Chapter 3 #2
He studied her face, keeping his smile in place, trying not to let her see how her response concerned him.
Theo was good at reading people, something that helped him succeed in his job because—in a lot of ways—he was the face of the brewery.
While Jace and Sam worked behind the scenes, brewing the beer, he was the one working with the employees and chatting with their patrons, making them feel comfortable at Rain or Shine Brewery.
Mom said he was blessed not only with an abundance of charm but also a deep-seated empathy that allowed him to read people better than they could read themselves and put them at ease.
Right now, that empathy was telling him that there was a storm raging beneath the surface of the beautiful woman sitting in front of him. She was uneasy sitting here, but she was facing that discomfort with a determination he admired.
He adopted a quieter tone when he spoke again. “I give it one week before Edith starts introducing you as her bestie. She loves using current slang, probably for the humor factor.”
“She claimed her nephew has no game, and that’s why he’s still single.”
Theo snorted because that was a fair description of Manny. “I can almost imagine her sitting up at night messing around on Urban Dictionary, searching for new words to spring on the unwitting Gracemont citizens. Just for shits and giggles.”
Gretchen winced. “I don’t even want to think about that.”
Theo was tempted to laugh at what was clearly a joke on her part, but instead, he winked.
“Edith’s a regular at the winery and the brewery, making an appearance at both at least once or twice a month.
Sam, my brother, claims she’s ‘holding court,’ and damn if that’s not what it feels like because by the time she leaves, every single patron has made their way to her table to chat.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched her draw a crowd, everyone jostling to hear one of her tall tales.
She’s a regular one-woman show, and I’ve toyed with the idea of putting her on the entertainment schedule.
” He held his hand up as if reading a marquee.
“‘Gracemont Gossip with Edith Millholland. One night only.’”
“I’d pay money to see that show,” Gretchen said.
Theo laughed, but this time, he made sure it was softer. “I’m sure Edith loves having you with her. She’s happiest when she has someone to fuss over.”
Gretchen looked around again, as if seeking an excuse to leave, but Theo wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet, so he jumped in first.
“Nora’s working over at the winery, of course, but she plans to be here Monday morning to meet you. Before you head out today, I can introduce you to the brewmasters, who also happen to be my brothers, Jace and Sam.”
“That’s okay,” she said, intending to refuse. “I can wait?—”
“Sam’s currently running for mayor of Gracemont,” Theo interjected. “So Jace will be taking on the lion’s share of the brewing, once Sam takes office, though I’m sure he’ll still be here a fair amount of the time.”
Gretchen’s eyebrows rose. “Mayor? That sounds like a big job.”
“Maybe in a bigger city, but in Gracemont, it’s less than part-time. Even so, knowing Sam, he’ll work overtime to assure it’s done right, because that’s who he is. He was made to be mayor, and the whole family is proud of him.”
“That’s great,” Gretchen said. “And it’s nice of Jace to step in so that Sam can pursue the position.”
“Well, that’s what family does, isn’t it?”
Gretchen hesitated slightly before giving him a short nod, letting him know in an instant that wasn’t how things worked in her family.
The personal information he knew about Gretchen was limited to superficial things he’d discovered from her resume and during the interview.
Things like, she was twenty-four years old and she was born in Harrisburg, where she’d lived her entire life.
He knew where she’d graduated from high school, and that she’d only had one other job, as the personal assistant to a real estate agent.
She said during her interview that her reason for applying for the job was because she was looking for a change—no, the words she used were fresh start —though she hadn’t elaborated on why.
Now, it was all he could think about.
It was easy to see that Gretchen’s walls were so high, he would need to take a slow approach when it came to getting to know her. Lucky for her, as a Gracemont boy, slow and steady came easy to him, as that was the only pace most folks in this town knew.
Theo decided to try the “lead by example” tactic. Perhaps if he willingly shared information about himself, she would follow suit.
“Jace is the youngest of my brothers, but he’s got one of the biggest personalities. He’s also a shameless flirt, but don’t worry about that. He’s harmless. And nowhere near as good-looking as me,” Theo added as a joke, when Gretchen nervously licked her lips.
“It must be nice to work with your brothers,” she mused.
“For the most part, it is. My brothers are my best friends, but we’re also like most siblings. We get into some knockdown, drag-out fights. Probably doesn’t help that we don’t just work together but live together as well.”
“That is a lot of togetherness.” Gretchen was still sitting on the edge of her chair, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. He wished there was a way he could encourage her to relax.
“There are three farmhouses on the property,” Theo explained. “I share one with my six brothers. Well, five now, since my oldest brother, Levi, is essentially living with his girlfriend Kasi these days.”
“Edith mentioned Levi’s new relationship. Said they would probably get married soon.”
Theo chuckled. “You’ve been here what? Twenty-four hours?”
Gretchen nodded.
“I’m guessing there’s not much left I can tell you about me and my family, then. Edith’s probably already covered everything,” he joked.
Gretchen gave him a look that proved Edith had been filling in lots of blanks for her. “She’s a wealth of information. I considered taking notes for a little while.”
Theo laughed at her joke, and this time, Gretchen graced him with a small smile.
Progress.
Though now that he’d managed to break a hairline-thin crack in her thick surface, he wanted to go for broke. Because something told him that she hadn’t laughed in a very, very long time.
So Theo had a new goal.
Well, another new goal, because before he made Gretchen laugh, he was determined to set her at ease.
Once again, she looked ready to escape as her eyes darted toward the window, then toward the door behind her. “I—” she started.
“What about you?” he asked, taking a chance. “Any siblings?”
Gretchen visibly tensed. It looked like he’d gone a step too far. “Just one,” she replied. “An older brother. Shaw. He’s a Navy SEAL.”
Theo whistled, impressed. “A SEAL, huh? Pretty cool.”
That sadness he’d seen in her eyes during the interview returned. “It is. Unfortunately, it keeps him busy, so I’m afraid I haven’t seen him much the last few years.”
“That can’t be easy. I’d go crazy if I went so long without seeing one of my brothers.”
Gretchen glanced at him before looking away again, shrugging in a way she clearly meant to look indifferent.
However, he could see she wasn’t happy about the estrangement from Shaw.
“He’s typically deployed overseas. Because of time zone differences and the fact he has to go radio silent a lot of time, we don’t get to talk much. ”
Theo hated the sadness that laced her words. “No phone calls? Emails? FaceTimes?”
She unclenched her hands, rubbing them along her jeans, a sign that his questions were making her uncomfortable. “Not for a while.”
“He doesn’t come to visit?”
Gretchen shook her head. “He went his own way after he graduated from high school, and there really wasn’t any reason to come back to Harrisburg all that often.”
“Except to see his sister,” Theo said with a bit more bite than he’d intended.
It was just that she looked so damn sad about her brother.
Theo knew if he had a little sister, he’d do a hell of a lot more than call her from time to time.
He and his brothers were very close to—and overly protective of—their cousins, Mila, Remi, Nora, and Lucy, and there was no way they wouldn’t make time to see them.
Hell, Lucy left home a year ago and he’d seen her six times since: three times when she’d visited here, twice in Philadelphia—which was where Joey, Miles, and Lucy were living most of the time—and once when he and Maverick made an impromptu road trip to Baltimore to meet them for drinks at Pat’s Pub.
Unfortunately, Theo could see he’d stepped over the line with his comment, as Gretchen visibly shut down.
She nodded vaguely, though not necessarily in agreement. “I really should let you get back to work.” As she rose, he noticed the slightest wince, and realized she was in some pain. The problem was, he couldn’t tell where she was hurt.
Gretchen tugged up the turtleneck of her sweater, despite the fact she was obviously still hot. The air-conditioning wasn’t cooling her off enough.
Theo’s protector instincts rose to the forefront. He had a white knight personality, like most of the men in his family. The desire to rescue those in danger and help those in need ran strong in the Storm male genetics.
He stood as well. When he moved around his desk, intent on approaching her, she shrank back.
Not a lot. Not even enough that most people would notice.
But the fascination he felt for Gretchen that started during her interview didn’t hold a candle to now—so he was watching her more closely than he might anyone else he’d just met.
“I’m really looking forward to working with you, Gretchen.” Theo reached out to shake her hand.
She hesitated for a moment, staring at his hand like it was a snake poised to strike.
Then he watched as that strength he’d witnessed during her interview reappeared.
Theo would swear he saw her force her body into the appropriate position.
Like doing something as normal as shaking a person’s hand required thought.
Her spine straightened and her shoulders lowered as she lifted her hand toward his. It was shaking slightly, and he couldn’t pass off that response as nerves or shyness. The wariness on her face gave her away.
His curiosity about this woman skyrocketed.
When Gretchen placed her hand in his, Theo felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. The Earth tilted on its axis, and a large part of him was shocked he managed to remain on his feet.
He tightened his grip, trying to calm her trembling—and now his own—even though the connection of their hands lingered past the normal length of time for a handshake.
If Theo had his way, he’d never let go.
Gretchen held his gaze, a multitude of emotions crossing her face, too many for Theo to take in.
All he knew was that he wanted to understand every single one of them.
Wanted to know why she looked scared, confused, sad, intrigued, regretful, determined, and even hopeful.
It was all there, reflected in those beautiful blue eyes of hers.
“Gretchen,” he murmured, needing to feel her name on his lips again, smiling down at the slim, gorgeous woman, who stared back at him looking slightly startled.
Did she feel it too?
Suddenly, he recalled the story his father had often told about the first time he’d met Theo’s mother, the way he’d known in an instant that Mom was the woman he was going to marry.
Then he remembered a more recent conversation between him and Levi, who’d sworn he’d known the second he touched Kasi that she was meant to be his.
Theo had been amused by the story, even though he’d discounted it. Because that wasn’t how love worked.
Or so he’d thought.
Right now, though.
In this moment.
It was as Levi had said.
Love at first touch.
Well…
This was inconvenient.