Whiskey Kiss: A Small-town Romance

by V McFarlane

  “Have you seen her?” He deadpans.

  “Jesus Christ,” I shake my head, “You’re a grown ass man, we aren’t in high school you know.”

  Still shaking my head and laughing I head back into the kitchen. Penny’s eyes instantly find mine, soft and warm and she mouths the words thank you over her coffee cup. I give her a smile, but my eyes stray to Ava who whilst looks better, still has an air of sorrow. It’s to be expected, I guess.

  Those words. They echo in my head.

  Just what kind of guy did Penny get involved with exactly?

  The rest of the weekend goes too quick, a succession of chatter filled meals and screaming and laughing children so when Monday comes back around, I’m hardly ready for it. I groan as I kick my legs off the bed and rub the sleep from my eyes. I glance at the clock on the stand, seeing it’s a little after six in the morning. Ripley wasn’t even awake yet, but I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep even if I tried.

  Climbing from the bed I head through to the bathroom and turn on the shower, waiting for the water to become steaming before stepping beneath it and letting it wash away my sleep.

  I’m stuck in this sort of limbo. My feelings for Penny haven’t changed, they’re still there one hundred percent but I can’t help but feel like there’s something too big between us.

  Those walls, I realised. They’re too tall. Too hard to crumble. She tells me she trusts me. But she doesn’t. Not really.

  And I don’t know why but I’m sure it has something to do with her ex. The father of her daughter, Ava.

  I wash my hair and body and then climb out, wrapping a towel around myself.

  I’m completely and irrevocably in love with the woman but how do I go forward if she can’t share herself with me?

  Pushing the heels of my hands into my eyes I groan, wondering what the fuck I’m going to do. Never did I ever think I would be in this situation. The idiot that chases the girl not willing to be caught.

  I’ve already packed Ripley’s lunch by the time Penny arrives at seven thirty, something she usually always does before taking the girls to school. Ava appears okay this morning, a little distant, quiet but better. It’ll take time I realise however I’m surprised she’s going to school.

  “She’s going in?” I question without a hello to Penny.

  “She wants to,” Penny shrugs. “You packed her lunch?”

  “Mm,” I nod, “I got up early.”

  Ripley skips into the kitchen, “Good morning!”

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “Oh,” Penny frowns, “Okay.”

  “See you later,” I don’t wait for a response, I just grab my keys and head through to the front door and to the truck.

  “Taron!” Penny calls from behind me.

  I ty to ignore it. I really do but there’s panic laced in her tone and the strings that have somehow tangled up with her tug me to a stop. The gravel crunches beneath her feet as she approaches.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I lie.

  “You’re acting strange,” she says, “Did I do something?”

  It’s not so much as anger that rises in me but more frustration, “You tell me, Penny. I thought I could be patient but you’re hiding something from me.”

  “I’m not hiding anything,” she defends.

  “Then tell me why you left your old town. Tell me who Ava’s dad is.”

  Her head snaps back, “What?”

  “You heard me, Penny. I’m throwing everything into this, you, and you can’t even give me half of it in return.”

  “Taron,” she pleads.

  “No, Penny,” I shake my head, “I’m in love with you.”

  I scoff when she doesn’t seem surprised at all by this.

  “But you already knew this.”

  “Taron, please,” she reaches out to touch me, but I flinch back.

  “Just let me know when you’re ready to give what I am already.”

  With those words lingering I climb into the truck and reverse, wheel spinning out of the driveway. My heart is pounding inside my chest and not before long guilt starts to eat away at my stomach.

  Shit.

  In the heat of it, I didn’t register the sheer fear on her face. The panic. The sadness.

  No, I’m protecting myself here.

  I can’t let myself lose it all because my heart tells me it’s love. Love needs to be a two-way thing. I’ve given her all of me, everything, and I’ve gotten a percentage in return.

  The logic doesn’t help my mood though. Not even a little.

  I slam my brakes down, forcing the truck to jerk to a stop in the parking spot outside the distillery.

  I’ve never been good with anger. It’s one of those emotions I’ve never managed to control and it shows as I slam my way out of the car and into the distillery, doors bouncing against walls, the thud loud in the quiet of the morning.

  A few heads turn my way but mostly people ignore me.

  I slam my office door closed and throw myself into my chair.

  The business plans for the event place out back stare at me. The first word that greets me is Penny’s name, in all capital letters, highlighted and circled in red pen. A thing Rhett does when he thinks he has a brilliant, million-dollar idea. Her name is the first in the list titled manager.

  Shit. He wants her to run the event management.

  I mean I had thought it myself, but I didn’t want to seem like I was throwing everything into her lap but clearly Rhett was thinking the same thing. She had told me she had studied it and her ideas, the plans she helped with, the way she explained things, even down to the numbers she predicted, it was management material. That was, surprisingly, my business mind talking, not my lovesick heart.

  What would happen now?

  I have my head in my hand when the door to my office opens.

  I’m expecting to see Rhett when I look up but the person I see only adds to my bad mood.

  “Carla,” I grumble, “What do you want?”

  I stand from the desk, not enjoying the vulnerability that comes from sitting behind a desk when a snake walks into the room.

  “Well good morning to you,” she says, sugar sweet.

  “I’m not in the mood,” I tell her honestly, “If you’re here to play games I would advise heading down to the arcade.”

  “You’re funny,” the laugh she adds tells me she thinks it’s anything but funny. “I’m here to talk about your business plan.”

  I just stare at her. What does she have to do with any of this?

  “The plan,” she explains when I give her no reaction, “You know, the one the council needs.”

  “What do you want?” I change the subject.

  “I want to know your plan,” she takes the seat in front of my desk, crossing her long legs and relaxing back into the chair meant for customers and business partners. I’ve had a lot of important people in that chair, people that bring in a hell of a lot of money and publicity and she just doesn’t fit it.

  “I don’t think it’s any of your business.”

  “Oh Taron,” she giggles, “You’re so forgetful.”

  I wasn’t forgetful. She just wasn’t worth remembering.

  I just stare at her until she finally relents on her cryptic messages and tells me just what she wants to say.

  “My father. He’s on the council.”

  Shit.

  How could I forget that little bit of information?

  I go through the names on the board. Her father wasn’t exactly a prominent member, just one who earned his spot by the number of businesses he supports in the town and the zeroes in his bank account.

  “It’s thanks to me that they offered you the extension to think up a plan,” she flicks her hair, “You should be grateful. They were just gonna force you to sell the land.”

  “Thankful?” I scoff, “What price does it come at?”

  She purses her lips, “Oh, Taron, you think so little of me.�
�

  No, no, I think just the right amount of her. Snake. A person out for their own. Bitchy. Need I go on.

  “What’s the plan?” She presses, “Father tells me they’re getting restless waiting for your move.”

  “I have no business discussing this with you so if that’s all, you have a nice day.”

  My dismissal goes ignored.

  I’m in no mood for this. Penny is at the forefront of my mind, I don’t have the space to think about this.

  “You forget I can get you what you need. If not through my father, then through my husband. I have a proposal.”

  Rhett chooses this moment to walk into my office, oblivious to the guest we have in attendance and I could kiss his feet right now for the interruption.

  “Ah, I have a meeting,” I tell Carla, “Guess this will have to wait.”

  “Ah, Rhett, I’m glad you’re here, you should hear this too.”

  His brows furrow, taking in the scene and I see the what the fuck written all over his face.

  I sigh and gesture for him to take a seat. Carla won’t leave until she’s had her say so we may as well get comfortable.

  “What is it?”

  She grins at the branch I’ve offered, “Well if my father can’t get the council to relent, maybe my husband can.”

  “What?” Both Rhett and I say at the same time.

  It’s pointless. We have a fool proof plan.

  “Well,” Carla sits forward confidently, “Let him buy the land and then rent it back to you. A win, win.”

  A burst of laugh escapes my throat. Yeah that isn’t happening.

  I stand and walk around the desk, “You can leave now.”

  Carla stands and steps up close, running her red painted fingers up my chest, I stiffen under her touch, trying my hardest not to cringe away from her.

  “We can help each other.”

  “I’m not interested.”

  “Not even for the family business?” Her hands slide further up, the tips of her fingernails clawing into the edge of my jawline. I’m so caught up in what Carla is doing I don’t hear the office door open until it’s too late.

  “What the fuck!?” Penny’s voice is like a shock of electricity

  “Penny!” I exclaim, jumping back. Carla looks smugly between the two of us.

  “Well this just got interesting,” Carla steps up to Penny, squaring her shoulders and cocking her brow.

  Well shit, this was going to end badly.

  Forty-two

  Penny

  I can’t get the dismissal Taron threw my way out my head.

  He went from hot to cold real quick. I get it. I do. I’m hiding stuff from him, stuff about who I am which he deserves to know.

  That’s why I’m driving to the distillery. I’m going to tell him everything. All of it. And if he judges me, then fine. At least I’ll know.

  I’m in love with him, yes but it’s early, it’ll hurt less, right?

  I park the Wrangler besides Rhett’s and head straight through, not waiting to be shown to the office. I don’t think he’ll see me if I’m announced.

  “Uh Miss!” I hear the barman yell, “They’re in a meeting.”

  I don’t care.

  My hand wraps around the handle of the door and I push it open but what I see is not what I expect.

  Carla runs her greedy, dirty hands up my man’s body, no doubt feeling those ridges and dips that I had committed to memory.

  “What the fuck!?” I hiss, anger boiling so hot inside me I can’t see straight

  “Penny!” Taron gasps.

  “Well this just got interesting,” Carla smirks, stepping away from Taron to square up to me.

  No.

  I did not sign up for this crap!

  “It isn’t what it looked like!” Taron tells me.

  Rhett’s standing now, his hands balled into fists though I have no idea what he plans to do. I don’t think he’ll hurt a woman, step in maybe and with the way I’m feeling that’s probably a good thing.

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” Carla sneers, “Here to bring the boss some lunch? What a good girl you are.”

  I never thought I could hate someone but here Carla is, proving me wrong. The problem? I had no response. No retaliation.

  “Carla,” Taron warns, “I have asked you to leave.”

  “What is it about her” She asks Taron.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Hmm,” She taps her manicured finger against her chin, “I guess she’s pretty. Killer body.”

  I feel Rhett sidle up next to me, offering me a reassuring hand to the small of my back. He glares at Carla but keeps his mouth sealed shut.

  “Maybe Taron just likes to feel dirty,”

  I take a deep breath,

  Do not lower to her level. Do. Not. Do. It.

  “I have a couple of questions for you, Penny,” Carla paces the space in front of me whilst all of us stand still, waiting for the snake to attack. I can’t even process the scene I walked into with her circling me like a wolf who cornered a lone deer.

  “Is your pussy so good that it has fooled the smartest man in town?”

  “Carla!” Rhett warns.

  She holds her hands up as my cheeks flush red. It doesn’t stop her.

  “You’re dirt. You’re worth nothing, really.”

  I grit my teeth.

  “Your daughter is the same. Nothing. Worthless.”

  Oh hell no.

  I lunge for her.

  I’ve never been a violent person. I’ve never hit anyone in my life, I hated fighting and arguing but hearing those disgusting words leave her mouth, well it triggered something. Something that I could not control.

  I now know how momma bears feel like when protecting their own.

  Insult me all you want. Insult my daughter? Well, there will be hell to pay.

  “Shit!” Taron hollers.

  Suddenly two strong arms wrap around my waist and I’m dragged away, my weight thrown off balance and then I’m tumbling, a mess of limbs until I land in a heap on the ground.

  It isn’t carpet I feel beneath me, no it’s hard muscle and warmth, breath caressing my neck and teasing my hair until it tickles against my jaw.

  “Calm down,” A soothing voice whispers in my ear, soft and quiet enough for just me and him to hear.

  I do as I am told, relaxing as much as I can into the cradle he has provided. The anger shakes through me still but his presence is a balm. Rhett’s already escorting her from the room, his face hard, ruthless. I’m glad to have him in my corner.

  It’s one thing insulting an adult, who the fuck insults a child!?

  “Penny,” Taron says once the door to the office is closed and we are alone, “That wasn’t what it looked like. She just doesn’t take no for an answer.”

  He doesn’t release me, but his arms loosen a notch and I know I have to move now, I have to talk to him, and he might not want to touch me when he finds out.

  “We need to talk,” I whisper, fear lacing my tone.

  I sit up, shifting away from him and then stand, going over to perch on the edge of the desk. My adrenaline is pumping furiously through my veins. I don’t know what I would have done if I had gotten my hands on Carla. The need to defend Ava from her attacks outweighed any logical, rational sense I may have had.

  “Look,” Taron stands too, running a hand over the scruff of his jaw, “I was wrong this morning. It’s not fair for me to push you like that.”

  “No,” I sigh, “You’re right. You’ve given me a lot, Taron, you have no idea how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for both me and Ava. You’re a great person, a fantastic dad.”

  Taron takes a step closer but there’s this huge metaphorical gap between us that I put there. I built these walls around myself so high I didn’t think about what they would do. I thought I was protecting myself and Ava from the cruelty that people are so quick to dish out but if there’s anything Taron isn’t, it�
�s cruel.

  “I just want to tell you first,” my heart pounds, blood rushing in my ears, “That I am in love with you too. I’m not saying it because you said it, I mean it.”