Page 113 of Better Luck Next Time

The Brewfest competition was in March. Adalia didn’t feel right about committing to something so big that close to the competition that sealed the brewery’s fate. But when she turned to glance at Georgie, she found her beaming with pride.

“She’ll have an answer for you soon,” Georgie said. “She’s working in Asheville now, so shipping will be a consideration.”

“I’ll see what we can do to help,” Henrietta said with a small nod.

“Thank you for the offer,” Lee said, “but there has been some interest from another gallery, so she’ll need to take that into consideration as well.”

Henrietta looked a little stricken. “I’m more than willing to negotiate, so feel free to let me know your terms before you make a final decision.”

“I definitely will,” Adalia said, struggling to keep a straight face. Lee had lied through his teeth, but he’d done it so well that Henrietta was none the wiser.

Lee got to his feet. “If there’s nothing else, we’ll let you get back to your day.”

He led his sisters out of the office and out to the sidewalk. They walked a block without saying a word until he ducked into a coffee shop.

“You didn’t do what we discussed, Addy,” he said, his tone that of a lecturing teacher.

“When do I ever do as I’m told?”

“Do you realize it could have ended up backfiring?” he said, then took a breath. “But I confess, it worked to your advantage.”

“And you got to use those negotiating skills Dad paid so handsomely for,” she teased, but the momentary flash of pain in his eyes made her sorry she’d gone there. “I’m teasing, Lee. Thank you. For everything.” She turned to her sister. “You too, Georgie. I couldn’t have done this without either of you.”

“We love you, Addy,” Georgie said. “We wanted to help.”

“Speaking of which,” Lee said. The words seemed to spill out of him. “Are you interested in putting together an exhibit for Henrietta’s gallery? Or having an exhibit at all? There’s no shame in waiting a while if you need to. Or not doing it at all. Whatever you want, Addy. You don’t need to prove anything. We believe in your work whether you ever sell another piece again. But if you are interested, I can help negotiate the terms.”

His verbal vomit reminded her of Finn, and the pain of losing him washed over her again.

“Thanks, Lee,” she said, her voice tight. “That means more than you could possibly know.”

“I’d like to see what you’re working on,” he said, “if you’re willing to show me. Georgie tells me you’re keeping it hidden from the world.”

So theyhadtalked about her, not that she could really blame them. It wasn’t a huge surprise, and considering that Georgie and Lee rarely spoke at all, this was a good thing. She wanted her siblings to be close again. Even if theywerediscussing her.

“I’m not letting anyone see them yet,” she said, “but I’m getting closer. And I promise to let you be one of the first.” She’d even kept them hidden from Blue.

“Are you planning to come visit?” Georgie asked in a hopeful tone.

Lee’s face went blank, although she thought she caught a glimmer of disappointment. “No. I’m much too busy here, and Victoria never wants to go to Asheville again.”

“Come without her,” Georgie said.

“Yes,” Adalia added a little too quickly. “Please leave her at home.”

He hesitated. “We’ll see.” He glanced at his phone. “I’ve got to get back to the office, but rest assured, Dad hasn’t caught wind of any of this. Your secret is safe.”

Adalia threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “I love you, Lee. Thank you.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Love you too. Now stay out of trouble.”

She knew he was teasing by the gleam in his eye. “I’ll try,” she said with a laugh. “No promises.”

Georgie gave him an awkward hug goodbye, and he hailed a cab and left. The sisters were silent for a moment. Then Georgie said, “We have a few hours to kill before we need to catch our flight. Do you want to go shopping or visit a museum?”

While normally she’d love to do either of those things, her stomach twisted.

“Can I take a rain check? There’s something I need to do first.”

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