Page 45 of Someone You Deserve

“So that means you’ll have time to build the Christmas backdrop for me then, huh?” Hazel asks, batting her eyelashes at me just like she did when she asked me the other day.

“Yes, Hazelnut. I’ve got you. It’ll get done.” Not sure when, but I’ll make it happen. I always do.

She blows me a kiss. “Best big brother ever.”

“Hey!” Parker and Dallas interject at the same time.

“It’s about time I claim the title,” I mock them, but my mother puts an end to the battle, addressing our plans for Thanksgiving before the bickering gets out of hand.

And as I sit there, listening to the usual conversation that happens at our family dinners, I wonder how much different the next one might be if I actually get the chance to talk to Astrid about so many things.

Here’s hoping I take the opportunity when itarises.

***

“You’re in here early today,” Dallas says as I walk toward the bar he’s standing behind in Catch & Release. It’s Thursday, which is when Grady, Parker, and I all come in for lunch each week. Dallas doesn’t open until four in the afternoon on weekdays, so the place is dead and it allows us all to catch up.

I flip my ball cap around and take a seat on my usual stool. “I needed to get out of the hardware store. Mrs. Hansen was driving me nuts.”

“Did she make you sort screws again?” An amused grin spreads across his lips.

“Fuck you. You have no idea what a nightmare that was.”

He taps on the metal bar where the food is placed as it’s cooked, signaling to Jerry in the kitchen that I’m here. One of the cooks always comes in earlier in the day to prep a few things before the doors open to the restaurant. “Oh, no I’m sure it was horrible, which is why it baffles me that you’re still working for the woman.”

“Believe me, I’m questioning that myself.” I take a stack of papers from my pocket and lay them on the bar in front of me. “But I finally filed for my LLC with the town, so the wheels are in motion to get out for good.”

Dallas picks up the paperwork and nods approvingly. “Nice, Penn.”

“Thanks.”

“You should just quit then. I know it’s not about the money for you since you pick up every penny you find on the street.” My brother is right. I’m about as frugal as they come, and my savings is stacked because if I don’t need something, I don’t buy it. I also have some money in the stock market, so it’s not like I’m struggling, but I think we both know my reservations go deeper than that.

“Sometimes it’s not always about money, Dallas. It’s about loyalty.”

“Yeah, but sometimes you’ve got to put yourself first.”

I lean back in my chair. “So are you saying you’re ready for me to quit the restaurant?”

He shrugs and then crosses his arms over his chest. “If that’s what you need to do, then yeah.”

I can’t say the next step of quitting my two jobs hasn’t been on my mind, but I wanted to be further along with my new venture before I cut all ties. And I’m not one to leave anyone high and dry either. I’d like to make sure that Mrs. Hansen has someone to replace me before I leave the hardware store completely.

But maybe Dallas is right. That needs to be sooner rather than later, especially because the craziest time of the year is about to commence. I could use the extra time.

“I’ll let you know when I’m ready,” I say, just as Jerry slides my burger onto the counter. Dallas grabs the plate, a bottle of ketchup, some extra napkins, and a Coke from the fountain, dropping everything off in front of me.

“Don’t keep pushing it off though, Penn. Time’s a-wasting. Speaking of which, have you talked to Astrid yet?”

I knew that was fucking coming. “Not yet,” I mumble around a bite of my burger.

“Willow’s getting anxious. Every time the phone rings, she thinks it’s going to be Astrid calling to tell her that you’ve confessed your feelings to her. I swear, she’s going to have a damn heart attack.”

“Maybe Willow needs to go back to work since she has too much time on her hands to worry about my and Astrid’s lives.”

Dallas glares at me. “Hey, watch it. That’s my girl you’re talking about.”

The corner of my mouth lifts along with one of my shoulders. “I said I’ll talk to her. I didn’t say when.”

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