AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Day drinking over here?”
I wasn’t, but when Tris appears out of nowhere and starts walking toward me at the beer tent, all thoughts of dinner prep fly out the door.
“Not exactly.”
I’ve never been into the biceps-bulging-out-of-T-shirt look before. It’s like, if your shirt is too small, get a bigger one. No need to scream,I work out 24/7.
But his aren’t that obnoxious. Less gym rat and more just buff bod that I would like to see with no shirt on at all, thank you very much. His tee is, like the rest of him, just right. And the fact that I’m obsessing over it should be a big red flag for this plan we’ve concocted.
“Ready for the dinner crowd?” I ask.
“We are. You?”
And therein lies the problem. All roads lead back to business. And our businesses are at odds with one another.
“Yep. Just gathering reinforcements for the troops.”
As we talk, Mike puts two beers in front of me, shaking Tris’s hand.
“Shouldn’t you be somewhere right about now?” Mike asks him. Before Tris can answer, Mike turns his attention to me. “Two more, right?”
“Yes, please.”
“Everything is under control,” Tris says. “At least, it was when I left. Hit up Mom and Dad’s tent for a slice.”
Mike points to a tray in the corner. “Your sister brought me some earlier. Let me grab you those beers,” he says to me.
Apparently Mike and Tris are friends. Which makes sense. I know Mike is pretty close to Cole too. In Bridgewater, if you’re around the same age, chances are you are either best friends or bitter enemies. There’s not much middle ground here.
It’s those absolutes I didn’t miss living in New York. Here, life just chugs along the way it always has. Change doesn’t come easy, which scares me a bit for the restaurant.
“I decided to take my cue from you. Loosen everyone up a bit,” I say, having remembered how he kicked off Festa with wine for his staff.
“Great idea. As long as they’re drinking Angel.”
“Angel Pale Ale.”
His smile slays me.
“What’s it like? To have a brother who’s a household name. Who literally changed the way people drink. Is it weird?”
Tris squints, like he’s thinking.
“Weird is a good word.”
He was going to say something else. There’s definitely more to it, but I don’t pry.
“I never had siblings, so I can’t imagine the complexities of that relationship.”
Tris seems surprised by my words. “Complexities. A pretty spot-on assessment.”
“Then again, I suppose most relationships are complex.”
Mike comes back at that moment. “Not ours,” the bartender says to Tris. “I kick his ass every Thursday in basketball. Tris gets over it when I give him beer. Simple.”
“You couldn’t kick my ass if I had one arm tied behind my back.” Tris reaches for half of my beers. “Need a hand?”
“Sure.” I look at Mike.
