Page 71 of Keeping Guard
Peyton was loving her new friends. As she sat in Nichole and Jack’s backyard laughing with these amazing women over which of their men were the hottest, she wondered if they’d still spend time with her after Noah left.
Don’t go there, Pey. Not today.
There would be plenty of time to be sad after Noah was gone. There was too much laughter here with his friends to get teary eyed. The group was interesting. Deke was a detective with the Asheville Police Department, Heather was a physical therapist, Nichole a potter, Rachel a movie stunt double, Clint and Mark were gamers. Then a SEAL, and a former SEAL now training therapy dogs. She felt that as a beer brewer she could hold her own in such an eclectic bunch.
“Over the fence!” Noah said, drawing her attention back to the game to see him running around the bases with Lucky chasing after him. As he passed Jack, standing behind second, he turned and ran backward and smirked. “Hey, Whiskey. You see Double D hit a home run?” At Jack’s raised middle finger, Noah laughed.
“What’s Maggie May doing?” Heather asked when the dog dragged the bat up the stairs to the deck.
“Oh, jeez. Silly dog.” Nichole stood. “Give that to me, Mags.” She wrestled the bat away. “Maggie May’s a kleptomaniac. She’ll steal anything not nailed down.”
Heather laughed. “That’s funny. What does she do with the stuff?”
“She hoards anything she can filch in her bed. Cell phones, the remote, shoes, bras, panties, you name it. She never chews the stuff up, just wants the goodies.”
“Like a dragon with his treasure,” Peyton said.
“Where’s the bat?” Clint looked around home plate with a puzzled expression on his face.
Nichole waved it in the air. “Maggie May decided y’all are done. It’s about time to put the burgers and hot dogs on the grill, anyway.”
After the meat was cooked, everyone filled their plates and found seats on the deck.
“This is really good beer,” Deke said. “You have a new customer.”
“Awesome!” Peyton had brought two cases of assorted Elk Antler beers as her contribution to the cookout, along with an Elk Antler logoed beer bucket. On their way over, Noah had stopped at a convenience store and bought four bags of ice. Everyone but Heather had grabbed a bottle from the bucket.
Heather leaned toward her husband. “Put a drop on my tongue so I can taste it.”
“I have a better idea.” Deke took another swallow, then kissed her.
“That is good,” she said with a dreamy smile on her face that Peyton assumed was more from the kiss than the taste of beer. “As soon as this baby pops out and I can drink again, you’ll have another customer.”
Peyton smiled. “Also awesome.” It never ceased to thrill her when someone loved one of her beers.
“I told her the first time I had one that I’d marry her if I wasn’t already a fool in love.” Jack grinned at Nichole who blew him a kiss.
Noah made a growly sound. “But you are.”
All the men’s gazes zeroed in on Noah, as if some kind of understanding passed between them.
Noah frowned. “What?”
“You’ll figure it out,” Jack said, smirking.
Clint chuckled, which got a glare from his brother.
What was all that about? Whatever it was, Peyton sensed Noah didn’t like the attention on him. “If any of you ever want a tour of the brewery, all you have to do is ask,” she said to get everyone’s attention away from Noah. “It’s pretty interesting.”
“We’ll definitely take you up on that,” Deke said.
Mark, who’d been quiet through most of dinner, raised his hand. “Me, too. Do we get free samples?”
“Absolutely.” As the attention was off Noah now, his body seemed to relax.
“Deke needs to get my fat pregnant butt home, but before we go, you promised to show me your pottery studio, Nichole,” Heather said.
“Your pregnant butt is a beautiful thing.” Deke turned heated eyes on his wife.
