35. Angie

35

ANGIE

" I want to go with you," I said. "If it's my beer, and we think it probably is, I want to face Jasper down and chew him out for stealing it. That asshole."

"I understand, but I don't want you in danger."

"Do you really think he'd hurt me?"

"He's our top suspect."

"For stealing my beer. That doesn't mean he's trying to sabotage me as well, though he has a solid reason to drive me out of business. I'll donate the building to a local charity before I'll sell it to him to be demolished for condos."

Tuvid held up a small metal device. "I'll be wearing a bug. I've kept Detective Carter in the loop, and he approves of my plan. I'll go in, sample the beer and take pictures of the kegs. If we can identify them as yours, I'll notify the detective. He'll move in and arrest Jasper for the theft. You'll have your kegs back safe in your chiller a day before the contest, and this will be over. Maybe he'll even confess to the sabotage. Then we can move on with our lives and pretend this never happened."

"I really wanted to chew him out."

"If he's stolen your beer, I'm make sure you have the chance to scream at him, mock him, tell him whatever you please. After this is over."

"Do you promise?" I stepped right up to him, watching his face.

He tugged me into his arms. "I do. I believe this will be over soon. You'll have your beer back, maybe in time for the brew-off tomorrow, and there will be no more sabotage on your microbrewery. You can get your repairs done and reopen your tasting room. Move forward with whatever comes next."

I smiled up at him with tears brimming in my eyes. "What about the plans for a wedding? We haven't really talked about it. You're saving my brewery, which was the goal, and I'm saving your rep. We should discuss when we'll break up, and it needs to be before the stroganoff is simmering in the pots at Bites & Frights."

"Do you want to break up?"

"You said an engagement would be enough to satisfy your community." I couldn't meet his eye. No, I didn't want to break up. I wanted to make this real. "We can call it quits before we put in the final order for the appetizers."

"And disappoint our mothers?"

The mock horror in his voice only made me cry harder.

He handed me a wad of tissues .

"It's not about that." I mopped my face. "I don't want you to feel forced to marry me."

He took my tissues and tossed them onto my desk, tilting my chin to make me meet his eyes. "I told you I'm in love with you, Angie. There isn't anything I'd rather do than marry you."

Aww. "Tuvid. You're making me cry harder."

"I think that's a good thing right now."

"It is. I love you too. From the moment you accused me of gnome thief, I started falling."

"I thought it was when I strapped on your red tail. That was a huge turn-on for me."

I sniffed. "Even more than learning how to undo the back of my bra?"

"Well, when you put it that way, it's a tough choice." He kissed me much too quickly. "If you marry me, you'll not only save my reputation, but you'll also give me a lifetime to figure out how to undo your bra."

"You make a solid point, secret agent gargoyle."

His mouth spread in a wide grin. "Is that what you really call me behind my tail?"

"I like it. Is it okay? I think it makes you sound sexy."

"Everything about me is sexy."

It was true.

"Hey," he said. "If I pick up one of those fake officer outfits . . . You know the ones, with a badge on the front of the hat, a holster strapped across my muscular, and I will point out, naked chest, a skimpy, tight pair of shorts that I'll wear daringly low, and add some handcuffs, will you still call me sexy?"

"Tuvid, if you wear something like that," I fanned my face, overheating fast, "I'll not only call you sexy, but I'll also strip off all my clothing and let you use those cuffs for something other than a prop."

His grin grew sly. "You never told me you like the idea of being cuffed, Angie."

"You never asked."

"I'm asking now."

"Get that outfit, and you'll discover just how much I'll enjoy being cuffed."