Page 122 of Bad Luck Club

So she had. A tantric lesson. And on any other day, he would have been sorely tempted to duck out of his responsibilities and ask for another.

But it was almost five p.m., when the winner of the Best Brew Award would be announced on the main stage and presented with an enormous golden mug. The award was terribly ugly, especially compared to some of the real estate awards he’d won in the past, all cut glass and sharp angles, but he coveted it for a simple reason: his brother and sisters did.

And also, he was now willing to admit to himself, because he did too. Although he might not stay at the brewery forever—Finn had already offered him a position at his fast-growing consultancy business if he ever wanted it—he loved playing a part in it. It made him feel connected to the Buchanan name in a good way.

As they approached the Perplexity tent, he caught sight of Jack and Maisie and Iris talking to a striking woman with wavy strawberry blond hair.

A man was standing behind her, although Lee couldn’t tell whether he was with her.

Jack saw him and Blue and motioned them forward, a big grin on his face.

As they approached the others, Blue squeezed Lee’s hand. He looked down at her, and the love in her eyes was so warm and encompassing, it stole his breath.

Smiling, he pulled her close and gave her a kiss.

“Gross,” Iris groaned. “More old people kissing.”

Everyone laughed, including the stranger with the strawberry blond hair. Poor Iris was getting more than her fair share of PDA with the four couples, although none of them were gross about it. But he’d heard Iris complaining to Adalia that everyone had a boyfriend except for her. Adalia had assured her that she’d have plenty of time to find a boyfriend in college, and even though Lee was new to being Iris’s sort-of brother, a surge of protectiveness had filled him.

“I think you should go to college somewhere around Asheville,” he’d told her as he walked into the room, “so Jack and I can screen any guy who asks you out. Duke’s not that far away. Close enough for us to run up within a few hours, should the need arise.”

Both Iris and Adalia had laughed like he’d been joking, but he’d been perfectly serious.

“You must be Lee and Blue,” the stranger said. “I’m Molly.”

They exchanged a round of greetings and handshakes, the man still hovering behind Molly.

“And this is?” Lee asked, to be polite.

“Oh, are you still there?” Molly asked, scrunching up her nose. “Micro-dating for microbrews, David.” She tapped her watch. “Only fifteen minutes. I thought you understood the concept?”

The guy’s face went red. “You didn’t even touch me. I wouldn’t call that much of a date at all.”

“I only touch people I like,” she said with a long-suffering sigh. “You spent fourteen minutes of our fifteen-minute date talking about keto and the last minute complaining about your ex-girlfriend’s shaving habits. No bueno. Now skedoodle. I have some questions for these two before Microdate Number Five.”

He gave her a dark look and wandered off, muttering about her being a tease and a slut.

She called out, “Can’t be both at the same time, David. Not possible,” seemingly unbothered, but Lee and Jack both stepped after him at the same time.

Molly shook her head and waved them off. “I get that a lot. He’s not one of the dangerous ones.”

Which wasn’t encouraging by a long shot, but by silent agreement he and Jack stayed put.

Eyes alight with mischief, Molly said, “So, I gather that you two got together because of the Bad Luck Club.”

“Don’t tell her anything, Blue,” Maisie said, giving Molly a playful shove. “She’s incorrigible.”

Squeezing Blue’s hand, Lee met her eyes. Grinning at each other like fools, they said, “What happens in the Bad Luck Club stays in the Bad Luck Club.”

“Oh, I know there’s a story there, and one day I’m going to—”

But just then, the ceremonial trumpet blew, signaling that the time had come, the winner was about to be announced.

“Oh, shoot,” Molly said, snapping her fingers. “That means I have to go meet Microdate Five by the porta-potties.”

“That doesn’t sound like much of a date,” Blue commented.

She shrugged. “Might as well do something while I’m waiting in line.”

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