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Of course I could go with her. Owning ten percent of a winery doesn’t mean I need to stay here, especially with Jack around. But what would I do up in Washington? Just because they want Penny to work there, doesn’t mean they’d be interested in me, too. Which means I’d be giving up a job I love and a house I love to move somewhere where I know no one and have nothing.
Except the woman I love.
But would that be enough? Would we be happy there? Could I be happy leaving this place if it meant I still had Penny.
“Fucking hell,” I half shout, walking to the fridge to grab a beer.
I never should have let her leave like that. Should’ve stopped her, pulled her into my arms and promised her we’d find a way to make this work. For both of us.
Instead, she’d walked out of here angry, convinced I was keeping things from her and that I wouldn’t move so she could take up the opportunity of a lifetime.
As I twist off the cap of my beer, throwing it into the sink, I can’t help but think how painfully fucking familiar this all feels. Like a dick punching case of déjà vu. Only what I felt for Caitlyn pales in comparison to how I feel for Pen.
Fuck the thought of losing her over this is like a stabbing knife to the chest, as though someone is slowly carving out my heart and there’s nothing I can do about it.
I’m finishing off my beer, halfway to the fridge for another when my front door opens. I stall out, wondering if it’s Pen, back home to sort this out despite her earlier text about staying at Lauren’s.
“Honey, I’m home!” comes Jack’s voice.
“Shit,” I mutter as I now grab two beers from the fridge. I can only imagine why he’s over here given my girl is currently staying the night at his house.
“Hey, Tommy,” he calls as he walks down the corridor to the kitchen.
“In here.”
Jack walks in, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a six pack of cider in the other. “Figured you could use these,” he says, holding both hands up.
I do the same and Jack smirks as he puts his alcohol on the counter and takes the beer I offer him.
“You okay?” he asks, taking a sip.
I suck in a breath, letting it out slowly as I contemplate how much I should tell him. I figure he probably knows everything that’s happened tonight given Pen is staying at their place, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily want to talk to him about it.
Clearly Jack senses my reluctance as he takes a seat at one of the stools at the kitchen island and says, “If it’s any consolation, she’s pretty upset right now.”
I’m sure he means to make me feel better, but his words have the opposite effect, knowing I’ve caused her to feel like this.
“Doesn’t exactly help, Jack,” I tell him.
Jack takes another sip of his beer as he kicks the stool next to him out and gestures for me to sit. “She’s upset, yes, but she’s upset because she doesn’t know what to do. She knows this is a good offer, but she also knows she has a really good thing with you. She wants to make both things work.”
“She should take the job,” I say, sitting down. “It’s a really fucking good offer.”
“It is,” Jack says, tipping his head in acknowledgement. “But she’s also got a really good thing going on with you.”
I give him a sideways glance that makes him laugh.
“What?”
I shake my head as I take another sip of beer. “I didn’t realize you were such a sentimental guy.”
Jack laughs even harder. “Seriously? I’m the most sentimental guy you’ll ever meet.”
I can’t stop the eyeroll. “Actually, you’re the biggest smart ass I’ve ever met.”
“Well, that too,” he replies with a smile. “But seriously, Tommy, tell me what’s going on. What happened tonight?”
I finish off my beer, too lazy to walk to the fridge for another as I reach over and grab a bottle of cider from the six pack Jack brought over. I’m already feeling the slight buzz of a couple of beers on an empty stomach and to be honest, getting drunk seems like the smartest thing to do right now.
