“So give me all the details about this new project,” Naomi said, lifting her cup to her lips. “I’ve been working on the numbers all week and I’m dying to know when it’s going to start.”
Becca tipped her head to the side. “What project?”
“The new Scotch single malt. If I have to calculate any more construction costs and commodity prices I think I’m going to pull my hair out. I know you guys go crazy about crops and the quality of the ingredients, but do you know how much it’s going to cost to grow and malt ourselves? Surely you could just buy some on the market.” Naomi shook her head, her pink lips curling into a smile.
Like Becca, Naomi had joined GSC straight from college. As a business major, she’d been a natural choice to become a junior accountant when a position opened in the finance department. Along with Mia, she was also one of Becca’s closest friends at work. They’d been the inaugural founders of the coffee club, having bonded over their mutual disgust of the powdered swill that GSC brought in.
“I haven’t heard about a project.” Becca kept her voice light, but her chest felt tight. If there were plans, she should have heard of them. When Nathan was running operations, she would probably have been the first to hear. He liked to use her as a sounding board – that’s how the International Blend came to life.
She wasn’t expecting Daniel or Eliana to give her any special treatment. But she was one of GSC’s best distillers, and it hurt to be cut out.
“Oh.” Naomi’s face fell. “I thought you would have. I figured you’d be involved in the planning. Especially after you did so well with the International Blend.”
Talk of the International Blend still stung after her meeting with Daniel. “Maybe they want to keep their cards close to their chests. I’m sure I’ll hear soon.” She drained her cup and put it in the sink. “I should get back. I have a billion things to check before I clock out for the night.”
It was already past six in the evening. Usually, she liked to leave early on Friday nights. It was the one night a week that all of Hartson’s Creek got together at the water’s edge to spend time together and drink sweet lemonade. Known locally as Chairs, because of the fact they all took their own chairs to place on the grassy lawns, it was a local institution. The women talked out their problems, the children played, and the men either threw themselves into it or grumbled about being dragged along.
Or, if they were her brothers, they headed to the Moonlight Bar instead.
“Oh, hey, I was going to ask you for a favor,” Naomi said before Becca walked out of the kitchen.
“Sure?” Becca smiled at her. “What can I do?”
“Remember how Alex used to be in the Army?” Alex was Naomi’s husband. The two of them lived in a pretty cottage on the edge of town.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“One of his old buddies is flying in for a visit next week. We were wondering if you’d like to join the three of us for dinner?”
“As in a double date?”
“As in I thought we could have some fun. Shawn’s a good guy, and he’s only in town for a few days. If it’s the three of us then the guys are going to end up talking to each other and I’ll have to smile and nod in the right places. If you come we can dance and ignore them.” Naomi looked at her imploringly. “Come, please?”
“Don’t you have any other single schmucks for friends?”
Naomi grinned. “None as easy to persuade as you.”
Becca laughed. “So you’re saying you’re only asking me because I’m a pushover?”
“I’m asking because I want to spend some time with you. It’ll be fun.” She grabbed Becca’s hand and squeezed. “Say yes. Otherwise I’ll pull all of my beautiful hair out.”
Becca rolled her eyes at Naomi’s dramatics, though a smile pulled at her lips. “Okay.”
Naomi squealed and Becca shook her head. “I’m only doing t
his because I love you. And because you’re going to keep me updated with what’s going on with this new project.”
“I’m not above a little corporate espionage to get what I want.”
Yeah, and nor was Becca by the looks of it. She was still irritated by the fact she didn’t have an inkling about this project.
“I’ll see you later. Have a good weekend.” Becca lifted her hand.
“Friday night. I promise it’ll be fun. Shawn’s off to the Middle East after his leave, so there’s no commitments. We can wear pretty dresses and dance our asses off.” Naomi lifted her brows. “That’ll give him something to remember when he’s in Afghanistan.”
Becca shook her head and sighed. She’d wear the kind of things she always wore. Jeans and a cute top would work perfectly. “I don’t need to show him my legs to give him something to remember.” She blew Naomi a kiss and walked out of the kitchen, right into Eliana Scott-Carter.
The single malt – and her lack of involvement in it – was still playing on her mind. Her brows pinched together.