Jensen takes a deep breath, her spiral clearly starting so I wait.
“There’s stuff I would still be responsible for whether I went and worked at an already established place, but I’d owe them rent and have to work with their policies. I’d have a lot more creative freedom and control of how things are run with Reagan, but I’d still technically owe her rent too. The bright side would be, if it grows enough, I could hire more artists and supplement some of that with their booth rent.”
“And you don’t have to worry about convincing anyone differently about whatever bullshit your old place is spreading.”
Jensen nods slowly. “True, they could also try to cause some sort of stink if they find out I’m opening a place on my own, but I don’t foresee that really being a big issue.”
Dottie rolls over on her back forcing a small laugh out of Jensen. She scratches her stomach with the slightest smile on her face.
Humph. Smart dog. I was just about to attempt to get the same things out of her.
“Do you want to do it? That’s one thing we haven’t talked about. Do you even want to do this with Reagan? Once you start there won’t be any stopping it.”
Jensen’s hand slows on Dottie’s pets. “I think I do,” she whispers.
“Sorry, Jenni-cakes, there can’t be a ‘think’ here. You don’t have to know how it will work out, but you have to know if you want it or not.”
“It’s not that simple, Beck. For you, maybe it is, but for me, there’s still that huge upfront cost. If I do this, it means taking out loans and busting my ass a whole lot more at Winedown for all my bills.”
“Now, if we’re talking money, I can?—”
“No, Beck, you said you wanted to talk this out, fine, but I can’t accept any more of your money.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Why not? Please give me one good reason not to.”
“Because I’m already so indebted to you.”
Jensen hits me when I make a buzzer noise.
“Beck!”
“What? That’s not a good reason. Try again.”
“It is too a good reason. You said you’d do what you’ve done for me in the past twenty-four hours for Lucie or Callie if they needed it, but this—essentially funding a whole business—is a step too far.”
I open my mouth to argue but quickly shut it. She’s got a point, maybe I am taking this all a little too far, but it’s something she wants—something she’d be amazing at—and the only real hesitation she has is monetary. I can fix that.
I take a deep breath and think over my next wording carefully. “I see your point, but on the other?—”
I don’t finish my sentence before Jensen’s off the couch. “No, no buts, no other hands or whatever you were going to say. I can figure it out on my own. We’re roommates—I’ve taken enough of your money, any more and that’s me walking the line of taking advantage of you.”
“Oh, bullshit.” Now I’m up. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You are nottakingadvantageof me. Think of this as an opportunity, Jensen, take the fucking opportunity.”
She scoffs. “An opportunity? An opportunity for who? Beck, this isn’t an ‘us’ thing, it needs to be me.”
“It can be you, you’re missing the whole point. I get you want this for yourself. Hell, I want it for you too. If this is about what you brought up earlier…” I can’t say for certain why Jensen brought up that she didn’t want a cookie-cutter relationship, and I hate that we were interrupted before we could talk more about it anymore. “This is quite literally the opposite of me wanting you to put your career on hold. I want to help start it now.”
Jensen’s face turns bright red. She holds her hands up. “Okay, that has nothing to do with this. I just wanted to establish…boundaries.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You don’t sound so sure of that.”
She throws her hands up. “You know what I mean, Beck.”
“Can’t say I do. Had we not gotten interrupted I think I might’ve figured it out, but now you’re going to have to spell it out for me.”
Jensen snorts as she shakes her head. “I’m not doing this.”
“Great, then you’ll take my offer to let me pay for this stuff.” I smile as she grits her jaw. “Glad we could come to that agreement.”
