Page 54 of Taken Away

It did.

Zack Fowler wandered up beside them carrying a bourbon instead of wine.

“I just watched three distributors agree to price increases because McCrae stared at them long enough,” he said conversationally. “Honestly, it was impressive.”

Savannah sighed.

“Zack.”

“What? The man negotiates like a Viking warlord.”

Aubrey laughed despite herself.

Zack looked delighted.

“Oh good,” he said. “You have a personality. Vanessa owes me twenty dollars.”

“Those were the options?” Aubrey asked.

“Vanessa said Bennett’s mysterious heiress would be terrifying or homicidal.” Zack took a sip of his drink. “I said she’d be hot and sarcastic.”

Savannah closed her eyes briefly.

“You made a bet.”

“Absolutely. Welcome to Mercer Distribution.”

Across the room, Bennett’s eyes narrowed at whatever expression Zack was wearing.

Zack noticed, of course. His grin only widened.

“Oh,” he murmured happily. “This is going to be fun.”

Savannah clapped her hands once near the front of the tasting room, and half the distributors turned toward her like she’d hit a switch.

“All right, gentlemen,” she called. “If everyone could grab your jackets and whatever remains of your professional dignity, the sprinter vans are outside.”

A low ripple of laughter moved through the room.

Zack lifted his wine.

“Too late for that.”

“Especially you,” Savannah shot back.

The crowd began drifting toward the front doors in warm waves of conversation and glassware and expensive jackets. Staff moved efficiently through the room, clearing stems as someone dimmed the pendant lights a little lower for evening service.

Outside, two sleek black sprinter vans waited beneath the portico, headlights glowing against the gravel drive.

Savannah stood near the steps with a clipboard in one hand and absolute authority in the other.

“Mercer team in the first van,” she called. “Asheville Beverage Group in the second. Stephen, if you wander off again I’m leaving you on the mountain.”

Stephen Reynolds pointed at her in mock outrage.

“She threatens me every quarter.”

“And yet here you are.”