On the Rocks
On the Rocks
Synopsis
Whiskey distiller Preston Maxwell still has no idea why her college sweetheart, Hayley Wyatt, disappeared from her life right after collecting her diploma. But when Hayley shows up to work on the advertising campaign that will take her business to the next level, Preston isn’t letting her get away a second time.
Praise for Ali Vali
One More Chance
“This was an amazing book by Vali…complex and multi-layered (both characters and plot).”—Danielle Kimerer, Librarian (Nevins Memorial Library, Massachusetts)
Face the Music
“This is a typical Ali Vali romance with strong characters, a beautiful setting (Nashville, Tennessee), and an enemies-to-lovers style tale. The two main characters are beautiful, strong-willed, and easy to fall in love with. The romance between them is steamy, and so are the sex scenes.”—Rainbow Reflections
The Inheritance
“I love a good story that makes me laugh and cry, and this one did that a lot for me. I would step back into this world any time.”—Kat Adams, Bookseller (QBD Books, Australia)
Double-Crossed
“[T]here aren’t too many lesfic books like Double-Crossed and it is refreshing to see an author like Vali continue to churn out books like these. Excellent crime thriller.”—Colleen Corgel, Librarian, Queens Borough Public Library
“For all of us die-hard Ali Vali/Cain Casey fans, this is the beginning of a great new series…There is violence in this book, and lots of killing, but there is also romance, love, and the beginning of a great new reading adventure. I can’t wait to read more of this intriguing story.”—Rainbow Reflections
Stormy Seas
Stormy Seas “is one book that adventure lovers must read.”—Rainbow Reflections
Answering the Call
Answering the Call “is a brilliant cop-and-killer story…The crime story is tight and the love story is fantastic.”—Best Lesbian Erotica
Lammy Finalist Calling the Dead
“So many writers set stories in New Orleans, but Ali Vali’s mystery novels have the authenticity that only a real Big Easy resident could bring. Set six months after Hurricane Katrina has devastated the city, a lesbian detective is still battling demons when a body turns up behind one of the city’s famous eateries. What follows makes for a classic lesbian murder yarn.”—Curve Magazine
Beauty and the Boss
“The story gripped me from the first page…Vali’s writing style is lovely—it’s clean, sharp, no wasted words, and it flows beautifully as a result. Highly recommended!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Balance of Forces: Toujours Ici
“A stunning addition to the vampire legend, Balance of Forces: Toujours Ici is one that stands apart from the rest.”—Bibliophilic Book Blog
Beneath the Waves
“The premise…was brilliantly constructed…skillfully written and the imagination that went into it was fantastic…A wonderful passionate love story with a great mystery.”—Inked Rainbow Reads
Second Season
“The issues are realistic and center around the universal factors of love, jealousy, betrayal, and doing the right thing and are constantly woven into the fabric of the story. We rated this well written social commentary through the use of fiction our max five hearts.”—Heartland Reviews
Carly’s Sound
“Carly’s Sound is a great romance, with some wonderfully hot sex, but it is more than that. It is also the tale of a woman rising from the ashes of grief and finding new love and a new life. Vali has surrounded Julia and Poppy with a cast of great supporting characters, making this an extremely satisfying read.”—Just About Write
Praise for the Cain Casey Saga
The Devil’s Due
“A Night Owl Reviews Top Pick: Cain Casey is the kind of person you aspire to be even though some consider her a criminal. She’s loyal, very protective of those she loves, honorable, big on preserving her family legacy and loves her family greatly. The Devil’s Due is a book I highly recommend and well worth the wait we all suffered through. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out.” —Night Owl Reviews
The Devil Be Damned
“Ali Vali excels at creating strong, romantic characters along with her fast-paced, sophisticated plots. Her setting, New Orleans, provides just the right blend of immigrants from Mexico, South America, and Cuba, along with a city steeped in traditions.”— Just About Write
Deal With the Devil
“Ali Vali has given her fans another thick, rich thriller…Deal With the Devil has wonderful love stories, great sex, and an ample supply of humor. It is an exciting, page-turning read that leaves her readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.”— Just About Write
The Devil Unleashed
“Fast-paced action scenes, intriguing character revelations, and a refreshing approach to the romance thriller genre all make for an enjoyable reading experience in the Big Easy…The Devil Unleashed is an engrossing reading experience.”—Midwest Book Review
The Devil Inside
“The Devil Inside is the first of what promises to be a very exciting series…While telling an exciting story that grips the reader, Vali has also fully fleshed out her heroes and villains. The Devil Inside is that rarity: a fascinating crime novel which includes a tender love story and leaves the reader with a cliffhanger ending.”—MegaScene
On the Rocks
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By the Author
Carly’s Sound
Second Season
Love Match
The Dragon Tree Legacy
The Romance Vote
Hell Fire Club in Girls with Guns
Beauty and the Boss
Blue Skies
Stormy Seas
The Inheritance
Face the Music
On the Rocks in Still Not Over You
A Woman to Treasure
Calumet
Writer’s Block
One More Chance
A Good Chance
The Cain Casey Saga
The Devil Inside
The Devil Unleashed
Deal with the Devil
The Devil Be Damned
The Devil’s Orchard
The Devil’s Due
Heart of the Devil
The Devil Incarnate
Call Series
Calling the Dead
Answering the Call
Waves Series
Beneath the Waves
Turbulent Waves
Forces Series
Balance of Forces: Toujours Ici
Battle of Forces: Sera Toujours
Force of Fire: Toujours a Vous
Vegas Nights
Double-Crossed
On the Rocks
© 2020 By Ali Vali. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63679-344-3
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: July 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business e
stablishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editors: Ruth Sternglantz and Stacia Seaman
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design by Jeanine Henning
eBook Design by Toni Whitaker
Chapter One
The whip of a fishing line was the only unnatural sound that disturbed the peacefulness of the bayou and the birds in the trees. Preston Cinclair had snuck away from her job early and headed down to her favorite spot with her fly-fishing gear and her waders. The Cinclair Bayou didn’t have the steelhead salmon she loved to fish, but it was the perfect place to practice her technique, and not getting the fly caught in the low-hanging branches took skill.
If there was one drawback to the spot it was that it had perfect cell service. She would’ve ignored her phone, but the song “Crazy” was her mother’s ringtone, and Sienna Cinclair was not a woman who liked being ignored. Especially by her only child, the one she was in labor with for fifty-seven agonizing hours.
“Put the rod down and take some notes,” Sienna said, not bothering with any niceties.
“I don’t have a notepad in my rubber pants, so if it’s important you might want to wait.” She closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying the breeze through the ancient live oaks that populated the banks. The rustle of the small leaves was better than anything for making the world and all its responsibilities fall away.
“Roger called and said your shipment is in. They had some problems through Customs but it should be here in less than a week.”
The relaxed feeling gave way to excitement, and she held her phone against her shoulder to reel in her line. “Thanks, Mom. Anything else?”
“In your dreams, Preston Maxwell Cinclair. What’s he talking about?”
“It’s a surprise, and don’t start with the million questions—there’ll be no hints.” She walked slowly out of the water, her feet sinking to the ankles in the rich dark mud with every step, bringing back memories of doing this as a child, only barefoot. Life had certainly evolved since then, but not all change was good, or bad. And that, hopefully, was her last philosophical thought of the day. Any more, and she’d get a headache.
“Are you coming back? Or will tonight be the first time I see you today?”
“I need a shower first. Then I’ll be a bit, but I’ll see you for dinner.” She dropped her stuff in the back of the 1953 Jeep that had been a gift from Gramps, her grandfather on her father’s side, when she’d graduated from high school. The old green vehicle had seen plenty of good times in its day, and she hoped to pass it down to her own children.
Children—that was a fantasy so far out of her reach she sighed. “You need to get your head out of the booze and get to finding a girl if you’re thinking that.” She cranked the engine and fought with the old gearshift to get going.
Her grandfather also taught her that talking to yourself was a healthy way of getting out all those cobwebs that tended to slow your brain into obsession. The girl was definately on the list of things she wanted, but had yet to materialize. She was the next in line to run Cinclair Distillers, and the only obsession she was supposed to have was the award-winning whiskey the family had produced for generations. Taking over the business wasn’t optional for her, since her mother—according to her mother—had produced one perfect kid, and there was no reason to try and top perfection. The agonizing labor had also been mentioned on occasion.
The main distillery was on River Road right outside New Orleans, but the place a mile from there was the newest addition she’d purchased to experiment, or play, as her father reminded her often. Whiskey was their wheelhouse, but there was no reason not to consider new avenues for the future, though whatever came out of her playtime would never grace a bar shelf if it didn’t measure up to the Cinclair label.
Roger Savoy was waiting outside tapping on his watch. “Did the trees and turtles make you forget the time?”
“No, but I need to remember to leave my phone in the Jeep from now on.”
“What you need is a haircut and new pants.” Roger looked her up and down and shook his head in apparent disapproval. His perfect appearance from his hair down to his shoes made it easy to imagine him as the master distiller and not her, or to guess that he was auditioning for a part in Queer Eye. Either way, Roger turned heads with his handsome face, fit body, and stylish clothes.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be ready for the event next month, but for now leave me to my slovenly ways.” The khaki pants were starting to fray at the hem, and her hair was starting to bug her, but not enough to do anything about either. “For now let’s go pop open some bottles and see what we have.”
“Your dad’s here.”
She stopped and stared at Roger but didn’t want to accuse right away. “Did you invite him?”
“You know Dale Cinclair. You think I had to?”
“Let’s go face the kraken and get it over with.” She walked to the back storage room where a thousand cases of molasses stout were waiting for their debut. “Hey, Dad.”
“You didn’t scream at Roger, did you? I’m not here to pry.”
“It’s not prying if you own the building, big dog.” She unlocked the door and flipped the lights on in the big room. “Are you thirsty?”
“Beer.” Dale put his hands on his hips and smiled at her. “If the devastating good looks didn’t give it away, this proves you really are my kid. This was the first thing I tried outside of my job, and your grandfather almost kicked my ass.”
“You tried wheat ale, boy,” Carter Cinclair said as he tapped in with his cane.
Preston’s grandfather was stronger than her and her father combined, but he’d broken his toe getting off his tractor in their cornfields and was grudgingly using a cane.
“Thanks, sir,” she said, hugging him. “You guys go sit in the office and I’ll be right in.”
She grabbed a case and took a deep breath. College and all it had thrown at her while she got a chemistry degree wasn’t as tough as her family when it came to final exams. Roger was setting up the beer glasses with the Cinclair logo on them, and he winked at her as she took out a couple of bottles.
“It’s a molasses stout with a hint of our blended five-year-old whiskey. I thought the extra punch would give it a smooth finish, and if we decide on a small production run, it’ll be cross-marketed with everything else in our lineup. With a taste of our whiskey, it’ll fit right in.” She popped the top off a bottle and poured a finger into four glasses.
Carter and Dale raised their glasses to check the color before taking a sip and holding it in their mouths. She closed her eyes for a moment and took her own taste, distinguishing every ingredient she’d used. It did have an edge serious beer drinkers would appreciate, and from the smiles she was seeing, maybe the market would agree.
“How much did you make?” Dale asked.
“A thousand cases. Enough to provide our suppliers and a few key publications. Once we create demand, the next batch will be ready.”
“What else you got up your sleeve, kid?” Carter asked. “I had to sign my life away to get your shipment cleared, and the feds probably made a file on my ass.”
“The stout is made with Louisiana molasses from our fields, but I’m planning on using this facility and the building next door to create Sueños in Gran’s honor.” Her grandfather had met his wife of fifty-six years at the World Whiskey Competition, and they were married four months later. Her grandmother Rosa had taught her Spanish and to embrace the country of her birth, Cuba.
Gran had died the year before, but her last message to Preston was one she’d treasure always. Gran had stressed that to be happy, it was important to dream. Preston still missed her steady presence in her life, and how she understood her like no one else ever could.
“Sueños,” Gramps said as he stood and motioned her over. “Dreams is the perf
ect name.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek. “But for what?”
“Dark rum, Gramps, but I want it to be a true añejo, so you have to hold out for the ten years I’m going to let it mature. The molasses we’re getting is from Cuba, and now that it’s here, I have everything we’ll need to start distilling.”
“I might not be around in ten years, kiddo,” Carter said.
“You’re going to outlive me and everyone, so I’m not worried.”
“Nope, all you have to worry about is the office and the meetings your mother set up.” Dale poured himself some more stout and pointed his finger at her when she opened her mouth. “We’re harvesting, and I need to keep my eye on the new guys we added to our supply chain. The office and new marketing promotions are all you.”
“No way. That’s all you.”
“Remember our deal. You have to learn all the business, and that means office time, buddy.” Dale slapped her on the back. “You’ve got a day to play, but then you have firms to interview.”
“All right, but you owe me.”
* * *
“You’ll owe me big,” Hayley Wyatt said to her twin brother, Percy. Preparations for his impending nuptials were at a fever pitch, and he wanted to stay in town to be around for the planning, but Hayley figured it was really the bachelor party that had him wanting to oversee the details. Getting called into the office at what seemed like the crack of dawn meant she’d be going alone to the meetings her father had set up.
“He will, and if he cancels one more thing, he’ll be working on his honeymoon,” Major Wyatt said loud enough to drown both of his children out. “We need to get this account. We do, and it’ll open a new avenue that’ll help us gain a segment of the market we’re unrepresented in. They’re unhappy with their advertising group, and they have a few new things coming to market that will need a new vision.”
“You mentioned all this in your email, Dad, but what can be new about whiskey?” She wanted to know the answer, but she asked really more to aggravate her father.