Page 25 of No Love Lost

She grinned at her mom. “We did.”

He rolled his eyes. “Give me another one. I know the project isn’t the Saloon. Sean told me this is Branna’s.”

Nina nodded.

“But it has something to do with the Saloon.”

Another nod. He decided to think out loud and watch their reactions to tell him if he was close. “Okay. The saloon looks like a movie set. Maybe they’re creating a movie studio here in Phail that will rival Hollywood.”

Nina’s giggle was priceless.

“They’re working on a time machine. It’ll take us all back in time to when the saloon was at its peak. We’ll all ride horses everywhere and wear holsters for our guns in case the highway robbers try to take our boots.”

A large hand slapped him on the shoulder. “Not even close, Slick. Give it some thought.” Marcus dropped into the chair beside him.

He narrowed his eyes at Nina. “Another hint?”

She rolled her lips together and shook her head, eyes dancing with fun. Addy’s smile was pure joy.

He looked around the room, looking for something his army mates would be interested in.

“I don’t imagine you’re thinking of franchising The Saloon.”

They all shook their heads.

Heath studied his former army leader. “Sean’s a contractor and carpenter, but it won’t be about building. Troy’s a business owner. You’re a cop. Levi’s a farmer.”

He broke off and looked back at the bar itself and then back at his girls. Marcus nodded. “Now you’re getting it.”

“A brewery? To make beer?”

Nina threw her arms up in the air and cheered. Addy clapped, and Marcus nodded.

He studied his friend. “You want to make beer?”

Marcus nodded. Sean showed up at the table with a tray of filled draft glasses. Then he sat in another chair and passed a glass to each of them. When he got to Nina, he ruffled her hair. “Sorry, Buzz Saw, you’re not getting a sample, but Branna sent you a milkshake instead.”

“Yay. Beer smells disgusting.”

Good. He hoped she felt that way for a few more years.

Sean lifted the glass. “This was our trial year. Levi grew a bunch of different hops, and we dried them. We only have a small setup at the moment, but this is from the first batch. It’s a Pilsner.”

Marcus grinned. “It’s called The Pilsner of Oz, which drives Levi nuts, but we like it.”

Heath laughed at the name. Levi had never liked his Oz call sign. Heath took a sip. “It’s good.”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “Don’t sound so surprised. Levi can grow anything.”

Probably true. He had another drink and nodded. Addy smiled as she sipped as well.

He turned to his friends. “So what is it you want from me?”

Sean grinned. “Thought you’d never ask. We now know we can make a decent product. We have a place to sell it here at the Saloon. What we don’t have is a business plan or even a business yet. And we also need to find a bigger building for the actual brewery. Then we need to build it and become brewmasters.”

Heath found himself grinning. Addy and Nina were both smiling, too. If he took this on, he could scale back the parts of his own business he didn’t enjoy. Working with start-up companies was fun. Creating their own start-up company sounded fun, too. It would give him a local job and a way to support the local economy. Starting his own business plan from scratch would be a blast.

Most of all, he’d be investing in the town his girls called home. He lifted his glass and held it up. “I don’t know much about the other stuff, but I’m all over that business plan and financial structuring.”

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