Cherry Brandy

CHERRY BRANDY THE PAINTED DAISIES BOOK 3 LJ EVANS This book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing people and locations, the events, names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. CHERRY BRANDY © 2023 by LJ Evans All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored, in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher of this book. If you find this book on a free book website, it is stolen property and illegal to download. Published by THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID PUBLISHING www.ljevansbooks.com Cover Design: © Emily Wittig Cover Images: © Unsplash | weston m, Deposit Photos | VadimVasenin and Dekues, iStock| Punnarong, and Shutterstock | RukiMedia Content & Line Editor: Evans Editing Copy Editor: Jenn Lockwood Editing Services Proofing: Karen Hrdlicka Sensitivity Editors: Arora, Sarkar, and Patra Library of Congress Cataloging in process. Paperback ISBN: 979-8-88643-914-4 eBook ASIN: 979-8-88643-913-7 Printed in the United States 051223 CONTENTS Playlist Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Epilogue BLUE MARGUERITE - SNEAK PEEK Message from the Author Acknowledgments About the Author Other Titles by LJ Evans https://spoti.fi/3GDgRoj To all the girls forced into adulthood too soon. PROLOGUE Leya CLOSER Performed by The Corrs TWENTY-FIVE MONTHS BEFORE LEYA: You should have told me they wanted me at the convention early. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I’m a Secret Service agent, not your personal assistant. LEYA: If you were, I could fire you. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: You can decline the protection of the USSS at any time. You’re an adult. LEYA: *** laughing GIF *** You think I’d survive either of my parents’ lectures if I did? Not with everything that’s going on there with Dad and here with the Daisies. LEYA: No response? LEYA: Really? LEYA: You’re a jerkwad. TWENTY MONTHS BEFORE LEYA: I need your assistance. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I’m not on duty. Talk to the agent standing outside your door. LEYA: I’m not at the residence. I’m at EchoBar with Lincoln. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: Then, you should have two teams of USSS agents at your disposal. LEYA: I don’t trust any of THEM to not say anything to Lincoln’s dad. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: Your secrets are safe with them. They’re the SECRET Service for a reason. LEYA: Holden…please? LEYA: Holden? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I’ll be there in fifteen. TEN MONTHS BEFORE LEYA: Do you think this is a good gift for my dad’s lead agent? *** image of brandy bottle *** CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I’m off duty. I’m not your assistant or your mom. LEYA: You’re so annoying. You’re an agent. I want to know, as an AGENT, would this be a good gift? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I don’t drink, so for me, no. LEYA: Get your head out of the clouds, you arrogant jerk. I’m not buying it for you. I’m helping my mother by whittling down the long list of people she needs to buy presents for. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: Sommerson brags about his expensive whiskey collection. LEYA: Whiskey. Okay. Why don’t you drink? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: None of your business. LEYA: I’ll just keep asking. You know I will. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: My father’s partner got caught with his pants down after engaging in one too many alcoholic beverages. The woman took his USSS pin and used it for months before she was caught. LEYA: Wait. You’ve been with me for over a year now, and I’m just learning that your father was also an agent? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: We aren’t friends, Leya. I’m not going to brush your hair and share our life histories. I’m part of your detail. End of story. LEYA: You know every single thing about me. More than even some of my friends. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: I know your facts. I don’t know you. LEYA: Jerk. You know me. You handed me Kleenex when I cried. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: One time, and that was so you could see without crashing into doors and desks and sharp edges. LEYA: You’re getting the gift of coal for Christmas. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: How do you know I celebrate Christmas? LEYA: You’re right. That was very hypocritical of me. Do you? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: Yes. LEYA: You really are a jerk. I’ve just bought your coal. You can use it to cook a cow in some typical, male, barbecue ritual. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: Now you’re assuming I’m a meat eater. LEYA: I’ve seen you devour a burger. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: No, you haven’t. LEYA: You’re right. In over two years, I’ve never seen you eat at all. You’re a robot. You’re like that machine in those Terminator movies. Which side are you really on? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: … Minutes later LEYA: I hate when you do that. It’s rude to not say goodbye. LEYA: Holden? LEYA: *** picture of coal in a stocking *** FIVE MONTHS BEFORE LEYA: How the hell does this happen, Holden? How? CAPTAIN ANNOYING: He was perfect on paper. I personally ran every member of Reinard’s detail as soon as I found out about the letters starting again. There were no flags, Leya. None. LEYA: She almost died…and after Lan. Minutes go by. LEYA: The Kims can’t lose her. WE can’t lose her. She’s the only thing keeping us going. CAPTAIN ANNOYING: She isn’t what keeps the band going. She’s the spark, but you’re all the fuel that keeps the flame alive. LEYA: Was that some sort