Page 38 of Flights and Sights

I nodded slowly. “Yeah. It… it’s from my boss.”

“Everything okay?”

Sinking down on the couch, I nodded again. “I think so. It’s my next assignment.” My stomach turned and my mouth tasted tinged with acid as I confronted the reality that I really was leaving. Soon.

“Is it a good assignment, at least?”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “It’s very good. They want me to go on what they’re calling the ‘Fermentation Trail.’ A tour of different countries to learn about different alcoholic beverages. More about the history of mead, along with sake, palm wine, beer, with room to expand into other topics. I’d be gone for three months. Europe, Asia, Africa.”

Charlie let out a low whistle. “Jesus. That is a good assignment.”

“It is. Besides all the flying, I guess.” I was stunned as I took it all in.

“Yeah… I know that’s not your favorite part.

I laughed and it sounded a little bitter. “That’s an understatement.”

“When do you leave?”

I read the email again. “Two weeks from now.” I’d have exactly one week from the time I left Foggy Basin to go back to home until the day I left for Europe. I looked at Charlie and I knew my face must’ve given something away because he sat up and dropped his voice to a softer tone.

“Hey. You okay?”

I took a shaky breath. “I don’t know. I wasn’t planning to leave again so soon. I have things to take care of back home and… I don’t know.”

Charlie watched me for a moment. My throat tightened and I could feel the sting of emotion in my eyes. “Do you have to go?”

Another slow breath. “I don’t know. I don’t think I have much of a choice. It’s a career-making kind of assignment, you know?”

“How long do you have to decide?”

I took another glance at my phone. “I need to tell him by Friday.”

He hummed quietly. A beat passed before he voiced what I’d been thinking. “So… what about Paxton?”

Chapter 19 - Paxton

Not long after I returned home, just as I was about to make my way to the taproom, my phone began to ring. I didn’t recognize the number, but I reluctantly answered anyway.

“Hello?”

“This is Jade Holloman from the Carson Group calling for Paxton Lowell.”

My stomach twisted as the woman’s voice introduced herself. “That’s me.”

“Mr. Lowell, I’m calling on behalf of two of our investors, Seth Avery and Bill Stanley. Do you have a few minutes to discuss the proposal I sent over?”

“Yeah, of course. Just a second.” I crossed the living room and found a pen and a notepad on my kitchen table. “Sorry. I’m good now. Go ahead.”

“Have you had a chance to look over the proposal?"

As I spoke, I doodled on the notepad, little pictures of bees and hives. “I have. I just looked it over late last night.”

“Did you have any questions? They’re eager to get your answer as soon as possible.”

I hesitated and doodled another bee. “I probably have a lot of questions I haven’t thought of yet,” I said with a chuckle.

Jade laughed, a warm, gentle sound. “Of course. Well, they asked me to reach out today and invite you to visit the office in Santa Clara. You could meet with the investors and our attorneys, ask any questions you might have, and they’d love to have you tour a brewery nearby that’s a part of the investment group. They’re aware it’s not exactly the same, but the partners thought it might give you some insight into what they’re proposing. You’d be able to speak to the staff there as well.”