“Jon…,” she said meekly as she peaked again. Pepper’s hips moved up off the bed to thrust against him a few times, and then her desire was spent.
He fell onto her, both of them unable to move. The sensation of his whole body against hers while they were still joined and recovering from another incredible sexual experience was a deliciously visceral satisfaction.
Pepper put a trembling hand on his well-muscled back.
“How can it be… why… why is it… so good?” she managed to ask in a whisper, and her hand slipped from his sweat-slickened back and fell onto the bed.
With a grunt, Jon rolled off her and onto his side. He draped an arm across her torso, then put his hand over one of her breasts.
She knew the answer: they were in love.
They had been for years—despite their estrangements—but the truth of it had hit them abruptly, and hard, and with a level of passion that they had never experienced or even thought possible.
This was their old love, but in a new reality.
Her eyes were closed, and a large strand of her hair was draped negligently across her face. Jon tucked her hair behind her ear, and Pepper turned her head slowly toward him and opened her eyes.
“Because this,” Jon said and kissed her, “has been heating up for years. We just finally took it off the still.”
8
They argued over which one of them had to drive to the distillery.
After hastily tidying up and getting their clothes on, neither felt up to the task of the very short drive (less than a mile) to Old Garnet.
“I’m a little—no, I’m a lot—” Pepper muttered as she zipped up her coat. She shook her head as she struggled for the right term to describe her physical state, a heady combination of sexual satisfaction and relaxation mixed with still-simmering physical desire.
“I believe the technical term you’re looking for is fucked up,” he said and got into the passenger side of the car.
Seeing that he’d claimed shotgun, she reluctantly slid into the driver’s seat, laughing as she did so.
“I’ve never considered that a descriptive term,” she said through giggles.
“Learn something new every day,” he quipped.
“Oh, I still could use further instruction.”
“Good thing that I made sure the classroom is clean.” He reminded her about his clean sheets.
“Tonight? Again?”
“Why not?” he asked as she pulled onto Ashbrooke Pike from Hannah’s driveway. “My place is private, and no one’s going to question why your car is there.”
She could think of no objection to his plan to keep consummating their new physical relationship, although that nagging voice of doubt kept telling her all good things must come to an end. But that was hardly a reason to put the brakes on what was becoming more and more enjoyable, despite her ingrained fear of change and the unknown.
If she could be lucky enough to win the lottery, why couldn’t she finally be lucky in love?
The parking lot was nearly deserted, and Pepper easily found a spot close to the visitors’ center. Hannah had told her that this was the time of year that the distillery experienced a little down time—the dead of winter—although Pepper spotted a few tourists leaving the premises. Once inside, she and Jon were immediately drawn to the gigantic bourbon flavor wheel which had been installed as part of a new floor shortly after Bo and Lila’s wedding. After they’d spent a short time admiring the object, both heard their names being called from somewhere to their right.
“In here, folks,” Hannah called to them, and waved them into the café.
Jon put his hand on Pepper’s lower back as they moved out of the lobby and into the café. She didn’t mind, but he removed it as soon as they were within sight of their dining companions.
Next to a large round table in the middle of the café stood Hannah, Bo, and Goose Davenport, along with Drake Mercer. Goose and Drake had struck up a lively conversation and were laughing and gesturing. Bo and Hannah, on the other hand, were engaged in a more tense exchange, with Hannah pointing at the window area accusingly.
“We’ve got to get more insulation over there. It’s freezing in the winter and burns up in the summer,” Hannah complained as Jon and Pepper approached.
After greetings all around, they all sat down and Hannah immediately apologized to Jon.
“My brother here,” she said and pointed to Bo, who sat to her left, “needs to talk to you after lunch.”
“Nothing big,” Bo promised, and reached for one of the box lunches in the middle of the table. “But since you’re here, thought I’d bend your ear about something.”
“Not a problem,” Jon said and nodded to Goose. “How’s Harriet liking the new job?”
“Loves it,” Goose said as he handed Drake a box lunch. “Really enjoys working for the school system.”
They all dug into the box lunches which Hannah and Bo had obtained from the café kitchen, and Hannah immediately started complaining.
“This chicken salad just isn’t as good as it used to be,” she said after the first bite.
“You’re too picky,” Bo claimed.
“Naw, I agree with her, Bo,” Goose said. “Just not as good.”
Hannah threw her sandwich down and opened her bag of chips. “Told you so,” she said and looked around the café. “Wish we could do something different with this space, make it bigger, or make it a sit-down type of restaurant instead of just sandwiches and salads from a cafeteria line.”
“One project at time,” Goose said, turning to Jon and then Pepper, “but we’re almost in the clear on getting the historic site acreage expanded with the state.”
The Davenports and Jon then fell into a brief discussion about that project, and the next step, which was getting the distillery designated a National Historic Landmark. Pepper listened carefully since her own plan for joint distillery-farm tours would generate even more interest if the distillery got the coveted designation.
“I’ve already told these two your idea, Pepper,” said Hannah, gesturing to her brother and cousin. “Told Lila too. We all think it’s great. But I want to give you a tour so you know what’s here now. And if Drake thinks he needs to come along, that would be fine.”
Drake shrugged and opened a bottle of water. “No need. I’m not going to be able to represent her on any agreement regarding joint tours. I’m only here because I’m technically her lawyer until she gets new counsel for that work. I consider today just a friendly, casual meeting. Besides, Goose here has promised to take me out to the old still site on the four-wheeler.”
“Bundle up,” Hannah warned. “And hang on. He’s a devil behind the wheel of that thing.”
“Sounds like my kinda guy,” Drake laughed.
Hannah and Pepper exchanged a look that could be loosely translated as the exasperated utterance boys! and laughed.
After Hannah ate a cookie from her box lunch and claimed Bo’s when he declared he didn’t want it, the party started to break up. Hannah urged Pepper to follow her to her office, and said they’d begin the tour from there.
But Pepper wasn’t ready to leave Jon’s side just yet. She was enjoying being with him, and they’d even managed to secretly hold hands under the table during the meal.
Pepper’s hesitation was mistaken by Hannah as a desire to finish eating. “When you’re done with lunch, catch up with me in my office,” Hannah said and excused herself to the bathroom.
“I’ll meet you back here after the tour and drive you back into Bourbon Springs,” she told Jon as she rose from the table.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Drake said. “I’ll drive him back. No need to make an unnecessary trip all the way back to town.”
“But I thought you were going out on the four-wheeler,” Jon said. “Who knows when you’ll get back to the visitors’ center.”
“Considering how cold it is today,” Goose said, “I don’t think we’ll be out there very long.”
“
Just wait on me back here, Jon,” Drake said and rose to help Goose clear away the trash. “That will give Pepper and Hannah more time for their tour.”
Pepper acquiesced to the reasonableness of the suggestion, and Jon nodded and patted her gently on the side of the arm, gestures she took to signal that he’d contact her later.
Goose and Drake left together, and Bo led Pepper back into the office area off the lobby with Jon trailing them. Hannah had already returned to her office and was at her door pulling on gloves when the little group arrived.
“Let’s go!” Hannah cried. “This will be fun!” She rubbed her gloved hands together and led Pepper toward the side door.
“See you ladies soon.” Jon gave her a little salute before disappearing into Bo’s office.
All Pepper could think about as she followed Hannah out into the cold afternoon was how soon she’d see him again.
Hannah first took Pepper to the small building called The Old House that served as a museum. Pepper had been in it many times but since her last visit as a lowly tour guide, more bourbon-related artifacts, and a lot more Old Garnet items, such as old advertising pieces and bottles, had been added.
On the mantle over the fireplace were a number of family photos in frames. Pepper examined the newer shots, which included not only Bo, Hannah, and Goose, but Lila, Kyle, and Harriet as well. The Davenport bourbon dynasty was fully represented—and every member looked incredibly happy in the photos.
Hannah picked up a small silver frame, and Pepper glanced over Hannah’s shoulder to see that the frame housed a photo of Goose and Harriet. The shot seemed to have been made at Bo and Lila’s wedding, judging from the décor Pepper could spot in the background.
“So sweet that they finally got together,” Hannah said.
“Finally?” Pepper said. “I thought they only got together last fall.”
“Not exactly,” Hannah said, smiling. She replaced the frame on the mantle.
Pepper could tell that Hannah was bursting to say more.
“So what’s the story there?”
“I guess this isn’t a secret any longer since they’re engaged and I’ve heard them tell this same tale to none other than CiCi Summers, the gossip queen of Craig County. The truth is that they’d actually had a short-lived thing five years earlier but kept it quiet. But they never forgot about each other.”
“That must’ve felt familiar.”
Everyone in Bourbon Springs had been shocked when Hannah and Kyle had started dating after her divorce. Residents were generally aware of an unhappy breakup in their past and bad blood due to Kyle winning a sheriff’s race against Goose’s now-deceased father, Fuzzy.
“Yeah, it did,” Hannah said. “But around here, time has a wonderful way of making things better.” She smiled and traced the tip of a forefinger over the label of a bourbon bottle on display.
Hannah gave Pepper a review of the museum’s contents, and also took her out on the recently renovated back porch. It was a large deck which afforded a nice view of the creek area.
“I’m not sure why we built this out here,” Hannah admitted. “Seemed like a nice place to sit or have an event, although we rarely use it. Almost everything happens up in the visitors’ center. But it is a nice place if you need a quiet spot. Sometimes I come out here to get away from the crowds and the busyness.”
From the Old House, Hannah took Pepper into the old rickhouse, and even pointed out Bo’s favorite thinking spot in the far corner.
“I wouldn’t have brought us in here if I hadn’t known Bo was back up in his office wasting Jon’s time.”
Pepper inhaled. “This place looks and smells exactly the same as I remember,” she marveled. She bent to stroke Mash, the cream tabby she’d helped Hannah adopt several weeks earlier as Old Garnet’s new distillery cat; he’d trailed them into the rickhouse. After a modicum of attention, the feline scampered back outside.
“Wood… earth… bourbon,” Hannah said in slow succession as she nodded. “Those smells never change and all belong right here.” She took a very deep breath and closed her eyes. “Damn, the angels’ share smells particularly good today. That scent always comforts me. It’s like an aromatic prayer.” Hannah splayed a hand against a barrelhead, and brought her other hand to her stomach.
Pepper noticed the gesture. She knew what it could mean, but knew it would be beyond rude to pry.
When Hannah announced their next destination, Pepper had no doubt that Hannah’s touch to her torso was anything but meaningless.
“Ready to go see where Rachel’s baby was born?” On the short walk to the old limestone distillery building, built with that same gray limestone which formed the old rickhouse, it began to snow lightly. “That’s an appropriate effect for our visit, considering the circumstances under which little Jacob Elijah entered this world.” She then told Pepper an abbreviated version of the night of the birth.
When Hannah pulled open the large, rectangular wooden door of the distillery building, a wave of damp heat flew out of the building. And while the warmth was initially a welcome change from the stinging cold of an increasingly dark February afternoon in Kentucky, Pepper was not inside the building for very long before she began to feel uncomfortably hot. Hannah told her to take off her coat and throw it in a corner, then pointed up a wide set of wooden stairs flanked by wrought iron railings.
“It’s always hot in here since there’s usually at least one batch fermenting or cooking up there. Looks like they’re cleaning a few tubs today, so it’s extra balmy in here.”
Hannah began to climb the stairs that were directly in front of them upon entry into the building and Pepper followed.
The steam hovered under the ceiling like an indoor fog, and the yeasty aroma of fermentation was intoxicating in the way the smell of freshly baked bread was so viscerally inviting. Once they had arrived on the second floor, Hannah and Pepper inspected one tub that was full of roiling, bubbling yellow liquid. Hannah stuck in a finger and tasted the brew. The other tubs were covered with large tarps, all of them being steam cleaned and prepared for the next batch.
“First day,” Hannah said, referencing that it was the first day of that particular batch’s fermentation process. She invited Pepper to have a taste, which she did. It was sweet and grainy, just as the mixture should be at that point in the process.
Hannah took Pepper to the spot on the wooden floor which bore the newly carved planks identifying the spot of the baby’s birth.
“This is the place people love to see and…” Hannah pointed toward the floor as she began to become unsteady on her feet.
Pepper was at her side at once, escorting Hannah to a bench set against the exposed limestone wall a few yards away from the birth site.
“Heat getting to you?” Pepper asked. If Hannah was pregnant, it might not be the best idea for her to be somewhere so steamy and full of overpowering scents.
“Guess so. Never has bothered me much before.” Her hand drifted briefly back to her tummy, and Pepper thought she saw Hannah pale a little bit.
Pepper reached into her pocket, hoping to find a hair elastic. Instead, she found a rubber band, and handed it to her tour guide. Hannah thanked Pepper and put up her hair.
“Now, you were about to tell me what people thought of that,” Pepper said, pointing to the engraved floorboards.
“They love it, of course,” Hannah said and smiled. “Although it’s not the most ideal place to have a baby, as Judge Richards would attest.”
“So…,” Pepper began slowly, deciding to take a little risk, “I take it you don’t have the same birthing plan?”
9
Hannah smiled. “Wow, you’re good. I thought I was the one around here clued into everyone else’s business.”
“You gave yourself away in the rickhouse. You touched your tummy when you touched a barrelhead.”
“I did? I’ll have to be more careful.” When Pepper presented a confused face, Hannah explained they hadn’t told anyone
yet, not even family. “Still a little early for us.”
Pepper apologized for being so nosy, but Hannah said she was only observant and that it was a relief to have someone else besides Kyle and her doctor, Miranda Chaplin, in on the secret. They sat and chatted a little on the bench, and Hannah revealed her due date (September) and how good she’d been feeling, up until entering the distillery just a few moments earlier.
“What’s going on over here?”
Both ladies started when Walker Cain, the master distiller, appeared in their midst.
“Girl talk,” Hannah said and stood.
“Getting your own special tour?” Walker asked after reintroductions by Hannah. Pepper had met Walker at Bo and Lila’s wedding and was pleased to see him again.
“I certainly think she’s entitled to one, considering it was her idea.” Hannah then revealed Pepper’s plan to have joint tours, an idea that Walker enthusiastically approved.
“C’mon, let’s go have a toast to that!” He motioned for them to come with him and disappeared around a corner.
Hannah and Pepper followed him to the area to the far left of the mash tubs, where the gleaming and towering copper pot stills stood beside each other. Walker strode to the far end of the room to the spirit safe—a device which housed spigots from which the fresh, clear distillate could be dispensed—and began to fill shot glasses.
“I was tasting a little anyway, and now we have a reason to celebrate,” he said.
Walker turned and handed two shot glasses of distillate—commonly called white dog—to Hannah and Pepper.
Pepper gave Hannah a quick glance, wondering what her hostess was going to do. When Walker turned to retrieve his shot, Hannah winked at Pepper, spilled a little bit on the ground, and then put her foot over the spot.
“I’ve never had white dog,” Pepper said as Walker faced them again, thinking she might distract him from the splash of liquid across the wooden floor. Hannah’s foot couldn’t cover the entirety of the alcohol underfoot.
“Then let me know what you think.” He offered a quick toast to new ventures.
Bourbon Springs Box Set: Volume II, Books 4-6 (Bourbon Springs Box Sets Book 2) Page 69