Page 70 of Any Luck at All

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot,” Georgie said. She picked up a pen and started tapping it. “We’ll need a full staff when we reopen. Like you said, some people can take on different functions. For those who can’t, I’ll offer them 75% of their salary during the closureifthey sign an agreement to come back. They’ll be free to work elsewhere in the interim, of course.”

Tom’s eyes widened, and River didn’t need to ask to know what he was thinking—it was generous to the point of surprising. Most employers would have laid them off, especially since there were plenty of people looking for jobs in the area. It was the honorable thing to do, but it bothered River to know the vast majority of that money would come straight out of Georgie’s profits from Moon Goddess. So would whatever salary she offered him, and it was bound to be more than he wanted or needed after Finn’s big talk. How long would her savings last? And what if Buchanan Brewery still flopped after everything they were doing to save it?

“I think they’ll be pleased to hear it,” Tom said, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s been a lot of talk of people losing their jobs.”

“Which is why we ought to throw an after-party for all the employees,” Aunt Dottie said. “At my house.”

Would any of them survive it?

“Aunt Dottie,” he said, turning to her, “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”

“Actually,” Georgie said, catching his eye for a brief moment, “I think it’s a good plan. The employees need to know they’re valued. Jack and I will help you plan it, Dottie.” She glanced at her brother on her computer screen. “I’m not sure what your timeline is like, Jack, but it might be a good idea for you to plan on being back in time for the closing parties. I’m going to invite Adalia and Lee too, although I doubt they’ll both be able to come. It’ll be a chance for everyone to get to know us.”

Assuming it didn’t end with another fire.

“I’ll try” was all Jack said, and River couldn’t help but wonder if he’d told Georgie anything else about why he’d left town.

“All right,” Georgie said, clapping her hands together. “I’m pleased with where this is going. For now, we’ll carry on with business as usual, but we’ll have to announce our plans soon. Jack and I can work on that, and I’ll address the staff before we open for customers at 12:00.” She smiled at them each in turn, but this was her professional smile, her business smile. “We’ve got a lot to do, but I’m confident we can do it.” Her gaze shot to River, and something passed through it—regret maybe—before she said, “River, can you stay for a minute? I need to speak with you about something.”

His heart started pounding too fast again, and he felt both excitement and panic—did she want to talk about last night? In a quiet moment, as they lay together in bed, their bodies cradled together, he’d whispered to her, “Georgie, if you change your mind, you need to be the one to tell me. I promise I’ll never try to press you.” She’d just tipped her head to kiss him. But maybe she had rethought things.

Or maybe her brothers convinced her to get rid of you, a voice in his head countered.

Recognizing their dismissal, Tom and Aunt Dottie got up and left, River’s aunt pausing to squeeze his shoulder on the way out.

River had almost forgotten Jack was still there, remotely, when he said, “Make sure to tell him about what we discussed, Georgie.”

The way he said it, still with a bit of attitude, meant it wasn’t good news, but it clearly wasn’tyou’re firedkind of news either.

“I will,” she said, a little pique in her voice. “Goodbye, Jack.” And she clicked the call off without giving him the chance to say anything else.

“Georgie…” River said, but truth be told, he wasn’t really sure where he was going with that. And he didn’t have the opportunity to find out. She slid a document toward him from across the desk.

“Here’s your official offer, River, like we discussed.” She licked her lips in a way that brought his attention to her lower lip—and made him remember sucking on it. And God, this was so much harder than he’d told himself it would be. “You can have a few hours to look it over, if you’d like, or have a lawyer, or even Finn, review it, but I’d appreciate it if you could give me your official answer sooner rather than later. I know we still have to discuss the new beers, but we’ll want to get started immediately on the Buchanan ones we’re keeping.”

There were so many things he’d like to say, but most of all, he wanted to take her hand. To reassure himself he hadn’t been dreaming everything. Instead, he took the document.

It was more than he’d made at Big Catch. Which meant she was definitely paying him from her savings. It was wrong, and he opened his mouth to say so when he realized there was a second paper behind the first. He flipped to it and frowned.

The heading read:Addition to the Employee Manual. And beneath it, it said:Fraternization is strictly prohibited between employees of Buchanan Brewery.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The look on River’s face sent a bolt of pain through her gut. It seemed like the ultimate insult to present it to him like this—not that she’d wanted to present it at all—but she’d woken to a group text between her siblings, Jack included, with Lee insisting she present the addendum he’d already prepared.

She’d nearly told him to go to hell. He hadn’t expressed the slightest interest in helping her run the business, and it wasn’t his money on the line. How dare he—they, because Jack had obviously played a part in this—think she would be anything less than professional. Hadn’t she been willing to give up River for that very reason?

And yet, it was a moot point anyway, wasn’t it? She and River had made a deal, an arrangement. They’d given themselves one night—last night—and now it was over. Georgie had known it would be hard to go about her business as though nothing had happened, but in the cold light of day, she realized how naïve she’d been. Or, more accurately, she’d discovered how amazing sex with River had been. Tasting heaven would make it difficult to go back to the way it had been before…because she knew that her life would now bebeforeRiver andafter.

She’d still thought about chucking the addendum. It had been on her mind all morning, pricking her like a bramble bush. She could say no. That’s all it would take. But something had held her back. At first she’d thought it was the part of her, the small part she hated, that still craved her father’s and brother’s approval, but now that she was with River, she realized what it really was.

One look on his face when he’d walked into her office had made it clear he’d be more than willing to pick up where they left off very early in the morning. And she wanted that. She wanted him almost enough to say the hell with their ridiculous deal and reach for him.

And that was why she slid that damned piece of paper toward him. Because her hesitation didn’t have anything to do with her family. Not anymore.

She knew she could lose herself in River if she allowed it to happen, and she’d never given any man control over her heart. Now wasn’t the time to start. She’d seen what had happened to her mother. She’d had a promising career as an art history professor, but she’d never gotten beyond the associate professor stage. Her interests, her drive, her ambition—they’d always taken a back seat to Georgie’s father. His whims had controlled everyone in the family, and the wisdom of retrospection told her they’d all but crushed her mother. Georgie had vowed to never let the same thing happen to her—to never let a man become her be-all and end-all—and she’d never been tempted before. It had never been an issue. But she’d only known River for a matter of days, and she was already thinking about him far too much. It scared her. Last night was fine…more than fine…but she stood behind her original decision—it couldn’t happen again. Which meant no River in her bed, or her in his, as the case may be.

“I know…” Her voice was rough, so she paused and cleared her throat before starting again. “I know we’ve already agreed to this, but my brothers insisted that all the employees sign it.”

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