Page 10 of Enemy Wolf

He waved that away. “You really should hire some muscle rather than do all this switching out yourself.”

My eyes narrowed at him. “I’m stronger than I look, Kazath.”

“I know.” He laughed. “You don’t have to say my full name like my mother. But you do need extra help running this place. I’ve been telling you for years.”

“I do have someone starting tonight, actually.” With all the drama from last night, I’d forgotten I’d be starting Riley today.

Yeah, my ex’s new mate who was impossible to not love.

“Oh good.” Kaz crossed his arms, beaming down at me from his ridiculous height. “Didn’t I tell you Stout & Spirit would only get busier as time went on?”

“You did,” I admitted. “I didn’t believe you, but you were right.”

His gaze changed for a split second. It was so fast I almost didn’t catch it. His expression seemed to become…heated. Like this was not just a friendly chat between two business owners.

And just as quickly, it was gone. Kaz broke eye contact to look all around the receiving bay we were in. “I’m really proud of you, Shiloh. It took a lot more than magic to get this place off the ground.”

“What can I say?” I affectionately tapped the door of the cold box. “She’s my baby.”

The angel chuckled, his wings rustling slightly. “You’ve done amazingly well as a single mother.” He turned to face me and that heated look returned. “But you don’t have to do it alone, you know.”

My breath came up short. Whatever he was hinting at, I did not have the time or mental bandwidth to deal with it.

“I gotta get ready to open up,” I said, sliding past him. “Invoice me for those kegs and I’ll pay them tonight.”

* * *

“What’s a..a groot?”

“Gruit,” I corrected Riley, who was studying my sheet of beer styles. It was a slower night at Stout & Spirit, which was perfect for her to learn the ropes. “It’s a beer that’s bittered with herbs instead of hops. It’s a very old style, one that witches tend to love.”

“That’s so cool.” She turned the sheet over, scanning the extensive list. “I didn’t know there were so many styles.”

“We rotate, but usually only have four or five on at a time.” I gestured to the beer taps mounted on the wall. “So these are the only ones you need to know for now.”

“How do you decide which ones to carry?”

“I usually just take what Kaz gives me,” I admitted. “Everything he makes is spectacular. If there’s a high demand for something, I’ll request more of that, but as you’ve seen,” I turned and looked out at the serving area, “almost everyone is happy to take what we have and try something new.”

“Sawyer loves the IPA.” Riley made a face. “It’s too bitter for me though.”

Absolutely nothing passed through me at the mention of my kind-of-ex boyfriend, which was a relief. “Try the gruit,” I suggested. “I think you’ll like it.”

Riley did a few taste tests and practiced her beer-pouring, while I stuck with the more complicated cocktails and woodfire pizza orders. Okay, maybe Kaz had a point. This was already a hundred times easier with one extra pair of hands.

In the time that I left for and came back from a bathroom break, Riley was carefully pouring a beer for an icy-eyed werewolf that stopped me in my tracks.

Orson’s gaze landed on me and didn’t leave. Strangely enough, those eyes sent a flush of warmth through me rather than the arctic chill I expected.

“How’s this, boss?” Riley glanced over at me as she wiped excess foam from the glass and placed the drink in front of the werewolf.

“Uh, good! That’s a perfect pour, Riley.” I broke eye contact with Orson and looked around for something to make me busy.

“Opening a tab, Orson?”

I didn’t catch his response as Riley went through the usual procedure with him. When I looked up, his broad back faced me as he walked away with his drink, settling into a booth against the wall, by himself.

“Well, that’s a first,” I muttered, wiping down the bar that didn’t need it because Riley had already done so.

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