Fuck…
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Wyatt
My fingers tapagainst the boxes of screws in my hand to the beat of the song playing overhead. A couple of shelves in the storage closet at the bar are about to give out, so I stopped at the hardware store on my way there.
It’s the middle of the afternoon in the middle of the week, so I’m sure I’ll be able to sneak into the back and get it done at some point. The bar is bound to be pretty slow.
The woman in front of me grabs her bag and walks away. A guy about my height with shorter, messy light-brown hair gives me a smile as I set the boxes on the counter.
“Hey… You’re one of the guys who bought the bar from Benny. Right?” he asks, scanning the boxes of screws.
“Caught me,” I say with a shrug and a smile.
He laughs, sliding the boxes into a bag. “I didn’t think he would ever give that damn bar up.”
I shake my head. “I wouldn’t say he gave it up. He might not be the owner anymore, but he’s still there all the damn time. He makes his opinions known, too.”
Benny has kind of taken all of us under his wing. He obviously had a soft spot for Kane, and Oliver, Linc, and I fit right in there with him.
“Twelve seventy-two,” he says as he looks at the total on the register. “I’m sure he does. I’m pretty sure that man is going to die in that bar.”
I sigh dramatically, putting my card back into my wallet. “Great… and since it’s my damn bar, I’m going to have to deal with it.”
We stare at each other for a beat, trying not to laugh. Then the dam breaks, and we both burst out laughing, earning a few stares.
He holds out his hand. “I’m Miles, by the way.” He gestures to a sign that says Kingston Hardware. “Miles Kingston.”
Ahh… One of the brothers.I’ve heard about the three brothers that own the hardware store. I’ve been in here a few times, but I haven’t met any of them.
I shake his hand. “Wyatt. Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
“Miles,” a male voice rings out across the store.
Miles rolls his eyes. “Big brother is calling.”
“Avery’s on the phone,” his older brother adds.
Miles’s face brightens. “On that note, I have to go. The love of my life is on the phone, so…”
His energy is infectious. I might not understand the feeling of being in love, but seeing it pour out of him in waves is undeniable.
“Go,” I say, nodding my head in the direction his brother’s voice came from. I have a feeling that if I felt that way about someone, I would drop everything just at the promise of hearing their voice, too.
With a quick wave, Miles darts off to the back of the store. I grab my bag and walk out into the parking lot.
There are a few inches of fresh snow that fell yesterday, but the sun is shining today. It’s still chilly, but I will take any warmth the sun decides to grace us with this time of year.
Living this high up in the mountains is new to me, but I have lived in Colorado my whole life. Snow and winter weather are familiar territory for me.
My phone rings just as I’m climbing into my SUV. “Hey,” I say, holding the phone against my shoulder as I slide into my seat.
“What are you doing right now?” Kane asks with a hint of worry in his voice.
I toss the bag into the passenger seat. “I’m just leaving the hardware store and heading to the bar. Why?”
