Page 4 of Brewing Up a Bad Boy

Yeah, Ali, so? It’s not like you convinced her to sign a contract and told her she didn’t have to read the fine print beforehand.Of course, he hadn’t read the fine print either. Who did, right? “Lancaster-Spencer will sue you if you sign it.”

“What the actual fuck?”

“Turns out that one of the clauses from our first contract was a noncompete. That’s why I’m here. I have an alternative for you.”

Red crept up her chest and neck and cheeks. In a minute, she was going to lose it, and he didn’t blame her.

“I’m sorry. I had no idea—”

“Of course you didn’t. You just did what your father ordered. Married me, got me to give you the recipe and then sign a contract giving your family company the rights to the one tea blend that was in my family for generations. The one that we were famous for blending and the one the first Earl of Winfield was unsuccessful in seducing from my ancestors when your family made a subpar blend.”

Her tirade was completely justified; everything she listed was truth. “Uh...”

But Poppy wasn’t done. “You were just doing your himbo duty. Being sexy and distracting, making sure I didn’t look anywhere but at you.”

Clenching his fists on his legs, Alistair took several deep breaths. She was winding him up, but what she said was true. He’d been the party boy in university, and his father had wanted him to prove his seriousness or he would cut him off.

So he’d done it. Gotten something no one else in the history of Lancaster-Spencer had. The rights to a small family-owned tea blend that had eluded them for more than a century. The goodwill from that gesture had opened doors for Alistair that he hadn’t realized were waiting for him. He was offered an executive job, but it fed a monster inside of him that he hadn’t realized was there: craving his father’s approval.

He’d wanted more and more. Until Poppy left.

“I’m a Miller, not a himbo. And you were happy enough to do whatever I suggested,” he reminded her.

“Not anymore.”

“Believe me, I’m very aware of that. And I’m trying to help you.”

“Remind me again how me pretending we are still married is going to do that?” she asked.

Slowly, he unclenched his fingers. “I’ve been working with George to come up with a fair offer for you.”

“Are you two in charge now?” she asked.

“No. Mum suggested that I try to bridge our estrangement, and at the wedding, we can talk to Dad. The family will be there as back up,” he said.

“Estrangement?”

“Yeah. That’s... Listen I know I should have told them the divorce was finalized, but I didn’t... You know how they are.”

“I do,” she said reluctantly.

“It’s become a habit now not talking to them about anything. But I will after you get the agreement you deserved when you married me. What do you say? Will you give it a try? George and Mum both want you to get a fair deal,” he said.

“Why now?”

He couldn’t tell her that he’d made it a condition for selling his own shares to both of them. They wanted him out of Lancaster-Spencer as much as he did. He had big plans for the money he’d earn from the sale. But they all hinged on Poppy saying yes to attending the wedding with him so he could finally right his wrongs.

Two

It was all well and good that Alistair wanted to help her get a fair deal from his family, but it was also a lot sus. He’d literally never cared about her position in the family before this. Part of why her marriage hadn’t been the love match she’d believed it to be.

Grimacing while he nervously kneaded his own legs, Alistair took his time answering.

Over his shoulder, she noticed Sera and Liberty coming closer to them. The doubts that she’d been struggling to contain were assuaged by their presence. The warmth of that bond and friendship gave her strength.

“If you can’t answer me, then we’re done,” she said. Merle had been right about her needing closure, but she wasn’t getting back on the hamster wheel that had been her life with Alistair.

“For fuck’s sake, Poppy. I’m trying.”

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