Brew Ha Ha Box Set: Books 1-4

by Bria Quinlan

  My heart melted.

  I was an idiot.

  "Yeah. Let's do Gavin's thing tonight." I liked Connor's brother and I loved that he accepted me so easily into their lives. They were besties. Which made me feel especially lucky to be invited into the circle.

  "Okay. I'm off to write."

  "Don’t kill off anyone’s favorite character.”

  “Ha!”

  He hung up, and everything was right in the world again.

  22

  I was winding down, pulling myself out of my new world with its demons and mythology, when there was a knock on the door as it edged open.

  Connor’s head peeked around the corner when I glanced up.

  “Are you at a good stopping place?” he asked.

  I loved that. I loved him for it. He knew that he couldn’t interrupt all the time. He knew that I had to finish thoughts and make notes and sometimes had to stay in the zone.

  He said it was like a game where you were at your peak and you couldn’t let anything interrupt your flow.

  But I was at a good stopping point. Or rather, I had to be because my stomach had started growling about twenty minutes ago.

  “Yup.” I pushed back from my desk and stretched as he came all the way into the apartment.

  He dropped a messenger bag inside the door that landed with a heavy thunk and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was carrying rocks in that thing. Maybe it was a new pro-athlete workout. Carry heavy stuff everywhere.

  “I brought lunch.” He flashed me that smile that was literally worth a million dollars and headed toward the kitchen counter. “You typically get the tomato and mozzarella or the chicken pesto. I figured we could always just split them.”

  I grinned. Look at him all showing up here with my faves.

  I went to kiss him on the cheek as I breezed into the kitchen to grab an iced tea and stopped.

  He smelled different.

  I panicked.

  That was becoming standard operating procedure for me lately, but I’d just read in a magazine while standing in line at the grocer that if your man smelled different there was an 82% chance he was cheating.

  But then I saw the accompanying sawdust in his hair and figured smelling like fresh cut wood wasn’t the same as smelling like Chanel.

  “So, you have a little something-something there.” I pointed to his head, wondering what he was going to say about this.

  “I do?” He brushed his head and watched, eyes wide as the sawdust drifted down like wood-man dandruff. “Huh.”

  I waited, wondering what would come after Huh.

  Nothing apparently.

  “Connor.”

  “Hailey.”

  Eye-roll extravaganza.

  “Why do you have sawdust in your hair?”

  “What do you mean?” Connor went to work opening the sandwiches…then stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair again to get rid of any leftover sawdust.

  “I mean, why do you have sawdust in your hair?”

  “Oh. Yeah. I walked through a construction site.”

  “So close you got sawdust?”

  None of this was adding up.

  “Okay. You got me.” Connor turned and looked at me, and I suddenly was afraid of what was coming. “You can’t tell anyone. Especially Marjory. But I had Dan sneak me into the top floor to see what they were doing.”

  “You and Security Dan snuck into the new condo?”

  “Yup.” He grinned and took a sip of his coffee looking way too proud of himself.

  “Seriously, you guys are like five-year-olds. Next thing you know you’re going to have Security Dan driving getaway for you and Nick at some gaming event.”

  “That.” He pointed at me with a sharp stab of his finger. “Would be epic.”

  “Of course it would.” I shook my head and set out plates and napkins before dropping into a seat. “So, speaking of construction, how’s the redecorating going?”

  Connor set down his drink and pointed at me again. “I am glad you asked.”

  Of course he was. I opened that door right up, didn’t I?

  Connor started a long explanation of all the different types of countertops a kitchen could have. I’d never known it was so complicated. But I also knew he already had a countertop.

  “What’s wrong with the countertop you have now?” Because, apparently I’d become the voice of reason in this insane shopping trip of redecoration.

  “Nothing. But it’s very…cold.”

  “Granite usually is.”

  “No, like it doesn’t fit the homey atmosphere I’d rather have.”

  I half expected him to whip out Better Homes and Gardens at this point.

  “Aren’t those really expensive?”

  “Well, they aren’t cheap, but I’m not getting anything insane. Or tacky. It seems like tacky stuff is super expensive. Which, you’d think that would deter people.” He looked at me as if I might have an opinion on this. When I just shrugged, he went on. “I asked the guy at the granite place and he said that there were people who literally just walked in and asked for the most expensive thing. He sold them this super ugly granite his nephew had ordered by mistake. He told him it was the most expensive thing he had and the guy bought it! Can you believe that?”

  “Are you sure he wasn’t making that up to get you to feel special?”

  Connor gave me one of his do you not know who I am yet looks. He was oddly aware of people treating him differently and charmingly obvious to it as well.

  “Also,” he went on, ignoring my snark, “it’s not like I’m getting enameled lava. That stuff is almost four hundred bucks a foot!” He seemed so outraged by this that I almost pointed out he was paid millions to play a game, but that conversation never ended well. And I’d already used my snark allowance.

  “So, what did you get?”

  “I’m glad you asked…again.” He got up and grabbed the messenger bag he’d dropped by the door.

  He proceeded to pull out granite samples and sort through them, explaining the special details of each one.

  I never thought I’d say this, but I was beginning to miss my rough and tumble boyfriend who wouldn’t know the difference between Luna Pearl and Rose Beta.

  But, after an in-depth explanation of each of his samples, we moved on…to cabinets.

  I couldn’t help but wonder if the thrill was gone. If Connor’s heated looks and hot kisses were a courting thing of the past.

  If we’d secretly become an old, old couple without me noticing.

  23

  When I couldn’t get any details from Connor about what was going on at Gavin’s tonight, I did exactly what Connor would have expected from every other girl he ever dated: I called his assistant.

  Nick didn’t know either.

  But he promised to contact Gavin, find out what was going on, and if we should bring something.

  I could get used to this assistant thing. It was way easier than trying to wrangle Connor.

  An hour later Nick let me know it was a “nice but not formal” dinner party and that Gavin was having it catered.

  And so, I found myself on a cold winter night, waiting for Connor and Mac to pick me up.

  Luckily the Becca Binder had exactly the right outfit. The woman was insanely organized. I hadn’t been a bit surprised when she’d shown up at my house in December with bags and bags of clothes and a letter from my agent, Catherine, explaining that a second season of wardrobe consultations (and clothes) was on her—a thank you gift for not destroying her after the Bet Heard Round the World.

  I wasn’t going to say no to having someone else do the shopping for me, but I was running out of closet space.

  On the upside, the winter binder was up to date and had the perfect group date outfit. When Security Joe called up and said the car was here, I was ready to go, cute matching scarf and mittens and all.

  In the lobby—or what was now a lobby—Joe glanced around outside as he held the door open fo
r me.

  I half wanted to shout, “Gun!” like in Miss Congeniality to see what would happen. But Joe was growing on me and I didn’t want him to hurt himself throwing his body in front of mine.

  Instead, I gave him a thanks and a smile and headed out to where Connor held the car door open for me.

  “Hailey!” Mac turned around and gave a broad smile.

  One of the reasons I didn’t mind Connor hiring a car instead of taking a cab like a normal person was Mac. That and because then we didn’t wait outside when it was cold—or he needed to politely escape his fans. Which, if we were being honest, his list probably went in the opposite order.

  “Mac!” I grinned back. We were soul mates. I was convinced. “How are your grandkids? Good holidays?”

  “I drove for the New Year, but the rest of the time they were here I got to spoil them rotten.”

  “Who’d you drive?” Connor leaned forward to join the conversation. The man was obsessed with celebrity gossip.

  “Well, you know I can’t say who, but it’s an actress who was in town filming a movie for the week.”

  I could all but see Connor mentally running through a list of starlets.

  “Any trouble?” I asked, knowing Connor was dying to know. I just shook my head as he pulled out his phone and started Googling.

  Mac drew the moment out, before giving me a little conspiratory wink. “Well, I’m really not supposed to say. You know I don’t like to talk about clients—”

  “Except that rock star who trashed your car,” I put in.

  “Yeah. Him.” Mac shook his head. “But, this girl was…really lovely. I think you would have liked her a lot, Hailey.”

  “Oh.” Connor flopped back. “Mac, you never give us dirt.”

  “He gave us the rock star.”

  “But nothing else. And we would have heard about the lawsuit eventually.”

  “Speak for yourself,” I laughed. The celebrity world was one I was trying to stay far, far away from. “Plus, I like that Mac has ethics. I bet there are nights he’s the only one in the car who does.”

  Mac laughed as Connor gave me a deep, unrelenting glare. “I have ethics.”

  “No one said you didn’t.” I patted his knee reassuringly.

  From the front seat, Mac muffled his laughter.

  We talked the rest of the way about the upcoming season and the new book I was working on. Mac was one of the few people I felt I could tell about it. Connor never asked because he knew I didn’t like to talk about them while I wrote them.

  The first night Mac had asked, Connor had checked later if he should suggest that Mac not bring it up, but there was something about the man that made you comfortable sharing anything with him.

  He’d seen it all, as they say.

  And so, Connor especially loved our rides because of the celebrity gossip and the inside look at my stories in progress. Probably in that order.

  We pulled up to the condos Gavin lived in about midway between Connor’s high-rise and my little walk-up. His neighborhood was exactly what you would expect to live between the two places.

  After Mac convinced Connor that, no, he did not want to come to dinner because the Bruins were playing, we headed into the building and left him to scream at his tablet over a cup of coffee in the underground lot.

  Knowing Connor, there’d be a dessert plate sent down to Mac before we finished dinner.

  Mac always thanked him.

  Connor always acted like it was no big deal.

  I always got a little melty with the reminder that my boyfriend loved to take care of the people in his life he truly valued.

  As we got in the elevator and headed up to Gavin’s, Connor reached over and took my hand.

  “You know, I’m really glad you and Gavin get along.”

  I’d met Gavin months ago when Connor had come back from the first trip after our fake relationship had a very real breakup.

  We’d both been worried.

  Me, that he wouldn’t like me or that he’d be some annoying hanger on.

  Gavin, that he—also—wouldn’t like me or that I was a gold digging hussy.

  In the end, we’d hit it off. He was as kind as his brother but with a self-effacing humor that came along with living life just a wee bit overshadowed by a famous sibling.

  The two were obviously close, or as my mom would say, peas and carrots.

  And so, as we rode up the elevator, I was ecstatic we’d hit it off too and wanted to make sure that this woman wasn’t after Gavin for any reason other than because he was pretty darn awesome.

  I’d become one of those overprotective kind of sisters.

  I was ready to break out the snark and vitriol to protect our boy.

  Connor glanced down at me and grinned. “Why do you have your game face on?”

  Oh! I had a game face! Sweet.

  “Because I’m going to make sure she’s good enough for Gavin or she’s out of here.”

  He kissed me on the nose as the doors slid open. “There’s my little fighter. Go get her, tiger.”

  Oh. I would. I was now a pro at this hot-famous-boyfriend thing. I would so go get her.

  I mean, if she were mean.

  Otherwise, I would be super nice!

  Um, yeah.

  24

  The door to Gavin’s condo was propped open by a doorstop shaped like a baseball. Connor knocked on the door as he pushed it open and stepped back for me to pass.

  Laughter floated out from the kitchen and I could feel Connor relax next to me.

  He was even more protective of Gavin than I was. Even if he wouldn’t admit it.

  These two guys grew up as rough and tumble brothers. Gavin had moved here to “keep an eye” on Connor—read: enjoy hanging out with his brother.

  But with that brother status came a lot of users and backhanded compliments.

  But, Gavin was Gavin.

  Here we were having an impromptu party because he met yet another woman who he was interested in.

  At least this one didn’t come via something to do with Connor. That gave me a lot of hope for the evening and I let my guard down as we stopped through the kitchen archway to join Gavin and his friends Pete and Andie at the butcher block island.

  Pete and Connor did the whole hey-man-hand-slap-half-hug thing while Andie and I shook our heads. We were just getting to know each other, but bonded quite often over the ridiculousness of men.

  Phrases like “hunting and gathering da’beers” was tossed out on a regular basis.

  The caterer had dropped everything off just before we got there and Gavin was storing food in the pre-heated oven while the guys talked about the chance the Bruins would win that night—which was, as always in their opinion, high.

  “So,” Andie jumped in. “Tell us about this girl coming over. Where is she?”

  “I told her to come at six thirty so I could make sure you were all here and on your best behavior first.”

  Connor leaned against the counter next to him and it struck me again how much alike they looked. It was amazing that a few shifts in bone structure changed Connor from just good looking like his brother to blindingly handsome.

  I really should have ended up with Gavin.

  I shook my head as I glanced between them again and Connor all but growled. “Stop it. That’s off the table.”

  It was shocking that he could read my mind already.

  I gave him a sassy grin. It was part of the rules of dating. I wasn’t allowed to talk about dating Gavin again ever.

  He wasn’t allowed to go within twenty feet of a model.

  These seemed like fair tradeoffs to us.

  After some small chat where we all caught up post-holidays, there was a knock on the door and we all went still. It was like we were caught doing something we shouldn’t have been doing. Andie broke the silence laughing nervously.

  Voices traveled in to the kitchen as Gavin offered to take her coat and she said something in a low voice we couldn�
��t make out.

  As we waited, I realized I wasn’t the only one waiting to pass judgment.

  We were typically all fairly easygoing people, but Gavin’s dating life was a sore spot for all of us. It was something the four of us had realized we were all on the same team over fairly quickly. Gavin had a gift for dating users.

  And, while we were all ready to like this woman, we weren’t expecting to.

  Which was just sad.

  After all, he’d met her at the coffee shop around the corner from his house. A nice neutral location for meeting another human being.

  She came in, unwinding a silk scarf from around her neck and with a smile that said she loved everyone in the world.

  I prepared to let my guard down as Gavin introduced her to Pete and Andie and then turned to us.

  But then it was as if I was invisible.

  “Oh, wow!” Irene flashed a suspiciously friendly-yet-surprised smile. “You’re Connor Ryan.”

  Connor glanced from Irene to me to Gavin and I knew we were all wondering if the night was over.

  Okay, all of us but Irene.

  “It’s so great to meet you.” She offered her hand, something she hadn’t done with either Pete or Andie. And, since she hadn’t even noticed me, I doubted I was going to get the special treatment.

  Connor being Connor, shook her hand and gave her as dim a smile as he could.

  “Nice to meet you.” He draped his arm around my shoulders and continued. “Gavin was just telling us how you guys met.”

  He was doing no such thing, but that’s how the guys rolled.

  We all shifted our attention back to Gavin who told us about seeing her at the coffee shop around the corner for a few weeks and having a nice conversation in line one day. Then the next week when he was at a table by himself and there were none left, she asked if she could join him. Instead of working, they struck up a conversation and he’d mentioned he was having people over tonight and invited her.

  The wind wasn’t completely out of his sails, but you could tell after Irene’s reaction to Connor, things weren’t going as swimmingly as he’d hoped.