Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 6

The afternoon sun cast a warm, golden glow throughout the garden. Amongst the verdant leaves and fragrant, colorful flowers stood a patiently waiting Finn. He looked especially dapper, wearing navy blue slacks and a form-fitting white shirt cuffed over his toned forearms.

He gallantly offered his arm to Aviva. "You look incredible."

"Why, thank you. You're looking pretty smart, yourself." Aviva took hold of his arm, and together they walked over to the table. He pulled out her chair and moved to sit beside her.

The sunlight bounced off the condensation-coated glasses of sangria. They tilted their glasses toward each other, toasting to health and wealth.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm feeling awkward." Aviva confessed, drawing circles around the rim of her wineglass.

"What? Why's that?"

"This is a bit more..." Aviva passed a glance around the private garden, "...intimate than I'm used to."

Finn thoughtfully sipped on his drink. "Right, you're more of a thrill-seeker."

"I never used to be much of a risk-taker. I usually like being in control– "

"Oh, really?" Finn playfully slinked closer.

Aviva continued, ignoring his flirtatious grin. "Someone made me see that there's more to life than sitting by, waiting for things to come to you..." A ghost of a smile graced her face as a few choice memories with Suresh flooded her psyche. But then they faded away just as quickly as they came.

"There's something exhilarating about letting go. Even if it's just for a little bit. No worries. No cares. Head empty. Getting to experience that with someone else? Creating memories together, learning things you didn't know about yourself or each other? It keeps things exciting. Like a never-ending discovery..." She shifted under Finn's attentive green gaze. He was really listening to her. Really seeing her. It had been a while since someone looked at her like that; it made her feel exposed. "Are you adventurous?"

"How adventurous are we talking?"

"What's the craziest thing you've ever done?" Aviva took a long sip of her sangria, letting the sweet, tangy liquid settle on her tastebuds.

"Well, there was that one time I had a foursome in France with those roommates...does that count?"

Aviva choked on her cocktail. "What?"

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing! I just kind of went with it. I mean, what would you do if three hot people wanted to ravish you at the same time?"

Aviva coughed, clearing her throat. "I'm not really one for sharing..."

A cheeky smile lengthened on his lips. "Then consider me all yours."

Aviva rolled her eyes at his boldness. "Seriously...what's something you just, dived into headfirst, no floatation device?"

Finn stroked his beard, scouring his head for an idea. "Besides the brewery? Maybe coming on this show? I've never really been one for commitment, so this? This feels pretty crazy."

"How come?" Aviva asked, genuine curiosity taking over.

Finn shyly scratched at the side of his neck. "I dunno, I can be reckless. Maybe not in the way you're talking about. Life's easier when you just live it, and I've gotten up to a lot in my past that I'm not totally proud of. But all that tradition, the pomp and circumstance of a relationship..." For a moment, a dimness overtook the usual luster of his emerald eyes. "It's just...never been for me." There was something in the way he said it, the sound of defeat and self-deprecation. Like he was unworthy of something greater than a one-night stand.