Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)

Maybe she was the one who wanted to head straight to bed.

“All right,” Jamie said, dusting off his hands. The sandwich seemed to have disappeared in three bites. “Let’s see your plans.”

Thoughts of going to bed burned off in a flash of excitement, and Olivia had to fight the urge to clap her hands in giddy anticipation. “Okay,” she said. “Come on. I set up a chair for you in my office.”

“Yeah? Can I start calling you Ms. Bishop again?”

She rushed ahead to arrange the chairs and tidy up the desk before he walked in. Then she sat down and put both her hands flat on the folder as she waited for him to get settled.

Her blood felt like it was shivering in her veins.

“Um, are you ready?” he asked after a few moments.

She took a deep breath and turned on the monitor. “We’ll start with something exciting first. I worked with the photos you sent me. I’m no designer, but…” Olivia clicked open the first photo, which showed the front of the brewery as it was now, a white sidewalk laid along the base of a plain brick wall. “This is what the front looks like now. And this is what I was thinking for an outdoor eating space….” She pulled the next picture up, her eyes darting over all the details. The long wooden deck, the dark green table umbrellas, complete with Donovan Brothers logos, the casual tables and chairs that would allow Boulderites to relax with a beer in their favorite place: the outdoors.

“Outdoor space?” Jamie murmured.

“I know we didn’t talk about that, but I thought it would be a great way to add more eating area during your busiest months. Not only does it give you room for six more tables, but it’s like a living advertisement for the brewery.”

“It’s really nice,” he said, nodding.

“Okay, let’s go inside.” She clicked to the photo of the interior. “Per your request, I didn’t want to change much here, but…” She opened the mock-up picture of the front room. “I think square tables will let you add a few more seats, not to mention that it will offer the option of pushing tables together to make space for larger parties. But we can use the same chairs you have now, which will save money.”

“Mmm. Good.”

She dared a sideways look at him, trying to read his face, but for once, she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Here’s the menu. It’s only a draft, of course. And I had to guess at the beer pairings, but…” She loved this menu. It had been so much fun. Who wouldn’t have fun developing a pizza menu?

She’d used Jamie’s ideas, and created some pies of her own. As he’d suggested, she’d added some salads, plus the option of a French onion soup. The soup could simmer on the stove all day, then the chef could simply add bread and cheese and run it through the pizza oven to toast it up.

After a few moments of grinning at her own creation, she realized Jamie hadn’t said anything yet. She cleared her throat. “The menu is simple and small, so you can leave it right at the table with your beer menus. Or you could incorporate the two. Either way, your customers can sit where they like. You won’t need a hostess.”

“Good. That’s great. I really like it.”

Did he? She could hardly tell. Olivia’s heart sank as she opened the next picture. “The kitchen,” she said simply.

He grunted in response.

Now her heart had sunk low enough to ache. “Is there something wrong? Is it not what you wanted?”

“No. No, it’s exactly what I wanted. I’m only tired. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said, but she couldn’t keep the confusion from her voice.

“I’m sorry,” Jamie repeated. He did sound sorry, but was it only regret that he couldn’t compliment her plans?

She slumped in her seat, staring at the layout of the new kitchen. “I chose a midrange model pizza oven,” she said dully. “I think it will serve your needs.”

“Maybe we should go to bed,” he interrupted. “I’m insulting your hard work, and I don’t want to do that. I never want to do that. It’s just…”

“What?”

He turned to meet her gaze, and Olivia finally found the emotion she’d been searching for in him. But it wasn’t the right one. It was…despair.

“Jamie? What’s wrong?”

He stared at her, lips parted as if he’d speak, but in the end, he only shook his head and looked away. “I’m tired. And the fight…”

“Let’s go to bed, then. The rest will wait until morning. It’s all budgets and schedules and boring numbers.”