card bills more than I see her. Anyway, it’s a big house—plenty of room. You’ll have all the privacy you need. No one will bother you. So stop stalling. Accept my offer.”
She laughed. He was making it sound too easy. “There are plenty of firms who could do just as good a job.”
“But I want you. The pay is top-notch. Thandie, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us. What are you holding on to in New York?”
Immediately an image of her mother popped into her head. She did not like the idea of putting distance between them. What if there was an emergency and they needed her to come to the care center? Or worse, what if her mother remembered something and Thandie wasn’t there to share it with her? She wasn’t willing to risk that possibility, small as it might be.
However, hadn’t Warren mentioned she could return to the City when she needed to? Would she be able to somehow cover the costs of her travel expenses? If so, Warren had asked a good question. What was holding her back? The answer certainly wasn’t Cam anymore. Lately, it only reminded her of her failed relationship. Why shouldn’t she get away for a bit? It would only be for a few months. What would it hurt? She could hand her big assignments over to Amanda. Of her three assistants, Amanda was the most reliable and showed the most promise. Besides, the assignment would give Len and Raja great work experience.
“Okay, Warren.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “I’ll consider your offer, but only because I miss you so much.”
“Excellent. I’ll have Elliot give you a call later this week. Trust me, everything’s going to be perfect.”
Later that week...
While Thandie was wrapping up her phone call with an editor from Daily News America, her assistant Len waved frantically signaling her that she had another call.
“Who is it?” Thandie asked.
“He says his name is Elliot Richards.”
She picked up the line. “This is Thandie speaking.”
“Hello, Ms. Shaw, this is Elliot Richards. I understand you’ve been expecting my call.” His voice had a deep seductive timbre, instantly sending a shiver of arousal down her spine.
“Yes, Mr. Richards. Warren spoke with me briefly, regarding the nature of your business. I understand you may be in the market for promotional assistance.”
“That would be correct.” There was a soft chuckle from his side of the line. “Warren was gracious enough to give me your résumé, and I must say it’s very impressive.”
“Thank you.”
“It appears you’re the perfect person for the job,” he added smoothly.
“Again, thank you.” Thandie could feel her excitement rising.
“However,” he said, “I’m not going to hire you.”
“Excuse me?” She was certain she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“I’m not going to hire you, Ms. Shaw,” he repeated.
Biting down her disappointment, she asked, “May I ask why not?”
“Read between the lines.”
“No, I’d much rather hear the words from you.”
“You’re a woman,” he said quite simply. “And I don’t hire women.”
Thandie was momentarily stunned speechless.
“To be frank, Ms. Shaw, females can make things complicated, particularly in a club environment. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
She was still too shocked to speak.
“But I do appreciate your taking the time to speak with me,” he continued smoothly. “I wish you the best. Have a nice day, Ms. Shaw.”
The line went dead.
Thandie stared at the phone. She wasn’t certain if she should be upset or think the whole thing comical. In this day, it was hard to believe such blatant sexism still existed. She was tempted to call him back and give him a piece of her mind, but before she could, her cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Thandie, it’s Warren.”
“Warren—”
“I heard what happened. I’m so sorry.”
“How did you hear so quickly?”
“Elliot had you on speaker phone.”
“He what?”
“He talks to everyone on speaker, but nevermind that. I’ll talk to him.”
“Was he serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes. He has good reason, but that doesn’t excuse his behavior.”
“Seriously, he won’t hire me because I’m a woman?”
“Not to worry, kiddo, I’ll talk to him.”
“I’m not sure I want you to talk to him.”
“Don’t be silly. He’s just being difficult, and you’re offended.”
“‘Offended’ is hardly the word, Warren. I’m pissed.”
“Let me talk to him.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“That’s a bit harsh,” he said defensively.
“I thought I was being kind. He hung up on me, Warren.”
“I’m sorry about that. Elliot is always pressed for time. You’ll see that soon enough. He called you during one of the staff meetings. He’s already on another conference call.”
“He interviewed me for a job during a staff meeting?”
“I’m making things worse, aren’t I?”
She didn’t answer his obvious question.
“Not to worry. I’ll talk to him. Everything’s going to be okay. Are you still interested?”
She was silent for a long while. She’d done her research on Elliot Richards. Having the club magnate as a client would add major weight to her portfolio. But having him hang up on her not only wounded her pride, it made her mad as hell. Just who did he think he was? She was now determined to make him eat his words. “Yes, I’m interested.”
“That’s my girl. I’ll talk to him. Just sit tight, and I’ll call you back.
The call disconnected.
Again, she looked down at the phone, still reeling from Elliot’s quick brush-off. Her initial shock melted away, leaving only angry determination in its wake. Her resolve to capture his account now lit her on fire, and she made a silent vow that she would be on his payroll. She’d been in the business for years, and she had worked with the worst of the worst. Whatever Elliot Richards had to dish out, she was confident she could handle.
* * *
Thandie was still fuming over her conversation with Elliot Richards days later. True to her word, she’d placed daily phone calls to his office and was informed he was either in a meeting or on a conference call. She was impressed to learn that he was never out of the office. His assistant insisted that, “Mr. Richards is always working.” But knowing this did not help her get him on the phone. He was becoming as unattainable as Bigfoot. To make matters bleaker, she hadn’t heard from Warren in days. She’d taken his silence to mean he hadn’t been as persuasive as he’d hoped. This didn’t deter Thandie. If anything, it made her more persistent.
It was 10:00 a.m., and Thandie was beginning her morning meeting with her assistants. As always, the women were avid listeners, and took detailed notes. Amanda, her lead assistant, shouldered the more important responsibilities.