Page 47 of Any Luck at All

“Is everything okay?” he asked, squatting down to unleash the dog but keeping his gaze on her.

She offered him a weak smile. “Yeah.”

“I got a text that the pizza will be here in about ten minutes.” He walked toward her, never taking his gaze off her. “Georgie, I know something’s wrong. If it’s about our kiss…”

She shook her head and held up her phone before lowering it to her side. “Lee texted me. He said Dad expects me to present him with a business proposal within forty-eight hours.”

He started to say something, then seemed to think better of it and stopped.

“Go ahead,” she said, hating that her father had blighted this too. “Say what you’re thinking.”

He slowly shook his head as he reached for her upper arms. Holding her gently, bolstering her, he said, “You don’t need anyone else giving their opinion about your life. You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman, Georgie Buchanan. You don’t need me telling you what to do.”

She stared up at him, her mouth parted in surprise, and then she smiled, blinking back tears. How many times had she longed for someone to tell her that very thing?

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace, and she was surprised at the rightness of being in his arms. How she seemed to fit perfectly. This man was giving her a glimpse into a life filled with love and respect, but she also knew if her brother or father caught wind that she was seeing River, they’d make her life hell. Actually,bothof her brothers would flip.

Jack was the nail in the coffin sealing her decision. Things were already shaky between her and Jack, not to mention River and Jack. If Jack found out they had a relationship, she’d lose all of his trust and respect.

Pressing her cheek to his chest, she let herself close her eyes for a moment. If they weren’t working together, perhaps it would have been different, but maybe not. She knew from starting Moon Goddess how much time, energy, and effort it took to get a business off the ground. It had killed her relationship at the time. So it probably wouldn’t have been fair to start something with River anyway, knowing that their time would be limited, because one thing was for certain—River wasn’t the guy you had a fling with. He was the guy you planned a future with.

She leaned back and looked up at him. “We can’t do this, River.”

He studied her face. “I told you, Georgie. It’s your call. I won’t pressure you.”

“But you don’t agree,” she said softly, almost hoping he’d try to change her mind.

He hesitated, then said, “What I think is currently irrelevant. What matters is whatyouthink. You’re the owner of Buchanan Brewery now, or at least one-fourth owner. It’s your business, your rules. If you think it would be a conflict of interest for us to start something, I understand.”

“I like you, River. I really like you—”

“I know,” he said with a sad smile. “And I like you too. But we can still be friends, right? We had fun this afternoon and evening. As friends.”

She nodded. Maybe just staying friends would ease this ache in her chest. At least she’d have some part of him. “Yeah. Friends.”

He gave her the sweetest smile, and she felt like crying, but she knew this was for the best.

“You have no idea how much I wish…” she whispered. Then she let her heart have its way before she locked it up again. Reaching up on tiptoes, she kissed him again, capturing his face between her hands.

He didn’t hold back this time, instead slipping his arm around her back and pulling her flush to his chest. The first kiss had been a kiss of discovery and hope, but this was a kiss of desperation.

River took over, proving she hadn’t imagined the chemistry they’d shared. In fact, she’d barely opened the tap. His mouth captured hers, his lips and teeth and tongue setting her body ablaze with a passion she’d never felt before and had only read about in romance novels. He was showing her the tip of the iceberg of what he could offer her, and she wanted more, Buchanan Brewery be damned.

Georgie barely registered the soft click and then the puppy’s happy yips before she heard a woman say, “Uh…looks like I came at a bad time.”

Georgie tried to jerk free from River’s hold, caught by surprise by the redhead in the open doorway. The look on her face was pure jealousy, but she quickly covered it with a smirk as she scooped up Hops.

River froze, holding Georgie even tighter, if that was even possible. “Maisie…I forgot about our plans.”

Her eyebrow quirked. “That part’s obvious.”

“I was teaching Georgie how to make beer,” River said, still holding Georgie against him.

Maisie gave him an amused grin. “Funny, I don’t remember that step from whenwe’vemade beer together.”

“I…uh…” River fumbled.

Georgie pried his fingers off her hip and took a step back, realizing she should be grateful to Maisie for showing up when she did, otherwise things could have become even more complicated.

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