Chapter 15 Kira
FIFTEEN
KIRA
ARE YOU THIS INTENSE ABOUT EVERYTHING?
The ride to my car wasn’t exactly tense, but it was freaking close.
I didn’t know what to do with myself now that the clothes were back on and wine was out of my system. At least I preferred to blame the wine.
I wasn’t that drunk last night, but something about us had been easier than when the sun was blazing and responsibilities were weighing on me once more. Add that he looked all sex rumpled and sated while I was in knots and…well, it sucked.
I wanted to be relaxed, but it just wasn’t in my nature.
Instead, I scrolled my app that updated both my phone and work iPad letting me know just how hairy of a day I was going to have. I had a few bartenders in mind and had put out a few feelers for people I knew in the industry.
The best thing I’d ever done was enter that bartending expo. The balloon payment for one of my loans had come due and I’d had to get creative. Of course, the company had offered a way to refinance the stupid thing—again.
Just the idea of extending the loan and all that interest had nearly killed me.
Entering the expo had been a hail Mary. I’d hoped the prize money would give me some breathing room, but after taxes I’d only had enough to make my payment, buy a cute pair of shoes, and add a measly eight hundred dollars into my savings.
However, the network of bartenders I had access to was better than a check right now. I just had to juggle the budget a little to hire one who could run the bar and train the rest to be nearly as awesome.
“You’re quiet. Sure you don’t need me to come in and help out today?”
I glanced at him. I probably should bring him in on the idea I had for the bar end of the taproom.
For the most part, Beckett’s plan had been to highlight the ciders only, but I wanted to make sure we were ready to expand in a few years.
Hayes had his sights on moonshine, and if I had my say, I’d get us into the bourbon side of things as well.
Brothers Three was prime for growth, I just had to nudge my bestie into thinking bigger. Beckett always took a little longer to come around. He was careful by nature like I was, but I had always been big picture focused. Even when it scared the crap out of me.
I shoved my phone into my bag. “I want to hire Lennon Hathaway as our lead bartender.”
Ronan’s wrist was draped lazily over the top of his steering wheel. “All right. Why?”
“Do you know who she is?”
He shook his head. “Unless she was big in the Pacific Northwest or Chicago, I’m not likely to know her. Tell me about her.”
I relaxed a little. His body language was open and not as intense as the man who had backed me up against every spare surface the night before. “I’m not entirely sure she’ll be open to the hire since I stole her title in Vegas.”
He whistled. “So, she’s a badass famous bartender?”
“To say the least. Won three years in a row until I came in.”
“You’ve got a brass set, Sunshine. Did you send her the invite to come in for a job?”
“I did. I hedged my bets and have three others I like, but Lennon is my top choice.”
“You don’t think our cider will be enough of a draw?”
“That’s not it.” I turned to him. Not so open now. “Brothers Three is still new and yes, we have the Happy Acres legacy…”
His finger tapped on his knee even if his driving hand was still loose.
I hurried on. “I want to give us the best possible start. And Lennon is a draw, yes. But she’s also super creative and smart.”
“Even though we don’t really cater to the whole twirling bartender aesthetic?”
I was quiet a moment. That was the big question, wasn’t it? Going safer was smarter. Was I being stupid about this?
“She’s got skills behind the bar, yes. But she’s also got charisma. Doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous, but she also takes no shit. I wouldn’t have to worry about her keeping people in line.”
“There’s plenty of good bartenders that can do the same without pulling in someone with her kind of price tag. Or is there more to it?”
“Like what?”
“I know I’m an unknown quantity for both you and Beckett, but I’m damn good at brewing.” His voice was quiet, but there was steel there too. “I won’t let you down, Kira.”
“It really isn’t about your work, Ronan. I just want to make the taproom the best it can be from the drinks right down to the aesthetic. And hell yes, the flair.”
His fingers went tight on the wheel.
“I think we both have to go on faith here.” I wasn’t good at the faith thing, but dammit, I was trying. This whole taproom thing required a lot of intuition. It didn’t fit with my worst case scenario brain.
He glanced over at me, his brow easing as did his grip. “Then I back you.”
“Just like that?”
He nodded. “How am I going to expect faith from you if I don’t give it. You say she’s worth it, she’s worth it.”
I stopped fiddling with my ring and turned in my seat toward him. “Are you just saying that because you don’t want to deal with it?”
“No. Well, not all of it.”
I snorted.
He laughed. “Okay, I’ll admit the staffing part of the taproom isn’t my favorite thing.” He reached over to twist our fingers together and pulled my hand to his mouth. He kissed my wrist, before letting me go.
I resisted the urge not to rub at the buzzing under my skin.
“But I’ve been around enough while you were training some of the people from the bakery who wanted to make a change. You seemed to know who’s suited for the taproom and who isn’t. Without crushing their hearts like a bug.”
I flushed. Not everyone who put in for a transfer was right for what I wanted. The customer service aspect was important, but being a server was way different than working behind a counter. And I honestly didn’t know how well we’d do when we opened.
We had to figure out if we’d do well only during the times there was a concert or if we could pull people in on our own. It was a big gamble all around and I was nervous about all of it.
“But I hope you don’t ignore help. I’m here to be your support.”
I blew out a breath. A tiny part of me relaxed at him saying that. “Thanks. It helps to know you’ve got my back.”
And I didn’t say that lightly.
He turned into the parking lot of The Mason Jar and I started gathering my things.
“I’m not sure when I’ll be back to the workshop. I worked late setting up a bunch of batches, so it’s a bit of a waiting game for me. This heat is messing with some of it for me. I might have to wait it out.”
“Okay. I’ll just be doing some interviews.”
He put the truck in park beside my car. “Can I see you tonight?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
He unbuckled my seatbelt and slid me over the bench seat of his truck. “It’s a good idea. A very good idea.”
Before I could tell him why not, he covered my mouth.
His long fingers speared into my hair, cupping the back of my head as he thoroughly tasted me.
The voices in my head dimmed as I let myself have this moment.
To sit in the early morning sunshine, in his quiet truck with the air conditioning blasting around us.
I was pretty sure his ginger and man scent was going to stick to my dress by the end of it.
His other hand slid around my hip, tugging my dress up until the air conditioning vents gave me a quick blast of cold along my thigh.
I nipped at his lower lip. “I gotta go.”
“Just one more minute.”
“We don’t do one more minute. We do twenty more minutes.”
He smiled against my mouth. “So, we go with twenty.”
“I still need to get back and make some calls.”
“So responsible.” He rubbed his nose along mine and let me go with a sigh. “You sure?”
I couldn’t help but smile back at him and pat his cheek. “I’m definitely not sure, but I gotta go.”
He slumped back against the door. “Cruel woman. I still think you should see me tonight.”
“We’ll see.”
“That’s not a no.”
“It’s not a yes either.” I wiggled free and slid back to the passenger side of the truck. I grabbed my bag and hopped out, pulling the skirt of my dress down. I glanced over my shoulder, but the parking lot seemed blissfully empty except for Mason’s truck.
He was always here.
Maybe I should go talk to him about the day before.
Ronan frowned at me. “Problem?”
“No.”
“Afraid someone saw us together, Sunshine?”
“Why would I worry about that? You carted me out of here like a caveman yesterday. Damage is already done there.”
He opened his door and hopped out.
“Geeze,” I muttered. “Get back in the truck, Viking. I gotta go.” I went around my car to the driver’s side and stuffed my crap inside. Before I could get into the car, one of his big paws curled around the frame of my door. “What?”
“It wasn’t my finest moment yesterday, but I was worried about you and wasn’t really thinking. Just wanted you out of there.”
“I know.” I forced myself to blow out a slow breath. I wasn’t used to someone as passionate as Ronan was. Not about how he showed his feelings, and definitely not about how handsy he was. “I know it, but you have to understand I’m used to dealing with things on my own."
“Doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.” He tipped my chin up. “You get that, right?”
“Are you this intense about everything?”
“When it’s important.”
“You barely know me.”
He let his hand drop and backed up a step. “You’re right.”
“I am?” I shook my head. God, what was wrong with me? He was obviously rubbing off on me and not just skin-to-skin.
“And I’m going to rectify that. Because you’re coming to my house for dinner tonight.”
“Ronan, I think we need to just take a step back, maybe.”
“I know you think you need to think about shit. But maybe that’s the problem.”
“Thinking is a problem?”
“For you? Yes.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Well, you’re going to be very disappointed because that’s me. And it’s not going to change. So if you’re not good with that, we’ve already got problems.”