Page 6 of For the Promise

He raises an eyebrow. “You create?”

“Are you denying that I’m the person creating the whiskey flavors?”

He blows out a breath. “No. Shit. Sorry. I’m just in a foul mood.”

Which is why he should let the whole Paisley thing go. Whenever they have a run-in, he returns to work in a foul mood.

“What are you creating today?” he asks.

I motion to our brothers. “Nothing unless you can get them to leave.”

“Why don’t we all leave?”

My brow furrows. “It’s not yet noon.”

“Lunch.” Eli nods. “Good idea.”

“I didn’t mention lunch,” I argue. “I don’t have time for lunch. I need to taste from each of these barrels.”

“You don’t have any samples.”

“I do.” I motion to the table where the whiskey glass is waiting. I scowl when I notice the glass is now empty. “Who drank my sample?”

Rhett lifts his hands and steps back. “It wasn’t me.”

I glare at Miles, Zane, and Kai.

“In our defense,” Kai begins.

“We shared the sample,” Miles finishes.

I shoo them toward the door. “Go. Have lunch.” At least I’ll have some peace and quiet while they’re gone.

“Brother trip!” Kai, Zane, and Miles shout in unison.

A brother trip is an idea Eli and Rhett developed to make sure the six of us spent time together when we were growing up after our dad abandoned us. Mom was working several jobsand didn’t have much time to spend with us as a family. Eli and Rhett stepped up in her absence.

“You can’t declare lunch on a workday a brother trip. And you need four brothers to agree it’s a brother trip.”

Eli and Rhett gaze at each other for a few moments. Those two always could communicate without words. Finally, they nod.

“Brother trip,” they say in unison.

“Does no one care about our agreement to expand the distillery?” I ask.

“I care since I’m the one who managed to procure the exclusive deal with theVelvet Blossomrestaurant chain,” Eli says.

“Good. Then, you understand I don’t have time for lunch.”

“Come on.” Kai nudges me toward the door. “It’s just lunch.”

I push my glasses up my nose. “Do I appear stupid?”

“Nope. You’re your usual nerdy self.”

“Calling me a nerd is not the insult you think it is.”

“Let’s go, nerd,” Miles says.

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