Chapter 4
Chapter Four
J oey ran a brush through his hair, then slapped on some cologne. He’d changed from his recently gifted Rain or Shine Brewery T-shirt into a white button-down one and dark jeans. He didn’t have a clue what they were doing tonight, and he didn’t care. Once they’d finished filming this afternoon, Lucy had asked him and Miles if they wanted to hang out for the evening and he had been so thrilled by the chance to spend more time with her, he’d said yes without asking a single question about her plans.
Yesterday had been a wash as far as his pursuit of the beautiful brewmaster. She’d been working in the brewhouse all day, while he’d traipsed around the mountain with Miles, their producer, the director, and the camera crew, as well as Levi—who maintained the barley fields and hop yards—shooting hour after hour of B-roll footage.
The workday had run too late, and he and Miles had been so exhausted, they’d opted for a simple dinner in their cabin. Of course, their idea of simple fare and Claire’s differed greatly. Miles’s eyes had nearly popped out of his head when the kind woman walked in with a picnic basket filled with fried chicken, potato, macaroni, and green salads, as well as two huge slabs of pumpkin pie, complete with whipped cream. It had been a feast fit for at least ten people, but the two of them had managed to put a hell of a dent in it because it was impossible to stop eating such delicious food.
When they were finally able to rise from the table, they’d hit the couch, turned on the TV, and fallen asleep where they sat within minutes. Somewhere in the middle of the night, they’d moved to their beds, but it hadn’t been soon enough for Joey, as he’d spent the first hour of this morning trying to work the kinks out of his stiff neck.
Today, they’d begun filming the show, breaking the process of brewing beer into smaller pieces that the editing crew would piece together into a cohesive episode. Lucy had been incredible in front of the camera, just as he expected. She’d done exactly as he advised, talking to him and Miles like the cameras weren’t even there. Her personality had shone through, and he knew this episode was going to be their best of the season. When he’d mentioned it to Miles, his best friend suggested they wait until after filming the rest of the episodes before making that kind of call.
Joey still wasn’t sure how to deal with the Miles who’d shown up on the mountain because his hot-and-cold demeanor was giving him whiplash. Yesterday, during their tour with Levi, Miles had been back to his old self, laid-back, inquisitive, witty. It was a great day and they’d gotten some awesome footage.
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 they weren’t filming. 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 words you all in 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.
“What did you guys decide to do?” Theo asked.
“We’re still waiting for Lucy to hit us with our choices,” Miles said as the three Storms left the porch and joined them in the yard.
“Well,” Lucy started. “We could go bowling. And before you say no,” she added, despite the fact neither he nor Miles rejected the idea, “the bowling alley also has an old-school arcade. It’s got pinball, Donkey Kong, Galaga, PacMan, and one of those old-fashioned shooting galleries, where things move or squirt water if you hit the targets.”
Remi rolled her eyes. “You are ridiculously enthralled by that stupid shooting gallery.”
Then Remi quickly added to the list, clearly not down for bowling or arcade games. “Another cool thing we could do is go to the drive-in. Not sure what’s playing tonight, but it’s always a double feature. If we opt for that, we could throw a bunch of camp chairs and blankets into the bed of one of the trucks and bundle up to watch.”
Theo groaned at that suggestion. “You are aware the temperature is supposed to drop significantly tonight. We’d freeze our asses off.” He turned to Miles and Joey. “The last option is Whiskey Abbey. It’s a local bar that plays country music. They have ax throwing and a dance floor—and it’s warm.”
“You could always take a flask of bourbon to the movies,” Remi said. “That’ll keep you warm enough.”
Theo shoulder-bumped Remi. “Or I can have my bourbon in a glass with ice at the bar.”
Joey glanced at Miles. “I’m leaning toward the bar. You?”
Miles nodded, looking relieved they were thinking along the same lines. Joey wasn’t a bad bowler, but after three fairly long days, the idea of just chilling with beers and fun people sounded a hell of a lot easier.
“Perfect,” Lucy said. “Theo, can we take your car? It’s the biggest.”
Theo agreed and they all piled into his RAV4.
This was the first time Joey and Miles had left the mountain since their steep climb up three days earlier. The journey down was just as daunting, the near-vertical decline full of twists and turns.
“We’ve made improvements to the road leading to the farm over the years,” Theo told Joey, who had claimed the passenger seat and was resting his hands on the dashboard as they descended. “Used to be nothing but one hairpin turn after another. When we decided to open the brewery and winery to the public, we knew we’d need a better road. We couldn’t get rid of all the turns, but at least they’re less harrowing.”
Joey chuckled. “Good to know you think this is less harrowing.”
Then he glanced over his shoulder. He’d intended to climb into the backseat with Lucy and Miles, but Remi had gotten there first, insisting he take the front seat, since he was taller. He tried not to be jealous of the fact that Miles and Lucy were smooshed up next to each other, thanks to Theo making a sharp left turn.
Joey half expected Miles to be uncomfortable with the seating arrangement, since he’d been so hell-bent on keeping his distance from Lucy. So he was surprised when he spotted the two of them grinning at each other when she was tilted into him by centrifugal force, his body pressed against the door. Remi, not to be left out, leaned heavier than she needed to into her sister, so the three of them looked like they were on an amusement park ride together.
When Theo turned to the right, they laughed as they shifted in unison, pushing Remi against the opposite door.
Conversation never waned during the drive off the mountain and along Main Street, especially with Remi, Theo, and Lucy taking turns discussing various points of interests they passed. Joey had never found the idea of living in a small town appealing, but as he listened to their stories, he almost envied the Storms getting to grow up in a place where everyone knew everyone else.
“It’s a shame you weren’t here two weeks earlier,” Remi said. “You guys just missed the Fall Harvest festival. It’s always the second weekend in October, and we have a parade and a carnival, pie baking contests, and an eighties dance. They even close schools on that Friday. It’s a blast every year.”
“Sounds great. We’ll have to put it on our schedule for next year,” Joey said, serious about adding the event on his calendar. He’d grab hold of any reason to make return trips to Gracemont.
“Well, here we are.” Theo pulled into the crowded parking lot of Whiskey Abbey. “Wednesdays are ladies’ night, so Abbey—the owner—always pulls in a good midweek crowd.”
Joey wrapped his arm around Lucy’s shoulders in a friendly way as they walked into the bar. The dance floor was filled with countless people doing a line dance to the old country hit “Watermelon Crawl.” Remi didn’t miss a beat, racing to the floor to hop in.
Theo shook his head, amused, then pointed to an available table off to the right. “Y’all wanna claim the table? I’ll grab us a couple pitchers from the bar. Rain or Shine, okay?”
Joey grinned and nodded. “What do you think?”
“Need a hand?” Miles offered.
“Sure.”
Joey and Lucy sat at the table, watching Remi on the dance floor. The woman had some awesome moves.
“Your sister really seems to like to dance.”
Lucy smiled. “She loves it, and she’s so good at it. Meanwhile, I have two left feet.”
Joey chuckled. “Seriously?”
“Yep. I don’t even attempt to line dance anymore because I can assure you, if everyone else is going left, my ass will be boot-scooting to the right. Remi’s declared me a dance floor hazard.”
“Maybe so, but I’m still planning to drag you out there for a slow song,” Joey warned her.
Lucy lit up. “I’d love that.” Unfortunately, her smile didn’t last long as she glanced toward the bar. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Did I do something to piss Miles off. I mean…he was cool in the car just now, but most of today during the filming, I got the impression he was avoiding me.”
Joey was hoping Lucy hadn’t noticed Miles keeping his distance because he’d suspected it would hurt her feelings. Looked like he was right.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he reassured her, wondering if he should offer her more, then realizing he didn’t know what he’d say. He couldn’t figure out Miles’s deal himself.
“Okay,” she replied, clearly unconvinced. “But you should probably know something else about me.”
“Another confession?” he asked, recalling her first-day admission about talking too much when she was nervous or excited.
“I have a fatal flaw.”
Joey shook his head. “I already don’t believe you. You have no flaws.”
Lucy laughed, delighted. “You sure are a charmer, Joey Moretti.”
“That wasn’t charm. It was me stating a fact. You’re easy to be with, Lucy. I’m really happy for the chance to get to know you.”
Her eyes softened. “I feel the same way.”
They held each other’s gazes for nearly a minute, and for the first time, Joey started to get a sense that he wasn’t the only one lost to insanity, falling way too fucking fast.
She gave him a wry smile. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m going to be really sad when you leave. Time is moving too fast.”
Joey was blown away by her openness, her willingness to share her feelings without knowing if they were returned. “Yeah. I’m not looking forward to leaving either. And you’re right, the days are flying by. Looks like we need to figure out a way we can see each other again. Miles and I will be traveling off and on for six months, with a longish break for the holidays in between, but Philadelphia and Gracemont aren’t that far away. Maybe you could get some time off to travel to Philly. I could show you the city and you could meet my family.”
Lucy’s eyes sparkled. “I would love that.”
“Then it’s a date.” He leaned toward her, giving her a kiss on the cheek, enjoying the way it made her blush.
“A date,” she repeated softly.
Then Joey recalled the way this conversation had begun. “Although maybe you’d better tell me what this fatal flaw is before we start planning an itinerary,” he teased.
She glanced over her shoulder at Miles, who was still standing at the bar, laughing with Theo. “I can’t stand it when people don’t like me. Or maybe I should say when people I like don’t like me back. I don’t really care if assholes don’t like me,” she added, giggling.
He hadn’t set her mind at ease about Miles at all. “He does like you, Lucy.”
She lifted one shoulder as if to shrug off his reassurance. “He seems to have warmed up to everyone else on the farm. With me…he gets a lot chillier.”
Before Joey could come up with a response to that, Remi returned to the table and, a couple of minutes later, Miles and Theo arrived with the pitchers of beer.
Remi poured a glass for each of them, claiming she was an expert pourer, thanks to her experience as a server at the brewhouse. Miles and Lucy smiled widely and “hmmed” in appreciations after they took a sip. Something Theo and Remi found hilarious.
“Oh my God, Lu,” Remi exclaimed loudly. “Miles is as big a beer snob as you.”
“I just appreciate good beer,” Miles said, jerking his thumb toward Joey. “While this dude downs Bud Light like it’s something special.”
Lucy crinkled her nose adorably.
They continued to drink and chat, ordering several appetizers for the table to share. The night was just as relaxing as Joey had hoped for, the Storm family great company. Even Miles had loosened up, letting Remi drag him to the dance floor to teach him a country line dance, which was hilarious to watch. Miles was a good dancer, but his skills were of the bump-and-grind variety, not the heel-toe, do-si-do kind.
They’d been at the bar just over an hour when the mayor showed up. Joey had taken an instant disliking to the asshole, and his feelings toward Scottie Grover weren’t changing tonight. Especially when the man made a beeline for Lucy.
“Lucy,” the smarmy guy said, bending over to give her a kiss on the cheek, one that didn’t land because she leaned away quickly. “You should have told me you were going out.”
“Why would I do that?” she asked.
“So I could join you,” Scottie said, as if Lucy were the ignorant one, not him.
Lucy’s lack of love for the mayor was evident to everyone except Scottie, the clueless wonder.
“How did you know I was here?” she asked.
Scottie pointed to three women sitting at a nearby table, one of them waving at Lucy. “Jess texted me. She and her girlfriends never miss ladies’ night.” Scottie glanced at him and Miles, chest puffed out with self-importance as he said, “Jess is my PA. I couldn’t live without her.” He studied the five chairs at the table, all claimed, then glanced around for an extra one at the surrounding tables.
Mercifully, the bar was packed.
“Well, it was just peachy running into you, Scottie,” Remi said, her tone making it perfectly clear she meant the opposite. “See you around.”
It was the least subtle dismissal in history, and if Joey hadn’t already thought Remi was amazing, that would have sealed the deal. Especially when Scottie frowned at her obvious insult and stormed off. Fortunately, someone called out to him, and Joey watched as he pulled on his politician mask to start shaking hands.
“Gotta admit, I’m curious how a guy like that was elected mayor,” Joey mused.
Remi snorted, Theo rolled his eyes, and Lucy laughed as she said, “He ran uncontested.”
He chuckled. “And now it makes sense.”
Lucy had made it clear she was limiting her dancing to the slow songs, so Joey quickly claimed the next two, dragging her out before Scottie could reach their table. The mayor shot daggers at Joey both times, upset at having his prize taken away. The man’s annoyance pleased him too much, so Joey countered the dirty looks with smug grins. Theo joined the game, cockblocking Scottie on the third song, but only because Joey had been in the restroom and unavailable.
When another slow country ballad started to play, Joey looked at Lucy and quickly tilted his head toward Miles, who wasn’t looking their direction.
She nodded at the unspoken suggestion, asking Miles to dance. Joey tried not to laugh when his best friend shot him an alarmed look, as if he expected Joey to be pissed off.
Lucy wanted him to like her, so Joey was going to make sure she got what she wanted.
“Don’t be surprised if she steps on your feet,” Joey joked, before leaning close to mutter in his friend’s ear. “And act fast. Mayor Douchebag is en route.”
Miles rolled his eyes, rising quickly and taking Lucy’s hand. “You act like Lucy’s the one to blame when the problem is you, Joey. Let me show you how a real man leads,” he bragged.
Joey pitched a pretzel at him, watching as the two of them made their way to the floor before treating himself to a quick peek at Scottie’s irritated face.
Miles took Lucy in his arms, her hands resting on his best friend’s broad shoulders as Kenny Chesney’s “Take Her Home” played. If Joey had expected the dance to be stiff or awkward, he would have been disappointed.
In fact…
Joey leaned forward, grateful Remi and Theo had found dance partners as well and were also on the floor. Because it gave Joey the chance to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was.
Miles was focused on Lucy, who was peering up at him through those long, thick lashes of hers. The two of them were staring into each other’s eyes, Miles smiling at whatever Lucy was saying. He sure as shit wasn’t looking at her like she talked too much.
Nope. He was looking at her like a man who was hanging on her every word.
He was looking at her exactly the same way Joey had when he’d danced with her.
“Jesus,” he muttered.
Suddenly, he was reexamining Miles’s behavior the past few days…and seeing things in a very different light. Miles hadn’t been keeping his distance from Lucy because he didn’t like her or because he was distracted about Rhiannon.
Miles was holding himself apart because Joey had expressed an interest in the beautiful brewmaster first. And Miles, good friend that he was, was respecting that, stepping aside, giving him a chance to form a connection.
Joey prayed the couple on the dance floor didn’t look his direction because they would think he was drunk as a skunk if they saw him sitting there, watching them with a big goofy grin on his face.
Something Joey never imagined had just presented itself, and rather than shove that thought into a dark corner, he waved it in.
Because the future was right there, spinning around on that floor.
Joey was the last single Moretti standing. Unbeknownst to some, he wasn’t holding on to his bachelorhood because he enjoyed it.
He was holding out for something special.
It was true love he was seeking, and he was determined he wouldn’t settle down with just anyone simply to be married. He wanted a love like his parents had, one so enduring, his dad hadn’t even considered dating another woman after his mother’s untimely passing nearly twenty years earlier. How many times had Dad said he couldn’t give his heart to another woman when it still belonged to Mom?
Joey wanted that . Wanted to meet the person who completed him. He felt like Lucy could be that person. All he needed in order to be sure was the very thing he’d asked her for.
Time. Time and a chance to see if this instant connection he felt was genuine.
So yeah.
True love. That’s what Joey had been telling himself he was holding out for. And while that desire was genuine…he could see now that perhaps that wasn’t all he wanted.
He wanted more.
It was his sister Layla’s fault. And his brother Tony’s. And Gio’s and Luca’s.
His siblings hadn’t found just one true love. They’d found two. All of them living in committed threesomes.
Each of his brothers’ throuple relationships varied, but they were all making it work, each of them living with their best friends, as well as the women who’d stolen their hearts.
Joey hadn’t considered that was what he wanted as well until this very instant.
Watching Lucy and Miles together, seeing the way they were looking at each other…
He drew in a deep breath because…
God, they were beautiful together. Joey and Miles had been friends for years, but he’d never seen his friend look quite as…
Joey struggled for the word. He’d met Miles post-Rhiannon, so he’d only ever known the Miles who lived with a broken heart. The guy currently swaying on that dance floor with Lucy, looking down at her like she hung the moon, was one he’d never seen before. There was a sudden peace in Miles’s expression, as if every sadness, every hurt, every drop of anger had evaporated inside him, leaving this new man behind instead.
Joey had never realized how unhappy his best friend was until right now when he saw him truly happy.
As he considered that, Joey saw two paths open before him.
One where he stepped aside to let his best friend pursue Lucy.
Or one where they pursued her together.
The second was definitely the more difficult to tread, but Joey’s Moretti blood flashed hot, that passionate, never-say-die adventurer inside telling him the sweeter reward—a life with Miles and Lucy—would be worth the fight.
After all, hadn’t that been proven to him time and time again by Layla, Tony, Gio, and Luca. None of them had found their happy ending easily. It had taken a lot of work and courage and commitment. In the end, they’d found not only what their hearts desired but so much more.
When the song ended, everyone made their way back to the table. Abbey, the bartender, shouted last call, and they decided to close their tab and head home. Glancing around, Joey realized Scottie must have cut out right after the last missed dance.
The ride home was quieter, everyone either tired or lost in their own thoughts. Joey was in the passenger seat again, but this time Lucy was behind the wheel. She’d offered to DD because, as she’d said, “I get to sample the goods all the time.”
Not that those free samples had held Theo back as he’d consumed the lion’s share of their pitchers.
Once they arrived at the farm, they stopped at the girls’ house. Remi climbed out of the car. “See you in the morning, Joey? Bright and early?”
Remi had talked him into taking a trail ride with her. Part of her chores on the farm included leading tourists around the mountain trails on horseback. Joey thought it sounded cool and was looking forward to it.
He gave Remi a thumbs-up. “I’ll meet you at the barn.”
She nodded, said good night to everyone else, and walked inside.
Lucy handed Theo his car keys and he pocketed them, walking down a second lane that led to the farmhouse he shared with his brothers.
“I’ll pick my car up in the morning,” he told Lucy. “I need to walk this off.”
Miles had only had one beer the entire night, so she tossed him the keys to the farm use truck so they wouldn’t have to walk back in the dark. Neither he nor Miles climbed into the truck, walking her to the front door instead.
She stopped on the threshold. “I had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you for the dances.”
“You’re welcome.” Joey was aware of how closely the three of them were standing to each other, and because he was high on beer and hope, he decided there was no better time than the present to see if he could steer destiny in the right direction.
He cupped Lucy’s cheeks in his hands, bent forward, and kissed her the way he’d dreamed of since the first moment she’d stepped off this porch in those Doc Martens.
He heard her soft intake of breath, aware he’d surprised her. The shock wore off quickly, though, as her hands rose to his shoulders, her fingers stroking the sensitive skin around his ears, then slipping through his hair.
He ran his tongue along her lower lip, her mouth parting to allow him inside. Joey gripped her waist, his hands sliding beneath her long cardigan. He was sorely tempted to untuck her white tee, desperate to touch skin.
Her tongue danced with his for a full minute, the two of them sharing the same air.
Joey was finished questioning these feelings because he was a goner.
Lucy Storm had just claimed his heart.
Sign him up for the Love at First Sight club.
Call him the King of Instalove.
He was tempted to push her back against the door, to explore every luscious curve on her body, but he was hyperaware of the fact they weren’t alone. There may be two pairs of lips doing the locking, but there were three people kissing.
At least in his mind.
Joey dug deep and forced himself to break the kiss sooner than he wanted because he was so turned on. By Lucy’s soft lips and sweet sounds…as well as the fact that Miles was standing right there, next to them, watching.
He hadn’t walked away. He hadn’t even stepped back.
It was the one thing that had kept Joey kissing her.
Miles was in this, though he suspected his best friend didn’t realize it yet.
When the kiss ended, Joey gave her a quick wink that made her laugh softly. Together, they glanced over at Miles, who remained motionless for a moment.
Joey could read his best friend’s desire like it was written in jumbo neon letters. He could also see just as clearly the war Miles was waging in his own head.
Lucy blushed under Miles’s scrutiny. At first, Joey thought she was embarrassed for getting carried away in front of an audience, but then…
He looked more closely.
God.
Lucy was slowly closing the distance between her and Miles, issuing an unspoken invitation for him to claim his own kiss.
Joey silently willed Miles to move, to take what she was offering.
For the briefest of moments, he thought Miles was going to do it. Unfortunately, whatever battle he’d been fighting came to a conclusion.
The wrong conclusion.
“Good night, Lucy,” Miles said, woodenly.
“I, um…” Her desire evaporated in the blink of an eye, and she shook her head like someone trying to come out of a trance. It was clear she was embarrassed by her actions, aware she’d just kissed one guy and was ready to kiss a second. Lucy didn’t realize exactly how much that would NOT piss Joey off. “Good night.”
Joey sighed. “Night, honey.”
He and Miles waited until she walked inside and locked the door. As they headed for the truck, Joey could feel the heat from his friend’s anger.
“What the fuck was that?” Miles asked as soon as they were in the vehicle.
Joey, a smart-ass from way back, didn’t bother to hold back. “A good-night kiss. A good one too.”
“Way to make me feel like an awkward third wheel, asswipe.”
“You didn’t have to be a third wheel.”
“What the hell does that mean?” he barked.
“Why didn’t you kiss her too?”
Miles reared back as if Joey had struck him. “Why the fuck would I do that?”
Joey smirked. “Because you wanted to.”
“No, I didn’t.” It was the quickest protest Joey had ever heard, and the most hilarious when Miles tacked on, “She’s not my type.”
Joey laughed loudly. Too loudly.
Miles was not amused, and his scowl grew more pronounced as he started the truck in order to avoid eye contact. “And even if she was, which I’m not saying she is,” Miles continued, as they drove down the dark lane, “you’ve made it perfectly clear that you’re interested in her, and I don’t poach.”
“It’s not poaching.” Joey twisted on the seat because he wanted to see Miles’s reaction to his next comment. “It’s sharing.”
This time, Miles laughed, but there wasn’t a drop of humor in it. “That’s not happening.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not a Moretti. I don’t believe in threesomes. Hell, I’m not even sure I believe in love at the moment because that shit fucks you up.”
Joey scoffed. “That’s because you’ve decided to let Rhiannon live in your head rent-free again. Kick her to the curb once and for all.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“No, it’s not.”
Miles’s teeth were clenched, his lips pursed shut.
“You still talking to her?”
Miles shrugged. “Few texts, nothing more.”
Joey hated his answer, but he dropped that line of argument because he had another one he needed to pick up. “Let’s put Rhiannon aside for a minute. Because you need to open your eyes and stop lying to yourself.”
Miles’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly “About what?”
“I don’t believe you when you say Lucy’s not your type. I saw you dancing with her. I saw the way you were looking at each other.”
Miles shook his head as they pulled up in front of the cabin. He shut off the truck, then turned to look at him. “I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not going to work, bro.”
Before Joey could question him, Miles climbed out of the truck, clearly hoping to make a quick escape to his bedroom.
Like Joey would let that happen.
“What’s not going to work?” Joey asked the second they were inside.
Miles stopped in the middle of the living room, crossing his arms. “You’re not going to shoehorn me into the kind of life you want.”
“I’ve never said what kind of life I want.” Joey hadn’t. Because before tonight, this possibility hadn’t been a part of his plans.
Miles lifted one eyebrow. “I have eyes, Joey. I see the way you look at your brothers and sister. Every single one of your siblings has found a committed threesome. Admit it. You want that too, don’t you?”
Joey hadn’t been aware of those looks. It proved just what a good friend Miles had become in such a short time. The man seemed capable of seeing things about him that Joey couldn’t see himself. In the end, he merely shrugged, not bothering to deny Miles’s comment because, well, it was the truth. “What if I do?”
Miles lifted his hands. “There’s not a damn thing wrong with that. In fact, I hope you get it. I really do. But, Joe—it’s not going to be with me. And not just because I’m fucked up over Rhiannon.”
“What’s the other reason?” Joey knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Miles say it. Months earlier, Joey had confessed that he’d gone on a couple dates with guys. Miles had been shocked, to put it lightly.
Since then, Joey couldn’t help but notice his best friend had never mentioned it again, obviously uncomfortable with the subject.
Miles looked away, and for a minute, Joey suspected he wasn’t going to respond.
When Miles’s gaze met his again, he lifted his shoulders. “You like guys.”
Yep. There it was.
“And?”
“And I don’t.”
Joey snorted. “Yeah. Pretty sure I know that, Miles.”
He rubbed the back of his neck wearily. “I’m never going to kiss a guy, never feel attraction or arousal for one. I’m not wired like that.”
Joey closed his eyes briefly. “Again, I know that.”
“So that should tell you?—”
“Ask me,” Joey interjected.
Miles frowned. “What?”
“Ask me about my experience with dating men.”
“That’s none of my?—”
“Just fucking ask, Miles.”
His jaw tightened. He obviously didn’t want to, but it spoke to their level of friendship that he forged on anyway. “Fine, Joey. Hit me with it.”
“I’ve gone out with two guys—only two. They were both gay, not bi, and they asked me out. I accepted the dates because I was curious, and I had a good time. I didn’t do more than kiss either guy. No sex. The kissing was hot, but it didn’t go beyond that.”
“Did you want it to go further?”
“Honestly, no. Both guys made it clear they were interested in me for more than a hookup, and while I liked them well enough, I couldn’t see myself dating either of them. Because the truth is, I prefer women.”
“Oh,” Miles murmured.
“I actually didn’t realize until tonight that I do want to find what my brothers and Layla have. Because you’re right. I think throuple relationships are pretty fucking fantastic. But I also know—because I’m not an idiot—that there are all sorts of ways to make a threesome work. In my mind, for the three of us, I envision what Tony and Rhys share with Jess.”
Miles fell quiet. He’d spent a lot of time with Joey’s family, so Miles knew the lay of the land when it came to his brothers’ relationships. He knew the twins, Luca and Gio, were bi, having sex with both of their partners. Just as he knew Rhys and Tony were straight, the two men sharing Jess only.
“Joey…” he started.
“Miles. I swear to you, I don’t look at you that way. I look at you like I look at my brothers. Because you’re my brother too.” Joey didn’t say anything else, giving Miles time to digest what he’d just learned. A small part of him hoped the information would make a difference.
Finally, Miles broke the silence, saying exactly what Joey expected and feared. “What you told me… It doesn’t change things. Because I’m not looking for what you are. I’m not even looking at all.”
It was yet another lie, but Joey didn’t call him on it.
“Like you said,” Miles added, tapping his temple. “I need to evict someone before I even think about starting something new.”
Miles claimed the last word as he turned and walked into his bedroom, shutting the door.
Joey stared at Miles’s closed door for a moment, then headed to his own bedroom. Dropping down on the edge of the mattress, he pulled out his cellphone, clicking on the number of the one person he could talk to about this.
It was late, but he knew Tony would answer.
“Everything okay?” Tony’s gruff voice told Joey he’d woken up his big brother. He heard a rustling that told him Tony was getting out of bed, followed by the quiet sound of a door closing. He’d obviously left the bedroom so he wouldn’t disturb Rhys and Jess.
“When did you know?” Joey asked. “That Jess was the one?”
“The second I lifted her out of that freezing-cold car.” Rhys and Tony had taken Jess and Jasper in from the street, the young mother and her son homeless and sleeping in a car in the dead of winter. Like him and Miles, his brother and Rhys were best friends and roommates.
Then Tony huffed out a breath that sounded like a laugh. “Who is she? Do I know her?”
“She’s the brewmaster at Rain or Shine Brewery. We’re interviewing her for the show.”
“You sound miserable as fuck. Am I to take it she’s not interested in you?”
“She’s interested,” Joey admitted.
“Then why do you sound like you lost your best fri—” Tony paused, then said, “Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh,” Joey said gloomily.
“Guess I don’t have to tell you it doesn’t have to be either/or.”
“You don’t have to tell me ,” Joey said. “But I think I asked the wrong question. How did you convince Rhys to share?”
“That’s still the wrong question,” Tony replied. “Because I didn’t convince him. We got there on our own. We realized our lives wouldn’t be complete without Jess and Jasper pretty early on. Took us a little longer to figure out our lives wouldn’t be complete without each other, as well, so instead of pistols at dawn, we decided to share.”
Joey wasn’t so sure Miles would ever come to that realization.
“What you want is a beautiful thing, Joey. But it’s not easy to achieve. Two people finding their perfect half, falling in love, is rare enough. Three hearts fitting together? That’s fucking miraculous. You only left Philly a few days ago, bro. Take a breath. Then take about a hundred more. Let things play out a little longer. You can’t push this on Miles. He’s gotta find his own way there.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
Tony was silent for too long. “I think you know the answer to that.”
Joey did, and it felt like an arrow straight through his heart.
“While you can’t push him,” Tony began, “that’s not to say you can’t guide him.”
Joey chuckled. “Guide him, huh?”
“Open his eyes to the future you’re seeing. Miles is a smart man. I’m betting he won’t be able to say no when he understands just how much he stands to gain.”
“Thanks, bro,” Joey said, nurturing the tiny spark of hope Tony had lit in his soul. “Give Jasper a hug for me, and kiss Jess’s belly, tell my future niece or nephew that her uncle Joey intends to spoil them rotten.”
Tony chuckled. “I’ll be sure to do that. As soon as Jess stops throwing up. Right now, it’s a splash zone.”
“Gross,” Joey muttered, chuckling.
Tony, Jess, and Rhys had sent a big text to the whole family a couple weeks earlier, announcing the arrival of their child in the spring.
“I look forward to meeting this brewmaster,” Tony added. “Must be quite a woman to have you and Miles turned inside out after just a few days.”
“You’re going to love her,” Joey assured him. “Sorry for waking you up.”
“No problem. I should probably start getting used to sleepless nights. Good night, Joey.”
“Night.”
Joey hung up the phone, glad he’d made the call. Stripping down to his boxers, he climbed into bed and considered his brother’s advice.
Time to start drawing a road map.