Page 86 of Dandelion Sighs

I knew that name. It occurred to me as I offered my hand. “The owner of the brewery?”

Isla pumped my hand. “I’m the one to blame for this rowdy place.”

Jasper gestured to the other couple. “Aggie is Eliot’s sister, and that’s her husband, Ansen. If you want to really learn who’s who, Ansen, Isla, and Evander are all cousins.”

Ansen nodded toward me.

“Nice to meet you, Sheridan,” Aggie said. “When you get all the cousins down, I’ll introduce you to more of my siblings. They’re all in town too.”

“Then we’ll quiz you,” Jasper joked.

Isla looked around. “We can pull up a table for you two and find a couple more chairs.”

“Thanks, but I get this lady to myself tonight.” He put his arm around my waist.

“Ah,” Violet said, smiling at us. “We’d love to have you, but I can’t argue with that.”

“We all showed up for date night,” Evander said, “and just kind of combined our groups.”

“It’s okay,” I murmured to Jasper. I’d never gone anywhere when I could just jump into the crowd, where I was a part of it. “We don’t have to share your apps.”

Violet chortled. “She’s got your number.”

“Only with you.” He winked.

Isla left to drop off the empties. A table was slid over and chairs planted on either side, so Jasper and I sat across from each other.

Isla switched places with McCoy to chat with us. “This is serendipity. I have a note on my desk to call you this week.” She drummed her fingers on the tabletop. “I’ve been trying to think of some collaborations we can do.”

“Oh. Of course.” Surprise welled inside me, but before it spilled over, it deflated like a disturbed soufflé. If I sold, I couldn’t do collaborations. I’d feel awful about wasting Isla’s time. I could wither away on my own instead, and when she heard the news, she would be grateful she never reached out. “How about I think of some ideas and then I’ll call? Or stop in?” My smile was tight. Was it wavering?

“Flag me down at the grocery store—any method works.” She dug out her phone. “I have some thoughts I’d love for you to hear too, but I won’t interfere on your date night. What’s your number? I’ll call you so you don’t have to go searching for my info when you’re ready.”

I rattled it off. She rang and hung up. My heart buried itself deeper and deeper. This would’ve been amazing. Not only did I have Jasper, I had his connections. Did any of them want to work a front desk?

In another timeline, I’d have really cemented myself in the community. If everything had worked out like I had planned when I showed up here, belongings in hand and a moving van on the way, it would’ve been different. But it wouldn’t be fair to Reservoir Barrel to pair with a floundering business that didn’t have much more than space to offer.

When she stepped away, the heat of Jasper’s gaze rested on me. I tried to relax and give him a smile that was more natural, but the furrow in his brow stayed. He didn’t buy it.

For the next hour, we ate and had a cold drink. Jasper had a root beer named after Isla’s twin nephews, and I had a raspberry sour. Maybe it’d perk me up.

Jasper slipped off his chair. “I should get her back and feed her some real food.”

I said my goodbyes, and each one weighed more on my chest. Why did it seem like I was losing them forever? I wouldn’t have to move if I sold. I wouldn’t have to quit seeing Jasper. I’d have some money to get me through until I found a new job. Yet each time I was around these amazingly kind and successful people, the failure in me would be more apparent. I’d catch those knowing looks exchanged back and forth. Just like when I didn’t finish college. Or when I left my boyfriend. Or when I quit my job.

On the drive home, Jasper draped his wrist over the steering wheel. “You want to talk about why you closed down when Isla brought up working together?”

“I didn’t close down.” Was I that bad at hiding it? Who was I kidding? I knew I was.

“The others might not have thought so, but I know you better.”

The countryside flashed by us. Such a beautiful, understated part of the country. Could I stick around instead of leaving? Could I weather passing Constance in the hardware store again while her business took off and I lost mine? Could I resist being the anchor I accused my ex of being? Jasper planned to start his own business, and with that giant family of his, he’d hardly have to advertise. Maybe he and Constance could offer deals together.

On that bitter note… “I’m going to offer Bishop’s Landing to REG.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jasper