Page 56 of Sugar Coated Secrets

He reads the label and sits back with a laugh. “Did Easton send you with this?”

“No. He doesn’t know I brought it. It was my decision. I really like it, and I wanted you to try it when you were able to enjoy it. Please don’t tell him I brought you a bottle. He wouldn’t be happy that I did.”

He tastes more. “This is really good. I’m not sure about the label.”

“That’s just a prototype.” I get my phone and show him the final label I sent Easton. “This is the label he approved.”

“Wow. That’s much more fitting. I like it a lot.”

“It’s perfect,” Everleigh chimes in.

I smile at the table, trying to hide my excitement, and set down my phone.

“I need to try this bourbon.” Everleigh reaches for Daire’s glass. “A sip won’t hurt the baby.”

She takes the tiniest sip. “Oh, I like this much better than that Pappy stuff.”

Daire laughs. “Pappy Van Winkle is the best.”

“This is sweeter and not as spicy.” She gives him back his glass. “Remember on Peaky Blinders how Tommy explained Gin is the drink ladies prefer or something like that? He must not have offered women pecan bourbon.”

I nod. “I remember everything Cillian Murphy said in that show.”

Everleigh nods.

We didn’t watch it together, but after she and Daire binged it, she told me to watch it. Dash watched two episodes with me, but the rest I watched alone.

Daire drinks more bourbon. “I don’t get what the fuss is about Cillian Murphy.”

“It’s his eyes,” I say.

“And his accent,” Everleigh adds.

“Irish?” Daire asks, seeming truly surprised.

She nods.

“And he’s dangerous,” I add.

Everleigh nods at that, too.

“You should not be interested in dangerous people,” Daire says to me. “Has Easton spoken to Steven lately?”

“That’s the PI, right?”

“Yeah.”

“He hasn’t found anything yet,” I say.

“He will. Give him some time. Until then, I think staying here is good for you.”

“I second that.” Everleigh raises her hand and yawns.

“It seems like so long ago, even though it hasn’t been a week.”

“That’s because you’re here away from it all and you can relax. If you were alone in that condo, you’d be buzzing with nerves. I know you, Sadie.”

She’s not wrong. “Do you think he’ll know something by the end of next week?” I ask Daire.

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