although everybody calls me Deda,” he said, pronouncing his nickname as “Deed-uh.”
He smiled, the contrast between his smooth, dark skin and white teeth striking. “I’ll be your liaison while you’re here.”
Deda turned to Cal, and they bumped fists like teenage boys. “Yo, Cal, thanks for keeping Miz Winger company while she waited for me.”
Cal smiled. “It was definitely my pleasure.” He pointed toward Deda. “This guy will take good care of you,” he said, winking at her. “I’ll see you later.”
Amelia turned back toward Deda. Someone clearly thought she needed a babysitter, and poor Deda had drawn the short straw.
“I’m sorry I’m taking you away from your daily responsibilities,” she began, but Deda cut her off.
“Honey, I am abso-freakin-lutely delighted to hang with you,” he said, patting her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”
Stepping back, he ran his eyes up and down her body, his gaze assessing rather than lecherous. “Oh, I just adore your style. I was so excited when I heard about the new line of accessories. Finally, we’re going to have something new to talk about.”
He pushed back the paisley-patterned cuff of his lavender dress shirt to peer at his watch. “We should probably get started so we can finish in time for lunch with Teagan.” He heldout his arm to her as if they were a bridesmaid and groomsman. “Shall we go?”
As they made the short trip from the reception area to the third-floor collaboration area, she questioned him about what his liaison duties entailed. “Basically, I’m here to make sure you meet everyone you need to know and that you have everything you need including all the background information on the company.”
They reached their destination before she could quiz him about what he did when he wasn’t babysitting her. “Collaboration area,” she realized, was just a fancy phrase for “conference room.”
Regardless of what it was called, it was empty. Deda explained they’d have the room to themselves until this afternoon when the CFO and division vice president joined them.
“Both of them have been with the company for more than twenty years. Between you and me, I think they’re having a hard time adjusting to Quinn being in charge.”
If Deda meant to arouse her curiosity with his statement, he definitely succeeded. But before she delved into the discord that existed between Quinn and two key employees, she was eager to learn more about Deda.
“What do you do when you’re not hanging out with me?”
“I have a very impressive title.” He winked at her. “Executive vice president of business development.”
“That is a very impressive title,” she said gravely, but her smile gave her away. “And what does an executive vice president of business development do?”
He took a few moments to outline his main responsibilities. He and his team were in charge of building new relationships for Riley O’Brien & Co., and those relationships included a wide range of potential business partners, from investors and suppliers to distributors and vendors.
“On a typical day, I talk with new retailers about carrying our products, track down companies that can supply our raw materials like denim and zippers, and vet trucking companies to join our logistics network, among other things.”
The complexity of his job awed her. “Aren’t you a little young to have so much responsibility?”
He stared at her. “Just how old do you think I am?”
“Maybe I’m not a good judge, but I thought you were my age,” she admitted.
He guffawed, slapping his palms on the conference table. “Oh, honey, you just made my day! I can’t wait to tell Harris.”
“Who’s Harris?”
“My partner.”
He looked closely at her as he disclosed this information, as if he weren’t sure how she’d respond to the knowledge of his homosexuality. She knew a lot of people weren’t okay with it, but she didn’t care one way or the
He smiled, the contrast between his smooth, dark skin and white teeth striking. “I’ll be your liaison while you’re here.”
Deda turned to Cal, and they bumped fists like teenage boys. “Yo, Cal, thanks for keeping Miz Winger company while she waited for me.”
Cal smiled. “It was definitely my pleasure.” He pointed toward Deda. “This guy will take good care of you,” he said, winking at her. “I’ll see you later.”
Amelia turned back toward Deda. Someone clearly thought she needed a babysitter, and poor Deda had drawn the short straw.
“I’m sorry I’m taking you away from your daily responsibilities,” she began, but Deda cut her off.
“Honey, I am abso-freakin-lutely delighted to hang with you,” he said, patting her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”
Stepping back, he ran his eyes up and down her body, his gaze assessing rather than lecherous. “Oh, I just adore your style. I was so excited when I heard about the new line of accessories. Finally, we’re going to have something new to talk about.”
He pushed back the paisley-patterned cuff of his lavender dress shirt to peer at his watch. “We should probably get started so we can finish in time for lunch with Teagan.” He heldout his arm to her as if they were a bridesmaid and groomsman. “Shall we go?”
As they made the short trip from the reception area to the third-floor collaboration area, she questioned him about what his liaison duties entailed. “Basically, I’m here to make sure you meet everyone you need to know and that you have everything you need including all the background information on the company.”
They reached their destination before she could quiz him about what he did when he wasn’t babysitting her. “Collaboration area,” she realized, was just a fancy phrase for “conference room.”
Regardless of what it was called, it was empty. Deda explained they’d have the room to themselves until this afternoon when the CFO and division vice president joined them.
“Both of them have been with the company for more than twenty years. Between you and me, I think they’re having a hard time adjusting to Quinn being in charge.”
If Deda meant to arouse her curiosity with his statement, he definitely succeeded. But before she delved into the discord that existed between Quinn and two key employees, she was eager to learn more about Deda.
“What do you do when you’re not hanging out with me?”
“I have a very impressive title.” He winked at her. “Executive vice president of business development.”
“That is a very impressive title,” she said gravely, but her smile gave her away. “And what does an executive vice president of business development do?”
He took a few moments to outline his main responsibilities. He and his team were in charge of building new relationships for Riley O’Brien & Co., and those relationships included a wide range of potential business partners, from investors and suppliers to distributors and vendors.
“On a typical day, I talk with new retailers about carrying our products, track down companies that can supply our raw materials like denim and zippers, and vet trucking companies to join our logistics network, among other things.”
The complexity of his job awed her. “Aren’t you a little young to have so much responsibility?”
He stared at her. “Just how old do you think I am?”
“Maybe I’m not a good judge, but I thought you were my age,” she admitted.
He guffawed, slapping his palms on the conference table. “Oh, honey, you just made my day! I can’t wait to tell Harris.”
“Who’s Harris?”
“My partner.”
He looked closely at her as he disclosed this information, as if he weren’t sure how she’d respond to the knowledge of his homosexuality. She knew a lot of people weren’t okay with it, but she didn’t care one way or the
Similar Books
