I laugh, the tension easing from my shoulders. It’s been a whirlwind moving into Wyatt's house, finalizing our competition entry, and managing the social media explosion from our very public reconciliation. One video—and there were many—ofWyatt kissing me in the brewery has been viewed over 150,000 times. We've made it on the list of Pelican Point's favorite love stories, and there’s some truly great ones there.
"Look," Wyatt says, nodding toward the entrance.
My brother appears through the crowd, looking sharp in his uniform, and my hand flies to my mouth before I can stop it. He’d promised to be here today, but part of me worried he wouldn’t make it. My chest goes tight and full at the same time, and I have to blink several times to keep my mascara intact.
"Danny!" I rush over, throwing my arms around him.
"Hey, sis." He hugs me, then draws away, holding me at arms-length. "You look happy."
"I am. I can’t believe you’re here!"
"I told you I would be." He turns to Wyatt, who's followed me over, and they do that bro-hug thing. "Dalton. You taking care of my sister?"
"Every day."
Danny grins, pounding Wyatt on the back. "I'm happy for you both. It's about damned time you two figured out what everyone else has known for years."
"What's that?" Wyatt asks.
"That you're perfect for each other."
Before I can respond, Mayor Snyder takes the microphone at the front of the room. "Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to the Coastal Living Magazine’s Best New Business Showcase!"
The crowd applauds, and Wyatt's hand finds mine, our fingers lacing together.
"We have some fantastic entries tonight," the mayor continues. "Each representing Pelican Point's finest new businesses. Let's give all our competitors a round of applause!"
Everyone looks nervous but excited as they clap.
"Our judges tonight include representatives from Coastal Living Magazine, business consultants from Charleston andSavannah, five restaurant critics from Atlanta, and other experts in hospitality and tourism." Mayor Snyder gestures to the judges' table. "They'll be evaluating each entry on creativity, execution, marketability, and overall presentation. The winning team in each category will receive the magazine feature, a $50,000 cash prize, and promotional opportunities through our sponsor partners."
Mayor Snyder gives the crowd an enthusiastic smile. "Additionally, as you all know, the magazine editors created a separate beverage collaboration category this year. For that portion, we have specialized judges, which include five master brewers, two sommeliers, three distribution executives, and several craft beverage consultants. They'll focus specifically on flavor profiles, innovation, technical execution, and commercial viability. The winning beverage team will receive additional prize money and their own featured article."
My pulse kicks up. This is what we've been working for.
"Let's begin!" Mayor Snyder announces.
The next hour passes in a blur. The judges make their way to our booth, tasting and taking notes. When I pour samples of our beer, I see it in their faces—that moment of surprise when they taste something unexpected and exceptional.
"This is remarkable," one of the master brewers says, holding his cup to the light. "The coffee integration is delicate but distinctive. And the blonde ale base is so clean. It’s sophisticated without being pretentious."
"Can you tell us about your process?" the Coastal Living representative asks.
Wyatt and I launch into our explanation of how we selected the specific Central American blend for its fruity notes, used cold infusion, and balanced the coffee-to-beer ratio through multiple test batches.
"And you two have quite the history, from what I understand," a sommelier says, smiling. "I gotta admit I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers collaboration story."
I glance at Wyatt, unsure what to say.
"The emotional commitment shows in the product," she continues. "This beer tells a story with its tension and harmony, complexity and accessibility. It's really quite special."
They move on to Gerald and MaryJo’s table, and I let out a breath.
"That went well," Wyatt says, rubbing his hand over my back.
"It did. But what if I said something wrong?"
"Merri." He turns me to face him. "Our beer is incredible. Those judges definitely loved it. That’s all that matters. Whatever happens, we succeeded here."
