Nineteen
Montana
“Am I going to have to cook for you every morning in order to get you to eat more than a banana?” Than asked me from the driver’s seat on our way to the distillery.
I gave him a tight smile, then took another bite of my banana. He shook his head with an amused expression, then turned his attention back to the road.
I’d slept later than usual because when Than had left last night, I’d assumed it was to go to the stables to shower or use the restroom. But after two hours of staring at the ceiling and out the window, I realized he had left. Then my fears got the better of me, and every little creak I heard had me edgy.
At some point after one, I fell asleep. I woke up the moment he opened the front door though and checked the time on my phone. It was 3:18. Going back to sleep after that was hard because I wondered if he had been with a girl. Then I realized he’d wanted to leave, and that was why he had cut the movie short. He had gotten a text and shipped me off to bed so he could go out.
Being mad at him was silly. He wasn’t mine.
But he’d gotten close and touched my nose. He looked at me as if he wanted to do more. My stomach got all fluttery, and I felt tingles in all the places. For a brief moment, I thought he was attracted to me, and I got excited. Hopeful even. Then he’d left for five hours.
Sighing, I’d stared out the window and finished my breakfast. If I could have stayed in school, it would have been easier. Having to be around Than all the time made it hard to get him out of my head. Especially since he was now being…nice. Which I should probably be more concerned about. His switch had flipped too fast.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones came on the radio, and Than reached over and turned it up, then belted out the next line.
Surprised, I stared at him as he cut his eyes toward me and continued singing. Than Carver could sing. His voice blended in so well with Jones that I was transfixed. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
He turned on his blinker and slowed, and then we were on a narrow, paved road, heading toward an arched entry that read Carver’s Bootleg Whiskey with wooden barrels stacked up on each side. Blue flowers were blooming around and on top of them. I had seen the exact same flowers down at the stables.
“What kind of flowers are those?” I asked.
“Blue phlox,” Than replied. “They’re blooming early this year by a few weeks.” Then he glanced over at me with a crooked grin. “Only reason I know that is because one of our vendors mentioned it last week when they started popping up. Anyway, those are a nod to my grandmother. She loved them.”
He had so much family history. I knew so little about mine. I was envious. Those who had a connection with their past were lucky. There was so much I didn’t know. Momma had never seemed to care or dig into her heritage. If I had the means to afford it, I’d research my genetics and find out about the people I had come from.
But for now, my focus was getting my high school diploma. I was still registered for classes in the fall at ULM, but that meant going back to Monroe. Chancing that the writer of the anonymous letters wouldn’t continue when I returned was a gamble. I could very likely be putting my safety at risk if I went back. However, the longer I was away from it, the less scary the notes seemed.
Than pulled the truck to a stop, and I slowly scanned the area. To our left was a large building, and I assumed all the whiskey making happened in there. Large wooden barrels, like the ones on the arch, were stacked up outside. To the right was a log cabin with more of those blue flowers blooming around it and two rocking chairs on the front porch.
“That’s where the magic happens,” he told me, pointing to the large building. “I’ll take you for a tour after lunch if you want to go see it.”
I nodded. “That would be great.”
He opened his truck door and started to climb out, so I did the same, grabbing my backpack. There was a distinct smell in the air, but I couldn’t place it. I sniffed again, then looked around. It was like oatmeal, but different.
“That’s the mash,” Than said, and I turned to look at him. “What you’re smelling,” he explained. “The mash is corn, malted barley, and rye.” He pointed to the barrels. “Those are going to go through the swelling process today. After a few days, when they’re ready, they’ll be seasoned. I’ll bring you to show you the steps, but the swell is boring. They’re just filling them with water, and they have to sit. The other steps are more interesting.”
I walked with him up the stairs of the cabin that contained the offices. “And you’re sure it’s okay that I’m here?” I asked, feeling anxious the closer we got to the door.
Than chuckled. “Yeah, it’s fine. Plus, when you’re done with schoolwork, I’m going to put you on some office filing and shit that we need done. My brother will be thrilled.”
“Your brother works here?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, Ransom. But he’s not as pretty as I am, so don’t be too disappointed,” he drawled, then winked at me while reaching for the door to open it.
I rolled my eyes at him as he waved a hand for me to go inside.
When he stepped in behind me, his body was close enough to brush against mine. I prayed he didn’t see the instant shiver from his nearness, and I quickly moved out of the way, assuming I was blocking him. He walked up beside me and pointed at the U-shaped counter in front of us.
“Front desk. This is where you’ll be. You can sit at the desk and do your virtual school, and then when you’re done, I’ll give you a rundown of the place.”
I followed him behind the counter.
“We have trouble keeping someone back here, so it’s a bit of a mess,” he explained.
“Yeah, because you keep fucking them and they turn psycho,” a deep voice said.
I spun around to see a guy walking from the back toward us. The resemblance was unmistakable. He looked exactly like Than, except he was older and he didn’t have blue eyes. They were…hazel, it looked like from here. His hair looked brown from what I could tell, but he was wearing a cowboy hat that was so dark from being weathered that it almost appeared black.
“That’s not true,” Than replied. “You’re just pissy because it happened with Kinsey.”
Ransom knitted his brows. “Her name was Kelsey.”
Than turned around from getting something off the desk to face his brother. “Are you sure?” he asked, scrunching his nose.
“I signed her paycheck.”
“Okay, fine,” Than replied. “Kelsey then.”
“And Mitsi, Hazel, and Lela Ann,” Ransom said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Than shook his head. “How do you remember their names? Lela Ann was, like, over a year ago.”
Ransom raised an eyebrow. “Lela Ann was the one before Kelsey, six months ago.”
Than looked confused, then shrugged. “Whatever.” He turned back to me. “Anyway, this is the password for the Wi-Fi.” He pointed at a small sign taped to the desk. “Go ahead and put your things down, and then I’ll show you where the kitchen is if you get thirsty or need a snack.”
I did as told, but I was distracted with thoughts of Than having sex with women and them turning psycho. What did that mean? Not that I was going to have sex with him, but I was curious.
The front door opened, and we both turned to see who had walked inside. Dread pooled in my stomach, and I didn’t want to acknowledge why. A stunning pair of ocean-blue eyes were the first thing I noticed, then the rest of her. Dark brown hair; a mouth that wasn’t too big for her face, like mine was; and a smile that I couldn’t look away from. She was beautiful without any makeup, and that smile was directed at Than.
“Little momma,” he drawled, clearly happy to see her.
The affection in his tone only made the dread in my stomach feel like acid as it churned. I didn’t want to have a face to go with the girl he’d talked to on the phone.
“Good morning, Than,” she said with a thick Southern lilt to her voice.
“Tan!” a small voice shouted.
Than beamed, then bent down behind my view because of the counter. When he stood, there was a little wiggly boy in his arms with a head full of blond hair. Who was that?
“How’s my best buddy this morning?” Than asked him.
The little boy pointed at the door. “Hoeses!” he shouted excitedly.
The gorgeous girl laughed softly. “We’re heading to the stables after this.”
Than mussed the blond mop of hair. “You are here to see me first! The horses can wait.”
“Daddy too!”
That little boy wasn’t calling Than Daddy, was he? Ohmigod. That girl couldn’t be that much older than me. Maybe my age even. Did she have a kid with Than? Why hadn’t he mentioned it?
My entire mood had plummeted in mere seconds.
“Eh, he can wait,” Than said with a scrunched nose.
Wait that sounded as if he was referring to someone else.
Please don’t let Than be the father.
Not that he was ever going to see me as anything but a problem, but just…I couldn’t fantasize about him if he had a kid and baby momma.
Than glanced back at the girl. “Now, how did I rank as the first stop?” he asked her with a teasing smile that I’d never gotten from him.
He looked pleased to see her and envy crept in from the fact that he was never pleased to see me.
“I need help with something,” she told him. “I’m starting early on Father’s Day this year because what I want to do is going to take some time to put together. And I was hoping you could help me with the Crosby part of it.”
He nodded. “Of course. Tell me what you need, and I’m on it, little momma.”
“Tan!” the boy called out and slapped his head.
“Hawkins,” the girl said, “don’t hit Than.”
Than chuckled. “I can take it. Besides, he’s aggressive. It’s in his blood. Makes him a force.”
The girl rolled her eyes and smiled, then turned to me. “Hello, I’m Halo. I’m sorry I just came barging in and interrupting,” she said, walking up to the counter.
I shook my head. “I, uh…no, it’s fine. I’m—I don’t—”
“This is Montana Carrigan. She’s a friend of mine, and she’s helping out behind the desk. Montana, this is Halo Cash and Hawkins.”
I’d stammered all over my words like an idiot. Wanting to redeem myself, I tried talking again. “It’s nice to meet you, Halo,” I told her.
The friendly smile on her face was genuine, and I might like her if she wasn’t dating Than. That was still yet to be determined.
“You too.” She nodded her head toward Than. “Is this one behaving at the cabin? It’s not big enough for so much personality.”
Okay, so she did know who I was and that we were staying at the cabin together.
“We’ve had our moments,” I replied honestly, and her musical laughter gave me yet another reason to envy her.
“I can imagine. It’s less lively at the house without him there.”
Wait…did they live together? I didn’t respond. Was she why he’d left last night? To go see her? Had he been missing her? Why was this making me so unhappy?
“Than,” she said, her tone sounding scolding, “have you talked with her at all, or do y’all sit quietly in that tiny space? She doesn’t have a clue who I am, does she?”
No, I didn’t. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
Than shrugged. “We talk. I think I mentioned you at some point.”
Halo looked back at me. “I’m sorry. Let’s try this introduction thing again. I’m Halo Cash. I’m married to Bane. This one”—she pointed at Than with her thumb—“along with his brother, Ransom, as well as Oz and Forge Savelle—they all live with us,” she said, then gave me an amused look. “That’s still confusing, isn’t it? Okay, so Bane owns a big house, and before I came along, they all lived there, along with Bane’s brother, Crosby. It was a bachelor pad when I first moved in.”
“And you came along, little momma, and shot that right to he—”
“Don’t you dare say that in front of him. I’ve still not gotten him to stop saying gadamn every time he drops his toy,” Halo told him, whispering the bad word. “It’s been an adventure, living with all of them.”
The relief that she was married to his friend and this baby wasn’t Than’s sent a smile stretching across my face that was one hundred percent real.
“Wow.” I blew out a breath. “That’s a lot of testosterone.”
She nodded her head. “Yep!”
“She would be lost without us. Hawks has all his uncles to teach him the ways of life.”
Halo scrunched her nose. “That’s what concerns me.”
I laughed, and Than glanced at me, and then a smile spread across his face. My stomach did that wild, fluttery little thing.
“All right, well, we need to be heading to the stables. Bane is waiting on us,” she said.
I jerked my gaze off Than to look back at her. My cheeks felt warm, and I was a little frazzled. We’d been staring at each other.
“I’ll walk y’all out to the car,” Than told her. “You can tell me what you need exactly.”
“All right,” she replied, and then her eyes twinkled with amusement when she looked at me…or was it something else? “Have him bring you to the house. I could use some female company.”
“You have Saylor,” he said defensively as if she’d insulted him.
“Fine. I could use more female company.”
I’d enjoy that, but with Than, I never knew what mood I was going to get.
“I’ll bring her over some time,” he said.
My eyes swung back to him, but he was walking to the door with Hawkins pulling his earlobe. With a small wave, Halo followed behind him.
“See you soon!” she told me just before the door closed behind them.