AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Over dinner, which is lit by candlelight, I fill Grace in on my meeting with Landry. This is step two of the plan. Show her I trust her by entrusting her with the biggest secret I have, the new family business.
“So, he wants to open a whiskey distillery in Bristol?” she asks between bites.
“Notwants to, Grace, it’s happening. My grandfather and Landry put this entire thing in motion…hell, my grandfather has already distilled the first few batches. This operation is up and running…adding a bar to it though, that was my idea. When I heard about the winery, I thought it was pretty fucking brilliant. What do you think?”
She beams. “I couldn’t agree more. It’s amazing, Cash. And this means that you don’t have to partner with Hanson?”
A knot forms in my gut every time I think of what this will do to Cat. I nod. “The company has basically been stripped of all its valuables. Our contracts, our grains, our rye…hell, our damn supply of whiskey—it’s all under the new name.”
“And you had no idea?”
“Not a clue. I mean it makes sense now. So many things that I saw as red flags—things falling apart, contracts up in the air—I thought it was all because others were concerned about my leadership…or maybe even that my grandfather had started slipping in the last few years. But the man’s sharp as a tack. His body isn’t all there, but he’s been planning this for years.”
Grace is quiet for a moment. “And you aren’t worried what this will do to Cat? I mean Hanson is going to be livid. The company will suffer…”
I reach across the table for her hand. “I know you’re friends with that family, but you can’t say anything, Grace. My grandfather swore me to secrecy. Honestly, I shouldn’t have told you, but I don’t want secrets between us.”
“Cash, my loyalty…my love…you have it all. I’m only asking about your sister. The Hansons are big boys, and they should have done their due diligence. If they had, these things would have been apparent, I’m sure.”
I shrug in agreement at that and feel myself relax. “I think Hanson was so focused on one-upping me, he didn’t do any due diligence to be honest. But yes, I am worried about Cat. In the end, this will benefit her too, though. This is our family’s legacy.”
Grace smiles. “It’s amazing, Cash. I know you’ve missed working in the distillery.” She bites her lip. “Does this mean you’ll be spending more time in Bristol?”
Without responding, I stand up and move next to her, then kneel beside her chair. Grace’s eyes crease in confusion, and I smile as I reach to my back pocket. “Yes, it does mean that I’ll be spending more time there. Which means I’ll need my Angel by my side.”
I reveal a small black box and place it on the table in front of Grace. She eyes it curiously. “Cash, what is this?”
“Open it, Gracie.” She looks at me and then back at the box again and then lifts the top. She exhales when she lifts the key on the inside.
“It’s a key to where we are going tomorrow,” I explain.
“And where is that?”
“It’s a surprise,” I reply with a smirk.
Grace pushes me over, and I fall to the ground laughing. “What? How about a thank you?”
“You have to stop doing that!” she says with wide eyes.
“Doing what?”
“You know what you’re doing.”
“Haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” I say coyly as I get back on my knees and look up at her.
“Get off your damn knees, Whiskey.”
“Ohhh,” I say, acting like I’m just now understanding her. “You mean you thought I was proposing again?”
She shakes her head. “You’re insufferable.”
