Sin and Cider (Sweet Sinners Book 1)

by Kimberly Reese

  My stomach twists at the words, but the sensation isn’t all that unpleasant, just foreign. I stare at her as I mull over the words. Do I love Mac? I don’t know. I know that the thought of her with someone else guts me and, regardless of how I acted the other night, I meant what I said before. We’re a perfect match, and even though I’m not entirely sure how I’m feeling, I know I fucked things up and regret lying to her.

  “You know what, don’t answer that now. It’s clear you have some thinking to do. Seriously though, get your shit together before you fuck things up further and lose her for good.”

  And with those final words, my sister gives me a hug and leaves my apartment, the bin full of empty beer bottles waiting by the door.

  28

  I’m surprised by the nervous excitement I feel as I get ready. Yesterday I met with a couple of my old clients, and they’ve agreed to help spread the word about my business. I have my last business lunch today and find I’m looking forward to it the most out of all of them. Today I’m meeting with Oliver, Cade’s other best friend and business partner. Not only is he also a good friend of mine, the potential to reach a whole new client base through his connections has my stomach fluttering in anticipation.

  I make sure my ballerina bun is still intact, zip up my Tiffany blue shift dress, and slip on my flats before heading out the door to meet him. I make my way outside and hail a cab. Luxe, the upscale French bistro on the Magnificent Mile I’m heading to, is close enough to where we live that I could hop on the red line and walk the rest of the way, but I don’t want to risk being late for this meeting.

  The cab eventually pulls up to Luxe so I exit, but as I turn to pay the driver a long, suited arm reaches in and hands the driver a wad of bills, effectively preventing me from paying.

  “Thanks, chap. Have a good day,” a cultured, British voice says.

  I step back onto the curb and turn to the man who paid my fare. “Thanks, Ollie. It’s good to see you again,” I smile at him.

  “Likewise, love. Give me a hug. It’s been forever.”

  He holds out his arms, and I step into his strong embrace. He pulls back just slightly and looks me in the eyes, concern clear in his gaze. “You okay? Cade told me about what happened with that todger back in Tennessee.”

  My eyes start to water slightly at the reference to Lawson, but I shake my head and smile wider. “Nothing I can’t handle, but thank you for checking.” I lean into his hug for a few more seconds before stepping back. “Let’s head in.”

  We walk into Luxe and Ollie keeps his hand on my lower back. I can’t help but compare his platonic touch with how I felt whenever Lawson did this. Why is it he’s the only one who makes my body and my heart act out of sorts? The hostess eyes Ollie with interest and leads us to a quaint table for two out on the patio.

  I glance at Ollie and take in his tall frame as we sit down. Like Lawson and Cade, he’s incredibly good-looking but in a reserved, buttoned-up way. Although he’s British, he looks like he came straight from a beach somewhere in California with his golden, tousled hair and bright, blue eyes. He looks like a gorgeous hybrid of all the best parts of Paul Walker (may he rest in peace) and Charlie Hunnam. The combination of his looks and accent bring to mind one word: droolworthy. He’s sexy and definitely rocks the suit he’s wearing but, like with Cade, I’ve never felt that extra spark that I’ve only managed to feel with Lawson.

  “So what’ll you be having, love? And I’m telling you now, you’re not paying, so don’t give me any of that tosh about going dutch,” Ollie tells me, his voice smoother than the softest silk. I may not be attracted to him in that way but I could listen to the man talk all day.

  “Well, now that you’ve made that statement I’m definitely not getting the salad,” I laugh, and he joins in. “If you want to share a cheese plate with me, we can do that,” I say as I look over the menu. “Then I’ll probably get the steak frites. What about you?” I ask as I rest the menu on the table.

  No sooner do I set the menu down than a waiter appears to take our order. Talk about speedy service.

  “Hello, Mr. Taylor. Nice to see you again, and welcome to your lovely guest,” the waiter gestures toward me. “What can I get for you both today?” I smile at the personalized service. I’m used to this happening when I go out with Cade, but it never fails to impress me.

  “Hello, Weston. Thank you. I always look forward to dining here, as does Ms. Layne,” he nods his head at me. “We’ll start off with l’assiette de fromages,” he says, ordering our cheese plate with a perfect French accent. “For her entrée, Ms. Layne will have the steak frites. How would you like that cooked, love?”

  The waiter turns his gaze on me, his pen at the ready. “Medium rare, please.”

  After scribbling down my order, Weston turns back to Ollie. “And for myself, I’ll have the beef bourguignon. As far as drinks, I’d just like a water, please. I need to head back to work after this. What would you like, Mac?”

  “Water with lemon, please.”

  “Fantastic,” Weston says. “The waters will be right out, and your food will be out shortly. Thank you, sir.”

  We both smile as he walks away. Within seconds, we both have water and our cheese plate follows shortly after. We take our time enjoying the cheese, jams, and bread before Ollie asks me about my plans for my business.

  I explain to him my situation earlier in the year and my plan for when I move back to Starwood. He listens attentively and nods when he hears something he likes. He has an astute business mind, and I’m thankful that he lets me pick his brain for new ideas. Our conversation slows when our entrées arrive, but we continue to chat between bites.

  I spear a fry with my fork as I wrap up my business talk. “Thank you for all the advice, Ollie. Between you and Cade, I don’t see how I can fail,” I laugh. “Please think of me if you have any clients who may need a new designer or rebranding, but only if you want to,” I say quickly. “Please don’t feel obligated to just because we’re friends. I want to earn someone’s business because of my talent, not because of who I know.”

  Ollie smiles and unbuttons his suit jacket so he can lean back and cross his legs. “Oh Mac, I’ve already taken that liberty. And to ease your mind, I never recommend someone if I don’t think they have talent. My name and business is on the line, and I’m being completely honest when I say I’d endorse you even if we weren’t friends.”

  His words warm me from the inside, and I give him a wide smile. “Thank you, Ollie. That really means a lot.”

  He gestures with a wave of one hand. “Don’t mention it. It’s my pleasure. I’ve already had a few express interest, so once you have your new business established let me know and I’ll give them your contact information.”

  Excitement wells in my chest, and I feel my eyes water again at his kind gesture. This is really happening. “You’re the best. Thank you, Ollie. I don’t know how I can ever repay you. This seriously means the world to me.”

  “All I ask for in payment is one thing,” he says, his tone serious.

  I lean forward, eager to hear what he wants. “Name it.”

  He leans forward as well so our faces are close together over the center of the table. “I need you to send me some of that apple butter and jam. I was at Cade’s and tried it, and I need more. My morning toast will never be the same without it.”

  I laugh hysterically. I feel validated that they love the butter and jellies so much that they’re asking for them here. Maybe one day I can start shipping them if business is booming at the orchard. “You have yourself a deal.”

  We sit here, laughing and smiling goofily at each other, when a throat clearing to our right draws our attention. I turn and my jaw drops at what I see before me. Am I dreaming?

  29

  Lawson

  I stare up at the huge, modern skyscraper before me. I can’t believe this behemoth of a building belongs to someone I know. I enter through the revolving doors of Carson Taylor Enterprises in
downtown Chicago, and make my way to the center of the room to what looks like a welcome desk. I stand in line and approach the steel-haired receptionist when she waves me over.

  “Hello, welcome to Carson Taylor Enterprises. How may I help you?” she asks briskly.

  “Hello,” I peer at her name badge, “Susan. I’d like to meet with Cade Carson, please.”

  “Your name, please.” She has her fingers poised and ready to go above the keyboard.

  “Lawson Westbrook, ma’am.”

  Her eyebrow lifts slightly, but she types in my name at a rapid pace before turning back to me.

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, I was hoping I could step in if he was free.”

  Susan looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “My apologies Mr. Westbrook but no one, and I mean no one, sees Mr. Carson or Mr. Taylor without an appointment.”

  I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Okay, may I schedule an appointment please?” She nods her head and I add on, “Could we please make it for the earliest time available?”

  She nods again and picks up the phone. “I just need to dial his personal assistant. One moment, please.” She relays my appointment request to the person on the other line and bobs her head a few times before moving the mouthpiece away from her lips. “Certainly. The earliest I have available is in January. Does a specific day work for you?” she asks as she looks at me expectantly.

  “January is the earliest available appointment?” I ask, shocked. It’s September, for fuck’s sake. I don’t envy the man if he’s booked out that far in advance.

  “Mr. Carson is a very busy man.”

  I run my hand over the back of my neck in frustration. This is a lot more inconvenient than I anticipated. I’m trying to go over my options when a voice behind me speaks.

  “Lawson, is that you?”

  I turn around and I see Cade, thank God. He looks surprised and weary to see me standing in the lobby of his building.

  “Yeah, you got a sec? I was hoping to talk to you if you have a free moment.”

  He looks at me for a moment before nodding. “Sure, follow me.”

  I turn to look back at Susan. “I won’t be needing that appointment, thank you.” I smile broadly at her and want to laugh at her surprised expression.

  I follow Cade into a private elevator and we stand next to one another in silence, the air starting to get heavy with tension. We travel all the way to the top floor, and Cade removes his key card before exiting. We walk onto what looks like the executive level and head to the right, past the desk where his assistant sits, and into a huge office with floor-to-ceiling windows.

  I whistle as I take in the modern decor and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. “Nice digs, man.”

  Cade makes his way over to his desk and takes a seat as he gestures for me to do the same across from him. Here, in his element, he looks every inch the successful businessman. From what Mac told me before and from what I had observed, I knew he was well-off. But seeing him now, looking like a king of the concrete jungle that is Chicago, I realize how different our worlds are.

  “Thank you. Now, why are you here?”

  Okay, he really doesn’t want to beat around the bush. I can respect that. I take in a deep breath and decide to be upfront as well. “I want to see Mac.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to apologize, and I don’t know where she lives or else I’d be there. I feel an apology is always best given in person and didn’t want to risk having her ignore my calls. I figured I’d have the best chance of getting to her by visiting you.”

  He watches me as I speak, his expression neutral and not indicative of any emotion. He sizes me up before he responds to my statement. “For the record, she still lives with me.” His words cause the jealousy I felt before to rise back up momentarily. My expression must give away how I’m feeling because he smirks. “As far as an apology, you definitely owe her one, but you better be doing a hell of a lot more than that.”

  “I...I’m not sure what you mean,” I falter.

  “Oh, I think you do. And if you don’t know what I mean, then get the fuck out of my office and stay away from Mac.” He moves to stand and I hold out a hand to stop him.

  “I know I fucked up,” I start. The words are hard to say but I force them out. “Nothing happened with Della. I made a stupid mistake because I couldn’t deal with how I feel about Mac. It was juvenile, but I thought her catching wind of me on a date with someone else would cause the cleanest break since she is moving back.”

  Cade looks at me and his brow furrows slightly at my last words. He doesn’t say anything though, just continues to look at me, so I continue.

  “After the charity auction, I drank way too much beer and my sister practically ripped me a new one when she stopped by my apartment. She basically told me Mac left and at that thought...that I caused her to leave early...it gutted me, man. Mac told me she loved me, and I couldn’t handle it but I realized that, if I’m being honest with myself, I..I love her, too.”

  “I already know this. You and Mac both wear your hearts on your sleeve, whether you realize it or not. I’m glad you pulled your head out of your ass and are finally able to admit it. What I want to know is what do you intend to do about it?” He leans over his desk and gives me an intense stare as he waits for my answer.

  “I’m not sure,” I say. “I won’t lie to you. I plan on telling her how I feel and that I made a mistake, but I don’t know what’s next. I need to try and make things right though, and I can’t do that if I don’t know where she is.”

  Cade doesn’t look particularly satisfied with my answer, but he reclines in his chair again and watches me for a few moments as he thinks.

  “You better not fuck this up,” he warns as he checks his watch. “But if you want to see her, she’s actually at a restaurant down the road called Luxe. If you head over now, you may be able to catch her.”

  I launch out of the chair and reach a hand out to him for a shake. His hand grips mine and he stands so his eyes are level with mine. With a firm squeeze he says, “You fuck this up, Lawson, and you’ll have to answer to me personally. I don’t like seeing my best friend sad. She deserves better.”

  “Don’t I know it,” I squeeze his hand in return. “Thank you, Cade.”

  He nods and I turn, exit his office, and leave the building as quickly as I can. I pull up Luxe on my phone’s map search and see that it’s half a mile away. I smile and walk, my strides eating up as much distance as possible. Before long, I see the restaurant’s sign and see that it looks like a little bistro. My heart beats faster at the thought of seeing Mac again and making things right. I walk to the entrance and feel my skin break out in goosebumps at the sense of awareness I get. She’s definitely here.

  I walk to the hostess and tell her I’m meeting someone here and she lets me through. I navigate through the restaurant and soon enough, I think I see her on the outdoor patio. Her hair is done up in an elegant bun, which showcases her graceful neck, and she’s in an eye-catching blue dress. My breath seizes in my throat and I hasten my steps. I make it outside and stop in my tracks. I didn’t see from inside but now I can see that she has company. Male company. Another damn suit, I think. He’s blonde and attractive and they’re laughing over something. My heart stops for a second as I catch the smile on Mac’s face. They’re looking at each other as if they’re the only people who exist. Am I too late? I step closer and clear my throat.

  They both turn to look at me at the same time, but my attention is solely on Mac. Her smile dies when she catches sight of me and shock colors her features. God, she’s fucking beautiful. We look at each other, and I feel complete again just by being in her presence.

  Her lips quiver before her sweet voice whispers my name. “Lawson? How? Why are you here?”

  She’s looking at me as if she can’t believe I’m standing in front of her.

  “I came to talk to you,” is all I can manage to get out.


  The silence stretches between us for a few more seconds before the man she’s with stands up and approaches me. He’s about my height and carries himself with an air of authority.

  “Hello, I’m Oliver Taylor. And you are?” His British accent is crisp and formal.

  He holds out his hand, so I give him a firm handshake in greeting. “Lawson Westbrook. Nice to meet you, Oliver.” Something niggles at my brain before I realize what it is. “Are you the Taylor in Carson Taylor Enterprises?”

  “Guilty,” he smirks. “And would you happen to be Lawson Westbrook of Starwood, Tennessee?”

  “Guilty,” I admit with chagrin.

  Oliver’s expression clouds over as he steps closer to me and lowers his voice so only I can hear. “I’ll give you two a moment, but if you hurt her please know that I’ll be paying you a visit, as will Cade. No one hurts our girl and gets away with it.”

  “I know. Cade already expressed a similar sentiment. I’m here to try and make things right.” I glance over his shoulder to Mac, who is watching with a confused expression on her face.

  “Good ol’ Cade. I can always count on him.” He nods his head in approval before he steps back and raises his voice. “Mac, love,” he says cheerily, all hints of the threatening protectiveness he just displayed gone. “I forgot I need to give someone a ring about a business matter. I’ll be back soon.”

  He walks away so I move closer to Mac.

  “May I?” I gesture to the newly vacated seat across from her.

  Mac simply nods and continues to look at me like she might be dreaming. “Why are you here?” she asks.