As his finger hovers over Jaylie, his lips part. It’s like he’s got something to say, but then he shakes his head and it’s gone. After a beat of silence, he continues, “So you don’t do this professionally, then, as shocking as that is to me. Whatdoyou do, Sadie?”
“I’m in marketing.” I’ve said it so many times, my answer is automatic. But then the pain of realization hits, a sharp reminder that—“Well, Iwasin marketing. I lost my job a few weeks ago.”
I wait for the sympathetic wince I’ve seen on every face since I’ve started admitting that fact, but Noah’s expression stays open and curious. “Trying something new?” he asks.
“I’m…taking some time off.”
“That’s good.”
A bolt of annoyance flashes through me. How could he know whether it’s a good thing for me? The harsh disappointment at losing what I’d thought was my dream job twists beneath my ribs again, and I have to clear my throat before I continue. “Just for the summer, though. I’ll be back to work in New York soon enough.” I nod once—sharp, decisive—and try to relax. “What about you? Liam said Alchemist has only been around for a couple of months. Is that when you moved here?”
“Yeah. A buddy of mine from college always dreamed of opening a brewery. Dumbass kept trying to brew in our dorm room before they caught him,” Noah says fondly. He shrugs one shoulder. “I didn’t really have anything else going on, so I said I’d help out.”
I stare at the license plate of the car ahead of us to hide my surprise. Until recently, I hadn’t known what it was like tonot really have anything else going on,so I just ask, “Do you like it?”
“So far! It’s so new to me, it’s hard to tell. But I like meeting new people. And the free booze doesn’t hurt.”
“And how do you like Heller?”
“Heller’s great!”
I don’t try to suppress the laugh that bubbles up. “Really?” I say dryly. “Liam says that Alchemist is the most exciting thing to happen to this town in the past decade.”
“That makes me something of a local celebrity, then, doesn’t it? No wonder I’m enjoying myself.” Noah’s tone is light with amusement, and it reminds me briefly of Loren.
Finally we reach the brewery, and as I weave around cars in its half full parking lot, I’m afforded my first glance of Heller’s newest gem. A wide deck wraps around the front of the building and extends into the back, with twinkling fairy lights and hanging orange canopies stretched over top. Paired with the late afternoon sun now warming the horizon, the budding lights and neon “A” sign buzzing over the door paint a welcoming invitation.
But Noah hasn’t moved yet. He’s still lounging in the passenger seat, elbow propped on the center console. “What about you? Do you like Heller?” he asks, his head tilted.
“It’s so new to me, it’s hard to tell,” I say, echoing his earlier assessment. “It’s…hot,” I add helpfully. Grumpily.
He laughs, but his smile lingers. “Maybe we can explore it together.” His tone lilts up at the end, turning it into a question. His gaze skates across the horizon like he’s mapping it all out.
And then he trains his clear blue eyes on me.
His suggestion hangs in the air between us, humming with possibility. I’m caught off guard, but I can’t help the flash of intrigue that blooms in my chest. It would be nice, maybe, to explore this town with someone who’s as displaced as me—someone who looks at Heller as an adventure to be had, ripe with undiscovered magic and opportunity. Already Noah’s cheerful company has been a welcome distraction, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s so easy on the eyes, either.
Maybe I could use some of his sunshine to chase away my storm-cloud perspective.
Noah tosses his chin toward Alchemist. “Start here. Come in for a minute and see the place.” The brewery’s fairy lights reflect in his eyes when he offers, “First drink’s on the house.”
I consider it. Even from my car I can hear the jaunty crooning of a folk song carrying from the speakers set up outside, and the temptation of a beer to relax the tension in my shoulders almost has me reaching to turn off the ignition. I can’t lie and say I’m not eager to quiz Noah about how he ended up in Heller. I wonder, too, if I’m imagining the hopeful note in his invitation—but then again, Noah’s overt friendliness is likely what entices many patrons through those glass doors in the first place. It’s probably the same charm he turned on Liam, enough to be invited to our D&D group.
It’s hardly a charm I’m immune to, but for today, I’ve reachedmy quota for new experiences. Reminders of my joblessness and all the groceries I said I wanted to buy circle my thoughts, and I shake my head. I’m just not there yet. Anxiety pools in my stomach.
“I’ve got to make a grocery run,” I say lamely, my smile feeling forced as it stretches my cheeks wide. “I told Liam I’d pick up the TP this week. I’m his only hope.” Unwilling to completely shut the figurative door, I add hopefully, “Next time?”
“Next time.” Noah reverently sets my sketchbook on top of the dashboard before reaching to pat my forearm. He gives it a brief squeeze. “Drive safe, Sadie. And thanks for the ride.”
He shrugs back into his flannel and exits the car, giving a two-fingered salute before he disappears into the brewery.
Chapter
Four
I’m running calculations. Midway through my fourth week of unemployment and a third of the way through my fifth cup of instant ramen this week, I sit at the guest room’s tiny desk and squint at my bank account totals. Although I’ve always kept some savings set aside for emergencies, it turns out that my rainy-day fund accounts for only a light drizzle—not the steady downpour of facing a whole summer with no work. Even with Liam’s generosity and weeks of ramen and PB&Js, I won’t last longer than another month or two at best without some additional income. Not when I’m still paying my roommates rent for the NYC apartment that I’m not even living in.
I need a new plan.
