Page 103 of Sherry and Sunflowers
Caleb put his hand down flat on the table. "The branding's beautiful. I've never said otherwise. My concern was never the branding."
Alara wanted to feel good that she'd done her part—but that wasn't the point. She turned, they all did, when Reaves said, "I know."
Caleb turned his hand over, as if gesturing for Reaves to go on.
"Your concern is whether we can deliver," said Reaves. "Whether the wine behind the beautiful label shows up on schedule, at volume, at the standard the label promises. Whether House of St. James is only a beautiful brand—or whether we're a reliable supplier." He smiled at Caleb. "At least, that's the question I'd ask if I were sitting where you are."
Caleb's expression didn't change, and everyone else in the room seemed to hold their breath.
"My father is the finest winemaker I've ever known," Reaves continued. "He'll tell you himself that he fell behind on the restof it. The logistics, the scale, the schedules. He's the first to say it. That's why I'm here." He didn't look to Ollie for support, and Ollie didn't offer any. "I've spent the last several years running flight operations. Maintaining aircraft. Running schedules with no give in them. In aviation,lateisn't a word you get to use—when you're moving people through the air, mistakes cost lives. I know how to manage logistics. I know how to manage a schedule." He finally turned toward Ollie and smiled. "And in aviation, you can't afford a single point of failure. That's why you have a flight crew. A team. And that's what we have now, at House of St. James."
Ollie smiled and nodded, but didn't interrupt, as Reaves went on. "We've spent the last few weeks with Jacob and Bentley and Willow, going through every part of the operation. The cellar, the yield, the bottling timeline, the shipping. We've built out the delivery schedule for the first two years of the Provenance run. It's conservative—because I'd rather promise you less and over-deliver than the other way around." He slid a folder across the table to Caleb. "That's yours. Take it apart. If there's a number in there you don't believe, I want to know which one."
Caleb opened it and read slowly, while the rest of them waited.
Alara realized she was holding her breath, and made herself breathe again. It was Delaney who filled the silence, casually examining one long fingernail.
"While we wait, I'll say the part no one else at this table is going to say." She smiled. "You're not the only distributor who's noticed that House of St. James is about to be worth a great deal more than it was last quarter. I've had calls. Bentley and Jacob have had calls. There's interest. You know how fast word travels." She paused. "And of course, you already carry StrattonWines. And good accounts have a way of following the people who own them."
She didn't point to Ollie. She didn't need to.
Aaron laughed out loud. "There she is. I knew the claws would come out at some point."
"I'm only telling you what you already know, Aaron. Just making conversation while your partner reads."
Caleb closed the folder. Alara's heart rate picked up when, for the first time since they'd come in, he looked directly at her.
"You did the labels."
It wasn't a question, but she answered it anyway. "I did."
"Why the gold leaf?"
Her mouth went dry. Was Delaney wrong? Did he think it was crazy to spend so much on the labels? She sat up straighter and cleared her throat. She knew the truth.
"The gold leaf isn't for the wine," she said. "It's for the person picking up the bottle. Real gold, laid by hand, that catches the light and moves when you turn it. It feels like something that was made by a person who cared. And that's what the Provenance line is all about, isn't it? Craftsmanship." She hated that she didn't know the right words for wine but pushed on anyway. "It's the feeling and the meaning that matter. Your top shelf. Your high end. People are buying an experience, not just a wine." She answered the question he hadn't asked. "And yes—embossing would have been cheaper. And it would have looked expensive. But gold leafisexpensive. People can tell the difference, even when they can't say what it is. I didn't want to give them the version that only looked right."
She finished, and refused to fidget, or to look away from his gaze.
He studied her a moment longer. And then, to her amazement, he gave her a small smile. "It was the right call."
Then he turned to Aaron, and the look that passed between them reminded her of Reaves and Ollie—they had a whole conversation without saying a single word. It only lasted a few moments. Then Caleb tapped the folder, squared it, and set it down.
"We want House of St. James for Provenance," he said. "The branding launches it. The delivery schedule—" he tapped the folder again "—I'll take apart tonight. And if it holds, and I think it will, we sign next week." He looked at Reaves. "You were right, by the way. Your ability to deliver was the only question. I'm glad you didn't waste my time pretending it wasn't."
"I wouldn't waste your time or mine," Reaves said.
"Good."
Alara was still trying to take it all in as they moved back toward the elevator. Aaron shook everyone's hands, joking with Delaney about a bidding war he was glad he wasn't in. And then they were back in the elevator, the doors closing, the four of them standing in silence as they started to descend.
She was still trying to let it sink in when Delaney let out a whoop that had them all laughing. Ollie punched Reaves's shoulder. Delaney punched the air. And Alara stood there smiling, until Reaves came to wrap his arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to her temple.
"We did it," he told her.
"Youdid it," she said, resting her hand in the middle of his chest. "Reaves, you were amazing. I'm so proud of you."
"You guys," said Delaney. "I want to say get a room—you're so stinking cute together, it's not even funny. But before I start teasing, I want to land one serious note. You impressed me in there, Reaves."
