I wasn’t sure why the name sounded familiar, but before I could ask, the three of them started toward us. “You remember Blake and Gabe,” Lucas said with a grin.
“Of course,” the man shook their hands. “Nice to see you guys again.”
Gabe smiled. “It’s been a while.”
“It has,” he nodded, then looked at me. He was tall with dark brown hair, and his gray-blue eyes met mine as he flashed a charming smile. “And who isthis?”
Callie linked her arm through mine. “This is my best friend—and maid of honor—Morgan Hayes. Mo, this is Corbin Blackwood.”
Suddenly, it dawned on me. “Blackwood…as in Blackwood Distillery?”
“The oldest and largest whiskey distillery in South Carolina.” He extended his hand, his eyes locked on mine. “Nice to meet you, Morgan Hayes.”
“You as well.” A subtle smile graced my lips as I shook his offered hand. “You’re the eldest Blackwood brother, right?”
He nodded with a chuckle. “Yes.”
“They have some of thebestwhiskey.” Wes’s voice, which seemed both a little louder and sharper than necessary, cut through the air. I looked over at him, seeing his green eyes darting between me and Corbin as we dropped each other’s hands.
“The Blackwood Distillery is one of the sponsors of The Rose Ball,” Lucas explained.
A curious laugh bubbled out of me. “That so?”
“Yes,” Corbin said with an amused grin at my reaction. “What’s so funny about it?”
“Nothing, I just wasn’t expecting adistilleryto be a sponsor of a charity gala for a foundation whose sole mission is to combat drunk driving. It’s a little ironic, don’t you think?”
Corbin smirked. “So, would you be even more surprised if I told you that Blackwood Distillery isn’t just a sponsor of The Rose Ball but also a Supporter Partner in the Grady Foundation network?”
My brows rose slightly in surprise. “I didn’t know that…”
“We like to think of it as a way of helping to reinforce the foundation’s message and show that everyone has a role toplay in making it happen, people in our line of work included.”
I nodded. “That’s admirable.”
After learning where the money in her mom’s trust came from, Callie didn’t want anything to do with it. When she received the funds at the end of the probate process, she gave Lucas free rein to do whatever he could to get rid of it, only requesting that he do something good. He donated all ten million dollars to The Grady Foundation, a non-profit organization centered around ending drunk driving and supporting victims and their families. They hosted a charity gala—The Rose Ball—every year in June to raise funds, and because of the massive donation, Lucas and Callie were last-minute additions to be honored at that year’s event. They’d scored each of us invites to the black tie event as their special guests.
“So, will you be attending the gala with these two?” Corbin asked. I looked at him and smiled with a nod, earning a grin from him. “Good to know.” His eyes and grin lingered on me for a moment before he looked back and started speaking with Lucas again.
Callie shot me a look, her brows raised with a smile. I shook my head, fighting back a smile of my own as I looked away from her.
My eyes landed on Wes to see him staring at me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher. We somehow formed this silent connection where we seemed to be able to communicate with just a glance, and he decided to use it to his advantage now. His gaze slowly shifted around to ensure the others weren’t paying attention before he looked back at me and arched a dark brow.
I arched one back in question.
He gestured his head with a subtle tilt in Corbin’s direction.
I shrugged.
He scoffed through a laugh with a roll of his eyes.
The smirk that tugged on the corner of my lips made my silent question clear.Jealous?
His expression remained neutral, but his eyes flared with amused indignation. I could hear the words he wasn’t saying out loud playing in his sarcastic tone in my head.Yeah fucking right, Princess.
Chapter 31
Haley
