Page 33 of Sweet Escape

“Wow. That was fast.”

I tilt my head to the side in confusion, not sure I heard her correctly. “What?”

“It’s been less than five minutes, and you’re already breaking out thethis can’t go anywherespeech.”

I’m a bit stunned, to be honest. Partially because I didn’t realize I was so transparent, but also because I don’t like that she was able to read me so easily.

“I feel like ... I don’t want what just happened to get back to Murphy,” I finally say, my response clearly a cop-out. “I don’t think she’d handle it well.”

I’m even more surprised when Vivian laughs.

“Shewon’t handle it well, oryou’renot handling it well?”

“Fine. I’m not handling it well. Happy?” I ask, my tone growing exasperated. “I don’t want us scratching an itch and creating something more complicated when I really don’t have the time for it. And you kissing me like that in the middle of the street is a recipe for ‘more complicated.’”

“You don’t have to worry about me wanting anything more from you than what you’ve given me,” she replies. “I wanted to be fucked, and that’s what you did. Thank you.”

She says it almost casually, her little wallet thing tucked under her arm and her hands in her pockets. But I don’t miss the little bit of hurt in her expression.

I grit my teeth and let out a long sigh.

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride?” I ask, feeling even worse now about sending her walking down the street in the evening, alone. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t ask.”

She gives me a tight smile. “Memphis, in this moment, I wouldn’t ask you for the time. Have a nice night.”

Then she turns, striding off down the tree-lined street in the direction of the Firehouse.

My gaze drops to her ass as she goes. I bite out a curse at my own weakness before heading in the opposite direction, making for where my truck is parked closer to the highway.

I hop in and slam the door, turning the key and revving up the ignition.

But then I sit there for a few minutes, staring straight ahead, unseeing.

I’m sure I could have handled that better, but I ... didn’t know how. And telling her I didn’t want things to be more complicated felt like the best choice.

It was honest, but also easier than explaining to her all the little things floating around in the back of my mind.

Of course I don’t want Murphy to find out I slept with Vivian, but it’s about so much more than just my sister hearing that I hooked up with someone she’s friends with.

Vivian is herbestfriend. The confidante she’s looked to for years. The person she has turned to when she felt like she didn’t have anyone else. When she felt like she was alone. When she felt likeIwas the one letting her down.

Even though I might not be the most sensitive guy in the world, it’s no secret that Murphy wants things between us to be better, for us to be closer. And I do, too.

And that’s just the Murphy situation.

That doesn’t even touch on the fact that I don’t have any fucking time right now. Not when I have this much on my plate. When I’m already struggling to keep it all together.

But I can’t explain something like that to Vivian.

Because who sits down with a one-night stand and says,This can’t happen again because my vineyard is on the brink of foreclosure?

It sounds like bullshit. It sounds like the weirdest, most random excuse in the world.

Even though it’s not.

Every single day, I spend every moment that I can trying to repair things. Trying to find the magic pill that will solve all our problems and bring the vineyard back to its former glory. Searching for every single opportunity to level things out.

I. Don’t. Have. Time.

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