“Not whenever you want, Nugget. Titi has a life,” I explained.
From the corner of my eye, I caught Naya winking at Reign. She had the girl spoiled.
Nana walked into the living room during our little reunion. “I was waiting to see how long it would take you to get over here,” she teased.
“You know I wouldn’t stay away for too long. I actually came to take my bestie out for some adult time,” Naya said.
“That sounds great. You girls go on and have fun. Reign and I can get started on dinner,” Nana said.
I looked from Naya back to Nana. It was funny how they planned my day for me. “Where are we going exactly?” I asked.
“It’s a surprise, but you need to change. Put on a cute top and some makeup,” Naya said.
I looked at her and rolled my eyes. There was no use going back and forth with her. Instead, I headed to my room to do as she said.
An hour later, Naya and I pulled up to Black Family property. While Naya drove, I noticed a sign that readBlack Label.
“What are we doing here?” I asked.
“We’re going on a whiskey tour. Micah started the Black Label brand a few years back. Now, he offers tours to the public. We can have some drinks and get something to eat,” she explained.
Micah Black was a name I hadn’t heard in years. We all went to school together, but we ran in different circles. I was so wrapped up in my life I hardly thought of anyone outside of my circle. The whiskey must have been very popular. There were people everywhere I looked. Rows of cars and a few buses filled the parking lot.
“By the look of these people, I guess Micah is doing well for himself,” I said.
Naya chuckled as she parked the car. We got out, then headed toward the barn entrance. After the door attendant scanned our passes, we walked inside. I had been to the Black’s property before, but the barn looked renovated. There was a high gloss finish that coated the entire wooden frame, and lights hung from the ceiling throughout the space. The large windows allowed sunlight to fill the area. We beat some of the crowd inside.
While we waited for the tour to start, we looked around. Barrels of what I assumed to be filled with whiskey filled a portion of the barn. They used multiple barrels under slabs of wood to create tables. There were ten tables throughout the space. Naya and I continued to take in the space until a deep baritone approached us.
“It must be my lucky day. Freckles, I had no idea you were back in town,” Micah said as we locked eyes.
My brain temporarily fizzled as I took him in. Micah had always been handsome, but his features had matured. He stood over six feet tall with a deep-chocolate complexion, and diamonds glistened in both of his ears. He wore a button-up with the sleeves rolled up to show his tattoos. Micah had an effect on me I hadn’t felt in a while. I must have been too caught up in Jude to notice how handsome Micah had become.
I finally found my voice and answered him. “Yes, I just got in yesterday. This place is amazing by the way. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. My great-grandfather’s long-lost whiskey recipe saved my life. Now, here I am, trying to keep his legacy alive. I have to get the tour started, but I’ll see you again soon, beautiful,” he teased. Micah winked at me as he stood in front of the crowd.
“Freckles, huh? I haven’t heard him call you that in forever. Who knew Micah still had a little nickname for you?” Naya teased.
My cheeks rose as I blushed. “Oh, please. You know our mothers were friends. He’s been calling me Freckles since we could talk.”
“Sure, Harley. Tell me anything,” she said.
I ignored Naya as Micah greeted the crowd. He spoke so passionately about his great-grandfather and the family’s path into the whiskey business. His deep voice was so sexy. I could listen to him talk all day long. Micah smiled as he spoke to thecrowd. I could tell he was passionate about whiskey. The tour was nice, and the food was good.
We tasted every flavor of whiskey the Black brand offered. I wasn’t much of a drinker, but I made a note of the flavors I enjoyed.Naya and I were in our own little world while we enjoyed the food and drinks. Micah was busy hosting everyone, so we didn’t get to speak again. As my evening wound down, I knew we would see each other again. It was a small town, after all. The question was when that would be.
After Naya droppedme off that night, she instructed me to be ready for brunch the next day. So, there we were, sitting at Moon Café. They offered brunch on the weekends with a live deejay, and it would be my first time hanging out in town. The whiskey tour was on the outskirts, like my family’s place. That day, I attempted to prepare myself to see people I hadn’t seen in ages.
The music was loud but not overbearing, so it didn’t drown out conversations. Old school reggae was always a vibe. While Naya and I looked over the menu, I overheard a conversation from the table behind us.
“I heard she came back. Guess it’s true. She’s gotta be sad as hell after losing Jude,” said the girl seated behind us.
“I know, right? Losing the love of your entire life, that’s some sad shit. The insurance money probably ran out. She’s probably broke and had to run back home,” said the other girl at the table.
Naya couldn’t hear them, because she sat on the opposite side of the table, but I tried to keep my composure. The small-town gossip was to be expected. On a normal day, I wouldn’t entertain it. I understood people gossiped, but the music wasn’t that loud.
I turned around to see who sat behind me, and as soon as I did, their conversation stopped. Two girls I went to school with named Cindy and Tisha stared at me.
