Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
“A ll right, Mr. Jackson. It seems we have everything set up for your appointment. Be sure to come in twenty minutes early to fill out some paperwork. Have a great day.”
“Thanks, you too.” BJ ended the phone call to Penny’s doctor’s office and slipped his cell into his pocket. He’d done it. Ten minutes on the phone with the world’s cheeriest receptionist and he had an appointment to donate his sperm so his best friend could have a baby. “Weirdest Saturday ever.”
Even weirder; the office had been open. Never in a million years would he admit this to anyone, but he’d been putting off the phone call for a day or two because of the sheer embarrassment. He’d had to do standard physicals for the Marines, and he went to his regular doctor once a year to continue those, but he’d never done anything like this before. He was ashamed to admit he’d put off the call until today because he’d been hoping the office would be closed and he’d be able to leave a message.
Should have known he wouldn’t be that lucky. The office was in Denver. Made sense they’d have weekend hours.
After being surprised by an actual human answering the phone informing him they were open until noon on Saturday, he’d explained why he was calling. Janine, the perky receptionist who spoke as if she’d inhaled all the coffee in the entire state of Colorado, had assured him they’d been waiting on his call. She’d quickly and efficiently set him up with an appointment next week.
Step one done. Not as hard or embarrassing as he imagined. Step two…he’d worry about that later. Like ten minutes before his appointment. Right now, he had work to do. Heading out of his room, he grabbed the to-go mug of coffee his brother already had waiting for him.
“You ready?” Ace asked, identical cup in his own hand.
“Yup.”
They headed out, taking BJ’s truck today since they were both going to be at Jacks for the rest of the day into the evening. Saturday was their busiest day. Jacks was one of the few bars in Kismet and tourists liked to drink. Even with Del and Kelley handling the bar, Ace and BJ made sure to be on hand in case extra help was needed.
The day ran smoothly as they checked the current batch of mash, switched out the botanical baskets for the gin, and strained out their latest vodka infusions. Charlie brought everyone sandwiches for lunch. Triple decker clubs made by their mother. BJ inhaled his in less than five bites. His mother made the best club sandwiches in the entire state of Colorado. They had an impromptu meeting regarding the opening of the restaurant. Everything was on track.
BJ silently gave Charlie his pickle when Del mentioned his thanks for help with the server applications. His sister kept her mouth shut but sent him a smug grin as she stuffed his delicious zesty pickle—canned by their mother who’d learned the technique from Pappy Mel, bless his bathtub gin-making, food-canning and pickling heart—into her mouth.
Jacks opened to the public mid-day, but the real crowd wouldn’t show until around eight. It was a shock when Kelley stuck her head in the back office at seven fifteen, interrupting the paperwork he’d been going over for the distributor contract renewals.
“Hey, BJ. We have a problem.”
He glanced up and frowned. “Somebody starting shit already?”
Bar fights weren’t big at Jacks, mostly because they cut that crap real quick if anyone got too rowdy, but they did occasionally happen.
Kelley shook her head, long dark bangs streaked with shocking hot pink stripes falling on her face, obscuring dark brown eyes. “No. No one’s fighting.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s Penny.”
His heart stopped. Literally stopped beating at those two words. When it started again, it ran at a breakneck tempo. “Penny?”
She simply nodded and turned around. He jumped up from his desk and hurried after Kelley out to the front. The tasting room was quieter than the back. The hushed murmur of voices a significant difference to the whine and din of all the distilling equipment. A few people sat at the tables, two by the ancient jukebox, and one small redhead with an empty glass in front of her and a mean scowl on her face sat at the bar, glaring daggers at his little brother.
“I said I want another.”
“Penny, sweetheart, maybe you should slow down. That’s straight vodka and you don’t drink that much—”
“Don’t you tell me what I can and can’t handle Delta Jackson! And don’t call me sweetheart. I’m not your sweetheart, I’m not anybody’s sweetheart!”
His brother held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, I’m sorry. I was just—”
“You were just not doing your job. Now get me another drink before I report you!”
Despite her raised voice, his brother grinned. “To who? The police? Cause I gotta tell ya sweet—Penny, they generally side with the bartender when we cut someone off.”
“Cut me off? I’ve had one damn drink, Del!”
Okay, something was clearly wrong. Penny rarely drank more than one beer or a glass of wine, and she never cursed or yelled at people. In the dictionary under timid was a picture of Penny. His gut tightened. Something bad happened.
“Penny?” He walked around the bar, coming to her side. “What’s wrong?”
Her gaze shifted to him, a visible sigh of relief loosening her tight shoulders.
“BJ, thank goodness. Will you please tell your annoying little brother to serve me?”
He glanced at Del, who shook his head. His expression showing worry. Something was wrong and booze wasn’t the answer. BJ nodded to Del. Taking her arm gently, he tried to pull her off the stool.
“How about we go back to my office and talk?”
She glared at him. “Only if you promise to share some of your secret stash with me.”
She’d been to his office many times over the years. She knew he had a private selection of single malt scotch he kept on hand for special occasions. But that was for celebration. Judging by her pinched expression and glossy eyes, he doubted whatever drove her here tonight to drown herself in booze was a celebratory nature.
“Come on, honey. Let’s go.”
She snorted at his lack of promise but allowed him to pull her out of her seat and back through the door separating the tasting room from the distillery. As they passed by the proofing tanks, Ace looked up from his clipboard. His twin raised an eyebrow at Penny’s obvious distress, but BJ shook his head. Silently communicating they’d talk about it later. Ace nodded and went back to work.
He steered her into his office, closing the door behind them and gently guiding Penny to sit on the small couch he and the others took power naps on during long nights. Taking a seat beside her, he shifted until he could see her face.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“You’re not going to give me more to drink either, are you?”
He said nothing, simply stared until she threw up her hands, making a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.
“Ugh! What good is it having a best friend who makes booze for a living if he won’t serve you any when you really need it?”
“You don’t need alcohol. You need to tell me what’s got you upset.”
Her anger melted, hard expression shifting into sorrow. Those large hazel eyes filled with tears. Her hands clenched together as she sniffed, trying to stem the emotions leaking out of her.
“It’s Lance.”
Her ex? What the hell did the bastard do now?
“He’s getting married, and his fiancée is five months pregnant.”
Shit! It had been a while since their breakup, but he knew this was a hard pill to swallow for Penny. Especially considering her current situation. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry, but he was a dick. I mean even his name, Lance , that’s like the name of every douche in every early 2000s movie ever.”
She choked out a laugh. “I know. And I know it’s stupid of me to be upset. I don’t want to marry Lance. I…I don’t think I ever really did.”
Then why the hell had she said yes? Something he always wondered. The guy had been all wrong for Penny.
“It’s just…”
“What?”
She dipped her head, avoiding her gaze. Hell no. They were best friends. She didn’t get to hide from him. Placing a finger under her chin, he gently tipped her face until he could gaze into her eyes. Captured by the deep flecks of green and blue swimming together with hints of brown, he had to mentally shake himself before he asked again.
“What, Penny?”
She grimaced. “I know it’s stupid, but it hurts. To know he’s getting married and starting a family. I mean, when he left me, he said…well, he said a lot of things, including that he didn’t think he was cut out to be a husband and father. He didn’t want those things.” One stray tear rolled down her freckled cheek. “Turns out he didn’t want them with…me.”
“Then he’s an idiot.”
“Right,” she snorted, rolling her eyes. “He’s the idiot. The last four first dates who never called me back were idiots. Every single guy in our high school who never wanted to date the nerdy girl were idiots.”
“They were,” he agreed, anger rising at the flippancy she gave this.
“The problem isn’t guys, BJ. Don’t you see? It’s me. No one wants to be with the woman who codes for fun. Guys aren’t lining up at my door to take me out to the latest tech expo. No one wants to spend their Saturday night with the person who likes to take practice Mensa tests to see if she can beat her last score.”
“Then the entire male population are idiots. Any guy would be lucky to have you.” His temper had gone from slow flame to hot burn. “You are smart, funny, and beautiful, Penny. And if guys can’t see that, it’s their loss.”
Giving him a humorless laugh, she patted his thigh. “You have to say that because you’re my friend. But I know what I am, BJ.”
No. She didn’t. That was the problem. Penny didn’t see herself clearly. She didn’t see the bright, kind soul he knew her to be. He hated she would think she had a problem when it was every other loser who ever teased her or turned her down for a second date who really had issues. Penny was a great catch, and damn anyone who didn’t think so. Her ex was a fool. BJ wanted to kill the guy for hurting her.
No. That wasn’t true.
His feelings of anger had started long before Lance dumped her. In fact, thinking back, they’d started the moment she’d told him she was dating the douche. Because BJ didn’t like it when any guy dated his best friend. None of them were good enough for her. Hell, no one was.
“I’m not the type of woman guys lose their head over.”
“Bullshit.”
Maybe it was her vehement denial of her own worth, or the strange situation they’d found themselves in lately, or maybe because BJ was finally seeing his feelings for his best friend might not be so friendly, but in that moment, he needed to prove to Penny how much of a sexy, desirable woman she really was.
Whatever the reason he blamed it on, didn’t matter. In the next moment, he cupped the back of her neck and pulling her toward him. His lips crashing down on her mouth. She gasped, and he took full advantage, plunging his tongue into her mouth to taste the surprisingly sweet nectar of Penny.
For one moment he worried he’d gone too far, but then her delicate hands came up to fist in his hair. He’d left it down today. Her fingers tangled in the strands, pulling just enough to give his scalp a pleasant tingle, but not hard enough to cause any actual pain.
She moaned, or maybe he did. Damn, he couldn’t tell. All he knew was, holy shit, his best friend could kiss! Her lips were soft and warm. He could taste the warm burn of the vodka she’d drunk earlier on her tongue. An appendage currently trying to memorize every inch of his mouth by feel alone.
With one hand still cupping her neck, he brought the other to rest on her hip, slowly stroking his way up her rib cage until it rested against the edge of her left breast. His thumb swept out, stroking her nipple, which had hardened to a sharp peak, poking through her thin shirt. She gasped, thrusting her breast fully into his palm. Inside he roared with delight, but then she pulled away and he was holding nothing but air.
Large hazel eyes, grown impossibly larger by her wide-eyed expression, stared back at him. Her face was flush, lips full and wet from his kisses. Her breathing was harsh, matching his own.
“What the hell was that?”
At a loss to explain, all he could do was shrug. “I have no idea.”
Something passed across her face. Something he recognized. Panic.
Jumping up from the couch, she rushed to the door. “I have to go.”
“Penny, wait.”
But she didn’t. She flung open his office door and rushed out faster than he could blink. He started to run after her and explain…hell if he knew what. But he stopped when he realized he was sporting major wood. The night was already outrageous enough. No need to add running through a bar full of people—including his siblings—with a very obvious erection.
Damn it all to hell!
He turned, heading back into his office instead, slamming the door. Pacing over to his desk, he placed his palms on the top and tried to figure out what in the world had just gone on. He had no idea. The mix of emotions rolling through his body right now did nothing to help. He was worried, upset, and horny all at once. And he had no idea what to do about it or Penny.