Page 28 of The Forbidden

“Because that was what Alaine was working on when she got sick. I want to continue something that was important to her.”

Kat stares at me a moment, then nods. “What does expanded distribution mean specifically?”

“Moving deeper into the US market, which we have a small slice of but nothing compared to the European market. We’d have to establish relationships with distributors who specialize in imported wines. There are plenty of small- to medium-sized companies looking for unique offerings to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.”

“And how is that done?”

“A seed investment into hiring more staff as well as a specialty company to create targeted marketing campaigns.”

Kat has another question, but she seems unsure of how to ask and instead spins her fork in her food. I feel the need to provide her assurances. “You’re an expert in the business of horses. I’d have a billion questions if I tried to move into that industry. I expect you’re going to have a ton of questions for me so don’t hesitate to ask them. If you’re to be the go-between for me and Ethan, you need to understand all of this, so ask away.”

After taking a sip of water, Kat says, “Okay… fine. What type of money will it take to do this, and what type of money will be generated?”

My smile widens and I point at her, stabbing my finger in the air. “Those are excellent questions. The two most important ones you could ask. I’ve got it all laid out here on page twenty-seven.”

I flip to the appropriate place and scoot my chair around so I can sit closer to her. She pushes her plate back and I put the five-year progression chart before her, showing the initial investment and the expected return over that period.

She studies it thoughtfully before asking, “What other considerations are there? More customers means the need for more wine.”

Something inside my chest expands and I easily identify it as pride in Kat. I always knew she was smart as hell, but she’s proving that she’s the right person for Ethan to have put on this. “Of course, we’ll have to increase our production gradually. There’s additional acreage we already own with mature vines. It means investing in more barrels, maybe even new technology for the bottling line. We need to ensure that our quality doesn’t suffer as we scale up.”

For the next two hours, Kat and I discuss the expansion plan and go page by page through the entire proposal. We eat as we talk, and I take a second helping. There’s no animosity in the words between us, Kat intently focused on what I’m guessing is now a challenge she wants to conquer.

Standing from the table, Kat stretches with her hands raised far above her head and arches her back. Her T-shirt rides up, exposing barely an inch of skin on her stomach, but the material pulls tight over her breasts. Head tipped back and eyes closed, she can’t see me taking visual advantage as my gaze roams over her. She might be an enemy now, but she was absolutely my sexiest mistake.

As her arms drop, I gather up the empty plates that were long ago forgotten after we’d finished eating. I take them to the sink and run water over them, but I don’t see a dishwasher, so I just leave them there. Kat follows behind, empty glasses in hand.

“What about the other stuff?” she asks.

“We need to go over it because the new investment opportunities go hand in hand with the expansion plans but it’s getting late. I’ve got an early appointment and you get up earlier than I do.”

Kat’s eyes flare with surprise.

“What?” I ask with a grin, slightly amused. “I remember you talking about how early your days started when you did training on our summer breaks.”

Kat is not amused at the reminder of our time together. Instead, she brushes past me to the door. “Yeah… it’s late and we can talk about this stuff some other time.”

I follow her, flipping through my calendar on my phone. “How about Thursday at eleven a.m. at my office in Frankfort?”

When Kat opens the door, I see the rain has stopped. She turns to me, hands on her hips. “That won’t work for me. You see, I actually work very hard at my job, sunup to sundown.”

“As do I,” I point out. “I just happen to wear a suit and you wear grubby clothes, but that doesn’t make you a harder worker or have less time than me.”

She shrugs. “I can meet in the evenings, after eight, since I usually eat dinner with my family.”

“Are you being obstinate just to be obstinate?” I ask, genuinely curious, slightly annoyed and again… a little amused.

Kat snorts and I swear I see her lips twitch in what threatens to break into a smile, but she smothers it. “Like I said, any time after eight p.m.” She then considers something else. “Except tomorrow. Not free at all.”

I nod in understanding. “The Spirits and Saddles Gala?”

It’s a charity event where all the bourbon distilleries in the area—and there are a lot—pair up with the horse industry to raise money. It’s held at the state fairgrounds in Louisville and there are loads of activities throughout the day but most significantly, bourbon-tasting tents and equine demonstrations inside the indoor arena. Typically, the distilleries each pair up with a farm—usually thoroughbred breeders, but there’s a large saddlebred community too—and work together to compete for the most money raised.

She nods. “We’re paired up with Bluegrass Barrel Company.”

“Hmm,” I murmur.

Mardraggon Enterprises is joining with Crescent Meadow, which is the largest horse farm in Kentucky. They breed, train and sell thoroughbreds and have a storied history in the racing community. They’ve produced numerous successful racehorses that sell for millions of dollars.

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