Target eliminated.
By the time the police showed up after receiving Sam’s anonymous tip, Xander and Kyle would already be well on their way to the launch party.
Xander Meets His Match
Kyle Hamilton was the very definition of a player. It was just too easy for him. Six feet two inches tall, dark hair, and a chiseled jaw that matched his chiseled physique. While his physical attributes were important to his playboy triumphs, it was his stark raving fun personality that won everyone over. Especially Xander. Without Kyle pulling Xander out of his shell, he easily could have become an introvert. Kyle was the exact opposite of the other constant in Xander’s life, Sam. The two of them were oil and water. As far left as Kyle’s wild side could bring Xander, Sam’s far right, staunch, and by-the-book side could pull him right back to the middle. They really balanced him. As Kyle walked toward Xander, drinks in hand, he sure was happy to have the wild one with him right now. He needed to blow off some steam. Needed to clear what he had just been through from his mind.
Kyle approached, a hop to his step and a smile on his face.
“Cheers, to an amazing weekend, and to saving lives,” he said as he clanked his whiskey glass forcefully against Xander's.
"Cheers,” Xander replied.
Kyle smiled and took a sip of his whiskey. The room was filled with people dying to talk to Alexander King, founder and proprietor of the reason they were all there at the swanky rooftop San Diego bar—the California launch of King's Ransom barrel-aged Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.
"I really appreciate you letting me be a part of this,” said Kyle.
"Let you? I couldn't do this without you. Thanks for picking up my slack lately. My head has been on the horses."
"I mean, the Kentucky Derby. Wow. What a dream come true. You have to be out of your mind excited for tomorrow.”
"I am excited. Win or lose, it's going to be a hell of a fun day,” said Xander.
“Launching your own whiskey brand in California tonight, then a horse in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. X, your dad would have been so proud—”
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have your attention for a moment," a man from the makeshift DJ stage in the corner of the room spoke up through the speakers. “My name is Jeremy Harrison with Southern Wine and Spirits. We have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to the best bourbon whiskey on the planet tonight, earning Wine Spectator Magazine's first one-hundred-point whiskey grade, and for the first time in California—King's Ransom bourbon!” the man announced as he motioned for two beautiful young women in tight white cocktail dresses. They stood on opposite sides of a large white silk banner spanning at least ten feet wide and eight feet tall bearing the name of the bourbon brand in large black letters with a regal crown and crest surrounding it. On Jeremy’s cue, they each gave a rope a tug and as the banner dropped to the floor it revealed a magnificent wall of King's Ransom bourbon bottles. They were arranged on multilevel shelves all wrapping around a large ice sculpture of a king's crown in the middle of the wall.
"It never gets old!" Kyle slapped Xander on the shoulder, unable to withhold his excitement.
Xander just sat back with a smile as he took in the moment. It wasn’t lost on him how fortunate he was. He watched as the gathered group of Southern California VIPs cheered and held up their glasses in honor of Xander and Kyle’s young company, and he couldn't help but laugh at Kyle as he watched him do a happy dance. The venue Kyle had chosen for the event was breathtaking. Sitting thirty stories above downtown San Diego, this half-open-air, half-covered ballroom gave way to views all the way to San Diego Bay. Petco Park—home of the Padres—sat just below them and strategically placed fire pits all around the moonlight-drenched room helped alleviate the nip in the cool night air. Xander looked around the venue as he leaned against the outside bar. Everyone was having a great time, and as their focus was still on the bottle display, he looked to his left, toward the rail that overlooked the buildings of downtown. There he saw something more beautiful than any of the sights San Diego offered just beyond that rail.
"I'll be right back,” Xander said to Kyle as he started his walk toward her.
"But they are getting ready to call you up,” Kyle tried to tell Xander, but his words never hit their target. Xander was on a mission.
As Xander walked over to her the first thing he noticed was the way she smiled. It was a smile bright enough to melt the ice sculpture by the bottle display. Her light brown hair fell down well below her shoulders in the back, and in the front, it loosely curled down around her sun-kissed face.
Her oddly familiar sun-kissed face.
She wasn't very tall, wasn't overdone, either. This was a formal event but she wore a basic white cotton sundress that did nothing but enable her slender and undeniably sexy body to shine. She laughed with a girlfriend as he approached, her smile continued to light up the entire room.
Xander pulled up short of where she stood and turned back toward the event to gather himself for a moment. Where had he seen her before? He didn’t really know anyone in San Diego yet. The crowd was still focused on Jeremy and his microphone at the DJ stand. Words were coming out of his mouth but nothing was reaching Xander's ears. He was busy trying to place how he knew this woman.
He downed the rest of his whiskey and pulled another glass from the tray of a passing waitress. As the gentle burn of the alcohol slid down his throat he straightened his blazer and turned back to her. As soon as he did they locked eyes and immediately her familiarity was no longer a mystery.
Natalie Rockwell.
This is going to be fun.
“Excuse me Miss,” Xander gave Natalie a smile, “I noticed the two of you were having a lot more fun than everyone else at this party. I’m a little jealous, what’s your secret?”
Natalie returned his smile. “A great sense of humor and some delicious whiskey.”
“Two of my favorite things.”
“Is that right, Mr…?
“King. My friends call me Xander.”
Natalie raised a playful eyebrow. “So we’re friends now, are we?”
Xander smiled and played back at her, “Whoa, slow down. I don’t even know your name yet.”
“Okay,” Natalie turned and wrinkled her nose at her friend, then looked back at Xander. “In that case, this is Annie, and my name is Natalie.”
Xander shook Annie’s hand, “Nice to meet you, Annie.” Then he reached his hand for Natalie’s. “Nice to meet you, Natalie.” Their eye contact lasted longer than it should have. Both sensing each other’s attraction.
Annie interrupted, “So, are we all friends now? Because I saw you over there with that tall gentlemen and I know I wouldn’t mind being his friend.”
Natalie playfully slapped Annie on the arm.
Xander glanced at Kyle, then back to Annie. “Well, aren’t you forward? You and Kyle will get along just fine.”
“So, you seem like a gentleman, Mr. King.” Natalie turned up the wattage on her smile. “How is it that you came to be at one of these lame liquor parties? Your friend drag you here like mine did?”
Her smile was all the more dazzling the closer he stood. It was strange how just because he had seen her on the silver screen a dozen times that he felt as if he already knew her. Before he could explain that it just so happened that this was his lame liquor party, the MC interrupted their conversation and made an announcement.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce the founder of King's Ransom bourbon, Mr. Alexander King!" Jeremy announced from the booth. As the mini spotlight moved onto Xander and the crowd all turned his way, he looked Natalie in the eye as he pointed in the air.
"That, is how I came to be here."
Xander winked and backed away toward the stage. Natalie covered her mouth, blushing, and with an embarrassed smile she mouthed the words “I’m sorry” to him. Before he could turn his back to her he saw her hit her forehead with the palm of her hand in a whoops-li
ke gesture to her friend. He smiled to himself as he was caught off guard by how humble she seemed for a woman in her position. He took to the stage, shook Jeremy’s hand, and took over the microphone.
"Thank you very much, Jeremy. And thank you all so much for being here this evening. What a beautiful place to have a party, right?” Xander gestured toward the scenery and looked around the room until he found Natalie's eyes. They were so blue he could see them sparkle all the way from that stage. The crowd gave a roar of applause in approval of the venue. So did Natalie.
"Outstanding, isn’t it? Listen, I understand that sometimes these sorts of parties can be, well, a little lame…" He smiled at Natalie as she covered her face in embarrassment. “But I really appreciate you all being a part of this first step in what I know will be a successful brand here in San Diego, and the rest of the great state of California. In appreciation of your support, make sure you all get your complimentary bottle of King's Ransom before you leave. It's the least I can do for you all being so welcoming of this Kentucky boy and his bourbon.”
The crowd showed their approval with a round of applause and several whistles and cheers. Kyle would later joke that they were only cheering Xander because of the free booze.
Xander continued. "That being said, I need you to know that this would never be possible without my best friend and partner in this venture, Kyle Hamilton. Kyle, come on up here and tell these fine folks a little more about our baby here. Just don't tell them any of my deep dark secrets." Xander flashed Kyle a smile as he walked up to the stage. Only Kyle could know the depth of that statement. He returned the tongue-in-cheek statement with a wink as he took the microphone from Xander and gave him a hug.
"Your secrets are safe with me,” Kyle joked. “Unless of course one of those beautiful girls in the white dresses ties me up and makes me spill my guts!”
The crowd laughed and Xander just shook his head and smiled at his half-crazy friend. He made his way offstage and Natalie caught his eye, gesturing for him to meet her at the back bar. In the background, Kyle told the crowd the story of how King's Ransom had come about. Xander shook hands and exchanged hellos as he moved through the crowd. When he finally made it to the back bar he was greeted by the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on.
"Ugh, I feel like such an idiot. I didn't mean your party was lame, I just meant that most—”
"Don't worry about it, really,” Xander interrupted. "I know what you meant."
"So, Alexander."
"Call me Xander."
"So…Xander, a Kentucky boy without much of an accent, and a whole lot of style? It’s been a while since I’ve been in the south, but isn’t that sort of a rare combination?”
“You’d be surprised. Some of us in Kentucky actually wear shoes, you know.”
They shared a laugh at his sarcasm and Natalie gave him a playful punch on the arm.
“Maybe when I bought my place out here in San Diego it knocked a little of that country out of me,” Xander finished.
"Oh, so you moved out here?"
"Sort of. I still have a place in Lexington."
"Oh, I love Lexington! My dad took me there once when I was young to the horse races. Keeneland, I think it was called?"
"You've been to Keeneland?" Xander asked.
"You sound surprised. I haven't always lived in Hollywood, you know. I'm just a small-town girl from Tennessee at heart.”
“Really? Makes sense."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Natalie teased.
"Just…the way you are. Movie stars, at least the ones I’ve met, don't seem to have your approachable quality. It’s refreshing.”
“So, you’ve seen my movies?” Natalie put her hand on her hip.
“Maybe one or two.”
Kyle busted in on their conversation at the most inopportune time. “Hey, Xander, there you are. I—Holy shit! Natalie Rockwell?"
Xander smiled at Natalie. “I think maybe my friend has seen a couple of your movies too,” he poked fun at Kyle.
"Nice to meet you. I’m Natalie,” she said, shaking Kyle’s hand.
“Wow, I’m Kyle…I love your movies," he said to Natalie, then to Xander, “X, how are you not freaking out right now? You’ve been talking about how she is your favorite actress for years!” Kyle looked back to Natalie. “Seriously, he loves you!”
"Is that right?" Natalie smiled and took a sip of her drink.
Xander gave Kyle an off-color smile. “Wow, that was real smooth."
"Oh my God…I'm sorry," Kyle said, dropping his head in shame. “What I meant to say was, Natalie, there isn't a better man that has ever walked the face of the earth."
"Oh yeah? What about all those deep dark secrets you mentioned on stage?”
"Nope, not that drunk. Nice try, though,” Kyle joked.
Annie walked up sipping on a Manhattan cocktail. She seemed the same age as Natalie to Xander—late twenties. She was tall with long dirty blonde hair and a tight black dress that hugged her slender but curvaceous figure. Her right arm was almost entirely covered in tattoos—a sleeve of sorts. Right up Kyle’s alley.
“Kyle, this is Natalie's friend, Annie. Annie, my friend Kyle.”
Xander could tell immediately by the look on Kyle’s face that he was in love. Not in love in the sense you would think of as romance. In love in the sense that for the rest of the evening the only thing on Kyle’s mind would be how to get Annie naked and in bed with him.
Some things never change.
Natalie Rockwell Takes a Chance
The next couple of hours for Natalie were like getting to know someone that she had already known for years. She could tell that for Xander the feeling was mutual. It was rare for her to have such amazing conversation with anyone, much less a man she’d met at a party. She was down from Los Angeles for the weekend visiting Annie. They’d met on the set of one of Natalie's movies years ago. Annie was an extra then, but the two hit it off and had been almost inseparable ever since. Maybe it was how she met her best friend that left her with an open mind toward Xander. It was either that or the unbelievable amount of charm that fell from his lips. Or maybe just those gorgeous blue eyes?
The two of them talked about anything and everything. Favorite movies, music, childhood candy favorites, and argued whether or not Mountain Dew was better than Mello Yellow. Xander couldn't fathom how such an intelligent woman could ever believe that Mello Yellow could even come close to being as good as the Dew. Natalie and Xander swapped stories of places they'd traveled and shared some secrets from their bucket lists. All the while of course laughing as they periodically would glance over and watch Kyle and Annie making out at the bar.
"Shit, Xander, it's late. What time were we supposed to leave for Kentucky?" Kyle ran up and asked in a bit of a panic.
Xander checked his watch and sure enough it was already 12:30—thirty minutes past the time he’d told Sam wheels up. He knew before he looked at his phone that she had already messaged or called him at least a dozen times.
He checked, and it had been three texts and four missed calls.
“Can you excuse me while I make a quick phone call,” Xander asked Natalie.
“Of course, go right ahead,” She replied.
Xander opened his phone and dialed Sam.
"So what is so important that you have to get back to Kentucky tonight?" Annie asked while he dialed.
"Let me guess, the Kentucky Derby?” Natalie interjected.
Xander smiled and nodded his head. "Hey, Sam. No, I know. I know I said wheels up at midnight. I’m sorry, we are just having so much fun we lost track of time."
Natalie smiled at Xander's words. "I have always wanted to go to the Derby. It looks like so much fun," Natalie said to Kyle and Annie.
A wry smile came across Kyle’s face and as Xander was listening to Sam bitch through the phone he knew exactly what his friend was thinking.
"Sam, Samantha…I know. I know. Hang on just a second, Sam." Xander
hit the mute button on his phone and turned to the girls. "I have an idea. Do you ladies have anything going on tomorrow that you absolutely can't miss?"
"We were just going to relax by the pool at the Marriott, but nothing important. I thought you were going to Kentucky?" Natalie replied.
"We are, but didn't you just say that you always wanted to go to the Derby?"
"Well, yes, but there's no way we could get a plane that left before tomorrow morning, and by then we will have missed most of the fun at the Derby with the time change and all. Plus, it has to be impossible to get a Derby ticket at this point,” said Natalie.
"But you would go if you that wasn't the case?" Xander asked.
"I mean, in theory, of course! But we don't even have anything to wear or anything so it's silly to even think about," Natalie went on.
Xander clicked off mute and spoke back into his phone. “Sam? Tell Melanie we will have two more guests joining us on the plane. And, if you don't mind, have her call Don Farrington and let him know Miss Natalie Rockwell and Annie..” Xander looked up from his phone for her last name.
"S-Sanders,” Annie replied, shrugging her shoulders in an is this really happening gesture to Natalie. Natalie reciprocated. It took a lot to impress Natalie; she had heard and seen most everything. But this was impressive.
Whiskey & Roses (The Xander King Series Book 1) Page 4