Page 54 of Pitcher Perfect

Charity:that’s a suspiciously short answer

Caleb:sorry, gotta run. Be safe!

Charity:[gif of someone raising one eyebrow]

* * *

From the safetyof my driver’s seat, I stared at the brewery across the street. People were seated at the tables by the windows. Ethan cleared dishes and smiled at a couple. A group of three people walked out looking happy. Everything about Tap That radiated good feelings, but I sat sulking and watching from outside.

All I needed to do was get out of my car and walk over there. Surely, the good feelings would stretch to me, too, and nothing would be awkward with Austin. I looked at the time on my phone. I had ten minutes until I was supposed to meet him to brew the Portland Pairing beer. I could stew in my car for ten minutes or spend that time inside what was quickly becoming my favorite place in town.

I decided to split the difference and grant myself five minutes of anxious overthinking. It had been a few days since we’d had sex, but I hadn’t seen him yet. We’d texted some, but it was hard to gauge how Austin felt without A) asking him—no way—or B) reading his body language. The man couldn’t hide a single thought from his face, which was one of my favorite things about him.

When he’d said we would be together only for the night, my instinct had been to argue, to say we clearly had something special, so we shouldn’t put a limit on it. But after having time to reflect on it, he was right. I didn’t want to rush into anything, especially not with the first person I’d met in ages who could become a close friend. And definitely not when a part of me insisted that I was simply falling for another broken guy who needed me.How could I trust my own judgment?My track record with men proved I was lousy at picking them. Everything seemed great early on until, slowly, the scales of effort tipped heavily in their favor. I always went to them, met their needs, adapted to what they wanted, took care of them. I hadn’t exactly experienced that with Austin yet, but I could see myself falling into the same patterns of losing myself to taking care of him.

It was time to head inside. I sucked in a deep breath and crossed the street.

“Hey, Caleb. Ready to make your first beer?” Ethan asked from behind the bar.

“Hoping I don’t fuck it up.” I glanced around belatedly to make sure I couldn’t offend anyone with my language.

Ethan laughed. He always laughed easily. It was infectious. Austin said Ethan was rarely single and always had someone sniffing around. Though Ethan didn’t really do anything for me, I understood why.

“Austin’s in the back. You know the way?”

“I do. Thanks.”

I followed the route I’d taken before and laughed at the Matt Bomer sign. It had only been a few weeks since I’d met the guys, but I already felt like I could consider them friends. It made the prospect of permanently settling in Dahlia Springs easier to imagine as I found my place and community. When I reached the brewing area, the first thing I saw was Austin bent at the waist and scooping from a bag.

“That’s one hell of a greeting.” I squeezed my eyes closed. Definitely not the thing I should say to someone who said he only wanted to fool around once.The first time I see him after, and I open with flirting? Smooth, Caleb. Way to build that friendship, you dipshit.

Austin stood and turned to me, grinning. He wore snug jeans with tears at the knees and fraying pockets. His snug black T-shirt had a rainbow version of the brewery logo with “Head Brewer” in white underneath. “My ass is the official Tap That Brewery welcoming committee. Do you feel welcomed?”

He stared wide-eyed at me for a moment, then we both burst out laughing.

“Very.” Any tension I’d carried entering the place evaporated like liquid in a balsamic reduction. “You sure you don’t mind me helping out?”

Austin shook his head. “I’m happy to have help. Oh!” He turned and hurried to a desk pushed against a wall. “Your uniform.” He handed me a folded black garment.

I opened the bundle and found a shirt matching his that read “Assistant Brewer” instead. It was perfect. “Does that make you my boss?”

“Absolutely. I’m calling the shots today, and you have to do what I tell you.”

“I like a guy in charge.”

We’d flirted easily since first meeting at that store, but after sucking each other’s dicks, it was like the seal had been broken.

“Seriously, though. Thank you. This is awesome. Can I wear it?”

“Yeah, if you want to cha—”

Before he could finish his sentence, I placed my cooler on the ground and removed my T-shirt. No need to be shy around each other. Again, I’d touched his dick. Seeing me topless wasn’t anything to write home about. When I pulled the shirt over my head, I saw Austin staring at my chest. He shook his head and blinked a couple of times before meeting my eyes.

“Thanks for the shirt.”

“Thanks for the show. I was wondering what your tattoo looked like. That’s a gorgeous scene of the coast.”

I felt my cheeks warm. “Thanks. I got it a few years ago.”

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