The Sit - N - Spill Chronicles: Brewing

Chapter 9

The crackling of the fire in Kane's cabin filled the quiet of the evening, casting a warm, flickering glow across the small room. Kane's cabin was nestled at the edge of the woods outside Liberty Rose, surrounded by trees that seemed to shelter it from the world beyond. Annie leaned back on the worn leather couch, a mug of tea in her hands, feeling more relaxed than she had in days.

Kane had stoked the fire, and now he settled next to her, propping his feet up on the coffee table as he glanced her way. In the firelight, his features softened, and Annie couldn't help but notice how comfortable he seemed here, away from the bustle and burden of town. She let herself relax, knowing that here, in this quiet place, they had some space to breathe.

"I didn't think you'd be up for a night like this," Kane said, his voice low, almost reverent in the stillness of the cabin. "You've been so wrapped up in the fight—I figured you wouldn't know how to sit back and unwind."

Annie gave a small laugh, sipping her tea. "If I'm honest, I didn't know either. It's like, every day, I'm waking up ready to battle." She glanced around the cabin, noting the little touches—books stacked beside the couch, a blanket draped over a chair, the subtle scent of pine from the forest outside. "But... this place. It's nice. Cozy."

Kane smiled, his eyes warm as they met hers. "That's what I wanted for tonight. I thought, if we're going to go back into all of that—" he nodded to the stack of documents resting on the coffee table "—we might as well start here, somewhere that reminds us why we're doing it."

Annie's gaze met his warmly. "Thank you. I don't think I realized how much I needed this. Or, maybe, how much I needed... someone with me through it all."

She felt her cheeks warm at the admission, but she didn't look away. Kane held her gaze, and in the stillness, it felt like they were sharing more than words—like he understood the weight she'd been carrying without her having to say it.

Kane leaned forward, his expression sincere. "Annie, you're not alone in this. Liberty Rose is worth fighting for, but so are you. I am here for you. Through all of this."

Annie looked down at their hands resting close on the couch, then back up at him, feeling lighter. "I didn't think I'd trust anyone enough to share this burden. I've spent so long fighting, I forgot what it felt like to lean on someone."

Kane gave her hand a gentle squeeze, his touch steady. 

They fell into a comfortable silence, the crackling fire the only sound in the room. Annie hadn't realized just how much she'd needed this calm, this sense of steady ground beneath her. And with Kane beside her, she felt that for the first time in weeks.

After a while, she took a deep breath, straightening in her seat. "I guess we should take a look at those papers again." She motioned to the documents waiting on the table between them.

Kane's gaze sharpened, the warmth in his expression giving way to focus. "Alright. Let's see where we're at."

He picked up a stack of files and sifted through them, the firelight casting shadows over the words as they leaned in together, the peaceful calm now a steadying force as they faced the task ahead.

"Look at this," he said, holding up a series of documents. "These companies... they all share the same investors, but their addresses are all tied to a single location in a neighboring town. These are people who don't even live here, Annie. They don't care about Liberty Rose."

Annie's jaw tightened as she took the papers, the familiarity of her anger returning as she scanned the lines. "So, they're using our town like a pawn in some high-stakes game. And this whole amphitheater idea is just the tip of the iceberg."