Page 16 of Backroom Boy
We’d agreed to keep the flirting locked down while at work. It was the right thing to do.
I fucking hated it.
The tasting room door swung open and two suits walked in. If I recalled correctly, they were the head guys from Chateau St. Sonoma. Heads turned and a few whispers filled the silence. Mr. Bishop started the meeting anyway, signaling that it was okay to talk in front of the competitors.
“All right, folks, we have a busy weekend planned with our private room completely booked and a full-capacity tour coming through on Saturday. Word has gotten out about us waiving the wine-tasting fee with the purchase of just one bottle of wine and it’s massively increased our foot traffic. Delta, what are the exact numbers?” Mr. Bishop extended his palm to Delta, giving her the floor for the first time in a meeting.
She stepped forward, her head held high, but I could see the blush creep onto her cheeks. My chest swelled with pride. Delta was the smartest girl I knew. If her dad wanted accurate numbers, she’d be the one to have them, and I was glad he finally acknowledged her.
“In just one week, sales from non-members have increased by fourteen point four percent. To give you a frame of reference, wine sales fluctuated four to seven percent for any given promotion in the last twenty years of Black Bishop history. We have ourselves a winner.” Delta smiled and stepped back.
The assembled group of employees all clapped, knowing increased profits was a good thing for everyone. Mr. Bishop smiled smugly and let the applause go for a bit before hushing everyone. I held my breath, hoping he’d credit me with a good idea.
“I know I can count on you all to be better than your best. Let’s get out there and push wine sales. Once they get a taste, I know they’ll be back in the fall for memberships. And you know how happy memberships make me.” He chuckled and quite a few managers smiled with him. More memberships usually meant better Christmas bonuses.
The crowd of employees walked off and I hung around, a sinking feeling in my stomach. Mr. Bishop hadn’t mentioned where the idea for waiving the tasting fee had come from. I didn’t technically need to get credit for it, but a little “nicely done, son” would have been nice.
“Glad you could make it on short notice. Let’s get the tour going before we get slammed with afternoon tasters.”
Mr. Bishop clapped one of the guys in a suit on the back, steering him toward the back room. I trailed after them, only because the rest of my tasks for the day were back there too. Anger summed in my gut. And most of it was directed at myself. I should have known a big guy like Mr. Bishop wouldn’t have given credit to the backroom boy. I may have been a simple high school graduate from a small town, but I wasn’t an idiot.
“I can’t believe the sales increase in just a week. Think that’ll continue?” the guy asked Mr. Bishop, who gave him a cocky sneer.
“Of course. When I thought of it, I knew it would be a promotion we could do forever if we wanted. Sales are sales, right?”
I nearly choked on my own spit. I gave the back of Mr. Bishop’s head an angry stare. The door swung shut behind me and I turned to see Delta standing there with her hands on her hips. She must have heard her dad too. Mr. Bishop looked back at us and then got busy moving the two guys out of the back room.
When they were out of earshot, I grabbed the clipboard that held the inventory list Delta and I were supposed to go through that afternoon and threw it across the room. It hit the stainless steel sink and clattered to the floor. Oddly, I didn’t feel any better.
Delta whispered, “I’m sorry, Lukas.”
“Don’t.” I slashed my hand through the air. “Don’t you dare apologize for your father.”
She bit her lip and a small part of me that wasn’t raging mad felt guilty for snapping at her. It wasn’t her fault her dad was an idea-stealing jackass who couldn’t give credit where it was due. I’d take this experience and tuck it away in the back of my brain. I wouldn’t do that to my employees.
“Let’s just get this inventory done so we can leave for the day and go on our run.” I marched off to grab the clipboard, unable to look Delta in the eye.
* * *
I stood with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. The run had done me good. Pushing us both to a higher speed had burned off all that anger I’d felt this afternoon.
“Hey.” I straightened and ran my hand down Delta’s arm.
She turned toward me, hesitant. I hated that I put that look on her face, or the doubt in her head. I’d been an ass all afternoon, giving her one-word answers and generally being a black cloud. I was better than that.
“I’m sorry. I should have handled things better.”
Her face softened and she tugged on my sweat-soaked T-shirt. “I’m exactly the person who would understand what an asshole my dad can be. He should have given you credit, Lukas.”
I shrugged, now more interested in the line of skin that showed below Delta’s crop top. “Whatever. This isn’t the end of the road for me. There’ll be plenty of chances for me to have home runs with my own winery. I’m just grateful I got to meet you.”
Delta dipped her head and smiled up at me through her lashes. “Me too.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Hey, I have an idea. Let me go grab my swimsuit and let’s hit Nathanson Creek to cool off.”
A swim with Delta sounded exactly like what I needed to let go of the day. “Let’s do it.”
She went into her house and waved at me to follow. I did so hesitantly, even though I’d been inside her house a few times before, but only for her to grab something, and I never saw Mr. Bishop. I stayed in the doorway of her bedroom, even when she tossed me an eye roll over her shoulder. I’d crossed a lot of lines already with Delta, but being in her bedroom under Mr. Bishop’s roof just seemed like one I shouldn’t cross. For my own longevity.
Delta picked through a drawer and came out with a tiny strip of red cloth held triumphantly in her hand. “Got it! Let’s go grab yours.”
