Page 99 of Love Is Brewing

She’d always had her grandfather in the back of her head that she had to be professional because few were going to take her seriously being a woman.

She didn’t want to believe that in this day and age, but she’d experienced it enough.

“I like that you’ve loosened up around me,” he said. “Maybe I just want to see more of it.”

“I could say the same,” she said.

It felt as if they were circling the wagons and neither one of them was ready to put their weapons down and start the peace talks.

Or maybe that was how she felt because she didn’t want to be the first to say it.

31

GOT IT BAD

“What’s going on?” Foster asked him hours later.

The flight had been loud but not horribly.

Phoebe met all the family on the jet and was able to talk with them well. Not that he expected any differently.

Nor the fact that his mother had warned everyone he was bringing his girlfriend with him.

They landed at JFK, got into one of the several cars that West had set up for the family, and arrived at their hotel in Manhattan.

Foster and Charlotte had come into the city earlier than he expected. Mainly because he’d texted his brother they had to meet.

“I didn’t want to tell you too much via text and couldn’t talk. Did you look over the camera footage?”

Foster moved his laptop over for Elias to see it. “I don’t see much,” Foster said. “But again, you’re not telling me what to look for. It’s just staff moving around and working.”

He scrolled in closer, but the cameras weren’t aimed at the gauge or the container they were doing the mash in, nor the vat that had a leak.

“I figured as much,” he said. He explained what happened today along with the other problems.

“Everything broken up wouldn’t alert me to anything,” Foster said. “But when you put it together and the timing, I don’t like it either. Have you talked to West?”

“I’d rather not,” he said.

“Why?” Foster asked.

He lifted his eyebrow. “You know why. This is my thing. He gave me the seed money and that was it. I appreciate it, but it’s mine. I don’t need anyone to think I can’t handle it. Do you run to West every time you’ve got issues?”

“No,” Foster said. “Never.”

“Exactly. This isn’t anything that I can’t handle. Phoebe told me how Fierce does things. It never occurred to me to do it. Not sure if it’s something you can.”

“Tell me what they do or do you have to check in with Mason?”

“I will talk to Mason if I have to, but I’ll let you know what she told me via Ben.”

Thankfully Charlotte and Phoebe had gone shopping, so he had time to tell his brother everything.

“I like what they do,” Foster said. “But not sure who we use can do it.”

“I was thinking of talking to Travis, but that most likely would mean a whole new system and cost,” he said.

He’d pay it once the numbers were run. West didn’t need to know everything.

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