Page 49 of Best Kind of Trouble
“I’d gotten a few of them before I heard from Sophie,” she says. “They were sent in the middle of the night, from an unknown number. Things likestay away, andI know you’re a slut. Creative, right? Jonah knew about the messages, so he knew exactly what to say after you exposed him as a cheater. Obviously I feel like an idiot now. What’s worse is that I showed José the anonymous messages.”
Hannah whistles.
“Yeah,” Nora says with a low laugh. “You can imagine how well that went down. He didn’t believe his dear, sweet girlfriend would ever do something like that. He blamed Jonah and said he didn’t want Jonah coming around the brewery anymore. As if he suddenly got to decide. He was acting almost…”
“Jealous,” Hannah finishes.
Nora shrugs. “Yeah. Although he’s the one who’sso in love, so maybe he was only being territorial. We had this big fight about it, since his girlfriend basically lives at The Ginger Station. Anyway. After that, I met Dottie, who confirmed Jonah was a sleazy asshole, although not in those words, and here we are. I’m sorry. I fucked up. I should have admitted it months ago, but I was embarrassed. I meant what I said. I’ll do anything I can to help you. All of you.” Her gaze settles on me. “Hannah told me a little about your brewery.”
“Yes, it’s a disaster,” I say, letting the most intrusive thought in my mind escape without a fight. I tell her about the mass walkout and my plan for redemption.
She listens, nodding in the right places, and then says, “It’s a good plan. If?—”
She bites her lip as if to cut herself off.
“If it works,” I say, my voice quavering.
“If it works,” she agrees. “Which means you need a plan B in case it doesn’t. Always have a plan B.”
Dottie, who’s been gone for a suspiciously long time, returnsat this mention of a plan B. “Have you finished your tea?” she asks sweetly, even though Nora’s the only one who has drunk any.
“She’s going to want to read your tea leaves,” Hannah warns. “But she doesn’t need to. I can tell you right now what she’s going to say. You’re going to fall in love, and it’s going to be so amazing, and your whole life is going to change forever and ever.”
Dottie smiles at her with a twinkle in her light-blue eyes. “And didn’t it, my dear?”
Hannah barks out a laugh. “You know what, she has a point. If I were you, I’d hand over the teacup.”
Nora smiles at them both but shakes her head. “No, thanks. I’d like to keep the future a mystery. If it’s all the same to you.”
“It’s not,” Hannah says. “She’s not going to give up.”
“Then we’re at a stalemate,” Nora says. “Because I don’t know how to give up either.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
LIAM
Text conversation with Cormac
Thank you so much, man.
I can’t believe I’m going to be in the band.
Can we meet up for a drink sometime?
Wait, do you drink? Or would that be like mixing business and pleasure?
I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a brewer who doesn’t drink.
It would be like being a chef who hates food.
I think I’d hate food if I had to cook it all day.
Yeah, we can get a drink sometime.
When would be good for you?
I’ll get back to youon that.
