A Kiss to Build a Dream On

Though I'd been working with my father since I'd graduated from college, we'd agreed that I'd take a couple of years away from the family business to try and make a go of running my own brewery. But I still helped him out whenever I could.

Then we both got up and Janelle walked me to the door and suggested I meet with Jerry Donovan and let him know about my interest in the old brewery, and the parcel of land I was looking for. And then after I'd explained that, she suggested I mention that I'd like to take Hailey to the shelter's fund raiser -- just as a friend, of course.

Jerry Donovan looked to be somewhere in his mid-sixties, with a thick head of mostly sandy blond hair, with touches of gray at his temples. I also noticed he had an easy smile that seemed pretty genuine. As soon as I knocked on his open door and told him who I was, his face lit up and he said, "Well then, come on in, and have a seat."

Sitting across from each other, he nodded and seemed pleased when I mentioned that I was interested in buying the old brewery and that I was arranging to have a building inspection done. I also noticed the way his brow shot up when I mentioned who my father was, and that he was looking for a new parcel of land to develop, since everyone in real estate knew my dad.

"Well, I'm sure we can help you with that," he said. "I've worked with your father before, and he's a good man."

"Actually, I was going to ask Hailey if she could look into that for me, too. She's been great helping me with the old brewery."

I noticed the way he smiled as soon as I said her name. "Yeah, Hailey won't have any problem finding you just what you're looking for. She's our top agent again this month, and she's a really bright young lady."

"That's another thing I was going to mention, sir. I'd like to invite her to join me at the annual fund raiser for the local animal shelter that I do some work with. I mean, you know, just as a friend."

He eyed me for a moment, and cocked an eyebrow. "Just as a friend, huh?" And I wondered if he was about to bring up his new office code to explain why I couldn't ask her out.

But then he said, "As well as having proven herself to be a very bright lady, it hasn't escaped my notice that she's also grown into quite a beautiful young woman. So, as you can imagine, she gets a lot of attention because of her looks -- sometimes unwanted attention. I got her some pepper spray and one of those whistles to carry around, just to be on the safe side, because I worry about who she might meet up with when she's showing a property on her own.

"Not sure if she mentioned that she lost her father my brother Ron, when she was just a girl. He died from a heart defect that none of us knew he had when he was only thirty-nine. The last time I laid eyes on him, I was looking down at him in his coffin, and I promised him that I'd do my best to take care of his family for him, so he could rest in peace. And I've tried to do just that.

"When they were growing up, my wife and I included Hailey and her two brothers in everything we did after that, trips to Disney, summers at the cottage, anywhere we went, we brought them along. And we attended all their games and recitals, and took a real interest in them."

I nodded, glad to hear that he'd taken her family under his wing, but was really sorry to learn about her father, especially losing him so young. I imagined it must have been hard on her growing up without her dad.

Then he shook his head thinking back. "She was always a sweet kid and there were times I'd feel bad for her, the only girl surrounded by five rambunctious boys, my three sons and her two brothers. And I swear those little monsters would work at finding ways to torment her. I remember one time at the cottage, Hailey was only about eight or nine, and the boys thought it would be funny if they put a mouse in her bed while she was sleeping. Hailey woke up when she thought she felt something nipping at her foot, and that poor girl screamed loud enough to wake the dead, when she realized what she had crawling around under the covers with her. I ran and got her out of her bed, and she was so upset she couldn't stop crying and could barely catch her breath. Of course I made the boys apologize, but you know after going through something as traumatic as that, I think to this day she might still be afraid of them."

"Yeah, she is," I said without even realizing I was saying it out loud, as I thought about how terrified she was when that mouse ran over her foot. Now I felt awful that I'd teased her about it. Poor kid. I imagined at that age, I'd have screamed my damn head off, too. And now I wanted to go down the hall, pick her and give her a hug, but I thought I'd better finish with her uncle first.

Then I lifted my gaze as he said, "The point I'm trying to make with you son, is that Hailey is more than just a niece to me, she's more like a daughter, since I had a hand in raising her and even convinced her to pursue a career in real estate. And as you can imagine, I'm really proud of how she's turned out." He narrowed his eyes on me. "So I'm going to ask you to tread carefully with my niece."

I heard him loud and clear, but he didn't have to worry about me, or my intentions. I tried my best to reassure him. "Sir, I think the world of her. She's a wonderful lady. And I'd never do anything to hurt her, you have my word."

Finally, he nodded and said, "Well, as long as we understand each other, then I hope you two have a nice time at the dinner." Then he chuckled. "Besides, I keep telling her, all work and no play... is no way to live. The girl's young, she's single and she should be getting out more." Then he surprised me when he winked. "And I think you just might be the one to break her out of her shell."

Relieved to get that out of the way, and that he seemed okay with me, I shook his hand and thanked him and headed down the hallway to see what Hailey thought of having me for a client. But when I went to rap on her open door, seeing that she was on the phone I hesitated. But then when she looked up and saw me, her face broke into a smile and she waved me in.

I took the seat across from her, and I could feel for her as she obviously was trying to help a client who sounded pretty demanding.

"Believe me, Mrs. Harris; I do understand your concerns. And I have called around and spoken to a number of builders. But it doesn't sound like there are any homes being built that can be certified as allergen free. So I think your best option might be to look into having something custom built. You would have to find a builder that you feel you can trust, and go over a list of things you'll want in your house, and of course things you'd want to avoid."

She nodded and seemed to be listening to the client, then said, "Well, cork flooring is one of the better options, obviously you wouldn't want any carpeting that could hold dust and dander, and you'd want to use as little fabric as possible throughout the house. And there are low odor paints that could help as well. Of course you'd have to invest in a good vacuum cleaner and a HEPA filter to keep the air as clean as possible. But unfortunately there don't seem to be any homes being built that would be designed for your needs."

She nodded as he kept on talking, droning on in her ear by the sounds of it, and I imagined that some of her clients could be pretty taxing. Then she rolled her eyes as she tried to nicely tell him thanks, but no thanks. "Actually, Mr. Harris, I don't really think we need to meet for dinner to discuss your daughter's allergies. But I'd be happy to email everything we've just discussed, and you can look it over."

I had feeling her uncle was right, looking the way she did, she got hit on a lot. And I didn't really like the sounds of this guy trying to push her into going out with him.

Finally, she looked relieved when she saw a chance to end the call and quickly said, "Okay, great. That sounds good. And feel free to call if you need anything else."

After she blew out a breath and hung up, she eyed the way I was smiling, but had no idea it was because I'd just gotten the green light from her uncle to start seeing her -- without getting her into trouble.

"So, how were the cookies?" I asked her.

"Good. Thank you. I only had one. Would you like the other one? I can make you a coffee," she offered, holding up the bag with the last cookie.

"No, I'm good. Why don't you save that one for later."

"So... did you meet with Janelle?" She asked, looking a little uncertain, probably wondering if I was only here to say goodbye.

"I did," I confirmed, flashing her a smile. "And she said she'd be fine with letting you have the listing. So, looks like we'll be working together again. And if you have some time this week, we could meet my friend to look everything over."

I decided the way she smiled back, she was pretty pleased, especially with the spark I could detect in those pretty blue eyes as she said, "Well, tomorrow morning works for me."

"Good. I'll call Billy and let him know."

"And I wondered if you had any plans for this coming Sunday, for Valentine's Day?"

She looked a little surprised. "No, not really, why?"

I explained about the shelter's fund raiser, and that I'd already got the tickets. "And I was hoping that maybe you'd like to come as my date."

She looked at me for a minute. "You don't have anyone else you could take?"

"No." I shook my head. "Just you."

She looked disappointed as she explained about what Janelle had told me. "Well, unfortunately our office has a pretty strict policy about fraternizing with clients. So, I don't think I'd be able to go."

"Well, I already checked with your uncle and he said it would be okay, actually said he hoped we'd have a good time together."

She blinked. "Wait. You asked my uncle, before you even asked me?"

I shrugged. "Didn't want you in any trouble, so I thought I'd better check with him first."

Though she gave me an eye roll that made me laugh, she said, "So, what should I be wearing for this dinner?"

Glad that she'd agreed, I said, "Well I'll be in a suit and tie."

Looking me over in my button down shirt and pants, instead of jeans for a change, she flashed me a cute little grin. "Then I guess I'd better wear a dress." And I could already picture how amazing she'd look dressed for a night out.

We sat then and just looked at each other for a minute, both of us smiling, like there something in the air between us. Already I had a feeling she was going to be a big part of my life, possibly even my whole world.

Which was a little crazy considering I'd promised myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone till I'd got this thing done. But now that I'd found her, and hopefully found the perfect location for my brewery, I wasn't going to wait to start seeing her.

The next morning, it was overcast, with a nip in the air and it felt like it might snow. And though she tried to argue, I insisted on picking her up in my truck. Partly to save the wear and tear on her car, and knowing it would be safer if the roads got snowy, but mostly because I thought it would nice to have her with me. As I held open the door for her, I smiled to myself when I noticed she was dressed a lot warmer today in a beige pantsuit with a thigh-length brown fleece-lined jacket. And there were no high heels today. She was in leather riding boots, and pretty stylish ones, too; so there'd be no risk of anything running over her feet.

I couldn't help it, I was just so glad to be with her; before I even put the truck in gear I leaned across the console, took hold of her by the chin, and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Though she looked a little surprised, I noticed she kept smiling over at me as we drove north out of the city. So, I picked up her hand and a pressed a kiss into her palm, chuckling at the way she looked at me, like she wasn't too sure what was going on.

And what was going on was, I had her all to myself, and was really enjoying it. Even just having her beside me as we drove felt nice. So, naturally I'd want to kiss her. She just looked so cute, all bundled up, who wouldn't.

When we got to the old brewery, after I'd helped her out the truck, we stood back together and looked at the place, and though it was old, and needed a little TLC, I knew in my heart this was what I wanted. Then as I wrapped my arms around her from behind and brushed a kiss to the top of her head, I knew I wanted her too, I think even more now than the brewery that had been my dream for the last three years.

Especially when she turned, looked up into my eyes and flashed me the prettiest smile I'd ever seen, I knew she was it for me. I didn't need a couple of years to figure it out, not when the connection felt this strong.

Then as she was getting the combination for the lock out of her purse, she pointed out one of the traps I'd had put around the building. "Hey, I don't think those were there before," she remarked, taking a closer look at the square metal box.

"I had someone from a pest control company come out and put them wherever they thought they could be getting in," I explained.

She stared up at me, looking confused. "But you haven't even bought the place yet."

I shrugged. "Well, thought I might as well get the little critters out, so we can start to clean the place up as soon as I take it over."

And I also didn't want to see her scared like that again, and hopefully these traps would do the trick. I'd done a little research and decided the best course was to get a specialist in as soon as I'd signed the deed, so hopefully the pests would be gone for good. Because I also didn't want to find any mouse dirt around once we started brewing.

Just as Hailey was unlocking the door, Billy drove up in his big silver truck. Every time I saw him I'd forget how big he was -- about six foot six of pure muscle, with thick reddish blond hair and a short red beard. But I hadn't forgotten that he was a bit of a lady's man, especially when he flashed his famous mega-watt smile and made a bee line over to Hailey to introduce himself.

But I was pleased to see that she didn't look all starry-eyed like a lot of women did when Billy turned on the charm, and just said hello and shook his hand.

Then I introduced him to Hailey. "And this is Hailey Donovan, Billy. She's the agent who first showed me this place."

As Hailey got the door unlocked, Billy smiled over her head at me waggling his eyebrows to let me know he thought she was hot. And I shot him a narrow-eyed look that I hoped would let him know that I wanted him to back the fuck off.

He actually chuckled and held up his hands, to let me know he understood, and there wouldn't be any poaching.

Once we got inside, fingers crossed, hoping that everything would be okay, I lead Billy straight to the brew room, and let him have a look. While Hailey took a detour and opened the door to the furnace room that also held the electrical box, so Billy could check that over, too.

After he'd had given the brewhouse a good look over, he said, "Well, from what I can tell, I think everything looks pretty good. But you'll have to clean it up and then test it to know for sure."

I reached out and squeezed Hailey's hand and she smiled up at me, looking as pleased as I felt.

I showed Billy the rest of the building, with Hailey right by my side, with my hand wrapped around hers, like we'd been together forever.

"You're getting this inspected, right?" he asked, as he looked up at the old wooden rafters, shaking his head.

I nodded at Hailey. "Yep, already got it set up," since she'd already called to have someone come by a little later.

He scratched his head, still looking around. "It really is a nice old building, and it's got a lot of character. But I don't know why you don't ask your pops to build you something. I'm sure he'd be happy to, and you wouldn't have to worry about anything going wrong, if you started with something that was brand new."

Finally he looked at me and noticed me subtly shaking my head, and I could that a lightbulb went off in his head and he nodded back that he understood. Only my closest friends knew that my family had money. I'd always tried to keep it to myself. I figured out pretty early in life that people treated you differently if they thought you were wealthy. Not that I didn't trust Hailey, I did. But considering we hadn't really gone out together yet, I wanted her to be with me for me. I'd known enough women who cared more about what they thought they could get from me, than they actually cared about me as a person.

But thankfully what Billy said seemed to have gone right over her head, when Hailey looked up at me, and said, "If you wanted to look at something newer, I noticed a listing this morning in an industrial unit. It's smaller than this, but only a few years old, if you wanted to see it, even just to compare it to this."

My mind was made up, this place just felt right. I shook my head. "No. I don't need to see anything else."

Billy shrugged. "Well, guess you'll have to see what the inspection shows then."

I knew he had my best interest at heart. We'd been friends since we were kids. And the summers I spent working beside him at his family's brewery, inspired me to try opening my own place.

And the research we'd done when we'd taken a year off college to travel the world trying out different brews, and exploring what every city had to offer, had to be the best time I'd ever had.

After he'd left, Hailey and I took a longer look around, and we laughed when we finally found the bathroom, tucked in behind the utility room. Because I'd started to wonder what the former owner did when he heard the call of nature, and I didn't relish the idea of having to go out and find a bush to take care of things.

Then we heard the inspector pulling up outside, and Hailey bit into her lip, looking as nervous as I felt, like she had a stake in the place, too. And to me it was starting to feel like she did, since she'd been in it with me from the start. I squeezed her hand, and dropped a kiss on her forehead before we went and met him at the door.

Hailey was right, the guy was really thorough, and took his time looking everything over. And once he was done, he tapped the form he'd filled in on his clip board and said, "I'll send you my report." But then he pointed to the back of the building. "But I'll tell you right now those old doors at the loading dock should be replaced. And I'd look into having the roof done, too. But otherwise, considering its age, I'd say it's in pretty good shape."

Thrilled to hear that he thought it was okay, I waggled my eyebrows at Hailey and she grinned. This was good news; a new roof and a new set of doors, those were doable.

After he'd left, I let out a breath and said, "Well, I think that went well."

She nodded. "I think so, too."

"So, how about we have an early dinner, since we missed lunch?"

"Sure. But my treat this time."

I just rolled my eyes, because that wasn't going to happen. "I just have to stop by the house, and let the dogs out. They're pretty good, but I don't like to push my luck and leave them alone for too long."

As soon as we drove back, and I opened the front door at my place, Barney and Jake were waiting on the other side already barking like mad and wagging their tales. Every time I left, they acted like I'd been gone for a year.

When we got inside, I told them both to sit, and once they'd calmed down and did as they were told, I introduced them to Hailey. "This big black and white one with the silly grin is Jake, and the gold colored one is Barney." I smiled at her, and said, "And guys, this is Hailey, so no jumping up to say hello, okay? Be nice." Surprisingly, she wasn't fazed by coming face to face with my two big hairy monsters, and instantly bent down and told them, "Oh, you're such gorgeous boys, aren't you?"