Pride and Porters

by Charlotte Greene

  “Wh-what?” Erin asked.

  “You know what I’m talking about, Erin. You drove her away.”

  “How did you—how could you—”

  Lydia shook her head. “I know because Aunt Eddie told me, stupid.”

  “Told you what? What could she have possibly told you? Darcy and I aren’t anything. I mean, we barely—”

  “Oh, save it, Erin. Aunt Eddie told me everything.”

  Erin still couldn’t believe what she was hearing. What on earth could Aunt Eddie have told her? She didn’t know anything about their affair. How could she?

  “I don’t understand, Lydia. I really don’t. What did she say?”

  Lydia sighed, rolling her eyes. “Christ. Do you really want it spelled out? I told you I know everything.”

  “Tell me what you know.” Erin could barely keep the impatience from her voice.

  Lydia sighed again. “Fine. I’m in Vegas, right? With Geo?”

  Erin nodded.

  “We’re minding our own business. We got this great suite at the Flamingo because Geo is so good at poker. He’s like a high roller, or whatever.”

  “Okay,” Erin said, making a rolling motion with her hands. “I get it. Geo’s a swell guy.”

  Lydia glared at her. “As I was saying, before you interrupted me: we were in Vegas. I was still pretty mad at him after the whole robbery thing, but he kept saying he would be fine—that there were no witnesses or anything. I didn’t even know I could get into trouble, too. Anyway, we’re just hanging out, watching TV, and there’s this loud knock on the door—almost pounding. We both freeze. I’m sure we were thinking the same thing: it’s the police. Then I hear Aunt Eddie calling my name, and when I open the door, there she is.”

  Erin nodded again. She’d been wondering about this part of things. Her aunt had been evasive about how she’d found Lydia and gotten her to California, but Erin had thought she was simply being modest, not wanting to give herself credit and to save Lydia some embarrassment.

  “Go on,” Erin said.

  “The thing is, Aunt Eddie wasn’t alone.”

  “Oh?”

  “Two other people were with her. One was a little guy wearing a swear-to-God fedora hat and trench coat. He looked like an extra in a bad detective movie. The other person was Darcy.”

  “What?” Erin couldn’t help but shout.

  Lydia laughed. “That’s what I said. I was like, ‘What are you doing here?’ And Aunt Eddie was like, ‘I could ask the same thing,’ and I said, ‘Not you, her!’ and pointed at Darcy.”

  She was quiet after this, grinning. Erin finally couldn’t take it. “And? What was Darcy doing there?”

  “I’m not supposed to tell you. I wasn’t even supposed to tell you she was there. She and Aunt Eddie made me promise not to say anything.”

  “Goddamn it, Lydia. Stop screwing around already. Just tell me the whole story.”

  Lydia laughed. “Well, let me ask you this. Who do you think bailed me out?”

  Erin’s heart seemed to skip a beat. Some of her surprise must have shown on her face, since Lydia laughed. “Exactly! It isn’t like Daddy or Aunt Eddie have that kind of money, not in ready cash like that, anyway. California seriously jacks up the cost of bail.”

  “You mean Darcy paid for your bail?”

  “Yes, she did. Right before you, Jen, and Dad got there. She also tracked me and Geo down. She hired some people in Vegas while Daddy and Eddie were still in California. Anyway, she and Eddie flew me back to California, and then Darcy bailed me out the next morning. She disappeared before you got there, but she must have stayed in town, working her magic. No way were the charges dropped without some serious help.”

  Again, Erin was shocked. “You mean like bribes? That can’t be true. Things like that happen only in the movies.”

  Lydia shook her head and then shrugged. “I guess. I don’t know for sure, but I do know that one day I’m looking at ten-to-twenty, and the next I’m on a plane home.”

  “Jesus,” Erin said. Her legs felt weak, and she pulled out one of the stools nearby and sat down on it heavily. Her head was whirling. If all of this was true, they basically owed Darcy Lydia’s life.

  Lydia seemed guilty now, her eyes darting around. “Don’t tell Darcy I told you though, okay? Or Aunt Eddie? I’m supposed to keep it a secret.” She glanced away and set her rag down on the table. “Anyway, I think I will go home to Dad’s place, if you don’t mind.”

  She paused, seeming, finally, to realize how upset Erin was. She touched Erin’s shoulder, making her meet her eyes. “That woman loves you, Erin. You’re really stupid if you don’t go after her.”

  Erin didn’t respond, and a moment later Lydia walked out the door.

  * * *

  Erin spent the new few days in a daze. Jen noticed she was acting strangely, but Erin managed to blame it on stress related to the festival and their impending expansion. Truthfully, she could hardly keep her mind on work. She was still in shock over what Lydia had told her.

  She was tempted to call and ask Aunt Eddie to confirm what Lydia had said, but she also didn’t want Lydia to feel like she’d betrayed her trust. She’d promised not to say anything, which meant she needed to think of a way to get Aunt Eddie to admit it on her own. Once or twice, between tasks in the brewery and sitting alone at home, Erin was tempted to call Darcy, but that was the last thing she should do, even if she was desperate to hear her voice.

  Erin was also thinking about what Lydia had said—about going after what you wanted. Lydia had clearly fallen for and gone after the wrong guy, but she did have a point. Maybe if Jen had chased Charlie, gotten him alone, and admitted how she felt about him, the two of them would have had a chance. And maybe if Erin had been honest from the beginning about her feelings for Darcy—admitted them to herself and to everyone else—she could have had a chance with Darcy, too.

  It seemed too late now to do anything about Darcy. It had been too long since they’d seen each other, and it was so complicated now. Erin would figure out a way of thanking her for Lydia, something that wouldn’t embarrass her too much, but that would have to be it. It was too much to rake up all that pain again. Darcy hadn’t contacted her since Aspen, and it was clear she wanted to stay away. Erin had decided that Darcy had done what she’d done for Lydia out of guilt over Charlie and Jen, a kind of parting gift. Helping Lydia had been an apology, even if, as far as Darcy knew, no one knew about her involvement but their aunt and her little sister.

  Unlike Oktoberfest, the first morning of Valentine’s Day Fire and Ice Festival dawned with bitter, biting cold. It was, however, sunny and bright out, and the sun woke Erin from a deep sleep. Like Lydia, she’d been moping around a little the last few days, her moods vacillating between elation and depression, but today she would have to put all that on pause. They would be busy from tonight until Monday, and she still needed to double-check that their Valentine’s Ale tap was up and running. She’d let an assistant brewer, Javi, set it up last night without her, knowing he could handle it, but he would want her to check his work. Once the expansion was completed this summer, she planned to promote him to full brewer. She and Jen had already decided this would be a natural next step for him, and no one deserved it more than he did.

  Erin dressed carefully in thick, burgundy corduroy pants and a heavy, yellow flannel shirt under a dark-blue sweater. Because the street in front of their brewery would be closed to traffic for the festival, they’d received permission from the city to set up a small beer garden right in the street. There would be tables and heat lamps for guests, but it would still be very cold once the sun set. Erin would be inside and outside all night tonight, and she would have to stay as warm as possible despite the chill. Even with the cold, the city was expecting record attendees, and the last thing Erin needed to worry about was the weather. More than likely, she’d get overly hot from running around all day and night, but that was always better than freezing. Lydia had volunteered to be a seco
ndary outside runner, which was no small task, and Erin was a little worried that Lydia would bungle it. When Lydia volunteered, she seemed eager to help, and Jen was convinced she’d turned over a new leaf in the last couple of days. Maybe she was starting to realize how much people had done for her to get her back home. Erin wasn’t convinced, but maybe, at the very least, Lydia was hoping for some good tips this weekend, which meant she would have to work harder than usual.

  The morning and afternoon of the first day passed in a blur of last-minute activity. Once they had checked and double-checked the beer lines, with backup kegs at the waiting, they had to wait for the city to close the street outside, which ended being much later in the day than anticipated. Customers were already starting to come in the door before they had a chance to set up their beer garden outside, and once again, Erin was forced to call Lottie for assistance.

  She showed up with Will, who immediately made himself useful, carrying chairs and heat lamps tirelessly and without complaint. It was the first time since Estes that Erin had been around him for more than a few seconds in passing, and she found she no longer resented him like she had. This whole mess with Lydia had put a lot of things in perspective, and holding on to a twenty-plus-year grudge wouldn’t do her any good. That didn’t make what he’d done when they were kids right, but she was willing to think he had changed with time. And hell, even if he hadn’t, he was good at moving heavy things, which was what they needed more than anything right now.

  She, Jen, Lydia, and all the other employees took shifts outside in the beer garden and inside in the overly crowded tasting room. It was bitterly cold out, even with the heat lamps, especially working with cold beer. Hardly anyone could take the chill for long, which meant a constant rotation of employees and customers inside and out all night.

  By ten that evening, as the festival wrapped up for the first night, everyone was drooping with fatigue. Erin’s shoulders were tight and hot from all the things she’d been carrying. Would she even be able to move her arms tomorrow?

  She was sitting backward at the front counter on a stool, resting her back against the bar. A few customers were still in there, but most of the people sitting around the tasting room were staff nursing a celebratory beer. Everyone looked as exhausted as she was. Lottie and Will were next to her at the front. Lottie was sitting, Will standing in front of her, her arms around him. They were whispering and giggling, and Erin couldn’t help but grin at them occasionally. Now, seeing them together like she had the last few hours, she could more clearly understand why Lottie liked him. He was obviously devoted to her and very affectionate, and that could go a long way with some people. He would never be good enough for her, but that would probably be the case with anyone. No one was good enough for Lottie because she was basically one of the best people in the world.

  Jen was standing by one of the long tables in the center of the room, chatting with Lydia and some of the other employees. They were a little too far away for Erin to hear them clearly, but everyone was laughing at something Lydia had just said. Jen was flushed and happy, and even Lydia seemed to be enjoying herself.

  The front door opened, and everyone looked in that direction. While they were technically open for another hour, it was unusual for anyone to show up this late. Further, the two people in the doorway stood out from everyone in the room. Their winter clothes, unlike the Coloradoans’, were formal—cashmere overcoats and leather gloves.

  It was Charlie and Darcy.

  Everyone but the few remaining customers recognized them on sight. All the brewery employees had seen them often enough to know who they were, and everyone who worked here knew what had happened between Jen and Charlie. The room fell completely silent as they stepped in.

  Charlie paled visibly, and Darcy’s frown was even more grim than usual. She didn’t look at Erin. Her eyes, like Charlie’s, remained rooted on Jen, whose mouth was open. Erin watched it close with an audible snap a moment later. Her face, like Charlie’s, lost all its color.

  No one said anything for a long moment, though Charlie opened his mouth a couple of times and closed it, swallowing and licking dry lips. He seemed to make himself take another step or two into the room, and Darcy actually pushed him a little from behind.

  Charlie suddenly seemed to realize that everyone in the room was watching him, and he glanced around briefly before gazing at Jen again.

  They spoke at the same time.

  “Jen, I wanted—”

  “What are you doing here?”

  They both blushed a little and smiled.

  “Go ahead,” Jen finally said.

  He cleared his throat, his eyes again darting around the room and the audience before settling on her. “Jen, I wanted to see you again. I wanted to talk, to explain…” He shook his head. “No, that’s not true—there’s nothing to explain. I was an ass, and I was wrong. I hurt you, and I’ll never forgive myself.”

  He took a few steps closer to her. They were still several feet apart, and a few people sat in the stools between them, but their eyes remained locked.

  He cleared his throat again. “Jen, I was wondering if you would give me a second chance. You see—I love you. My life these last months has meant nothing to me—nothing at all. And the reason is you. You’re why I want to get up in the morning. You’re why I want to keep living. I loved you the moment we met, and I’ve never stopped.”

  After a tense pause, all eyes in the room turned to Jen. Her face was frozen in shock and surprise. Her lips began to tremble as she held back tears.

  Seeming to draw strength from her silence, Charlie took a few more steps toward her. They were now within touching distance, but he kept his hands at his side. His eyes were red too, and he was trembling.

  “I’m willing to turn in my resignation at work. Today, on my way here, I drafted my letter to the board of trustees.” He pulled out his phone and waved it. “All I have to do is hit Send, and I’m free of them. I can leave Boston behind with no regrets. All I want is here, is you.”

  Jen burst out sobbing and launched herself at him. His arms were open to catch her, and they were soon whirling together, lips clasped in a kiss. The room erupted in cheers and clapping, whistles, and shouts. Several people rose to clap and cheer, a few of them slapping Charlie on the back. Jen and Charlie pulled apart a moment later, their beaming eyes still locked on each other, smiles wide and happy.

  Jen released Charlie a moment later to hug Lydia and Lottie, who had rushed over, and when she stepped away from them, she turned again into Charlie’s arms. He paused, held up a hand, and everyone in the room watched as he pulled out his phone. He held it up for the crowd and dramatically hit the Send button for what was presumably his resignation letter. He put his phone away, grabbed Jen, and soon they were kissing again. Friends, coworkers, and strangers began clapping and cheering once more.

  Erin was on her feet now, but she remained next to the bar, alone. She’d watched the reunion with a disbelief that gradually changed to joy. Charlie and Jen looked so right together. These last months apart, the problem hadn’t simply been that Jen was missing him. Jen had also been missing a part of herself. She seemed whole again there in his arms.

  Erin made eye contact with Lydia, who, after hugging Jen, had moved away from the center of the room and closer to her. They shared a wide grin and moved closer together. Lottie joined them a moment later, and all three hugged with simple relief. They’d seen what had just happened. Not only had Charlie returned, but Jen had too.

  Jen caught sight of this exchange and released herself from Charlie for a moment, coming over to them. Already her face had regained its usual happy calm. The depression of the last months had slipped away as if it had never been. She and Erin stared at each other for a moment, both smiling, before Erin moved forward to give her a long hug.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Erin whispered in her ear.

  When they pulled apart, tears were falling from Jen’s eyes. She was obviously too overco
me to say anything, but she nodded. A moment later Jen was turning toward Charlie, and Erin watched her walk toward him and into her future.

  The scene between her sister and Charlie had been so absorbing, Erin had forgotten to see how Darcy was taking all this. When she did, a crowd of coworkers and customers stood where she’d been, beaming as happily as she was. But when Erin moved around the edge of the room to see if Darcy was standing behind them, she didn’t see her. She looked around wildly, but her growing dread confirmed what she thought she already knew.

  Darcy was gone.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Erin’s stomach dropped, and a hot wave of panic swept through her. She searched the tasting room one more time, but Darcy had left—without saying anything to Erin. As far as Erin knew, she hadn’t even looked at her. She’d come, she’d done something wonderful, and she’d vanished.

  Erin stood outside the ring of well-wishers around Jen, dumbfounded and disappointed. She watched Jen and Charlie again, both of whom had an arm clasped around the other’s waist. Charlie was making some kind of speech, but Erin couldn’t concentrate on the words. Her ears were ringing, her mind far away.

  She might have stood there, rooted to the spot, but Lydia touched her arm. The sensation shocked her into reality, and she jumped, heart once again racing.

  Lydia held her hands up. “Yikes. Jumpy much?”

  Erin gave her a half-hearted smile, unable to cover her feelings.

  “What do you think about them?” Lydia gestured at the reunited couple.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Is it a good thing? For Jen? After all that mess the last few months?”

  Erin nodded. “It’s the best thing that could have happened. They’re made for each other.”

  “That’s what I think. They just look right together, don’t they?”

  Erin turned to watch Jen and Charlie, suddenly afraid that if they kept talking, she might start crying. This surprised her. She’d meant what she’d just told Lydia, but the tears in her eyes weren’t happy ones. Instead, they came from a deep, sinking loneliness spreading through her as she watched Jen’s happy face.