Page 11 of Ever After All

“Most people bounce around between jobs when they’re his age,” Griffin replied. “I’ll get his number from Kenan and give him a call.”

While I would worry about my brother doing a high-risk job like hotshot firefighting, it would be a relief for him to have a job that maybe he liked. My worry about my little brother was a constant simmer in my thoughts. It always had been. A little while later, I left because I needed to get to work myself. I said my goodbyes and slipped away, relieved Wyatt was occupied in conversation with my dad, Derek, Kenan, and Griffin. They’d started discussing something to do with hunting.

I was checking my phone messages before I drove away when there was a tap on my window. I glanced up to see Wyatt waiting on the other side. His breath frosted the air, and his blue eyes were bright. I was instantly hot all over. Because that was what seemed to happen whenever I looked at Wyatt.

I tapped the button to roll down my window. It would’ve been rude not to do that, but I also couldn’t help myself.

“Hi,” I said after clearing my throat.

“Hey. I was wondering if you thought about what I asked you?”

Chapter Six

Wyatt

Rosie blinked at me. Her cheeks were flushed a pretty shade of pink, and I wanted to lean through the window and kiss her. I knew that wouldn’t fly, so I simply waited.

“I have,” she finally said, which surprised me. I had expected her to dodge. “I don’t know how to do this. I’m staying in the extra house on my dad’s property because he needs a little help right now, so?—”

I paused, considering our options. “Locals’ night is tomorrow at the winery. Find me there. We’ll figure it out.”

She held my gaze for another long beat before nodding. “Okay.”

I walked away, with energy and anticipation humming through my body.

Griffin threw a quick smile my way. “So what exactly are you planning to do about Rosie?”

Even though Griffin knew we had married in a drunken haze in Vegas, even though he knew I kind of had a thing for her and had for years, even though he knew I was in love with her—because, apparently, I’d fessed up to that when I’d been all doped up from anesthesia after the stitches—he knew I had no clue about what to do.

“You have no idea.” He was teasing, but his gaze sobered after a moment.

“I definitely don’t,” I said flatly.

I let out a sigh as I turned and finished adjusting one of the valves on a tank in the brewing area. When I straightened, I glanced around the room. I had resisted coming home. Not because I didn’t love Fireweed Harbor. I did. And I loved my family. But we’d been through some shit together growing up. The collective worship of our oldest brother Jake, who had died over a decade ago, had grated on me. It wasn’t even a conscious choice, more that life had naturally drawn me away and offered a convenient excuse.

I was of the mind that when you came from a really small town like this, going away for a little while sometimes made the most sense. Sometimes you needed to understand what you were missing.

When the opportunity had come up to take over the brewing management, something I enjoyed, I was glad to come back. I couldn’t have planned the timing, but finally, most of the truth had come out about our brother.

The brewing room here felt like mine. It was a place where I could lose myself in tinkering. I turned and took a few steps, resting my hips against the table and curling my hands on the edge.

“Well, you’ve already made the commitment,” he pointed out. “Now you just have to convince Rosie it’s worth keeping.”

“I know. What’s the plan for when you’ll start with the crew here?” I didn’t want to keep dwelling on Rosie.

Griffin was taking a position on a hotshot expansion crew based out of here. “Jack is keeping me up to speed, and it looks like I’ll be able to get started in the next few months. It’s not sure that the crew will stay based in Fireweed Harbor, though. Jack plans to switch to the local crew if the state moves it to Willow Brook.”

“Well, if you end up in Willow Brook, you’ll be near Archer and Chase.” I was referring to our cousin and half-brother who lived in that small Alaskan town. “You know Kenan’s going to lean on you heavy to work for us,” I added.

Griffin’s lips quirked at the corners. “I know. I’ll make that call when I’m ready.”

Just then, as if on cue, Kenan came striding through the doorway. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey, hey,” I replied, just as Griffin asked, “What’s up?”

“You guys have a few minutes? I could use some help unloading a few things that came in for the restaurant.”

I pushed away from the table just as Griffin began walking toward Kenan. “At your service,” he replied.

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