Page 101 of Pinch of Love

“I think they’re here.” I opened a cabinet and handed her a glass. “It’s not a wine glass, but it should do.”

Brielle opened the bottle and poured a gigantic amount of wine into the glass, and I chuckled.

She grabbed a piece of cheese and put her glass in the air. “Cheers.”

“Absolutely.”

“How long have you been with Hunter’s brother?” she asked, warming up slightly.

“Oh. Well, we’re not really. I mean...” I cleared my throat, unsure why I suddenly couldn’t answer. “We just started seeing each other.”

Her brows rose. “So, you’re not serious yet? Not exclusive?”

I hadn’t really thought about it yet. We were just hanging out, taking every day as it came.

“We haven’t exactly hammered that out yet since I don’t live here.”

“In guy code, that means not exclusive.” Her eyes lit up. “Nice.”

I cocked my head slightly. “Nice, what?”

She chuckled and drank her wine as if she’d just told herself a great private joke.

Her amusement with the situation left me unsettled. I reached for a chip bag and poured some into a bowl and made some ranch dip to take out to the guys.

“I’ll be back. The remote for the tv is on the couch, or you can look through some books I brought.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not into books.”

My jaw dropped open, but I closed it quickly.

With chips and dip in hand, I opened the door to see the campfire burning but no sight of the guys.

I set the bowls down when I heard their voices in the woods behind the trailer. I started toward the noise to let them know about the snack when I heard Hunter.

“I just don’t want to see you crushed, Cash. You were absolutely destroyed after Freya. It’s only recently that you’re even acting somewhat human again.”

Cash grunted, but he didn’t respond.

“You said she lives in North Carolina and has a thriving business. I want to see you happy, Cash. We all do, but what if it doesn’t work? What if you’re left even worse than before?”

“You mean when my wife was stolen from me?” Cash sounded angry. “I’ve been in my own personal hell since she died, Hunter. You don’t know what it’s like living with the guilt every single day.”

“Don’t blame yourself.” Hunter sighed. “You have to stop doing that.”

“Listen, I’m willing to take the chance with Maya. Okay? Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Mom, Dad, and I were so excited when we heard about Chipmunk Lady, but then it dawned on us.”

A couple of twigs snapped.

“What dawned on you?”

“That she’ll probably leave, and you’ll be as miserable as you were before.”

“Maya is the first woman to make me see clearly again. Don’t you get it? She makes me happy. I haven’t been happy in years, Hunter,” Cash snapped. “Years. I’d just wake up, do my work, play with Rusty, and go to bed. And then Rusty died on me. So, life hasn’t been spectacular for me. I don’t have the luxury of pretending I’ve never loved before. I don’t just schmooze with a bar full of people every night and go home with a different woman each night.”

The pain in his voice was like a million stabs to the heart.