Page 75 of Just My Luck

It was ridiculous.

Still, nerves simmered under my skin for the rest of the afternoon. I dropped a glass, got orders wrong, and searched the faces of our customers—all without being able to shake the feeling I was being watched.

Dark clouds seemed to hang over Abel’s head as he grumbled behind the bar, and it assured me I was doing a shit job ofholding myself together. I kept myself busy with customers and avoided him as best as I could.

Before I could sneak away to the employee bathroom, Abel found me in the back hall. “You okay?”

I looked around. “Me?”

He stared at me with a blank look. Of course he meant me. “Oh, I’m good. Just a weird day, I think.”

Softness overtook his grumpy features. “Is it about the farmhouse?”

I offered a noncommittal hum.

I wasn’t ready to tell him that my ex may or may not have been in his house. I still wasn’t convinced it wasn’t simply my mind playing tricks on me or a tiny case of misplaced paranoia.

Abel wrapped me in a hug. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

I wanted to believe him, so I closed my eyes tight and hugged him fiercely.

“Okay, lovebirds.” Reina wagged a finger in our direction. “Are you going to be disappearing on me all shift?”

I smiled. “Nope! Someone else is your problem tonight. I’m headed out.” I turned toward Abel. “Are you staying late?”

His dark eyes softened. “Meatball and I have some work in the back, but I shouldn’t be too late. Wait up for me?”

I batted my lashes. “I guess.” When I turned, Abel rewarded me with a smack on the ass. I yelped and laughed, our playful banter setting me at ease for the first time all afternoon.

“Oh, and Sloane?” I turned to see Abel smiling shyly and stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Give the kids a hug for me, will you?”

TWENTY-SEVEN

ABEL

It irkedme that something was bothering Sloane and she hadn’t yet confided in me. I’d thought we were a team—in this thing together. Instead, she’d spent her entire shift acting jumpy and out of sorts. Once the front of the brewery was running smoothly, I found solace in the back with Meatball. The heat and the loud hum of equipment calmed my nerves.

“Hey, boss.” He greeted me and I grumbled, missing the way those same words rolled off Sloane’s tongue. “Been a while since I’ve seen you back here.”

I offered a noncommittal grunt as guilt worked through me. My hand gripped the back of my neck and squeezed. “I know... things have been... kind of hectic.”

A grin spread across his face. “I heard you got hitched. Congratulations, man.”

Meatball held out his hand, and I took it. “Thanks.”

Not wanting to spend any more time than necessary talking about myself, I pointed toward one of the kettles. “Everything running smoothly back here?”

He shrugged. “Nothing we can’t fix.” He kicked off his desk and walked toward me.

I waited, knowing Meatball would spell it out for me so we could fix whatever issues had come up.

“Something went sideways with the mash tun on this one. When it went to the kettle, it needed a ton of water. Now look at it.” He handed me a glass with a beautiful brown liquid in it. Definitely not the black coloring of the well-brewed stout we were aiming for.

“Well, fuck.” I sighed and swirled the glass, noting the silky texture.

“Yep.” He took the glass from me and knocked it back and exhaled. “Doesn’t taste half-bad. A little underwhelming maybe.”

I crossed my arms and considered our options. “All the extra water affected the coloring and diluted the flavor.” I scraped a hand across my jaw. “Do the pH and gravity still look good?”

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