Page 40 of Covington Acres

He pushed the couch against the far wall. If he maneuvered things right, half the shop could be a fun hangout area with the couch, television, and a pool table, and the other half could be…well, anything. Maybe a better-equipped spot to brew beer? Even if this didn’t go anywhere, if it was just for fun, that didn’t mean he couldn’t upgrade the equipment for shits and giggles. Even if he only brewed for himself and Vince, he could still have a better counter put in for it…maybe build a room off the back that was just for fermenting. He could make bigger batches, more of them if he was smart about how he set it up, ordered new equipment, and came up with a schedule around his job at Covington Acres.

He didn’t allow himself to question what he was doing, just got to work—moving things around, visualizing ideas, and when he was done with that part, he went into the house, pulled out his laptop, did some research, and put an order in.

Just as he finished, the front door opened, and he looked up to see Vince. He was sweaty, his jeans dirty from whatever he’d been doing with Holden that day, and damn, was a sexy, hardworking Vince hot as hell. It seemed everything he did turned Colby on now.

“Uh-oh. What are you up to?” Vince joined him at the bar counter, tossing his cap down.

“Who says I’m up to anything?”

“I see the look of mischief, mixed with a bit of questioning yourself and a whole lotta wanting to see me naked.”

Colby chuckled. He’d never enjoyed anyone in his life as much as he enjoyed Vince. “You see all that on my face?” He quirked a brow.

“Yep. And in your eyes. You tell me all sorts of stories with those, babe. Even when you don’t want to.”

Colby’s pulse raced. Did Vince always see everything Colby felt when he looked at him? If so, how? It didn’t make sense to him how that was even possible. What if he looked deep enough and didn’t like what he saw?

Vince’s brows drew together, and he reached out, cupping Colby’s cheek. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Of course Vince’s thoughts would go there. It’s how he was built. He never stopped worrying about others.

Colby turned on his stool, held Vince’s waist and pulled him so Vince stood between his legs. It was an intimate gesture, but then, even before they started hooking up, there was something intimate about his relationship with Vince. “I think I’m going to build a better, fully functioning brewery in the shop. That’s probably jumping the gun, considering I haven’t even tasted our second batch yet, but…I think I want it.”

Theyhadtasted the first batch again, after it had been bottled, and it was a hundred times better than it had been before. Definitely not bad for a first try.

Vince grinned. “Then you should have it. Fucking do it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t. You know what you enjoy, and you never do anything for yourself. If you’ve only brewed two batches and you’re thinking about it this much, there’s a reason for that. I’m proud of you.”

Colby let his fingers slip beneath the bottom of Vince’s shirt and danced them over his warm skin. It was nice to be able to touch him this way, to know no one would get hurt and that he could just let go with Vince. That if any questions arose, they would talk to each other and work it out together because that’s just how they were. “I wouldn’t be doing it at all if it wasn’t for you.”

“You said that before, but how can you be sure?”

“Forty years of experience?” he teased, earning a chuckle from Vince.

“Maybe that’s true and maybe it’s not. The reason doesn’t matter, if you ask me. What matters is that you’re doing it at all. Let me shower, and then you can show me what you have planned.”

Colby smiled, a happiness in his chest, in his blood, that he only felt with Vince. If he told his family about the beer, especially his dad or brother Dennis, they would throw a hundred questions at him: Had he really looked into it? What about permits? How much money will it cost? Why did he want to brew beer? How long has he wanted to brew beer? Would it affect his work at the farm? Even his friends would likely be surprised and wonder what had gotten into him, but Vince never questioned him. Vince never offered him anything but support.

“I can put some steaks on the grill in the meantime,” Colby offered.

“Perfect.” Vince pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then headed for the hallway. Damned if Colby didn’t watch him go.

He got the food going, and Vince joined him outside. He learned something new about his friend—Vince could draw. While Colby talked about what he wanted to do, Vince sketched out his ideas. That helped them scratch out some and tweak others for better flow. They checked the sizes of what Colby had bought so they could get the layout just right.

They ate in the shop together, laughing and planning, and somehow, over the course of the evening, the idea of a brewery in his shop had stopped sounding strange.

It sounded inevitable.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Vince

Vince loved workingat Covington Acres. The more time he spent here, the more he realized how passionate he was about that. That more than anything else, he loved seeing food grow, loved knowing that it went from seeds to substances that filled people’s bellies. It was like a rebirth Vince was just realizing fascinated him.

He and Colby had been hard at work all morning. There was also something special about working so close with his friend. It often surprised him that the two of them didn’t get on each other’s nerves. Between living together, now sleeping with each other and working together too, Vince thought it would be too much. In the past, even with Gregory, the man he’d loved, Vince had enjoyed his space, his free time. It was part of the reason why his relationship with Holden had worked as long as it had—the space. But it wasn’t something he ever sought when it came to Colby. Maybe because they were just friends with benefits and that made all the difference.

They’d been together most of the morning, but now Colby was working with Dennis on something while Vince took his lunch. He found their spot under his favorite tree and pulled out his sandwich.

He couldn’t imagine having a place like this. Not that he would ever want this much land, but some might be nice. He understood why this farm meant so much to the Covingtons, while also understanding why Colby thought he might need something else that was just his.

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