Page 20 of Keep My Heart (The Haydon Falls #1)

Lyndsay

‘She could come to the party, right?’ Jason asks Nick. ‘Did Dad say we could bring guests?’

‘He didn’t say, but I’m sure he wouldn’t care if we did,’ Sawyer says, answering for Nick. ‘And it’s Lyndsay. She’s like family.’

I laugh. ‘Nick tutored me in high school. I’d hardly call that family.’

‘Yeah, but you’re from here. A local. That makes you family.’

‘You should come to the party,’ Brody says, going behind the bar to refill his beer.

‘Slow down there,’ Sawyer says to him. ‘Dad doesn’t want you showing up drunk.’

‘I’m not even close to being drunk.’ Brody stands next to Sawyer behind the bar. ‘And the party isn’t for a few more hours. Whatever I drink will be out of me by then.’

Looking at Brody, I’m amazed at how much he’s changed.

I can’t believe how tall he is now, even taller than his brothers.

Nick was probably six feet back in high school, but now he’s taller and a lot bigger, like he spends hours at the gym.

Maybe he works out to burn off stress from his job.

That’s why I started doing yoga, except my stress was from Chris and all the scams he got involved in that drained our bank account.

‘Who’s running your business today?’ Nick asks Brody.

‘This guy, Kevin. He’s Dale’s stepson. He dropped out of college so I hired him before someone else got him. He’s still got a lot to learn, but he knows enough to handle the afternoon for me.’

‘I can’t believe this idiot’s running a business,’ Sawyer says, hooking a thumb toward Brody. ‘He couldn’t even run a lemonade stand.’

Jason laughs. ‘That’s because he gave it all away to cute girls that walked by.’

‘You gave girls free lemonade?’ I say. ‘That’s so sweet.’

‘His motives aren’t what you’re thinking,’ Nick says before taking a drink of his beer.

‘He was trying to get them to kiss him,’ Jason says, laughing. ‘He tried with this one girl and she threw the lemonade in his face.’

‘Bet she’s regretting that now,’ Brody says.

‘Yeah, you’re a real catch,’ Sawyer says, rolling his eyes.

‘Is this where the party’s at?’ a deep voice says.

We all look back and see a guy coming into the brewery.

‘What the hell you doing here?’ Sawyer asks, smiling at the guy.

‘I was invited. Your dad didn’t tell you?’

Nick and his brothers walk over to the guy.

‘He said you couldn’t make it,’ Nick says. ‘Something about being behind on one of your renovations.’

The guy nods. ‘We brought in a crew to finish it up so we could be here for Aunt Martha’s party.’

Aunt Martha. So this guy is Nick’s cousin, one of the Wheeler brothers. I’ve only heard about them. I’ve never met any of them until now.

Two more guys walk in.

‘Nash, here’s your keys,’ one of the guys says, tossing the keys to Nick’s cousin.

So that’s Nash. I’m guessing the other guys are his brothers. I think Nash is the oldest. He’s about as tall as Nick, with short dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes. He’s really hot, like Nick and his brothers. This entire family was blessed with good genes.

‘I’ll take an amber ale,’ one of the guys says to Sawyer. He looks similar to Nash—tall, dark hair, really hot.

‘Help yourself,’ Sawyer says. ‘You know where to go. You put the taps in yourself.’

‘When’d you get here?’ the guy says to Nick.

‘Yesterday. I’ve been hiding out here so Mom doesn’t see me. Dad wanted to keep it a surprise.’

‘With us too. She doesn’t know we’re here.’ The guy glances back at me at the bar. ‘Is that your girlfriend?’

‘No. She’s a friend from high school. Lyndsay, get over here.’

I walk over to him, feeling overwhelmed being surrounded by seven very tall, very hot guys.

‘Hi.’ I smile at Nash and the other two guys. ‘You’re Nick’s cousins, right?’

‘So you’ve heard about us,’ Nash says with a laugh. He shakes my hand. ‘Nash Wheeler. And these are my brothers, Jake and Bryce.’

‘Nice to meet you.’ I shake Jake’s hand and then Bryce’s. They both have huge hands and firm handshakes, like Nick and his brothers. I feel like I’m drowning in testosterone with all these guys.

‘Where’s Austin?’ Brody asks .

‘He’s coming up later,’ Nash says. ‘He’s bringing the band. They’ll be playing tonight.’

‘Did that just happen?’ Sawyer asks. ‘Dad didn’t tell us Austin was doing the music.’

‘It was a last-minute thing,’ Nash says. ‘Austin had another gig, but he cancelled so he could be here tonight. Keep that between us. Dad doesn’t want Aunt Martha knowing Austin cancelled a gig to do this. You know how she is.’

‘Never wants anyone being inconvenienced because of her,’ Nick says to me. ‘Drives us all crazy.’

‘Just wait until she finds out about all the work Dad did for this party,’ Brody says. ‘I bet she yells at him for it.’

Nick shakes his head. ‘She won’t. She’ll probably cry because he’s never done anything like this before.’

‘Want a beer?’ Jake says to Bryce, who is also gorgeous—big and tall and covered in tats.

‘Yeah,’ Bryce says. ‘Get me a lager.’

Jake takes off for the bar.

‘Where are the girls?’ Jason asks Nash.

‘They’re coming up later today. They didn’t want to sit around here while we drink and talk sports. They’re back at Dad’s place, baking stuff for the party. Callie insisted on making all the desserts. Jen and Kira are helping and Ivy offered to clean up.’

‘Those are your girlfriends?’ I ask, looking at Nash.

‘Yeah. Callie’s my fiancé. Kira is Austin’s girl.’ Nash points to Bryce. ‘He’s dating Jen and Jake’s with Ivy, although I still don’t understand why. I think she could do better.’

‘What the hell?’ Jake yells from the bar. ‘I was Chicago’s most eligible bachelor! I’m a fucking catch!’

‘Was he really Chicago’s most eligible bachelor?’ I ask.

‘Yes.’ Nash rolls his eyes. ‘And he loves bringing it up.’

‘When’s your dad getting here?’ Nick asks Nash .

‘He’s already here. He’s helping your dad set up the barn.’

‘Mom’s gonna see his truck and know something’s up,’ Nick says.

Nash shakes his head. ‘Your dad got one of her friends to take her out to lunch and then to the salon to get her hair done.’

‘How do you know this shit and we don’t?’ Brody asks.

‘He probably didn’t even think to tell us,’ Nick says. ‘He’s too busy trying to get this party put together. I haven’t even talked to him since I got into town. I texted him and just got something back saying he’d see me at the party.’

‘Same here,’ Jason says. ‘He hasn’t talked to me in days. Bet he’ll be glad when this party’s over.’

‘I think I’ll go,’ I say to Nick, ‘so you can spend time with your family.’

‘You don’t have to go. Stay and hang out with us.’

‘Aren’t you going to the party?’ Nash asks.

‘Yeah, why don’t you come?’ Nick says to me.

‘It’s for family. I’d feel out of place.’

‘It’s not just family,’ Jason says. ‘It’s friends too, and you’re Nick’s friend, so consider yourself invited.’

It’s really nice of them to invite me, but I don’t think I should go. It seems like something a girlfriend would do, and I’m not Nick’s girlfriend. I’m just a girl from his past. And I should probably spend time with my mom. I’ve barely seen her since I got into town.

‘Thanks, but I think my mom already has plans for us this afternoon.’

‘You can at least stay and finish your beer,’ Nick says.

‘Okay.’ I give him a smile, noticing how far away from me he’s standing.

And he hasn’t held my hand since we got here.

He’s been really affectionate with me since we started fake dating, but now he’s staying away from me.

Is it because of what happened back at my mom’s house?

Or does he just not want to be that way with me in front of his family?

I guess I can understand why. If we’re not really dating, it’d seem odd for his family to see us holding hands or standing close.

‘Let’s go have a seat,’ Nash says, heading to the bar.

We go over there and Nash starts telling Nick about one of the projects he’s working on.

Then Nick tells him about his job in New York and how he’s been working extra hours, trying to make partner.

I join in now and then but mostly keep quiet, just listening and drinking my beer.

Brody and Bryce are talking on the other side of me and Jake and Sawyer are behind the bar talking.

They’re all really loud, talking and laughing, but I like it.

It feels comfortable, like I’m surrounded by family.

‘So Lyndsay,’ Nash says. ‘What do you do around here?’

‘Oh, I’m just here to see my mom. I live in California now.’

‘She’s a bookkeeper,’ Nick says, smiling at me. ‘And she teaches yoga.’

‘You married?’ Nash asks. ‘Got any kids?’

‘I’m divorced,’ I say, getting that sick feeling in my stomach that shows up whenever I talk about the divorce. ‘And no kids.’ I get off the barstool. ‘I should get going. Nick, I hate to make you leave, but would you mind giving me a ride home? Or I could call my mom and see if she could get me.’

‘I can take you.’ He looks back at Nash. ‘She doesn’t live far from here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.’

‘Take your time. No rush.’

Nick and I go out to the car.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asks, opening my door.

‘Nothing. It’s just getting late and you need to get to the party soon.’

‘You sure you don’t want to come? It’ll be a good time. Live band. Good food. ’

‘Thanks, but I should really spend time with my mom.’ I get in the car.

He’s quiet as we drive back to my house.

The closeness I felt between us earlier seems to have disappeared.

It’s like Nick shut down after we made out at my mom’s house, but why?

Does he think it’s too soon after the divorce for me to be doing stuff with him?

Or maybe this just isn’t what he wants and he’s starting to regret us getting together.

‘We can skip tonight,’ I say as he pulls into my mom’s driveway.

He puts the car in park and turns to me. ‘You don’t want to go out?’

‘Your cousins are here. You should spend time with them.’

‘Lyndsay, what’s going on? Why are you trying to get out of our date?’

‘Because it’s not a date. It’s just pretend.’