Page 18 of Hating the Book Boyfriend

"You mean the scandal where you were caught banging one of the law clerks from the opposing counsel, calling into question how your evidence was obtained? Yeah, I saw that. My question is, why did you do it?"

"I knew who she was, and I didn't fuck her. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I have no doubt you knew exactly who she was and her motive. That wasn't my question. My question was, why did you do it?"

I take a long pull of the beer he gave me minutes ago to sample. It has notes of cinnamon in it. It's good. It's really good, and it makes the weight I've been carrying feel much heavier.

"I'm still trying to figure it out." I spin the bottle in my hands and see his branding with the Estes name, and I want that. Something tangible that I can say I made. Right now, I’m watching him stand over the new top-of-the-line stove that he paid for out of his profits, ones he made from growing hops on his land with his hands. That makes me jealous, and that feeling is new for me. I'm not someone who covets what other people have.

When my parents had me, my father had a reputation and wealth. I wanted for very little. "But I want to make a name for myself?—"

"You can't be serious," he says, setting down the thermometer and grabbing his beer. "You're a Callahan. You have a name, a reputation, a legacy."

I thin my lips and choose my following words mindfully so I don't sound like an ungrateful ass. "You're not wrong, but those things don't feel like mine. They more or less feel like a role I stepped into. I want something that is mine. Something I built, similar to what you have here."

He leans against the counter and mulls over my words. "I hear what you're saying, but you have to remember. I stepped into this role, so to speak, as well. The tree farm belonged to my parents before they handed it to me and JoJo."

"That's true. But you grew its revenue and expanded its footprint, making the Estes name a recognizable brand nationwide instead of just in Pine Falls."

"We're getting there. We're far from being a household name, but brand recognition is growing, that's for sure." He crosses his arms, bringing his beer to his lips, and says, "If Colton Callahan isn't a lawyer, what is he?"

I look out the window and catch a glimpse of JoJo's blonde hair blowing in the wind as she looks around suspiciously before pulling her phone to her ear and entering the barn. "Your guessis as good as mine. Right now, he's a bum sleeping on his best friend's couch, working like a dog, hoping he doesn't get kicked out."

He laughs before returning to his small batch on the stove. "When are the renters expected to be out of your house? Do you think you'll stay long enough to move back up there?"

When I started working on the East Coast, my mother moved back to Illinois, where my family is originally from, but I told her I wanted to buy the Pine Falls house. I had too many memories here to part with it and didn't want to let it go. However, owning a property you rarely use is a waste of money, so I started leasing it short-term. Hence, why I'm on his couch and not in my own home.

"They aren't living there full-time. I've been tempted to run over and steal some clothes. They rented it until two days after Christmas. My property manager told me they come up to ski and they like the idea of having a snowy Christmas. I offered the house through New Years so they didn't have to feel rushed during their holiday, but they didn't take it."

"That must be the family locals keep talking about. They all drive high-end white cars," he drinks his beer as he looks through the ingredients. "You're more than welcome to stay here. Since JoJo has been in Chicago and Lindy left, it's just been me."

Now I feel like an ass for not asking about Lindy. I assumed if he wanted to talk about the girl he planned to propose to this Christmas, leaving out of nowhere, he'd bring it up. I'm not sure that's what he's doing now, but he called me out on my case, and what are friends for if not making us own our shit?

"Have you rebounded or are you still hoping things work out?"

He adds a few cinnamon sticks to the pot. "For a month, I was bitter, then mad, and now I don't care. We dated for fiveyears, and in that time, she was never subtle about wanting me to put a ring on it. When she first left, I blamed myself. I had finally bought the ring, but I was waiting for the right moment, and when she left and took that moment away, I was pissed at myself. After I stopped kicking myself for not proposing on someone else's timeline, I got more salty about the future I wouldn't have." He throws his arms wide. "This extension was her idea…" He downs the rest of his beer. "And now I feel like I dodged a bullet. When she left, she told me she didn't want to be stuck living in a small town with a tree farmer."

"Fuck, that's a low blow. I'm sorry, man."

"I'm not. I saw her true colors. It just took some time. Last I heard, she's in Florida dating some tech guy."

Yet another reason I've chosen to stay single. You can't get screwed over if you don't let anyone get close. He can say he's over it all he wants, but the fact that he said, "the last I heard," means he's been keeping tabs. While I haven't subscribed to the whole relationship thing myself, it doesn't mean I don't get it. You don't spend five years with someone and walk away unscathed.

"So, are you swinging for the other team now? Is that why Kieran's been hanging around more?"

He laughs. "You sound jealous. Are you worried he's encroaching on your best friend spot?"

I have my reasons for asking about Kieran. One's I wish were rooted in jealousy of a friend spot. "Jealous, no. I just noticed he seems to be a fixture around here lately, and I wasn't sure if that was because of you or JoJo. I could be wrong, but it always seems like she's dipping out too, sneaking around,” I subtly hint at my suspicions.

His eyes flick out the window toward the barn I watched her enter moments ago. "You think Kieran has a thing for JoJo?"

I hop off my stool and head to the refrigerator for another beer. "Why did you think I asked if you switched teams…" I hold out a beer for him, and he takes it. "Sure, he's been helping with the trees, but he lingers, and now JoJo is planning a Friendsgiving next week after he gave her a sob story that it's just him at home for the holidays since his parents are taking an Alaskan cruise and he doesn't like boats." I pop the top on my bottle. "I don't believe that her choice to host a gathering and his tales of woe are unrelated."

He quirks a brow. "You know JoJo is in PR, right? She's been working out there because of the noise from the construction underway in the kitchen. Since the kitchen won't be ready in time for the party, she's planning it out there. She hired a photographer to come in, take pictures, and record the dinner. Her plan is to use it to make content, promoting our holiday brews, and the farm."

I nod in agreement. Everything he's saying answers for what I've seen I suppose. I'm hyper-focusing on what I've seen and making unfounded assumptions because she's kept her distance, and I've reluctantly kept mine. I should let it all go and chalk all this up to my newfound borderline obsession that includes all things Josephine Estes, but I have to ask. It's been driving me insane because I can't piece it together.

"I feel like I'm overstepping by asking this, but are you sure it's all work-related?" I straighten in my chair and tip my beer toward the barn out the window. "There's no chance it's something else?"

---