add a unique flavor to the whiskey that rivaled what his forefathers produced.”
She fielded a few more questions, then set the group loose to explore the barrel house or head back to the visitor’s center for a tasting.
Cooper watched her shake hands with a few of the guests, biding his time to get her alone. His gut twisted when she turned to face him, as if knowing he wanted to speak to her.
“I see you’re alive and well. I take it the 101 didn’t hurt too bad?” she teased, resting a hand on her hip.
“I didn’t have the chance to try it yet, actually,” he admitted.
“Oh. That’s a shame.” She motioned around the barrel house. “So, what do you think?”
Cooper stared up at the sky-high racks of barrels and breathed in the earthy sweet scent of the air. “It’s pretty cool.”
She laughed. “It’s more than just ‘cool.’ It’s a time-honored tradition. There’re barrels here that won’t be ready for nearly a decade. Can you even imagine life that far ahead? We have to. If we don’t, then we run out of whiskey and our company fails. That’s why this room is so important. The future sleeps here.”
His eyes caught hers and held. The passion he saw there—for her family’s company, for the product they created—brought on a wave of guilt knowing he was seconds away from damaging it. Maybe not permanently, perhaps barely at all. But there was no denying it would sting her pride.
She glanced down at her watch. “You missed the first part of the tour, but I have a few minutes to spare if you’d like me to give you that little lesson we talked about yesterday.”
“I’m afraid my business here is not entirely personal.” He reached for the warrant in his coat pocket, brought his badge out with it. She eyed both curiously, her smile fading as he flipped open his badge and showed it to her. “I’m with the FBI.”
Ava’s lips parted in surprise as she grabbed his badge and studied it. “Is this a joke?” He was smiling in his picture, but there was no trace of it on his face now. Only a hint of regret behind a mask of steely resolve. The contrast startled her.
“No, it’s not.”
“So why are you here…” She read the name on his badge and sneered. “Agent Cooper Lawson? We haven’t done anything wrong.” She shoved his badge back at him, hackles rising in defense. “You tricked me. Came in here, all curious and flirtatious. What were you doing? Scoping out the place?”
Since he couldn’t deny it, he pocketed his badge and handed her the warrant instead. “I have a warrant to confiscate Ty Brannon’s personal laptop. I’ll need you to take me to it.”
Dread dropped heavy in her stomach as she scoured the warrant. It said nothing of the charges, only what the FBI was allowed to confiscate and what they could look for.
Financial transactions from the company. Personal bank records. Email correspondence.
Good Lord. What was her father involved in?
She started to rip into Cooper, only to notice a few of the tour guests and two of her employees frozen in place, gawking at her. She cursed under her breath, struggling to quell her temper. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t refuse a warrant and she sure as hell wouldn’t cause a scene. Until she figured out what was going on, she had to keep up appearances.
Bringing her eyes back to his, she lifted her chin with a tight-lipped smile. “All right, Agent Lawson. Follow me.”
She folded up the warrant and nodded reassuringly to her employees as she passed, knowing they would be hopping on the gossip wagon the second she left. An FBI agent didn’t just trot into Fox Hills every day, flashing his badge and presenting warrants. It would be the talk of the town by sunset, guaranteed.
Grumbling obscenities under her breath, she took Cooper to the four-wheeler parked out back. She hopped inside and scowled at him.
“Get in. I’ll take you up to the house.”
He hesitated, eyeing the four-wheeler
She fielded a few more questions, then set the group loose to explore the barrel house or head back to the visitor’s center for a tasting.
Cooper watched her shake hands with a few of the guests, biding his time to get her alone. His gut twisted when she turned to face him, as if knowing he wanted to speak to her.
“I see you’re alive and well. I take it the 101 didn’t hurt too bad?” she teased, resting a hand on her hip.
“I didn’t have the chance to try it yet, actually,” he admitted.
“Oh. That’s a shame.” She motioned around the barrel house. “So, what do you think?”
Cooper stared up at the sky-high racks of barrels and breathed in the earthy sweet scent of the air. “It’s pretty cool.”
She laughed. “It’s more than just ‘cool.’ It’s a time-honored tradition. There’re barrels here that won’t be ready for nearly a decade. Can you even imagine life that far ahead? We have to. If we don’t, then we run out of whiskey and our company fails. That’s why this room is so important. The future sleeps here.”
His eyes caught hers and held. The passion he saw there—for her family’s company, for the product they created—brought on a wave of guilt knowing he was seconds away from damaging it. Maybe not permanently, perhaps barely at all. But there was no denying it would sting her pride.
She glanced down at her watch. “You missed the first part of the tour, but I have a few minutes to spare if you’d like me to give you that little lesson we talked about yesterday.”
“I’m afraid my business here is not entirely personal.” He reached for the warrant in his coat pocket, brought his badge out with it. She eyed both curiously, her smile fading as he flipped open his badge and showed it to her. “I’m with the FBI.”
Ava’s lips parted in surprise as she grabbed his badge and studied it. “Is this a joke?” He was smiling in his picture, but there was no trace of it on his face now. Only a hint of regret behind a mask of steely resolve. The contrast startled her.
“No, it’s not.”
“So why are you here…” She read the name on his badge and sneered. “Agent Cooper Lawson? We haven’t done anything wrong.” She shoved his badge back at him, hackles rising in defense. “You tricked me. Came in here, all curious and flirtatious. What were you doing? Scoping out the place?”
Since he couldn’t deny it, he pocketed his badge and handed her the warrant instead. “I have a warrant to confiscate Ty Brannon’s personal laptop. I’ll need you to take me to it.”
Dread dropped heavy in her stomach as she scoured the warrant. It said nothing of the charges, only what the FBI was allowed to confiscate and what they could look for.
Financial transactions from the company. Personal bank records. Email correspondence.
Good Lord. What was her father involved in?
She started to rip into Cooper, only to notice a few of the tour guests and two of her employees frozen in place, gawking at her. She cursed under her breath, struggling to quell her temper. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t refuse a warrant and she sure as hell wouldn’t cause a scene. Until she figured out what was going on, she had to keep up appearances.
Bringing her eyes back to his, she lifted her chin with a tight-lipped smile. “All right, Agent Lawson. Follow me.”
She folded up the warrant and nodded reassuringly to her employees as she passed, knowing they would be hopping on the gossip wagon the second she left. An FBI agent didn’t just trot into Fox Hills every day, flashing his badge and presenting warrants. It would be the talk of the town by sunset, guaranteed.
Grumbling obscenities under her breath, she took Cooper to the four-wheeler parked out back. She hopped inside and scowled at him.
“Get in. I’ll take you up to the house.”
He hesitated, eyeing the four-wheeler
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