Jack Daniel’s: It’s All in the Whiskey Read online

  Jack Daniel’s

  It’s All in the Whiskey

  Jen Talty

  Copyright © 2020 by Jen Talty

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Jack Daniel’s

  Book Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  About the Author

  Also by Jen Talty

  Jack Daniel’s

  It’s All In The Whiskey book III

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  JEN TALTY

  Book Description

  Jack Daniel’s Whiskey sole responsibility was to make sure the ranch operated at a profit and he was damn good at his job. That’s because he much preferred sitting behind a desk crunching numbers than dealing with people. He left that up to his brothers and sister. So, when he was tasked with helping the newest employee, Annette Hannah become assimilated to life on Whiskey Ranch, JD wanted nothing to do with the responsibility, much less the woman and her young toddler.

  Only when Annette is injured JD finds himself having to help take of both mother and son.

  The last thing Annette wanted to be to anyone again was a burden. She’d done that to her brother time and time again. All she wanted was a fresh start for her, and her son and the Whiskey family had given her that chance. Working as a horse trainer, she wanted to impress her new bosses, but the wild horse had other plans, and Annette ended up in the ER with a broken wrist and a sprained ankle. Once again, she had to rely on someone else. Only this time, it came in the form of the sexy, but reserved and emotionally unavailable, JD Whiskey.

  When Annette no longer needs JD, will he be able to walk away, or will people have become more important than numbers, and will Annette allow the cowboy into her and her son’s heart?

  Praise for Jen Talty

  "Deadly Secrets is the best of romance and suspense in one hot read!" NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

  "A charming setting and a steamy couple heat up the pages in an suspenseful story I couldn't put down!" NY Times and USA today Bestselling Author Donna Grant

  "Jen Talty's books will grab your attention and pull you into a world of relatable characters, strong personalities, humor, and believable storylines. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll rush to get the next book she releases!" Natalie Ann USA Today Bestselling Author

  "I positively loved In Two Weeks, and highly recommend it. The writing is wonderful, the story is fantastic, and the characters will keep you coming back for more. I can't wait to get my hands on future installments of the NYS Troopers series." Long and Short Reviews

  "In Two Weeks hooks the reader from page one. This is a fast paced story where the development of the romance grabs you emotionally and the suspense keeps you sitting on the edge of your chair. Great characters, great writing, and a believable plot that can be a warning to all of us." Desiree Holt, USA Today Bestseller

  "Dark Water delivers an engaging portrait of wounded hearts as the memorable characters take you on a healing journey of love. A mysterious death brings danger and intrigue into the drama, while sultry passions brew into a believable plot that melts the reader's heart. Jen Talty pens an entertaining romance that grips the heart as the colorful and dangerous story unfolds into a chilling ending." Night Owl Reviews

  "This is not the typical love story, nor is it the typical mystery. The characters are well rounded and interesting." You Gotta Read Reviews

  "Murder in Paradise Bay is a fast-paced romantic thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. You won't want to miss this one..." USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard

  In loving memory of my Uncle Richard.

  1

  Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, better known as JD, leaned back in his office chair and shoved a toothpick in his mouth. “You need to stop this. I’m not interested.”

  Georgia Moon tossed her hands wide. “Stop what? Because all I’m asking you to do is show Annette around, which is part of all of our jobs as owners of this ranch.”

  “Okay. But why am I the one who has to do this and not you or JB? Or anyone else on this ranch?” Normally, JD didn’t question his older sister’s decisions when it came to the daily operations of the ranch unless it was going to hurt the bottom dollar.

  But this request had nothing to do with either and more to do with his big sister playing matchmaker.

  And his desire not to spend time with the super sexy, sweet, and insanely intelligent Annette Hannah. He’d successfully avoided her, for the most part, ever since she came to the ranch. But now that she was about to be employed in the horse school, which landed in his wheelhouse, it would be harder for him to ignore her.

  No matter how much he wanted to.

  Or needed to.

  “She’s comfortable with you.” Georgia Moon adjusted her cowboy hat and rested her butt against the side of his desk. “You have a lot in common when it comes to your knowledge of horse training. Besides, you always want to have your fingers involved with anyone who works down there. It’s always been your baby.”

  “This office is where we need my expertise. Not down there. It’s why we hire people to take care of it.”

  “But you’re still one of our best trainers.”

  “That’s funny considering what you know about the subject.” The more he argued with his sister, the weaker his resolve became. “Or JB or even JW for that matter. Besides, wouldn’t it be a nice girl bonding thing for the two of you?”

  “The work place is not the right environment for her and me to bond, so that leaves you,” Georgia Moon said.

  “I’ve barely had a half dozen conversations with Annette since she moved to the ranch. Besides, JB has better people skills than I do. He should do it.”

  Georgia Moon let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Like I’m going to unleash him on someone as important to me as Annette.”

  “Don’t trash talk our baby brother just because she might be your sister-in-law someday in the near future.” All JD had to do was get his sister riled up over other things, and she’d forget all about why she’d walked into his office in the first place. “And you don’t want to go and upset your future husband.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Just because Luke moved in with me doesn’t mean we’re getting hitched right away, so back off with that talk.” She waggled her finger. “Besides, I’m sending JB to the trade show this week.”

  JD had planned on going with his little brother by only ten months; however, with his eldest brother, JW being gone on his honeymoon, he couldn’t leave his sister to run the ranch alone. They had all agreed years ago that there would always be at least two Whiskey siblings on the ranch at any given time.

  Not only that, JD was getting a little tired of being his brother’s wingman when it came to the dating scene. Of course, JB didn’t really date. More like meet and conquer. The worst part was that for years, JD would make these women breakfast while he explained that his brother just wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, and every single woman reacted one of two ways.

  They either went full-court press trying to tame a bad boy.

  Or they opted to try to hook up with one of the other Whiskey brothers.<
br />
  Not that JD ever did.

  “You know, I’m buried in paperwork this week with JW gone.”

  “Why are you giving me a hard time about this?” Georgia Moon asked. “She needs to know all the ins and outs of life here before we toss her in full time.”

  “I totally agree, and if that’s all I thought you wanted, I’d be totally on board, but you have other motives.”

  “Because I see the way you look at her.”

  “There isn’t a man on this ranch that doesn’t notice Annette. She’s fucking gorgeous. You’d have to be blind not to see that. But I’m not interested. And don’t go off on me about how I need to open up and start feeling something again.”

  “I can’t help it. And JW agrees with me. It’s about time you got your head out of your ass and started dating.”

  He arched a brow. “I date. Or have you forgotten about Ellie?”

  Georgia Moon rolled her eyes. “She’s kind of a bitch. And she’s just some girl who you see every couple of months when you decide you’re a man with needs. That’s not dating. Hell, that’s barely friends with benefits. Besides, it’s time to move past what happened.”

  “I’m past it.” A day didn’t go by where JD didn’t think about Susanne, but he hadn’t uttered her name out loud since he’d been twenty-two. Not because he hadn’t loved her. She’d been his entire world. “Luke knows what it’s like to live on Whiskey Ranch, and she’s his sister. He should do it.”

  “Do you want to take on all his responsibilities at the bull-riding school including being an instructor?”

  “Negative,” JD said. His backside hadn’t seen a bull in a good five years, and he wasn’t about to saddle up now. A bucking horse, he could still handle, but a bull?

  No fucking way.

  He never did have the kind of talent his two brothers did for riding the beasts or his sister’s way with people.

  Nope. JD was better suited for making the family a shit ton of money and then doubling it.

  “I’m not asking you to date her. Just show her every square inch of the ranch and everything she needs to know about living here. If you do it without being an asshole, I’ll provide you with a home-cooked meal every night this week.”

  He laughed. “We have staff that does that anyway.”

  “I’ll make you an apple pie every day.”

  His stomach growled, and his mouth watered. “You’re not fighting fair.”

  “Well, it’s not really a fight because we need you to do this. Annette is an asset to the horse training and breeding program as well as the school. We both know Ron hasn’t been doing his job well lately. We’re going to need to replace him soon, and I think she’s going to be the right fit.”

  “She knows nothing of our ways. It’s too soon to be saying anything like that.” Although, JW had mentioned more than once his thoughts on Annette and putting her in a management role, if, and only if, she was as good as her brother made her out to be.

  “You don’t agree that Ron is struggling in his position?”

  “No. I agree that he’s become complacent, not to mention now that he’s in his sixties, physically, this job is too demanding, but I don’t think shoving someone like Annette under the man’s nose is necessarily the right thing.”

  “I’m not doing that. I’m having you do your job. We’ve needed you to help train everyone that ends up working with any aspect that involves the horses. Besides, Ron can be a bit much to take, and without JW and JB there to soften the delivery, I’m afraid Ron will say or do something that will insult her, like he did with Heather, and she’s the best breeder we have.”

  “Heather is still here doing her job, so we handled that.” JD plucked the toothpick from his mouth and tossed it in the trash. He swirled his chair and glanced out the window. The main office building sat up on the hill and had a good view of most of the ranch. To the right side, he could see the main barn and corral. A couple dozen horses grazed in the yard. Not far from there was the manager’s house where his sister used to live and now Annette and her young son, Tony, had taken up residence. Years ago, it had been his family home before his parents died. Shortly after, Chuck Holland, the original owner of the Whiskey Ranch, took on helping raise all four of the Whiskey kids.

  JD would be forever grateful for what Chuck and this ranch had given him.

  A new beginning.

  Tony was an innocent child in everything that had happened in his short life. He deserved a new beginning.

  And his mother deserved a second chance.

  “All right,” he said, finding a fresh toothpick and sliding it between his teeth. “I’ll show her the ropes.”

  “Good, because I told her to be here right after she dropped Tony off at the daycare center.”

  “Of course you did.” JD glanced at his Apple Watch. “And what time was she planning on doing that?”

  “I suspect she’s on her way here now.” Georgia Moon pushed from the edge of the desk. “I know she seems like she’s got a pretty tough exterior, but she’s been through a lot in her life between what her father has done and her asshole husband—”

  “I’m well aware of what she’s been through.” JD held up his hand.

  “There are people on the ranch who aren’t thrilled with having her or Luke around, so I want to also show everyone that she’s a valued asset to our team and that we trust her.”

  “Luke says she’s a horse whisperer.” While JD preferred a career that allowed him to deal with numbers and stats, he knew his way around the ranch, and his cowboy skills weren’t lacking—that was for damn sure—and he had his own special way with horses.

  “She’s amazing. I brought her down to the barn to go riding the other day, and Willy was out.”

  “That horse has a mean streak, but I heard how she handled him. That’s impressive, but you should know, I got an email from Ron this morning asking for specifics on what her role will be. He wasn’t thrilled that she worked with Willy.”

  “He’s worried we’re going to replace him.”

  “And that’s why I haven’t answered. He’s been a solid part of this ranch for as long as I can remember.”

  “He’s been acting like a jealous idiot since she walked on the ranch,” Georgia Moon said. “I’m pretty tired of his bullshit.”

  “Change is hard, and he’s being forced to take a step back from things he’s loved his entire life, but he can’t physically do them anymore. That’s a tough pill to swallow.”

  “And that’s another reason for you to spend some time with her down at the barn. We need eyes and ears on Ron, and maybe you can help him adjust to taking her on as a protege.”

  “That might be an excellent way to handle the situation. Maybe we should have Ron show her the ropes.”

  “You’re not getting out of this.” Georgia Moon batted her lashes.

  “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “We did just corral fifteen wild mustangs. You’re the best person on this ranch to break them. That would be a great project for you and Annette to do together, and you could really get to see her skills as a trainer and figure out if she’d make a good manager for the school. Not to mention it would get you out of this damned office and give her a real positive first couple of weeks.”

  He swallowed his breath, resisting the urge to swear while flicking Georgia Moon’s cowboy hat right off her pretty little head. He blew out a puff of air. Deep down he knew she meant well and that all she wanted was for him to mend his broken heart.

  Just like she wanted JB to give up his womanizing ways.

  Neither thing would ever happen.

  Didn’t matter that she and Luke were able to find each other in the midst of insanity, chaos, lies, and betrayal.

  His situation was different.

  Susanne was dead. It had been his fault. And nothing would ever bring her back.

  “First, they aren’t truly wild. The Bureau of Land Management and we have—”

  �
�Are you really going to school me on raising wild mustangs?”

  “Yes. And remember, we don’t break horses, we train them,” he said behind a tight jaw. “And you and I’ve been down this road before, and it never ends well, so stop trying to fix me up with women you think are perfect for me.”

  Georgia Moon cocked her head. “Weren’t you one of my three brothers who told me I needed to forgive Luke?”

  He nodded. “What does that have to do with you forcing relationships on me?” He pushed his chair back and stood. Turning his back, he strolled to the window and stuffed his hands in his pockets. His gaze immediately focused on a grouping of horses running wild in the distance. The memory hit his brain like a baseball connecting with a bat. He blinked a few times, pushing the visual out of his mind. He saw it every night before he went to bed, and the dreams haunted him regularly. He knew he’d never forget, and maybe that was a good thing.

  “I’m not doing that.” Georgia Moon rested her hand on his shoulder. “But since you brought it up, it’s time to stop living in the past. Trust me, I know it’s hard, but it’s amazing when you can push past those barriers.”

  “I’m going to show Annette around, help her get adjusted to life here, and see if she’d make a good new manager. But I’m going to need you to stop bringing this up.” Ever since Luke blew back into town, Georgia Moon had been pushing harder and more often. Pretty soon, he was going to go nuts if she kept bringing it up. “There will be no more trying to fix me up or discussions of long-term relationships, or especially, we will not dance around the topic of Susanne.” He turned and faced his sister, staring at her in the eye for effect.