Page 10 of Backroom Boy
Lukas frowned. “How long have you been testing it?”
I bit my lip and debated whether to tell him the truth. Ultimately, I figured Lukas would give it to me straight. “I’ve been plugging our winery’s numbers into it for a year now.”
Lukas’s eyes widened. “And? Any problems?”
I shook my head, even as I felt a little stupid. “Nope. It’s been one hundred percent accurate, even when I run the prediction models.”
“Delta!” Lukas came to life, scrambling out of his chair and standing over me. “You need to show your dad and see if he can start using it. If this program works that well, it should be marketed and sold. You could be sitting on the next big tech advancement in the winery business.”
His enthusiasm had my own heart pounding. Maybe this wasn’t some side hobby that would amount to nothing. Maybe I really did have something worthwhile on my hands. I hopped up and took my laptop with me.
“Okay. You’re right. I need to at least try. Let’s go talk to Daddy.”
Lukas’s smile faded a bit. “Why don’t you talk to him. It’s your program.”
I frowned. “But it’s your idea about waiving the tasting fee that could raise profits. We both have to talk to him.”
Lukas dropped his head and then looked back up at me, his careful mask of indifference back in place. “Okay, let’s go.”
* * *
“So, you see, lowering the tasting fee to just one sold bottle will increase profits by at least ten percent,” I said while using my index finger to point out my calculations to Daddy.
Gaining an audience with him was like trying to have tea with the Pope. Nearly impossible. Daddy sat at his huge desk in his study at home, fingers steepled and resting against his pinched mouth. He hadn’t said a word the whole time I told him about my project, showed him how it worked, and ran the model with the change Lukas had suggested. To say I was nervous about his reaction would be a massive understatement. I knew my father loved me, but his criticisms had been sharp and swift my whole life.
“And this program is the type of thing that could change how wineries look at their numbers and are able to make predictions based on crops, consumer preference, and any other detail that changes year to year.” Lukas had stayed quiet while I laid out the program and the new suggestion, but jumped in now to sing my program’s praises.
My heart warmed hearing him come to my defense. I gave him a grateful look and he winked at me. That little wink did more to buoy my spirits than all the straight A’s I’d gotten in high school and college.
Daddy dropped his hands to the arm rests of his expensive leather chair. I stood up straight and held my breath.
“This looks promising, Delta. You created this program?” He pointed at the computer screen, his expression incredulous.
I tried not to be insulted by his surprise. “Yeah, Daddy. I started it a couple years ago, but I’ve been tracking all of Black Bishop’s numbers for the last year and it’s spot on.”
He nodded thoughtfully, staring at the screen. “Well done, both of you. I’ll take this all under advisement.” The phone on his desk rang and he went to answer it.
“Sorry, honey. I’m expecting a call from Chateau St. Sonoma about a possible merger.” He pointed a finger at us both. “Don’t repeat that anywhere.”
He answered the phone and we were dismissed. Lukas and I walked out. I felt oddly deflated. He hadn’t disliked my program, but I didn’t think he gave it as much consideration as he should have. Same with Lukas’s suggestion.
“Oh, honey.” Mom came rushing up to us as we walked downstairs. “Your father and I had reservations at The Wine Cellar tonight, but he can’t make it. Work is never done!”
She put on a bright smile, but it looked fake like most of her smiles. She loved Daddy with all her heart, living for the moments when he gave her his full attention. They were few and far between which is why the smiles looked brittle on the edges. My mother’s life was one of the reasons I didn’t think I wanted to run Black Bishop wineries when I got older. If it consumed my whole life and didn’t allow for a strong family bond, then why bother?
“Okay,” I answered her hesitantly.
“I thought maybe you could go.” Mom’s blue-eyed gaze finally took in Lukas. “You could take Lukas here and introduce him to our town’s oldest and finest restaurant.”
She beamed, pleased with her setup.
“Oh, um, I don’t know if Lukas has plans,” I stuttered.
Mom latched on to Lukas’s arm. “Oh, you justhaveto go. Reservations are hard to get and they’d be so upset if we cancelled last minute. Our credit card is on file, so just go enjoy yourselves, okay?”
With a final smile, she was off, leaving Lukas and me to stare at each other in awkward silence. I just got set up by my own mother, and as much as I’d love to go to dinner with Lukas, I was pretty sure a fancy dinner that sounded like a date wasn’t something “just friends” should do.
“I’m game if you are…” I trailed off, biting my lip.
