Page 17 of Blush Crush

“Well,” I say, stepping back and forcing a smile. “I’ll have a bottle sent out on the house.”

They say their thank-yous as I scurry away. I force myself to swallow, fighting the tightness in my throat as pressure builds behind my eyes. It’s embarrassing how much this is affecting me. I don’t even know him. This was just some imaginary trick my brain played on me. He was only being nice, not actually interested in me.

It’s only a silly little crush. It’s not as if I thought he was some sort of prince charming.

And maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it really is just a congratulatory drink between a teacher and his former student, but that’s beside the point.

Just once—just once in my life—I wanted to be the girl. I wanted a meet-cute story. I wanted the unyielding attention of a man who only had eyes for me.

Now I see that maybe that’s the true fairy tale: to wish and hope and want for things that only ever seem to happen to other people, never to me.

Wes is only the most recent in a long line of boys and men who have never desired me. Never wanted me. Never even noticed me.

You’d think I would be used to it by now.

Being invisible.

CHAPTER 5

Cole

MY CORRUPT ASS

I’m behind enemy lines.

Well, not really, but I might as well be. I’m at Ledger Winery, and if I’m being honest, being here is a touch uncomfortable.

I grew up with my dad’s voice in my ear, constantly griping about this place. Now it’s practically Pavlovian—one step past those massive double doors made from Ledger wine barrels and my stomach is already in knots.

But Ethan told me to meet him here. Part of me thinks he gets some sick joy out of making a Benton willingly enter Ledger territory. He’s an ass like that, but he’s also, weirdly, one of my closest friends. Not that I have many friends to begin with.

We had a bit of a rough patch when he moved back to town and I unintentionally hit on Marisa, the girl he had his sights set on. Nothing happened between us, but once I caught on, I might’ve messed with him a little.

He’s over it now. Mostly. I think.

And now they’re a couple, so clearly he won that round.

“You’re the last person I expected to see here.” Marisa laughs as she approaches me from down the hallway.

“Hey.” I smile and pull her in for a brief hug. “I thought for sure he’d tell you I was coming. You know how much he hates seeing us together.” I give her a playful wink as we break apart and she shakes her head at me.

“He said you two were meeting to strategize some golf thing, but he didn’t mention you’d be coming here.”

“Can’t leave you alone for two seconds, can I, baby?” Ethan says from behind me.

Marisa forgets I exist and rushes up to him like she hasn’t seen him in years. He hoists her off the floor for a kiss, but not before aiming a glare at me.

I avert my eyes, chuckling.

I’ve known Ethan my entire life, and I’ve seen him with girlfriends, but I’ve never seen him like this. I’m still not used to it. But maybe if I had a woman who looked at me the way Marisa looks at Ethan, I might be the same way. Very doubtful, though. I’d never entertain the idea of a relationship long enough for a woman to ever see me as something more than temporary.

I’m not relationship material. Kennedy said so herself.

“Hey, man,” Ethan says to me when he’s done devouring Marisa. “You weren’t just hugging my girlfriend, were you?”

Marisa rolls her eyes at him. “Yes, we hugged. Big deal.”

“Yeah, just a friendly hug.” I paint on a shit-eating grin.