13. One and Done
13
ONE AND DONE
KEATON
I woke up to a quiet room. The pillow wall was half toppled over, Sophie’s side of the bed empty.
I lay there for a moment, chest rising and falling, head throbbing. Last night, we drank way too much. At least I thought we did. Why was I the only one here suffering?
The first shafts of Vegas sunlight snuck around the edges of the blackout curtains.
My temples matched the dull ache in my shoulder where I’d apparently fallen asleep half on, half off the bed.
Panic lanced through me. I flung the covers aside and sat up—still fully dressed, everything buttoned and zipped. No naked shenanigans, bummer. But where was Sophie?
I snagged my chiming phone and blinked at her message.
Sophie: Went ahead to set up by the pool. Filming starts soon. You up yet?
A moment later, a photo arrived. It showed the hotel’s sapphire-blue pool deck, wallpapered with a Holly Creek Hops banner and the branded cabana, the surfaces gleaming like a beer commercial ready for prime time. My heart eased a fraction at the sight of our chilled cans arranged on crushed ice in a crystal bowl.
I replied as I peeled myself out of bed.
Keaton: Be right down.
Fifteen minutes later, I emerged, showered and with a towel slung over my shoulder. I headed toward the elevator in board shorts that just matched the Holly Creek Hops brand palette. Sophie had chosen them. She’d insisted they “worked with the vibe.”
I didn’t argue. I just wore them. She was the snooty expert. I grinned at the memory of the day I walked into my office and there she was, far from snooty. Beautiful, and unbeknownst to her, setting my world on fire.
In the elevator, I rehearsed my half-forgotten lines under my breath. The familiar thrill of nerves and excitement hit me as they always did before a performance.
The crew worked around the pool when I arrived, tuning cameras, lighting rigs, and positioning boom mics. The sun glinted off the water like diamonds, nearly blinding.
Anthony and Ben lounged in the pool, elbows resting on the slick tile, laughing at something one of the lighting techs said. They were shirtless and casual, ready to do their part to help me on my quest.
Melanie stood under an umbrella with a headset looping around her ear, mid-rant about framing some perfectly wide shot.
Then I spotted Sophie at last. She’d piled her hair high in her signature messy bun, tendrils escaping with a brush along her collarbone.
A sleeveless red sundress fluttered around her thighs like she walked in a breeze even when the air stood still. One hand clutched a clipboard stuffed with pages of shot lists and whatever else she needed to keep her day in order. The other cradled her phone as she squinted through her glasses at it. She looked resourceful, brilliant, like an orchestra conductor, making sure every note sounded immaculate.
I wove through the crew and tugged her aside, heart flipping as I dodged a boom mic.
“Why didn’t you wake me, Soph?” I asked, voice low, pulling her in.
“After last night, I figured you needed a little extra sleep. And I needed to get here early and oversee things,” she said, not shifting away. Warmth rolled through me. “The makeup artist is waiting for you, and Melanie’s already losing her mind. Do you remember your lines? Because if not, we could run through?—”
I brought a hand to her cheek. “Hey, boss babe. Good morning.”
Her gaze softened. The sun caught the gold flecks of her eyes, and I saw something fierce in them that made my chest tighten. She wanted this for me as badly as I did.
“The sun is shining,” I went on, voice low and earnest, “the pool looks amazing, and you’ve done all this work to make me—and Holly Creek Hops—shine. So stop worrying.” I leaned in and kissed her, right there in the middle of her nervous spiral.
Her body froze for a heartbeat, then her arms curled around me. She kissed me back with a swirl of warmth and need that sent a hum of electricity straight to my groin. A small mewl slipped from her throat—impossible to ignore. I pressed my forehead to hers, breathing her in, a hint of something sweet.
I pulled back just enough to hold her gaze. “Now trust me to do my thing, okay? I won’t let you—or Richard—or my company down.”
She exhaled, lips forming a tight grin. “Okay.”
After makeup and a quick production brief, I reached the pool with Anthony and Ben. We rested our elbows along the pool’s edge, each of us holding a can of Holly Creek Hops.
“Action!” Melanie barked.
Anthony turned, water beading on his shoulders. “So, how are things at the brewery, man?”
I cradled my can label facing out, pretending nonchalance. In reality, my heart thrummed through every detail. “Really well. We’re expanding nationwide. This weekend we debut special brews for the bride and groom—like this one I call the ‘It Takes Two Brew.’”
Ben lifted his can in salute. “I’ll drink to that. Good stuff.”
“Looks like its groom approved.” I laughed and took a long pull. The beer tasted of crisp barley and a dream I’d worked for since my first experimental batch.
Anthony grinned. “If I ask Cassandra to marry me, think you’ll name a brew after us, too?”
His question came completely off script, and I almost spit out the beer. My chest tightened considering I once hoped for Cassandra and me to get together.
I half-joked to keep the mood light. “I’d need a stronger beer for that.”
As if fate had queued her entrance, Cassandra burst onto the deck. “Are you going to ask me?” she shrieked. “Because the answer is yes!” Before anyone could blink, she flung herself into the pool, arms winding around Anthony’s neck as they sank beneath the surface.
Ben raised his can in triumph. “Now that’s brewed with love!”
“Cut!” Melanie shouted, clapping her hands. “That’s a wrap! One and done—I don’t think we can get more perfect than that.”
The guys and Cassandra moved on as I climbed out, droplets pearling down my chest. Sophie handed me a towel, her eyes bright with pride. My heart surged—her approval felt like victory.
“Good work,” she murmured as we stood shoulder to shoulder, watching footage on the monitor. Her warmth pressed into me. “You’re pretty cool on camera, Keaton.”
I leaned in, voice low. “Know what I’d really like to do? Dive in again. With you. No cameras. No Cassandra. Just us.”
She shot me a playful smile, but before she could answer, Starla charged across the set. She swung her oversized pool bag into our meticulous beer display and sent cans flying like dominoes, ice clattering everywhere.
“Oops!” she cackled, tossing her hair.
Sophie’s jaw dropped. Melanie’s laughter rang over the headset. I felt Sophie’s tension spike next to me, hot and jagged.
“That was on purpose,” she hissed in my ear.
I spotted the red recording light on the camera before Melanie stepped forward, like a dog with a nose for TV gold. “How does that make you feel? After everything you set up, Sophie?” Her voice dripped with spite.
I stepped between them, anger humming in my veins. “You knew Starla would do something like this and you planned on capturing it.”
Melanie shrugged. “Drama sells. Mr. and Mrs. Perfect Bride and Groom don’t move the needle of the ratings. I need fireworks or I’m unemployed. You, of all people, should know by now that it’s all about the ratings.” She spun on her heel. “Everyone head down to the ceremony site for the rehearsal! Bikini-ready, people! I want skin!”
Sophie’s face twisted. She grabbed my hand. “Don’t let her draw you in.”
I guided her away from the chaos. As we picked up the beer cans and erected the display again, I urged her to pay Starla no mind. “Show her we’re stronger than her pettiness.”
A sly smile curved Sophie’s lips. Her shoulders uncurled, determination lighting her eyes. “I have my own plan.”
I swallowed hard. She peeled her sundress down her arms, the fabric whispered against her skin. She undid each button inch by inch, revealing a fiery red string bikini that seemed made just for her. My pulse thundered. She stepped out of the dress and tossed it aside.
Her long legs gleamed smooth in the sun. The cheeky bottoms cut high on her hips. Every inch of her pleased my eyes.
I whistled low. “I’ve got the best-looking date here.”
She tossed a glance over her shoulder at Starla, glaring across the way. “Good. Keep your eyes and hands on me, handsome, and we won’t have a problem. We’ll steal this show together.”
“Now who is the boss babe causing drama?” I chuckled and swept her into my arms. She yelped as I carried her toward the steps of the ceremony site. No one could drown our momentum now.