Page 60 of Since We're Here
I glare back. He’s never been supportive of me taking over the brewery. He’s been waiting for me to mess up. As close as he was to my father, he’s had no interest in my plans for innovation and the evolution of the brewery. We’ve both been around Slea Head since the beginning. Both of us want it to succeed. I don’t know what his problem is.
“We’ll have to delay the brew till tomorrow.” Cormac’s voice is steady, but I can sense a hint of annoyance, probably at having been dragged out of bed on a Sunday morning for no reason.
Sean growls at me. “This brewery only works if we all do the jobs we’re supposed to.”
I clench my jaw and stop myself from snapping back. Because, in reality, he’s absolutely right. I told them I’d do it. And I didn’t. I messed up.Bollocks.
Slea Head is behind breweries like New Dingle because Dad wasn’t interested in product innovation. He doesn’t disapprove of what I’m doing now, but he never wanted to change things. Sean has the same mindset. But I need to innovate if the brewery is going to survive. Saoirse agrees, although she’s never been keen on running the brewery.
The interview I’d had with the product innovation candidate had gone really well, and I offered Lola the job later that same day. She’s extroverted and friendly and I actually think her and Maddie would get along great.
Not that it matters.
Lola starts this Wednesday. I need to get a work plan together for her in the next two days so she can show up and make a difference right away. She’s just in time—the Wellington Pubs meeting is a week from Tuesday, and I need to finalize my pitch and slide deck. I’d like to be able to tell them we have an IPA and an autumn brew that’ll be ready soon.
It’s finally coming together. And now I’m screwing it up because I’m distracted by Maddie Hart.
But this isn’t a disastrous screwup. It’s a one-day delay.
I have to keep more on top of things from now on. Getting trollied at the pub last night didn’t help. And I should’ve gone right from Mam and Dad’s house to the brewery yesterday afternoon.
“What’s the look on your face?” Sean says sharply.
“We’ll shift the brewing day by one, like Cormac said.”
“We have a schedule. A plan. One that I don’t always like, but we should stick with it.” Sean runs his hand over a gray-and-white beard, making a grating scratching sound. “Brewing is a science, not an art. The process should be followed exactly.”
I don’t respond, because I don’t agree. Brewing is an art, too. The different flavors and recipes we’ve been testing may not be Sean’s thing, but it’s what people want. I love testing and learning and adjusting until we get it perfect. Golden Amber, Devil’s Dark, and Slea Head Stout are the foundation of our brewery. But there’s so much room to grow.
Sean still thinks I’m the same five-year-old kid he met over three decades ago. It’s hard for him to accept I’m almost forty and now his boss.
“Sorry to make you both come out. Let me get the heating system turned on?—”
“I already did,” Sean says.
“Thank you. Go on home, then. I’ll double check everything—” My mobile buzzes in my pocket and I fish it out under their watchful eyes.
Maddie
I’m making you dinner tonight, all right, boss man?
I press my lips together, the pleasant surge in my center at the idea of seeing Maddie tonight smoothing over the discomfort from screwing up at the brewery.
Cormac clears his throat, and I pocket my mobile.
“What was I saying?”
“That you’ll double check everything...” Cormac offers helpfully.
“Right. Exactly.”
Sean huffs, but I lift a hand before he can say anything.
“See you in the morning.” I turn and head to the tiny brewery office, happy to get away from Sean. I swear I hear him mutter something likeeejit, but I ignore him and close the office door, settling into the chair to craft a response to Maddie. The three little dots dance around in our text chain.
Me
Don’t call me boss man
