Page 10 of A Little Twist
“It’s amazing. You’re really a genius when it comes to this stuff. Aiden has taught me the flavor notes to look for, but it’s still pretty cool how you’re able to coax so much from simple mash.”
“Time, patience… My grandfather kept good notes, and he shared everything he knew with me.”
“Weren’t you only fifteen when he died?” Cass’s eyes finally land on mine, and a charge resonates between us.
I was fifteen that day so long ago when I ran away from his funeral and found her. It was the first time I saw her naked. A smile curls my lips, and she quickly blinks away to her glass.
“I was younger than that when he started teaching me his technique, but he only let me taste it, hold the flavor on my tongue, then spit it out, which is how wine makers work.”
“I’m sure your dad would’ve had a fit.” Britt’s nose wrinkles.
“The Stone family were never fans of my mother’s bootlegger heritage, but I loved it.” I look away, remembering the old man who took me fishing, talked to me about people and life. “Pop had a lot of wisdom. He taught me to wait, and good things would come when the time was right.”
The words feel weighted, and my gaze moves to Cass again. My instinct rises, telling me to stop acting like a teenager. I put away my childish infatuation with her years ago when it was clear she only wanted to be friends. One renewed peek at her body isn’t going to bring all that nonsense out of retirement.
Or is it…
The girls return to their prior conversation, and I don’t interrupt. Instead, I make like a good bartender and pour us all another finger of bourbon.
“You’re still left without a place to live. Just take my old loft,” Britt says.
“I can’t live there for free, and your mom will just try and get me to work at the Star Parlor again. You know I can’t say no to her. She’s very persuasive.”
“So what will you do? Go back to Carol’s?”
“Aunt Carol would be happy for me to live with her for the rest of my life, but I hate going backwards. I have to find my own way. Follow my path.”
“You can’t follow any path if you refuse to let people pay you for your work. Now let me pay you for the oil change.”
“I’m not taking your money.” Cass blocks Britt’s hand, which is advancing with several bills folded together. “I changed your oil because it’s easy, and there’s no reason to pay for something that simple.”
“It’s skilled labor, and Bud would’ve charged me at least seventy-five dollars.”
“Seventy-five dollars!” Cass gasps. “That’s highway robbery! I can’t believe he can look at himself in the mirror and charge you that much for a simple oil change on a twenty-year-old Ford. It’s not like it’s a BMW or a Porsche.”
“He says it’s twenty bucks for the oil, then labor charges—”
“Bud Dewey is full of shit, and I’m going to stop by his garage tomorrow and give him a piece of my mind. The most he should dare charge you is thirty bucks.”
“Okay… thirty, it is!” Britt peels two twenties off her wad of bills. “Here you go, and a ten-dollar tip because I love you.”
“Britt Bailey, are you trying to trick me?”
I can’t help a laugh. “What’s this all about?” My deep voice contrasts with their light banter.
“Cass is broke, yet she does all these things for mefor free—she changes the oil in my truck, plans my whole wedding, makes the wedding cake, flea-dips my dog, and she won’t let me pay her a red cent!”
“You flea-dipped Edward?” I’m impressed by such a feat. Britt’s bloodhound must weigh at least eighty pounds. “How do you lift him?”
“Oh, please. Edward is the sweetest dog on the planet. I tell him to get in the tub and sit, and he steps right in and sits. Done.” Squinting one eye, she points at Britt. “That’s the only reason I still do it for you. It would be different if he was an out-of-control mutt like some of the other pets I’ve had to wrestle to the ground—or if he were a cat who tried to maul me to death. Like I said, that era has ended. Full stop.”
“Okay, okay!” Britt holds up her hands, and I’m fully invested.
I need more information. “What’s this abouteras?”
“Of the avalanche of jobs my beautiful friend is proficient at, she still hasn’t found one she loves—”
“I haven’t found the one that will pay my bills and keep me out of Aunt Carol’s house. I know the ones I’ve loved.”