voice was so quiet and non-intrusive Hunny barely noticed it and continued. “Once you give the final thumbs up, I’ll have my team working solely on this project. Of course I’ll oversee and be the final judge on everything after—”
“I’d prefer you to be more involved with the project than that,” he stated, looking directly into her eyes. This time she was unable to look away. “Have you ever worked with your team remotely?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I think it would probably be better if you worked out of this office for a while. That way, I can be readily at your service to review and approve the material produced. I have all the faith in the world in your work. I just don’t want to be in the dark during the process.”
“But I’m on the sales team now, and—”
“I see.” He licked his lips. “I didn’t know you didn’t do any of the work anymore. I have to admit I’m surprised. From everything I’ve seen you—”
Hunny swallowed. She hadn’t wanted the “promotion” to sales but Arthur had pushed her. He wanted her to learn every aspect of the business, when all she wanted to do was put her nose to the grindstone and solve problems. Kevin had it wrong. “I’m not saying I can’t or don’t want to do the work. There’s no problem. But me staying here is wholly unnecessary,” she argued. “I’ll work directly with my old team but, if they do the mock ups in D.C., we’ll still be faced with either evaluating them online or waiting for them to come in an overnight delivery.”
“That’s fine,” the stubborn man answered.
Hunny’s jaw worked as she tried to work out what she was going to say. “I’m not sure that it is fine. I understand your company is doing very well, but my remaining here will be an added and completely avoidable expense for my company, and it would take me away from my other duties.” With what she hoped was a cheeky smirk, she added, “And, you can be assured that G and A would charge you for the travel expenses.”
Kevin returned her smiled but with a hard glint in his eye that didn’t fit with either the nice guy she knew or the philanderer depicted in the media. He picked up the phone and dialed an extension.
“Hey, Tim,” he greeted congenially.
Oh God, he was calling Tim Morris, Head Counsel, had to be.
“Yeah. How’s it coming?” He paused. “Oh yeah? Let me look.”
Huntington watched him wedge the phone between his head and shoulder. His hands flew over the keyboard of his computer. “Yep. Good for me… No. I was calling about the contract to make sure you put in language ensuring that the Account Manager will work out of this office for the duration of the contract negotiation. At least three weeks out of the month. Well, of course… Weekends… Yep. That’s your job.” He chuckled then added, “I’m sure you’ll work out the pricing.” He hung up the phone and grinned at her.
That’s when Hunny processed the meaning behind the words. Weekends. Her heart was beating so hard she thought her chest would burst open. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears, which had all of sudden turned hot. Her whole body had gone still with the tension of fury. She tried to hold on to it. She really did. And, when she tried to hold on to her temper, it always worked. Except with her brother and now, apparently, with this overbearing CEO.
“I’m not staying here,” she bit out. As soon as the words left her lips she thought of Arthur Gentry. He was going to kill her.
“There’s no need,” she added quickly.
“Firstly, it’s in the contract that this could be necessary.”
It may have been in the contract, but he well knew there was no need. Huntington started to say something again but clamped her mouth shut. She was liable to kill him if she kept going. The audacity of the man. The ever-loving gall. “Secondly—”
With more calm than she felt, she interrupted, “Perhaps we should talk about this more once the final ink dries.”
“Perhaps,” Kevin agreed with a small shrug though his demeanor indicated he had no intention of that ever happening. His body language oozed determination. Then, he reached over to one of the tidy stacks and picked up something completely familiar to Huntington. “Secondly, have you seen this?”
“Yes, I have,” she assured him. The magazine from the story about him. That morning, Hunny had even seen a quick segment about it on an entertainment news program. Interesting, since absolutely none of the three in the overexposed love triangle were entertainers.
“Do you think either of our interests would be best served with you back in D.C.?”
Hunny gritted her teeth considering all the factors the investigation and the PR nightmare. “No,” she answered honestly.
“Shall I go ahead and book you on my calendar for tomorrow, too? We meet with the board every other Wednesday, and I’d like you there.”
“Of course,” she answered with a professionalism that belied her internal exasperation. She was done with this meeting. Standing, Huntington told him she would see herself out. Carter stood as well and showed her to the door.
“We’ll talk again soon, Huntington.”
Hunny didn’t trust herself to respond.
Chapter 4
“God, I don’t know if I’m up for all of this,” Gina huffed as she and Huntington headed to her office with afternoon lattes.
“If you say so. But, if anybody asks me, I’ll say Gina Morrow lives for this sort of thing.”
Gina winked at her with a sly smile.
A lot larger than Huntington’s, Gina’s office had a picturesque view of the retention pond behind the building. There were majestic egrets standing in the lush grass, bathing in the afternoon sun. Very soft, almost indiscernible jazz was piped in from somewhere in the room. Huntington sank into the soft, leather chair across from Gina and sighed. The office was also redolent with aromatic potted plants and potpourri. There were wall hangings and feathered lamps and… It exuded Gina.
Hunny scrunched up her face. “Can we talk about something?”
“Sure.” Gina looked up from the galleys she had placed on her desk.
“It’s about your boss.”
“Of course it is.”
“Does he listen? I mean does he listen?”
“Hunny, you’ve worked with him before today, just not face to face. I think you know he does.”
“So when I tell him I’m sales now, not production, how come he demands that I be production?”
“Because you’re the best.”
Huntington huffed.
Gina chuckled. “Any more questions?”
“Why do I have to stay here?”
“Well, I don’t understand, sweetheart. When he asked if you thought you should stay, you said yes. Why’d you do that?”
“Because this job is going to require much more damage control than any I’ve worked on in years. Because I want to make sure I get ahead of problems before they arise. Because I want to implement some changes as quickly as possible. Because I want to keep an eye on him—”
“So why are we talking about this?”
Huntington put a hand over her eyes and shook her head.
“I did talk to Kevin before I ran into you.” Gina settled back in her chair and gestured for Hunny to review the mock-ups on her desk as well. “He’d like us to go over some things while he’s out of the office the rest of