Page 48 of Brewing Up a Bad Boy

“Unacceptable. We already have rights to everything you develop,” Howard said.

“But we don’t,” George countered. “She terminated her employment contract in 2019, when she moved to Maine.”

“That’s right, I did. So I was free to create blends and sell them under my own name. The Kitchener name,” she added, because Howard had co-opted her family’s recipe as his own when he’d taken their blend and made it into the premier blend for Lancaster-Spencer. “Unlike what you did with Ann Kitchener’s famed tea recipe. Taking her name off of it and making it the Lancaster-Spencer Reserve wasn’t right.”

“To that end, we’d also like for you to change your current offering of Earl Winfield to Kitchener’s Earl Winfield,” Alistair added.

“Now we’re renegotiating that too?” Howard said.

“Everything is on the table because I can’t allow you to license another tea blend while this is still unresolved,” Poppy said.

“It was resolved when you married my son.”

“Would it be undone if we divorced?” she asked.

His father had no answer for that.

“That’s not happening. Alistair is making strides, and you are together,” Helena said. “Let’s focus on doing the right thing for our daughter-in-law, Howie. She deserves to be treated like family. Just like our motto. What are we if not family?”

“I agree with mother,” George said.

Poppy wasn’t sure what was happening, but there were undercurrents of discord and conspiracy. In fact, it seemed as if each member of the Miller family was using the licensing of her tea blend for their own agenda.

Normally, he’d be incensed by his father, but right now, he also wasn’t feeling great toward his mum and George. “This meeting is for Poppy to talk to us and get some sort of fair offer. I understand that the past contract needs to be amended. But she’s not going to sign something you offer her at breakfast.”

“No, I’m not. What exactly is your offer?” Poppy asked. Her hand found his under the table, and he squeezed it. George had an agenda that Alistair was behind when it came to the future of Lancaster-Spencer, but to his mind, this wasn’t the time to make a play for the chairmanship.

“We’ll top what Willingham of Hampshire offered, and you’ll retain rights to the Amber Rapp blend,” Howard said.

“Willingham will be marketing the tea as WiCKed Sisters x Willingham of Hampshire. Since our brand is what is driving sales, I’d expect that in the offer as well,” Poppy said.

“Very well.”

“It’s also a limited run, for six months, coinciding with Amber Rapp’s European tour,” Poppy said.

“Given the excitement around that blend, we’d want to make it more of a permanent offering than limited,” Howard said.

“How about six months limited, and we reevaluate at the end of the term?” Poppy countered.

“That sounds fair,” George said.

“I’ll have to think that over,” Howard said. “I’ll also consider the points brought up by Alistair regarding the Kitchener name. You’ll have an offer from us in a few weeks.”

“Thank you,” Poppy said. “I’ll make my decision by the end of August.”

“I’m still prepared to sue,” Howard warned.

“I’d be disappointed if you weren’t,” Poppy said cheekily.

His father almost laughed.

Alistair noticed his father observing Poppy with something that was close to respect. As it turned out, maybe she hadn’t needed him and George and their plan. Poppy had done more for herself than all the back and forth before.

“Good. Where’s our breakfast?” Howard asked.

His mum lifted her hand to signal the waitstaff, and a few minutes later, the food was brought to their table. The meal wasn’t exactly enjoyable, but it wasn’t as tense as it could have been. For the first time, Alistair didn’t feel uncomfortable with his family.

It was because he was with Poppy. Their time chatting online over the past six months, and their moments together the past few days, had shown him a glimpse of another life. One that had nothing to do with tea or being the second son of the Earl of Winfield.

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