Better Luck Next Time

by Denise Grover Swank

  “How did he screw up?” Blue asked, glancing between both women.

  “He lined up a big buyer and signed on the dotted line before he said anything to River,” Maisie said. “In his screwed-up way, he thought he was doing River and the other employees a favor. He’d negotiated for them all to get better benefit packages and raises, but he miscalculated. Finn’s all about the bottom line, and River’s all about relationships.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Adalia asked, trying to keep her question light.

  Maisie looked her in the eye. “Finn’s an entrepreneur. He’s not interested in the day-to-day work of running a business. That’s why I was kind of surprised that River was so blindsided. Sure, Finn handled it all like an idiot, but it was a long time coming. Finn had gotten bored and was only hanging on because of their friendship. That’s Finn’s deal—he makes something out of nothing and then moves on to do it all over again. Before Big Catch, he did the same thing with a little software company in Charlotte.”

  Adalia tried to hide her dismay. Was that what was happening between the two of them now? Did he see her brokenness as a project?

  “But to answer your question, Blue,” Maisie said, thankfully turning her attention away from Adalia. She’d been looking at her with eyes that saw way too much. “The brewing world in Asheville is super tight. When Finn sold out, half the town hated him. River included. Finn holed up and avoided just about everyone and everything for a few months. But now he seems to be emerging and trying to find a new place for himself.”

  “Like with the art show,” Blue said, giving Adalia a warm smile.

  “Yeah,” Adalia said, forcing a smile of her own. There was no doubt he’d been inspired to create the charity art show because of her. Would he move on once he thought she was whole?

  Would she stop being interesting?

  “Obviously, Finn screwed up,” Maisie repeated, “but he’s a solid guy. I mean, he could probably sell ice to a polar bear, but he’s got a really good heart.” She gave Adalia a pointed look. “If you break his heart, I’m gonna have to hurt you.”

  Adalia forced a laugh, but it sounded tinny. “What about you, Blue?” she asked, knowing better than to ask Maisie. “Got anyone special in your life?”

  Blue smiled, but it was no more genuine than Adalia’s laugh. “Nope. No one. I might go online again, but I’ve been taking a sabbatical from love and devoting my energy to my art.”

  “Now, I hear a story there,” Maisie said, leaning closer. “Do tell.”

  Blue laughed, but something shuttered in her eyes. “Not much to tell. I just happen to be unlucky in love.”

  “You sound like you’ve been hanging around Dottie,” Adalia teased. “Just don’t let her convince you to go see her tarot card reader.”

  “Lola?” she asked with a grin. “Too late.”

  “She keeps trying to get me to go too, but I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to Dottie’s mumbo jumbo,” Maisie said. “She convinced me to let Josie read my palm at the Buchanan Brewery holiday party last year.” She turned to Blue. “Josie is as eccentric as they come and used to be one of their employees. Anyway, let’s just say it was a big mistake.”

  “Does that mean you don’t have any of her crystals?” Adalia asked.

  Maisie gave her the side-eye. “Well, let’s not get too crazy. Every girl can use a good self-defense weapon.”

  She reached into her purse and pulled out a large pink crystal.

  Adalia laughed and pulled out a matching pink crystal from her own purse.

  “Huh,” Blue said. “Pink crystals have great loving energy. I wonder if that’s why she chose them for you.”

  Maisie huffed. “Well, mine certainly hasn’t brought me any luck in love.”

  “And mine hasn’t brought Finn any luck,” Adalia said, partly because it was funny, and also because she wanted to turn the conversation away from Maisie and her secret. “I hit him with it the first time we met.”

  They all laughed as Adalia told them about her less-than-promising first encounter with Finn. Then the women exchanged Dottie stories, Adalia relishing all of them. She loved Dottie, and it warmed her heart to know so many other people did too.

  “I really should be getting home,” Adalia said as she pulled some cash out of her purse to cover her portion of the bill. “I’m a dog mom now. And while Tyrion’s with a sitter, I’ve got those new mom nerves.”

  Maisie laughed. “Please tell me you didn’t hire a babysitter. You can leave dogs alone, you know.”

  “I didn’t go that far,” Adalia said, “but I did give my brother explicit instructions to call or text if he had any problems.” She held up her phone. “So far no texts, but I don’t want to push my luck.”

  “I had a good feeling about you,” Maisie said, only her teasing tone was gone.

  “Back at ya,” Adalia said.

  “I’m so glad we did this,” Blue said, reaching for her purse. “We definitely need to do it again.”

  “Let’s get together at my house sometime,” Adalia said. “Then I won’t have to get a sitter. And if you have a taste for beer, I have access to a free stash. River always brings over the new stuff he’s working on.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Blue said.

  “It’s a date,” Maisie said.

  Adalia waved goodbye and headed out to Bessie. As she got into her car, she briefly considered going by Finn’s. But Maisie’s assessment of him had left her unsettled. In one breath, she had said that Finn had a short attention span and never stuck around anything for long, and in the next she’d threatened Adalia with bodily harm if she broke Finn’s heart.

  She was more confused than ever.

  She couldn’t help thinking that just seeing him would alleviate some of her concerns, but she didn’t want to be one of those insecure women. Besides, if she stopped by, she was worried she’d lack the willpower to leave later. As much as she wanted to sleep with him, she wasn’t ready. Not yet. She felt too unsettled. She had no rule about when to sleep with a guy, but she knew the sex with Finn would be special. And besides, she had Tyrion to think about now.

  The house emanated a warm glow when she pulled into the driveway, and she liked the thought that Jack and Tyrion were inside. It made the house feel fuller and more welcoming, more like a home. Only they weren’t inside. She found Jack on the back porch, tossing a toy for Tyrion to chase.

  “Have a good night?” he asked, sounding subdued. He’d been like that since he’d come back from Chicago, leaving Adalia to wonder what or who he’d left behind. Because he still hadn’t offered that information. During their dinner last night he’d insisted he was single, so she had to wonder if he was suffering from the pangs of unrequited love, like Maisie.

  “I did,” she said, sitting on the bottom step.

  Tyrion came running and nearly toppled her over as he raced in tight circles, as if his excitement was so great it needed to be released physically. She laughed and rubbed his neck and head as he showered her face with kisses. “Did you miss me, boy?”

  “He’s a good dog,” Jack said. “I’m glad you got him.”

  “Yeah,” she said softly. “Me too.”

  Turned out, all teasing with Maisie aside, she was one of those dog people she’d always made fun of. She’d purchased a kennel, food, treats, and a few toys for him on her lunch break on Monday (putting a good dent in her already threadbare bank account), after going to see the artists in the morning. And she’d stuck around to play with him for a bit before heading back to the brewery. She’d come home for lunch again today, plus she’d left work over an hour early so she could spend time with Tyrion before she left to meet Maisie and Blue.

  Her branding and marketing plan had been more effective than she’d expected. She’d made a couple more posts this week, photographing customers and asking them what they were drinking and why, and now people had started spontaneously posting their own Buchanan stories and tagging the brewery. Georgie had take
n notice and asked her to keep it up.

  She nodded to the porch railing on the other side of Jack. Jezebel sat there quietly, watching them. “Do you happen to be Dr. Dolittle? Because that cat is never this calm with anyone other than you.”

  He smiled. “I think she’s stalking me like prey.”

  “I don’t think so. She would have attacked by now. In fact, she doesn’t even hiss at you. Like ever.”

  Jack released a long laugh, and Adalia felt good that she’d been the one to instigate it. He needed to laugh. She might not know what troubles were weighing him down, but she understood what it was like to have them.

  “Speaking of wild beasts, I hear you’re embarking on a safari tomorrow,” Jack said in a teasing tone. “I had no idea Asheville was populated by murderous goats.”

  She shrugged. “Just goes to show you never know a place until you live there.” She couldn’t remember exactly what her cover story had been, so she improvised. “Someone needs to corral them so they don’t terrorize the population. I’m just doing my part to make the world a better place.”

  “And are you going with a special someone?” he asked, his brow raised.

  “Maybe…” she said in a mysterious tone, but her mood shifted as her gaze landed on the shed. She still hadn’t used it, and she hadn’t been to Dottie’s place either. The call of Blue’s studio had grown stronger. She’d considered asking her earlier if her offer to use it was still good, but she hadn’t felt comfortable bringing it up in front of Maisie. There was safety in a text.

  She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and sent Blue a message before she could change her mind.

  Is your offer to use your studio still good? I’d be happy to pay you rent to use some of the space.

  Blue responded right away. Yes! Want to come by tomorrow?

  Part of her longed to say yes, but the pull to Finn was stronger.

  Can we make it Thursday? I have the day off tomorrow, but I have a date.

  Ooo, an all-day date with Finn? Thursday it is!

  Was it an all-day date? She couldn’t say without knowing what he had planned, but she knew she’d missed him the past two and a half days. Absence really had made her heart grow fonder, even if she was scared about what that might mean. Even if she now had doubts.

  She hung out with Jack a little while longer, then headed up to her room to get ready for bed. Tyrion didn’t even bother with his pallet on the floor, jumping onto the bed with her. She lay in the dark, suddenly feeling lonely for Finn, so she set up her laptop to watch Pride and Prejudice as she went to sleep.

  But fifteen minutes into the movie, she grabbed her phone and decided she wasn’t going to let fear ruin what she had with him. She’d told herself she wouldn’t hold back, for better or for worse, and she didn’t want to start. Life was about taking risks, and Finn was a huge one. The payoff would either be the best relationship of her life or a heart ripped to shreds.

  I miss you, Finn. I can’t wait to see your face tomorrow.

  Then she turned off her phone, and dreamed of him.

  Chapter Thirty

  Finn was wearing jeans and an I Love New York T-shirt. Sure, they weren’t in New York, but it was his idea of what a tourist would wear, and he figured it might get a smile out of Adalia, who was, after all, a New Yorker.

  After getting home last night, he’d spent several hours stewing, working in fits and spurts. He was worried about Adalia without knowing why he should be worried. Because she hadn’t told him what was happening. It was her right not to say anything, of course, but he’d thought they were getting closer. The fact that she hadn’t shared her problems with him indicated he might be wrong, that she didn’t trust him. Then she’d sent him that text about missing him, and most of the worry had eased. Most, but not all.

  He’d decided not to mention Alan right away. Today would be about them, not about the past. They needed to discuss the past at some point, though—he suspected it was the only way they’d be sure to have a future.

  His bell rang at ten on the dot, and he all but lunged for the door, which he’d been watching like an expectant dog. What was happening to him?

  He opened the door, and the answer to his question stood on his stoop, dressed in an I Love New York T-shirt that matched his, down to the color (black), jeans, and…

  “Is that a fanny pack?” he asked, his mouth twitching with a barely restrained smile.

  “That’s what you focus on?” She feigned anger. “You said tourist, and I delivered. Now, can we address the fact that we match? Is Jack spying for you or something?”

  “No, this is a delightful coincidence,” he said. Although he wasn’t so sure that was true. The matching shirts made him think of Lola again, of the cards she’d pulled for both of them.

  “We’re going to look ridiculous,” Adalia continued with a smirk, “and I totally love it. So is the mystery finally over? Are you going to tell me what we’re doing?”

  “Actually…” he said, pulling the blindfold out of his pocket. “I thought we could keep it going awhile longer.”

  She raised her brows. “Kinky. I like it.”

  Oh God, the thought of Adalia wearing that blindfold in his bedroom did things to him…but he was determined to deliver on his promise of a mystery date. He knew she’d love their destination, and he selfishly wanted to be the person who took her there for the first time.

  Of course, there was a chance she’d already gone with Georgie, but he didn’t think so. Adalia had told him that she’d spent her first few months in Asheville as a complete hermit, not engaging with anything outside the brewery or her house.

  “You can put it on in the car,” he said, his voice husky.

  But she took it from him and secured it around her eyes, then tilted her head up, waiting for a kiss.

  Finn had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. He watched her for a moment, soaking in the sight of her, trying to commit it to memory, and then he realized he was being an idiot and drew her to him. It was a slow kiss, a claiming kiss. And she leaned into him like she didn’t want to let go—like she really did trust him. They tilted their heads, trying to get closer, closer, until there wasn’t any closer they could get from just kissing, and they were breathless from trying. He was the one who finally pulled away.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispered into her ear. Whispered because it would have felt wrong to say it louder, for some reason, like it might break the moment.

  She nudged the blindfold down. “Well, that’s saying something.”

  For a second, he didn’t understand what she meant, but then he realized she was talking about his past. About the fact that he’d dated a lot, and usually not for very long.

  The trust between them had been punctured.

  “I guess,” he said. “You should know…this is different for me.” He wanted to tell her that he’d never felt this way about another woman, but he saw something like fear in her eyes.

  “Thank you. I should have just said thank you. Let’s go,” she said, the blindfold still pulled down a little, like she wasn’t willing to relinquish control again.

  He grabbed his bro bag, which made Adalia smile a little, and they headed out to the car, Finn coming around to open the door for her.

  “Where’s your car?” he asked.

  “It’s a nice day, so I walked, although I felt guilty about not bringing Tyrion. He loves walks.”

  They got settled in their seats and he started the drive in silence. He was the one who broke it, although the question he asked was not the one on his mind.

  “Did you have fun last night? Maisie’s good people, and I know you were excited about hanging out with Blue.”

  “Yeah, I did,” she said, her posture relaxing—or so he thought from his peripheral vision. “Although it came as something of a disappointment that she didn’t bring her giant rabbit.”

  “Naturally. Did she show you a picture?”

 
“I insisted on it. Get this, his name is Buford. She made a knitted doppelganger of him too, and he sleeps with it. How cool is she?”

  He grinned. “I’m glad we met her. She’s going to be a great addition to the show. I like that we’re going to have so many mediums represented in one place.”

  “Yeah, me too,” she said, her tone thoughtful. He wanted to ask what she was thinking about, but she beat him to it and asked him about his dinner with Georgie and River.

  “They made lasagna,” he said, straight-faced.

  She scowled and nudged his arm, her hand lingering on his bicep. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

  “Didn’t Georgie tell you anything?” he asked.

  “She may have texted me this morning, but I wanted to hear more about it from you.”

  “Okay,” he said, glancing at her, “but we’re getting close. Can you slide your blindfold back up?”

  She gave him an intent look before tugging the blindfold into place.

  “This better be worth it,” she grumbled, but she sounded intrigued.

  “I hope you think it is,” he admitted. “Because otherwise I have a feeling you’re going to make me wear the blindfold on the way home. And before you say it, yes, I will absolutely wear it for you on another occasion if you want me to.”

  “That was exactly what I was going to say,” she said with a little laugh. “But you’re not getting out of telling me about last night.”

  “Honestly, it went a lot better than I thought it would. River told me in confidence that he thinks they’re going to go for it. Which will make a big difference in terms of who else agrees to participate.”

  “Yeah, Georgie confirmed it. I’ll be honest, I know I encouraged you to tell them, but I wasn’t sure how it would go. River, like, super hates Bev Corp.”

  Hearing her confirmation bolstered something in him, and he felt more confident about his new plan. His new direction. He was good at this, at helping businesses troubleshoot and grow and change. He was eager to tell Adalia about it, but not yet—he wanted this moment to be about her, about them.