Page 40 of Drunk Girl

“Hopefully some more hit flavors. The plan is to have these as two of our signature brews that are available all the time, then add in one other flavor that will be kept to one-batch runs at a time. We had a third set of tanks installed so we can be running a third flavor at the same time.”

“When will the first alternate flavor be ready?” he asks.

“Another few weeks or so. That one is a chocolate ale I’m hoping is a hit for Valentine’s Day.”

“Sounds interesting, but you know I’ll try anything at least once.”

“I’ll make sure to let you know when it’s ready. You can stop by the warehouse when we’re sampling it before we keg it. Tell me what you think of it then.”

“Sure, just text me.”

“Will do. Have a great rest of your night,” I tell them as they step away from the bar, stopping to say hi to Ashley before heading out.

We stay at the bar until around midnight when the crowd starts to thin. The staff will be able to handle the rest of the night on their own. I’m damn proud of our success tonight, and the weight that has been sitting on my shoulders since we started this venture has started to lift.

“You kicked ass tonight,” Ashley says as she lies in my arms in bed.

“Thanks,” I tell her, placing a kiss on the top of her head as I run my fingers through her hair. I love these moments when we just lie here, talking about whatever happens to be on our minds at the moment. Talk about our future, our past, failures, successes, our dreams. Anything goes.

“So, I’ve been thinking of something lately.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I think I want to enroll in a few classes for the spring semester. Start working toward my degree.”

“I think that’s a great idea. When does that start?”

“In a week. One of the classes I found is offered online, so I can do it whenever, and another one is offered as a night class. It’s Tuesday and Thursday nights, from six to eight, so it wouldn’t interfere with my work hours.”

“That’s great. What do you need from me?”

“Nothing. Just your support. It might take us a little bit to get used to my new schedule, and I’ll have to dedicate some of my evenings and weekend hours to studying and homework, but I think by limiting myself to taking only two classes at a time, it’ll keep me from overwhelming myself between work and school.”

“I think that’s smart. Start small and work your way up if you find that you can do more.”

“I’ve read over the tuition reimbursement policy at work, and plan to send Mandy an email on Monday to just verify things, but the way I understand it, is that I have to pay upfront for the classes, and upon completion of the class, I fill out a form and provide proof of my final grade. As long as it’s a passing grade, they’ll reimburse me one hundred percent of the costs, books, and any fees included, up to ten thousand each calendar year.”

“That’s amazing. With only taking two classes at a time, I imagine that you’ll be able to have them pay for the majority of your degree that way.”

“That was my exact thought. And I have enough in savings to cover the cost for the first set of classes, so I wouldn’t need to take out any student loans. At least, not at this point.”

“You wouldn’t need a loan anyway, babe. I’ve got enough in savings that I could help you out, as well.”

“I would never expect you to do that, Nick,” she says, propping herself up so she can look up at me.

“I know you’d neverexpectme to pay for it, but I love you and I know how important this is to you. I’ve got the resources andwantto help you achieve your dreams.”

“You’re too good to me.” She leans in and kisses me.

“I could never be too good for you. If anything, you’re too good for me. I’m the lucky one in this relationship,” I tell her as Max attempts to jump up on our bed. I snap my fingers and point to his dog bed along the wall. “Max. Bed.” He walks over to it, circling it, before he plops down on it in a huff. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he just told me off.

“You’re sure it won’t bother you that I’ll be gone those two evenings each week, or that I’ll be busy on the weekends doing homework?”

“No, and if it did, that would make me the biggest asshole on this planet. Look at how many nights and weekends I’ve been busy at the brewery these last six months. You’ve put up with my schedule our entire relationship, I can deal with you being busy following your dream of getting your degree.”

“Thank you,” she says, shaking with excitement. “I can’t believe I’m taking the leap and signing up for classes.”

“I’m fucking proud of you, babe. Seeing you overcome your fears and overcoming your shitty past is amazing.” I pull her in for another kiss, this time, flipping her onto her back so I can hover over her. I ravish her mouth before moving down her body. I cover every inch of skin I can touch with my lips before I reach her center, which I quickly cover with my mouth. I bring her to the edge with my tongue on her clit and my fingers buried inside her pussy, pulling back as I feel her ready to explode. I wait as her body calms down, only to do the same thing once again.

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