Wright with Benefits (Wright Series #8) - K.A. Linde Page 0,16

how it had turned my father into more of a monster than he already was. Apparently, alcoholism ran thick like a river through our family.

“No, I wasn’t alone,” I said, turning back to stare up at the barn.

I didn’t miss the look that passed between Julian and Hollin. They’d gotten close over the last three years. They played on the same rec soccer team, and their friendship had only strengthened.

“Was it that blonde?” Julian asked with a cringe. “What was her name?”

“Leslie?” Hollin offered.

“No. It doesn’t matter who it was.”

“Why doesn’t it matter?”

“Because it doesn’t matter,” I insisted, wanting to be done with this conversation. “Anyway, she’d kill me if I told you.”

“So, we know her then?” Hollin asked.

I frowned. Well, shit.

“Forget I said anything.”

Julian laughed. “No chance in hell.” He glanced at Hollin. “Who do we know who would hate him for telling us?”

Then at the same time, they said, “Annie.”

I closed my eyes in resignation. Jesus Christ, was I that transparent?

“Fine. Yes, it was Annie. Just don’t tell her I told you.”

“How did that even happen?” Hollin asked. He tilted his head and ran a hand through his blond beard, his light-blue eyes revealing his shock. “I thought she, like…hated you?”

“She doesn’t hate me.”

“Well, obviously not anymore,” Julian said with another barely concealed laughter. His dark eyes, the mirror of mine, were full of mirth. “But you brought Missy to Jensen’s wedding. No one was oblivious to the argument that ensued.”

I cringed. “Yeah, that was a mistake.”

“Oh, Jordan Wright makes mistakes?” Hollin said with a laugh.

Julian grinned. “Only in relationships.”

“I didn’t mean for all of that to happen. It was a misunderstanding.”

“Meaning…you weren’t really as broken up as you thought you were.”

“Yeah.”

“I told you that space didn’t mean a break up.”

I shrugged. “It felt concrete to me. So when I came back to Vancouver, Missy thought we were still together. I didn’t know how to back out of bringing her to the wedding.”

“Hi, I fucked someone else in Lubbock, it’s over?” Hollin suggested with a laugh.

“Well, when she found out about Annie at the wedding, that solidified the break up,” Julian said.

It sure did. And ruined any chance I had with Annie too.

“I was an idiot, all right?” I ran a hand back through my hair. “It was complicated with Missy. She was there for me when we got Mom’s cancer diagnosis. It felt like the right thing at the time.”

Julian nodded absentmindedly, as if he understood. Things had been different when we found out that Mom had breast cancer for a third time. Everything screeched to a halt. We’d moved here to be with her during her treatment, afraid that this was going to be the time where cancer took her from us. Everything after the diagnosis was still a bit of a blur, and I felt like maybe we should both be given a little slack for anything that happened. Not that Missy or Annie appreciated how stupid I’d been then.

Luckily, Mom was in remission and happier than ever, being back in her hometown with her siblings. She spent every weekend with her siblings, Greg and Lori, and Lori’s wife, Vail.

“Yeah, but I’m still shocked Annie would talked to you. How did that happen?” Julian pushed. “She’s in med school. Every time she comes for a Tacos game, she seems half-frazzled and part-manic. She constantly says she doesn’t have time for anything but this one game a week.”

I shrugged and was saved from answering by Larissa showing up for our meeting.

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m here,” she said, brushing her dark blonde hair out of her face and striding over to meet us. “I always swear I’m going to be on time, and then five kids.” She shrugged helplessly. “Happens.”

“It’s not a problem,” I insisted and shook her hand.

“So good to see you all again. Where would you like to begin? The barn, cellars, vineyard?”

“Let’s start with the barn,” Hollin said cheerily.

Hollin had worked at the now-defunct West Texas Winery for years before it finally collapsed due to a loss of capital. The wine itself was delicious. I still couldn’t figure out where their money problems had originated. It was a problem I’d wanted to solve before agreeing to this endeavor. Though having Hollin on board, who knew every inch of the process of the winery, made me feel a lot better.

“Barn it is!” Larissa said, taking a fortifying sip of her coffee.

I braced myself and followed them inside. I hadn’t been here in three long years. Even