Page 58 of Bourbon and Lies

He yells over his shoulder, “Text me if you want a ride home. I’m going to see if Ace is ready to go.”

I don’t know how my brothers would react if they caught wind of what was going on with Laney Young and me. I confided in them with just about everything, from the first time I kissed a girl to the moment I decided I wanted to ditch the family business and head to the police academy. They’ve always been the most important people in my life. But it’s been years since I shared any of that with them. They didn’t even know about Fiona until she was gone. Ace might have figured it out, but he never said anything. I’m afraid that if I put it into words, what I feel for Laney could easily blow up right in my face.

It’s less about them knowing and more about that dumb fucking curse that always lingers in the back of my mind. Add that to the idea that Laney could be in real danger. And if that danger came too close, I’d have to say goodbye to her. Ace might have welcomed her here, but I know my big brother; he would have warned Bea that if trouble got too close, she would need to leave. Whether WITSEC approved it or not.

I’m so lost in thought and not paying attention to where I’m walking, that when I make it up to Hooch’s, I do a double take. I see Del sitting at the counter. It isn’t prime rib night or poker, but he doesn’t do much of his own cooking. Since he’s here anyway, I could use his thoughts on this. It always helps to work things out with him when I have ideas or hunches. He’ll be able to help me. I trust him.

The bell on the front door chimes as I walk in, and the only people here aside from Marla and Del, are a group of kids home from college in the far back booth.

I clap him on the back, surprising him, and then I quickly realize what I just stumbled into. What I was missing.Fuck, how did I forget?I look at the specials board where Marla usually writes the date and, sure enough, it’s July 2nd.Fiona’s birthday.

“She would have been thirty-four today,” he says, with a big piece of cheesecake sliced in front of him. How did I forget? Ineverforget. “Thought you might have forgotten,” he says, his voice going softer at the end as he wipes at his cheek. It was too quick to see a tear, but I know it was there. My stomach sinks, thinking that seeing me just made him look relieved. And when I saw him, I felt guilty.

I clear my throat and sit down next to him with a squeeze to his shoulder.I’m sorry.

We never talked about what was going on between Fiona and me. It never felt right that I went ahead and fell in love with his daughter after months of sleeping with her and never took her out on a date in public because we were trying to keep it under wraps. But he knew. I didn’t have to tell him I loved her. It was clear as day to everyone in town that I broke the day she died, and I had been continuously unraveling over the past five years.

Marla peeks her head from the kitchen. “Grant, there you are,” she says to me. “I thought you forgot. I’ll grab your piece now.”

“You punch a lawn mower or somethin’,” Del says, looking down at my ripped-up knuckles.

“Something like that,” I breathe out. The questions that I had swirling about Laney are long gone and in their place are a ticker tape of feelings about today. The way I forgot about Fiona until right now, and if I hadn’t walked here, I would have missed it completely. When I apologized for not telling him what was going on between us, I promised that I’d never forget what she meant to me. I feel like a liar.

“Here, honey,” Marla says, pushing my cheesecake slice in front of me.

“Thanks, Marla.”

She plops a bag of ice on the other side of me. “Heard there was a bit of a scuffle down near Midnight Proof.”

I bark out a laugh. “How did you hear that so fast?”

“Police scanner.”

Del laughs to himself.

“Did I ever tell you about the call where she couldn’t get Loni’s cat out of her Christmas tree?”

Del’s already laughing before I even tell him the best part, but that’s what we did. On her birthday, or her remembrance day, we always had a piece of cheesecake at Marla’s since it was Fi’s favorite, and told stories to remember her by. It was the only time I allowed myself to get lost in thoughts about her because, no matter what, the guilt I carried came in spades the next day.

An hour later and our faces numb from laughing as Marla pours what's left of the coffee and cashes out the college kids. Del looks at me, still smiling, and says, “You know, if you had other things going on tonight, I would’ve understood.”

“Stop.” I pat his arm. “I’m where I need to be.” Del is one of my best friends. Even if there hadn’t been something between Fiona and me, I’d still make sure I was here for him. I owe at least that much to him. I didn’t protect his girl. That’s nevergoing to be okay with me. It’s why I need to make sure that whatever put Laney in WITSEC, wouldn’t find her.

“You still have a few favors up north that you might be able to call in?”

He barely lets me ask before he’s saying, “Of course. What do you need?”

Chapter 26

Laney

“How have you never tried a Modjeska?”Romey asks from behind her table that’s displayed with caramels and chocolates. And before I can even answer what was apparently a rhetorical question, she says, “They’re divine. How long have you been in Fiasco now?”

“About a month now.” I smile.

“Okay,” she says, her hands fanned out in front of her. “Modjeskas are Kentucky’s signature candy. Louisville, specifically, but in my opinion, these are even better than the originals. These have rules, just like bourbon. The basics have to be the same—marshmallow dipped in a soft, buttery caramel.

She points down at the far end of the table. “This one right here is a bourbon-infused dark chocolate.” Covering part of her mouth, she leans in, whispering, “It’s not Foxx bourbon, couldn’t swing that, but it's still damn good.”

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