Page 43 of Ruthless King (Mount Trilogy 1)
Her teeth catch her bottom lip, and she looks at me with a sheepish expression. “This might get me fired, but . . . I just don’t like whiskey.”
I pretend to cross myself like I’m a priest and she sinned in my presence. “Are you serious?”
She nods and her smile returns. “I’m sure Seven Sinners is the best there is, which is why I can market the hell out of it. But after this one night, freshman year of college, where my brand-new roommate ended up holding the garbage can while I puked from the top bunk in our dorm room, I haven’t been able to touch the stuff again.”
I bring my hands together in a steeple, with my index fingers pressing against the bridge of my nose, and picture it with a laugh. “Fair enough. I have a similar aversion to gin. It tastes way too much like those pine-tree air fresheners when you puke it up. Or, at least, the cheap gin I drank in college did. Now I stick to good whiskey.”
“Only Seven Sinners?”
I shake my head. “No, I make sure to sample as much of the competition as possible. You have to know what your rivals are doing to make sure you’re doing it better.”
She lifts the bottle of champagne in her hand. “So, does that mean no champagne toast to celebrate?”
There’s so much hopefulness in her voice, coupled with the fact that I’m in absolutely no hurry to leave, I can’t help but agree. “I’ve got some glasses we can use. They’re not champagne flutes, but it means we don’t have to go upstairs to track some down.”
Temperance grins. “I’m not fancy. I was willing to settle for the company coffee mugs.” She takes one of the leather club chairs on the opposite side of my desk and holds out the bottle. “Want to do the
honors?”
I remember the last time I popped a champagne cork. It was in my townhouse on my wedding night, and Brett couldn’t manage to get it open.
Now I wonder if alcohol was all he had that night. Any good memories I tried to hold on to after his betrayal are now tainted by what Magnolia told me. My husband was a con man and a cokehead, as well as a cheating son of a bitch. I force the knowledge down as I accept the bottle from Temperance.
“Absolutely.” I grab the tumblers from below the liquor shelf behind my desk, used to showcase Seven Sinners whiskeys throughout the years, and set them on the blotter.
I pop the cork without making a mess and fill them almost to the brim.
“Whoa. A little more heavy-handed with your pouring than normal?” Temperance comments.
Instead of responding, I lift my glass, which prompts her to do the same. “Sláinte.”
We clink the crystal together, and I take a healthy swallow. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and dry, and an added bonus—the bubbles go straight to my head as I concentrate on draining the entire thing.
Yes, this is exactly what I needed after this afternoon.
I set my glass down and turn the bottle around to investigate the label more thoroughly. I don’t recognize the name, but that doesn’t mean much. I don’t keep up with the wine business.
“Nice choice,” I say as I refill my glass. When I look up, Temperance’s gaze locks on mine.
“I know the last few months have been rough. If there’s anything I can do, more I can take off your plate, just let me know. I’m here to help.”
She’s sweet, and a hell of an employee, but she has no clue why I would really like to finish this entire bottle myself. Maybe if I’m drunk when I go back to Mount’s . . . As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I know it’s the wrong move. I need my wits about me when I face him, and while I can drink whiskey all day and not have an issue, champagne is a completely different story.
“Or if you ever want to talk about what happened—”
I raise my glass to my lips again, and when I set it down, I drop my hands into my lap. “You’ve already taken on plenty. Hell, you deserve a raise, and as soon as we get the check from the Voodoo Kings, you’ll get one.”
Her expression changes into one of excitement. “Really? That would be amazing. The last time I was offered a raise, there was no way I was agreeing to the terms.” As soon as the words are out, she looks like she wants to snatch them back.
“What are you talking about? Here?”
Guilt floods her features as she shakes her head vigorously. “No. Uh, another job. Somewhere else.”
I study her closer. “You’re a terrible liar.”
This time it’s Temperance lifting her champagne to gulp it down.
“Tell me.” I already have a sick feeling twisting in my stomach. Intuition. It’s about time I developed some.
