Page 40 of Any Luck at All

“I’ve got to hand it to you,” Jack said, shaking his head. “It’s a great idea. Five minutes ago, I didn’t know if we’d be able to turn this around. But this might just do it. This place needs a total reset.” His glance darted to Georgie, as if silently asking her opinion, and she gave a small nod. That was good—it meant they were forming a mutual respect, something they’d need for a successful partnership. He had a feeling he’d have a harder time winning Jack’s trust.

Jack’s phone rang, and he pulled it out to look at the caller ID. A pained look crossed his face, and he nodded to them. “I’ve got to take this.”

Then he was gone, and it was just Georgie and River in the empty tasting room.

He nodded to the table they’d abandoned earlier. “I think it’s about time for that water, don’t you? Everyone needs water.”

She laughed, and thiswasthe laugh from the night before, which felt like a victory. “You’re right about that. They say up to sixty percent of the body is water.”

“Except for Lurch,” he said as he followed her back to the table. “It sounds like he was at least twenty percent beer last night.”

She shook her head as they reached the table. “I still can’t believe he did that.”

Because she’d run a professional outfit, and truth be told, Aunt Dottie had influenced Beau in a lot of ways these last years.

She sat down, and River sat opposite her.

“Lurch was nice earlier, but I guess he must really hate us,” she said. “Will a lot of people feel that way? Like we’re outsiders prying this place away from Beau?”

“Maybe some of them. There are foolish people everywhere, no escaping that,” he said. And because he really was his aunt’s nephew, he poured her a glass of water and slid it over. “But I think you, Georgie Buchanan, are the best thing to ever happen to this place. And so did Beau. That’s why he left it to you. He knew you’d be the one to turn this ship around.”

Her lips parted slightly, and a little smile tugged at her lips, but the next moment it was gone, and she was looking down.

“Thank you. For everything. I don’t know what we would have done without you. Or maybe I do.” She bit her lower lip, drawing his attention to it. He’d come so close to kissing those lips last night—just like he wished he could now. He shifted forward a little, drawn toward her despite himself. “I probably would have let my brother and sister convince me to sell. Jack would have wanted to keep it, but I don’t know how he would have managed on his own. And I would have gone on knowing about my brother but not knowing him. So thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Georgie,” he said softly, letting himself put his hand next to hers on the table but stopping short of taking her hand. “You did this all on your own, but if I can guide you in any way, it would be my pleasure.” He lifted an eyebrow. “And I suppose it’ll also be my job.”

He thought again of the way Georgie and Jack had acted before the whole bubble extravaganza. Jack had been strangely accusatory even before everything had fallen apart.

“That is, of course, if the offer is still on the table.”

She’d been sipping the water, and she snorted a little, choking on it. He was about to get up to pound her back, but she finally did take his hand, stopping him. A zip of awareness shot through him, much stronger than it should have been from such an innocent touch.

“I’m okay,” she said through coughs. “I was only laughing because not even five minutes ago I was thinking you were the irreplaceable one in this equation, not Jack and not me. We’re lucky you want to work with us.” Her lips pursed in a worried look. “From what I can tell, Beau was paying Lurch a lot less than the average salary for a brewmaster.”

“Don’t you worry about it,” he said, feeling the heat of her small hand over his. She must have noticed too, because a horrified look filled her eyes and she snatched it back so fast she toppled the water pitcher, the water splashing all over his shirt and lap.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, River!”

“It’s okay,” he said. And because he wanted her to erase words like “replaceable” from the vocabulary she used about herself, and he still couldn’t shake the feeling of her hand, he found himself saying, “A little beer on my shirt yesterday, a little water today. It’s almost like you want me to take my shirt off.”

Her cheeks went bright pink at that, and she stopped what she was doing, feverishly grabbing napkins from the holder in the middle of the picnic table. His shirt was soaked through, and those napkins would do nothing to help. The downward glance she gave her hands told him she knew it.

“I’m just teasing,” he said softly. “But I think I will grab some of the merchandise, if you don’t mind.” He nodded to the counter of the bar, where a few of the brewery T-shirts were on display, and headed over to grab his size. The only design left was one Aunt Dottie had put together last year.Do it the Buchanan Way!it said. The image was of a beer can in the center of a starburst, which he’d always thought made it look like it had just exploded. Maybe not so inspiring.

He pulled off his shirt to change into the fresh one, which was, of course, when Jack came back in.

He did a double take—which, fair enough, River had just taken off his shirt during what had to be one of the strangest business meetings of all time. “I’m gone five minutes, and now River has his shirt off.”

“Little accident with the water,” River said, nodding to the table. He was about to pull on the brewery shirt, but his gaze shot to Georgie. She’d taken a seat again, but her eyes were fixed on his chest, and the heat in them shot straight below his belt. Well, shit, he’d better get sitting again.

He pulled on the shirt and returned to the table, but instead of sitting opposite Georgie, he sat next to her, telling himself he could use the water as an excuse. She didn’t move away.

Jack sat opposite them, avoiding the water spot.

“I think we might need to design new shirts too,” Jack said wryly.

“Too bad Adalia’s not much interested in the business,” Georgie said. “She’s an amazing artist.”

---