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Jack looks up, a huge grin on his face. “Wow, that was fast.”
“What?” I ask, confused.
“Dylan told me he busted you and Pen going at it in the shed. I figured it would be at least, what, thirty minutes,” he pauses as he checks his watch, “before you showed up here. No issues with performance or premature—”
“Dylan needs to mind his own business,” I growl, cutting Jack off as I look around for the little shit.
Jack bursts out laughing. “Welcome to my world, mate. You wouldn’t believe the number of times Lu and I got busted around here when we first started.”
I scoff. “Ah, yeah I would, Jack. I busted you often enough, still fucking do actually.”
“Whatever,” he says, a smug grin on his face because he knows it’s the truth. He and Lauren are fucking hopeless, still all over each other every chance they get. Still, given recent events, I’m not sure me and Pen are that different.
“So, what’s up?” I ask, reminding him again that he wanted to see me.
Jack nods, throwing a towel over his shoulder as he walks toward me. “We finally got those outdoor heaters and lights delivered, just wondered if you could help me set them up for the opening.”
“Sure thing,” I reply, following him to the outdoor area. “And when we’re done, you should come down to the shed and taste the mead Pen and I made.”
“Oh yeah?” Jack asks, glancing back at me. “It’s ready?”
“It is,” I reply with a nod. “That’swhat we were doing in the shed.”
Jack chuckles. “Sure you were.”
I roll my eyes at him as we start to get the delivery unpacked.
Couple of hours later and we are done, so I text Pen to let her know we are on our way back to the shed so I can show Jack the mead. She replies to let me know that she’ll bring Lauren down and by the time Jack and I get there, the girls are already waiting for us.
“This is so exciting,” Lauren says, clapping her hands and smiling as Jack and I walk in.
I grin, feeling kind of excited myself. Even though I’ve worked at Somerville’s for most of my life, helping out with growing the grapes and making wine, and now cider at Apple Jacks, none of it has really felt like my own success.
And while I don’t begrudge Jack or Lauren any of theirs, it’s nice to know Pen and I have been able to achieve something too and maybe contribute in some small way to just how awesome this place is.
Dylan was right about one thing, there’s definitely something magical here at Somerville’s
“Ok, cups,” Pen says, handing everyone a plastic cup.
I fill my cup and then hand it to Lauren, taking hers and doing the same for Jack, Pen and then me. The four of us stand in a small circle, looking at each other as we all tap our cups together and Jack and Lauren taste theirs.
Pen and I wait this time, watching their faces as they drink what we’ve created. They both swallow it in one gulp and almost immediately Lauren’s face lights up, as a wide grin breaks out.
“Holy shit, this is awesome,” she says, handing me the cup as she asks for a refill.
I turn to Jack, who’s also smiling. “Fuck yeah it is and we can totally use this in a Christmas cider special too.”
“Really?” I ask, thinking for sure he’d be giving us shit in some form.
“Hell yeah,” he says, refilling his cup. “Like a spicy, honey, fruit cider, it’ll be fucking awesome.”
“Have you guys got a name?” Lauren asks, sipping her second cup. “A logo? A branding plan? An Insta page?”
“Whoa, settle down,” I say, holding up a hand as Pen laughs beside me. “We literally only just discovered this shit actually tasted good.”
“Yeah and they spend half their time in this shed getting naked,” Jack chimes in.
I roll my eyes, even as Pen pulls out her phone to show Lauren the Instagram page she’s created for P,T and Bee.
