13. Peyton

PEYTON

A lex convinced Peyton to come in late the next day, and she hadn't argued. After everything that had happened with Brodie, she needed sleep.

"I'm gonna crash in the spare bedroom and take the boys to school in the morning," Alex said. "At what God-awful hour do I have to wake them up?"

"You don't have to."

"Yeah, I do. What time?"

"Seven."

Alex groaned. "Jeez, why do teachers have to be so cruel?"

"I think the teachers would prefer a later start time. Blame the administrators."

After that, Peyton had gone into the bedroom and fallen across the bed. As tired as she'd felt, she couldn't remember even turning the television on.

When she woke this morning and looked at the clock, she was stunned. It was after nine, and she was still in her clothes from last night. She hadn't heard Alex and the boys get up or leave the house.

She slowly made her way to the kitchen and found a note from her friend, saying all she had to do was turn the coffeemaker on.

"God bless her," she muttered, picking up her phone from the counter where she didn't remember leaving it.

She punched in her security code and found several text alerts. One from Alex, telling her she should be in bed, which made her laugh. There was one from Jamison, saying that he and Finn loved her and hoped she felt better soon. The last was from Brodie.

Call me when you get this , it said.

After stopping herself from throwing the phone across the kitchen, Peyton poured a cup of coffee. She jumped when she heard the front door open.

"You up already?" Alex asked.

"You scared the crap out of me."

"You'll forgive me when you hear what I brought you."

"What?"

"Warm muffins from the Olallieberry Diner."

Peyton smiled. "I love you so much right now."

"See?"

"How were the boys this morning?"

"Absolutely fine," Alex told her.

"I'll take a shower and meet you at Stave in an hour."

"Uh, nope. I don't need you to come in until later this afternoon."

"It's Friday, Alex. New-release night. It'll be nuts."

"Your mom and mine are coming down around noon. They'll help me set up, pick the boys up from school, and take them to the movies."

Jamison and Finn usually spend the night on the ranch with her parents on Fridays and Saturdays. Her dad would bring them home Sunday afternoon and stay until Peyton returned from Stave. When Kade was still alive and home on leave, he'd be at her house with the boys Saturday nights. It was their "guy time," he'd tell her.

"Are you sure your mom doesn't mind?" Peyton asked.

"She's as much their abuela as your mom is. She loves those boys."

"Your mom is a saint. So are my parents, if you think about it."

"I'm glad she has your boys to spoil, so she isn't on my case to get married and have kids as much as she used to be. My brothers thank you too."

"What is it with your family?"

"None of us are in a hurry to get married." Alex grabbed her coat off the chair in the dining room. "I'm leaving. Get in bed and rest. You look like shit, Peyton."

"Thanks, Alex. Brutal honesty is my favorite."

"Hey, I meant to tell you. Jamison asked me about Brodie this morning."

"Oh, God. What did he say?"

"That he hoped you liked each other."

"Get out of here! He didn't really say that."

"He did. He also said he and Finn talked about it, and they wouldn't mind hanging out with him too. I told Jamison you were friends."

"I hope they're not expecting me to find my happily ever after. With my luck with men, they'll be waiting for that bus until I'm old and gray."

"What do they know of the yin and yang of dating? To them, it's as simple as you like someone, you hang out, you get married, and bam—happily ever after."

"I'm a colossal failure at happily ever after, Alex."

"Third time's the charm, girlfriend." After a moment, she added, "Hey, uh, are you sure you're not mad about me saying Kade wasn't who you thought he was?"

"No, I'm not mad. I'm confused and wish you'd elaborate."

"I will when the time is right. Now, I gotta get to Stave and start prepping food for tonight."

"You don't have to do everything yourself. I can come in. I just need time to shower."

"Pretty sure I owe you a hundred get-well days. You've covered for me so many times I lost count."

"She isn't going to like this," Peyton overheard Alex say when she came in through Stave's rear entrance. Alex was on the phone and turned to wave when she heard the door close.

"All right, gotta go now."

"What was that about?" Peyton asked.

"Nothing important."

"If you're telling me it's nothing important, then whatever it is must be very important." When Alex deflected, Peyton knew to be on high alert.

"This time, it isn't. I swear."

Swearing. Another bad sign. "Tell me what's going on."

"No."

"What do you mean ‘no'? Alex, what the hell?"

"I knew this wasn't going to work. I told him it wasn't. "

"Who?"

"Maddox."

"Oh, no."

"He offered to do a barrel tasting tonight. He'll be here around five."

"And Brodie is coming with him, am I right?"

"Yep."

Peyton went from the office to the tasting room. The bar and tables were full inside, and the patio looked equally crowded.

"Hey," Alex said, coming up behind her. "You want me to call him and tell him not to come? We haven't promoted it."

"No, it's okay. You should've called me, though, seeing how busy it is."

"That's what we have employees for, Peyton. And it isn't that busy."

"You're right, we don't have any open seats, but it isn't that busy."

"You're turning into quite the eye-roller, missy."

Peyton smiled and put her apron on.

"Not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"So you're happy Brodie is coming with Maddox."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"But you're smiling."

"Yes, Alex, I'm smiling. However, before I get too wrapped up in serving wine, I have a phone call to make."

She was about to hang up after his cell rang several times, but then he picked up. "Brodie here."

"Hi. It's Peyton. Did I get you at a bad time? You sound out of breath."

"Not at all. It's good to hear your voice. I was climbing out of the shower when you called, so the only rush was to get to the phone before you hung up," Brodie responded.

"Do you want to call me back?" she asked.

"It's fine. I'll put you on speaker for a sec while I grab a towel." There was a pause. "You still there?"

"I am."

"You sound like you're smiling. Are you, Peyton?"

"You can hear smiling? I wasn't aware you had that particular superpower."

"Oh, baby, you have no idea how many superpowers I've yet to show you."

She laughed.

"God, I love that sound."

"Brodie—"

"Wait. There's something I need to say. I'm sorry for the way things ended yesterday."

Peyton felt the same way. "Don't be. We both got caught up in the moment."

He sighed. "It wasn't a moment for me."

"I don't know what that means."

"I want to see you. Soon."

"I think your wish will be granted, Brodie. Alex said you and Maddox will be here around five."

"Wait. What?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know anything about it," she said, laughing.

"But I don't. Mad asked me to help him with a tasting tonight, but he didn't say where."

"Oh. You don't have to come if you don't want to." Peyton offered.

Brodie chuckled. "Are you kidding? Of course I want to."

"Good. I'll see you later, Brodie."

"Peyton…"

"Yeah?"

"Are you happy I'm coming?" His voice sounded tentative.

"Yes, Brodie. I am very happy you're coming."

"Very? That's even better. See ya, Peyton."

After ending her call, Peyton put her cell phone in the pocket of her apron, then pulled it out again. She opened her photos and studied the last one Kade had sent her. She recognized the palm trees and the outdoor walled-off area from other photos he'd sent, so she knew it was taken at the base in Afghanistan.

He was wearing sunglasses and had a greenish-tan Yankee baseball hat on. The front pockets of his protective tactical vest were full, and beneath it, he wore a black, short-sleeve shirt.

The morning after he'd sent the photo, she got a call from one of the guys he served with, telling her he'd been killed.

She'd asked him once how she'd know if anything happened to him. "Either Paps or Razor will get in touch with you." She recognized both names. The call that morning came from Razor, so she knew what had happened without him having to say it.

For a long time, it hadn't felt real. There were times when it still didn't. She'd told Brodie she'd sometimes dream it was a mistake and that Kade would walk into the tasting room, like he did before they started dating. He'd smile and say hello, and she'd welcome him home.

What would Kade think about this thing between her and Brodie? If she had to guess, she'd say he'd be okay with it. He was protective of her and the boys. He'd want her to be happy and cared for, especially by someone he trusted.

Alex peeked her head into the office door. "Everything okay?"

"Yep." Peyton stuffed her phone back in the pocket of her apron.

She'd lost track of time, waiting on customers, and was stunned when she heard the knock on the rear door and looked at the clock.

"You want me to go?" she asked Alex, who was talking to one of their regulars.

"Sure, if you don't mind."

Peyton opened the door and saw Maddox and Brodie loading the barrel onto a dolly. She shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun and moved out of their way.

"Hey, Peyton," Maddox said as he wheeled the barrel past her.

"Hi, Maddox. Thanks for doing this. We love barrel tastings around here, and most of the wineries think it's too much trouble."

"No trouble at all." Maddox smiled as she watched him walk inside.

He looked more like Kade than Brodie did. She hadn't realized it until now, since he kept his head shaved, like Kade used to. Instead of a goatee, Maddox had a full, dark beard. His deep blue eyes were the same color as Kade's and Brodie's, and most of the time, Maddox looked as though he was smirking.

He was taller than Kade, like Brodie was, but built more like his older brother. He probably could've swung two wine barrels on his shoulders and carried them both inside without a problem.

"Mmm, that man is fine ," Alex gushed when she passed Maddox in the hallway. "Do they need any help?"

Brodie was unloading cases of wine from Maddox's truck, but if they were anything like their older brother, they would never allow her or Alex to help carry them in.

He stacked one on top of the other and hefted them up on his shoulder. "Hey, pretty lady," he said, noticing her holding the door.

"Hi, Brodie." She grinned, shaking her head.

"What?"

"You're such a flirt."

"Only with you, Peyton." He smiled. As he walked through the door, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Hi," he murmured, staying close and looking into her eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." She chuckled. "How are you?"

"Better now. I missed your pretty face."

When she groaned, he laughed and took the cases into the tasting room.

Alex directed Maddox and Brodie to set up near the front. On the left side, there was a double-wide garage door that opened out to the patio. It was a brilliant set up. Any woman walking by would want to come in, if only to flirt with the two hot men offering wine tastes.

She kept busy, writing orders and signing customers up for club memberships, but every few minutes, she'd sneak a look at Brodie. He smiled and talked to customers about their wine but glanced over at her as much as she did at him. When he caught her looking first, he'd wink.

"He is too," Alex whispered and nudged her.

"Yep, he sure is," she responded, knowing exactly what Alex was talking about.

Brodie was hot and sweet, and he seemed genuinely into her. Could she go forward with this? Would he want to have sex with her, knowing his brother had? How weird would that be? And what about her boys? They already knew who he was. Should she let him meet them? Or should she wait?

Alex nudged her a second time. "Quit chewing the inside of your cheek. You look like a chipmunk."