Page 42 of War Games

“Good. I wanted you to know what I see every day.”

“You have to stop, or we’ll miss your son’s wedding,” I said, wondering if I was going to break out in a sweat just from standing next to him. “Maybe I should get some fresh air.”

“We’re not allowed outside yet. Teagan is making sure the ceremony spot is ready.”

“I won’t be in the way on my own porch,” I said, feeling his hand move up and down my back, showing no sign of releasing me anytime soon. “You are something else right now.”

“I’m nothing different than I was yesterday when I decided to follow you into the shower.”

“You have to stop before Carey comes out,” I said, putting my hand in his face. “This can’t just be from the dress.”

He chuckled and released me.

“It’s not. It’s the idea of a wedding and hoping for ours one day.”

“You and Carey have brought it up this morning. You better not be planning it behind my back.” I wagged a finger at him. He’d promised the engagement could be as long as I wanted it to be.

“Of course not. This wedding probably had both of us thinking about that day, whenever it comes.” He leaned over butdidn’t kiss my lips or cheek; he went lower to my neck. When he came up, my face must have said everything because he laughed.

“I can’t ruin your makeup. She will kill me.”

“You never did answer me. Where are Landon and Dirk right now?”

“Dirk is getting ready at Niko’s house. Landon will be here in thirty minutes, so I can make sure he’s ready.” Heath took my hand, and I let him lead me to the kitchen. Inside, there was something I had never seen before—an old wooden crate with little bits of hay sticking out.

“What is this?”

“Something I wanted to show you before I took it to Kick Shot. I had to drive to Dallas yesterday to get it. Kept it properly stored there for decades.” He cracked open the crate, which wasn’t big. I owned bigger pots in the kitchen. He lifted out something that made me gasp.

“Richard gave this to me the day Landon was born,” he explained, running his thumb over the label. “I have one from him for Carey, too… Something to drink on the happiest days of their lives.”

That nearly ruined my makeup as Heath put the bottle of bourbon on the counter. The fact that he had taken such good care of it was impressive.

“Is it drinkable?” I asked, not wanting to touch it.

“Even back then, we paid for the help of witches and fae to preserve things. It’s drinkable. The enchantment was refreshed yesterday before it left storage. They keep the entire storage unit enchanted, but everything gets enchanted, too, in case of emergency. It’ll be as it was the day it was bottled and Richard handed it to me as a gift.” He smiled, showing how it was still sealed, never tampered with. “I get to finally crack it open today.”

“Wow… Can I touch it?” I asked, my hand hovering on the counter next to it. He nodded, waving for me to look at as much as I wanted. I couldn’t stop myself from reading over the old label, seeing the year and knowing it was a piece of his history, his life—the year Landon was born.

“Richard had good taste, so I’m excited to finally try it.”

“Why did he do it?” I asked.

“When he was born, my father-in-law at the time gave his mother and me two bottles of wine for Richard. One to drink that day. One to toast with at his wedding. Richard knew about those bottles. When she passed, the unopened one was part of her things, and I made sure to protect it. It was right beside this one in storage. Carey’s is there as well.” Heath smiled, his eyes on the bottle of bourbon. There was a hint of melancholy to his scent, understandable considering the memories the bottle held for him. More importantly, there was a lot of joy, and that was what glowed in his eyes. “He picked bourbon for Landon and scotch for Carey. He knew I liked both far more than a bottle of wine. I also didn’t get Carey’s on the day she was born. You know the story.”

I did. Hard to be there for the birth of a new baby when no one told the father that he’d fathered a child. Carey’s mother had hidden the pregnancy because Heath and she had already ended things before either could tell she was pregnant. He didn’t know about Carey until she was left at his home.

“That’s so wonderful,” I whispered, putting the bottle back on the counter. “Trust it with Oliver. He’s educated, and if he doesn’t know how to handle it, his family is all involved in the food and drink industry with Davor.”

“He and I already talked about how I was bringing a very old bottle of bourbon. He knows what to do with it. It will be fine.” Heath picked it up. “I’m going to deliver it now. Can you letLandon in if he gets here before I’m back? I want to check on the reception prep as well.”

“Yeah, I can do that.” I watched him leave, smiling at the touching memories and history he’d just brought me into. For the first time in a little while, I thought about Richard, how he and I had met and how he had died. The tragedy of it.

Banish those thoughts, Jacky. Today is Landon’s wedding. He won’t want me sad about his brother today. It’s not the right feeling for a wedding.

Landon arrived before Heath got back. He was already dressed and seemed too anxious to sit down as he stood in my kitchen, drinking the coffee I had decided to whip up. Carey still wasn’t down, and I was almost grateful for that. The quiet was good, except for the way Landon kept looking at me.

“You probably think we’re crazy,” he finally said, putting down the empty mug in my sink.

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