have time to open it and see what was inside, but that didn't matter. The little black canister with its gray lid slid easily into her skirt pocket seconds before she reached her destination.
She was seven minutes late. By her standards that wasn't bad. However, Bristol Ackerman was not so lenient. “Christ, Wiley! What am I going to have to do to get you to our meetings on time? Tie a skateboard to your ass? Crain just sent me out to look for you!"
She ignored his tirade as she breezed past him and shoved open the huge double doors to the boardroom. The CEO was already present, as she expected, as well as the two representatives from Block, Daye, and Tripp. Pasting a smile on her face, Jolee took the first seat she came to. Bristol opted to take a chair closer to their CEO.
Mac Crain, CEO of Veldt, Inc., gave her one of those looks she'd only heard about, but had yet to experience for herself...until now. Jolee swallowed her fear and tried to appear more competent than she felt.
"Glad you decided to grace us with your presence,” Crain drawled, waving a hand in her direction. “Miss Wiley, this is Stuart Dovinsky and Ches Gorman of Block, Daye, and Tripp. Gentlemen, Miss Wiley."
She eyed the pair, noting their impeccable clothes and three-figure haircuts. A hard sell? Nah. An impossible sell.
The introductions over, Crain gave her a nod. That was her signal. Taking a deep breath, Jolee stood and went over to where her presentation was already set up. As soon as the lights were dimmed, she opened the laptop and launched into her spiel.
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Two
"Did they buy it?"
Jolee paused with a fork full of salad almost to her lips and shrugged. “I have no idea. It was like talking to statues. If those two play poker, they have to be grand champions. They didn't nod, didn't crack a smile, nothing the entire time I spoke."
Her best friend, Ferra, wiggled in her seat. “Well, if I know you, you did an outstanding job. I know that if I saw that line of clothing in a store, I'd certainly buy it!"
Her remark made Jolee snort. Pencil-thin little Ferra wearing plus-size designer suits? It would be like hanging a parachute on a pipe cleaner. “That's sweet of you to say, girlfriend, but you don't wear the same size I do. Much less shop at the same stores."
"Well, was there something you salvaged out of the promo?” the dark-haired waif continued as she dug into her shrimp Alfredo.
Jolee frowned. All she had to do was look at a dish like that and she could gain five pounds. Ferra packed it in like there was no tomorrow, and in the morning she might find out she'd lost another sixteen ounces.
"Were the two guys at least good looking? Enough to hunt down in a bar somewhere?"
Were they good looking? “Oh, yeah,” Jolee admitted. “But someone like me would never be on their ticket. No, they were more the runway model type. The kind of men who like their women obedient and vacant."
A familiar jangle interrupted their conversation. Jolee fumbled in her skirt pocket, looking for the cell phone while Ferra waved a fork in her direction.
"Sixty gazillion ring tones and songs you could put on that thing, and you have it ring like a regular old phone. And you call yourself a marketing director?"
"Oh, hush. Ah, here it is.” Jolee pulled out the phone, but at the same time the forgotten canister came out with it. A glance at the window told her the number was unknown. What the hell, she shrugged and decided to answer it anyway. “Hello?"
"Miss Wiley? Stu Dovinsky. I witnessed your presentation today.” The voice was as polished as a freshly waxed car. Bet those two-hundred dollar elocution lessons really paid off, didn't they?
"Yes, Mr. Dovinsky. I remember you. Was there something you needed to ask me about the promo?” Jolee turned sideways in her seat to avoid Ferra's inquisitive stare.
"Actually, yes, I do,” Dovinsky answered. “But I would prefer to ask over dinner tomorrow.
She was seven minutes late. By her standards that wasn't bad. However, Bristol Ackerman was not so lenient. “Christ, Wiley! What am I going to have to do to get you to our meetings on time? Tie a skateboard to your ass? Crain just sent me out to look for you!"
She ignored his tirade as she breezed past him and shoved open the huge double doors to the boardroom. The CEO was already present, as she expected, as well as the two representatives from Block, Daye, and Tripp. Pasting a smile on her face, Jolee took the first seat she came to. Bristol opted to take a chair closer to their CEO.
Mac Crain, CEO of Veldt, Inc., gave her one of those looks she'd only heard about, but had yet to experience for herself...until now. Jolee swallowed her fear and tried to appear more competent than she felt.
"Glad you decided to grace us with your presence,” Crain drawled, waving a hand in her direction. “Miss Wiley, this is Stuart Dovinsky and Ches Gorman of Block, Daye, and Tripp. Gentlemen, Miss Wiley."
She eyed the pair, noting their impeccable clothes and three-figure haircuts. A hard sell? Nah. An impossible sell.
The introductions over, Crain gave her a nod. That was her signal. Taking a deep breath, Jolee stood and went over to where her presentation was already set up. As soon as the lights were dimmed, she opened the laptop and launched into her spiel.
* * * *
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Two
"Did they buy it?"
Jolee paused with a fork full of salad almost to her lips and shrugged. “I have no idea. It was like talking to statues. If those two play poker, they have to be grand champions. They didn't nod, didn't crack a smile, nothing the entire time I spoke."
Her best friend, Ferra, wiggled in her seat. “Well, if I know you, you did an outstanding job. I know that if I saw that line of clothing in a store, I'd certainly buy it!"
Her remark made Jolee snort. Pencil-thin little Ferra wearing plus-size designer suits? It would be like hanging a parachute on a pipe cleaner. “That's sweet of you to say, girlfriend, but you don't wear the same size I do. Much less shop at the same stores."
"Well, was there something you salvaged out of the promo?” the dark-haired waif continued as she dug into her shrimp Alfredo.
Jolee frowned. All she had to do was look at a dish like that and she could gain five pounds. Ferra packed it in like there was no tomorrow, and in the morning she might find out she'd lost another sixteen ounces.
"Were the two guys at least good looking? Enough to hunt down in a bar somewhere?"
Were they good looking? “Oh, yeah,” Jolee admitted. “But someone like me would never be on their ticket. No, they were more the runway model type. The kind of men who like their women obedient and vacant."
A familiar jangle interrupted their conversation. Jolee fumbled in her skirt pocket, looking for the cell phone while Ferra waved a fork in her direction.
"Sixty gazillion ring tones and songs you could put on that thing, and you have it ring like a regular old phone. And you call yourself a marketing director?"
"Oh, hush. Ah, here it is.” Jolee pulled out the phone, but at the same time the forgotten canister came out with it. A glance at the window told her the number was unknown. What the hell, she shrugged and decided to answer it anyway. “Hello?"
"Miss Wiley? Stu Dovinsky. I witnessed your presentation today.” The voice was as polished as a freshly waxed car. Bet those two-hundred dollar elocution lessons really paid off, didn't they?
"Yes, Mr. Dovinsky. I remember you. Was there something you needed to ask me about the promo?” Jolee turned sideways in her seat to avoid Ferra's inquisitive stare.
"Actually, yes, I do,” Dovinsky answered. “But I would prefer to ask over dinner tomorrow.
Similar Books
