Page 12 of Something’s Brewing

He should not be noticing Madison’s sexy body.

Because Madison wasn’t a small-town girl.

She was his business partner’s twin sister.

Last year he had danced and flirted with her. At the time, she’d been nothing more than a mystery—an anonymous woman at a masquerade gala in Minneapolis, draped in deep blue satin. After the unforgettable hours of talking and dancing close, he’d fully intended to find her again. But then he’d caught sight of her tattoo, and everything had changed. He wouldn’t risk making the same mistake twice.

Before he could sort through any of it, Nick’s dreaded call came, sending his life off course. By the time he returned to Minneapolis after his father’s recovery, his focus had shifted to business. He and Mason began discussing the possibility of opening a second location, and when Madison arrived to learn the ropes, he did his best to keep his distance. Thankfully, ownership came with endless responsibilities, giving him plenty of excuses to stay busy and out of her way.

Still, the pull he’d felt that night at the masquerade hadn’t faded. If anything, it lingered just beneath the surface. At least Madison hadn’t connected the dots—and he intended to keep it that way.

Plus, no way could she be planning on staying in Deer Creek Falls. She’d be bored out of her mind.

She wasn’t going to suddenly wake up one day and think “You know what? I’d love to build a life here with a guy who brews beer for a living, in a town that thrives on tourists and Fourth of July parades.”

And he already knew what happened when one fell for someone who wasn’t meant for this kind of life.

His ex-fiancée had wanted the architect version of him, the one who wore suits and shook hands at her father’s firm. She hadn’t wanted the man who quit to chase a dream before craft breweries were a thing.

And she sure as hell hadn’t wanted a life in a small town.

So why was he standing here like a damn idiot, trying to push away the obvious fact that Madison Mitchell had just bid on him and won?

He was sent offstage to meet his date, and before he could say anything, his family descended on Madison like a bear to honey. His mom, Ruth, introduced herself and immediately gave Madison a hug. His sister, Chloe, waggled her eyebrows and asked if Madison knew what she was getting herself into.

Garrett managed to extricate her from the well-meaning but entirely too nosey crowd and guided her toward the pop-up bar. He ordered two lemonades. By the way Madison looked at him, she was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort as she sipped her drink.

“Tell me you didn’t bid on me because Mason put you up to it,” he said.

Madison’s lips curved up in a slow, lazy smile. “Would you believe me if I said it was purely for charity?”

“No.”

She laughed, tilting her head. “What, you don’t think I wanted to contribute to the veterans’ center?”

“Madison.” His tone was warning. “Why?”

She sighed, setting her drink down on the bar. “Alright, fine. You want the truth?”

“That would be nice.”

She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough to make him aware of how close she was. “I figured if I won, I could use our ‘date’ to talk you into a business deal.”

His stomach tightened—from frustration, from the way she smelled like citrus and something faintly floral, from the fact that this was Madison and she was standing too damn close.

He exhaled sharply. “Let me guess. Cider.”

She snapped her fingers and pointed at him. “Bingo.”

Garrett rubbed a hand down his face. “You do realize there were easier and less expensive ways to have that conversation, right? Like, normal business negotiations?”

Madison grinned. “Where’s the fun in that?” She picked up her drink again and sucked on the slim straw.

He shifted his stance. “You bid on me so you could blackmail me into adding cider to the brewery menu?”

“Blackmail is a strong word,” she said, tilting her head. “I prefer to think of it as . . . leveraging an opportunity.”

Garrett let out a soft, grumbling sigh. Of course she did.