Page 32 of The Other Plan

“Forever?” I lifted an eyebrow.

Jo glanced over at the hallway Jenna had disappeared into, then quickly sat down in the empty stool beside me. “We don’t have much time before she gets back, so I’ll be quick. But yes. Forever. Thinking you betrayed her screwed her up royally. She’s never gotten over it.”

My heart jumped. Not from the thought of her in pain, but from the fact her feelings for me had been as strong as mine were for her. It hadn’t all been in my head.

“I’m going to do something I probably shouldn’t do, but I’m doing this for Jenna just like she overstepped and did this for me and my fiancé, Matt.” She glanced over her shoulder at him, and he lifted his hand in a wave. “Jenna isn’t over you. By a long shot.”

My heart jumped even higher at her words, and a smile started on my face but stopped when I looked up at her boyfriend.

“Oh,” I said quietly, trying to hide my enthusiasm for his sake, then wondering why he was still smiling. “Okay. I... I’m sorry, man?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not her boyfriend.”

My eyebrows shot to my hairline. “What?”

Jo glanced at the hallway again. “Real quick. Jenna panicked about being single and said she had a boyfriend. She doesn’t. When Evan showed up at the winery, she panicked again and convinced him to pretend he was her boyfriend. He’s not. She’s single.”

My eyes got so wide they may have fallen out of my head.

Evan shrugged. “It’s true. She and I are like brother and sister. I was just helping a friend out, but I had no idea you were in the picture. Seems like both of you have some feelings for each other that need to get resolved, and I’m certainly not going to be the guy standing in your way.”

Holy. Shit.

I envisioned the top of my head blowing off from the mindboggling information I’d just received. I wanted to ask more questions, find out more about how Jenna felt about me, but Jo hopped up off her bar stool.

“She’ll be back any second, and I don’t want her to see us talking. So, Cliff’s notes. Sorry I threatened you. You seem like a nice guy. Evan isn’t her boyfriend. She’s single and still into you. She’s also a chicken shit about getting hurt, so you’re going to have to work like hell at convincing her to give this a shot if you’re interested. If you’re not, we never had this conversation, and you can just keep up the ruse that she’s got a boyfriend. And don’t hurt my sister for real this time, or I’ll come for you. Nice to meet you, Carter.”

Jo spun and ran back to her seat beside her fiancé. Evan clapped me on the shoulder and squeezed. “Good luck, man. And hey, she’s a good girl... the best girl, so don’t make me kick your ass if you hurt her again.”

“I didn’t hurt her the first time, remember?” I chuckled.

“Oh, yeah. That’s right. Well, don’t hurt her this time. I’ll find you.” Evan pointed his fingers at his eyes and then at me. “But good luck. I hope it works out.”

He trotted off after Jo and slipped nonchalantly behind her and her fiancé. A few moments later, Jenna walked around the corner, completely oblivious to her blown cover.

I caught her glance before she quickly looked away and snuck back into her seat next to Jo.

“What did she say?” Eric asked, shaking me from my spinning thoughts.

I stammered while I searched for the words.

Jenna. Is. Single.

Even though I normally told Eric everything, this felt like a secret that wasn’t mine to tell. After all, she was his wedding planner, and I didn’t want to risk marring her professional reputation.

“She was just apologizing for being rude to me when we first met. At the time, she’d thought I was the guy who cheated on her sister.”

“Oof. Yeah. I bet she hated your ass.” Eric laughed.

“Oh, yeah. If looks could kill, you wouldn’t have a best man.”

We shared a chuckle while I let my mind slip back to the words that kept clanging around inside my head.

Jenna. Is. Single.

And that meant that I still had a chance.

A set of three stools opened up next to me.