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Natalie yanked her hand free. She wasn’t about to make it that easy. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You want me to keep your secrets?”
“I know it’s a lot to ask.” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe the truth had finally come out.
The brewery had enough shit dropping on it from above to add another problem to the mix. She was here to find solutions, not add to the problems.
“It’s not a lot to ask. It’s too much.” She dropped her voice to a lower pitch and spoke in a slow and steady rhythm, despite her pulse’s jerking jackrabbit speed. “Just pack up your stuff and get out.”
“Natalie.” Agony sliced through his words like a steel blade.
Of course it did. He was an Academy Award–winning actor, after all.
She turned the doorknob and pulled it open. “You’re fired.”
“What about yesterday? What about us?” He grabbed her hand and yanked her to his broad chest before leaning down for a kiss.
Hard. Demanding. Full of promise. Nothing in the world would have felt as good as giving in to that kiss, but the lie’s sour taste had overwhelmed any bit of sweet truth in it. She planted her palms against his broad shoulders and pushed away. Cutting off their physical connection and doing her damnedest to burn the emotional one to the ground.
“That was a mistake.” Had it only a day? She’d have sworn it was a decade. “I’ll leave you to it. We’ll send you a severance check in the mail. Drop off your keys with Hailey on the way out.”
He stood less than two feet away, hands fisted at his sides, looking every bit like a man who’d lost it all. It may be just an Oscar–worthy performance, but she couldn’t watch it any more.
She paused in the doorway, her chest aching. “Goodbye, Sean.”
“Natalie…”
If she stayed to hear the rest, she’d crumble in front of him. She couldn’t do that.
Ignoring the plea in his voice, she walked out.
Chapter Thirteen
Sitting at The Kitchen Sink’s counter, Sean stared at the pecan pie slice on the bright–yellow plate. His SUV was packed and saying goodbye to Ruby Sue was the last thing he needed to do before hitting the road like he should have done yesterday. She was on the phone in the back with a supplier, so Ellen had delivered him the last slice of pie and a cup of coffee while he waited.
The pie was the perfect combination of sweet goo and crunchy nuts with a flaky crust that had to have an illegal amount of butter in it to be so damn good. Still, he couldn’t make himself pick up the fork and dig into his last taste of Salvation.
Ruby Sue sidled up to him and plunked a glass of sweet tea on the counter. “You know, George Gunderson threatened to fillet Joe Haver once when he thought Joe had cut in line and stolen the last piece of my pecan pie.”
That might not be such a bad way to go. It had to hurt a hell of a lot less than he did right now. “Is he around?”
“Nope.” She pulled herself up into the high–backed stool on Sean’s right. “You’re good.”
“Just my luck.” He picked up the fork and poked at the crust, flaking off a few pieces and then using the back of the fork to grind them into dust.
Ruby Sue patted him on the shoulder. “Buck up, you’ll be back at the brewery before you know it.”
He froze. And here he figured he was getting out of Dodge fast enough to beat the wildfire of gossip. “How did you know?”
She cackled and poured three sugar packets into her already sweetened tea. “Boy, who do you think you’re you talking to? This town talks as fast as a sinner during a deathbed confession.” She nodded. “So can the moping and eat this pie before folks start saying I’ve lost my touch.”
“You have it.” He slid the pie over to her. “The real reason I came in was to say goodbye.”
Ruby Sue ignored the pie and narrowed her eyes. “Why would you do that?”
“I packed up my stuff and gave the house a quick once–over.” He dropped the keys to the house on the counter. “I know I was supposed to give you two months’ notice, but I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding a new renter. I left it furnished.”
“I see.” No one would ever call Ru
by Sue soft and cushy, but she went completely rigid. She shoved her glass away and turned to give him her full attention. The look of utter disgust on her face gutted him.
