Page 41 of Bourbon and Proof

“Oh, I remember, Ace. You forget I’ve been here.”I haven’t forgotten for even a second.“I watched Griz turn into mush, falling in love with her.” She swallows first before she says, “And I watched how hard it was on him when she was gone.”

Hadley’s familiar blue eyes dance between mine. The flecks of yellow around each iris are as captivating as her high cheekbones and full lips. Her broad nose and square chin would seem masculine if they'd just been features on their own, but mixed with the rest of her, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

I clear my throat and twist off the wax that sealed this bottle. “The actual bottle, and not just the bourbon inside it, was what made it one of our most expensive. You already know it’s one of our bestsellers.” She stocks it at her speakeasy, so she knows, even wholesale, it’s a pricey bottle.

She smiles knowingly. “I do. It looks pretty behind the bar too.”

So do you.

Around the seal is a small, round ring—it’s what kept the round shape of the stamp. Griz complained about it always running and didn’t try fast enough for the clean shape. It was an unnecessary cost, but Griz was adamant about keeping it. I pop out the deep red wax from inside it and hold up the round metal ring.

“I’ll get you something you want, but for now?—”

“Ace,” she cuts me off, her voice turning quiet as she calls me out. “You realize, this is very romantic of you.” She slides it onto her ring finger, and I hide the fact that I like seeing it there.

“It’s convenient,” I correct, popping the top off the bottle and pouring some into one of the glasses. And while I know it’s the wrong thing to say by the way her eyebrows pinch for the briefest moment, it’s what will allow all of this to work. Needing a second to focus and remind myself that this is simply a temporary solution, I take a sip.

I make the mistake of watching her as I do. I had planned to tell her that, while this wasn’t real, it needs to be presented like it is, but as she stares at her finger and plays with the slightly large metal ring around it, I feel proud to have surprised her with this. A satisfaction that I wasn’t expecting.

Clearing my throat, I take another step back, opening the bottle fully and pouring out three fingers into two glasses. I turn and grab a square cube from the freezer for her—since she prefers it that way. “The only way this works is if we have some—” I pause, trying to find the right words as her eyes meet mine. Dammit, this is going to get messy. And I know it. In this moment, I know I’ll look back and say that I could have figured something else out, but I want it anyway. The mess. The fallout. The way she’s looking at me.

“Rules.” She smiles, finishing my sentence.

“Details.” I take another step back and lean against the counter adjacent to where she’s perched. Pushing my hands intomy pockets, I watch as she leans back, bracing herself with her arms behind her on the counter.

“About how all of this started and we ended up married?” She widens her legs, and I nod, trying my fucking hardest not to look away from her face.

“I expected you to be far more...difficult about this, and you’re acting like this is as natural as having a drink.”

Putting her glass down next to her, she scoots her hands beneath her thighs. With a thoughtful look, she stares at the floor and says, “You don’t want the truth, Ace. So I’ll give you some time to work out those details before I change my mind and make this...difficultfor you.”

She has no idea.

She leans forward, plucking another strawberry from the cheeseboard, and pops it in her mouth. Then her eyes lock on mine, and she wiggles her eyebrows. “When’s the wedding?”

There’s no need to drag this out, so I don’t hesitate when I answer, “This week.”

“So eager, Daddy,” she teases, and like it always does, my breath catches in my throat.

“You can’t—That’s not something you can just call me. It’s gotta stop,” I tell her gruffly.

She tilts her head to the side, sizing up the demand. But instead of pushing back or prodding with why that’s the case, she says, “Fine.” And then she’s hopping down from the counter and padding on bare feet out of the kitchen, toward the grand staircase as she asks, “Are we doing a town hall quickie, or are we making a big deal about it?”

“Town hall and a bite to eat?” I follow her up the stairs. “I think most people will be surprised if we don’t make a big deal about it, but in an effort to?—”

“I’m fine with that,” she says before I can even finish, heading toward my room at the end of the hall. “No need to embellish the lie.”

I bristle at the idea that this is a lie—it feels more honest than I’ve been in a long time.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

“Already ball and chaining me?” Turning around, she smirks, but her steps don’t slow as she keeps walking backwards. “Or is it ball and gagging me? How kinky are you, almost-husband?”

“I can make that my thing if it means making sure I get some quiet when you’re here full time.”

“I can think of other things worth gagging on,” she mumbles, chasing it with a barking laugh.

I open my mouth and not a fucking thing comes out.I may not survive this.

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