Chapter 3

The aroma of hops and barley wafted through the air as Bram Hartley pushed open the doors of Hartley Brewery. He inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar scents that always managed to center him.

"Morning, boss," Levi, his lead brewer, called out cheerfully from behind a row of stainless steel vats. "Got a new experimental IPA brewing. Want to give it a taste later?"

Bram chuckled, shaking his head. "Levi, your last ‘experimental' concoction had me coughing up glitter for a week. I think I'll pass this time."

The brewer shrugged, a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Your loss. I'm telling you, edible glitter is going to be the next big thing."

Bram was about to retort when a familiar voice reached his ears, sending a jolt of trepidation down his spine. "Bramwell, darling! There you are."

He turned to see his mother striding into the brewery, a determined glint in her eyes. Trailing behind her was a young woman Bram had never seen. He suppressed a groan. Not again.

"Mom," he greeted, forcing a smile. "What brings you here so early?" As if he didn't already know.

His mom waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, I was just showing our lovely new neighbor around. Bramwell, meet Hazel. She just moved here from Hemlock Woods."

Bram extended a polite hand to Hazel, who giggled and batted her eyelashes. "Pleasure to meet you," he said, already counting the seconds until he could make his escape.

"The pleasure is all mine," Hazel purred, her grip lingering a bit too long.

Bram extracted his hand, turning back to his mother. "Well, I hate to cut this short, but I actually need to head into town to pick up some supplies. We're running low on hops."

His mother's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Of course, darling. Don't let us keep you. I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities for you and Hazel to get acquainted later."

Bram nodded, already edging toward the door. "Right. Later. Got it. Bye, Mom. Hazel." With a final wave, he bolted, breathing a sigh of relief as the cool morning air hit his face.

The town square was already bustling with activity as Bram wove his way through the crowds, nodding greetings to familiar faces. He was just passing by the fountain when a flash of blonde hair caught his eye. A woman, clearly distracted by the butterfly that landed on her hand, was about to step straight into a rather large puddle.

"Watch out!" Bram called, lurching forward to catch her arm.

The woman looked up, startled, and Bram found himself staring into the most striking blue eyes he'd ever seen. For a moment, the world seemed to still, the chatter of the crowd fading away.

Then she blinked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Oh, thank you. I guess I should pay more attention to where I'm walking."

Bram released her arm, a smile tugging at his lips. "No worries. You must be new in town. I'm Bram Hartley."

The woman tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Tabitha Greer. And yes, I just arrived yesterday. Still trying to get my bearings."

"Well, Tabitha where are you headed? I'd be happy to point you in the right direction."

Tabitha glanced around, then back at Bram. "I was actually trying to find my way home. I'm staying at my grandmother's old place, the Greer house?"

Bram's eyebrows shot up. "The Greer house? That's quite the inheritance. Come on, I'll walk you there. It's not far."

As they walked, Bram found himself drawn into easy conversation with Tabitha. She had a quick wit and an infectious laugh that made his heart stumble in a way it never had. When she mentioned how much she wanted a cookie, he told her about Molly's baked goods.

"The honey buns at her bakery are legendary. Molly won't even share the recipe with me, and I've known her since we were kids."

Tabitha laughed, the sound like wind chimes in a soft breeze. "Well, maybe we can convince her together. I can be very persuasive when it comes to pastries."

All too soon, they arrived at the Alden house. Tabitha turned to him, a sincere smile on her face. "Thanks for the escort, Bram. And for saving me from that puddle."

Bram rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically bashful. "Anytime. I'll see you around."

Tabitha nodded, then with a final wave, disappeared into the house. Bram stared after her for a moment, a strange warmth blooming in his chest. Shaking his head, he turned and made his way back to the brewery, thoughts of Tabitha Greer swirling in his mind.

Later that day, Bram was in the taproom going over inventory when the door chimed. He looked up to see Tabitha walking in, alone. Their eyes met, and she smiled, sending a jolt through his system.

As she approached the bar, Bram tried to calm the sudden racing of his heart. His bear, usually content to lay dormant, stirred in a way it never had. Bram swallowed hard. Could she be... No. He wasn't ready for that. Not now.

"Fancy meeting you here," Tabitha said, sliding onto a stool.

Bram grinned, leaning against the bar. "Well, I do sort of work here. What brings you in?"

Tabitha shrugged, her blue eyes sparkling. "Do you know Elsie?"

"Everyone knows Elsie."

"She mentioned I had to check out Hartley Brewery. Something about the best craft beer in town."

Bram laughed, shaking his head. "Elsie, huh? I should have known." He grabbed a glass, filling it with their signature amber ale and sliding it across to her. "Well, far be it from me to disappoint. On the house."

Tabitha took a sip, her eyes widening. "Wow. Elsie wasn't kidding. This is amazing."

"Glad you like it." Bram hesitated, then decided to take a chance. "So, what brings you to Whispering Pines? Besides the beer, of course."

Tabitha sighed, her fingers tracing patterns in the condensation on her glass. "It's a long story. Short version - I inherited my grandmother's house, but there are some... conditions attached. I have to live here for a year and get to know the community, that sort of thing. But if I happen to fall in love, I get the house once my engagement is announced publicly."

Bram nodded, understanding dawning. "Ah, I get it. Family pressure, right? Believe me, I know all about that."

Tabitha looked up, curiosity in her gaze. "Oh?"

Bram ran a hand through his hair, chuckling ruefully. "Let's just say my mom is very invested in my love life. Or lack thereof. She's constantly trying to set me up with every eligible bachelorette in town."

"Sounds familiar," Tabitha commiserated. "My parents are the same way. They keep hinting about how I'm not getting any younger and how I should be ‘settling down.'" She made air quotes around the last words.

Bram shook his head, a sudden, wild idea forming. "You know," he said slowly, "we could kill two birds with one stone here." At Tabitha's raised eyebrow, he continued. "What if we pretend to date? It would get my mom off my back and help you fulfill those pesky inheritance conditions."

Tabitha stared at him for a long moment, and Bram was about to backtrack, to laugh it off as a joke, when a slow smile spread across her face. "Works for me. Would your family believe it?"

"I'm a shifter. It's in our nature to meet, claim, and mate. That's the most realistic story we can give."

"You- you do that?" She stared at his mouth and he smelled the sweet scent of her desire.

He leaned forward on the table, his finger caressing her palm and his gaze locked on hers. "All shifters do. It's part of who we are."

She gave a nervous chuckle. "Right. Right."

He didn't want to scare her off so he pulled back and relaxed into his seat. "We should probably come up with a good story and details for when we're asked questions. You know, so we don't look like bumbling idiots."

Tabitha laughed, her eyes alight with joy. "Absolutely. Tomorrow afternoon I'm free."

They exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up at the cafe, sealing their agreement with a playful handshake that lingered just a beat too long but not long enough in his opinion. As Tabitha left the brewery, Bram found himself staring after her. Great. He wanted his fake girlfriend naked. Had he just made his life more complicated?

He finished work in a daze, his thoughts constantly drifting to a certain blonde beauty and their impending scheme. When he finally locked up for the night, he took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders.

Time to break the news to his mother.

Avelyn's shriek of delight when he casually mentioned his "new girlfriend" nearly shattered his eardrums. She peppered him with questions, her eyes shining with unbridled joy.

"Oh, Bramwell! I knew it! I knew you'd find someone. When can I meet her? You must bring her to dinner. Tomorrow. No, tonight!"

Bram held up his hands, chuckling. "Slow down, Mom. You know how it is. I knew the moment I met her, yesterday."

She raised her brows in surprise. "Yesterday?"

"It was love at first sight."

"Aw, honey. I love it!" She gave him a conspiratorial wink. "I bet you had a wild night. I can't wait to meet her."

"I don't want to scare her off with the full Hartley family experience just yet."

Avelyn pouted, but relented. "Fine. But soon, Bramwell. I want to meet the girl who's finally captured my boy's heart."

Bram just smiled, the irony of the situation not lost on him. If only she knew.