5. Chapter 5 - Paxton
“What the hell was that about?” Tommy asked as he locked up after the last customer left later that night.
I frowned as I closed out the day on the register. “What was what about?”
“You know what. That guy. What was his name?”
That guy. My stomach did a somersault. Callum. “What guy?” I asked innocently. Tommy narrowed his eyes at me and I held up my hands. “Fine, fine. Callum. Cal. I told you, he was here to get a tour. He’s writing something for Connection Monthly and wanted to interview me for the piece.”
“Right.” His tone was thick with skepticism.
“What?”
“All I’m saying is it seemed like you weren’t just showing him around when I walked in.”
“Nothing happened. He’s just interviewing me.”
“Whatever you say. He’s kind of hot. You should go for it.”
“Tommy…”
“Just saying.” He shrugged and headed into the back, returning with a mop and bucket.
His words rolled around in my mind the rest of the night as we cleaned up.
You should go for it, he’d said. He’s kind of hot.
He wasn’t wrong. And there had been an undeniable spark between us.
Cal had said he was okay with it when I’d almost kissed him.
It occurred to me belatedly that I should have confirmed he was at least bisexual before I’d tried, but he hadn’t protested, had seemed into it. I sighed softly.
It had been a long time—too long—since I’d dated anyone.
Celestial Cask took up most of my time and between working and traveling, I didn’t have much time for dating.
But Cal was going to be in town for a whole month.
It didn’t need to be anything serious. Maybe just a little summer fling or something. A month.
I went home that night still thinking about Callum, and when I got up the next morning, my first thoughts were wondering when he’d stop by the meadery again.
By the time I got back to the shop that day, I’d run through damn near every scenario in my mind—seeing Callum today, every day, not at all, not until he was about to leave.
I’d parsed through all the possibilities and realized I deeply regretted not getting his number.
I’d given him mine and I could only hope he’d reach out.
I opened at noon as usual and with Tommy and me closing together the night before, there was very little to do to get the taproom ready for the day.
Once I’d unlocked the door, I perched on a stool behind the bar and turned the nearest TV on to watch sports coverage of last night’s baseball games.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice a customer approaching the door until the chime sounded when the door opened.
I glanced up and relief flooded through me like a cool wave.
Callum.
“You came back,” I said, trying not to sound overly excited.
He nodded and gave me a shy smile, sliding onto a stool in front of me. “I did. You weren’t kidding with I Mead More. I was hoping to get a bottle to take back with me.”
“Of course. Can I get you… anything else?” I wasn’t trying to sound suggestive, but it sure as hell came out that way.
His cheeks flushed pink and he glanced at his hands before looking back up at me. He gave me an uncertain look, brow furrowed slightly, his hazel eyes bright, his lips pressed together. He opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, and looked at the menu board. “Maybe a four-ounce pour, too?”
“Coming right up.” I grabbed a glass and poured his drink before setting it in front of him. “I’m really glad you came back.”
“Me too,” he murmured before taking a sip of the mead. “I’m sorry I didn’t text.”
I waved away his protest. “It’s fine. I—”
“I wanted to,” he said, interrupting me. “I just got caught up in family drama last night and I didn’t… I don’t know.”
“Family drama? You’re welcome to vent, if you need to.
” We didn’t know each other that well, but I felt drawn to him, to offer my listening ear, not because I felt like I had to, but because I genuinely wanted to get to know him.
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other as I realized “I’ll listen to your family drama” didn’t particularly scream “Just a summer fling.”
He sighed deeply and took another sip. “My shitty ex is apparently dating one of my cousins now.”
I grimaced. “Yikes.”
“I know. And now I have to face him over and over for the next month at the reunion events, because they both live near here and can drive in every weekend for the festivities.”
Him. Well that was good news, at least. “Double yikes.” I shook my head. It sounded like a soap opera, a miserable time for poor Cal. “Do you still… you know…”
He shook his head vehemently. “I definitely don’t still have feelings for him.
First, we broke up, like, almost ten years ago.
Besides that, he’s a total asshole. But if I see him—when I see him—people are going to start asking why I don’t have a partner yet.
” He briefly scrubbed his hands over his face.
“This is a nightmare. This is why I hate these stupid reunions.”
“Because of your ex?”
“My family still asks why we broke up, why I couldn’t just give him a second chance.
I don’t know why he’s such a golden boy around here.
Well, that’s not true. I do know. He’s got money.
” He paused for a second. “No, that sounds terrible. My family, we’re not just gold diggers or anything.
It’s just, Jacob is rich and beautiful, and powerful in the way rich and beautiful people are, and he’s charming and…
” He put his face in his hands again and groaned. “I hate everything.”
“Hey.” I put my hand on his arm. “Hey.”
He looked up at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dump all this on you.”
I waved his apology away again. “Don’t. I’m happy to listen.”
“What a cliche. Spilling my guts to a bartender.”
I put my hand on my chest in mock pain. “Hey, ouch. I’m not just a bartender.” That got a smile out of him and I patted his arm again. “Can I help at all?”
“Not unless you want to be my boyfriend for the next month,” he said miserably into his glass.
My stomach flipped at the thought. I let his suggestion hang in the air and a laugh bubbled out of me as I considered it.
He’d been joking, right? Certainly he didn’t truly want—or need—me to come rescue him from facing down a terrible ex-boyfriend.
Right? “I mean… I wouldn’t say no, if that’s what you need. ”
Cal’s gaze snapped up to meet mine and he shook his head quickly. Too quickly. “No. It’s fine. I’ll be fine. I was just kidding.”
“Okay.” I glanced at the door, which chimed as someone entered the taproom. I gave the newcomer a bright smile. “Come on in and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right with you.” I lowered my voice and dipped my head low to speak to Cal. “Anything you need. I’m happy to help.”
Anything you need. The words sounded more suggestive than I’d meant them to, but I wasn’t going to rush to correct myself.
Cal stayed at the bar as I helped the new customer, continuing to sip his drink slowly, alternating between scrolling on his phone and glancing at the TV to watch the baseball game. He stayed a long time, through a second glass, until we were alone in the taproom again. “No Tommy today?”
I smiled, pleasantly surprised that he’d even remembered Tommy’s name. “He’s off on Thursdays. Just me all day.”
He glanced at his phone and nodded. “I should probably get going. Get out of your way.” Instead of standing, he hesitated, looking at me.
“You’re welcome to hang out here as long as you like. Anytime, but especially today. Thursdays are slow. I like having the company.”
He shook his head. “I appreciate that. It’s just… I need to head into town and start making a list of other businesses I want to feature.”
“Of course.” I grabbed the bottle he’d requested and bagged it up. As he passed me his card, he took a breath, looking as if he were on the edge of saying something important. “You okay?”
“I was wondering if you were serious about that fake boyfriend thing.”
I frowned, brow dipping low. “Of course I was.”
“You’d really hang out with me and my family for a few weekends?”
“Sure. Why not?”
He shook his head. “You probably have something more important going on. Besides… what’s in it for you? I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness and not give you anything in return.”
You. I restrained myself from blurting that out.
“Well…” I thought back to the day before, to Barbara Traylor and her warning that I only had a month to get my shit together, the proposal, the grant applications, everything, or I’d lose the chance to buy the lot and expand.
He was a travel writer. He could probably get eyes on the meadery, right?
Maybe that would buy us some time. Maybe he could even help with writing the grant applications.
“I do have something you could help me with.” I explained the situation quickly.
Cal nodded once, smiling at me, looking genuinely happy for the first time that day.
“It’s a deal.” He held out his hand and I took it to shake.
His skin was soft, his grip firm, and his palm warm.
My heart did a somersault as we shook on the deal.
We made a quick plan for the following day, that he’d pick me up at the taproom in the late afternoon, and we’d head to his family dinner right after.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then, boyfriend. ”
My heart fluttered again. “I can hardly wait.”