Page 27 of Love Is Brewing

Who was supposed to have the next move?

Him? Phoebe?

He’d been playing with her about the next person to contact the other. She’d played him right back.

Maybe he thought most lawyers were stuffy, but she didn’t come across that way to him.

Not the first time he met her and not after dinner.

Which didn’t explain why he was hesitating to reach out.

He picked his phone up a fourth time, tried to think of a funny text, and was drawing a blank.

He always thought he was good on the fly, but this time, his wings were clipped.

He was moving his fingers around and wasn’t paying attention and the next thing he knew his phone was ringing in his hand.

Shit, he was calling her and hadn’t meant to do that.

He couldn’t hang up.

What the hell was he going to say?

“Kelly Law,” she answered. “If you need an ambulance I can dispatch one for you.”

He burst out laughing.

“Wow,” he said. “You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?”

She laughed on the other line. “I might not,” she said. “I have to say, I’m surprised you’re calling me. I expected you to be a text kind of guy.”

He could lie but was honest. She might get a kick out of it, or at least appreciate it.

“I am,” he said. “And while I sat here trying to figure out exactly what to say—which by the way wouldn’t have been nearly as witty as what you did—I accidentally hit call.”

She laughed again, the sound of it vibrating in his chest. What the fuck was that?

“So you didn’t want to talk to me,” she said. “Guess I can hang up then.”

“No,” he said, grinning. Not that she could see it. “Don’t. I’ve got you, so might as well chat. Unless you’re busy.”

“Not all that busy,” she said. “Finishing my laundry. Which I should have lied about because now you might think I’m some loser with no life. But I moved here, so you know, the no-life thing fits.”

“I’m at work,” he said. “Not much more of a life if you want to compare things.”

“I’m sure you’re busy and one of those people who works seven days a week.”

He sighed. Heard that more than once.

“Kind of runs in the family,” he said. “You know, out to prove you can do it on your own.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I know that. I’m sure I’ll be working this weekend too. I have a few cases I’m closing in Charlotte or handing off. Things here too. Always something to do.”

“We are open seven days a week and brewing the whole time,” he said. “I can and do close for holidays and have less on staff at night, but still need people here. Mainly in distribution rather than actually brewing. You set it and walk away often, at least during the nights.”

Which was nice most times. Just needed someone to man temperatures and such. The bulk of the work done during the brewing process was daylight hours. Night was when canning was taking place.

“The price of running a business,” she said. “No life and a lot of worrying.”

---