Page 64 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

She waved when the twins reached them. Dylan and Aiden settled on stools at the end of the barrel tables.

Dylan’s gaze jumped straight to Ryan. “The friend?”

“Guilty,” Ryan said.

Matti glared at her brother. “Don’t start, and no running a background check on him, Mr. FBI.”

“He does that?” Ryan asked.

She was surprised to hear amusement in his voice instead of the alarm she was expecting. “Oh, yeah. Told me the last guy I dated got busted for buying beer with a fake ID card when he was fifteen. Said he wasn’t suitable for me.”

“Well, I can safely say I never bought beer with a fake ID at fifteen or any other age.” He stood and reached across the table with his hand out. “You must be Dylan. I’m Ryan Palmer. I met Matti and Sam when he was brought to my emergency room. Feel free to background-check me. I’d give you my Social Security number but I figure getting it is child’s play for a superagent.”

Matti grinned when Dylan’s lips twitched. Her FBI brother wasn’t easy to impress, but it seemed Ryan was doing just that.

“I’ll hold off on doing that for now, Dr. Palmer.” Dylan shook Ryan’s hand. “Nice shiner you got there.”

“Just Ryan. And you should see the other guy.” He nodded at Aiden. “And good to see you again, Aiden.”

“Back atcha, Doc. Where’s Sam?”

“If you’d gotten here on time, you’d already know that,” Wyatt said. “He’s with Mom. Can I get a beer now?”

Aiden shrugged. “I’m not stopping you.”

“Yeah you were. I was told I couldn’t get my beer until the twins were here, which you are now, so I want my beer.”

“Oh, jeez,” Kelly muttered. “You boys are ridiculous.” She slid off the stool and walked away.

“I’m not a boy and I’m not ridiculous,” Dylan said.

Aiden watched her a moment. “Too intense, that one.”

“It’s her job,” Matti said. “She doesn’t want us to worry about her, so she tries to hide it, but she’s stressed out.” She was a defense attorney at a small three-lawyer firm and worked long hours with very little playtime.

“Aren’t we all?” Dylan said.

Kelly returned, bringing a waitress with her. She waved her hand toward the woman. “This is Stephanie. Stephanie is going to take your beer orders.” She pointed at Ryan. “You’re our guest. You go first.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ryan quipped with a grin at her bossiness. He bet she was a force in the courtroom. “I want to try out some of your beers, so I’ll have a flight. Three darks and one light. You choose for me.”

“Can do,” Stephanie said.

Once all their orders were taken, she said, “Food now or later?”

“Now,” Dylan said. “I might have to split soon.”

Stephanie went around the table again, taking their food orders. “Back with your beers in a minute.”

“Make it half a minute,” Dylan said, and when Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him, he added, “Please.”

Stephanie grinned. “That’s better.”

Kelly waved her hand in the air, getting everyone’s attention. “Okay, Colton peeps, catch me up with this case that every one of you seems to be involved in one way or another except for me. Who starts first?”

“That would be me,” Cal said.

As Cal shared how it had all started with a murder on the Enchanted Highway, all of which Matti already knew, she shifted on her stool to face Ryan. “Feel free to ignore my brothers if they smack-talk you,” she quietly said.