Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

" I 've failed you," Colton told Cady as they pulled up to his grandparents' farmhouse. Cars lined the drive and parked off the side of the house. All of his aunts, uncles, and cousins were here. Add in the babies and his grandparents' house was bursting at the seams.

"How did you fail me?" Cady asked, not nearly as nervous as she should, bless her heart.

"I didn't prepare you for this. I thought we'd be safe without Cassidy here, but now she's back. Maybe she'll have to leave before it begins."

"What begins? Dinner?" Cady asked as she reached to her feet and hefted up a case of bourbon she was bringing for dinner. That sounded like a lot but there were over 45 people in there.

"No, I told you. The women will put you through a series of tests. I'm not exactly sure what they are. But if it's anything like we put the boyfriends through, I failed you. You're sweet, kind, and don't regularly shoot people."

Cady frowned. "That's a bad thing?"

"Yes!"

Colton was having heart palpitations. She was going to leave him. She would see how crazy his family was and run and never come back.

Cady laughed. She was a sweet, innocent lamb heading toward the slaughter. "It'll be fine. Besides, I brought the straight-from-the-barrel bourbon. I'm hoping to get them all drunk to give me an advantage."

Colton's mouth dropped open and then he tossed back his head and laughed. "I knew you were brilliant. I thought those were for Landon's restaurant." He cupped her face with his hands and placed a smacking kiss on her lips. "Now, let's go get my family trashed."

The house was full as Colton led Cady inside. She knew everyone so there were no awkward introductions to be made. Instead, he watched her walk confidently into his grandparents' house and hold up two bottles of bourbon. "Thanks for inviting me to dinner. I brought a couple of bottles for the men," she handed two bottles to Colton, "And some for the women. It's not quite as potent, so I thought it would be perfect for us."

Then Cady turned to him and winked. Amazing. She was freaking perfect.

Cady only felt mildly bad about lying about the strength of the bourbon, but she was quickly surrounded by the Davies women, so the feeling didn't last. Cassidy and Sophie were especially taunting. They were talking loudly to each other about how much fun it would be to torture someone again. Willa and Tilly moved to flank Cady. They were good friends, but Cady had this.

"It doesn't matter how you do, only that you try and don't give up," Willa whispered.

"Think of it as corporate team building, but with weapons," Tilly said, trying to smile encouragingly.

Cady smiled at them and winked. "No problem. I got this." Then she turned to the women and plucked the bottle out of her bag. "I made old-fashioned shots. I'm thinking of debuting them at the distillery. Can you let me know how you like them?"

The women all surrounded her and Cady did a headcount before pulling out little plastic tumblers. She poured a little of her own premix that she was thinking of selling and then topped it with the strongest bourbon she had. She also noticed who was suddenly unavailable for the shots and had to step away, feigning interest in something else entirely. Interesting. "Simple syrup, bitters, and a hint of orange. Now, tell me what you think?"

Cady didn't pour one for herself. Instead, she stood back and watched all her friends take the shots.

"Oh, this is good," Sophie said with a nod of approval. "I can tell the bourbon is lower proof. It's not overpowering."

Cady smiled innocently. This was a lesson she'd learned from the Rose sisters. Sweetness hides the hard punch of a high alcohol content. "What does everyone else think?"

There were lots of compliments from everyone. "It's really good. But why a shot? This should be a whole drink to sip on," Abby told her.

"Thanks. I'll consider that. Now, I could really use your help with the final touch." Cady poured another round and then reached into her bag. "Bourbon soaked cherries. Should I add it to the shot? Here, try one." She passed around the cherries and then as they were tasting them, she added them to the shots. "Now, what do you think?"

Everyone tossed back the shots and groaned with pleasure.

"Yes!" Sydney said, licking her lips. "The cherry is perfect."

"I totally agree. Tell me you're going to sell bottles of bourbon-soaked cherries because I could eat these straight," Layne practically begged.

"It's good but kind of weak," Cassidy challenged.

Cady poured another shot of only the bourbon and passed them back around. "You don't think the bourbon, on its own, is too strong?"

Cady smugly watched Cassidy pick up her shot and toss it back. She licked her lips. "Nope. Not strong at all."

Some of the women coughed a little, but the agreement was it was still smooth. Of course, after the previous shots they'd already had, it should go down smoothly.

"Dinner warning!" Mrs. Davies called out and suddenly the living room furniture was being pushed back and three tables were set up. Chairs appeared from the basement, and by the time the first plate of cornbread was brought out, everyone had their seats.

"Cady, sit by me," Sophie said, patting the chair next to her.

"Behave," Nash whispered to his wife who just batted her lashes innocently at Cady.

Cady glanced at Colton, but his aunts had him at the far end of the table and there was no way to get to him. Then Cassidy took the seat on her other side and Cady was trapped between an over-protective sister and an over-protective cousin.

Cady quickly stood up. "It's a little cramped in here," Cady said as everyone laughed. "But we can pass this around until everyone has one. The women approve so I'd like to get the men's opinion on them too. These are old-fashioned shots." Cady quickly poured them, going heavy on the bourbon, and passed them around until everyone had them. "A toast," she said, holding up the bottle so no one realized she hadn't poured her own drink. "Thank you for allowing me to attend your family dinner. It means a lot to me to be welcomed into your family with open arms."

"Cheers!" Colton called out, cutting his mother off as she was about to say something.

Cady watched as everyone tossed back their drink except one, but her husband quickly placed his empty cup where hers had been and tossed her shot back.

"So, Cady, tell us what attracted you to my brother?" Sophie asked as she swayed a little in her seat.

"First," Cady said, "I see we need to do another toast. Colton, help fill them up."

She finally poured her own small glass of bourbon. She poured heavily for Sophie and Cassidy before passing the bottle around the table in the opposite direction as Colton. She almost laughed when the two bottles landed in front of the one person not drinking. "A toast!" Cady said as she and everyone else raised their glasses even though everyone at the table looked confused, even Colton. But she knew the best way to get the attention off of her and Colton. "To the newest Davies baby!"

Everyone gasped and looked around as they held their glass up. Cady laughed then. "Sorry, not a Davies, but a Parker! Congrats Sienna and Ryan!"

"What?" Paige, Ryan's mother screamed as she practically jumped across the table. "You're pregnant?"

Sienna placed the glass down and shook her head. "We were going to announce it after dessert, but someone started passing out bourbon."

Cady just smiled, reached down to open a new bottle, and filled up the glasses around her. The more she could take down, the better.

Everyone was talking at once. It was pure chaos. As much as Cady was chuckling about getting everyone drunk and not being the center of attention, she was genuinely happy for Sienna and Ryan to welcome their second child.

"Whoa! What is going on?" Greer, Ryan's younger sister, had to yell as she and her husband, billionaire Sebastian Abel, walked in.

"I told you we should have taken the helicopter from the airport when I picked you up. Now we missed something good," Greer said as she playfully smacked her husband's arm.

Cady hadn't liked Sebastian when she'd first met him. He was cool, powerful, and always in complete control. Then he'd surprised her by offering to buy the distillery for an obscene amount of money. It had been tempting, but she'd turned it down. She'd expected him to fight her on it, but instead, he'd shook her hand and told her that was the smart decision. Then he'd offered to help her in any way with the business and just last month signed a deal to carry her bourbon at his luxury hotel bars. He might give the appearance of ruthlessness about him—and there were certainly times he was ruthless in business. But here in Keeneston he was adapting to life as part of the community. He was loosening up, making friends, and was clearly head over heels in love with his wife, Greer.

"What did we miss?" Greer asked again as she and Sebastian stopped in the middle of chaos.

"We know who's pregnant!" Paige answered her daughter. She had happy tears filling her eyes as she and her husband, Cole, held hands.

"Another grandbaby!" Cole said, looking with love at his wife.

Greer's mouth dropped. "How did you know? I haven't even told Bash yet?"

Instant silence fell over the room. Sophie hiccupped. Everyone looked between Greer and Sienna.

"Told you it wasn't my pregnancy stick," Sienna said smugly to the room.

"Don't be too smug. You are pregnant," Carter Ashton, Sienna's younger brother who was married to Reagan Davies, told his sister.

"Wait, you're pregnant too?" Greer asked, needing clarification. She cringed when she got it and realized she'd spilled the baby news when she hadn't needed to.

Cady noticed Sebastian hadn't moved. He was staring at his wife.

"You're pregnant?" Sebastian whispered, but the room had gone quiet again.

Greer smiled nervously at him. "I am."

"And you found out at the wedding?" Sebastian asked slowly.

Greer nodded again.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I wanted it confirmed since it was so early on. Then everything happened with Aniyah. After that, I got called away for work," Greer explained.

Sebastian's face went from white to red. "You went into hostile territory when you were pregnant!" he shouted.

"Just a little pregnant," Greer said, holding her fingers just a pinch apart. "And it was really like a spa weekend in the sun."

"You were in the Iranian desert, taking out a nuclear facility, not at the Four fucking Seasons." Sebastian whipped out his phone. "Birch, how could you let my wife go on a mission when she's pregnant?" he bellowed into the phone at his best friend, who was Greer's boss and happened to be the President of the United States.

"Congratulations! You're going to be a father!" Cady heard Birch exclaim.

The phone dropped from Sebastian's hand. "I'm. Going. To. Be. A. Father," his eyes rolled back in his head and down he went.