Written in Ink (Montgomery Ink #4)(67)

Decker’s eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “She hasn’t met Sierra yet? How is that possible?” Jessica was already a Montgomery, and it wasn’t like Sierra was new to the family. She already lived with Austin and was helping raise his son.

“It’s possible when you’re Jessica.” Alex took another drink and looked the other way.

Okay then. Conversation over.

Decker shifted from foot to foot. Alex had always been the one to joke and make people laugh. That wasn’t what Decker saw now, and it scared him a bit. The man in front of him looked angry…and drunk. Decker knew drunks. He’d lived with one off and on until he’d finally been able to break free.

He didn’t want to see it again.

“You want a water, Alex?” he asked calmly. Tiptoeing around it wouldn’t help, but coming right out and asking if the man he called his brother was an alcoholic wouldn’t either.

Alex gave him a small smile instead of getting angry, which surprised Decker. “I’m good.” The man didn’t leave to refill his drink, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do it once Decker was out of sight. He didn’t know what to do, but as long as Alex knew he was there, maybe that could help.

“Okay. Just…you know I’m here, right?” he asked softly.

Alex’s face closed up, and he lifted his chin. Damn. “I’m good,” he repeated.

Decker searched his face and couldn’t find a way past the barriers. He’d keep an eye on him though. This man was his brother, blood or no.

He got a soda instead of a beer, his stomach not quite ready for booze after that, and walked over to his best friend, Griffin. The man held the same look as the rest of the Montgomerys, dark hair and blue eyes, but with the same slender build as Wes, rather than the brick-house look of Austin or even Storm. Griffin was the easiest going of the family, the writer who spent most of his time in his own head, rather than in the real world. His mess of a house reflected that, but Decker loved him anyway. They were the same age, so they’d grown up like twins after a while. Decker might have more in common with Austin on some levels and work closely with Wes and Storm, but Griffin was the one he knew best.

“Glad to see you finally found your way over to me,” Griffin joked. He sat in one of the outdoor chairs and waved at the empty one. “Take a seat. I’m people watching.”

Decker laughed then did as he was told. “First, you could have come over to me. It wasn’t like I was blocking you. Second, this is your family. Why are you watching them?”

Griffin took a sip of his beer then shook his head. “You were with Colleen, and as I can’t stand that giggle of hers, I didn’t want to join in.”

“Giggle?” Decker asked, a little annoyed that Grif would judge his date. It wasn’t like he and Colleen were married, but still. Pointing out something like that didn’t seem right.

“Giggle,” Griffin repeated. “You know it. Whenever she giggles, your shoulders tense, and you get that little twitch at the corner of your mouth.”

Huh, now that he mentioned it… Nope, not going to think about it. He still had the rest of the night and probably more nights with the woman. It wouldn’t do to nitpick and then zoom in on those quirks for too long. He wouldn’t be able to get over it.

“You noticed all that?” he asked, draining some of his soda.

“Yep. I told you. I people watch. In fact, I’m watching that * and my sister right now. I really want to beat the shit out of him, but I’m not sure she’d appreciate that. She doesn’t like when the rest of us threaten to maim or murder her husband.”

Decker frowned then looked over at Meghan and her husband, Richard. Meghan was three years older than him and had always struck him as warm, friendly, and not to be messed with. She was like the mother hen of the clan and stood up for herself.

But not now.

Now she had her shoulders slouched and her head down. Richard was snapping about something, and each time he spoke, Meghan turned in on herself just that much more. Nope. This wasn’t going to do.

Decker stood up, set his soda down, and then rolled his shoulders. “You ready?” he growled at Griffin, who had stood with him. Like there was any other way to react when he saw someone he cared about being beaten down emotionally.

“Yep. Let’s not beat the shit out of him since their kids are here, and it’s Austin and Sierra’s time, but yeah, I’m ready.”

They stalked toward the couple, and Richard puffed out his chest as he noticed them. The man had once had a decent build and hair on his head. Now it looked like he was balding a bit, but he brushed it in just the right way that you couldn’t tell unless you’d seen him before. He also had a little bit of a gut that came with lack of activity. Though he wore suits that shouted their worth, the effect was lost at the straining button on his stomach.

“What?” the bastard snapped.

Decker smiled, but it wasn’t a nice one. He put his arm around Meghan, who stiffened. He let that pass and kept his arm on her. The more people who cared about her, the better.

“Just wanted to say hi to my sister, that’s all,” he said smoothly.

Richard scoffed. “She’s not your sister. You’re just the trash. Get your hands off my wife.”

He didn’t even wince at the word trash. He’d heard worse and usually from people who should have meant more to him than this sack of shit.