Chapter 20
Beck
I stayed in bed with Clara for as long as I could. Then we got up, showered, and made brunch. When we finished eating, I cleaned the kitchen, and Clara went home.
She mentioned something about cleaning out her garage, and I promised I'd drop by another day to help her.
But now I needed to focus on the presentation. I drove to Rowan's. He lived in a farmhouse on the Hart property, one of the buildings they'd added later as the family grew.
He'd set up in the kitchen where there was a large wooden table. "Boone built this for me. He gifts each of us with a table when we get a new place."
"Did Clara get one?" I couldn't help but ask.
He frowned and then said, "She had Gran's. She didn't need a table."
I didn't like how he had an excuse ready. Clara was meant to live in the shadow of their grandmother and be okay with that.
My jaw tightened because I couldn't say anything about the way she was treated by her family She wasn't mine to protect.
She could handle it herself. But I wanted to stand up for her, to make her brothers see how they'd overlooked her over the years.
I was frozen by that realization that I had to be okay with however they treated her. I couldn't step in. It wasn't my place.
"I prepared a slide show," Rowan said, not picking up on my inner turmoil. He opened his laptop, pulling up his presentation.
"You didn't have to create a slideshow. I thought we'd be more informal since it's family."
He gave me a look. "Trust me, Malcolm will expect this. If I don't bring spreadsheets and flow charts, he'll say I haven't done my homework and I'm wasting everyone's time."
I blew out a breath. "I didn't realize how difficult Malcolm could be before I agreed to come here."
"I'm sure he has his reasons, and I don't mind bringing what he needs to feel better about this."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't want him to dismiss you out of hand. I think we should go in with the idea that we're doing this no matter what. I've decided to back the project, and it's going to happen. It's up to the family whether it will be on the property or somewhere else."
Rowan's eyes widened. "We're presenting it as a done deal. The question is, do they want to get on board?"
"Yes."
He shrugged. "I'm okay with that if you are."
"I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with handling it this way. I know how important family is to you."
"This is my dream though. If I let Malcolm shut it down, how could I live with myself?"
I shook his hand. "We're doing this."
Rowan ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe it's finally happening."
This one decision took the pressure off. The brewery was a done deal. The only question was the location. "It'll be cheaper if we do it on Hart property. Although we still need to do extensive renovations to that building."
"But it fits with our brand."
I nodded. "It's ideal for what we're trying to do. I can't imagine that they'd say no to this."
"You're more optimistic than I am. But then again, I've lived in this family for a long time, and we don't always get our individual wants and desires."
"Yeah, I've seen that all right." I was thinking about Clara.
"Boone's been trying to talk Malcolm into creating more pieces for the inn. It's good quality stuff and would help his business. But Malcolm has been reluctant to agree."
I frowned. "What are you saying?"
"I want Boone to build the bar, the tables, the chairs, everything that's wood inside the brewery."
"That's a big project. It would be easier to purchase everything we need." It could delay the opening, but I saw the appeal.
"I want to do this for him, and I think it will be the right thing for the brewery. We'd be showcasing quality work, and it's a family member. But I'll defer to you. You're the expert."
I let out a breath. "It's a good idea to showcase another Hart's work. If this partnership is going to work, you have to believe in yourself and what you're bringing to the business. We're equal partners. I wouldn't be investing in someone I had to prop up. I believe in your vision."
Rowan nodded. "I want to do this right. I don't want to rush the renovation so we can open sooner. If the brewery is opened on Hart property, we'll have more time. We already have the land and the building."
"We should have time if we purchase land and build on it. Did you talk to Boone about an estimate?"
"I haven't mentioned it to him yet. You want to do that tonight?"
"Yeah, let's keep it a surprise. It would be nice if we could incorporate everyone into the business somehow. I'm not just talking about the brewery, but the rest of it."
"Are you talking about Clara? She's the only one who isn't involved."
I was surprised he'd noticed. It seemed like her brothers didn't see her. "Why didn't she get a role on the property?"
"Mom wanted her to run Gran's business. She didn't want to run it herself, and she didn't want it to be closed."
"So Clara's doing what her mother wanted her to do," I said.
"You think there's something for her here on the property?"
"She mentioned wanting to be involved more. But I don't know in what capacity." I didn't know what she wanted, and it wasn't my place to tell her family. She needed to express her feelings when the time was right. I couldn't do that for her. "What else do you have?"
He moved through the slide show, explaining each one. It went through the options and the costs of renovations. "Then I'll talk about my vision for the brewery and the bath."
"Are you worried that they won't take your ideas seriously?" I asked him. This was common for a presentation like this. You had to assume there would be some skepticism and plan a response.
He sat in one of the chairs. "Malcolm doesn't like the beer bath idea."
"That doesn't mean the rest of your family feels the same."
"He's the one who guides these decisions. If he doesn't like it—"
"If he doesn't like it, then we purchase land and build somewhere else. That would be a huge mistake for him though." And I was fairly sure he was going to realize that when I stood next to Rowan and pledged my support and money for the project.
"How can you be so confident about this?" Rowan gestured at the screen.
"I'm used to giving these presentations, convincing people that an idea is a good one.
Honestly? If I'm pledging my support, then it's a solid business idea.
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't, and most people get that.
" When I fully supported a project, I was usually able to rally people around it.
It had something to do with my confidence and energy.
"Don't forget; we have a backup plan. We're prepared to do this no matter what your family decides. "
"The thing is, I want to do this on the property. I envisioned this as a family thing. One more Hart business."
"I get that."
He shifted in the chair to see me. "Are you going to be here the whole time, or are you moving on to another project?"
"I was planning to leave before Christmas. But I can consult from anywhere. And if you need me, I can come back."
From his expression, he wanted me to stay and walk him through this.
"I believe in you. You can do this."
He nodded. "I think we're ready."
When it was time, we drove to the main house. The last family dinner I was at, I realized my one-night stand was at the table. This time, I was proposing a project that could take their family business to another level. Not everyone was ready for something like that.
Inside, everyone was already in the kitchen. The guys stood nearby, eating the appetizers Judy set on the counter.
I wasn't supposed to know Clara that well, but I couldn't help but seek her out. When her gaze met mine, her expression was perfectly neutral, but I felt the support in her eyes. It felt good to have someone on my side, even if no one could know about it.
I'd miss her when I was gone.
"Let's get the food on the table," Clara's mom said, and everyone moved to help.
When we were seated and the food was being passed around, they talked about the holiday and how busy everyone was at the inn, restaurant, and Clara's shop.
When we'd eaten, Raymond said, "Rowan said you two have something to show us."
"We can't wait to hear what you've come up with," Judy said.
I hoped that was true, and they'd give us a chance. I set up a small projector while Rowan pulled up the presentation on his laptop.
"Can I watch TV?" McCoy asked, and Malcolm nodded.
"Yes!" McCoy said as he ran out of the room.
"I should have told him to clear his plate before he watched TV." Malcolm rubbed his hand over his face.
"Parenting is a series of learning experiences. You're not going to get everything right," Judy said.
When the presentation was projected onto the wall, his mother said, "You've put a lot of work into this."
"We wanted you to have all the information before you make a decision,” I said.
Rowan stood at the end of the table. "You know I've always wanted to open a brewery on the property. Beck checked the onsite buildings and found one that could be renovated to our needs."
"I like the idea of keeping it on the property in one of the historic buildings," his father said.
"It goes with our branding," his mother added.
So far, we were off to a good start. Their parents wanted to support Rowan.
He showed a picture of the building and then several renderings of how it would look once it was open for business.
"Diners could eat outside when the weather's good and inside in the winter.
We'll have fire pits and heaters so that we can extend that season as long as possible.
The views are good at this location, and we already have a lane that goes to the main road. It's the largest and most accessible."
"What's on the back side of the building?" Callum asked.
"Those are the beer baths, where customers soak while they drink their brew. It's a spa experience with views of the mountains. To incorporate families, we'd like to offer hot tubs and root beer to drink."