Page 31 of Love Among Vines

She would probably never see either one of them again. The thought didn’t hurt as much as it had that morning.

It was time for a fresh start.

CHAPTER TWELVE

JADE

“So,”Rett said over the rumble of the truck, “do you think we pulled it off?”

“Pulled what off?”

Jade’s gaze drifted down to his pants. Speaking of things that needed to be pulled off.

“Convincing his family that you’re in a happy relationship and your life is super on track?”

“Oh, right.” Jade shook her head, trying to clear it, but the day-long alcohol marathon had made everything fuzzy. “Yeah, I think we nailed it. You weren’t exaggerating, by the way. You’re a really good dancer,” she said.

She couldn’t stop looking at him, drenched in moonlight. It was like the first time she had laid eyes on an MC Escher lithograph.

“Thank you. It’s come in handy before.”

“You should consider giving dance lessons at the winery. You would probably get busloads of wealthy elderly women from upscale retirement communities.”

“Are you a business consultant in your free time?” He smiled.

“More like an expert-level procrastinator.”

Dark trees flitted past the windows. Every few yards, a strip of the dark lake peeked out.

“I can’t get over how beautiful it is here.”

He glanced at her. “So why don’t you stay? At least until the party. If the city hasn’t inspired you in two years, what are the odds that will change tomorrow?”

A thrill ran through her belly. Did he want her to stay, or was he just pointing out that doing the same thing over and over again was unlikely to work?

Jade sighed. “I was kind of hoping I would get some huge emotional catharsis from seeing Nate marry someone else.”

“And did you?”

She shook her head. “Though to be fair, I wasn’t expecting a bonus betrayal on top of the already uncomfortable event. Either way, they’re in the past now. And at least he’s not dating one of my siblings. Sorry,” she said when he flinched.

His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “It’s fine. Do you have siblings?”

“No.”

“So you’re alone now? In the city, I mean.”

“Yeah.” Alone in the world now that her best friend had accidentally fallen onto her ex’s dick and lied about it for two years.

“That sounds lonely. I’m sorry.”

She took a deep breath. He was bumming her out, but at least it had managed to smother some of the all-consuming lust. “It really has been.”

“Then why not stay? Here in Hammondsport. The leaves are going to start changing any day. Trust me when I say you’ve never seen anything like it. It might inspire you.”

Jade shook her head even though her heart stuttered. Something in this town called to her. But she couldn’t afford it.

“I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was broke. I don’t have money to rent a place, even for two weeks.”

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