3. The Convention - Everett
Chapter three
The Convention - Everett
The convention center floor was a riot of people, crowding in to look at everything from small kitchen gadgets to giant commercial appliances.
One booth even sold giant walk-in freezers.
I didn’t need most of that, so I headed toward the back where companies were selling stuff that was geared more toward bars and restaurants, and even some wineries, and what I was after. Brewery equipment.
I looked at the new line of fermentation tanks and found exactly what Lukas wanted. “Can you cut me a deal on these if I buy four of them?”
“Yes, of course.” The salesman was practically salivating. “I can give you thirty percent off.”
“Great and free delivery?” I was going to get everything I could. That’s why we wanted to buy at a convention like this one rather than through other channels. These guys were not only able to get us better pricing, but they also wanted to make as many sales as possible, so they were willing.
“Depends on where it’s going.”
I gave him the address of the giant warehouse space I’d purchased just on the northeastern edge of Foggy Basin, next to the fields where I’d already had the hops growing.
“Mm…no. But I can probably get it reduced. That’s a long distance, and the machinery is bulky.”
“I’m aware. Do what you can for me, though. I’m just a small-town brewery here.” Nope, I was not above pulling the sympathy card. Coming off as the little guy usually helped in situations like this.
“Um…okay. Hold on.” He fiddled with his phone for a minute, probably texting his boss. “I can cut twenty percent off the delivery fee.”
“Twenty-five?”
“Hmm…” We both knew there was another company offering similar equipment a few rows back, and he didn’t want to risk losing the deal to the competitor.
Lukas and I had done the research though, and this was the better equipment.
At least for us. “Okay. I can cut one of the other fees, which will take it right down to the same mark. How’s that? ”
I stuck my hand out. “I’ll take it.”
“Great.” He finished writing up the deal, and I spent a good amount of time reviewing it.
I’m sure it was making him sweat a little, and I didn’t mind that, but it wasn’t why I was delaying.
I simply wanted to make sure everything we agreed upon was in the deal and did not include any side-door add-ons that would bump the price back up.
It was straight up, though, and I signed and shook his hand again.
We agreed on a delivery date, and I moved on.
I still had a few other things to find. Quickly, I found the next thing on my list, filter cartridges and housings for the filtration system.
I got the salesman to throw in some free extras like O-rings as well. You could never have enough of them.
“Oh, hey.” Someone bumped my shoulder and I looked up.
“Excuse me. Wait. Everett Lundy?” I recognized him right away—Mitchel Harlen.
Big, broad shoulders, messy dark hair, and a ten-million-kilowatt smile.
He’d been in more than a few of my agricultural classes, and I had crushed hard.
Of course, he never noticed me. He had a steady boyfriend who met him after class a lot.
I couldn’t have been more jealous, and it proved that I was not his type at all.
The boyfriend was a jock through and through, athletic and confident, and just as gorgeous as Mitchel.
“Nice to see you. Mitchel, right?”
“Yes.” He stuck his hand out to shake, and I immediately took it, enjoying the feeling of butterflies as they flitted through my stomach at the skin-to-skin touch, even if it was only sweaty palms. “Mitchel Harlen. I think we had a few classes together, right?”
“Oh, yes, I think so. What are you doing here?”
“Probably same as you. I started a brewery. Har-Banger Brewery, we’re making SlapShine. Heard of it?”
I had, and it wasn’t very good. “Yeah, I’ve tried it.” I tried most microbrews in the area, but I hadn’t realized that one was his.
“Cool. So, what’re you doing?”
I was relieved it hadn’t asked for my opinion. “Getting something started out of town, actually, looking to capitalize on a different market.” I nodded toward the next equipment booth, ready to make my escape.
“Oh? Hmm…that could be smart, but Greater Sacramento has to be a larger market, right?”
I shrugged and started walking. I wasn’t going to review my marketing points with him, especially now that I knew for sure he was a competitor. He followed me to the next booth anyway.
“So, out of town, does that mean you’re only here for the convention?” He stood a little too close, but all it did was get both my heart rate and my cock up.
“Um…I’m in the middle of moving out there. A few things are still up in the air.”
“Oh, okay…”
I grabbed a random brochure and started reading it to distract myself. It didn’t help much. Mitchel started rambling on about equipment and ingredients, but my mind wondered what was in his pants. It was just like sophomore year all over again.
“Did you ever get that project off the ground? Where you’re engineering your own hops?”
That got my attention, since that was what had started me down this road in the first place.
I didn’t want to tell him everything, but it was one of my favorite subjects, making it hard to resist. “I’ve been steadily working on it.
You know it’s a long process, especially since I’m not using genetic modifications. ”
“I think you said something about that being the easy way out?”
“Yep. But also, the hard way, because some people wouldn’t accept it, and there could be unintended consequences.” This theoretical debate raged on in many circles, but I took what was practical and applied it.
“You’re super smart, Everett. I always thought that. You know?”
“I didn’t think you ever thought much of me at all.” The words tumbled out all on their own. Thanks, mouth.
“Wrong.” He bumped his hip into my side. Of course, he was taller than me, so he hip-checked my ribs, but I wasn’t complaining. “I was preoccupied for sure, but I noticed you.”
I wasn’t sure I believed it, but he was certainly friendly enough with me now. “I noticed your boyfriend.” There. Score another one for the mouth.
“Yeah…” He looked down and blushed. Really? I kind of liked a bashful Mitchel. “He’s not preoccupying me anymore.”
I heard the old record player scratching as my world came to a halt. “N-No?”
He shook his head and licked his lips as he glanced down at my body, then back up. “No.”
My dick was interested before, but now, with his bold flirting, it was on a mission. “Good to know.”
I moved to leave the area, so hot under my collar that I was sure my brain was ready to melt, but he grabbed my arm. “Don’t go…” Oh shit. Soft words and a plea from the plump and sexy lips of Mitchel Harlen. I couldn’t resist.
I was going to do whatever he wanted. “Okay…”
“I’m finished here.” He flipped his hand in the air. “Are you?”
I pulled my list out and looked. I had the biggest things checked off at least. “Sure.”
“Then let’s go back to my place and get, uh, reacquainted.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I took a second to think about his offer. Clearly, he wanted to fool around, and I was interested, but I’d only just broken up with Donny—or vice versa. But…
Yeah, Donny had broken up with me. He was a jerk, and sleeping with Mitchel now felt like a great big fuck you to him. See, I can get a guy just as good-looking as you, Donald. I can be fun, too, Donald.
Hell yeah, I was going.
“Sounds good.”
I followed him out to the parking lot, and he suggested a place, not far from the convention center, where we could meet so I could follow him home.
We left, met up, and he drove slow enough for me to not get lost, pausing at all the turns.
He could have given me the address, but this felt kind of chivalrous, and I liked it.
Home for him was a small apartment complex, very beige and nondescript. He lived on the first floor, and the inside was as boring as the outside. Honestly, it looked like a frat house, but I didn’t know why I’d expected anything more, not that it mattered for a one-time fling, anyway.
“So, this is your place?” I looked around at the plain cream-colored walls, tan carpet, and an old, ratty, faded couch. He even had milk crates turned upside down as side tables.
“Eh. For now.” Then he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. “Let me show you the bedroom.”
Before I could answer, he leaned down and kissed me, his thick tongue invading my mouth.
Donny had never been so aggressive, but maybe that was a good thing.
He started walking me backward, not breaking the kiss.
His cologne smelled rich with notes of an elevated, more vibrant musk.
Was there anything not sexy about this man?
Before I knew it, he’d shoved me to the mattress in what I assumed was his room and reached for my belt buckle. I ran my hands along his bulky shoulders, not minding the attention one bit. He kissed down my neck before shoving my pants down my hips.
As he leaned over me, I unfastened his jeans and yanked on them until he was as exposed as I was.
I grabbed his cock, rubbing over the head, making him hum with pleasure.
“Mm…yeah…” He flexed his hips, pulling his cock out of and then back into my fist. Closing the distance, he went back to my neck and licked over my Adam’s apple, then sucked at the side, as he pressed his hips into mine.
I grabbed both of our cocks, but my hand wasn’t big enough for his bulk along with mine.
“I got it.” Had his voice become even huskier? The tone made me shiver.
He held himself up with one hand and grabbed our cocks with the other, so we could both work them over together. We were touching and rubbing each other everywhere, neither fully naked and feeling very much like teenagers in the back room, trying not to get caught.
Every nerve of my body was alert, and it wasn’t going to take long before I went off like a volcano.
It hadn’t been that long since I was with Donny, but he had never been this exciting.
For a party boy, Donny was pretty serene, especially when it came to sex.
Maybe all of this was a good thing, meant to show me what it could be like.
Mitchel bit my nipple, and I gasped with pain and pleasure combined. He chuckled at my response. “Come for me, Everett.”
“Gah…yes…” I fucked up into our hands, fingertips touching around our cocks, and chased that orgasm. It didn’t take long at all before I blew, spewing out my jizz all over his hand and mine.
With a grunt, Mitchel came a moment later before collapsing on his side next to me. He held up his hand. “Messy…” Then he licked our combined cum off his fingers.
“You dirty fucker.”
“I know…” He chuckled again, and my cock stirred, considering a quick comeback.
Until the front door opened and slammed shut. “Who’s that?”
At the same time, he muttered. “Oh shit.” He raced out of the room, pulling his pants up as he went, without answering me.
And…it was the boyfriend. That got me moving fast, and I pulled my pants up, not bothering to clean up any lingering mess. A yelling match ensued until the boyfriend slammed back out the door. Mitch came back into the bedroom with a look that I could only describe as abashed.
That killed my interest in him. Even for a hookup, I didn’t like cheaters and didn’t want to be the one he cheated on his boyfriend with. “I thought you said you broke up.”
“Uh, no. Technically, I said I wasn’t preoccupied anymore.”
“Fuck me.”
“I’d like to.”
Hard pass—so much for the grudge-fuck. “I don’t think so. Sorry, Mitchel. I’m out of here.” I did not need to be anyone’s side piece, sexy or not. That was entirely too much.
“Oh, come on. He left. We can still have some fun.”
“No…I don’t think so. This was nice, but I let it distract me. I have shit to do to get my business off the ground.”
“Sure, I get that. But…”
“But what?”
“You’re not going to do well out there. Special hops or not.” He sneered. Had this all been a ploy to get my secrets?
“You don’t know that.”
“There’s no market out there, Everett. Seriously. You’d be better off here.”
“Like you?”
“Yeah. Like me. Hell, with me.”
“Sure, you’d like that because your beer sucks.”
“Hey.” He scowled like I’d called his mother a bad name.
“Fuck off, Mitchel.” I was already headed to the door. I’m sure he muttered something under his breath as I marched my ass out of there. Sounded a lot like Just a suggestion, but I was not interested.
Well, that was less than a one-night stand. Sweet diversion while it lasted, but I needed to focus on my business, not hot dick, and especially not jerks like him. I needed to get back to the convention and finish off this list. Besides, after I left, he would never think about me again.