He straightened his tie and pulled on his tweed suit jacket. The well-worn brown jacket had been his grandfather’s. It was truly vintage, dating back to just after World War II. Sean had taken care of it over the years he’d owned it, saving it for special occasions, or when he needed an extra boost of confidence. The buttons and the elbow patches were actual leather. The tweed itself wasn’t nappy. It looked great with his khaki dress pants and he completed his ensemble with a pair of dark brown dress sneakers. Actual dress shoes were a bridge too far for a man who spent almost all his waking hours in Crocs.
Sean hadn’t worn the jacket in a few years and as he looked in the mirror, he realized he looked more like a college professor than the smart businessman vibe he was going for, but then his alarm was going off and he needed to leave. He didn’t have the time to change again. He got in his Jeep and headed to Jasper’s business. After he pulled up to Hop’s Heaven, he texted Jasper to let him know he was waiting for him out front.
“Hey buddy, Jasper said as he opened the car door and folded his six foot three-inch body into the seat. Jasper’s hair was tied back, and he was wearing a flannel shirt over one of the Hop’s Heaven’s shirts. He had on jeans and Chelsea boots.
“You look like the first result in Google images for a craft brewery owner.”
“Fantastic because that is exactly the look I was going for tonight.” Jasper tapped on his phone’s camera and checked his smile.
“You nailed it,” Sean said dryly.
Sean backed up and Jasper began messing with his radio, flipping through stations until he found a classic rock station. Then Jasper sat back and tapped on the armrest until they arrived at Marley Creek Town Hall. Sean pulled into the parking lot looking for a space.
“I don’t see any spaces so, I guess just park on the street.” Jasper pointed down the street where a few spots were open about halfway down the block. “Dang,” he said under his breath. “The whole town is coming to this meeting.”
“That could be a good thing. If they aren’t on your side, we can work to get them on your side tonight. If the public is good with Oktoberfest, then that pressures the town council into letting it continue.”
“I hope you’re right, man.” Jasper bit his thumbnail as Sean found a spot and parallel parked. Jasper got out and Sean reached back to pick up his file filled with data on how Oktoberfest had added to various small businesses revenues during the five-week period it ran.
Jasper chuckled as he took in Sean’s ensemble. “Dude, you look like you’re a high school teacher. All you need are some glasses.”
“Ha. Ha. I think I look more like a college professor.” They raced toward the town hall.
They needed to get their names on the sign-up sheet for public comments, and now it looked like they might have to wait for dozens of other people to talk. Jasper sped ahead of Sean andpulled open the door. The seats in the small meeting room were already filled and people were standing along the wall.
Sean looked around. There she was. He started grinning like a fool, only he didn’t feel like one because he could see her eyes light up when she saw him. She whispered something to her friend with the short platinum blonde hair. The woman turned her head, looked at Sean and then Jasper, and her black lipsticked lips turned down. She nodded and pulled out her phone. Sean glanced over at his friend,. whose brows had lowered and he’d crossed his arms. Sean didn’t need a class in body language to know there was some bad blood between those two.
Nicole sidled next to him, and he put an arm around her, whispering in her ear, “You smell so good, like a jasmine and vanilla cake with lavender frosting. I want to eat you up.”
She suppressed a giggle. “Thank you, baby,” her voice was husky, and he pulled her closer to him. He wanted to pick her up and carry her out of there and back to his Jeep and ravish her. “It’s a body mist Zaina gave me.”
“I fucking love it.”
She squeezed his hand and took half a step back. “And look at you!” She put her hand on the front of his jacket and smoothed his lapels. “I am loving this…” she slightly pulled on his tie.. “ensemble on you. Are you cosplaying as a professor tonight?”
“I don’t know. Am I?” He winked at her and ran a hand through his hair.
“The only thing you’re missing is glasses.”
“Jasper said the same thing.”
Nicole laughed, and then sobered, a heat flickering in her eyes. “But seriously, you look even sexier than you do in your chef whites. I love the jacket.”
“It was my grandfather’s. He gave it to me for my high school graduation. Then he died later that year. It’s hard to believe that’s been nearly fifteen years now.”
Nicole nodded, then she pursed her lips, “Nearly fifteen years? Not practically twenty?”
“What do you mean? I graduated in two thousand and nine.”
Nicole’s eyes widened, “I guess we never talked about it, but I assumed you were the same age as Jasper and me.”
“I’ve always wanted to date an older woman.” Sean elbowed Nicole playfully.
“I’ve never dated a younger man before.” Nicole touched her throat. “I don’t know how I feel about this.”
“Well, since up until two minutes ago, you didn’t know and everything was great, I hope you feel fine about it.”
Nicole shook her head to clear it, and replied, “You’re right; it doesn’t matter, it’s not like you’re twenty-two and I’m thirty-six.”
