Page 109 of Your Last First Kiss
Oh, the things I’d like to show her.
Heat spreads across her cheeks, and Miller chuckles like he can sense the direction of our thoughts.
“You two are good for each other. Don’t let Eddy mess that up. You ready?” Miller asks, peering over Penny’s head at me.
But my eyes don’t leave Penny’s when I say, “Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s do this thing.”
CHAPTER34
DILLON
The three of us walk inside the brewery arm in arm in arm like we’re entering a battlefield as a united front.
I spot Eli immediately, and she moves to stand on the other side of Miller, though she keeps a healthy amount of space between them.
“Remember, we’re here to win them over. Part of that will be showing them how you handle adversity. Especially Penny’s sleazeball ex-husband,” Eli says with a shudder.
I can only imagine what he’s said to her.
“Where is he?” I growl through clenched teeth but keep a pleasant expression plastered to my face.
“To your right. All the way around the bar in the corner. We’re set up in the tasting room. We can head straight there,” Eli says. She doesn’t wait for us to agree. She just moves efficiently, expecting that we’ll follow.
We do.
All eyes are on us, and I’m thankful that most seem friendly. Miller has moved from Penny’s side to walk behind us, but I have yet to release her hand. It’s probably drawing whispers from every table we pass, but I don’t give a fuck.
Penny walks with a smile and a wave for a few people, but every once in a while, she’ll squeeze my hand. Like she’s drawing strength from our connection, and I’ll be damned if I’m the one to break that.
We enter a large room with giant stainless steel silo-looking containers behind a glass wall that runs the entire length of the room. I’m assuming this space is usually filled with tables, but it’s been cleared, and in their place are metal folding chairs set up in long rows like you’d find at a backyard wedding.
Eli walks us to the front of the room, where a long folding table has been set up facing the chairs on the left side. In the middle stands a podium, and on the right is a smaller table with a laptop.
Penny notices me taking everything in. “Grady, the oldest Reid brother, moderates, I think, and Mrs. Winters sits over there transcribing the meeting. Though her notes are generally more gossip-based.”
“Speak of the devil,” Miller chuckles as a behemoth of a man reaches us with purposeful strides. With his thick beard and muscular chest hidden beneath a blue checkered button-down, I can’t decide if he’s in a motorcycle gang or a businessman.
The man extends a hand to Miller. “Miller, good to see you.” His tone is gruff, like it’s rusty after years of being unused, but it also carries a hint of familiarity that comes with lifelong friendships. “How’s Izzy?”
“She’s good. Crazy, but good,” Miller says with an easy smile.
Grady steps forward and places a chaste kiss on Penny’s cheek, and my knuckles crack with tension. All eyes turn toward me.
“Stand down, growly bear. We’ve known Grady our entire lives. He’s like a brother,” Miller says. He’s teasing me, but it does nothing to ease the tension making the vein in my neck throb like a volcano nearing an eruption.
“Good to see you, Penny,” Grady says, ignoring me. “You know you’re always welcome here. You didn’t have to stop coming to the town meetings just because Eddy is a dirtbag. We’ve always been Team Penny. You know that, right?”
Penny blinks rapidly and swallows hard before even attempting to speak. Maybe this guy isn’t so bad after all.
“Thanks, Grady. Sometimes it’s easier to remove yourself though. You know?”
“I get it,” he says. “Just promise you won’t hide forever. No one blames you for his choices.”
Miller throws a playful punch into my arm while laughing at my scowling face.
“No, but the Brandts will surely use it to their advantage every chance they get,” Penny says. She drops her head to look at the floor, and I hate that anyone can make her question herself.
“Leave the Brandts to me. Once we get the approvals, things will change around here.” I vow.
