Page 42 of Drunk Girl

“I’ll just keep feeding you instead.” He winks at me. “How late do you think you’ll be working on homework today?”

“I don’t know? Until I have it all done. I can’t believe finals are already next week. The time really has flown by already. I want to knock out my final papers that are due in both of my classes before I start studying for the tests.”

“Do you want to plan to come have dinner with me sometime this evening? You can sample the new summer beer I tapped yesterday. I think you’ll really enjoy it.”

“I can make that happen. What time do you want me to come down?”

“Whenever you want. I’m just the extra set of hands on deck, with it being a night we release a new beer. So, whenever you get there, I’ll just take a break and have dinner with you. If the bar is full, we can take the food upstairs to the office.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll head up there once I’m done with my work, then. It’ll give me something to look forward to.”

“You could invite Tiffany and Colton to join, if you wanted?” he suggests.

“Maybe. I might just wait until next weekend to get together with her. Wait until I’m not stressing over school for a little while.”

“You stress over school? Pfft. You’d never do something like that,” he teases. “Not that you have anythingtostress over, Miss four-point-oh over here. My girlfriend is a smarty pants, one quality that I find extremely attractive, I want you to know,” he adds, pulling me in for a kiss.

“Sometimes I can’t help it.” I whine a little against his lips.

A devilish grin appears on his face. “I can help with relieving some of that stress.”

“I’m sure you can,” I say, laughing at his facial expression.

Nick looks at his watch, seeing just how late it has gotten. “Shit. I’ve got to get going. Don’t lose track of time and forget to come eat with me tonight,” he says, pushing back from the table and standing. He grabs his plate and empty cup, then bends down to kiss me before he heads inside the house. A few minutes later, I hear the front door close.

I stay on the porch for a few minutes longer, just soaking up the warm day we’re having. The sun on my skin feels amazing. So amazing, in fact, that I grab my notebook and laptop from inside, then head back outside and spread my things out on the table. I get to work, finishing up my paper, then start the paper for my second class.

I stop working when Max starts hitting my arm with his nose, not stopping until I give him my undivided attention. I’ve once again lost track of time, as I was in the zone. I look around and realize the sun has started to set, so that tells me it’s getting kinda late. A quick glance at the clock shows it’s already a little after seven, so I save my work before powering my computer down, and take everything inside. I get Max fed, then quickly change my clothes into something that is appropriate to wear outside the house, and head for the bar.

As soon as I walk in the back door, I know tonight is another stellar night. I can feel the rumble from the crowd before I see them, and just know the bar is packed again tonight. This is how it’s been for months now, especially after Nick started brewing house beers. Ever since that first night back in January, they’ve kept super busy with the brewery side of things and will be expanding the tank space this summer.

The plan is to eventually add in the equipment to have eight beers going at once. They’ve continued the Ash and Kat flavors constantly since the start, only rotating out the third option one small batch at a time. People have been flocking to that third flavor, knowing once it’s gone, it’s gone for good, maybe to return for a special occasion, but it might also not ever make it back into the rotation.

“Hey,” I greet Nick as I walk up to the bar.

“You finally made it.” He grins as he wipes his hands off on a bar towel before pulling me in for a kiss. “Missed you,” he says against my lips, then goes back in for another kiss.

“Missed you, too. Sorry it’s late, I lost track of time.”

“Again,” he teases.

“Again,” I reply, a smile of my own cresting my lips as I confirm his suspicion.

“What are you hungry for tonight?” he asks as he lets me go, so he can fill a couple of orders that came in for the new beer.

“I’m thinking a grilled chicken sandwich, but with no bun, sounds good. And extra sauce, please.”

He starts punching our order into the computer system. “What do you want for your side?”

“Um, some fruit if they have any.” I need to stay away from the fries and such as much as I can if I want to get these few extra pounds off.

“We do.” Nick finishes putting in our order and sends it back to the kitchen. “Try this,” he says, sliding a small glass with a sample pour of the new beer in it to me.

I pick up the glass and sniff the liquid first. I’m not a huge hop lover, but so far have enjoyed each of the beers Nick’s come up with. This one is his take on a summer shandy beer.

“This is really good,” I tell him as I finish off the sample.

“Thanks, it appears to be well-received tonight.”

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