Page 7 of Coming Home

“I bet!” Laughter bubbled in Virginia’s throat. “How is it working for your dad?”

For?A crowbar may be needed to remove the tight smile she’d worn all evening.

“We’re so lucky to have her. She’s a huge help at the clinic.” Dad grinned, placing a hand on her shoulder.

A huge help?It was like this was an after-school job or something she did on break, not a career she’d studied for and trained to do for the last decade of her life. “Yup.” The battle to keep her tone light raged fiercely through her.

At nine p.m., The Farmer’s Ale opened to the public. Most of the partygoers had left, but the happy couple and members of theirwedding party remained. All twelve of them clustered around several high-top tables at the perimeter of the bar. Patrons filled the low farm tables in the center of the room, clanking glasses and chatting. Nat sat at a four-person table with Clayton, Elle, and Willa, discussing tomorrow’s wedding party event.

“It’s a twist on an English high tea,” Willa explained.

The wedding party was small. Viet, Willa, and Carmen made up Elle’s bridal party. Noah, Nat, and Jerome, Clayton’s partner at the vet clinic and Tobey’s husband, were standing up with the groom. Elle’s cousin Tobey, now an ordained Internet minister, would officiate. Willa and Viet lived in Long Beach, where Elle used to reside. They’d be flying back for much of the pre-wedding shenanigans.

“Just tea, right?” Elle pointed at Willa.

Willa’s lips lifted into a mischievous smile. “Of course.”

“Wills.”

“It will be a tasteful tea,” she said with a demure bat of her long eyelashes.

“Your definition of tasteful worries me.”

“Says the woman who has been caught dry-humping her fiancé in public by at least four people in this bar. Not to mention that poor Noah walked in on the two of you?—”

Elle’s face went fire-engine red, and she clamped her hands over Willa’s mouth, cutting off her words.

Nat giggled, thinking about how just a few hours ago Clayton had done the same exact thing to his bride.

The covering of Willa’s mouth was pointless. Everyone in the wedding party knew the story. Not because of Noah, but due to a tipsy Elle telling the story after one or six too many mimosas at her wedding dress shopping trip last week. Poor Noah walked in on a very naked Clayton and Elle “making breakfast” in the kitchen. Nat was horrified. Carmen blushed. Willa offeredpointers on kitchen counter sex positions. Viet simply poured Elle another mimosa.

“This is why I always text before going to the farmhouse. Not to mention knock loudly and cover my eyes before entering.” Nat waggled her brows at the blushing couple. “Mom and Dad were bad enough.”

“You walked in on your parents?” Willa pushed Elle’s hands away and gaped.

“Horrifying, isn’t it?”

“No, impressive. Who knew a man who wears bow ties was a senior citizen sex god? Elle, if Clayton takes after his dad, we’ll havemanyyears of the two of you getting caught sexing each other up.”

“Sex god?” Nat and Clayton guffawed.

“Who’s a sex god?” Noah asked, walking up to their table.

Running a manicured finger up Noah’s chest to his chin, Willa purred, “Besides you, gorgeous…Clayton’s dad.”

He blanched. “I did not need that mental image.”

As the members of the party laughed and groaned, Nat tried to avert her focus, but it repeatedly dropped onto Willa and Noah. Willa’s seductive winks. Noah’s bemused expression.

Too much!She jumped off the stool. “I’m going to grab another drink. Anyone need anything?” Nat blurted, steamrolling over Willa mid-sentence.

Who knew what Willa was saying? Nat had only half listened.Ok, not listening at all.Guilt churned in her tummy. It wasn’t Willa; she’d been nothing but kind to Nat. Any woman that Noah looked at would generate envy inside her. Any woman he looked at not as a little sister, the way he looked at her.

“I’ll take another Doc Owens.” Elle raised her empty glass.

The ale, named after Clayton, was the only beer the rosé-all-day Elle stooped to drink. All the brews at the Farmer’s Ale were named after someone or something notable in the village.With the lifelong bromance between Clayton and Noah, it was unsurprising that he’d name a beer after his best friend.

“What’s wrong with the one you’ve got?” Clayton teased, taking her lips in a nipping kiss.

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