No real direction. No real path. Just the weight of the world pressing in on all sides, and the noise of the festival surrounding me as an overwhelming panic claws at my ribs.
Chapter Eight
Silas
Vendors line Main Street with gingham covered tables piled high with juicy red berries and strawberry themed crafts. Potholders, necklaces, earrings, you name it… folks have found a way to put a berry on it.
The strawberry festival is a yearly tradition here in Rugged Mountain, and this year, it’s busier than ever. It probably helps that this year’s harvest is the best they’ve had in years. Farmers are up to their elbows in strawberries.
It’s only noon but the streets are already crowded. Kids with sticky hands, folks walking with strawberry popcorn, shakes, and shortcakes, old timers congregating outside the hardware store, and a bluegrass band playing sharp metallic tunes that cut through the crowd.
It’s nostalgic being out here. I only hope our strawberry whiskey does as well as the fried dough cart next to us seems to be doing. They’ve had a line since they opened the festival up for business.
I should take notes because if we can’t use my father’s whiskey recipes to save the distillery, I’m not sure what other options we have left, especially when the rednecks have a booth at the end of the lane set up with wooden pallets to look like an old shack. There’s even a giant smoker in the back smoldering. I didn’t even know they sold barbeque. Apparently, I’m obliviousto the world around me because they’ve got a line that goes on forever for their strawberry barbeque sauce.
Strawberry barbeque sauce? What the hell?
“We’ll be fine,” Cash groans from his folding chair. “They’re doing their thing, and we’re doing ours.”
“Right,” I say, my stomach in knots as I watch another person line up for the rednecks. They’ve been a pain in the ass since we opened the distillery. Sabotage, bullshit, homemade coupons, the whole fucking thing.
I get it. They think we’re crowding their space, but it’s clear the locals have made their choice. Mullet’s bar has a commanding lead. Folks prefer a hometown watering hole over the new guy.
That’s where Dad’s whiskey comes in to close the gap…hopefully.
He has a name with locals. Actually, hehada name with locals.
“What’s with you?” Cash stretches up out of the chair and crosses his arms over his chest before staring toward me. “We run multiple successful distilleries, and they all started hard like this. You guys are letting these rednecks get under your skin. Everything will work out.”
“I know.” I drag in a deep, sugary breath and let it out slowly as I glance down at my phone, hoping to see an update from Ellie. I dropped her off two hours ago and I haven’t heard anything since.
“What happened after I left this morning?” Cash asks as he hands an older woman a sample of Dad’s strawberry whiskey.
I think about the long kiss we shared before she hopped down out of the truck, the way her tiny little frame fit so perfectly against mine last night, and her sounds as I pressed into her on the kitchen counter this morning. A chill runs up my spineand my cock notices. I’m going to need to learn to control these thoughts!
I sigh. “Ellie overheard our conversation.”
“Shit.” He lowers his head as he drags a hand down over his beard. “I fucked that up. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s probably for the best. I know I need to tell Adam what’s going on.”
“So, you’re not going to end it?”
“Not at all.” I look toward my brother with a straight face. “She’s mine, Cash. I’m not ending anything.”
He huffs out a laugh. “You’re crazy. Crazy or stupid. I’m not sure which at this point. Maybe both.” I can tell he’s stewing by the way he moves back and forth in place. Finally, he speaks again like he can’t hold it in any longer. “You should stop seeing her, Silas. She’s too young for you. You’re both so drunk on the excitement of it all that you’re not thinking straight. Do the right thing, man. If you care about her, let her go.”
“I appreciate that you think it’s that easy, but I don’t know if you’ve ever been in love before.”
I don’t bother looking toward my brother because I’m sure he’s rolling his eyes.
“You’re right, man. I don’t think I’ve ever been in love a day in my life. I mean, I was pretty sure I loved my kids, and I thought I loved their mother, but she’s gone now, so maybe you’re right. Why don’t you tell me what love is like?” He pauses and widens his stance, seemingly frustrated to even be having this conversation. “I think you’ve been lonely so long that you’ve lost touch with reality.”
A grin stretches onto my face as I listen, my eyes inadvertently searching the crowd for Ellie while continuing to check my phone every five minutes. Ten more and I’m going to make a trip up to the bakery to check on her. I’d have gonealready, but she insisted I leave a little space given it’s her first day of work.
Turns out that’s a hard request.
“Look, Cash, I’m done having this conversation. Ellie is mine. I knew it the second I saw her. It’s complicated and I know I have a lot to sort out with Adam, but I don’t want any more advice.”
