Page 20

Or maybe I lost, since he was the one talking and gesturing toward the shiplap idea board.

“I think we should lean into this. We have a strong base of loyal customers who loved the ad. They’re the people we should market to.”

Xavier and Booboo nodded while I vehemently shook my head. They all turned, narrow-eyed and expectant.

“Women were pouring out bottles of Henley to protest that ad,” I said to their blank stares. “It isn’t smart to alienate half the population.”

“Half the population?” Booboo asked. “That seems dramatic.”

I clasped my hands and set them on the table, reminding myself to keep my voice at a non-shrill level. “Last I checked, women make up half the population of this world.”

“Not all women were offended by the ad,” Edmond said. “We can’t make huge changes based on the opinion of a vocal minority.”

I blinked at him. Not shrill. “Women do most of the purchasing. Even a minority can hurt sales.”

“Yes, but women don’t even drink bourbon,” Booboo said.

I drew in a slow breath. “According to a quick internet search, I learned that women are more drawn to bourbon drinks than ever before, and now make up a large portion of the market share.”

The three of them graced me with bewildered stares.

Okay, maybe I should have phrased that more nicely, but at least I wasn’t shrill. To soften myself, I added a disingenuous, “Or perhaps I’m mistaken.”

Booboo sighed, and somehow, that single noisy breath conveyed his utter incredulity that he’d been saddled with a shrew. Xavier cleared his throat.

Edmond glanced at his two compatriots. “What if we just ignore it then? It’ll blow over.”

My nose scrunched. “I really wouldn’t recommend that.”

“Then what would you recommend?” Booboo said in the air of someone indulging a toddler.

“Apologize.”

“That’s admitting fault,” Booboo said.

Confused, I could only stare. At him. At Xavier. At the desks behind them. The brick walls. The row of windows letting in golden afternoon light. “But we are at fault,” I finally said.

The “we” was meant as a boon since I obviously had no part in the snafu, but he drew himself up as if I’d personally insulted him. “We didn’t do nothing wrong.”

I tried to use the calmest tone possible. “The ad was tasteless. Everyone dropped the ball. Now we have the opportunity to fix it.”

Booboo’s silver beard quivered as he clenched his jaw. He sucked in a deep breath, then stood and walked away. Xavier and Edmond watched him go with consternated expressions, and Edmond muttered something under his breath before following him. Across the table, Xavier met my eyes. He had dark skin, a bald head, black stubble, and his chin was a bit too big for his face. Probably in his mid-thirties, he was cute in an unthreatening, forgettable sort of way.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said.

I forced myself to relax my rigid posture. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off harshly. I just think we need to get ahead of this before it drowns us. I talked to Sales, and our numbers are already down⁠—”

He nodded. “Change is hard for some people. Maybe don’t be so aggressive.”

Aggressive? Would he have said that if I was a man?

“A smile goes a long way,” he said without smiling.

Definitely wouldn’t have said that to a man.

“Sure.” I annoyed myself when I offered him a closed-lip smile.

“Why don’t you come to the Sugar Lounge with me when we get off? I can talk you through how we do things without all”—he motioned around us—“this.”