Page 231 of Steamy Ever After

The text was from Brodie, and in it, he apologized if she thought he was an asshole, but he wanted to see her again. He told her he had to go out of town tomorrow but wanted to know what she was doing Thursday.

Peyton sat up and read his message more than once. After an hour of being unable to fall asleep, she picked up her phone again.

I’ll be at Stave in the afternoon, she wrote. Now that it was after two, she doubted he’d respond, but he did.

I’ll be in.

Peyton studied the words and wondered what in the hell she thought she was doing. More, what was Brodie thinking?

She set the phone on the nightstand, then it vibrated again.

I can’t stop thinking about you, Brodie wrote.

He couldn’t? She couldn’t stop thinking about him either. Jesus. They were both out of their minds.

Every time Peyton heard the tasting room door open Thursday night, she vacillated between hoping it was Brodie and praying it wasn’t. She checked her phone every ten minutes to see if there was a text from him, saying he needed to cancel.

Soon Alex would return from the bank run, and Peyton would have to explain why she was hanging out so late on her day off. She couldn’t act like it was a surprise when Brodie showed up.

It wasn’t unusual for Peyton to come in Thursday morning to help Alex get the tasting room organized for the weekend, but she was usually out of there by one at the latest, and it was getting close to two. The only thing she had left to do today was put together the list of the ten vintages they’d serve tomorrow during happy hour.

Every Friday, between four and six, Stave offered a new-release tasting. The place would be packed, and sales would be good. It was also the most fun night to be at Stave, outside of when they hosted the wine dinners.

If they knew their wines were being served, winemakers often came, which gave them the opportunity to see firsthand what customers thought about the new release. Peyton closed the door of the chiller and was about to take case inventory of what she’d picked, when she heard the rear door open and close.

“I’m here,” Alex shouted from their office.

“Hey,” Peyton answered.

“How’s it goin’? Can I see what you chose?”

Peyton handed her notes to Alex and looked out the front window.

“This looks good. I see you’ve got a new one on here from Butler Ranch.”

Maddox had sent an email a week ago, before her run-in with Brodie at Louie’s Market, listing their releases for the next ninety days. Peyton had decided then that she’d add their first, a Sauvignon Blanc, to the tasting this Friday.

She’d stayed away from Butler Ranch varietals since Kade died, but as a member of the collaborative, her excluding them wasn’t fair. They deserved to have their wine featured as much as anyone else in the group.

“By the way, I heard from Brodie Tuesday night. He said he would stop in today.”

Alex raised a brow.

“Please don’t give me shit about this, Alex. I’m doing that well enough on my own.”

“I’m glad you said that, because you’re right. The other night, I told you that you shouldn’t give a crap what anyone else thought, and that includes me. However, I’m going to tell you what I think anyway. It’s great. Kade died over a year ago, Peyton. You didn’t know Brodie when you were with him. You didn’t even spend time with their family. I say go for it.”

“Maybe he’s stopping in to tell me he’s thought it over and changed his mind about wanting to see me.”

“Yeah, you’re right. He’s stopping by to see you to tell you he doesn’t want to see you.” Alex rolled her eyes.

“Do you realize how often you so that at things I say?”

Alex laughed and set the tasting notes down on the bar. “I’ll make myself scarce when he gets here.”

“By scarce, do you mean you’ll hide in the storeroom and listen to every word we say, or will you leave?”

“Tell you what—you make yourself scarce instead. It’s your day off.”

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