Page 26 of Raised On It (Between the Pines #1)

It’s obvious she wants to go back to where we first walked in, so I let go of her hand, freeing her to explore. She heads right back to the wall next to the entrance doors to read the plaques next to each picture telling the history of the company.

“Boss man, what are you doing here on a Sunday?”

“Hey, Dave, how’s it going? What are you doing here on a Sunday? Everything okay?”

“I was actually leaving some paperwork for you on your desk and thought I’d help a bit before I left.

Things stayed busy in the pub all week. I know you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, but I’m glad you’re here.

Not only do I need you to sign a few things but I also have an update on that investor in Portland. You have a few minutes?”

“Sure thing, but first, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Mason.”

Her gasp is audible, even from the other side of the room. If her beaming face is any indication, I’m guessing she likes hearing me call her my girlfriend as much as I liked saying it.

“Girlfriend? Miles Montgomery, Eastlyn’s, correction…Oregon’s most eligible bachelor is off the market? Alert the presses but more importantly, let me meet this woman!”

Slapping him on the shoulder, I stand next to my general manager and right hand, introducing him to “my girlfriend.”

“Dave Shay, meet Mason O’Brien. Mason, meet Dave, he’s the general manager here at the brewery and the man who keeps things alive and well here at the home front while I’m traveling and dealing with everything else. The place doesn’t run without this man.”

“Hi, Dave, it’s nice to meet you.” She reaches out a hand, and he takes it and covers the top of their hands with his other.

“Not as nice as it is to meet you.” Not letting go of her hand, he turns his attention to me smiling his approval.

The door to the back swings open, and one of our tasting room servers walks through, sees me, and mutters, “ Shit ,” under their breath and turns right back around and through the doors.

“Dave, do you mind if I steal my boyfriend away for a minute or two?”

“Not at all. It was nice to meet you, and when he goes back to his office to sign the contracts I left on his desk, come on ba c k and I’ll take you on a little tour.”

“Will do.” Her eyes land back on me, piercing me with a look that says I need to start talking.

Taking her hand back in mine, where it belongs, I don’t say anything, and she seems content to wait for me to explain.

We push through the doors at the back of the tasting room that leads to where the magic happens. Her steps stutter as we pass the giant tanks full of her favorite beer, Montgomery hops, and my family’s future.

It isn’t fancy back here with the concrete floors, machinery, and supplies everywhere you look, but I know this is her chocolate factory . Her eyes are aglow with the light reflecting off the rows and rows of massive silver containers as if it were Christmas morning.

“I promise I’ll take you on your own personal tour as soon as we have a little chat. You won’t need Dave for that.”

She squeals, and she and her little romper jump straight up in the air. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she schools her face, trying to remind herself she isn’t happy with me .

One of the things I love about Mason is her inquisitiveness, so I know it’s killing her to not ask questions while we pass all the equipment filled with one of the loves of her life.

It’s Sunday, so when we reach the office, the place is empty.

There are several rows of desks, a large conference room, and five offices.

My office is at the end of a short hallway with Dave’s office, and Dad’s office on the left of the hallway, while on the right is Rhonda, our head of marketing’s office, and my assistant Bennett’s office.

I flip the light switch on in the room I spend more time in than I ever could have imagined. Simultaneously, I hear her read the sign on the door.

“Miles Montgomery. President and CEO.”

Feeling a bit sheepish, I shove my hands in my pockets and shrug my shoulders.

“So this is why you don’t work the farm anymore?”

“Yep. I do a surprisingly large amount of paperwork and travel,” I say, sitting down on the couch on the far wall of the room. I don’t think I’ve ever sat over here.

All my time is spent behind my desk. I’ve never really had a reason to kick back and relax. It’s a nice couch.

Her arms are crossed as she leans against the doorframe. “Why keep this a secret?”

“I guess I just wanted you to know me. People can get a little distracted by the business, and I wanted you to know me first. EBC has been my heart and soul for over a decade, but it’s not all that I am.”

“But how did I not figure it out? Why didn’t anyone say anything in all the conversations I’ve had about my love for EBC? I am so confused.”

“Well, The Crew had specific instructions not to mention it.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

Shit, she’s pissed.

This may not go quite the way I had hoped it would .

“What’s the big deal?”

Walking around the office examining every picture, book, or memento she comes across, she answers me but is looking at my bookshelves and not me. She’s avoiding eye contact.

“The big deal is you lied to me, Miles. On top of that, you asked your friends to lie to me. I feel like an idiot.”

She turns on me with fire in her eyes.

I make to stand so I can be near her, touch her, look her in her eyes and calm her because touching her will calm me. But she puts a stop to that real quick.

“Stay there.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Not gonna lie. She’s hot as hell all fired up like this. That doesn’t mean I’m not scared shitless at the moment.

“When we were at the farm, we talked about Montgomery Farms and how you worked with EBC. You lied to me.”

“Never.”

“Yes you did, Miles.”

“I. Did. Not. Lie. To. You. Mason.”

“But you did.”

“Come on, Mase. There wasn’t any ill intent. Quite the opposite actually. I did it so what we have between us is authentic.”

Her mouth hangs open. Appalled.

“Authentic?” Incredulous, her voice squeaks at my statement. “Since when is lying authentic? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Mason,” I say calmly.

“What?” she barks.

“I never lied to you. I just didn’t share all the information.”

“Is there a difference?” The shrillness in her voice is gone, but still, she is nowhere near ready to relent.

“There sure the hell is a difference,” I say, fighting the urge to stand from the couch and rush to her.

“And if you want to be pissed because I cared enough about you, about us, to want to start things with the only two things that mattered, you and me, then so be it. I will not apologize for wanting to get this right. For wanting you to know me for me and not my money or my company. Trust me, the way you salivate over EBC, it would have been a surefire way to earn points with you, but then I would have never known if it was me or the free beer you really wanted.”

She finally cracks what looks a whole lot to me like a ghost of a smile. “Free beer really would have been a distraction. I guess I can see your point there.”

Thank God, I’m getting through to her.

“Exactly. Can I get up now?”

Biting her lower lip, she slowly shakes her head back and forth.

And before I know, she’s sauntered over to me and climbs onto my lap straddling me.

When she runs her hands through my hair, her smile fades.

Even with the whiplash of her emotions throwing me off balance, there’s no mistaking the sincerity in her eyes.

“Did you really think I was the type of woman who would only want you for your money or I guess in your case, beer?”

“No, not really. I know you well enough to know that’s not important to you, but I also needed to know that a regular old farm boy was enough for a woman like you.

I mean, I know I’m a catch. Hell, I know I’m more man than you ever bargained for, but I still needed to be just me for a while, not the CEO of your favorite beer company.

In the end, I’m still just a farm boy who worked hard and got lucky. ”

“Well, beer company or no beer company, you are more than enough, Miles Montgomery.” Her lips tenderly brush against mine.

“I still don’t know how in the world I missed it?

How did I never put it together? EBC comes up all the time.

I get that you told The Crew not to mention it, but what about the rest of the town? ”

“Well, it’s old news around Eastlyn, and you can count on everyone around town to do their best to keep each other humble.

Let’s just say there’s no bragging or putting folks on a pedestal in these parts.

I did think you might have figured it out at the farm.

Again, I didn’t lie to you that day. We do grow the hops for EBC beer.

I just didn’t tell you all the bits and pieces of our organization that day. ”

“No, you certainly did not.”

“You pissed?”

“Honestly?”

“As scared shitless as I am to hear your answer, yes please.”

“I was for a second. But really, I was just embarrassed. But no, I’m not mad.”

“Really?”

“Really.” She circles her hips on my lap. “In fact, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”

“All warm and fuzzy, huh?”

She kisses me again, and I feel the vibration of her confirmation against my lips.

“And why is that?”

She slides off my lap so she’s sitting with her back against the arm of the couch and her tan legs rest across my thighs.

“Well, I’m not going to lie and say knowing I mean enough to you that you would hide this from me doesn’t feel good.

Why would I be upset when you’ve done so much to show me Eastlyn and more importantly you.

I’ve been lied to so many times and by so many people that my gut reaction was anger.

Miles, you didn’t tell me one of the biggest things about you. ”

“I’m sorry, Mase.”

“Thought you weren’t going to apologize.”

Fuck, I love this woman.

“I’m so glad you finally found me.”

“Me too.”

“What took you so long?”