Chapter Nineteen
Since I got home yesterday morning, I haven’t spoken to Jack. It’s weird coming off the high of being with him. I can only describe it as a runner’s high when all your endorphins are released, and you get that shot of dopamine—that addictive sense of well-being, energy, and euphoria. The desire to text him is intense and almost unbearable.
Why is it that everything with Jack feels accelerated? The sense of familiarity with him is off the charts. And having a connection with Bradley Wines is a whole other level of consideration as it goes beyond knowing him. I felt comfortable and safe there, with a soul-reaching, potent sense of belonging. Am I crazy?
I am.
Confusion swirls in my head, making me doubt my ability to think logically. I can’t like him that fast. I haven’t known him for that long. I’m exactly like my mother, falling for a good-looking guy who pays me attention, except she doesn’t let herself develop real feelings, and I can’t either. Roxy’s voice echoes around me, saying that Jack is only using me to benefit his family’s winery. And that his attention isn’t genuine interest. It’s a business deal.
I’m meeting the girls tonight for dinner and drinks. I’ve avoided their questions about Jack since I first mentioned him in our group chat. After I get all those out of the way, I can return to life as usual and free my mind of him—because right now, he’s living in it rent free.
I stand in front of the mirror in the bathroom, fluffing my hair and adding a couple of last-minute makeup touches. My phone buzzes on the counter next to me. Thinking it’s our group chat, I ignore it and head into the closet to grab my shoes. When I hear it buzz again, I poke my head out. Is it them? They will keep coming like a freight train unless I respond.
Swiping my phone from the counter, I see a picture of Jack lying on the king-sized bed in the villa. My heart drops. He contacted me first.
Jack: You’re right. This bed is way better than the couch.
He’s lying on his back with the photo taken from above. He has a plain white T-shirt on, and his other arm is covering his face, exposing only his delicious lips. I rub my thumb along my bottom lip, remembering the sensation of his tongue gliding across it.
Me: Don’t get too comfortable. I’m coming back.
Jack: I know, in eight days.
Is he counting? I hold my phone closer to my face to make sure I’m reading his text correctly.
Me: Yeah, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the time by yourself until then.
Jack: I don’t mind you here. It’s been sort of lonely since you left.
Cue the butterflies. I reread that one sentence three times before writing him back.
Me: I don’t believe you.
Jack: I’m serious. I started getting used to your healthy food and the smell of lavender shampoo in the shower.
He’s being sarcastic, but I let myself enjoy his words anyway.
Me: If I’m being honest, it has been a little lonely for me too.
Jack: When do you fly out for work?
Me: Tomorrow is the first day of my three-day leg. Then I’m home for two and fly back out for three.
Jack: Where are you headed to first?
A quick thought of why Jack is messaging halts my happiness. He’s talking to me because he’s lonely, not because he wants to. I still indulge for the moment. I roll off my bed and sprint to the kitchen to grab my schedule from the calendar on the fridge.
Me: Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Bahamas, New York, Denver, Phoenix.
Jack: Busy.
Me: Yes. How was your day? Did you go to the winery?
Jack: I did, and my day was okay. Worked a little in my dad’s office. Edward was a big help. He told me to tell you hello.
I glance around my room, oddly feeling out of place here. I should be there with Jack. He would have needed my support. I hope it wasn’t too hard for him.
Me: That’s sweet. Tell him I said hello back. How did you feel about being in your dad’s office?
Jack: That’s a loaded question. It was challenging and emotional but also therapeutic.
I start to text him back but realize the time. I’m going to be late. I have to meet the girls at The Poppy restaurant in fifteen minutes. I start gathering my stuff, haphazardly shoving it all into my purse, then head out and lock the door behind me. I text Jack back on the way to my car.
Me: I’m glad. I’m meeting Bailey, Avery, and Lina for dinner and drinks at The Poppy tonight, so I won’t be able to text back for a while.
Jack: That restaurant project was a lot of fun to work on. Have a good night.
Me: You too.
I hate that our conversation is cut short. I could have kept the texts going while I was on my way to the restaurant and even through dinner, but Jack deserves my attention and will get nothing less.
A short time later, the bright, illuminating letters of The Poppy are visible as I exit the freeway. Pulling into the parking lot, I’m so excited to see my best friends. Squeezing through the busy bar area, I head out to our favorite table in the back of the patio.
“You’re here!” Bailey stands and extends her arms for a hug. Avery and Lina, sitting around the table, do the same.
“Let’s get the pleasantries out of the way so that we can get into the good stuff—” Avery starts to say before Lina interrupts her. “—like, what is going on with you and Jack, and how was your visit with him in Wine Country?”
Avery nods her head. “Yeah, spill it.”
I laugh and glance at Bailey to my left, and she’s biting her lip and shrugging her shoulders.
“I love you guys so much,” I say. “So, how’s life?”
Lina frowns. “Seriously?”
A plate with different types of bruschetta is placed in front of us. “Okay, ladies, here is a compilation of our most popular bruschettas, including my favorite, brie, apple, and fig,” Travis, the head chef, says, turning toward me. “Don’t worry, Piper. I left off the green apple. Lina clearly said you don’t like them and threatened me if I forgot.”
I smile, winking at Lina. “Thanks.”
“Of course, babe.” She winks back.
“Enjoy.” He turns around and walks back through the sea of restaurant-goers.
“I’m surprised with how obsessed Mason is with you that he isn’t here tonight with us.” Avery sneers, taking a bite of the salami and pesto bruschetta.
That same stupid grin Bailey always has on her face at the mention of Mason is back. “For your information, he and Luca have a fun night planned, building an oversized Hot Wheels course in the middle of our living room. Mason will probably feed him chicken nuggets and let him stay up way past his bedtime.”
“Harry must be jealous that Mason stole his mini-best friend from him,” I comment.
“Oh, for sure, but my brother and Mason have such a brotherly relationship that they fight one minute, and then they’re inseparable the next,” Bailey replies.
“Okay, okay.” Avery’s hands fly up in front of us. “We love hearing about your perfect little life, B, but I’m dying to know about Piper and this mystery Jack guy.”
“Fair enough.” Bailey rests her hands under her chin. “Tell us, Piper Moon.”
My body starts to warm and even sweats a little. “Um, well, like I said on our group chat, Jack and I met a couple of weeks ago at the Las Vegas airport when Bailey and I were on a layover—”
Bailey says, “He went to college with my brother and Mason, and they hired him to do the concept marketing for this restaurant.”
Lina nods her head. “Okay, so he’s not brand new.” Then, she turns to Bailey. “So, you’ve known him for a while?”
I open my mouth to speak, but Bailey interrupts again, causing a bubble in my throat. She may be more excited about Jack and me than I am—wait, there isn’t a Jack and me.
I need to tell them.
I need to tell someone.
“Yes, and he was at Harry’s wedding too,” she continued excitedly.
“How you described him over text, he’s Lina’s twin?” Avery adds, causing the three of us to erupt into belly laughs.
“I guess you could say that.” I take a sip of water.
Avery’s eyes grow wide. “Lina is hot. Yeah, Piper!”
My stomach churns with the unease that I should tell my best friends the truth.
“There’s something that I should tell you guys,” I say before this conversation has the chance to go any further.
Lina’s face softens. “What is it?”
“Jack and I aren’t dating, and we’re not suddenly in love. We’re in business together.” I shift a little in my seat.
Looks of confusion sweep across each of their faces.
Bailey’s brows pinch together. “What does that mean?”
Nervously picking my fingernails under the table, I try to hide my apprehension. “It means that we’ve found ourselves in a little bit of a unique situation, and we did something,” I blurt out.
The table grows quiet as it begins to register with all three of them what I’ve said.
“Like what? What did you do?” Avery asks.
Lina’s eyes turn into saucers. ‘Oh my god, are you pregnant?”
Avery cocks her head to the side.
Bailey freezes.
“Jack and I met only a couple of weeks ago. How would I even know I was pregnant that fast?” I retort.
“Okay, fine, that makes sense.” She waves me off. “Tell us what it is then.”
“It’s pretty embarrassing and sort of why I’m in this situation with him in the first place,” I begin to explain.
“Well, tell us. It can’t be worse than when Bailey admitted to us that she was the fuck buddy to her archenemy and brother’s best friend,” Lina presses.
Bailey nods her head in agreement. “That’s true. You guys freaked.”
I angle my head toward the empty appetizer plate in front of me, avoiding eye contact with all three of them.
Avery leans across the table, resting her hands on top of mine. “Shit, Piper. What did you do?”
I suck in a deep breath of air, preparing to tell someone outside of me and Jack what crazy thing we did while we were in Las Vegas. “You know the day that I missed my flight and stayed the night with Jack?” Bailey nods, but the other two remain still and keep their eyes locked on me. I take a swig of some water before continuing, “We sort of got blackout drunk and—” I wince, squeezing my eyes shut. “Got married.”
“What!”
“You have got to be kidding!”
“Oh fuck,” Lina gasps, downing the rest of her . I slowly peel open one eye at a time. “Yes. We did that. Jack and I got married in Vegas after knowing each other less than twenty-four hours.”
“Holy shit, Piper,” Bailey says.
“You’re not kidding, are you?” Avery squeaks.
I shake my head.
“No fucking way! You would be the only one out of all of us to do something like that. This is hilarious and kind of thrilling at the same time,” Lina teases.
I crack a smile at her. “You have no idea.”
“Everyone pause,” Bailey says firmly. “I have a million questions. Did you get it annulled? Are you still married? How does Jack feel about this?”
“Now, that brings me to the nature of our business deal. Jack is in a bit of a predicament regarding his family’s winery. His dad unexpectedly passed away over the summer, and now he’s relocating back to Dupara County to take over …” I continue slowly, waiting for one of them to interrupt me.
“So, where do you come in with all this?” Bailey interjects.
“His dad’s best friend was also his business partner, and now that guy is trying to push Jack and his mom out, and from my very basic understanding, this small town is super close-knit and has a lot of influence over things. If that makes sense.”
“So, the people in the community don’t want Jack to run his own family’s business, or do they?” Lina questions.
“I’m not sure, but from what I’ve picked up, they’re a little apprehensive because Jack hasn’t been a part of the community since he was younger,” I go on.
Avery’s eyebrows snap together. “That’s fucked up. Why is it any of their concern in the first place?”
“And why is this your problem?” Bailey presses again, still needing clarification.
“I’m getting to that—Jack is not married, and the town is basically looking at him as an untrustworthy flight risk of a bachelor, so he’s paying me to be his fake girlfriend for the next month or so to get on their good side during all the transitions.” This might be the first time I’ve seen all three of my very opinionated, outgoing friends speechless.
The four of them continue to pelt me with questions for the remainder of the evening, and by the time I get back to my place, all I can think about is Jack. I wonder if he’s still up, but then I remember our little late-night run-in in the kitchen.
I plop down on my bed and pull my phone out of my purse.
Me: Are you still up?
Three dots immediately pop up at the bottom of my screen, sending my stomach into full somersaults.
Jack: You know that I am.
I quietly giggle and pull a pillow over, squishing it underneath me.
Me: Having a midnight snack?
Jack: As a matter of fact, I am standing in the kitchen enjoying a sandwich right now.
Jack: How was dinner?
Me: It was good. I told them about us. I hope you don’t mind.
Jack: They’re your best friends, I understand.
I smile, and another message comes through.
Me: Thank you. All three had interesting reactions and fired off questions at me the entire night.
Jack: I’d figured they’d do something like that.
Me: Are you sleeping in my bed?
Jack: Your bed?
Me: Yes, that’s my bed.
Jack: It smells like you.
My face is on fire. Oh my god, I hope that’s a good thing.
Me: I hope that’s not a bad thing.
Jack: It’s an irreplaceable thing.
I’m not quite sure what he meant, but the airy feeling in my chest tells me that Jack is flirting with me. I’ve missed him the last two days. The feeling isn’t the same as traveling for work or being in a long-distance relationship. It’s like being in an anxious, unsettled state.
Me: Can I call you when I’m in bed to say goodnight?
All my muscles tense as I wait for his response. My question was bold, yes, but I had to ask.
Jack: Of course.
I get a surge of energy and quickly spring off my bed to hop into the shower. When I get out, I brush my teeth and put on my pajamas. I turn off the lights and climb underneath the covers. With my heart racing, I hold my phone up in front of me, the light from the screen almost blinding in this dark room. I scroll to his name, hit call, and put it on speakerphone.
“Hello.”
I mold myself into the mattress the minute Jack’s calming voice washes over me. “Hi.”
“Are you in bed?”
“I just got in.”
“Did you want to talk about something specific?”
“No, not really.” I sigh. “I didn’t want to go to sleep alone.”
“I don’t mind staying on the phone with you until you fall asleep.” I hear him smile through his words.
“I’d like that, thank you.”
“You may want to put the phone somewhere safe so it doesn’t fall off the bed.”
“It is.” I’m propping it up against another pillow next to me. “Are you going to go to sleep soon?”
“I’m in bed, but I’ll be working on my laptop for a little longer.”
“Alright. And you don’t mind?” I ask one more time before letting my heavy eyes close.
“Absolutely not,” he replies with a low voice.
The light clicking of Jack typing on his keyboard soothes me like white noise. Slipping away into twilight sleep, I also hear the faint sound of Jack’s muffled breaths next to my ear. An unclear amount of time passes before his breathing turns into the distant sounds of the water turning on and back off. He’s getting ready for bed but staying on the phone with me. Then, I hear the rustling sounds of what I believe are the moving of blankets and sheets.
“Goodnight, my love,” Jack whispers barely audibly.
But I hear all three words as if they were yelled into my ears. Each one bounces off the walls of my skull and falls straight down into the pit of my stomach.
My eyelids fly open.
My heart sinks.