"Oh hey, Logan."
"Hey, Bella."
How nice. They're on a first-name basis now.
I gritted my teeth, wondering why I always had to be the bad guy, the rule enforcer. Never
mind the spark of jealousy that cropped up when he greeted Bella by name but not me. What happened to only having eyes for me a few hours earlier?
Stop being irrational. He was just being a prick. He is a prick.
I tried on my best customer service smile. "Sorry, sir. The tasting room is closed. We're about to have a company staff meeting."
He returned my smile, completely unfazed.
"I'm aware of that, Aubrey."
"So..." I blinked and returned his gaze, not directly asking what the hell was doing here, I didn't have enough beers in me yet to get that saucy. But I definitely implied it.
And how the hell did he learn my name?
"All will be revealed in time," he said, waving his hand around like a magician. "Now if you'll excuse me."
He stepped up to the beer taps in one long stride of his muscular legs. In an instant, he was right next to me.
I breathed him in, unable to help myself. The light, fresh scent of his cologne filled my nostrils as I took in his in presence up close and personal.
He was taller than I expected, definitely over six feet, and moved with all the grace and power of a stalking leopard.
Standing right next to him, I could really see how the muscles wrapped around his frame like Michaelangelo personally carved him from marble. Clearly, he liked beer but his stomach was as flat as a runway. I wondered how many abs rippled under that shirt and felt my entire body growing warm.
As if he'd done it a million times before, he angled his beer glass under the faucet and flicked open the tap handle. The liquid poured out smoothly with hardly any foam. Just before it reached two-thirds full, he straightened the glass and squeezed out a perfect half inch of foamy head before shutting off the tap.
"I did some bartending in college," he said with a smile and clinked his glass against mine. "Cheers, Aubrey."
"Are we all here?" Marty's voice called out, releasing me from Logan's hypnosis. "If everyone's here, find a place to sit so we can get started!"
I sat with two of the other brewers, Rob and Mike, at one of the barrel pub tables. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Logan join Marty at the front of the room. My leg bounced with coiled up tension as I eagerly wondered what this meeting could possibly be about.
Logan was possibly a new hire, but that didn't make a lot of sense. With Marty getting ready to retire, he couldn't afford someone who looked as expensive as Logan. And with his crisp, designer business clothes and perfectly trimmed hair, Logan definitely didn’t fit the look for a brewer.
Maybe he was a consultant or new distributor? Yeah, that made more sense but still, why bring everyone together for this?
"Thank you, everyone for making the time to attend this meeting," Marty began. "I know these don't happen very often but trust me, this is big and affects everyone."
My fellow brewers and I exchanged tense looks and many others did the same. That sounded an awful lot like layoffs, which was everyone's fear for the last few months with Marty’s retirement looming on the horizon.
"As you all know, I'm getting old." Marty cracked a smile. "Running this place has been rewarding but hard on my old bones and I've been wondering about what to do when my time's up. Of course, I want this brewery to live on and I want all you good people to keep your jobs."
We exchanged more nervous glances during his pause and I took a big swig of beer to help swallow the lump in my throat.
What could this possibly be leading to?
"Selling a business is a risky move," Marty continued. "I'd never sell this place unless I knew for sure that my products and my employees would be taken care of. And I’ve brought you all here today because I believe I've found the buyer who will do just that."
He turned to face Logan who sipped his beer casually as if he was at home watching a TV show. Everyone else's eyes trained on him as well.
"This young man, Logan Westbrook, and I have talked extensively in person and over the phone for several weeks. We went over in great detail how I want the brewery to flourish in the years to come. Hopefully for many more years after I'm gone." Marty's voice began to crack with emotion.
"So to my employees, friends and family, I’m officially announcing my retirement. As of the first of next year, I'll be handing off the reins of Oak Barrel Brewing Company to Logan."
Stunned silence fell heavily over all of us. Rumors flew for years about Marty selling the brewery but now that it was really happening, it didn't seem real. And it still raised more questions than answers.
Logan stood to shake Marty's hand and clap him on the back like they were old bros, then quickly turned to address the expectant, onlooking crowd.
"I know you're all wondering what this means for you," he began. "And I promise the only changes to Oak Barrel Brewing from here on out will be positive ones. I'm not here to micromanage you and squeeze out every possible profit at your expense."
Suspicious murmurs drifted among the employees and I couldn't blame them. He sounded like a charismatic politician making promises that were too good to be true.
"Marty has already taught me so much about the brewing business, but I'm still eager to learn from all of you." For a split second, his eyes seemed to focus directly on me and my heart did a flip flop.
"What I've learned from investing in local family businesses is that it's the people, the employees, that make these businesses so great. Multiple studies have shown that happier employees are more productive and make the company more money. I'm not just investing into this beer," he raised his glass. "I'm investing in all of you."
His eyes scanned the room, taking in every face that looked up at him to decide the fate of their job.
"That's why," he continued. "At the start of next year, every single employee will have free health insurance, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a raise in hourly pay. Cheers, everyone! " He smiled and drank deeply from his beer glass.
CHAPTER 4
AUBREY
Logan’s gulps of beer were the only sound in the room as everyone stared in silent shock. Was this really happening? Everyone got a raise and benefits?
Just like that?
Bella finally broke the silence. "Does that include part-time employees?"
"Absolutely, Bella," Logan answered with a wide grin.
"Fuck yeah!"
Rob at my table broke from his trance and shot his glass high in the air. "Cheers to Logan and the future of Oak Barrel Brewing!"
The room broke out in excited cheers, hugs, and clinking glasses. Everyone had a smile plastered on their face as if they just won the lottery.
"Everybody get more beer!" Logan yelled. "Let's celebrate!"
In the blink of an eye, our tense, stressful staff meeting turned into an office party.
Only I, Aubrey Downer, seemed to remain suspicious.
Who exactly was Logan and why did he suddenly appear from thin air to rescue this place? How did he have the money to provide all those benefits for us? And what was the catch? There was always a catch.
I looked down into my beer glass, unable to get into a celebratory mood with these questions swirling around in my head. Should I bring them up to Marty? To Logan directly? Or should I start looking for another brewing job somewhere else before this ship surely sinks?
"Everything okay, Aubrey?"
I looked up to find those two piercing eyes gazing directly into my soul once again.
Logan stood across my table from me, calm and still in the storm of excited chatter among the other employees.
"Just fine." I forced a smile and raised my glass half-heartedly. "Welcome aboard, I guess."
"You're lying," he stated matter-of-factly and circled around to my side of the table to stand next to me. "Tell me your concerns."
> He was so close again and looking straight at me. This time I noticed a faint, scar on his top lip. What would his mouth feel like in a kiss? Would it have a unique taste or texture from that scar?
His presence overwhelmed me like a force of nature I didn't dare reckon with.
He was my new boss, I couldn't think about kissing him! My career already felt like it was in an uneasy limbo.
"This all sounds too good to be true," I admitted, my nervousness tightening the grip on my glass. I had to stay strong and not let him intimidate me. "What's really going to change around here?"
"Nothing, except every employee has benefits," he said. "And we'll adjust for scaling up to meet market demands as the business grows, but that is to be expected.”
“So we’re going to expand and start mass-producing?” I said snippily, folding my arms across my chest. “We’re going to make a watered down, boring tailgate product like the other big breweries?”
I didn’t expect him to understand. Beer was a creative outlet for me, just like painting or writing for any other person. To me, it was a blend of art and science. Nothing was more satisfying to me than finding a new combination of ingredients and processes that also tasted delicious. It wasn’t about getting drunk for me, it was about creating an experience worth tasting.
“No, Aubrey but I can see why you’d think that,” Logan said with a surprising amount of sincerity. “Tasting your beer for the first time was what inspired me to talk to Marty in the first place. Plus, I see you take pride in your work and excel at it. Your creativity is a great asset to the company. I’d never want to take that away from you.”
He said those words in a low voice, almost intimately, and I felt myself blushing again. Damn my pale Irish genes for always giving me away.
“Well, that’s good to know.”
I was relieved to hear he wouldn’t make us churn out a boring, repetitive product but I still had my doubts.
“Tell you what,” he said, his smirk returning. “Why don’t you take me through your lineup next week? Teach me about each beer and its process. Show me your artistry.”
“You want to do a tasting?” I asked, bewildered. “With me?”
“Who better to show me than the creative genius herself?” He looked at me again as if I were the only person in the room and I struggled to catch a breath while not looking like an awkward, starstruck groupie.
Did my filthy rich, ridiculously hot new boss really just call me a genius?
“Like I said, I still have lots to learn from the people here,” he added with a gentle squeeze of my elbow. The touch radiated from my arm to the tips of my fingers and toes with a warm tingle. I sucked in a heavy breath. The air between us seemed to crackle with electricity and it took all my focus to find my voice again.
“Sure, we can set something up,” I said, hoping I sounded casual. “When do you--”
“LOGAN!”
Bella flew out of nowhere, flinging herself at Logan with a tackling hug. He nearly dropped his beer in surprise but caught it on the table just in time.
“This is so great!” she squealed. “I’ve never had paid time off before, thank you so much! You’re already the best boss ever!”
“Don’t mention it,” he said. “I know you’ll make me proud and be the best bartender ever.”
To my relief, he returned her hug with only a fraction of the enthusiasm she showed, but that didn’t quell my jealousy that her arms were wrapped around his neck and her face within kissing distance of his.
It felt so unfair that she could do that without protest to any man she wanted while I had to settle for whoever settled for me.
“I will make you proud,” she said in a husky tone, inches away from his face. “And if you need anything else, like a personal assistant, I’d be more than happy to--”
“Excuse me, Bella.” Logan spoke firmly and politely as he removed her arms from around his neck and widened the distance between them. “I’m in the middle of something with Aubrey. Would you mind letting us finish?”
Bella and I exchanged shocked glances. I don’t think she ever experienced a man turning her down before, and especially not to prioritize a conversation with me.
Her shock turned to a vengeful glare before she turned on her heel and walked away quickly, heels stomping on the floor. I frowned as I watched her leave. We’d always gotten along before. I hoped she wouldn’t start causing drama because Logan didn’t fuck her at the drop of a hat.
But secretly, I couldn’t help but feel a bubble of giddiness in my chest. It wasn’t like Logan really picked me over her. He’d probably take her home at the end of the night but in that moment he shot down the hot girl to keep talking to me about beer. I experienced every geeky girl’s dream.
“So how about doing that tasting next Monday night?” he turned to me and continued like we’d never been interrupted. “After your brewing shift. You’ll still be paid for the tasting, of course.”
“It’s a date,” I blurted and immediately regretted my choice of words.
Shit, Aubrey. You are getting way too fucking ahead of yourself. He doesn’t want to date you, let alone fuck you. All he wants is to taste the products of the new business he just bought.
But Logan merely smiled that mischievous, wily smirk of his and clinked his beer glass against mine once again.
“It’s a date, then.”
CHAPTER 5
LOGAN
I held down the quiet corner of the Oak Barrel tasting room while I waited for Christian to show up. It was early afternoon on a Wednesday. The whole place was quiet before the 9-5 crowd showed up for their after work relief.
My first beer was the pale ale to wet my palate before getting into the heavier discussion with Christian later, as I knew we would.
Bella maintained an almost creepy amount of smiling and eye contact as she poured and served it to me. As the new owner, I didn't have to pay for beer anymore but I still tipped her $100 and walked away to my quiet corner before she could throw herself at me again.
She was a sweet girl and a good server but she was a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. Not that I couldn't handle one, but it could create a hostile work environment for the other employees. The last thing I wanted was rumors and gossip spreading and people jumping ship. Next time she did that I'd have to shut her down hard.
And anyway, she wasn’t the one I thought of while stroking myself last night.
Aubrey seemed shocked that I’d want her to give me a private tasting even though it was standard procedure in the industry. I smiled to myself. It was cute that she tried to resist how much she wanted me. That resistance would give way to moaning my name in due time.
While waiting for Christian, I lazily scrolled the stock market apps on my phone. Since I started buying local businesses, I didn't seriously play with stocks anymore. It was good money but getting obsessed with those charts and numbers can drive anyone insane. Every year I received piles of job offers to work for big firms on Wall Street but fuck that. Why would I work for less money and more stress? Sure, it has more prestige and social influence than buying small mom and pop shops but that’s shit I never cared about.
I’m mostly out of the stocks game, but every so often I bought and sold a couple million dollars worth of shares just for fun.
What I loved about acquiring businesses was how hands-off it was. Put the money in and it will come back ten-fold, simple as that. The trick was having a keen enough eye to spot the diamonds in the rough. Hundreds of business owners have written to my office over the years hoping to make an easy buck by selling out and riding off into the sunset.
But I turned them all down because I can sniff out a failing operation like a bloodhound. Anyone who cooks their books, mistreats their employees, or skirts the law deserves to run into the ground. So I let them.
The good ones deserve to thrive but they don’t always have the right resources. That’s where I came in.
"Logan!"
"Chris!"
I stood and wrapped him in a big bear hug. After how he defended me with Charlie the first time and everything he’s put up with since then, I considered him a good friend.
"Good to see you, man. How's the family?" I asked as we meandered toward the bar to get him a drink.
"Ah, you know. Toddlers destroying everything in sight and Jill's being the best mama bear she can."
His smile grew and I saw the warmth in his eyes when talking about his family. A twinge of envy brushed at my heart. It seemed like the more money I made, the harder it was to find a good, honest woman to settle down with.
None of them wanted a happy marriage full of love, passion, and connection. They all competed for the biggest diamonds and most expensive wardrobe. My last ex walked out on me calling me a cheapskate when I bought her Louboutins instead of million-dollar Stuart Weitzmans.
Christian was one of the lucky ones. His wife Jill was also a lawyer and essentially Christian himself in a female body.
"So this is your new place huh?" His head swiveled around the tasting room before settling to read the menu behind the bar.
"Welcome to Oak Barrel!" Bella piped cheerfully. "What can I get you?"
"Hmm, I'm not usually a beer guy. What do you recommend?"
"Oh! Ah, well, hmm." Bella turned to study the menu herself, trying to act like she knew what she was talking about.
I made a mental note to speak to Aubrey about doing tastings with all new bartending staff before they started on the job. If they were going to get higher pay and benefits, they had to know their stuff inside and out.
As if my mind somehow summoned her, a shock of red hair came through the side door and Bella wasted no time in pouncing on her.
"Hey! What do you recommend for Logan's friend?"
She looked over at me and Chris and I felt my dick rise in response. Her face flushed, either from embarrassment or the work day, which I found absolutely sexy. She wore some old brewery T-shirt which outlined her delicious and ample tits sitting on her chest. Her Carhartt work pants clung to the curves of her hips and thighs, making my mouth water.
Big Bad Boss: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 3
