices you always make.”

One of his arms wrapped around me as he kissed me back, while the other slid down the soft satin of my dress, sparking little embers of desire to life along my flesh. “And what are you wearin’ tonight, darlin’?” he murmured, his hand drifting down to cup the curve of my ass.

God, he was being a tease tonight. I found myself leaning further into the embrace.

“My dress is like a dark blueish-green. Kinda like my eyes, if I’m being honest. It has a really low back and the straps form this, like, crisscrossed, braided pattern.”

His calloused hands slid up, up, up before scraping against the skin of my back. “Mmm, sounds nice.”

I laughed. “That’s only part of it. The way the front fits…well, it makes my tits look really nice.”

The deep rumble of laughter that erupted from his chest had me melting under his touch. “Is that so?” he asked, even as his hands slid up my waist, creeping up toward my breasts.

“Behave,” I warned, even though the words came out a bit breathless.

He captured my mouth in his, kissing me so deeply that for a moment I forgot where we were or what we were doing. Nothing mattered, nothing existed, except him and I.

It was a preview. A promise of what was to come.

Hux broke the kiss first, though he kept his arms caged around me—thank God. My legs had officially turned to jello. “Behavin’ is the last thing I wanna do with you right now, Quinn.”

I bit back a grin, trying to force air into my lungs while willing my heart to stop hammering in my chest. The way he affected me, so quickly and thoroughly with just the simplest touch would never cease to amaze me.

“How would that look, you and I hooking up on one of the tables when all of these people come walking in?” I asked.

He chuckled, brushing his fingers through my hair. “It would make headlines, that’s for sure.” I laughed and he pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Alright, fine. I’ll behave.” Hux grabbed my hand. “Tell me what everything looks like. I wanna have an idea in my head.”

We only had a few moments until people started coming in, so I settled against his side and walked him around, explaining everything to him, all the while savoring the feeling of peace I felt in his arms.