Page 60 of Trusting Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 2)

“I said I’m not my brother’s keeper.”

Luckily, that answer tracked from Evan. He doubted his mom suspected a thing.

“You need to tell her,” Evan stated plainly.

Easton felt guilt creep up into his shoulders. “I will. I’m going to see them tomorrow.”

They were due home on Thanksgiving, his dad liked to travel on the holiday since the roads and airports were usually less crazy than the days leading up to it. And since production was taking the holiday and weekend off Easton’s plan was to drive to Sacramento tomorrow morning and surprise them the same way he had planned when he flew home.

Eli, who had been across the bar playing darts with Lucky while the brothers waited for the pool table to open up, stepped between his brothers and slapped a hand on each of their shoulders. “What are we talking about?”

His youngest brother had always suffered from FOMO when they were growing up. He didn’t want to miss out on any conversation or activity. It seemed he hadn’t grown out of it.

“Mom,” Evan relayed flatly.

Eli cringed as he sucked air through clenched teeth. “Mom is going to be pissed when she finds out that you’ve been here for three weeks, you have a girlfriend, and you’re on a reality show hosted by two of her favorite people and you didn’t tell her.”

Things had definitely snowballed in his life since he’d originally decided not to interrupt his parents’ vacation. But Easton still felt like it was the right thing to do. He didn’t need his brother pointing out that their mom was going to be upset. He knew that was a risk. He just hoped that him moving back to the States would offset however mad she was.

“Speaking of your girlfriend,” Eli tilted the neck of his beer in the direction of the table Grace was sitting at with her sisters. “It looks like she has a friend.”

Easton looked over and saw a guy leaning down at the table Grace was sitting at alone. He wasn’t sure where her sisters had gone. They’d been there just a few seconds ago.

He watched her smile up at him and then point directly at Easton. He couldn’t be certain what she was telling the man, but he had a pretty good idea it was something to do with him being her boyfriend.

Even though he knew she might just be doing it out of convenience so the guy would leave her alone, or because there were people from production at the bar tonight, it still filled Easton’s chest with undeserved pride.

The man looked over at Easton and gave him a nod, as if to say sorry. Easton nodded back and then when the man left, he walked straight over to Grace who stood up when she saw him coming.

“It’s okay, I’m fine.” She lifted her hands. “He was nice. He just asked me to dance.”

Easton had no clue what expression he had on his face that made her say that. If it was anything close to what he was feeling then it was primal, protective, and predatory. Grace brought out the Cro-Magnon parts of his DNA.

He continued walking, not stopping until he was barely an inch from her face. She retreated one step and her back hit the wall. He leaned down and cupped her jawline.

“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.

“Production is here. I’m giving my girlfriend a kiss.”

He waited for a second just to see if she was going to protest but when she closed her eyes, he pressed his lips to hers claiming her in a branding kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth as his fingers wrapped around the back of her neck, tilting it up to give him better access. Her hands gripped his biceps as her tongue gently massaged his sending currents of pleasure pulsating through him from head to toe.

Time stood still. The earth stopped moving. His soul sank into the kiss that transported him to another place.

The dreamy intensity of the moment was shattered when he heard Viv clearing her throat behind him. “I would say get a room, but you two already have one.”

He turned to see both of her sisters standing with drinks in their hands.

“Sorry,” he moved out of the way so that they could sit back down at their table.

“Nothing to apologize for. That was one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen my fair share of hot things. Well done.” Viv lifted her glass to him in a cheers as all the sisters took their seats.

“Easton!” Eli shouted from across the bar holding up two pool sticks. It looked like the table was open.

“I’m gonna go school my little brother.” He bent down and kissed Grace on the forehead before he started back across the bar.

When he was barely a step away, he heard Viv say, “I take it back, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Easton grinned when he heard Grace shush her sister picturing the blush that he knew was on her cheeks. If it was up to him, he’d be putting that blush on her cheeks a lot more after these two weeks were up. If it was up to him, he’d be putting that blush on her cheeks a lot more for the rest of his life.

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