Page 85 of While the Sun Shines

“Daiquiri doesn’t have a c in it,” Penny says.

“And you didn’t give us blenders,” Courtney says.

“Do it on the rocks,” Cooper says.

“No,” Penny says. “No way. I have standards.”

“But I only know like two cocktails,” Cooper says.

“Why am I not surprised one of them is a daiquiri?” Penny asks.

“Fine, a martini. I’ve seen some James Bond with the best of them.” Cooper wipes away his misspelled daiquiri with the side of his hand. “Shaken not stirred, baby, and okay, what else?”

Whit puts his hand up, as if to be called on. “Did the honorable judge consider giving us the ingredients we need for the assigned cocktails?”

“I’m so sorry to inform you of this, but no,” Cooper says. “But how about we keep this farm-themed. Moscow mule. Plus, I know how to spell it. Okay, make all three drinks: go!”

“Now?” Courtney asks.

“Time’s ticking. Get moving!” Cooper calls.

“Is this timed?” Penny asks. “I thought it was just who’s done first.”

Cooper waves his arms toward them, his hands flapping. “Go, go, go!”

“This is absurd,” Penny says.

Courtney fills her shaker with ice. “This is the best night of work we’ve had in ages.”

“You’re not going to be saying that when you lose,” Penny says. “Okay, Drew, you’re doing the Old Fashioned, so three dashes of bitters and two twists from this orange.”

“I don’t think I know what those words mean in that order,” Drew says.

“Which is why Whit and I are in this to win this,” Courtney says. Though she frowns and grabs a jar from him. “Wait, no—”

“What, you don’t want cherries?” Whit asks. “It’s an Old Fashioned. I’m just—”

“Don’t muddle them, you monster.”

“This is all going to plan,” Penny says softly. She sets a shaker in front of herself and a short cocktail glass in front of Drew. “Now listen: you’re making two strips of peels from that orange, very little of the white underneath on them. Fold one in half. Wipe it all around the rim of this glass.”

“Whit,” Courtney says, “if you cut out an actual wedge of that orange, I’m not going to be responsible for my actions. Who the hell trained you?”

“I did,” Penny says. “So sorry, except that I’m not. Drew, hand me that bottle of ginger beer, okay?”

Cooper grabs his ketchup bottle. “And here we have the opening moments of this year’s battle. Penny, don’t you dare throw that bottle cap at me, and on the other team we have Whit, a wild card with the cherries but damn does he look fantastic.”

“Who exactly are you offering commentary for?” Deb asks. “I hate to break this to you, but the bar’s empty.”

Cooper winks at her. “If you let me do nights like these more often, I’d fill this place up.”

“That’s exactly what we all need, Cooper turned loose on an unsuspecting public.” Whit fills a shaker with ice. Courtney smacks the back of his wrist and he says, “What?”

“Muddle first, Whit, muddle!”

“You just told me not to muddle!”

“Don’t muddle the cherry, but oh God, just give me that. Stick to farming.”