XOXO: A Bundle of Cozy Novellas

Chapter 4

FOUR

Chapter Four—Jude

Without asking, Jude poured himself another glass of the atrocious wine Cullen Delacombe had opened. All his careful planning had been hijacked. The specifically chosen solitary cabin without internet was, in fact, occupied by a… a person Jude found both exasperating and oddly compelling.

Who wore boots with no socks? Who drove an ancient VW van and then disparaged Jude’s brand-new car as well as his driving? Who would refuse to leave (not that Jude would make him leave tonight, but Cullen would be, as soon as conditions were safe) but then go out in blizzard conditions to get the rest of Jude’s belongings? Why would Cullen be nice when Jude was acting like an ass?

“So, for argument’s sake, let’s say you did rent this place for the month. Why?” Cullen’s voice interrupted his musing.

“Why what?” Jude was a light weight, and he hadn’t eaten much that day; the wine had gone to his head. Probably he should eat something.

“I know why I’m up here, hiding away,” Cullen said. “Why are you here?”

“It’s really none of your business.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jude knew they were rude, but talking about himself was something he didn’t do. His dreams were secret and safe when he didn’t verbalize them.

“Dude.” Cullen was on the other side of the counter again now. He refilled his glass and took a long sip. “How did you ever get anywhere with that attitude?”

“What are you talking about?” But Jude knew what Cullen was asking. And surprisingly, the attitude had taken him far, all the way to heading up a multimillion-dollar company that sucked the life out of him.

“Pfft. I know who you are, Jude Collins, the local Skagit boy who made it big with his software startup. You’re famous now, I guess you think you can talk to people like they’re crap.”

“I…” Jude started to protest, to explain that he wasn’t always a jerk. Was it true though? The words died on his lips as he thought it through.

“Don’t bother. I know you’re a jerk. I’ve heard all about you. I have a few friends who worked for you as long as they could stand it. You’re all ‘my way or the highway.’ Such bullshit.” Cullen waved his glass around for emphasis before taking another swallow.

Jude slumped against the counter. “I don’t mean to be an asshole.” He sipped the wine again; maybe it wasn’t that bad. He thought back to the before times, when Canopus had been just an idea, not a business requiring all of his time and effort. “What can I say? Once I was a na?ve kid and now, I’m not. Maybe I am an asshole now but being nice never got me anywhere.” Jude was slightly embarrassed with how defiant the words sounded. Cullen Delacombe had nothing to do with Jude’s past.

“That’s sad.” Cullen sipped his wine, the red liquid staining his wide lips, making it difficult for Jude not to stare at them. “Let’s start over. I’ll go first.”

A log in the fireplace snapped and tumbled from the grate, startling them both. Cullen’s attention was drawn to the fire and Jude turned to stare at the mesmerizing flames as well.

When Cullen started speaking again, his brash humor had disappeared, his tone matter-of-fact. “My ex-boyfriend married someone else, a woman, which no, does not make it at all better. And I was the best man. I should’ve said no, but I’ve never been able to say no to Dean. The wedding was yesterday.” He sighed, still looking at the crackling fire, “So here I am, licking my wounds and, as my uncle suggested, seeing if I can get my head on straight.”

Jude didn’t know what to say. He’d never been in a serious relationship. When he was younger, he’d been too busy and, honestly, who would have wanted a scrawny kid like him then anyway? Now, he just didn’t trust anyone for that to happen. People only wanted his money and the lifestyle it could provide.

And damn if he didn’t feel the slightest bit of sympathy for Cullen now.

“Come on, your turn.” Cullen grabbed another bottle of wine along with his glass and came around the counter to flop onto the small fake velvet couch. It was as if the man had his own gravity because Jude found himself following suit, making himself comfortable on the other end of the cozy sofa. The furniture was not made for two men of their size, and they ended up separated by only a few inches.

Jude held out his now-empty glass and Cullen obligingly filled it up. Staring at the wine swirling in the glass, he inhaled deeply. He’d never confessed his private thoughts to anyone but maybe he owed the truth to Cullen. “I never wanted to own a company or thought I’d end up where I am now.”

“Yeah?”

Jude nodded. “My New Year’s resolution since… forever, I guess, has been to write the book I’ve been thinking about for ages. I haven’t managed to open the file in years. I’m probably going to have to start over, it’s been so long since I looked at it. But,” he repeated, “I never wanted to start Canopus.” He chose his words carefully. “It just kind of happened and now almost fifteen years later, it’s become something I almost hate.” He was lying now, because there was no “almost” about it. He really did hate it and it was getting harder and harder to hide the fact.

The fire snapped and popped into the silence. But it was a comfortable silence and Cullen didn’t seem to expect him to say anything more.