Page 63 of Any Luck at All

“River, please,” Finn pleaded. “This is all coming out wrong, but if you’d just listen—”

“Listen to you insult me?”

“I’m notinsultingyou, River. We both know you have blinders on at times, and I think between Beau’s death and the bad timing of the sale of Big Catch—”

“Bad timing? You think I’d feel differently about the sale if it had happeneda few months from now?”

“No, I think you’d be just as upset, but it’s a lot, River. A whole lot. Your life was just turned upside down on multiple fronts, and I’m asking you totake a breathand think this through.” Then he added, “And that includes whatever it is you have going on with Georgie Buchanan.”

“Excuse me?”

“She called me for a reference on Friday, River. After you and I talked.”

“Did she? Good. Unless you bad-mouthed me to her too. Did you warn her I’m emotionally damaged?”

“No,” Finn said, outrage on his face. “Of course not!I gave you the glowing recommendation you deserve, but think this through, River. Do you really think it’s a good idea to start a romantic entanglement with one of the owners? You don’t exactly have a great track record of staying with your girlfriends for very long. What’s going to happen when you end things with her? Haven’t you ever heard that you don’t shit where you eat?”

Georgie sucked in a breath. She’d never gotten a player vibe from River, but surely his best friend would know better than she did.

“How much is she paying you?” Finn asked. “It can’t be much. The brewery was in the red, and with no income for the foreseeable future…”

“There’s a reserve,” River said. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Of courseit’s my business if it directly affects you. You’re like a brother to me, and this disagreement isn’t going to change that.”

River glanced down at his feet.

Finn pushed out a groan, running his hand over his head as he took a few steps away. When he turned back, he wore a look of determination. “Look, promise me this—don’t let your personal relationship with Georgie get in the way of what she pays you. Bev Corp was going to top what you were making at Big Catch and then some, and you could go just about anywhere else and make more than you’re likely to at Buchanan.”

River started to say something and stopped. Was he having second thoughts about working for her? She had to admit that Finn had some very valid points. She already knew she was going to have to dip into her Moon Goddess profits to cover the employees’ salaries during the closure, and she’d be a fool not to modernize the facility and the equipment while they were closed. River had indicated he’d accept less than he was worth, but she wouldn’t agree to that. She refused to make Finn right. Which meant she’d need to dip a little deeper for his salary.

Georgie grabbed her purse off the kitchen table, then hurried up to the room she’d chosen to stay in, gathering the items she’d left there on Saturday morning. When she headed back down, she used the flashlight on her phone to survey the damage in the living room. While the ceiling and walls were black from smoke, it looked like the majority of the fire had been contained. Still, she had no idea how long it would take to repair the mess.

Perhaps she should look into staying in a short-term residence.

When she brought her things out front, Finn was gone and River was standing in the yard, staring at the house with a look that broke her heart. Like he’d lost his best friend, his father, and his job, which wasn’t far from the truth.

She walked straight to him, dropped her things on the ground, and took both of his hands in hers. Not a great place to start given what she’d decided, but she needed to touch him. Needed to comfort him. Right now, nothing else mattered.

“I heard a good part of your conversation with Finn.” Cringing, she forced herself to continue. “It was wrong to eavesdrop, and part of me is sorry, but the rest of me isn’t. I want you to know I’d never take advantage of you or your talent. I’ll pay you every cent you’re worth, River.”

He lifted a hand to her cheek, a pained smile spreading across his face. “Georgie, I never once thought you would take advantage of me, but there is some truth to the rest of what Finn said. I do want to make it work because of Beau. There’s no denying I have an attachment to the place.”

“And so do I. It doesn’t hold the memories for me, but I see it and think of all the time I missed with my grandfather. He trusted me to bring it back to life, and I don’t want to disappoint him.” She paused. “And I don’t want to disappoint you. We’ll make this work. Together. But Finn’s right.” Her voice broke. “Once you’re my employee, we can’t have a romantic relationship. Finn already thinks the worst of me, and my brothers…”

“I know,” he said, the disappointment on his face weakening her resolve.

Part of her knew this was a huge mistake. Once she opened this door, it would be hard to close it again, even if River really did shun long-term relationships. Still, her heart wanted this, and she was tired of letting her brain take charge all the time. In her heart of hearts, she knew that if she didn’t give herself this night with River, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

She playfully lifted an eyebrow. “But as I reminded you earlier, you’re not officially an employee at Buchanan Brewery. Which means we have tonight…”

Before she realized what he was doing, River swept her into his arms and kissed her so thoroughly she wondered how she was still standing.

Chapter Twenty-Four

River couldn’t get Georgie back to his loft quickly enough.

One night. He could work with one night. It was better than nothing, and although he wouldn’t say so to her, his heart hoped they could still figure things out. They’d let everything come together with the brewery, allow the dust to settle, as it were, and then maybe things would be different. Then maybe they could try in earnest.

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