She huffs the purest teenage indignation I抳e ever heard.
揝tart acting the part,?I say. 揃y the time I was your age, I抎 spent three summers in the office. I never even had time for movies.?
I turn away when I realize how fucked up my youth sounds.
She puts down her phone with another huff and stares at me like I抦 the unreasonable one.
揑抳e been to the office every summer, too. Checkmate,?she says matter-of-factly.
揈xcept I was actually working.?
?it still counts. God, Dad.?
揧ou抮e coming to the damn meeting.?
揑抦 talking then if Mr. Brock has a question.?
揑f he has a question for you,?I grind out.
揢h, okay. By the way, your crusty vibe died in like 1849.?
揑f he asks you to weigh in on the coffee, you can give the keynote speech,?I snarl. It抯 weird how much you can love your own blood when they also piss you off at every turn. 揂ny chance you brought something professional to wear??
揧ep! Because I planned on making a board presentation for a gazillion dollars.?She rolls her eyes. 揅an I wear my bikini? That抯 formal, right? I mean, it抯 black.?
I pinch the bridge of my nose, hoping for a full dose of that peaberry brew and not one of those little tasting cups. I抣l need it to chase back this headache.
Still, after I lunge and tickle her until she laughs, I hug her for a solid minute.
My little smartass is growing up.
15
Taste Test （Eliza）
Later that day, everyone piles into the impressive-looking conference room with Brock and his team seated at the long table.
The moment of truth has arrived.
It抯 a stark contrast between the two sides.
Besides Destiny and I, everyone from Wired Cup is pushing forty, if not older.
Brock Winthrope himself is closer to my age than Cole抯梐nd probably the oldest person on his team of hawk-eyed, stylishly dressed twenty-somethings.
Cole insisted on looking sharp, and now I see why.
Even Destiny shows up in a nice blouse and skirt that makes her look ten years older.
Brock wears a light blue suit, but the rest of his people are more casual. There抯 a woman in a three-quarter sleeve tee and a mini skirt, and a guy in a blue-and-gold Versace button-down shirt.
Mini Skirt takes one look at us and practically sneers. 揗r. Winthrope, this presentation feels…dated. Are you sure this stuff is suitable for the younger crowd??
Destiny steps in front of me梐nd before I can stop her梒lears her throat so loudly their heads turn to face her.
揗r. Winthrope, hi. Can I ask you a question? How many of your under-thirty guests would kill for coffee? The kind they can抰 get anywhere else.?Destiny smiles.
I can抰 help but smile.
The kid抯 seriously brave. There抯 no way I would抳e had the courage to challenge a billionaire at fifteen.
揙ur guests are a mixed demographic,?Winthrope says with some amusement in his eyes. 揥e get some honeymooners and young people with their parents. A lot of business guests come in the winter months. Some are under thirty, and a lot of them aren抰。？
揑s hip really what you抮e after, though? From your Insta, I kind of thought you went for sophisticated.?Destiny holds his gaze.
揊air observation. I do.?He nods firmly.
Mini Skirt scowls at Dess and slouches in her chair.
Brock抯 whole team files in then and sits across from us.
揌ow many drinks are you slinging today??he asks.
揊our,?I say with a smile. 揇o you want to start with espresso or the drip brew??
揟he drip. If I didn抰 have to taste it, I抎 ask for an IV.?
I laugh politely. It抯 nice to see a guy even richer than Cole with a sense of humor, even if his jokes seem dumb.
揥onderful. We抣l start with the Kona campfire basic brew then. It抯 actually the perfect starting point since this is the original inspiration for today抯 espresso drinks.?Neat rows of white tasting cups sit in front of each of us. I wait for the staff to fill each one before I pick up my white cup labeled 揔？and hold it up like a precious chalice.
揑f you all want to grab a 'K' cup, that抯 the Kona campfire brew.?I bring it to my mouth and sip anxiously. My tongue doesn抰 work and I don抰 taste much while I wait for them.
Brock lifts his cup, turning it over slowly in his fingers. He takes a small sniff and then throws it back in one gulp.
His face goes blank…and thoughtful? I hope.
Does that mean he likes it?
Oof. If he doesn抰， he抣l hate everything.
My stomach knots. I抦 not used to people hating my stuff, and I can抰 afford to blow it with this crowd.
Mini Skirt takes a small sip and sets the cup down. Her face screws up as she says, 揥ell. It抯 okay. A little sweet.?