I was an asshole. Period. End of story. “Jake, I can’t tell you how fucking sorry I am that I just made that call for the two of us. My mind was filled Maggie and a baby. Everything else just felt like noise, and I needed to focus.” I took in a deep breath and was grateful for the peace of this place right now. Thankfully it was just our employees getting ready and the music. I wasn’t sure if I could hand much else yet. Meeting Jake’s gaze, I asked the impossible. “How can I make this up to you?”
Jake sank onto a barstool at the high-tops we were leaning against. Looking up at me, he seemed conflicted. I’d put money on that conflict having something to do with empathy for my position and a general pissed-off attitude that I’d changed our plan. “You’re looking at this wrong, Sully. Once you get your head out of your ass, you’ll see that an investment in your business makes smart business sense. We’ve proven that we can make money. Canning just allows us to increase that income. Which is good for you. Also, once that gorgeous redhead calms down, she’ll recognize that a relationship with you would be the stuff romance novels are made of.”
“What do you know about romance novels?” I asked, curious.
“Got a sister who reads a shit ton of them,” he replied.
I took another sip of our beer, letting the flavors burst in my mouth. Damn, it was good. Looking back to Jake, I said, “Ah, thought you might be reading them, and was going to give you some shit.”
He looked personally insulted, “Not my usual type of book, but I’ve read plenty and they’re terrific. Nothing wrong with a happy ending.” Giving me a shit-eating grin, he continued, “Maybe if you read a few you’d realize how fucked up you are and get your head on straight.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong. But I couldn’t let him have the last word, even if I was happy that he seemed to be somewhat letting go of his completely justified anger at me. “And no comments on Maggie’s looks.”
At that, he laughed. “I’m not blind, Sully. And when she gets that pregnant belly going, along with the breasts that come with it. I mean, good luck, man. I won’t be the only one who notices.”
I took another swig of beer. It was better than what I wanted to do. Now he was just being an ass to prove a point. “You really want me to take a swing at you, asshole.”
“Not going there. Just reminding you what you have.”
“I don’t have anyone. And a woman isn’t a possession, Jake. Maybe this is why you’re single.”
Jake stood, stretching up as Laurie walked into the tank room. Laurie was younger than either of us, midtwenties, and had the huge misfortune to have married an asshole right out of high school. Two kids later, she found herself blessedly divorced but needed a job that understood that kids get sick and sometimes you can’t plan that shit. In the past year I’d seen her confidence built back up as we gave her more and more responsibilities when she’d shown she could handle them. Now she managed the front of the house for us and did a damn find job. I guessed her arrival meant the conversation with Jake would have to be tabled for now.
“Hey guys, giving you a heads-up that we have a crew for lunch today. The local business owners are holding their Rotary meeting here because their normal location has an issue with catering today,” she said, looking at the iPad in her hand. “There will be about thirty people.”
My mind quickly thought through the tables in the dining room, nodding as I considered table locations. “Do we need to send a message out on social media that we’re closed for lunch to accommodate that group?”
Laurie dragged some things around on her iPad, furrowing her brow as she did so. “Nope, should be fine. We’ll still have some tables available, along with the high-tops. The group chose to come in at eleven to help us out and avoid the lunch rush. I think we’ll be fine. Just letting you two know because…”
“We’ll need to have all hands on deck, right?” Jake finished for her.
Laurie looked up again, considering us both for the first time. “I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something?”
Jake shook his head. “Nope, just saving me from having to beat some sense into this big lug. That’s all.”
Laurie laughed, then turned and headed back to the brewpub.
I stood up, grabbing both my glass and Jake’s, and headed for the sink. As I sanitized them, I realized Jake hadn’t followed Laurie. Placing the glasses on the counter, I turned back to Jake as he spoke.
“Sully, I get where you’re coming from with the loan, but I think you’re dead wrong.”
“I get that, but—”
“Hold on, man. I’m just saying let’s table this conversation for a bit. We’ve already lost the opportunity to have the Main Street loan though that doesn’t mean the idea of canning is dead completely. There are other options, and I want to explore some of them. You need to get used to the idea of having a kid, which I’d like to remind you won’t be happening for months and months. Let’s talk more in a week or so. Take some time. I’m talking with the guys over at Knobs Brewery on their canning process next week. They’re local, so I’ll have a bit more intel for you on what their first year looked like. I wonder if you’d feel better to have some more numbers to run.”
“Fine, we’ll talk then.” I was conflicted. I’d been so certain giving up the loan had been the right call, but something was nagging at me after talking to Jake. The missed opportunity, the chance to expand, the notion of what I needed to feel secure. I itched to hop on my bike and ride out of town. Turning to Jake, I had to make sure that we, at least, were okay. “So, we’re good?” I asked.
“We’re good, man. No matter what. That being said, I’m absolutely going to convince you that we need to move ahead. However, in the meantime, Harp said something about you getting a roommate…” Jake grinned as we turned to walk back into the brewpub. “Did you think you were going to be able to keep that bit of knowledge to yourself?”
“You guys are fucking gossips, you know that? Miss Lou has nothing on either of you.” I looked around the dining room. The tables were ready for lunch, the tables for the group pulled together into two long rows on one side of the room.
“When is this all going down?” Jake said as we moved toward the bar where Daryl was wiping the wood surface until it gleamed.
“Needs to move in by Saturday. I figured I’d grab Max and get that done while she was at school tomorrow. She doesn’t need to be lifting anything,” I said, pulling my phone out and texting Harp to ask if that would work. There was so much I couldn’t do for Maggie, that I couldn’t fix. But by God, I could take care of her. “And I’ve known Maggie since she became a teacher. The last day tends to weigh on her. I’m guessing that will be even harder when she’s dealing with pregnancy hormones.”
“Oh, this is going to be excellent,” Jake said with a chuckle. “Are you planning to be overprotective the entire pregnancy, or just at the beginning?”
“What? I mean, she has to teach tomorrow, and she’s exhausted all the time already. I just figured…”
