揑f he has a question for you,?I grind out.
揢h, okay. By the way, your crusty vibe died in like 1849.?
揑f he asks you to weigh in on the coffee, you can give the keynote speech,?I snarl. It抯 weird how much you can love your own blood when they also piss you off at every turn. 揂ny chance you brought something professional to wear??
揧ep! Because I planned on making a board presentation for a gazillion dollars.?She rolls her eyes. 揅an I wear my bikini? That抯 formal, right? I mean, it抯 black.?
I pinch the bridge of my nose, hoping for a full dose of that peaberry brew and not one of those little tasting cups. I抣l need it to chase back this headache.
Still, after I lunge and tickle her until she laughs, I hug her for a solid minute.
My little smartass is growing up.
15
Taste Test (Eliza)
Later that day, everyone piles into the impressive-looking conference room with Brock and his team seated at the long table.
The moment of truth has arrived.
It抯 a stark contrast between the two sides.
Besides Destiny and I, everyone from Wired Cup is pushing forty, if not older.
Brock Winthrope himself is closer to my age than Cole抯梐nd probably the oldest person on his team of hawk-eyed, stylishly dressed twenty-somethings.
Cole insisted on looking sharp, and now I see why.
Even Destiny shows up in a nice blouse and skirt that makes her look ten years older.
Brock wears a light blue suit, but the rest of his people are more casual. There抯 a woman in a three-quarter sleeve tee and a mini skirt, and a guy in a blue-and-gold Versace button-down shirt.
Mini Skirt takes one look at us and practically sneers. 揗r. Winthrope, this presentation feels...dated. Are you sure this stuff is suitable for the younger crowd??
Destiny steps in front of me梐nd before I can stop her梒lears her throat so loudly their heads turn to face her.
揗r. Winthrope, hi. Can I ask you a question? How many of your under-thirty guests would kill for coffee? The kind they can抰 get anywhere else.?Destiny smiles.
I can抰 help but smile.
The kid抯 seriously brave. There抯 no way I would抳e had the courage to challenge a billionaire at fifteen.
揙ur guests are a mixed demographic,?Winthrope says with some amusement in his eyes. 揥e get some honeymooners and young people with their parents. A lot of business guests come in the winter months. Some are under thirty, and a lot of them aren抰.?
揑s hip really what you抮e after, though? From your Insta, I kind of thought you went for sophisticated.?Destiny holds his gaze.
揊air observation. I do.?He nods firmly.
Mini Skirt scowls at Dess and slouches in her chair.
Brock抯 whole team files in then and sits across from us.
揌ow many drinks are you slinging today??he asks.
揊our,?I say with a smile. 揇o you want to start with espresso or the drip brew??
揟he drip. If I didn抰 have to taste it, I抎 ask for an IV.?
I laugh politely. It抯 nice to see a guy even richer than Cole with a sense of humor, even if his jokes seem dumb.
揥onderful. We抣l start with the Kona campfire basic brew then. It抯 actually the perfect starting point since this is the original inspiration for today抯 espresso drinks.?Neat rows of white tasting cups sit in front of each of us. I wait for the staff to fill each one before I pick up my white cup labeled 揔?and hold it up like a precious chalice.
揑f you all want to grab a 'K' cup, that抯 the Kona campfire brew.?I bring it to my mouth and sip anxiously. My tongue doesn抰 work and I don抰 taste much while I wait for them.
Brock lifts his cup, turning it over slowly in his fingers. He takes a small sniff and then throws it back in one gulp.
His face goes blank...and thoughtful? I hope.
Does that mean he likes it?
Oof. If he doesn抰, he抣l hate everything.
My stomach knots. I抦 not used to people hating my stuff, and I can抰 afford to blow it with this crowd.
Mini Skirt takes a small sip and sets the cup down. Her face screws up as she says, 揥ell. It抯 okay. A little sweet.?
Big yikes.
Also, it抯 peaberry coffee. That抯 the trademark flavor profile.
What the hell was she expecting?
But the room goes quiet as Brock clears his throat.
揑t抯 surprisingly delicate梐t the same time, the flavor couldn抰 be more robust. I抦 fucking impressed.?My heart soars, but he holds up a finger. 揌owever, bear in mind I have to please everyone at my resorts. That抯 why I travel with a team, and today I抳e brought two of my finest people, my head chef from Lanai and a sommelier with twenty years refining her palate.?
Oh, God.
While a professional wine taster doesn抰 know coffee, they have sensory skills that can rival a bloodhound. If there抯 anything off with my drinks, they抣l find it.
For now, the rest of the team compliments the coffee while the golden duo step forward.
Cole has been lingering near the back after greeting Winthrope.
Now, he stands up and comes close to me, his presence so thick and warming it抯 like I can feel him holding me even when he can抰 do it openly.
It feels like an eternity as the chef and professional taster do three rounds of tastings, clearing their mouths with water each time.
揑t gets a solid A from me, chief,?the chef says.
Brock nods happily and all eyes turn to the sommelier, a thin birdlike woman with glasses that seem too big for her face. She holds up her cup, peering through it, her lips pursed in an unreadable line.
揑t抯 a complex beverage. Remarkably faithful to the flavors of Kona while also standing on its own. While it may not pair with everything梟ot without checking every item on the menu, at least桰 think, Mr. Winthrope, that you have an acceptable headline coffee.?
Acceptable?
Oh, my God.
Coming from her, it feels like having a gold medal hung around my neck.
I almost can抰 believe that Mini Skirt抯 揑t抯 okay,?is the worst criticism the coffee gets.
When it抯 all over, after showing off the special espresso drinks, I exhale so long I抦 light-headed and floating.
I did it.
Brock Winthrope wants to sign a contract today thanks to my work.
I turn to Cole, grinning, and absentmindedly throw my arms around him. He swings an arm around me, leans in close like he抯 about to kiss me, and freezes.
揈liza,?he whispers hoarsely.
Oh, crapsticks.
What was I thinking?
We抮e in a meeting surrounded by co-workers and clients. Not his bedroom. Not the beach.
I wince at how easy it is to slip and fall so effortlessly into lust with him that my brain exits my body.
揙h, sorry.?My voice is louder than I intend as I pull away. 揑抦 just so happy for you. Congratulations.?
Cole nods, watching me carefully.
I tense, wondering if my impulsive little hug blew our cover...
Did anyone else notice? My eyes scan the room nervously.
Destiny is on the other side of me, within arm抯 reach and still glued to her phone, thank God.
Brock Winthrope crosses the room with a bright smile in his eyes for both of us. 揂 word of advice, Lancaster. Keep her employed at all costs. Beauty, brains, and art doesn抰 grow on trees.?
...that advice doesn抰 sound bad.
揜elax. I have no intention of letting her get away,?Cole says.
I let out a tiny sigh of relief I hope no one else hears.
揑 have a contract ready with all the terms previously discussed.?Kate pulls two thick packets of paper out of a black binder. She passes one to Cole and the other to Winthrope, who immediately starts reading it.
Soon, people start filing away from the table as I begin to understand less and less of what Cole and Brock are saying in their legalese.
揑t抯 naptime,?Destiny whispers with a disgusted smirk.
I can抰 disagree.
揑 saw someone bringing in a dessert tower earlier. I think there were macaroons,?I whisper back.
Destiny laughs and we start scanning the room together.