Page 41 of Any Luck at All

“Oh?” Jack said, tipping his head. There was genuine interest in his voice, and River could tell that Jack had spent time thinking about his sisters and brother, wondering what they’d be like. He put on a tough front, but he wanted to know his family, that much was clear.

“Maybe she’ll change her mind if it’s something that interests her,” River suggested. And having a joint project could help draw the siblings together to do something other than argue.

Although what did he know? Maisie was the closest thing he had to a sister, and he’d met her for the first time when he was thirteen.

“I hope you’re right,” Georgie said, turning to him with a smile. “I’ll talk to her.” Happiness shone in her eyes, and he was grateful to have put it there. It had seemed impossible just a half hour ago.

“Good plan,” Jack said. Some emotion passed through his eyes, but River couldn’t pin it. “Georgie, something’s come up in Chicago. I wanted to stay in Asheville for at least a few days longer so we could get things moving, but I have to go back immediately.”

Based on what little he was saying, it was obvious it was personal—and even more so that he wasn’t going to tell them who’d called or what was said.

“I hope everything’s okay,” Georgie said after a moment of silence, and River could hear a hint of hurt in her voice.

Jack ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not,” he said bluntly. “But it will be. I’d rather not think about it, though, and I’m even less in the mood to talk about it, if that’s okay. But we can figure some things out over the phone and email while I’m away. I still plan on being back in about a month. Plenty of time to plan for the reopening.”

River admired him for being direct—too many people would have lied and given the all clear. At least he hadn’t blown her off. That was something.

“Sounds good,” Georgie said. Another pause. “But I’m here to listen if you everdowant to talk.”

Jack just nodded, but he seemed almost embarrassed.

Since one of the new owners was about to leave the state, River figured it was as good a time as any to talk direction for the brewery.

“We’ll probably need to move forward with putting together our first beer list, Jack,” he said. “Any ideas you wanted to add? I was thinking we’d make some changes seasonally. So we might want to focus on fall right out the gate.”

“Actually, I was thinking about this last night,” Jack said, his tone brightening. “Before I was a manager, I spent years making drinks. What do you say we do a line of beers inspired by classic cocktails?”

“That’s a great idea!” Georgie said, catching his excitement, and River could tell it was a mix of genuine appreciation for the idea and her desire to bolster her brother. She turned a little to River as if to say,Is it?

“It is,” River said. “We can have one or two specials a season.” He told them a little about his own thoughts—the beers that had worked best at Big Catch, which he could mimic without copying, plus a couple of more experimental ones he wanted to try. Some of the barrel-aged ones would take months.

Jack’s phone made a buzzing noise, and he flinched. “My car’s here,” he said. Georgie’s eyes rounded with surprise, and she shot another look at River. Whatever that phone call had been about, it had lit a fire under Jack, enough so that he’d summoned a car immediately.

They all got up, and River shook Jack’s hand. Georgie and Jack had an awkward moment where she went in for a hug, and he tried for a handshake.

“I’ll be in touch soon,” he said, and then he left. Georgie’s gaze followed him as if he were a puppy running off and she wondered if he’d ever find his way home. Once the last of him disappeared from view, she turned to River.

“So what now?” she said. “What needs to happen first?”

A slow grin stole over his face. “Let’s hire some cleaners. Then it’s time for you to make your first batch of beer.”

Chapter Fifteen

“This is it,” River said as he put his key into the lock of his heavy wooden front door. He looked relieved when the lock turned. “Well, at least I know that Aunt Dottie won’t be here waiting to ambush us.”

“What?” Georgie asked, wondering if she’d heard him wrong.

They’d called an outside cleaning crew to come clean up the bubbles and empty and sanitize the tanks. Georgie hadn’t had the stomach to stay and watch, but Aunt Dottie, who had shown up in response to a call from Josie, had insisted on supervising the cleaning. She’d assured Georgie that everything would be okay—Mercury was rising and the stars were aligned for a change. Georgie was nervous about leaving the task to the older woman, especially since she’d shown up with her pink sea salt lamps and started some chants to disperse bad energy with a sage stick. But River had assured her that while his aunt had some odd beliefs, she was a stickler for cleanliness. They would be better served working on their new brews.

Now, standing in front of his front door, he gave her a wry grin that held a playful look. “Nothing. Go on in.”

He pushed the door open, and she took a hesitant step over the threshold, surprised at the smell of fresh bread, but then she recognized it from Beau’s house and realized it was the smell of brewing beer. She was surprised, and more than a little bit pleased, to discover that she liked it. She associated it with River now.

Her gaze wandered around the open living room and dining area, curious about River’s home. You could tell so much about a person from their personal space, and she was relieved to see that River’s loft was warm and homey…and littered with shredded toilet paper and pillow stuffing.

“Oh shit,” River said, coming up short behind her.

She was about to ask him if he had a rat infestation when a tiny bundle of fur came bounding out of the kitchen and slammed into River’s feet. He bent down and scooped up the furball, holding the cutest puppy she had ever seen up in front of his face.

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