Page 40 of Her Hometown Man
He took a long gulp of lemonade before joining her in the middle of the room. “Not yet, but all those boxes mark where the lights, switches and outlets and whatnot will go. After the Sheetrock is hung, they cut it out around the boxes, but the lights won’t be hung until after that process is done.”
“There are alotof boxes.”
Case chuckled, because she was definitely right about that. “The plan calls for being able to have different light configurations. The industrial-look drop-downs you chose will hang over where the tables are going to sit—and look amazing, I might add—but there will be recessed cans around the outer walls. Those probably won’t be on often, but you’ll be able to move the tables under those lights if you host an event that requires space in the middle of the floor for dancing or bridal shower games or...whatever.”
“Hosting events,” Ellen murmured, doing a slow turn. “I bet it was David who thought of that and not Lane.”
“I wouldn’t bet against you. But Evie’s running with it. She’s got pages of ideas going, and she spends a lot of time looking at the social media of other places, seeing what works for them. Speaking of, keep your eye out for any great Halloween costumes that might come into the thrift shop.”
She laughed, and then they roamed around while he showed her some of the construction items that had been crossed off the to-do list. It wasn’t easy to concentrate, though, because a part of Case’s attention was focused on the door, waiting for Gwen to come through and see what her mother was up to. Two and a half weeks with only quick glances, short brewery-related conversations and no physical contact was almost as hard on him as the schedule he’d been keeping.
She didn’t show up, though, and eventually Case couldn’t keep it in anymore. “I’m surprised Gwen’s not out here with you. What’s she up to?”
He thought he’d asked it casually enough, but the amused look that crossed Ellen’s face could only be described asknowing. “She’s been in her room, writing. Evie said she left her room a couple of times for snacks during the day, and then we saw her briefly for dinner. She was still in her pajamas and I don’t think she actually brushed her hair before putting it up, plus she has that faraway look that means she’s not actually listening to anybody. She must be getting near the end.”
Case nodded, smiling to hide the disappointment. He was happy for Gwen. He knew she’d been stressed about the book and he was glad she was writing, but he wanted to see her. Ideally he’d like to see her somewhere they could both be naked, but at this point, he’d settle for just getting to spend time with her.
In the weeks since they’d made love, she seemed to be trying to put their relationship back in the no-sex box in which they were longtime friends who shared sizzling glances when nobody else was looking. Case didn’t like that box, and he had no intention of letting them be shoved back into it.
Or maybe she was just busy with her book and the brewery, and he was reading too much into it. The last thing he wanted to do was get in the way of her writing, so he’d wait a little longer.
“Did you boys already eat?” Ellen asked. “I didn’t realize you were out here or I would have called you in to eat with us.”
“We ate before we came over.” It was ravioli from a can, which he wasn’t going to admit to her, but technically they’d eaten.
“Where’s Boomer?” she asked. “He’s not downstairs, is he?”
Case laughed. “No dogs allowed down there. Not even Boomer. He made a friend at the job we were on today and that puppy ran him ragged. He barely lifted his head when I told him I was going out, and he was drooling on the couch when I left.”
“It’s good for him.” Ellen looked around the taproom one last time and then smiled. “I’ll get out of your way. Promise me you won’t work too late. You already worked a full day and now you’re hammering away over here.”
“Probably just another hour or so. We’re not overdoing it.”
After giving him a pointed glance meant to tell him they’d better not be, she left, and Case finished his lemonade before picking up his hammer again. He’d only pounded in a few wire staples when Lane emerged from the cellar, looking pleased with himself.
“Everything’s going well, and right on schedule, too.”
Case nodded, because when Lane said everything was going well and was right on schedule, he meant the brewing. While he understood his cousin’s focus on the beer, since a brewery without beer wasn’t going to make a lot of money, he also needed him to focus on the taproom, because without that, he and Lane were just going to end up drinking alotof beer.
“Ellen just left. I gave her an update, and she brought lemonade.”
Lane drained half the cup before setting it back on the bar. Then he rummaged in the tool bucket for another hammer. After pushing his hair back from his face—Lane really needed to make time for a haircut—he gave a weary sigh. “I think if we hustle, we can have this wire all nailed up tonight.”
They worked in silence, focused on the task at hand, until the last loop of wire was secured. It didn’t take as long as Case had feared, but he still needed to wrap it up and get back to Boomer. He’d been listening for the bark that signaled the dog wanted to join him across the street, but there had been a lot of hammering, and he hoped Boomer was as tuckered out as he’d looked earlier.
As they finished cleaning up, Case looked at Lane, who looked even more exhausted than he felt. “If I tell you we don’t need you on the job tomorrow at all, will you spend that time catching up on some sleep, or will you just use the time off to stress and work extra over here?”
Lane snorted. “Until this place is open and there are people in here paying to drink those brews, I don’t think not stressing is an option. I’m okay, and I’ll be ready to work in the morning.”
“You can’t keep going like this, Lane. I don’t want to mother hen you, but I’m starting to worry.”
“I told you I’m fine.”
“And I don’t believe you,” Case said. “Don’t make me sic Ellen on you.”
“Okay, so I’m tired. And there’s a lot riding on this, so it’s on my mind constantly.” Lane looked around the taproom. “But I feel good about it. I don’t know if it makes any sense, but it’s worth it. I think this part is hard, but that it’s going to be awesome.”
“I think it will be, too.” Case wasn’t lying. As it started to take shape, he felt in his gut that Sutton’s Place was going to be a success. The beer was not only good, but the place would have Lane’s passion and David’s heart, and he could see it becoming a gathering place for Stonefield. “Just know your limits.”
