He’d only ever been in here once, and he’d been quickly ejected before he could even produce his fake ID. Why he’d thought he could get away with underage drinking in the only bar in Hartson’s Creek he had no idea. Maybe because he’d been eighteen and cocky as hell.
He did a double take at one of the lighted signs on the far wall.
“Live nudes?” he asked Tanner, frowning. “Seriously?”
“In Sam’s dreams,” Tanner said, inclining his head toward the bar owner. Sam was pulling a pint, his grey hair falling over his eyes. “Somebody bought it for him last Christmas as a joke.”
“He’d never get away with it,” Becca said, joining them at the bar. “Imagine Reverend Maitland’s sermon on Sunday if he did.” She looked down at her phone. “I got a message from Cam. He and Logan are about twenty minutes away. Their flight was two hours late.”
“Nothing changes.” Tanner rolled his eyes. “Those two are always late.”
Gray shook his head, smiling at his brother and sister. Tanner had been right. It was good being able to come here with them and share a drink as adults. He’d missed out on all their birthdays after he was twenty. Never got to celebrate their graduations, their first drinks, and much more, so this was making up for lost time. And he was glad to have the opportunity.
“Two Sierra Nevadas and a dirty martini,” Sam said, sliding their drinks over. “You want me to add them to the tab?”
“Yep.” Gray slid his black Amex over the counter. “Put all the drinks on this tonight.”
“All of them?” Sam raised an eyebrow. “As in everybody who comes in and orders?”
Gray nodded.
“You can’t do that. I invited a lot of people. It will cost hundreds,” Tanner protested.
“Maybe thousands,” Sam added helpfully.
“It’s all good. Consider it payback for all the drinks I should have bought you over the last six years,” Gray reassured Tanner. “I’m your big brother, let me do this.”
“Will you throw me a birthday party, too?” Becca asked him, grinning as she took her cocktail glass.
“Of course.”
“In that case, say yes,” she told Tanner. “Never look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Are you sure, man?” Tanner asked again. “At least let me pay half.”
“No way. I figure this way you’ll let me skip the karaoke.”
“Oh no,” Becca said. “No way. You can’t back out of that. I’ve got bets riding on it.”
“You bet on Gray winning?” Tanner asked, grinning. “What idiot would bet against you?”
“Nope. I’ve bet on me. Well, me and Maddie. We’ve won every time there’s been a Karaoke competition. I figure we’ll do it again tonight. And since Gray’s here, the odds are amazing.”
“Maddie’s coming tonight?” Gray asked. He took a sip of beer and tried to ignore the way his pulse quickened.
“Yeah. She’s my partner in crime here. And I hate to say it, but her voice is as good as yours.” Becca shrugged. “It’s game on, bro.”
Gray opened his mouth to respond but the door opened and more of Tanner’s friends walked in, followed by two familiar faces that everybody turned to look at. He grinned as he recognized them.
“Oh my god!” Becca shouted out, running to her other two brothers and hugging them. “You’re here. God, I’ve missed you idiots.”
“Of course we are,” Logan, the eldest of the two, ruffled her hair. “I told you we wouldn’t be long.” He glanced at Tanner. “Happy birthday, bro. Sorry we couldn’t be here longer. Staffing crisis at the restaurant.”
As the owner of three restaurants in Boston, Logan was constantly busy. He could only get away once in a blue moon.
Cam was an NFL player, a cornerback for the Patriots. His schedule was as rammed as his twin’s. It was rare they got to spend time together.
Gray stepped forward and hugged his brothers, grinning widely. He was just over a year older than them, and when they were small he’d been like the third twin. It was only as they grew that he became the protector, making sure they were okay, along with Tanner and Becca.