Page 70 of Love Is Brewing

“Need help with anything?” he asked. “Cutting up the broccoli?”

“Sure,” she said. “Just wash it first.”

“I know what to do,” he said. “We’ve all had to help with dinner.”

“So my day. I get out of work early. I go to the store to figure out food for dinner. I’m picking out apples and someone says I’m your girlfriend.”

He laughed. “Are you?”

“Sounds silly to say that word at thirty, but yes.”

“You’re thirty?” he asked, his eyes wide.

She lifted her eyes and paused. “Yes. I’ll be thirty-one in a few months. How old are you?”

He laughed. “Just turned twenty-nine.”

Her lips were twisting. She’d never been the older one in a relationship. Not that less than two years was a big deal, but still.

“Then I’m the more mature one between us,” she said primly.

“Yep,” he said. “You are. Don’t be put out by it. West and Braylon are a lot older than their wives. Ten years or less, but still a bigger gap. Laken is a few years younger than Jami. Charlotte is a year older than Foster and he busts her ass about it all the time.”

“Are you going to do that to me?” she asked, angling her chin.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, putting his hands up and taking a step back. She had the knife pointed at him.

“Good man,” she said. “Back to my story. Boy, this is taking longer than I thought. So this woman mentions I’m dating you.”

“My girlfriend,” he said, smirking and cutting the broccoli now.

“Yes,” she said. “Then she tells me that her husband works for you. Tristian Blanchard.”

“I know Tristian,” he said. “Been with me since the beginning. Or just about. Good worker. His wife likes to talk though. Kind of a conspiracy theorist and always worried something bad is going on.”

“Then this all makes more sense,” she said.

She put oil in a pan that she’d taken out of his cabinet, then turned the burner on.

“What did she say?” he asked. “I’d ask how she knew about us, but my guess is she just saw us somewhere.”

“Yes,” she said. “That is what she said. Saw us out to dinner. She said her husband loves his job, but with the Fierce collaboration, he’s worried Fierce is going to buy you out. That billionaires do those things. Get a business set up running great and then sell for a bigger profit.”

The knife went down hard on the table and sliced through the broccoli.

“No one should be talking about the collaboration right now,” he said. “It’s not completed yet. I was on the phone with West and Braylon before I left. I’m getting the contract tonight or tomorrow. Not only that, it’s my business. Not West’s. And I’m not selling it. Hell, between us, I plan on expanding once I get a business plan in place.”

She smiled. “Just like me. I think she was feeling me out for information and even if I knew something I wouldn’t say a word.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he said. “I have to decide if I want to talk to Tristian or not.”

“It will get back to his wife,” she said. “I’m not trying to get anyone in trouble.”

“I know,” he said. “The fact he told his wife is fine, but his wife needs to keep quiet. He needs to know she is talking.”

“I understand,” she said. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. That was just the first of the three people that stopped me.”

“Talking about my business?” he asked.

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