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“Tell me the truth, Savannah, or I swear I’ll do whatever it takes to make your grandfather pay for this.”
“It isn’t my grandfather who needs to pay for his sins.” She blinked back the tears that made Blake a blur. “It’s yours.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“What are you talking about?” Blake returned Savannah’s defiant gaze. Her expression had morphed from fear and concern to righteous indignation.
“I’m talking about how he betrayed my grandfather. Cheated him. Is stealing from him even now.”
Now Blake was furious. He knew his grandfather well, had worked beside him as long as he could remember, learning the business of making premium bourbon. He had so much affection for the old man. Joseph Abbott was a generous and loving man, and a pillar in his adopted community of Magnolia Lake, where he’d raised his children and grandchildren.
“How dare you accuse my grandfather of being—”
“A thief.”
“That’s a lie. My grandfather didn’t steal anything from anyone. Why would he need to? He’s a wealthy man. He can buy whatever he wants.”
“He’s a wealthy man because he’s a thief.” Savannah stepped closer. “Why don’t you ask him where he got that recipe for his world-renowned bourbon?”
“That’s what you were looking for? The recipe for our bourbon.”
“Unlike most distilleries from here to Kentucky, you’ve taken great pains to conceal your grain bill.” Her tone was accusatory.
“Even if you had our mash bill, that’s only part of the recipe. There’s the water source, our proprietary yeast strain and so many other factors.”
“Then why is it so top secret, Blake? Ask yourself, and really, truly allow yourself to consider the answer. No matter where it leads you.”
“No.” Blake ran a hand through his hair. “Gramps would never do that. He’d never steal someone else’s work. If you knew anything about him, about his work ethic, you’d know that’s not possible.”
“Let’s forget about your grandfather for a minute. Tell me how your father acquired the land you expanded on.”
Blake narrowed his gaze. “The Calhouns’ old place?”
“How’d your father acquire the property?” She repeated the question.
“Ownership fell to Mae Jemison—Kayleigh’s mother. She was the last of the Calhouns still living around here. She sold the place to my father.”
“You mean your father swindled her out of it. Paid her pennies on the dollar because Kayleigh’s father was dying, and her mother needed the money to help her girls finish college.”
“Who told you—” The question answered itself when he remembered he was standing in the middle of an apartment owned by Kayleigh Jemison.
That explained why Kayleigh had been so cold toward his family since she’d returned to town a few years earlier. Not that she’d had any great love for them before. She and Parker had bumped heads for as long as he could remember.
Still, he had no idea Kayleigh harbored such ill will against them. Especially since they’d barely broken even at the time of the purchase, with the amount they’d had to invest in it.
“That property was an overgrown mess. It was littered with rusted, broken-down machinery and a couple of run-down shacks. Large tanks had been leaking fuel onto the property for years. It cost us a fortune to clean it up and make it usable again.”
“Of course you’d say that.” Savannah folded her arms.
The move framed her breasts, which looked fuller than he remembered. Or maybe it was his brain playing tricks on him. Making him want her even when he knew he shouldn’t.
“It’s true.”
“Why would Kayleigh lie about it?”
He shrugged. “Maybe that’s what her parents told her. Or maybe that’s just what she chooses to believe. I don’t know, but I do know my father. And he wouldn’t have cheated them.”
“You’re just blind where your family is concerned.” Savannah propped her hands on her hips. “The mighty Abbotts can do no wrong.”
“Never said that. No one is perfect, and we’ve all made our fair share of mistakes.”
He narrowed his gaze at her, chastising himself. Even now, what he regretted most was that he couldn’t be with her.
“Maybe you should talk to your grandfather and father before you dismiss what I’m saying. Find out what they have to say to these accusations. You might not like what you hear.”
Savannah turned around and bumped into the table, knocking her glass onto the floor, where it shattered.
