Page 21 of Harvest Brew With the Mountain Man
Drew’s tall, muscular frame turns the corner down below the stone foundation. I jump back, putting space between West and me. Drew stomps up the stairs in his usual manner. We left the back doors open with the fire pit outside.
“Bro, I passed the bar thinking you’d—,” my brother pauses mid-step when he sees me. “Cami?”
“Hey, Drew-Bear. Surprise,” I put cheer in my voice and run over to hug him.
He returns the hug, but confusion lines his body. I lean back, holding his arms, then slap his chest. “Don’t give my surprise away to the folks, okay?”
Drew is staring at West. “Why is my sister here? Alone. At your place?”
“Hey dickhead. I’m right here.” I punch his shoulder, which probably feels like a mosquito bite to him. Damn beastly mountain men.
Those hazel green eyes darken as he looks down at me. As if they couldn’t get darker, they flick up to the bruise and stitch at my temple.
“Take a breath before you give yourself an aneurysm.” I lightly smack his stomach. “Hey.” His angry gaze focuses on me. “Geez. Have you done a colonoscopy yet? Might do you some good.”
“Jesus, Nyx,” West coughs a laugh.
I smile. “This?” I point to my head. “I got this packing boxes. I tripped like an idiot, and the corner wall met my temple. I’m fine.” Concern bleeds into his features. He reaches up and gently passes his thumb over it. “I’m okay,” I say softly. “I promise.”
“And you’re here because?”
I roll my eyes. Thank goodness I’ve been kept up to date on town news. “Nora and I chatted the other week about me moving back home. She’s organizing the Fall Festival, and I wanted to volunteer to keep myself occupied. That’s when I found out about West’s bar. I offered to use my degree and help renovate it for the reopening.”
“You’re moving back?” That at least steers him away from other discrepancies.
“Mom and Dad know. You, on the other hand, are one busy biker dude. I figured I’d surprise you when I came home.”
He looks at West. “You knew and didn’t tell me?”
“She wanted to keep it a surprise,” West confidently plays the role. “You want coffee?” He turns to make a fresh brew.
“Yeah,” my brother grunts.
He puts that giant arm over my shoulder and steers me back inside. “Where’s your car? I didn’t see it. And what the fuck are you wearing?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
West’s back stiffens. I’m wearing his clothes.
“Paint spill,” I practically shout. “I was swatching colors at the bar when one of the cans fell off the bar and covered my clothes. This was the best West could do.”
Holy shit.I’m gonna pass out trying to keep from hyperventilating.
“Such a clutz,” Drew grumbles, fucking with my hair.
“Stop,” I push him off. I always revert to a kid around this idiot.
West serves him coffee, and we sit at the kitchen bar with West leaning against the back counter, sipping coffee. I have a feeling he doesn’t normally drink more in the afternoon, but he wants something to do with his hands.
Momentarily forgetting my car is missing, we make small talk. I ask about our parents, how the MC is doing, which had West and Drew trade strange, heavy looks. Then my brother hits me with a plot twist.
“That shitstain you dated came to see me.”
West’s stare is like a million tiny needles on the side of my face, but I’m frozen, eyes locked on my brother’s shoulder as he continues, turning my world on its axis.
“Crazy ass thinks you two are still together.”
Drew warned me. Our Uncle was an addict. We saw how much it broke our father, seeing his brother become someone else.
