“Juliette.” Her face practically glows as she says it. “She just got in yesterday.”
Juliette. That fits the woman I saw, with her stubborn hands on the wheel, messy brown hair stuck to her cheeks, and panic written all over her in a way that managed to make her look…well, beautiful.
“Right.” I nod, already flipping through the day in my head. “I’ll make the team meeting quick. You should spend some time with her.”
Rose gives me that big, grateful grin. The one that’s gotten her out of trouble more times than I can count. “You don’t need to do that, but I appreciate it.”
I shrug like it’s nothing, but the truth is, she’s earned it. Earned a hell of a lot more than I probably let on. She’s sharp. Creative. The reason half our new business exists inthe first place.
Besides, seeing her light up like that makes the whole near-death experience a little less heavy. Still, some devil on my shoulder pipes up before I can think better of it.
“Actually, why don’t you invite her for lunch? You two can eat in the café, on the house. We’ll give her the tour afterward.”
Callan would be proud. I can already hear him giving me hell for suggesting something on a whim, just for fun.Look at you, finally loosening up.Maybe I am. But I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t curious to see the look on Juliette’s face when she walks in and realizes she’s about to spend the afternoon with yours truly.
“That’s a great idea! I’ll give her a call in a few to see if she’s up for it.”
As she pulls her phone from her pocket, it rings. “I need to grab this. It’s our contact at the magazine.” Without missing a beat, she answers and heads for her workspace, her voice morphing into business mode.
I make my way to the back and the hours slip by in a blur of numbers and noise while I try to wrestle the latest batch of spreadsheets into submission. Not exactly the glamorous part of running the place, but somebody’s gotta do it.
Somewhere out in the front, I catch Rose’s voice calling out a cheerful, “Hey, you made it!”
Juliette.Right on time for round two.
I’ll give them space for a bit and let them catch up over lunch. No need to go terrifying the woman twice in one day so close together.
Less than an hour later, a knock on the doorframe of my office pulls me from my work. Rose leans against it. “We’re ready if you are, Boss.”
I stretch, rolling the tension from my shoulders. “Sure thing.”
I follow her down the hall, my boots echoing in time withhers. As we round the corner, I spot Juliette. She’s standing with her back to us, completely absorbed by the wall of black-and-white photographs. Snapshots of the distillery through the years, generations caught mid laugh or mid work.
She’s small. That’s the first thing I notice as she stands in front of me. Petite, but not fragile. There’s something about her posture, about the way her head tilts like she’s cataloging every detail, that pulls at me.
Rose grins, cutting through the moment. “Jules! Meet the boss man. He’s gonna take us around for what we call theMacKenzie Experience.”
She spins around at the sound of her name, all smiles and polite curiosity. Right up until her eyes land on me.
For half a heartbeat, her smile falters. Most people wouldn’t have caught it, but I’m not like most people.
And up close?Christ.
Whatever flustered impression I had of her through the car window doesn’t hold a candle to this. She’s damn stunning.
She has wide, hazel eyes that catch the light and me right along with them. There’s gold threaded through them, little flecks of amber sparking when she moves. I’m too busy staring like an idiot to comment on or question the tiny frowns tugging at the corners of her lips.
She recovers fast, though. That polished smile snaps back into place, the kind people wear when they’ve had no other choice but to. And then she’s holding out her hand like we didn’t just share a moment of mutual surprise.
I need to get a grip.
I let a grin slip onto my lips as I take her hand, so delicate and soft in mine. “Juliette, nice to meet you. I’m Knox MacKenzie.”
A faint blush tints her cheeks as she glances between Rose and me, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation. Ishake my head with subtle ease, offering a smile that I hope tells her I’m not here to make this complicated. When she exhales, I notice the shift in her posture. She’s more relaxed, but there’s still a measure of caution, as if she’s carefully sizing me up.
“Very nice to meet you too, Mr. MacKenzie. And thanks so much for having me.”
I can’t help but tease her a little, to break the ice and ease the tension between us. “Knox, please. Or Boss Man, if that suits you better.” It’s an invitation. A dare that I wait to see if she’ll take.
