Page 58 of Tennessee Trouble

16

BRANDT

“I’m just wondering if you’re ever coming back.”

“What are you talking about? It’s only been two weeks.”

I lift my shoulder carelessly, taking a sip of my beer. Literally my beer.

When I walked into the General Post this afternoon, after having to ask for directions twice—Lindee wasn’t kidding when she said you’d never find this place if you didn’t know where it was—I was skeptical if they would even have beer. Trouble isn’t exactly a beer kind of town. The focus is all whiskey and moonshine—which it should be. To say I was surprised when I discovered they did indeed have beer on tap would be a fair statement. You could have knocked me over with a feather though when the bartender gestured over his shoulder to the pulls and there was my very own logo staring back at me.

Southern Brothers Party Mode. I’ll be damned.

“Yeah,” Milo scoffs. “Two more weeks than you planned to be gone. You were going to go up there and come back. At least that’s how I remember the plan.”

He remembers correctly. But plans change.

“What on earth have you even been doing up there?”

Good question.

How do I explain this?

Because I can’t exactly tell him that what I’ve been doing is Lindee.

Although, that’s not entirely true. I’ve been doing more than just her.

It’s been two weeks filled with hiking, biking, and enjoying everything that the Tennessee mountains have to offer.

One of which is the most beautiful blonde I have ever met in my entire life.

And it isn’t all about the sex with her either. We’ve spent plenty of nights just curled up, sitting on the porch of her cottage, staring at the stars, or watching the creek, talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. Plus, all the time we’ve spent in her lab trying to figure out a drink.

She’s close, I think.

But there is still something missing.

What? I’m not quite sure yet. But we’ll get there. And I’m not about to leave her until we do.

“Well, you know, stuff,” I answer, trying to be as vague as possible. “And it’s not like any of my work isn’t getting done.”

Milo chuckles. “Didn’t say it wasn’t. I’m just wondering what else you’re doing. What’s keeping you in Tennessee?”

“Well, I’m still trying to smooth things over with Tennessee Trouble, and⁠—”

He cuts me off. “I thought Dustin agreed to put a drink in the bar. Speaking of, I thought Fire Lights was off-limits and you were never going to allow such a thing?” If I didn’t know better, I’d think he sounded accusatory.

“Well, yeah…” I take another long sip, letting the crisp, hoppy taste dance across my tongue, trying to buy time. “Now it’s not. And…and I haven’t exactly pitched that yet.”

Milo doesn’t skip a beat. “Why not?”

That’s also a good question.

Why haven’t I taken that to Mikayla?

Because that would mean that I don’t have a real excuse to be here in town. Then again, maybe it would mean that Lindee and I could be a little more open about this whole thing instead of sneaking around trying to make sure that no one sees us together.

Of course, it might also be the end of us.