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He’s charismatic and passionate about so many things that I would be able to listen to him talk for hours. His adventurous side would also push me out of my comfort zone which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to take a ride on his bike. I wonder how shocked he’d be to learn that I could drive one by myself. I have my own stashed in the garage because my dad made sure that all of us girls could handle any kind of vehicle, motorcycles included. He was always afraid we’d end up in a situation that wouldn’t be good for us, and he never wanted not being able to drive a vehicle to be a reason we couldn’t get out of the situation.
The other glaring issue is obviously sex with Maverick. I’ve never experienced sex like that in my life. I could barely refrain from attacking him when we were alone in my classroom, what would happen when we have to spend all kinds of time together, some of which we would need to be affectionate, to make people believe we are actually dating.
Lying in bed trying to go over all of this is only driving me crazy, so I decide to get up and go do one of my favorite things when I need to get out of my head, hike. I could call Chayse and Emerson to join, but there’s no way Chayse won’t hound me for every detail where Maverick’s concerned, and I’m not sure if I’m ready to tell her what happened or about his proposition. Besides, neither of them will let me hear the end of it for not telling them that I hooked up with the sexy chef months ago and never mentioned it to them.
A solo hike sounds perfect to get out of my head. It’s like that quote from John Muir, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” Something happens when I go for a good hike that calms and centers me. I struggle through the harsh winter months when I can’t get out to some of my favorite trails because it just wouldn’t be safe.
Decision made, I get out of bed and put on some comfy clothes to hike on this hot summer day. I head downstairs and have a light breakfast as I pack a bag with snacks, water, sunscreen, and my first aid kit. I send dad, Emerson, and Chayse a message in our group text letting them know I’m heading out and which trail I’m going. This is the safest way to not have Chayse questioning why I’m going out for a solo hike without having to get into it with her. She may be nosy, but none of us will out each other to our dad.
I pull into the state park that has some of my favorite trails and beautiful waterfalls but decide today I need to feel my muscles burn so I push myself to one of the harder trails. This one is also a favorite because of the gorgeous meadow that opens up seamlessly out of nowhere on the side of a mountain. In the spring it is filled with wildflowers and during the fall it looks like the skies are on fire with the orange and yellow leaves surrounding you. It also has a small stream that runs along the edge of the meadow where it’s perfect to take a little dip and get cooled off on a hot summer’s day.
The stream backs up to the side of the mountain with craggy rocks jutting out in all directions. A few strong trees have been able to plant roots and seemingly grow from the middle of the rock and flourish. Those trees always remind me of Chayse. Their strong will and determination are no match, and the trees thrive despite the diversity they face.
After a grueling hour and a half hike up the side of a mountain, I make it to the clearing right about noon. The sun is unrelenting as it beats down on my neck and back, and the sound of the creek gurgling in the background is like music to my ears.
I find a nice flat rock to sit on and catch my breath. I drink some water and just sit listening to all of the sounds of nature that surround me, and I finally feel at peace for the first time in months. I kick off my shoes and socks and dangle my feet in the cold water as I eat my snacks that I’ve brought.
The clarity I experience in regard to Maverick almost steals my breath from me. I need to talk to him. I want to help him, and I really don’t want to start the year off with people walking on eggshells and afraid to upset me like the end of last year. If having a confident, sexy man who wants me isn’t proof that I’ve moved on, I’m not sure what would be.
Once I get off this mountain I’m going to head to talk to Maverick before I lose my nerve. I will tell him my expectations and have him agree with coming up with a set of rules to help make sure nobody gets hurt. I know that’s naive, but I want to believe that I can form a friendship with this man without getting my heart completely destroyed during this process. I think that it helps that I know where he stands on relationships, and he knows what I hope for out of any future relationship I may have.
We’re both two ambitious, driven, caring adults who know what we want and will treat each other with the utmost respect. If there was anyone who could pull off this arrangement, I have faith in us that we could give it a go.
I spend about another half an hour just soaking up the sun and the positive vibes that surround me sitting with my toes in this little mountain stream. I let the warmth sink into my bones as I slowly release the tension from my body. If I’m going to go talk to Maverick, I need to be my most calm, level-headed self to make sure my hormones don’t hijack the meeting.
I pack up all of my stuff and turn to head back down the mountain. The hour and a half hike back to my car is the perfect time to come up with rules that are non-negotiable if we are to truly give this fake relationship the chance to accomplish both of our needs. I try texting notes on my phone, but after almost falling over a root, I decide that’s not the safest idea, so I start using my talk-to-text function.
By the time I reach my car, I feel confident with the list I’ve come up with. I contemplate going home to shower and change, but then I remind myself that I am not trying to impress Maverick. I want our relationship to be believable and I know affection is a must, but I don’t plan on there being any kind of physical touch without the purpose of playing the part we have created for each other.
Heading towards The Tavern, my confidence in myself to be able to be articulate, but firm on my terms to agree to this sham start to fail. I’m not the assertive sister, that’s all Chayse. Sure, I can be firm, and I will not tolerate someone trying to push me around, but as far as setting the rules and demanding there be no deviation, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist his charm.
But as I pull into the parking lot, I realize there’s only one way to find out. Hopefully Maverick is here and is ready to listen to my terms of agreement so that we can both get what we want. Sitting in my car trying to pep myself up isn’t helping. The only way I’ll find out is to kick my fears and go in, so I release a deep breath, square my shoulders and prepare to claim myself the best fake boyfriend around.
Chapter Eight
Maverick
IknowIprobablyshouldn’t have pushed Spencer so hard tonight, but I can’t fucking resist her. It’s why I was so eager to take Patrick to his orientation. Of course it’s nice to be involved and know what’s going on since I will be sharing the responsibilities with Olive, but there’s no denying that I was hoping to get her alone, or at least agree to go out with me again.
I was able to avoid the firing squad known as my baby sister by heading to the bar to help out with the rest of the shift and check on my newest batches of beer that I’m brewing. I’m lucky and found a really cool guy to help run the brewing side of the business.
Gage is from down south, but moved up here to help out on his grandparents' farm when his grandpa had an accident. He was able to help pick up the slack and hire a foreman to oversee the daily operations and be his grandpa’s right-hand man. Luckily for me, he heard about me opening the brewery and stopped in to see if I needed help or planned on hiring a head brewer. After a quick tour around the place and an impromptu interview where his knowledge was extremely evident, I knew he would be a huge asset. It was a win-win for both of us because he liked the slower pace of the small town and would love to stay on and be closer to his grandparents. His knowledge has been invaluable, and I couldn’t do this without him.
Gage was supposed to be gone for the day, but it didn’t surprise me at all when I found him in his office going over paperwork.
“Hey man, what the hell are you doing here?” He startles but just shakes his head when he sees me in the door.
“I could ask you the same?” He raises one eyebrow in question, and I can’t help but laugh. “Aren’t you supposed to be at Pat’s school for his orientation?”
“I was, but it’s done now, and Olive’s boss found someone to cover the last part of her shift, so she was able to come and decided they needed ice cream to celebrate. I passed and figured I’d come in and see how everything was going and maybe check on the latest batch. I’m fucking pumped to see how it turns out.”
“I’d imagine it will be just as good as the small batch we brewed. I think this Oktoberfest will be a pretty big hit this fall. Have you given any more thought to bottling or canning and distributing to other local bars?”
“I have, but I can’t imagine the undertaking that will be. I just don’t know if I have it in me at this time. Fuck, I can barely keep up with the day to day now and Pat going to school is just going to make things crazier. We’re doing even better than I expected with everything here. I love what we have going on and this town. I never thought the small town life would be for me, but there’s something to be desired by the sense of community here and how much they’ve embraced my business.”
“Well luckily for you, when you’re ready, you know I will be able to help further the reach and get your brews out. But I get what you mean about the community. I was the head brewer of a huge organization, but it doesn’t touch on how much better your operation is here. I love being able to have the creative freedom and having you be actively involved in creating all of our kick ass brews. Plus, the town always shows up to support us, especially when we release a new brew.”
