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“What’s there to arbitrate?” Hue spoke up. “Sully obviously won.”
“Alanna legally adopted Petunia,” Layla shot back. “That’s all that matters.”
Voices rose all around her, but Alanna didn’t hear them. Her mind retreated inward. One overwhelming conclusion settled in her brain. Sully was right. She wasn’t a nurturing or caring person. She hadn’t noticed her mother’s physical challenges until her mom had literally fallen down a flight of stairs. She’d only adopted Petunia to prove something to herself, not because she really cared about giving a great home to a cat. And yes, she couldn’t even keep her damn plant alive.
This line of thought led Alanna to another surprising conclusion, a realization that felt as unbearably painful as it did right. This whole fight was ridiculous. The only thing that mattered was what was best for Petunia. Where could Petunia get the most love? The most attention? Where could she have the best life?
The answer was obvious.
Around her, the cacophony of voices grew in volume.
“STOP!” Alanna hollered and banged her fists on the table, making her wine glass wobble. She looked at Sully, who stared at her with a mixture of shame and guilt.
“Alanna, I’m sorry. I went too far,” he said.
“So did I,” she told him, “but you were at least right. I was shit at caring for Petunia. You’re the better owner… pet guardian.” Alanna lifted the rhinestone collar from the table and placed it in front of Sully. Her hands shook.
“Take good care of her,” Alanna said, forcing the words from a tight throat. Her heart ached, for Petunia but also for what could have been with Sully. Even if she weren’t moving to L.A., there was no coming back for them. Not after this.
“Alanna,” Sully’s voice was soaked in regret. She shoved back her chair, grabbed her purse, and walked to the door. It was time to put all of this behind her. To stop with the sappy feelings and heartache. To once again become the hard-charging bitch who didn’t care about anyone, man or cat.
It was time to return to Los Angeles.
Traitorous tears stung the edges of Alanna’s eyes, but she didn’t look back as the door to the winery swung closed behind her.
Ch. 46 Sully
So,thisiswhatwinning felt like. Sully hunched over the winery’s bar, head buried in his arms. He wanted to puke. He wanted to cry. He wanted to throw himself under the wheels of Alanna’s GT and be put out of his misery.
“Dude, what’s the problem?” Hue asked, standing at the bar beside him. “You got the stupid cat. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“But he lost the woman he loves,” Cam explained wistfully on Sully’s other side.
“Don’t remind me,” Sully muttered from the cave of his arms.
“Yeah, not exactly a smooth move, Romeo,” said another voice. Sully lifted his eyes. The pet store employee, Everly, leaned against the bar, hip canted, one eyebrow lifted. She turned to Layla, who approached the bar with Tess and Willow in tow. “I’m not sure even a grand gesture can save his stupid ass.”
Alanna’s younger sister looked as crushed as Sully felt. She pulled her long braid over her shoulder and clutched it between her hands. “This isn’t a romance book, Everly,” she said quietly.
“Here.” Jax set down a glass of wine in front of Sully. “Feel free to drink away your sorrows. Theo said you bought an entire case.”
Shit. He had.
“That was soooo exciting!” bubbled Haley. The young, blonde server had finally made her way back to the bar. “Theo, can I go on a break?” she sang, her voice pitching into a little girl’s whine.
“Didn’t you two just get here?” Theo asked as he fiddled with a drawer behind the bar.
“It’s totally dead in here per uz. Jax can handle the customers, right?” Haley looked at Jax with pleading blue eyes. “Come on, roomie.”
Jax frowned, then sighed. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Fine, go,” Theo said, his focus still on the drawer. “Why the hell is this stuck again?”
“15 minutes,” Jax said to Haley. “That’s less than 30.”
Haley gave her a sarcastic salute before practically skipping out a back door.
“You ever gonna stop letting her walk all over you?” Jax asked Theo.
