Love In Secrets (Love Distilled #3) - Scarlett Cole Page 0,59
of me, New York was the best pick. Sixty percent of big construction is happening in those three states.”
“I had to ask,” Em said. “As weird as it felt seeing you two together, you both seem really happy.”
“Yeah,” Olivia agreed. “Jake’s got a whole new pep to his step. I hadn’t realized how routine everything had become for him. It’s like there’s a light back on inside him now.”
“I kinda feel the same way myself. I’d forgotten how to date and have fun,” Cassie admitted. “But I ended a long-distance relationship last December. It didn’t work out because of our jobs and five hundred miles.”
“Is that why you don’t want to do long-distance with Jake? Anders and I have talked about how we might have to at some point to make it work, and we figured out a way.”
“I know you mean well, Liv . . . but your situation is completely different from mine. First, Anders has the kind of income that can make anything easy, especially air travel. Neither me nor Jake have that kind of money. Second, you can do parts of your job away from the distillery, but neither Jake nor I can. He has to be at the distillery to produce gin and I need to be on a building site. We can’t take three or four days away at a time. And finally, Anders has an entire off-season and can be anywhere he wants to. I get ten days’ vacation a year, and Jake hasn’t taken vacation since last April. I know you guys care, but this is starting to feel uncomfortable.”
Liv squeezed Cassie’s shoulder, and she had to resist the urge to petulantly shake it off. This was supposed to be about building bridges with them, not destroying them.
“You know what’s frustrating? It’s the assumption I should make all the concessions. My desire to succeed in my career isn’t lessened just because I’m dating a great guy. And it would be unfair to expect Jake to fill in the gaps left by not fulfilling those ambitions.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. We’re interfering. And you’re also right that we do care. I’m sorry, Cass. We can change the subject, talk about something else.”
Cassie looked at Olivia. It was hard to stay angry at someone with such a kind heart. And even Em wasn’t being spiteful. Always the problem solver, it was inevitable she’d want to help them both figure it out.
“I’d like that. Jake told me you’ve been painting again, Liv. You were always super talented.”
“I have. It’s been a joy, to be honest.”
Cassie half listened as Liv told her about the watercolors she was using and how she was starting a large piece for her office in Anders’s home. Cassie finished her glass of wine faster than she should have and reached for the bottle to pour herself another glass.
And another.
And another.
Anything to drown out the reality that there was no other solution to their problem than to go their separate ways, no matter how much it would hurt or how hard she prayed for a Hail Mary pass.
“Wow, love. So, you’re a cuddly, affectionate drunk,” Jake said hours later, as he picked her up from the bar they’d moved to after the restaurant. Connor had collected Olivia and Em to take them home.
Cassie swayed in his arms, a little unsteady on her feet, certain she wasn’t that drunk. “I’ll have you know I’m only a bit tipsy.”
Jake opened the door to the truck and helped her inside before going around to his side and hopping in.
“Right. Well, let’s get you home and into bed. Here.” He passed her a bottle of water.
“Oh, great idea. Hydration. I could also eat toast. Toast with butter. And jelly. All the toast. Oh, all the toast with butter and jelly.”
Jake laughed and started the truck. “Okay. Toast and butter and jelly when we get home.”
Cassie wiggled in the seat until she was comfortable enough to close her eyes. But when she closed them, her head spun. She opened her eyes again, squinting one eye then the other to check if the world really was moving as fast as she thought it was. Urgh. It wasn’t the world, it was her.
She cracked the window of the truck an inch and let the cool breeze hit her forehead as she tried to close her eyes again.
“Are you okay over there, love? You feel sick?”
“Hmm. Maybe a bit. But it feels okay here with the breeze.”