Page 112 of Bourbon and Secrets

Mom clears her throat, cutting into my thoughts. “A man like Lincoln isn’t one you love and leave. He’s the kind you let hold you and then make sure you never let go.”

My eyes water as the three of us watch the horses run the length of the closest paddock. “I’ll miss you forever,” I say with a shaky voice.

“And I’ll never stop missing you, my beautiful girl,” she says, squeezing my hand tight.

Maggie stands up a minute later and claps her hands in front of her. “Alright, if this is our very last meal together as the Calloway girls, then I vote cake for dinner.”

“Cake for dinner,” I agree with a laugh, even as a tear slips down my cheek.

My mom smiles and stands. “Let me go find the ingredients.”

I stand up and move over to Maggie. She leans her elbows on the porch railing, looking out over the landscape. The afternoon blue skies are peppered with wisps of white clouds—it feels like a perfect kind of day.

“If I forget to tell you later, Faye,” she says, and then pauses. “You’re my favorite person. Always have been. Probably always will be too.”

My chin wobbles as I try to bite back the sob that her words bring. “You know I love you?”

She nods, her lips tucked into her mouth as she tries to hold back the same emotions. As she rests her forehead on my shoulder, I absorb all of it, banking it to memory so I can call on it when I might need to.

A few minutes pass before I whisper, “Promise me you’ll be okay?”

She tips her chin back and takes a deep breath. “It’s going to be boring as fuck out here without you.”

I chuckle. “I’m sure you’ll find some trouble to get into.”

“Obviously,” she says, looping her pointer finger along with mine. “Feels good to do the right thing.”

I smile wide. “What do you mean?”

She turns on her heel and heads inside as she says, “You’ll see.”

Chapter 43

Lincoln

It’s feltlike the longest two weeks of my life. Lifting my glasses off, I use my forearm to swipe the sweat from my brow. The winter has finally let go and spring is doing a damn good job of reminding us it’s coming. A few daffodils and tulips have started popping up around the mailbox and the sun warms the barn roof just enough that by midday, I need to turn on the massive fans I installed.

The Calloway girls will more than likely appreciate the few upgrades out here. I needed a break from some of the planning I’ve been doing with Laney. Our release of Foxx & Peach is approaching and the hype my sister-in-law built up for it meant prepping for events and expanding tours. It’s nice to have my own space here, a breather from the distillery and a spot that makes me feel closer to her.

“Lincoln Foxx,” a sweet voice from behind me says.

I suck in a breath and close my eyes in relief. Every muscle in my body relaxes. I drop the rake as soon as I turn and see herbeautiful face in the barn doorway. She looks down at my body, my t-shirt off and hanging from my back pocket. I can feel her eyes move down the length of me and, goddamn, I love it when she does it.

“You came back,” I say as I rush to her, wrapping my arms around her tightly.

Any words that she was going to let out die off as my lips meet hers. Kissing this woman is like getting lost and finding where I’m meant to be all at once.

She pulls back, just enough to say, “There’s so much I need to tell you.” She shakes her head, trying to stop the tears from falling. “But I was always coming back, Foxx. This time, I wouldn’t have been able to stay away.”

Her fingers run along my jaw and the overgrown scruff that I’ve been too lazy to worry about. I nuzzle my nose along hers, the smell of mint and vanilla along her lips. “I couldn’t figure it out. When I couldn’t look away from you and craved being near you, I couldn’t figure out what it was that made me feel it.”

She searches my face, her fingers gripping onto my shirt. “Obviously my brilliant personality,” she teases.

And though she’s not wrong, that isn’t exactly it. “I realized what it was about you that made you so fucking perfect for me.” I brush her hair from her face as she looks up at me. “You show up for your family and the people you care about, and that’s always been what love looks like to me. You are what love looks like to me.”

A smile dances across her lips as her arms wrap around my shoulders. She threads the tips of her fingers along the hair at the nape of my neck. “How am I supposed to not melt for a confession like that, Foxx?”

“Just flexing my charm. Making sure you’re locked in.”

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