Maverick dips his head and kicks some dirt with his polished shoe. “Today.”
“What? You’re kicking me outtoday?”
“I’m not kicking you out. I’m here to help you pack. And I’ve been looking into it. There are options. Clancy says you can move back into your old room at his place, or you’re welcome to stay with me at the winery. I have two spare rooms.”
The more he talks, the more I want to drive my knuckles into a punching bag to relieve the anger burning a hole inside me. I push to my feet. “Fuck you, Benson.”
He stands up, staying close. “I’ve warned you before. Do not speak to me like that,” he utters through clenched teeth.
“Or what?” I eliminate the gap between us and poke him in his chest. “You’ll fire me?”
The muscle in his jaw ticks. His eyes are locked on mine, blazing with a searing intensity. “If you keep doing it, then yes, I will. I know this is difficult for you, but I am still your boss. And I’m trying to help you. As a friend.”
“We are not friends,” I spit out. “And just so you know, I hate the fact that you’re my boss. I hate the fact that you’re even here on—” I manage to stop myself from blurting outon my family’s land.
“Jackson.”
His voice vibrates with a low warning, but I’m caught in a riptide of anger I can’t free myself from. I hate that he’s booting me out of my home. I hate that I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind. And I really fucking hate how much I love being this close to him. I get to see all the details of his face that are fuzzy when he’s further away. His strong jaw. The gentle slope of his nose. Those striking sapphire eyes, brimming with warmth.
Well, not at the moment. They’re currently flashing with warning.
Because I’m being a dick. An unreasonable dick who’s in shock and lashing out at the nearest person.
“Fuck. You,” I say defiantly, staring him right in the eye, challenging him to follow through on his promise.
His mouth opens as if to say something, but all he does is exhale sharply.
I snicker. “Thought so. Don’t worry. I’ll save you the hassle. You don’t have to fire me.I quit.”
He grinds his teeth. “Don’t do something you’ll regret once you’ve had a chance to cool down.”
“I’m perfectly cool now, thank you very much.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No. The mistake I made was not quitting the second you showed up.”
His eyes widen for a second before narrowing, and I can tell that my blow landed. Maybe a little too well. He clears his throat. “Fine. If that’s how you really feel, I’m not going to beg. If you want to quit, then quit.”
The firmness in his tone sears through my skin and into my bones. The last thing I want is to leave the sanctuary, but I’ve dug myself into a hole I have no way of getting out of. I’m too proud, too angry, too frustrated at this whole shitty situation to think clearly and do the smart thing, which would be to back the fuck down.
My throat aches as I choke back tears. The thought of leaving this place and all the horses I love with all my heart crashes down on me with an unbearable force.
With watery eyes and a burn in my throat, I repeat, “I quit.”
“In that case, we’re done here.”
The sharpness of his words is betrayed by the sadness in his eyes. Is he feeling just as confused by everything as I am, or am I the only fucked-up one?
The emergency phone rings.
He doesn’t move to answer it, staring at me like he’s trying to see through me.
“You should probably get that,” I say on the fourth ring.
He absently reaches for the phone on the bench. “Silverstone Sanctuary. How can I help?”
I can’t hear what the caller is saying, but the panic in her voice is evident. Maverick makes a writing gesture with his hand. I have my phone out in seconds, open a new note, and type out what he’s saying.
