Page 101 of Fall is Brewing

"You absolutely have not,” Lena says.

"Well… I thought it."

"That doesn't count!” June shouts, taking a big bite from her slice.

"It does in my head."

Lena's eyes go wide before a grin slowly spreads across her face. "I knew it."

June immediately points the crust of her pizza at her like she's presenting evidence to a jury. "You did not."

"I absolutely did," Lena insists, grabbing her own slice.

"You suspected."

"I suspected very confidently,” Lena says, tearing a paper towel from the roll.

"What do you mean you suspected?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at both of them. “You literally just acted like I told you the secrets of the Vatican just now.”

“Yeah because we’re surprised you acted on it.” Lena dabs the grease from her slice with the innocence of someone who has absolutely been caught.

June shrugs unapologetically. "There may have been a few discussions."

I set my tasting glass down with a little more force than necessary. "I hate you both."

"That's fair," June says around a bite of pizza. "Honestly, I'd probably hate us too. Nobody likes someone who’s always right.” She winks at Lena.

Lena nudges the pizza box in my direction again and this time I give in and tear a slice of pepperoni from the pie.

"Forget about us for a moment." Her smile softens. "How was it?"

Heat blooms across my cheeks so fast it feels like someone cracked open the cider press and let all the warmth of autumn spill straight into my face. I duck my head, pretending to study the notes in front of me. "...Really good."

Lena claps both hands together once, the sound echoing lightly off the barrel-lined walls. "I knew it!"

June tips her head back dramatically. "Of course it was good." She lets out a theatrical sigh before taking another bite of pizza. "That man looks like he was carved by someone with entirely too much free time."

Despite everything, I laugh. "You two are unbelievable."

"We’re observant."

"No," Lena says with a grin. "I’m observant. You’re bullish."

The laughter lingers for another heartbeat before June's expression shifts. She brushes a few crumbs from the front of her flannel and studies me more carefully.

"But..." she says, drawing the word out. "If it was really good, why do you look like someone stole your favorite sweater?"

The smile slips from my face as easily as sunlight disappearing behind a cloud.

I reach for the nearest tasting glass, swirling the cider more out of habit than intention. The amber liquid catches the warm glow from the hanging lanterns, throwing ribbons of gold across the workbench.

"Afterward..." I begin quietly, "I went to the cabin to grab a notebook."

Lena nods. "Okay..."

"I found a scrapbook with pictures of Brooks as a kid here at Hartley & Sons…" The room stills right as I add, “with me in the pictures with him.”

Even June stops reaching for another slice of pizza.