Page 14 of Trusting You
She started scribbling in her notebook again. “That’s awesome. I can’t wait to try it.” She held the small glass up to her nose and breathed in the aroma. “It certainly smells hoppy.” She took a small sip and left a tiny bit of foam clinging to her lush upper lip. “Yum. That is really good. Crisp, refreshing, with a hint of citrus.”
I smiled. “I am impressed by your palate.” I take a big swig to keep myself from potentially saying something stupid.
“So what makes this New England style?” she asked, taking another big, satisfying sip.
I never thought it would be such a turn-on to see a beautiful woman enjoy beer that I had brewed, but it was becoming my favorite fantasy. “We dry hop the beer so it’s hazier and has a fuller body and smoother flavor. This style is generally less bitter and hoppy than a traditional IPA.”
She drained her glass and looked at me. “That was great. Unique and fruity and just different than anything I’ve ever had before.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I do. I never really liked beer. But I also never really tried good beer. I mean, I drank Coors Light in college like everyone else.” I shuddered visibly. But she kept going. “I just never knew it could be like this. Sharp, flavorful, refreshing, and complex.”
I was feeling warm and comfortable. I could sit here all night and talk about beer with this smart, pretty woman. I had spent the day trying to focus and avoid the many charms of Cecelia Leary, but hearing her wax poetic about beer, and specifically my beer, made my heart soar. I found myself grinning like an idiot and wanting to make her try everything I’ve ever brewed just so I could hear her describe my creations.
“So,” she continued, pleasantly unaware of my perviness, “you didn’t tell me what your brothers are up to? I haven’t seen them in years. I bet Callum is probably married with four kids by now.”
“Actually, no. Both my brothers are currently single and childless, much to the great disappointment of my mother. Callum was married for a bit, but he and his wife divorced about two years ago. He and Declan both live in town actually.”
“That’s awesome that you all live here.”
“Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. Callum is a financial advisor. He has an office in Boston and goes back and forth. Declan took over my father’s fishing business after he got out of the navy.” The fleet was decent sized and he spent most of his time on the business aspects of things. Processing, shipping, and delivery to all the local restaurants and stores. He didn’t get out on the water much anymore, which was his true love. “He is basically the same antisocial grump he was in high school.”
“That sounds about right. He was older than me but I heard he was not a social butterfly. I think he may have graduated with my sister Maggie. I can’t believe the Captain retired. Wow.”
“Yeah my mom basically forced him. And she is the only person on earth who outranks him.”
We sipped our samples, and I walked her through the different beers in the tasting flight. Cece was surprisingly easy to talk to.
“So now that we are drinking buddies and colleagues, tell me the real reason you came back to Havenport.”
She looked slightly uncomfortable. “What do you mean? I needed a break from my old life and wanted to be here with my family for a bit.”
“Okay, I respect that. But you were a few hours away, so you could visit to connect with your family whenever you wanted to. Why did you pack up, move here, and force me to employ you?”
I could see her visibly pale, and I instantly felt bad. I thought this was friendly banter. “Listen, you do not have to answer that. I shouldn’t have pushed.” I was such an asshole.
“No, it’s fine.” She pushed her curls behind her ears. “At the risk of sounding like a pathetic loser, I just didn’t really have a place to go. And I reached this point with my job and my relationship where I was numbly going through the motions every day. And so when things blew up, it seemed like a good time to change things up. And I’ve just been burnt out for years.”
I nodded, not sure what to say in response.
“I worked crazy hours in a high pressure situation. Marketing is brutal and I was good at it, but I have been on a wild roller coaster for years. But as soon as I got laid off, I was inundated with calls from recruiters. And every single job offer made me want to throw up. It’s like I didn’t realize I was sick until I got off the ride.” She twisted her hair in her hand and looked up at me with those big brown eyes. “I’m so sorry I’m rambling. You probably think I’m insane.”
“Not at all. I get it. I have been there as well. Just surviving and not thriving.” Oh my God, I can’t believe I said that out loud. My brothers would kick my ass. My mom said new age shit like that all the time, and I couldn’t believe it slipped out of my mouth.
She cracked a genuine smile, and I felt like I was eight feet tall. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better.” Reaching for her glass, her fingers grazed my hand and our eyes connected. She looked so pretty and vulnerable and sad, and I never knew this was a turn-on for me. But I had the sneaking suspicion that everything about Cecelia would be a turn-on for me.
If I was capable of having a relationship right now I would be in trouble. Someday when the brewery was thriving and I’d opened a second location, I would find the time to meet a nice girl and settle down. Good thing I was too busy working myself to the bone because looking at Cece all pretty and freckled and vulnerable was giving me all sorts of ideas.
I sat down across from her and tried to lighten things up. “So you mentioned your relationship. Boyfriend? Fiancé? Husband?” I was blatantly fishing, but the exhaustion, good beer, and pretty smile had made me dumb.
“Ex-boyfriend. We broke up right after I got laid off. We lived together and I couldn’t afford the rent on my own, so another reason it seemed like such a good idea to head to Havenport.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I tried to suppress a smile.Don’t look happy, dumbass. Be sympathetic.
She looked away and fiddled with her beer stein. “Yeah. Don’t be too sorry. Now that I’m looking back at the last two years, it was a pretty crappy relationship. I’m just glad I randomly stumbled on his penchant for texting dick pics so I had an excuse to get out before I settled for a shitty lukewarm marriage.”
I almost spit out my beer. “Sorry. Dick pics?”
