“Really,” he said, giving his friend a flat look.
Jericho frowned. “I didn’t take you for a cradle robber.”
“I’m not.” He shoved his discomfort aside, shoved the memory of a couple hours ago aside. “Anyway, I didn’t take you for a busybody.”
“Well, it’s not every day my best friend is suitably lowered to such a position. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying it.”
“Some friend.”
“I never claimed to be a good friend, just the best one you have.”
“No kidding,” Honey said. “Just an exasperating one. Anyway, I have work to do, unlike you two lazy cowboys. I actually still work here.”
“And the place is hopping,” Jericho said, looking around the empty space.
“I have a bachelorette party coming in twenty minutes. And no, I’ve decided neither of you can stay. I can’t bear watching you go for the low-hanging fruit. I’d like to have more respect for you.”
“I never pick low-hanging fruit,” Jericho said. “The sweetest ones are at the top of the tree.”
“Well, put up your ladder somewhere else, cowboy. Because you’re not picking off this one.” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “The ladies deserve to have a party in peace.”
Both he and Jericho allowed Honey to kick them out of the room, and he walked out toward his truck with his friend. “What were you really doing here?”
“I... I have a meeting with your dad.”
“You have a meeting with my dad?”
“Yes. About the vineyard.”
“Really?”
“You and Creed are silent partners. At least, more or less these days. Your dad is... Well, he’s not enjoying this as much as he used to. He wants to get out of it.”
“Are you buying my dad out?”
“Talking about it.”
For some reason, that bothered Jackson. “You didn’t think to talk to me about it?”
“It’s a business deal, Jackson. I don’t have to talk to you about my business.”
Jackson knew that Jericho had been very successful with investments. His friend was a rancher, but he was a great deal more than that. Successful, extremely so, and not because he sat on his hands, or did things with caution.
“No. But you are my friend.”
“Yes. I’m talking to you now. But I figured I would have a conversation with your father before I did that. I haven’t finalized anything yet.”
“What’s the deal?”
“I’m buying half. And I’m going to transition to running the day-to-day.”
“That means you’re buying Honey’s portion.”
“She hasn’t come into it yet. Because of her age. So yes.”
“She’s going to be...”
“She should be free of this. Don’t you think?”
“Now you’re going to tell me that you have nothing but my sister’s best interest at heart?”
Jericho shook his head. “No. But I care about her too. I’m not just acting without thought.”
Jackson shook his head. “She’s going to kick you in the nuts.”
“She might. Like I said. It’s business. It’s not personal.”
“It kind of has to be personal. Given that our relationship is personal.”
“If it were personal, I would be buying him out for a good deal. I’m not. I’m overpaying.”
“Well, at least there’s that.”
His dad hadn’t told Jackson, of course. Bottom line, there had been a wedge between his parents whether his dad was ever going to address it or not, and by default Jackson had ended up on his mother’s team. They had all rallied when they’d needed to. His dad had been there for his mom. He couldn’t fault him for that. No. If only it were more straightforward. If only things had been toxic. Because if they had been toxic then Jackson could have disavowed his dad. If his father hadn’t been there for his mother, then Jackson could easily cut his father out of his life.
But it was never going to be that simple. His dad wasn’t a bad man. But as far as Jackson could tell he’d been a bad husband.
He’d also been there when it had counted.
“Look, I gotta get back to work. I’ll see you around.”
Jackson got into his truck, leaving Jericho standing there, leaving his conflicted feelings there at Cowboy Wines, because it was easier than staying and confronting them. Honestly, dealing with Cricket was much easier than all of this.
Five
Cricket was bound and determined to pretend that nothing had happened earlier. Though, when Jackson arrived in his truck, she was a little bit chagrined. She had hoped that she might get a small reprieve. After all, he hadn’t said why he’d left, and it was entirely possible that he figured, since she had run away from him like someone not thinking straight, he had every right to back out of their agreement. But no, he was back.
She flung open the door to the house, and stood there with a grin fixed permanently on her face. A grin that dared him to comment.
He got a couple of paper bags out of the truck, and held them. Standing there staring at her.
“Glad you’re back,” she said.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m ready to fix the sink.”
“Well great,” she said.
“Yeah, I said I would.”
He slammed the door of the truck shut and began to walk toward her. She scampered back through the entryway, but still stood there, with her hand on the door. She didn’t want to look like she was running scared. Not again. She needed to get a grip. That was the thing. She needed to stop acting this way.
“I really appreciate it.”
“Yeah, I mean, you said.”
He brushed past her, and she held her breath. Because she didn’t want to smell him. Didn’t want to get the impression of his scent again, because it did weird things to her insides and she heavily resented all the weird things Jackson did to her insides. She couldn’t think about it right now though. Because she had to act... She had to act like everything was okay. She just really desperately needed to pretend like everything that happened earlier hadn’t happened.
He set the bags on the table and she stood in the doorway, watching as he got out pipes and tape and tools.