Page 54 of That Friendzone Feeling
“Yes,”Emilyjoins in. “Wehope to be a big player in the market for high-end guys’ weekends and bachelor parties.Andfor beer-loving couples, we’ll be able to hold weddings in here too.Sothey can get married in front of the vats.”
“Tuns.”Again—out of my mouth without thinking.
EmilynudgesChaselike he’s an old pal. “Walkerhates thatIdon’t use the technical terms.”
Hegives her a knowing smile.Great, nowI’mtheir private joke.ButIguess if it calms his fears,I’llhave to suck that one up.
“Maybethat makes sense,” he says, tearing his eyes off her and making do with me. “It’sjust hard to see this much space used for production, rather than revenue-generating rooms or a café or something.Manufacturingis better done in a cheaper location.”
Issomeone who dresses up as other people for a living seriously going to start throwing his weight around about what we can and can’t do here?Myblood pressure rises as much as my stomach sinks.
Ifhe’s on board only if we nix the mini brewery, then he can take a hike.Thisis the beating heart of the whole place.Andit’s vital to the activities.What’sthe point of visiting a brewery resort if you can’t watch beer being brewed and be taught how it works?Thisset-up will be part of the attraction.
Emily’seyes meet mine again, her face almost rigid with fear.
She’sthe walking, talking spreadsheet here, with the figures always on the tip of her tongue, but it seems the cat has got it.
Thisis my opportunity to tell him to take a hike.Toget him away fromEmily.
Christ, he’s even wise with money, as well as perfect in every other way.Howcould he not also be perfect forEmily?Atthe very least he’s not her best friend or business partner, so that gives him a head start before you even count the handsome looks, talent, and general all-around good-guy-ness.
Butlook atEmily’sfrightened brown eyes.Ican’t let them down.Evenif it means her getting cozy with the cross betweenMr.Rogersand aGreekgod standing before me.
Itake a breath.
“Onlythe newHornbyIslandAlewill be made here.Ithink that’s important forPRreasons.Weneed to be able to say this is where it’s produced.”Ipace to the end of the room where the tanks will be set up. “Ourexperience of making small amounts of other beers in the show breweries at a couple of the pubs, like the one inBrooklyn, is that they’re a big draw.”
Ishove my hands into my pockets and scrunch my fists into balls the size of the knots in my gut. “Butyou’re right about it being better to use cheaper locations for production.That’swhy we have two out-of-town facilities for that—one in theBronx, the other at an industrial park east ofLosAngeles.”
“Oh, damn, yes.”Chasesnaps his fingers. “Itotally forgot to say.”Hisface lights up. “Iwent to yourLApub, and the manager there gave me a great tasting session.”
“Pablo?”Emilyasks.ThankGod, she’s back in the game.Thatwas exhausting. “Hedidn’t say you’d been there.”
“Oh,Ididn’t tell himImight invest,”Chasesays. “Ishowed up like a regular customer and asked him to talk me through the beers.Hewas extremely knowledgeable.Andit was great beer.”Hetaps me on the arm. “I’mlikeEmily, though.Idon’t know any of the technical terms.”
Heflashes her a smile of camaraderie that turns my stomach like the stench of a rotten egg, before turning back to me. “ButIdo know your stuff is different.”Hescrews up his lips in puzzlement as he looks around the room and takes in the space where the magic will happen—if he backsus. “Icouldn’t put my finger on it, but there’s definitely something special about your beer.”
Emilymoves to stand next to me.Herproximity quickens my heart.Inthis moment, she’s chosen me. “It’sprobably the years of love and devotionWalker’sput into developing them all.”Sherests her hand on my arm, giving me a hot flash.Thelast time she touched me, her hands were inside my boxers. “Youcan’t replicate care, attention, and passion like that.”
Isit really the beer she’s talking about when she refers to my years of love, devotion, and passion?
Butthe look in her eyes is gone in a second, and her attention is back onChase. “Andthe special edition ale he’s working on will be a great marketing opportunity not just for the resort, but for the brewery and the pubs, the whole business.”
“Well, everything you’ve shown me is incredibly impressive,”Chasesays. “AndIlove the space you’ve set aside for outdoor events.”
“Yes,”Emilysays, walking over to the window that looks out over the open area at the center of the resort. “Weaim to become an intimate summer music venue, maybe even for big names.And, of course, it can be used for weddings and other events too.”
“Iwant to start an annual beer festival,”Iadd. “Maybewith a competition for home brewers.That’showIstarted, after all.”
“Oh,Ilove it.”Chasegives me a buddy-buddy slap on the back.Itshould delight me, but the way his eyes flash toEm’sass again makes even completely nonviolent me want to rip him limb from limb.
“Well,” she says, “Ithink that completes the tour of the construction.Howabout we head across to the other endof the island?We’llgetJoeto drive us around the village so you get a feel for it.PortPennyis the heart of the place.”
“Soundsgood,”Chasesays as we head out the door.
Wepick our way alongHarry’splywood boardwalk toward the entrance to the site, whereJoeis waiting for us.Wehired him for the whole day, so goodness knows how anyone else without a car is getting around today.
“What’sthis going to be?”Chaseasks as we reach the edge of the property.
