The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters #2)(52)

All the Adirondack chairs have been arranged in rows facing the outdoor movie screen that Mason set up at the back of the brewhouse. I go in through the brewery door and find him pouring a bag of malt into the gristmill, which is the first step of the process.

“Are you starting a new beer right now?”

“I think so?”

“What about book club?”

Mason finishes emptying the bag into the mill, then leads me through the swinging door into the taproom. The tables have been arranged buffet-style, waiting for everyone’s food contributions.

“Red wine on the table,” he says. “White and rosé in the cooler under the bar. Buffalo chicken dip in the Crock-Pot that’s reputed to be as addictive as crack, so consider yourself warned. Box of crackers, right there. Celery and carrots, also in the cooler.”

“You thought of everything.”

He taps his temple, then points a finger at me.

“Daniel and I thought we’d camp in the woods and teach the kids how to catch lightning bugs,” Mason continues, “but if they get bored or scared or whatever, we’ll bring them home.”

“That’s too much for me to ask of you.”

“Volunteered, remember?”

“Are you going to be okay?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” he says. “But I’ll deal with it.”

“Thank you.”

“What movie are you showing?”

“Thelma & Louise.”

“That’s cheerful.”

I laugh. “It seemed like a movie the book club would appreciate.”

“Oh, they will,” he says, leaning forward to give me a quick kiss. “But if we find Rosemary and Virginia in a convertible at the bottom of the east quarry, that’s on you.”



* * *



“Welcome to the Limestone,” I say as the book club members gather around me outside the brewhouse. “This month’s meeting is a two-parter. Part one is that you get to be our very first guests in the taproom, so come on in.”

Everyone is talking at once as we shuffle inside the building. There are some oohs and aahs. A couple of wows. A breathless whoa.

“Beautiful,” Rosemary says at the same time Tori says, “Awesome!”

“Thank you,” I say. “We’ve got a few finishing touches yet, but I’m really pleased with how it’s coming together.”

“I didn’t think Mason would ever get this place finished,” Pat says, carrying a baking dish filled with fried mac-and-cheese balls to the buffet table. “But I love how he made the old winery part of the building.”

“I’ve been dying to see it up close.” Diane adds a bread bowl filled with spinach dip to the table.

“Me too,” Courtney agrees.

“Grab a drink. Fill a plate. And you’re welcome to have a look around,” I say. “There’s an observation platform up the stairs, but it’s quiet in the brewery tonight.”

“I was hoping we’d get to see Mason in action,” Gail says, waggling her eyebrows in an if you know what I mean way.

“Gail!” Virginia exclaims, scandalized. “You’ve known him since he was a little boy, riding his bike around the island.”

“If you haven’t noticed,” Gail says, “he’s not a little boy anymore.”

Avery looks at me, her eyes wide, and covers her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud.

“Sorry to disappoint, but he’s babysitting tonight.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I feel like I’ve said too much. Glances flutter around the room. Unspoken questions. Word travels fast on Kelleys Island. Surely they’ve heard about the night we were at the Village Pump together. They must be curious.

“Well, I’m delighted to hear that,” Rosemary says. “He’s spent far too much time holed up in this brewery.”

“Anyway,” I say, redirecting their attention away from my personal life. “I thought we could book talk for a bit while we eat, and then head out back for the second part of the night.”

For the next thirty minutes or so, we have a lively discussion about the book—a young adult fantasy set in the Phoenician underworld—pausing only to refill our glasses and plates. For the most part, I keep my mind on book club, but when I pull the Stargazer tap handle, I’m reminded that Mason made it for me, and I’m warmed by the thought.

When the book discussion tapers off, I encourage everyone to refill their glasses before we go outside. We all top up our drinks and head out the back door onto the patio.

Even though the evening is warm, I draped a red polar fleece blanket over the arm of each of their chairs for effect and lit a fire in the pit. The projector is set up on a barstool at the back of the patio.

“We’re hoping to make outdoor movie night a regular feature for guests and locals,” I say. “So, once again, you get to be my canaries in the coal mine. Tonight’s feature was selected especially for you … Thelma & Louise.”

I press play on the projector and settle into an Adirondack chair next to Avery.

“You did so good,” she whispers.

“Thanks,” I say. “But between karaoke and movie night, Mason knows too much about book club. We’re either going to have to kill him or make him an honorary member.”