Page 19 of Kiss and Tell

Today had been a mix. When the cameras were rolling, Miles was totally on point, playing straight man to Joey’s antics, asking great questions, looking totally at ease.

The problem was when theyweren’tfilming. The second the director called cut, Miles drifted away from him and Lucy, conversing with the crew or Sam, and generally ignoring the two of them.

At first, he thought his best friend was giving him time alone with Lucy so he could get to know her better. As the day wore on, however, Joey couldn’t help but notice the way Miles was watching them, even while in conversation with others, always with that resting bitch face firmly in place.

Miles had assured him that he liked Lucy, claiming she was perfect for him. But those words didn’t match the dark looks he kept shooting in their direction. Miles had blamed his bad mood on Rhiannon, but Joey started to suspect that was a lie. Something else was going on in Miles’s head, though Joey didn’t have a clue what.

“You ready?” Miles called from the living room.

Joey walked out to join him, throwing a lightweight jacket on. “Yep.”

It was a pleasant evening, the setting sun skirting the line of the horizon, so the two of them planned to walk to the main farmhouse to join Lucy there.

He noticed Miles had taken some care with his appearance too, his hair still damp from a shower, his face freshly shaved. He was wearing a lightweight navy-blue sweater, faded jeans, and he’d thrown his favorite leather jacket on top.

Miles was a good-looking guy, with dark skin, black hair, and deep brown eyes. Like Joey, he was committed to his workout routine. Neither of them lifted weights with the goal of looking like bodybuilders. Instead, their workouts focused on definition rather than building mass. Joey had been amused by the way his female cousins and their friends had fluttered around Miles the first time he’d brought him along to meet the family.

“Looking good, man,” Joey said.

“Oh, I know.” Miles gave him a crooked grin as he flexed one of his biceps. “Eat your heart out.”

Joey laughed as they left the cabin, heading down the quiet dirt lane to the farmhouse.

“Filming’s going so great, I’m worried we might finish up tomorrow,” Joey mused.

Miles chuckled. “Don’t worry, Romeo. Even if we do, we’re not scheduled to be in Nashville until the beginning of November. I have a feeling the Storms would let us hang out until then. And by the Storms, I mean Lucy. I don’t think she’s in a hurry for you to leave either.”

Joey glanced over at Miles. “You think?”

“She barely left your side all day, bro.”

Joey liked what Miles was saying, but damn if his face wasn’t all wrong again, his scowl back in place. They fell silent for a little while, Joey enjoying the solitude of their surroundings. Even Miles finally seemed to be taken by the beauty around him, pointing out a fat squirrel, then wondering what kind of bird it was that landed in a tree as they passed.

When they reached the farmhouse, Lucy was waiting for them on the porch swing, looking adorable in her ripped jeans, ankle boots, and V-neck white T-shirt that showed the perfect amount of cleavage. She also wore a blue-and-tan geometric print cardigan sweater that hung past her knees. She was the very picture of fall.

The past few days, she’d worn her hair in a ponytail, so this was the first time Joey had seen her with her long blonde hair hanging loose and wavy over her shoulders. He sucked in a breath when she rose…and for a moment, he thought he heard Miles do the same.

“Hey,” she said, giving them a wave. “You guys look great.”

Joey’s gaze took her in from head to toe, and he had to give his dick the “down, boy” command.

Miles cleared his throat. “So, what’s the plan?”

“I thought I’d let y’all decide,” she said, drawling the wordsyou allin that sweet Southern accent.

“Okay. Hit us with our options. What’s fun to do in Gracemont?” Joey asked.

Lucy laughed. “Well, considering you guys are from big cities, I think you’re going to be disappointed in your limited choices. Buuuuut…I promise you that what we lack in quantity, we make up for in quality.”

Before she could begin her list, Theo and Remi walked out of the house and joined Lucy on the porch.

“These guys are going with us too,” Lucy added.

Joey had already chatted with Theo, whom they’d also interviewed today, as he managed the brewhouse, ordering supplies, equipment, and ingredients to make the beer, as well as hiring and training employees to work the tasting room.

As for Lucy’s younger sister, he’d only spent a little bit of time with her at dinner their first night here. Regardless, Remi made an impression. The woman had a cutting wit, cussed like a sailor, and laughed loudly enough to shake the rafters. She reminded him a lot of his brother Gio’s girlfriend. Keeley was a live wire who kept Gio and their partner, Rafe, on their toes twenty-four seven.

So, needless to say, Joey thought Remi rocked.

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