Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
HOLLY
“ W hat’s going on with you?” Maddy asks, taking a seat next to me on the couch in front of the fireplace in the great room after dinner.
“Nothing.” I turn to face her.
“Don’t lie to me, Holly. Something’s going on.”
I glance around to make sure neither my brother nor my parents are around, because none of them need to hear what I’m about to say, and seeing that everyone else is scattered around the room and out of earshot, I lean closer to Maddy and tell her everything that’s happened between Jax and me.
“Wow,” Maddy says when I’m done with my story, her eyes wide.
“I know.”
“What are you so scared of?”
“What do you mean?” I take a sip of my wine and wait with bated breath for her answer.
“The man is clearly infatuated with you. Why are you hesitant to take him up on his offer?”
“I took him up on his offer.”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “I mean why are you hesitant to commit to more than just a fun few days? Because from the way you can’t stop looking at him on top of everything you told me, I’d say you feel the same way about him as he does about you.”
“He lives in Florida, and I live here. He offered to do long distance, but I don’t know.” I shrug. “I feel like we’d spend more time in airports than being with each other.”
She studies me for a few seconds before saying, “I love you, so don’t take this the wrong way, but you could live in Florida too, you know. You don’t have to do long distance if you don't want to.”
I shake my head.
She barks out a laugh. “Why not?” she asks, crossing her arms and staring at me.
“I have a job, and?—”
She holds up a hand, cutting me off. “You could find a new one in Florida. Or, I don’t know, finally start that inn you’ve been saying you want to start. I know for a fact there’s plenty of tourism in Orlando.”
“I can’t,” I mumble. “I’m not ready.”
She stares at me for a second. “Not ready? That’s bullshit, Holly, and you know it. You have a degree in hospitality. You’ve worked here for four years. You’re ready.” I go to open my mouth to respond, but she continues, “Don’t tell me it's a money thing. Because I know for a fact your grandfather left you money in his will just like he did for Cody. So that’s not it. So, what really is the holdup?”
“What’s the holdup about what?” my brother asks, choosing that moment to appear beside us and take a seat next to Maddy on the couch.
“What’s the holdup for why Holly hasn’t opened that inn of hers? We were talking about how Orlando has a lot of tourism and would be the perfect site,” Maddy says.
My brother raises his eyebrows at me and winks at someone over my shoulder. I don’t have to turn around to know that Jax is standing behind me.
Did they talk about me?
Does Cody know?
“You know, that sounds like a great plan, and since Jax lives there, I’m sure he would be willing to help you,” Cody says, giving me a shit-eating grin.
Yep, he knows. He sure as fuck knows.
“I’d be happy to help Holly with anything she needed,” Jax says, and I shiver at the double meaning of his words.
I glare at Cody and Maddy. “Are y’all trying to get rid of me?”
Maddy chuckles, and Cody smiles at me before saying, “No, just helping you see that you’re not stuck here. We’ll be fine if you decide to move somewhere else. Go and chase your dreams.”
Maybe they’re right. What have I been waiting for? Why haven’t I done anything with my dream? I always said I needed more experience, but maybe that was an excuse.
Before anyone can say anything else, Maddy’s mom calls everyone over for coffee and dessert.
As I’m putting my jacket on a couple of hours later to head back to my cottage, Cody walks over to me. He holds out his arms, and I step into them.
“I know about you and Jax,” he says, and I stiffen. “I’m happy for you. For both of you.” He lets me go, and I step back, meeting his eyes.
“Th-there’s nothing really going on.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “That’s not what he told me. He said he wants to date you. If you’ll have him. I told him he didn’t need it, but he had my blessing. You both do.” He frowns. “You know I just want you to be happy, right? And if that means staying here, then stay here, but I think Maddy is right. If you really want to start that inn of yours, why not now? Why not in Florida?”
“Isn’t that silly? Jax and I have spent all of thirty-six hours together. Less probably. And I should leave my home to follow him to Florida?”
He studies me. “So maybe you do long distance for a while before you make the decision to move permanently. Go down there, do some research, and see if you could open a place there. If it’s somewhere you’d want to live. And while you’re down there, date him, get to know him better. See where things go.”
I nod. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Now, I think there’s someone waiting for you.” He tips his chin over my shoulder, and I spin around to see Jax standing by the stairs to the guest rooms. Cody kisses me on the cheek. “Be safe. I’ll see you both in the morning.” He wags his eyebrows at me. “Brunch is at eleven.”
I shake my head at him and walk over to Jax. “Hi.”
He smiles at me before leaning down to kiss me. “Hey you. Do you still want me to come over?”
“Yes.”
He flashes me a grin and his dimples peak out. “Okay, I’m going to go pack what I need for the night, and I’ll meet you down here in a few minutes.”
“Maybe you should just pack all of your stuff,” I blurt out.
He smirks at me. “Oh yeah?”
“It’ll make things easier.” I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant even though I’m freaking out internally.
He gives me another kiss. “Want to come help me pack?”
“You and I both know we won’t ever leave your room if I go with you. And I really need to walk Huck one more time tonight.”
“Fair enough. I’ll be down in a little bit.”