Page 40 of Whiskey Darling
Chapter Sixteen
Allie
The Caramel CoveCraft Distillery Exposition is the most prestigious of its kind. Participants fill the soaring, glass-framed building overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the grounds overflow with flowers and sculptures of all sorts, giving it a museum-like atmosphere.
We arrive in the early morning hours to set up our products. Just inside the main building, ours is one of the first exhibits as well as one of the largest displays. With the exception of the bon-bons from Sweet Tooth, everything is ready.
“It looks fantastic,” one of the girls on the team, Angela, says excitedly. “Allie, I did some recon. It’s one of the best displays here.”
The pleased smile Flynn wears not only warms my heart, but it also has it beating faster than I like.
The incident in his office still has me shaken. I’m suppressing my true feelings from him. God, the last thing I want is Flynn thinking I’m clingy. Or that anything over the past three weeks means more than what it is. Sexual encounters for the mutual purpose of satisfaction.
I don’t want him to know I’ve fallen in love with him. That reality burns with the delicious pain of a thousand cruel fires, lighting up my soul until I think I must shine brighter than the sun. It’s difficult keeping those flames banked.
“Before we pat ourselves on the back, let’s see how it goes,” Michael says sullenly. If he wasn’t on our team, I’d think he was jealous of our impending success.
“We’re gonna be the talk of this thing,” Sawyer crows.
“I agree.” Flynn flashes me another grin, and I put it in my pocket of memories. “Allie, you’ve done an amazing job.”
“With everyone’s help, of course.” A blush stains my cheeks with Flynn’s praise. “Everyone has worked so hard.”
There’s an hour or so before the event’s activities officially begin. People wander about, checking out displays and saying hello to friends and acquaintances. Flynn and Sawyer run into an old college friend, and after a quick introduction to me, they move to an outside patio.
I watch them through the glass, noticing how Flynn’s warm gaze finds me often. Once, he tilts his chin, indicating I join them, but I shake my head, fighting the urge to migrate to his side. I’m drawn to him in so many ways it’s becoming painful. I’m afraid if we’re together too often, others will easily see how much I love him.
Besides, there’s work to be done. Minor problems to address. It’s my opportunity to shine and Devil’s Gold Whiskey’s, too. I’ll make Flynn proud that he trusted me with this job.
The first thing I must do is call Sweet Tooth because if the bon-bons arrive too late, I’ll need to move the whiskey instructional to the afternoon.
“Hey, Miss Darling. I was just about to call you! I got a weird voice message saying you wanted these canceled, but I’m pulling into the parking area now.” Janie, Sweet Tooth’s owner, sounds confused and a little flustered. “You already paid for them, and I’ve got wedding cake deliveries all afternoon so I’m here.”
I swear my heart about stops. “Oh, I don’t know what that’s about. I wouldn’t have canceled this! I needed everything delivered this morning as we discussed.” I send a prayer heavenward that my schedule won’t require changing, and a potential crisis is averted. “Can I meet you? We’re getting close to the wire on time.”
“Sure. How about the Rock Sculpture Gardens? It’s close to the caterer’s parking lot. The bon-bons are in a basket so they’ll be easy to carry.”
I let the other team members know what’s going on. We’ll handle staging of the Sweet and Fire display when I return.
The Rock Sculpture Gardens are massive displays of granite and sandstone carved into various abstract and classical forms. Pathways wind around the sculptures and through the trees. It’s mysterious and a little dark, even with the midmorning sun shining brightly and birds singing.
Janie’s waiting there already. With my assurance I’ll deal with the delivery mixup later, she hands over the huge basket then bustles off to deal with her other deliveries.
I’m making my way back to the main building when a voice comes from behind me.
“You’ve got them all fooled, don’t you?”
Michael Lassiter.
I keep walking, but he quickly catches up. Grabbing my arm, he drags me into the deep shadows. In a circle of towering granite obelisks, I’m shoved against the base of one, the stone hard and unforgiving, his hands cruel where they grip my shoulders.
I smell whiskey on his breath when he leans so close our noses almost touch.
“What do you want?” I choke out.
“What you took from me,” Michael snarls. “What should have been mine. Flynn practically promised me that job. You stole it from me.”
“If you deserved it, you’d have it. He wouldn’t have needed me to fill it,” I recklessly taunt him. “Now, get your hands off me, cretin.”
