Sully’s willingness to talk to me about his business, to ask for my opinion, then weigh his information and make his own decisions, was a huge turn on for me. After he and Jake talked to Drew and Max back in June, they’d charged ahead, making their dream to get their small canning business set up and ready to roll a reality. I knew Sully still struggled with the risk involved—he’d shared more about how he worried about money as a kid on the farm—but he was feeling more confident about their investment the closer it got to putting their beers out in the world.
I twirled his hair around my fingers. “Do you think Drew will ever come back and work at the brewery?” I’d met Jake’s brother a few times. They were from the suburbs of Chicago. Sully hadn’t met Jake until college. Drew was fighting fires out in Colorado, I wasn’t sure if that would ever translate to a move to Highland.
“Not sure. He seems to like firefighting out West, but something he said tells me he might in the future.” Sully parked, then looked at me. “Ready?”
I smiled as he slid out of the truck and came around to my side, leading me up to the brewery and into the restaurant.
The place was packed, even for a Tuesday evening. The weather was gorgeous, so it was nice to see so many people come to the brewery when they could be outside. We weaved through the tables until I saw Max and Emma at a low table over near the bar area.
“Maggie!” Emma hopped out of her chair to greet me, squeezing me to her before putting both her hands on my belly.
Laughing, I let her hands roam. “It’s not that big, Emma.”
Emma rolled her eyes and looked at me. “Sorry, babe. I’m going to be one of those crazy people who need to touch your belly. Prepare yourself now.”
Well, she wasn’t lying. She’d absolutely been a bit handsy over the past month. But it was Emma. Strangers trying to touch my belly creeped me out, but not her.
Sully pulled out a chair for me and then slid down next to me. “Usual?” he asked. I nodded, and he turned back to look over to Daryl and gave him a nod. I’m guessing that little communication meant our drink order would be over here shortly.
“You guys order yet?” he asked Max as he rested an arm across the back of my chair. I leaned into him a little and thought longingly of yoga pants and the couch before bringing my attention back to the table.
Daryl swung by, dropping off some flavored seltzer water for me, a beer for Sully. I sighed, grateful Sully and Jake were now stocking some of my new favorite drink but well aware it would be quite a bit of time before I could have an alcoholic beverage. Oh well.
Max looked from Sully to me before breaking out in a wide smile. “Nope. We waited, though we could have ordered, eaten, and been home in the time it took you to pick up Maggie here.” He stroked the beard at his chin. “I wonder why that is.”
Emma slapped Max’s biceps in laughter before looking at me. “Ignore him, babe. He’s just jealous because he wasn’t getting any.”
“Emma!” I said, shocked at how bold my formerly shy friend had become.
“I do not want that visual, thanks,” Sully said. Apparently, the best-friend-sleeping-with-my-sister topic was still tough for him. I found that rather amusing.
Max shrugged as he grabbed a menu. “You’re just lucky she wouldn’t go for it in your office like I suggested.”
I coughed on the drink of seltzer I had just taken while at the same time I became intrigued. We hadn’t messed around at the brewery before. That could be a possibility.
Sully didn’t apparently share my interest, or just couldn’t get past the visual, because he simply groaned.
Luckily, the waitress came up right as we were talking to take our order and got everyone refocused. Once she left, Max raised his glass and clinked his beer with Sully. “Thanks for meeting us, guys.”
“Anytime,” I said, smiling at the couple across from me. Sometimes I still couldn’t believe that Emma was with Max. She’d loved him for so long. Hell, I guess she could say the same for me, though she hadn’t known how I felt about her brother over the years. Damn, a lot had really changed for us in the past four months.
Emma grinned. “Anytime? Don’t pretend you wouldn’t be happier on your couch right now Maggie. I know you.”
“Sully’s couch,” I pointed out. “And yes, but I’m still happy to be with you all too.”
Sully squeezed my leg under the table. “Babe, you live there. It’s your couch too.”
“Well, only for two more weeks. So, technically, it’s better just to call it your couch,” I replied.
Sully’s head swiveled to mine. “Two more weeks? What are you talking about?”
I looked at him in confusion while hearing Emma’suh-ohand Max’s mutteredwell, shit.
Looking from my friends to Sully, I tentatively began. “Umm, remember I moved in because I’d sublet my duplex for the summer and couldn’t get into my new place until August? My lease begins mid-August, just a little under two weeks away.” I racked my brain. Hadn’t we talked about this? I knew we had when I moved in.
Sully looked pissed as he moved his body so that he was facing me. His arm stayed on the back of my chair while another one came to the table in front of me, effectively closing me in. “Why would you move out?”
What the ever-loving fuck? “Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.
