Page 34 of Beyond the Hate

“No, Paisley. I’m calling it a day for everyone.”

My hands freeze, and I glance over my shoulder at him. “Are you kicking me out?”

He runs a hand down his face. “No, I’m trying to make sure you don’t fall over from exhaustion.”

Fall over from exhaustion? What is he talking about?

“It’s after nine. You’ve been here since seven.”

I motion to the other areas of what is now our brewing facilities. “So has everyone else.”

“Everyone else went home more than an hour ago.”

My brow wrinkles. “They did?”

He chuckles. “Chloe came in here to say goodbye to you.”

“I must have been distracted.”

“Understandable. You’re trying to build the brewing facilities in one day.”

“I don’t have much of a choice. Between the loss of production over the past two weeks and the cost of the new equipment – not to mention the cost to rebuild our old brewery – we need to begin production again as fast as possible. Oh, and I almost forgot whatever you charge us for rent.”

I’m nearly hyperventilating when I finish. The pressure to begin brewing to ensure we are earning money again sits heavy on my shoulders.

“Hey.” Eli steps close to grasp my hand. “Everything will work out.”

I yank my hand from his. “Easy for you to say. You have money and a family to fall back on. I have me.”

“I understand. I didn’t always have money and my family.”

“You might not have always been a billionaire, but you’ve always had your brothers.”

“True. But I’m the oldest. When we were growing up, I was the one they relied on.”

I knew Eli was the oldest but, “Why would they need to rely on you?”

He glances away. “My dad wasn’t around.”

Oh, right. His dad left when he was in high school. “What about your mom?”

“Mom worked two jobs to get food on the table.”

“Your dad didn’t pay child support?”

He snorts. “My dad disappeared.”

I squeeze his hand but release it before I can enjoy the feel of his skin on mine. “I’m sorry.”

“I wasn’t trying to make this about me. I was merely trying to show you I understand how it feels to have the pressure on your shoulders.”

I study him. I never thought of Eli as someone who felt pressure. Maybe I need to view him in a new light. Maybe I need to let go of what happened in high school.

I wasn’t exactly the most mature individual in my teen years either. Case in point? I may have enjoyed it a bit too much when my stepsisters were forced to go to school with green teeth after I put food coloring in their toothpaste.

“Anyway.” Eli dangles two beers in front of me. “I brought us supplies.”

I swipe a beer from him. “This better be aFive Fathomsbeer.”

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