Page 79 of Booked on a Feeling

“Must. Eat. Now.” Saliva pooled in her mouth, and she swallowed. Drooling definitely wasn’t romantic.

After placing piping-hot bowls of chili on the table, he took a seat across from her and watched her top her chili with way too much sour cream and all the other toppings. She built a perfect spoonful and took her first bite. Her eyes fluttered closed.

“Oh, my God,” she moaned. “This is so good.”

He huffed a sigh of relief before a giant grin overtook his face. “You like it?”

“I love it,” she said over another mouthful. It was crackchili. She couldn’t stop stuffing her face. And it was spicy. She reached for her beer and took a big gulp. “Oh, this is good, too. From the brewery?”

“Yeah, it’s No Joke, Tara’s amber lager.”

“What’s no joke?” She paused with the spoon in front of her mouth.

“That’s the name of the lager. No Joke.” He grinned at her. “As in, it’s really that good. No joke.”

She burst out laughing. “I don’t know which I like better—the beer or the name.”

“Tara’s equally proud of both.”

And she could tell he was very proud of his little sister. “You guys are doing amazing things with the brewery.”

“Alex and Tara are incredible brewers,” he said matter-of-factly. “They’re the beating heart behind Weldon Brewery.”

“You’re incredible, too.” Her eyebrows pulled together. She didn’t know why he always shortchanged himself when it came to the brewery. “All your ideas and innovations helped put Weldon Brewery on the map.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But it’s their talent that’s going to take the brewery the rest of the way.”

“I don’t like it when you talk like this.” She put her spoon down. “You talk as though you have nothing to contribute to the business.”

“Because I don’t,” he said with a shrug. “At least nothing that can’t be provided by a part-time bookkeeper and a server.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I was going to wait until we finished dinner to tell you this, but… I got a job in LA.”

“Wait… you what?” she said louder than she’d intended.

“I got a job as a business analyst with McBain Corporation.It’s an entry-level position, but it’s a start…” He frowned and faltered when she withdrew her hand from his grasp.

“A start to what, Jack?” She was confused and angry. She didn’t have time to reflect on why she was angry. She just reacted.

“To start living my life and chasing my own dreams instead of”—he swiped his hand down his mouth—“piggybacking on my brother’s and sister’s dream.”

Piggybacking? Her heart ached at the way he described his life. Had he always felt that way?My poor Jack.Too many questions and feelings chased one another inside her. A part of her wanted to pull him into her arms and tell him that she was sorry he felt like a supporting actor in Alex’s and Tara’s lives. Tell him she was so proud of him for pursuing his own dreams.

But he was moving to Los Angeles. She was moving to Weldon. How was this happening? And how had she not known? He must have been applying for jobs and interviewing for a while to have received an offer. Sympathy, pride, betrayal, anger, and hurt swirled into a pool of anxiety. She was lost.

“And you didn’t think to tell me any of this before?” she snapped, pushing up from her chair.

“I haven’t told anyone.” He got to his feet, holding out his hands. “I didn’t know if I would get the job. I… I didn’t want to disappoint everyone.”

She paced toward the couch, then spun around to face him. “I would never be disappointed in you.”

“I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner. But just think for a minute. I’m moving to LA,” he said, gently grasping her arms. “We can be together.”

Her first instinct was to forget her decision to leave her firm and move to Weldon. It would be so much easier to maintain the status quoandhave Jack by her side. But she had alreadyspent too many years of her life doing what someone else wanted of her. She needed to live her life the way she thought was best for her. She didn’t have everything figured out, but going back to a life she didn’t want just to be with Jack wasn’t the answer.

“No, Jack. We won’t be together.” She shook his hands off her arm. “Because I’m moving to Weldon.”

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