Page 80 of Love Is Brewing

“Employees don’t understand it the way the owners do,” he said. “Can I ask how you found out about that?”

“The barley?” Mason asked.

“Yes,” he said. “It’s not as if it was public knowledge or anything and not a big deal.” Elias wasn’t about to make it out to be one as if he didn’t have control of things in his plant.

“It was on a message board,” Ben said. “One of my brewers saw someone talking about it. Nothing major, just that it was there.”

“We’ve always been nervous about trying new supplies,” Mason said.

“Just as I am,” Elias said. “What message board? I want to check it out myself.”

Because if he had a staff member posting shit, the person was going to get fired.

As it was, there is no way that could get out unless staff told someone else on top of it.

“I’ll text you the link,” Ben said.

“Thanks,” he said.

The last thing he wanted to worry about was that this collaboration could fail before it even started because of an employee running their mouth.

At the end of the day, he picked Phoebe up at her old law office. He thought for sure they’d be going to dinner tonight, but she’d texted him earlier to say there was a change of plans.

He was fine with that. It’d been a long day and he’d rather relax at the hotel.

“How was your day?” she asked when she climbed into his truck.

“Good,” he said. “Busy. Got a lot done and hashed out. How about you?”

“Spent most of it in meetings. Hope it was okay for me to change dinner plans.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “I’m flexible about it all. Why did you change it though?”

“A lot of moving parts and I didn’t want everyone to be rushing around. I’m assuming Ben was fine today?”

“More than fine,” he said. “Your name came up once. It’s actually the first time since he found out we’ve been dating.”

“I figured,” she said. “Ben is that way. He’s laid back and kind of funny.”

“I got that from him,” he said. “But I think we are a lot alike.”

“You are,” she said. “And Ben will notice that. Matt and my father will have more questions.”

“So I was warned too,” he said. “Just know nothing they say is going to be nearly as crazy as my family when they are all together. You haven’t met my sisters or mother. My brothers are all good.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she said. “I think women can be worse than men.”

He laughed. “That is the case in my family.”

“Are you hungry? I am and I had a huge lunch.”

“I saw the picture,” he said. “Thanks for doing that without me.”

She reached over and patted his leg in the truck. “It was just as much for me as it was for you. It takes the fun out of my enjoyment if you’re making faces at me stuffing my face with sushi. But it’s so good.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Give me ribs and mac and cheese any day.”

He turned to look at her. “You’re going to want to go to BBQ tonight?” she asked.

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