Chapter 26
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Smoke from multiple grills drifted in the air, mingling with the tang of hops from various brewing stations. The festival staff had done an impressive job transitioning the beer garden from the morning’s pancake breakfast to the evening’s main event. String lights hung overhead, creating a warm glow as the sun began its slow descent behind Fate Mountain.
Though pleased to see the strong turnout, Max couldn’t help but feel keyed up. He hadn’t seen Laney since their morning fun run date, and the prospect of spending the evening with her had him checking his phone every few minutes.
“Waiting for someone?” Gwen teased, following his gaze.
Before Max could respond, he spotted Laney slipping through the crowd. Max’s heart thumped as she approached, her smile radiating warmth. “Hey,” she said, reaching him. “Smells amazing over here.”
He briefly touched her arm in greeting. “How about we grab some beer samples and BBQ? The judging starts in an hour.”
“I'm starving,” Laney laughed. “Those pancakes this morning just made me hungrier.”
They stepped into the lively beer garden together. String lights hung overhead, creating a warm glow as the sun began its descent behind Fate Mountain. Long communal tables filled the center space, surrounded by brewery booths along the perimeter.
“Let's start with some competitor samples,” Max suggested, guiding her toward a row of brewery stations on the left side of the garden. “Always good to know what we're up against.”
At the first booth, a bearded man in a Raven Peak Brewery shirt poured small samples of a golden ale into tasting glasses.
“This is their summer citrus ale,” Max explained as they each took a glass. “Been getting a lot of buzz.”
Laney took a sip, her eyebrows rising. “Oh, that's good. Really bright flavor.”
Max nodded, analyzing the competition. “Nice balance. Not quite as complex as Timberline Sunrise, but solid.”
They moved to the Mountain Stream Craft Beer booth next, where a cheerful woman handed them samples of a dark lager.
“Their specialty,” Max said, swirling the liquid before tasting. “Strong malt profile.”
Laney sipped carefully. “Rich, but a bit heavy, don't you think?”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Max agreed.
After sampling from three more breweries, they approached the Fate Mountain Brewery booth where Gwen was charming a group of visitors. She brightened when she spotted them.
She grabbed a wooden paddle holding three small glasses and handed it to Laney. “Our signature flight: Timberline Sunrise, Bear's Den Amber, and Hidden Falls Hefeweizen.”
He watched Laney bring the Timberline Sunrise to her lips. “This really is incredible,” she said. “So refreshing.”
Pride swelled in Max's chest. “Let's grab some BBQ before all the good stuff is gone,” Max suggested, nodding toward the smoky food stalls on the opposite side of the beer garden.
The aroma of barbecue intensified as they approached the row of grill stations. Smoke curled up from half a dozen setups, each contestant working behind their designated area. A large crowd gathered around Theo Keenan's station, where the burly chef was slathering a bold sauce on perfectly charred ribs.
“That looks amazing,” Laney said, pointing to Theo's ribs as the sauce sizzled on the grill.
They collected small samples from three different BBQ competitors on a single plate—Theo's ribs, pulled pork from Southern Smoke BBQ, and brisket from Mountain Man Grill.
“Perfect combination,” Max said as they carried their loaded plate and beer samples to an open spot at one of the picnic tables in the center of the beer garden.
They settled on the bench, arranging their beer paddles and BBQ plate between them. Around them, the beer garden buzzed with conversation and laughter. The wooden tables were filled with other festivalgoers comparing notes on their favorite brews while judges moved from booth to booth with clipboards.
Laney took a bite of Theo's ribs, closing her eyes in appreciation. “Oh my god, these are incredible.” She licked sauce from her fingers. “I can't decide which is better.” She alternated between bites of food and sips of beer. “The beer complements the BBQ perfectly.”
“That's the idea,” Max smiled, watching her enjoy the pairing. “Good beer makes good food even better.”
As they ate, Max couldn't help but quietly analyze the other beers they'd sampled. The Raven Peak summer ale had promise, but lacked the depth of his Timberline Sunrise. Mountain Stream's dark lager seemed to be drawing crowds, though.
“The competition looks stiff,” he commented, taking another sip of his own creation.
“Worried?” Laney asked, raising an eyebrow as she reached for the Bear's Den Amber.
“Not particularly,” Max replied with a smile. “Just sizing up the field.”
Across the beer garden, the mayor began gathering everyone toward a small stage set up near the brewery tents for the upcoming announcement of winners.
“Looking forward to the results?” Laney asked, standing close beside him in the gathering crowd.
“Always,” Max replied. “Though I think we both know Theo has the BBQ locked down this year.”
The mayor tapped the microphone, gaining everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the highlight of our evening. First, we’ll announce the winner of this year’s regional beer tasting contest.”
Max felt a flutter of nervous energy in his stomach. He’d put months of work into perfecting Timberline Sunrise, adjusting the recipe countless times until he was satisfied.
“And the winner is,” the mayor paused dramatically, “Fate Mountain Brewery’s new Timberline Sunrise!”
Applause erupted from the crowd. Laney beamed at him, squeezing his arm in congratulation. Max felt a surge of satisfaction as he made his way to the stage, accepting the small trophy and certificate from the mayor.
“Thank you,” he said into the microphone, keeping his remarks brief. “This one’s for everyone at Fate Mountain Brewery who helped bring this recipe to life.”
He stepped to the side of the stage as the mayor moved on to announce the BBQ contest winner. As predicted, Theo Keenan took first place, joining Max onstage with a victorious pump of his fist. The two men shook hands as the crowd cheered.
“And this year,” the mayor announced, “festival sponsors have provided a special prize for both winners. Each will receive a ‘Full Package Stay at Fate Mountain Lodge,’ including an overnight in a suite, dinner for two, and spa treatments. Congratulations, gentlemen!”
Max accepted the voucher, glancing at the details. His mind immediately jumped to the possibility of sharing this with Laney. As he stepped off the stage, Laney approached, congratulating him on the win.
“That’s a nice prize,” she said, nodding toward the voucher in his hand.
Max took a deep breath. Would inviting her seem too forward? They’d only known each other a short time, even if their mate bond made it feel like forever. Yet the idea of spending a night with her at the lodge was too tempting to ignore.
“Would you, um... want to come with me?” he asked, his voice quieter than intended. “Next weekend?”
Laney looked momentarily surprised, her eyes widening slightly. Then, the corners of her mouth quirked into a warm smile, her eyes brightening. “Yes,” she said simply. “I’d like that.”
Relief and excitement washed over Max. “Great,” he said, unable to keep the grin from spreading across his face. “It’ll be nice to get away from everything for a bit.”
The crowd began to disperse to other booths or toward the stage where the band had resumed playing. Max and Laney lingered at the beer garden, sharing one last sample each, riding a surge of relief at her acceptance.
“I still can’t believe how good Timberline Sunrise is,” Laney said, finishing her sample. “You deserved that win.”
“Thanks,” Max replied, watching her in the gentle glow of the festival lights. “It’s been a work in progress for months.”
As the evening wound down, Max offered to walk Laney home. “Your family must be pleased with the turnout,” Laney commented as they turned onto her street.
“They are,” Max agreed. “Noah’s already running financial projections for next year.”
Laney laughed. “He doesn’t waste any time, does he?”
“Not when it comes to numbers.”
They reached her apartment building and climbed the steps to her door. Max prepared himself for the usual polite goodnight, even as his heart pounded with the desire to stay longer. Every moment with Laney felt precious, and he wasn’t ready for the evening to end.
Laney fished her keys from her purse, then hesitated, looking up at him with an expression he couldn’t quite read. “Would you like to come inside?” she asked softly.
Heat surged through him, his tension spiking. “I’d like that,” he answered, his voice low.
Laney unlocked the door and stepped back, allowing him to cross the threshold. Max walked into her apartment, and she closed the door behind them.