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“Um, are you sure?” I choke out, the words caught in my throat, all air has now escaped my lungs.
“Yes, we’re sure. We’ve spent a great deal of time deciding what’s important to us and getting to relax and retire is one of them, but we can’t do that without either selling the vineyard or having someone take over,” Albert states with certainty.
“Don’t you have kids? Family who would want to take on this job? I’m just some girl from Massachusetts who fell into this job,” I say, panicked at how to respond. “This is a lot of money. Like is this the amount you’re offering me to do this job forever?”
They both laugh now, clearly amused by my naiveté, but I’m dead serious. I haven’t seen a number this big ever. I make a decent living here at Somerville’s, enough to afford the things I want and now that I’m living with Tommy...”
Tommy...
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tommy
My day is busy with all the last- minute things we have to do to get ready for the Apple Jacks party. Even though it’s the end of summer, the beautiful weather is hanging around, which means the winery is full of people and the tasting room booked solid.
Pen had mentioned this morning that she’d be stuck there all day and as much as I’d love to go and help her out, I have a long list of things to do myself. Before I get started on any of it though, I head over to the hives to check on our bees.
With everything going well with the first batch of mead, we’re going to need more honey for the next lot. As I gather up the puffer and stupid hat I’m forced to wear because the little fuckers insist on stinging me every time I come to look in on them, I can’t help but smile at just how perfect everything is these days.
To think only weeks ago, Jack was installing that stupid app on my phone and telling me I needed to get laid. And while the app might have helped with the whole getting together with Penny thing, and he may also have been right about me needing to get laid, there’s not a chance in hell I was ever going to admit that to him.
Now, here I am, living with Pen, having finally admitting how I feel about her, having her feel the same way about me, and both of us working in jobs we love with a new project that just might take off for us.
“Hey, Tommy!”
I turn to see Dylan walking toward me. “Hey,” I reply.
He stops a few feet away, warily watching the bees which are buzzing around now I’ve lifted one of the lids. “Is it safe?”
I chuckle. “Maybe. Depends on how feisty these little fuckers are feeling. I seem to get stung every damn time I’m here but Pen not so much.”
Dylan laughs, taking another step back as I lift out one of the racks from inside the hive. “Wow, is that all honey?” he asks.
“Yep,” I say with a nod. “It’s our second batch too.”
“Huh, where’d you guys learn to do all this?”
I slide the rack back into the hive, replacing the lid before moving onto the next one to check the honey production. “Google,” I reply with a smirk.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, we are totally winging it with Google and YouTube. Honestly, we don’t really know what we’re doing.”
“Clearly it’s working,” Dylan says. “Jack said the mead he tasted last night was pretty damn good.”
I’m grateful for this stupid netted hat I’m wearing so Dylan can’t see the smile that forms at hearing Jack’s compliment. Even though he and Lauren had told us it was good last night, the fact that he’s also telling others about it is a good sign.
“Yeah,” I reply, not wanting to let on. “Anyway, what can I do for you, Dylan?”
He gives me a sheepish look as he slides his hands into the pockets of his jeans, rocking on his heels a little, but says nothing, almost as though he’s nervous about whatever it is he’s come to talk to me about.
Exhaling, I lower the lid of the hive and walk over to him, pulling off the hat. “Come on, spit it out.”
“Soooo…” he starts, dragging out the word.
“So,” I repeat back, lifting a brow in question.
“Look, about Penny,” he starts, lifting a hand when I open my mouth to speak. “I know you think I’m interested in her, but I’m not, I promise.”
