Page 40 of Brewing Brilliance

“Just one question, who’s the woman? She’s not your normal type. Sure, she’s cute in a girl next door kind of way, but does she realize she’ll never come first?”

“Shut the fuck up, Bi. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“That’s where you’re wrong Mav, because I do know. I know you and I know that you will never put her before Olive and Pat. You’ll never put her before your brewery. She looks like the girl who wants the American dream: the house, husband, and two point five kids. You’ll never be able to give her that."

“Seriously Bianca, just shut the fuck up already. You came and saw me, said what you needed to, now move on. I don’t want to see you and I don’t need you hanging around. We’re done and we’ve been done. Just fucking leave.”

“Fine, Maverick. If that’s what you want, I’ll leave. I’m glad you’re happy and you’re doing well.” Before I can stop her, she’s stepping up on her toes and leaning in and kissing me. I don’t kiss her back, but I hear the gasp and know I’ve fucked everything up the minute I see Spencer round the trailer and disappear.

Chapter Eighteen

Spencer

Todayhasbeensoexhausting, but it’s also been incredibly fulfilling. I’m so glad that Maverick asked me to help him out at the festival. I love seeing how excited he gets when people love the beer that he’s spent so much time and effort crafting. He’s also a completely different person with his patrons. He’s easy going and having the best day.

I don’t know how it happened, but before I realize it, it’s after six and I’m absolutely starving. Olive came a little while ago and relieved Emerson of her duties. Thankfully, she’s well versed in Maverick’s POS system and said it would be fine if I went and got us some food.

There are so many good options, but I am obsessed with funnel cake, so that’s the booth that I head to. Of course, everyone else seems to have the same idea, so the line is long, but now that I’ve smelled the delicious, sweet dough frying, there’s no way I can turn away.

Once it’s finally my turn, I get us both a hot sausage sandwich, some curly fries to share, and our own funnel cakes. There’s not much food that I won’t share, but funnel cake is my exception. I’ll make myself sick eating one before I will throw it out or give it to someone else. A fresh squeezed lemonade sounds delicious, but my hands are already full, so I decide to just head back and snag one of Mav’s beers instead. I can always get a lemonade when I come back tomorrow with my sisters.

I’m just rounding the trailer when I hear Maverick and a voice I don’t recognize. He sounds pissed, but I can’t imagine who he would be talking to. I don’t mean to sneak, but I’m curious as soon as I hear him say Bi.

“Shut the hell up, Bi. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“That’s where you’re wrong Mav, because I do know. I know you and I know that you will never put her before Olive and Pat. You’ll never put her before your brewery. She looks like the girl who wants the American dream: the house, husband, and two point five kids. You’ll never be able to give her that."

“Seriously Bianca, just shut the fuck up already. You came and saw me, said what you needed to, move on. I don’t want to see you and I don’t need you hanging around. We’re done and we’ve been done. Just fucking leave.”

“Fine, Maverick. If that’s what you want, I’ll leave. I’m glad you’re happy and you’re doing well.”

I’m leaning around the trailer and just about to step out when I see Bianca lean in and kiss Maverick square on the lips. He doesn’t move, but he also doesn’t stop the kiss. And when I say kiss, I don’t mean a peck that you place on your Grandma when she insists upon you giving her a kiss before you leave. This one was full mouth to mouth and maybe even a little tongue.

I can’t help the gasp that escapes my mouth. Maverick finally pulls away, but I don’t know how to handle all of this right now, so I race back to the front of the tent to Olive. I startle her as I throw our food down on the table beside her and reach for my purse. I can feel my cheeks are heated and there are tears brimming my eyes, but I refuse to shed them in front of everyone else.

“Hey, are you okay?” Olive touches my arm and I take a huge inhale to steady myself before making eye contact with her to answer.

“Um, I’m not sure, but I do need to go. I’m sorry to bail on you, but will you be okay without me?”

“Absolutely, but Spencer…”

“Thanks, Olive.” I cut her off before she can say anything else and give her a big squeeze before I’m weaving through the crowd. I do not want Maverick to catch up to me because I know the minute I see him, I’ll lose it and I absolutely fucking refuse to be a spectacle in this town again.

I swear I hear my name called out, but I dodge around a mother and her brood of kids and dip between two tents to the next road over. I didn’t drive here, but I’m close to the shop. I can use my key and go hang out there until one of my sisters can come pick me up.

Not wanting to run into anyone I know, I cut through yards and take alleys to get out of the main downtown area and head towards the shop which is a little more off the beaten path. I can feel the tears slowly flow down my face as I try to hold it in until I can make it somewhere a little more private.

I make it to the shop and am surprised to find the door is unlocked to the office. I go in and hear music blaring in the bay. Maybe Emerson is using the time without all the guys around to work on one of her special projects. I make my way out to the garage when I hear arguing. I’m about to run in but stop when I realize I don’t hear Emerson yelling anymore, but what sounds like a moan.

I peak around the corner and have to cover my mouth, so I don’t let any noise slip out. Emerson is up on the top of a jacked-up truck, laid out across the hood as the sexy new mechanic she hired kisses his way down her stomach. Holy shit does my baby sister have some explaining to do!

Not wanting to interrupt whatever is going on between these two, I slowly back out of the garage and lock the office door on my way out. I pull up my phone to call Chayse when I realize that she is probably in full mom mode right now taking care of Penny and Patrick.

I’m not that far from my house now, so I decided to just walk the rest of the way home. I’m about a block away when I realize my phone is vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out to see Maverick’s name, but I immediately hit the ignore button. I know I need to answer him, but I’m just not ready yet.

I thumb through several more missed calls and even more texts not only from Maverick, but from Olive, too. I send a quick message to Olive to let her know I made it home okay. I also shoot one off to Maverick telling him the same before asking him to give me the night to think about everything and that I’ll call him in the morning.

I decide to wash the day off with a hot shower before pouring myself into my bed. It’s still early, but after sobbing the entire time I was in the shower, I don’t have much energy left and no longer have an appetite. I decide to just head to bed and maybe try to get some reading done, but my mind is on a constant repeat of what happened earlier.

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