ELLIE
Reading the message only made me angrier. What was he thinking? That he could blatantly flirt with that woman and then act like nothing had happened? I put my phone back in my bag, determined to ignore him.
A minute later, the phone rang again, and I opened the new message.
*“There must be a bathroom around here somewhere.”*
Bastard. The message made me want to throw my phone at his face. Clenching my teeth and taking a deep breath, I turned off the phone.
Fuck you, Morgan! I’m not playing your game.
The food was so delicious, and the Chardonnay Bennett had picked was divine. My energy was renewed, and I felt eager for our next stop. I planned to drink an absurd amount of wine; maybe that would make me forget Ethan for at least a few hours.
We were warmly welcomed at the next winery, which was a family-owned property, and indeed, the farm-like environment felt very familiar. Our guided tour was definitely amazing.
The visit, which lasted the whole afternoon, allowed us to stroll through the vineyards, taste an unparalleled selection of red and white wines offered by a sommelier, and also visit the underground cellars where the wines were stored in barrels, all while hearing about the local history and wine production.
It was already night when we finally finished the tour and headed to the on-site restaurant. An hour later, we had eaten dinner and consumed nearly an absurd amount of wine. I definitely felt a bit drunk. Heavy rain was falling outside, and it didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon, which left us practically trapped at the venue.
Will was recounting some story from university days when I decided to check my phone to see the time. It was just past seven. A notification sounded a second after my phone found some signal.
I was surprised there was any signal at the venue. I unlocked the screen, trying to focus my vision as I opened the message. It had been sent by Ethan a few hours earlier.
*“Did something annoy you?”*
The idiot was trying to provoke me, even though he knew exactly what he had done. Unfortunately, I had drunk too much to ignore him. So I typed in all caps.
*“FUCK YOU, MR. MORGAN!”*
Minutes later, my phone buzzed with a reply.
*“Finally, we’re on the same page. Want to do this for me?”*
*“How about asking your French friend?”*
I typed the words with so much anger that I only realized the mistake I’d made after sending the message. Shit. He wasn’t my damn boyfriend. The next message arrived moments later.
“*Jealous, Brown? I said I had no right to be upset about it. Now you know how it feels.”*
My anger turned into an almost suffocating sensation, and suddenly the space felt tiny, and I thought I might cry.
I got up, heading toward the door; I needed to breathe.
“Ellie, where are you going?” Anna asked from behind me as I passed through the door.
The heavy rain hit me as I stepped outside, and the noise almost managed to calm the confusion in my head. Then I heard him behind me.
“Ellie?”
Why the hell was he following me? I quickened my pace.
“What are you doing?” I heard him shout behind me, but I didn’t stop.
I was so angry I could barely see the ground beneath my feet. I shouldn’t feel anything for him, but I couldn’t help it. Somehow, my idiot brain was starting to feel some affection for him, even though I tried to hate him.
It seemed harder to hate him after discovering he was just a traumatized guy. Maybe that had given me some stupid hope. Hell. I shouldn’t have any hope.
“Where are you going?” He grabbed my arm, catching up with me and forcing me to turn and face him.
My breath was ragged as I realized where we were. I was so disoriented that somehow I had left the property and walked into the vineyard.
Standing between the rows of vines, I realized we were almost completely soaked. His hair was falling into his forehead.
“Why are you following me, damn it?” I shouted over the rain.
“Why are you running around in the rain like a lunatic?”
“Leave me alone!” I growled, pushing his chest and making him slip.
He lost his balance and fell, pulling me down with him. I felt the impact, and a second later, I felt the mud hitting the side of my body.
Damn it! Now we were soaked and covered in mud.
In a quick move, he covered my body with his, protecting me from the rain.