“I understand that feeling. When are you due?”
“End of January. Tyler’s beyond happy.”
“It’ll go by fast,” I tell her.
Tyler walks up to us and drops a kiss on Haven’s cheek. “What will go by fast?”
Haven smiles. “The holiday break.”
“Yep, holidays always go by too fast.” I stand and leave the two of them to chat.
My phone pings with a text message from Celia wishing me a Happy Fourth of July. I send her a quick reply and tell her how much I love and miss her. She sends me heart emoji and a kissy face.
Wineglass in hand, I walk out onto the patio and find Wes talking to his dad, Brant, and Sawyer.
“Ah, Minka,” Beau calls out. “You’re a lifesaver with the bourbon and bacon jam recipe for the burgers.”
“These smell amazing,” Sawyer adds.
Brant picks up the sauce bowl. “We should bottle this recipe and sell it.”
“As long as I get fifty percent,” I tease
Brant snaps his fingers. “Sold. We’ll put Houser’s out of business with this recipe.”
“Brantley, don’t go getting greedy,” Beau chides.
“Business is business, Pop,” Wes says. “And there’s nothing wrong with healthy competition.”
“Yeah, we can’t afford to think about the competition’s feelings when we’re trying to undo decades of damage,” Brant maintains.
“I’ve got the sweet corn all prepped for the grill,” Iris calls out. Caroline is right behind her, carrying the hamburger buns.
“We need these toasted up.” Caroline hands the plate to her husband.
“Is there anything I can help with?” I ask.
“No, you have done enough,” Beau says with a smile. “Go refill your drink and let me and Iris handle the food.”
“Come on.” Wes tugs my arm. “Let’s go before they change their minds.”
“Food should be ready in about twenty minutes,” Iris tells us.
“Perfect,” Wes mumbles. “Follow me.”
He leads the way down the steps, and we walk along the stone pathway toward the lake. We turn the corner, and a long pier comes into view. The lake water is a vibrant shade of blue-green. I thought this shade was only possible in Hawaii.
At the end of the dock, there’s a larger section with a table and chairs. Wes sets our drinks on the wooden table.
“Wow, this is something.”
Wes’ arms wrap around me from behind, and he kisses his way up my neck, making me burn with desire. I stare out over the water and my eyes follow the ripples.
“I thought you might like it here.” He slides to the left to stand beside me.
“I do like it here.” I turn to face Wes and twine my arms around his waist. “Right here is perfect.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” I admit. “I wish Celia could be here.”
“I’m sure you’re missing her, especially since it’s a holiday.”
“Yeah, the holidays are usually just the two of us.”
Wes toes off his shoes and I step out of my flip-flops. We sit on the edge of the dock and let our feet dangle over the edge.
“There haven’t been this many people here in a long time.”
“How does that make you feel?”
A wide smile crosses his face. “It feels good. A guy could get used to this.”
My chest blooms with warmth, and he reaches for my hand.
“I’ve been getting used to having you here, and that feels good. Real good.”
I close my eyes at his admission, swallowing down the ache. I sense what he’s feeling, I think. But I don’t know if I’m living in a fantasy world or if what I’m feeling is just contiguous to all the happiness swirling around—marriage, family, babies, and the sentiment of it all.
For so long, I wanted a family of my own. I could picture myself hosting large family dinners with my sisters and their families.
Wes has the perfect family. A brother who would do anything for him and Haven. Parents who love and adore all their kids. If there’s favoritism, I don’t see it.
Maybelle, Sawyer, Caroline, and Tyler are just as amazing. It’s easy to see how much they all care about one another.
Everything I’m experiencing here with Wes, I used to dream about. But the years went by, and I stopped wishing for those large family dreams.
Wes turns his head and his eyes meet mine. “My family really likes you, Minka.”
My heart seizes in my chest. “Wes, this is—the last few days and weeks.” A rough breath leaves my lungs. “I like them too.”
He sweeps the hair away from my face. “But—”
“But I don’t know how to do all this. And what if this isn’t really what you want?”
His face scrunches. “What do you mean by that?”
My palms flatten against the wooden dock, and I push myself up to my feet. “I mean, you’re a traveler. A nomadic soul. You don’t stay in one place for too long. I like roots. I have them.”
Wes stands and his hand spears into his hair. “Okay, hold on. Yes, it’s true, but I think that part of my life isn’t as meaningful now. Brant and Caroline are having a baby. So are Haven and Tyler. And being home and seeing all this makes me want to stick around and be here for my family.”
“I know you’re saying that now. But you could change your mind, and maybe you need more time to figure out what you want.”
He closes the gap between us. “That’s fair. I’ll take a little more time, if you promise me that you’ll think about giving the two of us a real shot. What I do know is that you’re unlike any woman I’ve met before and don’t push me away because you’re scared of what’s happening between the two of us. We’re good together. You’re good for me.”
“I am scared. Men I care about eventually leave, and I have a daughter to think about.”
He looks me in the eye. “I know you do. But let me tell you something, I’m not your father and I’m not your ex-husband. Real men don’t leave. Give me a chance to prove to you that I can be the man you want in your life. The partner you need.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
He lifts a hand to skim along my cheek. “Say you’ll give us a shot.”
Wes paints a really nice picture. To most people, what he’s asking of me might be a lot. But if I don’t take that risk, I’ll never know.
Wes
When I invited Minka for the Fourth of July festivities, I’d completely forgotten about the parade and the cocktail reception at the mayor’s house.
And seeing as the Cardwells are trying to climb back to the top of the social and economic ladder, we have to show up.
Donnie Bradford is the new mayor of Mayfield. He’s a retired police officer and married to Amber Lynn Houser. Rumor has it she never took his last name because she always wanted to be known as a Houser.
But from what Caroline and Maybelle say, it looks like the new first lady of Mayfield is thinking about a name change.
Small towns.
“You ever been to a party at the mayor’s house before, Minka?” Mom asks as we edge toward the gates of the mansion. This place is cool. Acres of rolling, lush green land. Complete with the newly added stables.
“No, this will be a first for me, Iris.”
“You’re in for quite an evening,” Maybelle adds. “Rumor has it they booked the Bourbon Dixie Band.”
“You gonna sing for us, Brant?” Caroline teases.
My brother has some talent when it comes to singing. He’s played a few times with the band when Duke, their lead singer, could not perform.
“I told you, Sugar, my singing days are behind me.” Brant slings his arm around Caroline’s shoulder.
“Can’t retire yet, babe. This little one will need those pipes of yours to sleep at night,” she insists.
The mayor’s house is a historical landmark in Mayfield. Every mayor since the 1960s has lived in this p
lace.
After we hand our invitations to security, we spot Haven and Tyler inside talking to Mason Houser. Tyler used to be on the Chamber of Commerce with Mason. He’s the current president of Houser Barbeque.
“Oh, there’s Lonnie and Tammy Houser, Beau,” Mom mentions. “We should go say hello.”
Mom is all about keeping up relations with the good people of Mayfield, even if they are our competition on some level.
After my parents leave, I reach for Minka’s hand, keeping her close and because I want to. When we reach the bar, a voice I thought I’d long forgotten stops me.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Weston Cardwell.”
Turning around, I find myself face to face with Evan Ward, heir to the Wilson Ward Distillery.
“I’m surprised you had the nerve to show your faces here. Mayor Bradford opted for our bourbon this year. That must sting a bit.”
I squeeze Minka’s hand and then slide my arm around her waist. “Nah. Wouldn’t want anyone to think that we were the New York Yankees of the bourbon world. Sometimes you gotta let the other team have their moment to shine.”
Taking the high road is something I try to do, but in Evan’s case I simply don’t care. He’s always been a cocksucker. One summer, I caught him getting handsy with Caroline’s best friend, Jillian, one night at the baseball fields, and even though I’m a few years younger, I still managed to kick his ass.
I’m sure that Evan hasn’t forgotten that moment.
“With the stain on the Cardwell brand, it’s been opening peoples’ eyes to other more pure and authentic brands. We can’t thank you enough.”
I swallow past the tightness in my throat. “Don’t count us out,” I tell him. “We’ve got some exciting products launching—game changers.”
Sure, I’m nervous that Cardwell will never be the top brand it once was, but Brant and I are determined to make sure we bring it back and restore the faith in our customers.
“This doesn’t look like Sophie,” Evan mentions, giving Minka a once over before saying to her, “You know he discards women like yesterday’s trash. You should keep your eye on this one.”
“I’m definitely not Sophie and keeping my eyes on Wes is one of my favorite activities,” Minka says as her hand skims up my chest. “Our other favorite activities are . . . well, those are more of a private nature.”
Damn.
“Private, Evan, unlike the news that your former fiancée left you for another guy. Turns out she found out about your secret activities. Too bad.”
His too tan face twists into a smirk. “Just rumors, Weston. You know how small towns can be . . . like your sister back in the day leaving to have a baby out west.”
My hand curls into a fist. Haven had to deal with a ton of shit when she was a teenager. It’s the reason she left this damn town for California and rarely came back here. None of what people said about her is true.
I release my hold on Minka and take a step toward Evan. “It’s been a long time since I’ve beaten the hell out of you. But I’ll do it again in a heartbeat,” I say only loud enough for him to hear. My tone is low but firm.
He laughs and strides off. “Settle down, Cardwell. Just having a little fun.”
When we’re alone, Minka whispers, “That guy seems like—”
“Like an asshole. Yeah, he is.” I nod to the bartender and order wine for Minka and another gin and tonic for myself. No way I’m drinking Wilson Ward bourbon.
“What’s the story with the two of you? I mean, aside from having competing brands.”
I laugh. “He got beat up by a kid, and he’s harboring some anger issues. Probably still embarrassed.”
Minka looks up at me, her brows draw together. “Lemme guess, that kid was you.”
“Your guess is correct. He had it coming.”
“I’m sure he did. But I think he’s jealous of you. He wasted no time boasting about his company’s bourbon getting picked for tonight’s event. Trust me when I say that Cardwell will be back at the top of the bourbon game soon enough.”
The confidence behind Minka’s words isn’t lost on me. I just hope she’s right.
“You think so, huh?”
She takes a sip of wine. “Y’all are working so hard.”
My brows rise as I pull back a fraction to look at her hazel eyes.
She shrugs. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You said—y’all.”
Her hand covers her mouth. “What? No, I didn’t.”
“You did. I think this small town is growing on you, and you like it.”
“I might like it, but I like you more.” She tosses me a wink and damn, I want to kiss her, but I know that I need to restrain myself.
“Come on,” I say. “Let me introduce you to a few of the locals and the mayor.”
Her hazel eyes beam. “Oh, the mayor. I’ve hit the big time now.”
“Sweetheart, you’re way above the big time for our little corner of the Earth. You’re the star, remember?”
“Not here. No one knows who I am, and I really kind of like that.”
“I really kind of like having you here.”
Minka
Is Wes right? Is small town life rubbing off on me?
Because you said a word: y’all.
Get out of your head, Minka.
The evening rolls on in a haze. Wes introduces me to practically everyone in the town, from the fire chief to the principal of Mayfield High.
“All right, everyone,” Mayor Bradford announces. “Settle in for one heck of a fireworks display. According to the schedule, we’ll light things up in about ten minutes.”
I glance over my shoulder at Wes. “Isn’t this a little dangerous? Such close quarters and all.”
“Nothing to worry about,” he says, and points over the field. “See the flatbed trailer? That’s where they’ll shoot the fireworks off.”
My eyes take in the beautiful scene spread before me. Miles of land. But it’s the stables that catch my eye. In the distance, the tall wildflowers sway with the breeze.
Wes’ phone pings with a text message. And so does Maybelle’s. In fact, everyone in the Cardwell family is glancing at their screens.
“What’s happening?”
Before Wes can answer me, Iris squeaks, “Haven and Tyler—a little snowflake is on the way. Baby Nichols arrives this January.”
The whole family hugs Haven and Tyler and offers their congratulations. And I offer mine too.
“So much to celebrate,” Iris holds her hand over her heart.
“Indeed,” Beau says as he raises his glass. “To health and happiness.”
I listen as the family chatters on about Haven and Tyler’s amazing news. It was nice of everyone to share in the excitement, even though Maybelle spilled the beans.
“I’m gonna grab another drink,” Tyler says. “Anyone else need anything?”
“All good here, my man.” Wes clasps Tyler’s hand. “Minka, you need something?”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
Once Tyler leaves, Wes tugs my elbow. “Follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“A more private viewing area.”
Before I can formulate a thought, Wes has me pinned against the side of the house. His lips land on mine, and I melt into his frame. I pivot on my heel and whip us around.
“Feisty woman.”
I laugh. “You have no idea how feisty I can be.”
His lips turn upward into a smirk. “I think I have some idea. Remember Hawaii?”
“Brutal truth?”
“Of course.”
“I thought about you every day after Maui.”
“Well, that doesn’t surprise me, I’m very memorable.” He smirks, and I melt a little. Okay, a lot. I really want to cuddle up to Wes, but I need to maintain all the professional decorum I can while I’m here with his family and the community.
When the band plays “Born in the USA” cheers and applau
se filter through the crowd. The energy is electric. Shivers run down my spine as the lead singer belts out the words. The entire crowd sings along as the first fireworks light up the sky.
“So—University of Toronto, huh?”
My brows knit together. “You want to talk about my college years?”
Wes guides us closer to the patio, and we trek under the pergola toward the bar.
“It’s the song,” he chuckles. “Did you ever stay in Toronto during the summer?”
“Nope. I spent all my summer vacations working. And our holidays were never like this,” I confess.
“Our holidays were a lot like this when I was younger,” Wes says. “But when Brant moved to New York, he never came home. Haven never missed Christmas or Thanksgiving, but the rest of the year, she was off skiing with her friends in Aspen or soaking up the sun in Ibiza.” He pauses and glances toward the courtyard. “I forgot how nice it is to be around family.”
“This is nice, but I can’t say I feel the same about my own family.”
He smiles. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”
I take a drink of the wine the bartender just placed in front of me. “Oh no. Don’t you feel bad. I’m enjoying this”—I gesture around the open space—“more than you know. My only regret is that Celia isn’t here.”
“I’d like to meet her. If you don’t mind.”
This man.
Part of my heart splinters. I’d like that, but at the same time, I can’t let Celia get attached to a man that can never be a permanent fixture in my life.
Then what are you doing?
That’s the million dollar question.
I’m out of my mind enjoying my time with Wes. What if he’s the one? What if all this happened for a reason?
“I think that would be really nice.”
I respond, giving in to the guilt. I can’t deny that Wes makes me happy. And when I’m with him, I’ve never felt so alive. Not just going through the motions.
The sky lights up with pops of glittery golds, vibrant reds, and shimmering greens.
“It’s so beautiful.”
Wes leans down to whisper in my ear, “Beautiful, just like you. And if my family weren’t standing right there, I’d kiss you.”
Copper Lining (The Cardwell Family Series Book 3) Page 15