On Livvie’s last and final day at Morganthal Winery, she woke up in Drake’s bed, but this time, when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t alone. Drake was still there, lying beside her, fast asleep. She let out a sigh of relief. If she had woken up alone, she would have been devastated. She was grateful he was still sleeping as it gave her a chance to take in her surroundings.

After they had shared amazing sex in the kitchen, Drake had taken her up to his room for more sex. He kept on referring to it as making love, yet Livvie refused to call it that as she was leaving today. He had previously made it very clear that after the week was over, so were they. And since they had spent the entire day and evening fucking, all she saw was Drake’s gorgeous body. It wasn’t even until the evening that Drake picked up the tray of food Mr. Birkshire had left outside his door. After looking around, she realized this was definitely a bedroom for a man. If he ever decided to get married or live with a woman, he would have to add a feminine touch to it. But that thought depressed her, so she focused on the dark wood dresser, the largest flat screen television hanging on the wall, and the black leather couch on the side of the room. His hardwood floors were covered with a beige rug, and his enormous bed had a wood and leather headboard. The furniture was obviously expensive and obnoxiously masculine. She thought Drake would have better taste. Livvie smiled to herself. She’d finally found his first flaw.

“I swear I didn’t decorate my room myself,” Drake said, half asleep.

Livvie laughed. “No?”

“No. I decorated the rest of the house, but when it came to my bedroom, I was closing a big business deal, and the interior decorator I hired to help me was getting on my nerves. So my assistant at the time on Wall Street picked all this out.”

“And do you like it?” Livvie had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

“I hate it.”

“Then why not change it?”

“When it was finished and I received the bill, I discovered it had cost me a fortune. I honestly didn’t want to spend any more money on this house. And clearly, you can see how well my assistant knew me. And hated me, I might add. She put me in the category of an egotistical, wealthy man with bland taste.”

Livvie laughed again but then stopped herself as Drake rolled onto his back and grabbed her hand. Then reality crept in.

“I’m leaving soon.” Livvie swallowed tears that formed.

“What time?”

“What time is it now?”

Drake turned toward his night table and glanced at his clock. “It’s eight o’clock in the morning.”

Livvie paused before she spoke. “My flight leaves at noon.”

Drake squeezed her hand. “And it takes about two hours to get to the airport.”

Livvie inhaled. “I know. I should go,” she whispered.

Drake climbed on top of her and pressed his lips against hers. A goodbye kiss. She could feel it in the intensity of his lips against hers. She broke the kiss by moving her head to the side. She didn’t want to cry in front of him.

“I have to go,” she said.

Drake nodded and moved off her but not before he gazed down at her naked body. And the look in his eyes spoke volumes. He wanted to remember her as she was now. Yesterday, he told her he’d miss her terribly. She had to cling to that.

Filled with pain, Livvie stood and gathered one of the blankets that had fallen. She didn’t care that she was naked in front of him, but she had to pack, and she had no idea who would be in the hallway.

“Thank you,” she said once the blanket was firmly in place.

Drake lay back down and clasped his hands behind his head. “For what?”

“For showing a random raffle winner a great time.” She laughed, trying to keep the moment light, but she knew she had failed. The tension in the room only grew thicker.

“Thank you for being the one who won the raffle.”

Drake smiled, but Livvie didn’t think the expression was genuine. She could feel him detaching. Drake did not want a commitment. Period. She needed to leave before it started to feel weirder.

“Okay, well I’m going to quickly pack my things and then go.”

“Take care of yourself, Olivia. And make sure you continue to write.”

Livvie smiled and then turned and left his room, closing the door behind her. He hadn’t even gotten up and walked her to the door. How awkward, how…final. The man she’d seen these last few days, was gone.

In the hallway, she stood there a moment and held the doorknob. She closed her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek. Only a few more hours. And then she’d be back at her house, and she could break down and cry. So she inhaled, let go of his doorknob, and opened her door for the last time. But before she walked in, she kissed her hand and placed it back on his door.

“Goodbye, Drake,” she whispered. Then without a second glance she went inside her own room to pack and get out of there as quickly as possible.

 

* * * * *

 

Standing in the entrance hall for the last time, Livvie felt numb. This was the best and the most torturous week she’d had in her life, and she was afraid she would wake up tomorrow in her own bed in Los Angles and discover it’d been a dream.

She lifted the handle of her suitcase, mentally preparing herself for the reality that awaited her once she was on the other side of this door. She inhaled deeply, wanting to remember what the castle smelled like. She looked around for the last time and took little mental pictures. She knew she needed to leave. The longer she delayed her departure the harder this would be.

“Ms. Collins, I didn’t realize you were leaving so early. Please don’t leave without these scones. The baker made them specifically for you.”

Livvie released the handle and graciously took the paper bag out of Mr. Birkshire’s hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Birkshire. I’ll miss seeing you every day.” Livvie tried to smile. “But if we meet again, please call me Livvie.” Without thinking about it, Livvie put down the scones and wrapped her arms around Mr. Birkshire, giving him a warm hug. She swallowed back the tears. Even leaving Mr. Birkshire was hard. He very carefully placed his arms around her, but she could tell he felt uncomfortable. Not wanting to make it worse for him, Livvie ended the hug, and Mr. Birkshire instantly stepped back.

“Livvie, you will come back.”

Looking into his eyes, for one solid second she believed him. Then again, hope could be rearing its ugly head again. And hope was an illusion.

Knowing she was about to break down, she smiled at Mr. Birkshire and then quickly picked up her scones.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Swallowing back more tears, Livvie rolled her luggage to the door. She glanced back at Mr. Birkshire, who had that compassionate look in his eyes that she hated, and she smiled. He didn’t smile back but the look in his eye said it all. Then she glanced up at the grand staircase, secretly hoping she would see Drake once more. But she didn’t.

Mr. Birkshire stepped in front of Livvie and opened the door. “Please let me.”

But as he held the door open for her, she couldn’t even look at him. The minute the Napa air hit her skin, she ran to her rental car that was awaiting her. She didn’t care what Mr. Birkshire thought of her or even if Drake was staring at her through the window. She simply needed to get out of there as fast as she could. She threw her luggage and the scones into the back seat, and then opened the front door and sat down. Once she closed the door and turned on the car, she was tempted to look back at the house. But she couldn’t. She was barely holding it together as it was, and if there was even a small chance that Drake was looking, she didn’t want him to know how much leaving him was affecting her. Instead, she gripped the steering wheel hard because if she didn’t, she would run out of the car and back into Drake’s arms. However, he was clearly already done with her. He hadn’t even offered for them to stay in touch. So Livvie drove down the long road back to Main Street. Once there, she stopped and pulled over to the side of the road. Without realizing it, she had stopped at the exact point where she first saw his castle. And then the tears began to pour down her face. She had just left a man who had broken down all her walls in one week and who she had fallen deeply in love with. And the reality of her life, which she had managed to keep at bay, was creeping back in.

Livvie cleared her throat and wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. It was time she drove to the airport and dealt with whatever reality awaited her. Her dream was clearly over.