Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

C ady dressed in her most professional outfit. She wanted to look like a relatable CEO. Which she technically was. She was owner, president, CEO, distiller, maid, gardener, and handyman for Barrel Creek Distillery.

Yesterday had gone relatively well. Luckily, Blue Stone Distillery's table had been empty. She hoped they would miss the entire conference. Some of her father's old friends had said hello to her, patted her on the head, and told her that her father would be proud. Some of them were respectful. Some of them thought she'd won because of her last name.

The tasting and tour went well yesterday. She'd put her bourbon up with some of the best in a blind taste. It was fun to hear their guesses. They all rated hers the best. That had earned her a little credit. The dinner had been a less formal affair with people drinking and mingling as they ate. She participated, but there were so few female distillers that most of the time she had to insert herself into conversations to prove she had a right to be included. It was good but exhausting having to continually prove herself.

Today she was back at it. This morning there had been a panel on charring oak barrels and the chemistry behind it. Now she and Landon Davies were up. They were going to discuss partnering with local companies for publicity and to support the community.

Cady walked into the room where men were sitting at tables or circulating between panels. Along the back wall, several servers from Landon's restaurant stood with a long table behind them filled with sample foods.

"You ready for this?" Landon asked from where he was setting out plates on the table on the stage.

"I am. I gave the bourbon to your servers along with a list of which one to be served with which food." The room began to quiet down as they smelled food and saw Cady and Landon take their seats at the table on the stage.

Cady smiled and got out her notes. She didn't need them, but they were there just in case. Everyone took their seats, and right when Cady was about to start her panel, the doors opened and in walked Bruce Bailey with Isaac and Jordan. People clapped—freaking clapped—for them. Bruce made a show of stopping at every table and shaking hands.

"Who are those asshats?" Landon whispered after covering his microphone.

"My father's old boss, Bruce Bailey. He's the owner of Blue Stone Distillery. The man in the vest is Isaac Glover. He took over for my father after he passed away. They literally kicked me out of my father's house the afternoon of his funeral." Deep anger filled Cady. She thought she would be afraid of seeing them again. She thought she would be embarrassed. She thought she would feel small. And she did feel small, but she felt small like a small amount of C-4 waiting to explode. She was angry. So angry at their interruption and antics, but wasn't surprised by them.

"And the other guy who can't stop staring at you?" Landon whispered.

"Jordan Sanders. My former boyfriend who is now Isaac's assistant distiller. He was promoted a couple of years ago."

"He looks like a douche."

Cady laughed. It surprised her so much that she didn't cover the microphone and everyone stopped and stared at her.

"Cady Cat!" Bruce bellowed using the nickname everyone knew she hated. "So sorry for the interruption. It is nice seeing so many old friends. Go on, though. Let's see what you can teach us, little girl."

"My first lesson of the day," Cady said with a fake smile on her face. "The little hand on the clock is the hour and the big hand is the minutes. As we can see, you need to learn how to read them." Cady realized she was tired. Tired of trying to get them all to like her. They wouldn't. They would see her as a stupid little girl playing pretend distiller. So, why try?

Landon laughed and several others did too.

Cady relaxed back into her chair. She wasn't a college student anymore. She was a grown woman who had built this distillery up out of nothing to become the best new distillery in Kentucky. She didn't have to prove anything to anyone.

"Next to me is Golden Star chef Landon Davies," Cady said, beginning her presentation. And the men listened.

They listened to her talking about flavor panels and they listened to Landon talking about how beneficial it was for his business to partner with Cady's. There were murmurs of approval as the men tasted Landon's food and her bourbon.

"Now, let's open it to questions," Cady said.

Hands shot up all around the room. She and Landon answered questions—good questions—for almost thirty minutes before the panel closed. There would be a short break, and then the next panel would begin.

"That went really well," Landon said happily as they walked off the stage.

"I think so too. Thank you so much for helping me with not only the panel, but with our partnership. You believed in me."

Landon hugged her and she had a brief moment wishing it was her father hugging her. "And you believed in me and my food," Landon told her.

"A married man, tsk tsk ."

Cady stepped from Landon's arms to find Jordan rocking back on his heels with censure on his face.

"Excuse me?" Landon's tone was deadly.

"I didn't expect that from little Cady Cat, but I guess that explains a lot."

"You mean, like how she has friends in this town because she's so smart and talented? Hey, honey." Kate Davies stepped past Jordan and kissed Landon. "You both were amazing on your panel. I'm sure Will Ashton will call you soon, but I had to tell you how excited the team is about the upcoming ad and our partnership. They can't wait."

"Will Ashton?" Cady saw Bruce perk up as he joined them. "The owner of the football team? The Thoroughbreds? Wait, you're that coach. That lady coach."

"I am. Kate Davies. And you are?"

"Bruce Bailey, owner of Blue Stone Distillery. Our bourbon is served at the stadium. This is Isaac Glover, our master distiller, and Jordan Sanders, the assistant distiller."

"Ah, yes, the one who accused my husband of sleeping with our good friend, Cady," Kate said, annoyance clear on her face and in her voice. She coached pro football players. Nothing intimidated her.

Bruce turned a little red as he looked at Jordan, and Cady almost laughed.

"Wait, what partnership?" Jordan asked after mumbling an apology.

That caught Bruce's attention. "Yes, what partnership?"

Kate smiled and it didn't look friendly. "As you know, the stadium has two more years on our contract with Blue Stone to supply bourbon to the main arena. However, we've secured the rights to serve Barrel Creek Bourbon in our suites. VIPs deserve the best."

Cady smiled serenely at their outraged looks.

"Our contract—" Bruce began to say, but Kate waved him away.

"Says that you're the majority supplier, which you are. But I'm sure Will Ashton will be happy to talk to you about it. I will warn you though, you might not want to insult Cady to him like this guy did a minute ago. Will and his wife, Kenna, love Cady to pieces. We all do. The entire team, the entire town. Honey, are you ready?" Kate smiled sweetly at Landon as if she hadn't just threatened a bourbon billionaire.

"Cady, walk us out?" Landon asked nicely as Kate looped her arm around Cady's. They were such good friends. They weren't going to leave her there with the people she thought should be her closest friends and supporters, but who were now her biggest naysayers.

"Well, they're assholes," Kate said the second they were outside.

"My father worked for Bruce for decades. Jordan used to be my boyfriend. I don't understand why they turned against me. It had to be because I wouldn't turn over the recipes I made with my father."

"I'd say after that panel, you'll have a lot more people wanting to talk to you. It was excellent. I'm a layman and I learned so much," Kate told her.

Cady hugged Kate and thanked them both. She couldn't hide outside with her friends no matter how much she wanted to avoid the questions she knew Bruce and Jordan would have for her. She had a conference to put on.

"Cady, do you have a moment?" Shoot. Now what? Her "rival" Daniel Long stood waiting for her as Kate and Landon drove away.

"What can I do for you, Daniel?" Cady asked, glancing at her watch to make sure she started the next panel on time.

"Is there a way to try your gin? I've been toying with the idea of making it for the short term while I have some barrels aging. I believe you said you did that and it worked well for you financially?"

Daniel Long, asking her for advice? She didn't know what to think.

"Sure. Let me start the next panel, then I'll get some from my bottle room."

Cady introduced the next panel, saw Daniel lingering against the back wall, and headed out of the room. She had to go to a neighboring building to get the samples for Daniel.

She unlocked the door, crossed the entry of the storefront, and walked behind the bar in the tasting room. She flicked on the lights to the former closet that now served as a room to store opened bottles for tastings. Cady was heading to the back wall where the gin was when the door slammed shut.

Cady whipped around in fear and gave a little yelp. She heard the lock turn and then nothing. "Hello?" Cady called out as she went to open the door. It didn't budge. It was locked from the outside.

Cady shook the door. She pounded on it. She screamed. Nothing helped. Joey and Harlan were working in the other distillery buildings far away and wouldn't hear her. Everyone else was in the presentation. She put her hand in her back pocket to reach for her phone but found it empty.

Cady rested her head against the door. Her phone was with her things at the MC's table. She had left it there after introducing the next presenters for the last panel of the evening.

She was stuck here until someone came looking for her. Maybe Daniel would notify someone when she didn't come back with her gin. Or maybe it was Daniel who locked her in because the door shutting on its own wouldn't have caused this. Only the door shutting and locking it with a key would.

Cady stepped back from the door and stared at it as if it would come alive and attack her. Someone had done this to her deliberately, but who?