With his thick, wavy dark blond hair and deep blue eyes, people frequently mistook him for the actor Bradley Cooper. In truth, Chad was better looking than Bradley Cooper, but Meg would never tell him that. Chad had way too much confidence as it was.

“So how did you get Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Food & Wine to all send writers?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, filling the doorway, making the space his.

“I’m a miracle worker,” she said lightly, knowing the only miracle was making phone call after phone call to ensure the right people showed tonight. This launch was hugely important, particularly with the current economy. New wineries were opening as fast as others closed and she’d spent months obsessing over every detail for tonight’s party, wanting tonight’s event to be the biggest splash yet.

“You are,” he answered, suddenly serious. “You’re a big part of our success, Meg. We wouldn’t be where we are now if it weren’t for you.”

“We wouldn’t be here if you didn’t make incredible wine.”

“But you make us look good.”

“That’s my job.”

“I know.” He paused and ran a hand through his thick hair, combing it back from his brow. As long as Meg had known Chad, he’d worn his hair a little longer than was fashionable, simply because he liked it that way. “And as you do your job so well, Craig and I have been talking and we think you should go to London for the trade fair with me—”

“The London Trade Fair in two weeks?”

“Is there any other?” he asked, creases fanning from the corners of his eyes as he smiled, revealing white even teeth. Like Craig, Chad spent hours every day out of doors, bouncing between the office and the vineyards, the cellar and the tasting room. They both drove big trucks, lived in Levi’s and cowboy boots, and were happiest when tromping around in muddy fields.

Craig and Chad had grown up in Napa. Their father had been a rancher, and had been determined to keep the land open for cattle, but fifteen years ago, after Craig graduated from UC Davis with a degree in plant science and agricultural management, their father allowed him to convert part of the ranch into vineyards, and when the winery took off, another portion was cultivated.

Their father, Charles, retired just before Meg had started working for the winery, but he still lived on the property in the original 1890 Victorian farmhouse on the valley floor. Today, 75 percent of the ranch was devoted to grapes, but Craig and Chad had promised their father that the rest of the acreage would remain undeveloped.

“No. But I thought you and Craig were going.”

“We were, but Craig has changed his mind. He told me a few days ago that he doesn’t want to attend this year and hopes you will take his place.”

“He didn’t say anything to me.”

“I asked him not to. I thought you had enough on your plate without trying to make a decision about the show. But he and I both want you to go. We’d cover your flights, hotel, all expenses. What do you think?”

Meg’s eyebrows arched. An all-expenses-paid trip to England? Work the prestigious London Trade Fair? Have a chance to put a face to some of the names she’s worked with over the years? It sounded fantastic, but it wasn’t that easy. She had kids and dogs, and they had homework, sports, ballet, and car pools. And then there was Jack…Jack sometimes being as much work, if not more, than the kids…

She gave her head a slight shake, dark hair swinging. “It’s so soon, Chad.”

“I know. And I’m not trying to pressure you, but if you do go, we should organize some buyer dinners. Craig didn’t want to when he was going—hates the whole wining and dining scene—but it’s your thing and I think it’s essential we do some wooing with our key European accounts.”

She’d worked closely with Chad on marketing and knew his goals: to double Dark Horse’s European sales and make significant inroads in the Chinese market. Meg agreed that Europe was important, but her focus was China, as China’s newfound wealth had created a demand for luxury items, including an appreciation for fine wine. Last year American wine imports to China dramatically increased by 138 percent, with 90 percent of that wine coming from California wineries. Unfortunately, Dark Horse wasn’t part of that growth, as they weren’t known in China.

At least not yet.

But Meg was privately more optimistic at the chance for growth in a newer market than Europe, where Napa wineries—despite achieving a protected name in the EU five years ago—had had little success. Compounding matters was that overall wine consumption in the EU was falling steadily.

“Which of our buyers?” she asked.

“Germany…Netherlands. Maybe Russia.”

“Yes and yes, and definitely Russia, too,” she agreed, aware that Russia was a bright spot with the consumption of fine wine on the rise.

“So you’ll come?”

Meg hesitated.