Authors: Liz Crowe
Paradise Hops
Paradise Hops
By
Liz Crowe
Paradise Hops
A
Sizzlin’ Book
published by permission of the author
Copyright © 2012 by Liz Crowe
Cover Art and Design by Mina Carter
All rights reserved.
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ISBN: 978-0-9859911-0-4
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Other Titles by Liz Crowe
from Sizzlin’ Books:
Stewart Realty Series:
Floor Time
Sweat Equity
Closing Costs
Essence of Time
Conditional Offer
Standalone Titles:
Vegas Miracle
Coming Soon:
Escalation Clause (Stewart Realty Book 6)
Honey Red
Man On (Black Jack Gentlemen Book 1)
You can find out more about Liz Crowe and her books
(including a complete backlist) on her website: www.lizcrowe.com
Sizzlin’ Books is a Division of Tri Destiny Publishing
Find us online at www.sizzlinbooks.com
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Prologue
Lori Brockton tossed her keys on the kitchen counter and held the phone against her shoulder. After easing out of shoes that had tightened through the day, she leaned against the island, smiling at Garrett’s next words. “So, how about it? A little celebration dinner. Friday night?”
“I don’t know. I mean I am trying to avoid you. Can’t you tell?” She pulled the pony tail holder from her hair and ran fingers through its still slightly sweaty strands. It had been a long, stressful day on the brewery floor. And, while she welcomed Garrett’s call, the memory of their last argument still wore a groove in her psyche. Thoughts of Eli, her company’s brewmaster, tumbled around in her head. His amazingly sexy, yet utterly aggravating bossy manner, the way his strong torso flexed beneath his T-shirts, memories of that tattoo…. She shook her head and tried to focus on who was speaking to her. Garrett Hunter, the man she should love—did love if she would only admit it to herself.
But Eli would not leave her alone, at least in her own mind. His focused creativity had worked wonders for her family’s brewery, and their time together for the past six months as she did her brewing rotation had changed her in ways she never thought possible. She put a hand over her eyes, banishing the tall blonde brewer from her thoughts.
The recent weekend away with Garrett had been turbulent, sexy and full of tension. She’d been exhausted and unsure about everything by the time he dropped her at home a few days ago. He’d made himself scarce since then, avoiding her, which was easy since their paths would only normally cross if he went out of his way to come down to the brewery floor. While part of her had been grateful for the space, she’d caught herself being disappointed by his absence.
His deep, gravelly, slightly southern lilt was like a balm to her nerves as it poured through the phone line. “I know, I know. But I thought we could talk about that; that you would let me explain why I was with—”
She interrupted him. “Garrett, I know I shouldn’t have been such a bitch about you talking to Sullivan.” She groaned at the memory. Garrett had gone way outside of his comfort zone, finally getting spontaneous, at her request by joining her up at her family’s lake house. She’d spoiled it by insisting he justify a conversation with a potential brewery investor to her. “I…I trust you. I truly do. I know you’re only doing what’s best for us, I mean, you know, for the company.” The long silence between them said more than any words. She sighed. “I really do trust you, Garrett, and I’m sorry for flipping out.”
He cleared his throat, as if stalling or trying to find the right response. “It’s okay. I know that’s hard for you to admit. That whole “t” word thing.”
She could hear him shuffling papers around, pecking at his laptop. If she closed her eyes she actually could picture his handsome, near-perfect face; likely dark with stubble by that time of day. His stunning green eyes would be pensive and worrying—always worrying—about her. “Shit.” She mumbled berating herself as a quick vision of Eli’s snapping blue eyes and smart mouth flashed through her brain. Such a perfect foil to Garrett’s calm, cool, collected, be-suited, and very controlled personality. Controlled, and controlling. It was something that grated—his need to manage everything in his life, including her.
How she’d gone from frightened victim to confident woman with a killer boyfriend in the span of a year still boggled her mind. And how she was going to resolve her own teenager’ish crush on the man who brewed their beer was beyond her.
The mail lay in a jumbled heap at the bottom of the front door. She picked it up as Garrett repeated his dinner invitation while making noises about “a surprise.” She flopped into the chair and picked up a few bills, tossing them aside for later in favor of a creamy envelope with the emblem of a famous German brewing school embossed on the return corner. Her heart pounded. She sat up straighter, nearly dropping her phone. Garret’s next words made her gasp and put a hand over her mouth at the reality of what she held.
“I love you.”
She startled, as her brain split between what he had just said and the piece of mail that she held. “What?” She stood, paced, still gripping the unopened envelope.
“You heard me.”
Her scalp tingled at his words. Then a frown pushed the smile off her face at the hard realization of the letter in her hand. It was an acceptance. It had to be, as thick as it was. She had told her father she was applying to the prestigious brewing school in Germany. He’d balked at first, but supported her, as he always did. She’d made him promise not to tell Garrett. Eli had helped her fill out the forms and had given her advice about the online test she had to take. He had also read and ripped her final application essay to shreds, pissing her off to no end. But it had been much better once she got over herself and rewrote the whole thing.