Page 21 of Blizzards and Brews
“I hear you have good news?” Adam prompted after taking a long sip.
The lights overhead flickered and the wind whistled a bit harder.
“That’s not ominous at all,” I muttered.
“We can always call it earlier than we planned if need be,” Adam said. “Let’s hear the news and get this festival meeting out of the way. We need to stay on track if we’re going to make delivery for distribution.”
“I’d tell you not to worry,” Spencer said, “but I doubt that would help. What I will tell you is that I’ve helped companies do this numerous times and I know what it takes to stay on track and make it happen. Plus, we haven’t gotten to the good news yet.”
“Alright,” Adam said, nodding. “Hit us with it.”
“Your numbers look good,” Spencer said. “Real good. Honestly, for a company your size, they’re by far the best I’ve ever seen. You’re not going to have a problem supporting the initial starting cost for the investment and with the projections I’ve done from the market, and the reputation Holiday Brews already has, the risk should be minimal.”
“That’s great news,” Lindsay said, a smile slipping onto her lips.
It was the first one I’d seen on her today and I hoped it wasn’t the last. We’d loved this place long before we’d ever drank, back when my dad used to own it. I knew it meant as much to her as it did to me, and the fact that we could share in this place and success now was just another layer of the bonds between us. Just one on the journey to the ultimate one.
“I’m sure that love has a lot to do with you and Autumn making that instagram account,” Ollie said, looking fondly at our girl.
“It definitely improved your reach,” Spencer said before taking a sip of his coffee, leaning into Ollie. I could tell from where I was sitting he’d reached out for Lindsay too, the telltale sign of her tucking her hair behind her ear telling me everything I needed to know.
She liked him. More than liked him.
It was her go to tell, and one that had kept the hope alive for me for years. It had been quiet recently, no sly tucks behind her adorable ears as she spouted her fiery words, and seeing it again, even if it wasn’t directed at me, made me feel good.
I’d always known I’d have to share Lindsay, and I was okay with that. But, I’d always have a piece of her that was solely mine, too.
“What are those?” I asked, nodding at the folder Spencer had placed on the bar.
“These,” he said, excitedly, “are my other piece of good news. I hope you don’t mind but I called an artist friend of mine who owed me a favor. They did some preliminary mock-up ideas and sketches for the seasonal line. I wanted to see what you think.”
He pulled them from the folder, passing different ones to each of us. They were rough line drawings, but it was clear to see the talent and thought that had been poured into them. The fact that he’d been able to get these for us on such short notice meant he had pulled serious strings and he’d done it for us.
Holly decorated the mock label in my hand, dispersed between the cheery design boasting our brewery information and our craft beer Holihaze IPA. It was the right balance of playful while still bringing the rustic charm we prided ourselves on.
What really stopped me in my tracks was the small, silhouetted logo near the edge, boasting it was proudly brewed in Holiday Hollow, North Carolina.
There were four figures of varying height. “Is that?” I asked.
Spencer looked over at me and nodded. “It’s your pack. Obviously these are all still preliminaries and we can tweak or change whichever you like, but I thought you all deserved some representation on the wonderful product you worked so hard creating.”
Lindsay didn’t refute his words, or challenge him calling us a pack and from the wide smile on my brother’s lips I knew they considered that a win.
“Let me see the others,” she said, breaking the moment.
The five of us went around talking about each mock-up and going over what we liked and what we’d liked tweaked. Which didn’t end up being much. Whoever his friend was, they were extremely talented and knew their demographic.
For a blissful moment with all five of us working together, I got a glimpse of our possible future. Of what it could be like.
Of course, then that was when the lights went out completely.
“Fuck,” Adam cursed, looking at his phone. “I didn’t realize how much time had passed. Let me check the storm again.”
Instead of waiting for him, I got up and went for the door, not even needing to open it up to realize we were fucked.
The town had turned white, the visibility minimal. Snow had even started to bank against the seal, climbing up the glass.
“Guys,” I said. “There’s no way we’re opening today.”