Page 27 of Any Luck at All

“I’m sorry, Lee,” Georgie said after the waitress walked off with their order. “We really can go someplace else if you like.” She needed him in a good mood for the conversation they were about to have.

“No, it’s okay.” He sucked in a breath, then let it out. “Sorry I’m being such an asshole. It’s just that when Victoria and I fight…” He shook his head, offering her a puppy dog smile. “Congratulations on the sale of your business, by the way. After the mess at the attorney’s office, I realized I’d never touched base with you after you emailed and told us all about the deal…” He grimaced. “I’m sorry, Georgie. I really was—and still am—proud of you. I just got busy.”

“Yeah, Georgie,” Adalia said less enthusiastically. “Congrats.”

“Thanks,” she said, feeling a little hurt over Adalia’s response, and more thrilled than she should be by Lee’s acknowledgment. “I keep wondering what Mom would have thought.”

“She would have been so proud,” Lee said, his smile wavering, but Georgie knew it wasn’t because of her. Their mother had been gone for more than fifteen years, but the pain of losing her sometimes felt like a fresh wound.

Adalia nodded, swiping a tear from her cheek. “So proud.”

“I missus,” Georgie said before she realized what she was saying, but now that she’d opened the door, she decided to walk right through it. “We used to be close. What happened?”

“We were kids,” Lee said. “We grew up.” She could always count on Lee to be the voice of reason, but the look in his eyes told her he didn’t totally buy his own words.

“But we’re still siblings,” Georgie said, and when defensiveness tightened his jaw, she held up a hand. “I’m not laying fault on anyone. I’m just as capable of picking up a phone or hopping on a train. It’s just…I can’t help but think how disappointed Mom would be.” She took a breath and pushed it out past the lump in her throat. “Remember what she always told us?”

“Friends come and go, but family is forever,” Adalia whispered, looking close to tears.

“We let that go,” Georgie said. “We’re practically strangers.”

“We have lives of our own,” Lee said, defensively. “We live in different cities. Running a business”—he gestured to Adalia—“or working on art takes time and dedication. That time has to come from someplace. We know we’re always there for each other when it counts.” He gave Adalia a warm smile. “Right, Addy?”

Adalia smiled back. “Yeah.”

Georgie swallowed the prick of jealousy she felt for her sister. Although Adalia had picked on Lee in front of their father, they’d clearly become closer, and they’d left her out. But Lee was right, they’d all been focused on their projects, be it business or art, leaving little time for each other. They needed something to work on together.

Maybe Grandpa Beau had known what he was doing after all.

“Is everything okay, Adalia?” Georgie asked.

“Yeah. Things are good.” But her hand encircled her cup and she stared into the light brown coffee.

“So, about the brewery,” Lee said, taking a sip of his almond-milk-doctored coffee, then grimacing. He traded his cup for Georgie’s currently untouched mug of black coffee, and she shrugged her acceptance. “Mr. Manning says it’s just a matter of signing the document. In fact, he already has a buyer lined up. Someone called Bev Corp. We’ll need to talk Jack around, but I’m sure he’ll see sense.”

Horror raced through Georgie. River had called them the devil. He’d be so upset if Buchanan Brewery sold out to them too. It would be like a double betrayal. Steeling her back, she said, “I know you and Adalia want to sell, but I spent some time at Grandpa Beau’s house last night, talking to River, and I’ve decided I definitely want to keep it.”

Lee stared at her in disbelief. “You can’t be serious, Georgie.”

Georgie tilted her head and held her brother’s gaze, almost as though in a dare. “Why is that so inconceivable, Lee?”

“You knownothingabout running a brewery, Georgie. You don’t even like beer.”

“I do so,” she said, feeling like a teenager as soon as the words left her mouth. She cleared her throat, then said, “I didn’t know the first thing about new-age feminine hygiene products when I started Moon Goddess, but I’ll do the same thing now that I did then. I’ll learn.” Then, because she wanted to put it all on the table, she added, “And Jack’s going to help me.”

Adalia blinked. “You’ve been planning this with our father’sillegitimate son?”

She put particular emphasis on those words, and a few people turned to look at them. Georgie shot her sister a glare. “Ourbrother, Adalia.”

“He is not my brother,” Adalia spat out in contempt.

Her attitude toward Jack hurt Georgie, but she’d deal with Adalia’s feelings about him later. Right now she wanted them on board with her plan. And if she couldn’t manage that, well, at least they’d be informed.

“DoesJackknow anything about running a brewery?” Lee asked.

“No,” Georgie said, “but he’s the manager of a bar—”

“Running a bar and managing a brewery are two different things. This is harebrained,” he said in disgust, “not to mention Dad wants us to sell it. He already has plans for the money.”

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