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One side of Jackson’s mouth tilted up "I’ve hired waitstaff And bartenders All you have to worry about isenough food for three hundred people, keeping it hot without drying it out, and coordinating the simultaneous service of three hundred appetizers, entrees, and desserts--all while e waitstaff I’d only meet a few hours in advance--was absolutely no problerand I’d ever earned

My smile was much more confident than I felt "Great I’d like to talk to the coordinator today, if possible"

"I’ll have Rayford give you her contact information before you leave And the coordinator from the Wounded Warrior Project wants to speak with you, too"

So the charity gala was to raise money for wounded veterans I was surprised it wasn’t for so more superficial, like Billionaires Without Trophy Wives or the Southern Selfish Jerk Fund

My ex would’ve been a founding member of that last one

I said, "Oh, you were in themarble island in the center of the kitchen, pulled out a stool, and sat down He folded his hands and looked at ether "About thepile of none-of-your-da anya stool on the opposite side Fro on until two o’clock thiss?"

I said, "No"

Jackson’s head snapped up Unblinking, he glared at s Specifically, Boudreaux Bourbon pairings"

He stared athe was about to start growling again, but all he said was a curt, "Explain"

My heart picking up tempo, I said, "When I told you I loved your faood reason it’s the world’s bestselling spirit--"

"Yes Millions of dollars of ," Jackson said

I was taken aback by the bitterness in his tone "No It’s because it’s the best bourbon ether, he looked away "You already have the job, Miss Hardwick You don’t have to blow s, I retorted, "I never blow smoke into anyone’s orifices, Mr Boudreaux Your bourbon is the best, or I wouldn’t put it in aze cut back tolike a live wire between us I got the feeling he didn’t quite knohat to do withmouth And I certainly didn’t knohat to do with hih thiswith hi teed off enough to fire me I needed the money too much

"Look All this food I’ve proposed"--I pointed at the pages in his hands--"was chosen specifically because it would pair ith and highlight the unique aspects of the various lines of bourbon that you sell"

"That my fa to this h a minefield Whatever the story was behind his attitude toward his family business, it was a doozy

"Excuse me," I said primly "That your fa on this event, as opposed to Joe Billionaire whose family makes urinal cakes, it would be nice to showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of your fauests,to all this trouble to make this event special, why not dazzle them with all the bells and whistles? Show them what the Boudreaux family na the craft of distilling tastes like Give ’em the steak, not just the sizzle!"