Page 35 of Won’t Let You Get Away

“You told me to have fun,” I remind him.

“Yeah, fun,” Connor says with a baffled expression. “See, I was picturing ‘fun’ as you seeing some dolphins or going dancing—not getting a stranger pregnant.”

“I did see some dolphins,” I admit, thinking of the sunrise on the net bed with Bri.

“Well, it’s great that you at least saw some dolphins!” Connor chuckles, shaking his head. I bite back a smile and refrain from mentioning that I only caught a glimpse of a fin before getting distracted by making Bri moan for me.

The three of us fall into a comfortable silence for a moment, before I finally voice the thought that has been plaguing me since Bri told me.

“I can’t help feeling hurt that she didn’t tell me when she saw me last week.”

“It’s understandable, though, right?” AJ interjects, pushing his empty glass away and turning to face me. “She just moved here and was already trying to figure things out. Add in an unexpected visit from the father of her child…that’s a lot for anyone to handle, let alone someone who is pregnant and dealing with all those hormones. She’s handling it better than most people would.”

“I know, but it still sucks that she chose to shut me out for a whole week. I could have been there to support her and help her figure things out.” I say dejectedly.

“From what we’ve heard about Sabrina, I don’t think she wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt you,” Connor offers, nudging me with his shoulder.

“Sometimes silence and distance are necessary for someone to process their thoughts and feelings. It’s not always a personal attack,” AJ says softly. “In today’s world, people assume that if you don’t respond within five minutes, something must be wrong. You can’t always take silence as a response and build your own narrative around words that were never said.”

AJ pauses, fidgeting with his glass before continuing. “But sometimes taking time to process and think before responding is the best thing for everyone involved. Especially in a situation like this where emotions are high, and everything is changing. Can you really fault her for needing time to deal with it all?”

His words hit home, offering a different perspective on the situation. They also reveal some of AJ’s own inner turmoil since losing his family—he too has been holding everyone at arm’s length.

Despite AJ’s distant demeanor, Connor and I refused to give up on him. We gave him space, but never took his avoidance personally. Instead, we continued to show up for him, whether it was sitting next to him at the bar or silently joining him on his runs. And now, as Bri needs space from me, I will do the same for her.

“Wow, I didn’t know you had that many words in your vocabulary,” Connor snickers under his breath. I swat his arm and shoot daggers at the back of his head. AJ lets out a chuckle and shrugs, before looking back at me.

“You have every right to feel hurt and upset, but don’t jump to conclusions based on assumptions from things she hasn’t said.”

Connor nods gravely. “Things may not have worked out three months ago, but she’s here now and willing to let you in.”Suddenly, his head snaps towards AJ with an ear-to-ear grin plastered on his face. “We’re gonna be uncles!”

Even behind his thick beard, AJ can’t hide the smile spreading across his face.

My chest tightens with emotion as I watch my brother and best friend start discussing plans for baby-proofing the farm.

From the moment Bri told me she was pregnant, I knew I was happy about it. But now, as I see the joy and laughter return to AJ’s eyes after years of darkness, I realize it goes much deeper than happiness. It’s a sense of hope and new beginnings that wouldn’t be possible without Bri and this baby.

A genuine smile takes over my face as I start envisioning all the possibilities while celebrating this news with my brother and AJ.

SABRINA

It always baffles me when an adult claims to love naps. The idea of being able to lay down, sleep for a few hours, and not have their entire day thrown off seems impossible.

When I mentioned my headache to Noah, he insisted that I rest. I tried to convince him that I was fine to talk, but he pointed out that the strain on my body affected more than just me. If he hadn’t been so attentive and caring before leaving, I would have thought he was using my headache as an excuse to go. However, he stayed close by.

He kept finding reasons to extend his time with me, getting me water and a warm washcloth or bringing the boxes and my laptop back inside. He stayed until all that was left was watching me rest on the couch.

Although napping may not be my preferred activity, the thought of lying down and letting the pounding in my head subside sounded like heaven. But when I opened my eyes, the sun was setting.

The pain had dissipated, but after eating and showering for the evening, I knew it would be impossible for me to fall asleepanytime soon. So instead, I started doing the work that I had intended to do before Noah stopped by.

I didn’t close my laptop until is was some time after one in the morning.

Needless to say, waking up for work at the winery this morning was a struggle. And not being able to drink a full pot of coffee didn’t help either.

Most days, the tasks I’m doing to help fix our business can be done at any time or place. But unfortunately, today is not one of those days.

After spending the morning on the phone with our new payroll company and then conducting a phone interview for a potential tasting room manager, I feel completely drained.

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