Her Winter Wolves

by Milly Taiden

  Grace met her smile. “I did the video blog so people knew I was still a part of Snow here at home, and yeah, I miss that little stinker.” A smirk tugged at her mouth. “Even if his favorite past time was humping my sofa pillows.”

  Vi grinned, lifting a hand. “That’s my point, Gracie. You’re such a genuine person, plus you stopped cuts to our benefits, kept wages fair, and opportunities open for everyone, not just the executives’ toadies.” She nodded. “Trust me. Everyone’s happy you’re back. We’re here because of you—me included.”

  “Margot’s not happy I’m back. She resents me for some godforsaken reason.”

  Violet shook her head. “Nah. Margot is an equal opportunity bitch. She looks down her nose at everyone who isn’t her.”

  “Maybe. She hates I don’t idolize her. Believe me, I tried for my dad’s sake to have some sort of relationship with her, but she made it so damn hard. She thinks I’m socially backward because I’d rather curl up with a book than stalk happy hour for a hook-up. Margot’s playbook uses sex as a tool, but you already know that, working for her. I’m not like that and she thinks there’s something wrong with me because I want more. I expect more. I deserve a guy whose hard-on is for me and not my money.” Gracie’s eyes flicked toward the boardroom and Adam standing outside talking with members.

  “He’s a little slice of heaven around here, eh?” Vi elbowed her, leaning in to whisper.

  Gracie nodded. “That he is.”

  Violet followed her line of sight. Her eyes watching Grace watch him. “Rumor says he’s your stepmother’s lover, but I know that’s bullshit. I’m with Margot every day, all day. Adam Hunt dislikes her as much as the rest of us.” She nodded. “He definitely keeps his distance.”

  As if on cue, he turned his attention to Grace and smiled, inclining his head with wink.

  “Well, well. Mr. Gorgeous-but-uninterested seems suddenly very interested.”

  Gracie snorted. “In my dreams. Adam’s known me forever, that’s all.”

  “If you say so.” Vi smirked. “But he never gives anyone the time of day, let alone a smile. For someone that good-looking to be that uninterested, people assume he bats for the pink team.”

  Grace laughed. “He’s professional, Vi. And private. That’s all.”

  “Still, you should hook up with him. If for no other reason than to drive your stepmother nuts. She’s lumped with every other woman in the thanks-but-no-thanks column and it grinds her gears. Plus, you’d get a little sumpin’-sumpin’ in the process. I call that a win-win and definitely worth the fall out.”

  With a snort, Grace shook her head. “True, but I wouldn’t do that to Adam. I respect him too much.”

  Violet eyed her. “What you mean is you like him too much. I know you too well, Gracie, and given half a chance, you’d jump that boy’s bones.”

  “Am I that obvious?” Gracie replied, embarrassed.

  “Yes.” Vi nodded and then gestured to Adam with her head. “Let him know, Grace. What’s the worst he can say?”

  “Get the fuck away from me. Or worse.”

  Violet inhaled and glanced between the two. She shook her head knowingly. “He won’t. Trust me. I can smell it in the air.”

  Gracie looked at her. Did Violet have the same uncanny senses she’d had her whole life?

  “See you inside.” Her friend winked and then scooted into the boardroom with everyone else.

  It was showtime, and she walked to the door as well, but stood watching Vi chat with the others. Grace smiled to herself. Maybe her suspicions about herself were no big deal, nothing more than women’s intuition. It’s not like her mother was around to ask, and forget talking to Margot. Maybe she wasn’t as different from everyone as she always assumed.

  Margot walked into the boardroom and her eyes narrowed. Every member was present and accounted for, plus two company attorneys, as well as representatives from their advertising division. They all sat at the long, polished table, waiting.

  “Well, gentlemen. I’m certainly surprised to see you all here.” She flashed a winning smile and slid into her chair at the head of the table, her shoulders back and breasts high.

  Grace stifled the urge to roll her eyes. Her lips parted to reply, but Arthur Finch raised a hand, stopping her. “Of course, we’re all here. Margot, you knew Grace was to present the results from the latest on the new ad campaign. Mirror-Mirror has been in beta testing for months, and the dates for the official rollout have been on the agenda.” Arthur raised one eyebrow. “I emailed you myself.”

  Her eyes swept to her stepdaughter on the opposite side of the room and then back to the company’s head council. “Of course. I’m just thrown so many board members showed in person. It’s December, and I thought most of you would be vacationing for the holiday season, the Caribbean seas or skiing in Aspen.” She chuckled, flashing another bright smile. “I suppose I thought the majority would dial in or vote by proxy.” She stressed the last word.

  Grace spared a glance for Adam standing discreetly along the windows. His eyes narrowed at Margot, and when he turned, it was clear he shared Grace’s same thought. Her stepmother had maneuvered behind the scenes in advance of the meeting, coercing some of the older board members into letting her vote in their stead. Her fury they didn’t follow suit was barely concealed beneath her cool smile.

  Adam winked, and Grace’s mouth went dry, her stomach flip-flopping. Margot no longer made her feel like a spotty teenager, so why was she tongue-tied around him still? She took in his deep chocolate-brown eyes and thick dark hair. The way his tailored suit framed his broad shoulders and tapered waist. His strong jawline and the cleft in his chin and his amazing mouth.

  She licked her lips, thinking about the way his would feel against hers and she curled her fingers into her palm, trying to quell the jolt into her nether regions. His eyes met hers in that moment and locked. Was it her imagination or did his nostrils flair as if he knew her panties were wet just thinking about how he’d taste?

  A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and she wanted to crawl under the conference room table. She’d been staring at him without realizing. Clearing her throat, she forced herself to look at Arthur, but caught Margot eyeing her from above her templed fingers.

  “You shouldn’t be that surprised, Margot,” Arthur continued. “The company is faltering. We need to turn things around and everyone agrees Grace’s proposal is just the plan we need. Or, at least, that’s what the preliminary data says.”

  “Why are you all so quick to want to fix what’s not broken?” She waved one hand. “Queen’s Rayne is the most successful cosmetics brand on the market.”

  “True,” Grace interrupted, finding her equilibrium. “In its demographic, but that market is drying up, and with it, our sales numbers.”

  She eyed her stepdaughter. “Drying up? Is that a dig at our older customer base? We have always marketed Queen’s Rayne as the fairest price for the fairest faces. My face, in particular. You forget I gave the brand international recognition. Profits are up, so I don’t understand all this fuss.”

  “Profits are up, but only by a slim margin,” Arthur replied. “We are teetering at best, Margot, and it’s time you faced it.”

  Shrugging, she raised a manicured hand. “Up is up. The economy is still recovering. Beauty is the only recession-proof industry left, and Snow has kept its market share.”

  He shook his head. “Not really. The amount of advertising dollars spent doesn’t support such a low level of return, and you’re wrong about recession-proof industries. Food services are more so. Recession or not, people need to eat.”

  With a superior sniff, she shook her head. “Weak people focus on food, Arthur. The movers and shakers would rather look good. Like the saying goes, nothing tastes as good as thin feels. In today’s world, Hollywood and the fashion industry rule. The people walking the red carpet and Fashion Avenue catwalks say it all.”

  Grace moved to the end of the conference table, a
nd all eyes shifted to her. She looked at her stepmother and for the first time in her life, she felt sorry for the woman. Everything Margot believed, everything she put her trust in, was slipping away. Age spared no one, and despite her plastic surgeon on speed dial, Margot was no exception. A slash of guilt and pity hit at how hard the woman struggled to hold on to that inner picture. It was sad.

  “Times are changing, Margot. Initiatives are cropping up everywhere, educating young women to embrace themselves for who they are as individuals. More and more, we see swings toward healthier living. You should think about taking on something like that as a cause. Beauty as more than just skin deep.”

  Margot gave a dismissive wave. “That’s the media being politically correct. No one chooses to be fat.” Her eyes gave Grace a quick once over. “…and plain is for yogurt.”

  Exhaling, Gracie looked at Arthur. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t try.”

  “Okay, then. Moving on,” he replied. “Let’s get to the data from the beta test. Not surprising, the app is a huge hit with the demographic we are courting in the eighteen-to-twenty-four range.”

  “This is your new audience?” she asked.

  Gracie nodded. “Yes. Younger, fresher. Millennials use technology in every facet of daily life, from ordering food to buying clothing, shoes, bags and even household items like toilet paper. They hunt for the best brands at the lowest prices with free shipping. Mirror-Mirror is a hit with them. First, the app is free, and they can upload their own profile pic and then try different cosmetic combinations on their face in real time. Once the app goes live, the feedback link will be changed to a shopping cart with one click purchase power.”

  Margot snorted. “How can they possibly know what products are best for them without a consultant?”

  “We give them a consultant through an online chat. The consultant can see their uploaded picture and their product choices and help from there. We preloaded a tutorial right into the beta app, so test users could see the app in full use mode from the get go.”

  “A tutorial? With whose face as the guinea pig?” Margot asked.

  Grace glanced at Arthur who nodded almost imperceptibly. “Mine and yours,” she replied. “It was how we were able to track the beta app’s click through data.”

  Margot stood. Her tall, lithe frame uncoiling like a viper, her expression tight. “And whose picture was clicked the most?”

  Grace met her gaze. “Mine.”

  Margot’s fingers curled into her palms. “By how much?”

  The boardroom buzzed with members talking one over the other. The din rose, but Margot kept her eyes trained on Grace.

  A loud whistled shocked the room into silence. “Enough!” Adam growled before moving from the windows to stand behind Arthur at the conference room table. “This isn’t a popularity contest between Grace and Margot. It’s a business meeting, so I suggest you get on with it.”

  “Thank you, Adam.” Arthur nodded. “The point of this meeting is to determine if the data from this new app shows enough interest for Snow Cosmetics to focus its advertising on a new demographic. Queen’s Rayne isn’t going anywhere, but if we decide to move on this new marketing plan, it will have to make room for a younger generation of fairest faces.” He called for a vote. “All in favor of the new app and Snow Cosmetics’ new targeted direction, raise your hand.”

  Every hand rose, except one. Margot Rayne Snow.

  “Motion passed. Mirror-Mirror will officially launch next month.” Arthur looked around the room, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. “With Gracie Snow in the lead.”

  3

  “Congratulations, Gracie,” Violet whispered after Margot stormed out of the conference with an even colder tail wind than she entered with earlier. The two stood by the restrooms, trying to gauge reactions.

  “Save your high fives, Vi. Look—” she quietly gestured toward the members leaving the room, plastering a smile on her face as they passed.

  “Shell shock,” Violet whispered back. “They can’t believe someone actually took the old bat down.”

  “I don’t know, Vi. Shareholders are a fickle bunch. They don’t like uncertainty, and a threatened Margot is an unpredictable Margot.” She looked at her friend. “That’s not exactly a good thing.”

  “Which? That you’re worried the board is fickle or that Margot will retaliate?”

  Gracie inhaled. “It’s a tossup.”

  “Then why bother launching the app in the first place? The whole premise was to shake up the status quo, right?” Violet asked.

  “Yes, but I forgot how terrifying Margot can be when cornered. She’s capable of anything, really. I know I’ve never been her favorite person, but I never expected the hate I saw in her eyes. Margot has a one-track mind when it comes to competition. Seek and destroy. And I’m numero uno on her list right now.”

  A few members shot Grace thumbs up as they passed, and Violet turned, nodding. “See? You have nothing to worry about. The vote was unanimous.”

  Gracie shook her head. “Not really.”

  “Pfft. Margot’s vote doesn’t count. I mean, did anyone actually expect her to put the best interests of the company above her own selfish needs? I’m telling you, people only clicked on her tutorial to see how much she’s aged. Like an online Entertainment Tonight segment. Aging supermodels. Where are they now?”

  “You’re horrible.” She laughed.

  Vi nodded, chuckling. “Every chance I get. But I’m totally right, too. Margot puckered like she bit into one of the lemons she constantly rubs on her age spots.”

  Grace snorted a laugh. “Stop—I still have to work with her.”

  “You?” Violet scoffed. “I fetch and carry for the woman every day, and that includes her yappy little mutt.”

  “Aww, Vi. Don’t take it out on Fluffs. He’s actually pretty cute for a Chihuahua.”

  Now it was her turn to snort. “You mean an oversized rat.”

  “Don’t you like dogs?” Gracie asked, but her attention shifted to Adam as he left the boardroom.

  Violet gave her a gentle elbow. “You know, you have the perfect in to get with Adam, right now. I mean, if you want to.” Her raised eyebrow was almost a dare as Gracie turned. “You want him, right? And you just said Margot is wicked when she feels threatened. Who better to discuss the situation with than the head of security?”

  Grace spared a glance for the man as he got closer, her cheeks burning as she stood whispering with Violet.

  “Do it, Grace. You just stood up to the dragon lady, so taming the lone wolf will be a piece of cake.” Violet reached behind and gave Gracie’s back a quick shove.

  “Vi!” Gracie hissed, pitching into Adam’s path. Mortified, she righted herself, but not before she shot Violet a nasty look.

  “Looks like you and I keep crashing each other’s paths. You okay?” he asked, reaching out a helping hand.

  Giving Violet another quick look, Gracie then turned with a nod. “I’m fine. My heel got caught, that’s all.”

  Vi scooted behind Adam’s back with a grin, shooting Grace a double thumbs up before disappearing toward the elevator.

  “Looks like you cleared the decks with that torpedo in there,” he gestured with his head to the boardroom. “Nice shot, by the way. Bullseye.”

  His grin made her knees wobble, and she shuffled her weight on her feet to counter, nearly rolling an ankle.

  “You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

  Nodding, Grace ignored the butterflies in her belly. “Bullseye or not, I don’t have the sea legs I thought I had.”

  He chuckled. “I can’t say as I blame you. The dragon lady isn’t a happy camper right now.”

  Grace exhaled, shaking her head. “I know. It wasn’t my intention to hurt her, Adam. I know this is going to sound hard to believe, but I actually felt sorry for her for a moment, that is until she got personal. Snow Cosmetics is her life. It’s where she pins her identity, her self-worth. I know we need to do thi
s in order for the company to thrive, and I know Margot is to blame for her own shallowness, but I can’t blame her for hating me right now. I basically rocked her world, and not in a good way.”

  Her gaze dropped to the ground and Adam slipped two fingers under her chin, forcing her to look up. “Never drop your eyes, Gracie. First off, you take your gaze off your opponent, even for a moment, you give them an opening and an edge—but more importantly, you have nothing to feel bad about. Margot has to learn to deal with the world the way it is, not the way she wishes it to be. This new direction is good for everyone. Employees and stockholders alike. Everyone benefits, and it’s because of you.”

  “I hope so, Adam.” Her eyes met his and held. They stood in that moment as if no one else in the world mattered, until his phone buzzed.

  He unclipped his phone from his hip and glanced at the front screen before looking back to her. “I have to answer this, but I want to take you out to celebrate. Are you free later tonight?”

  Her heart jumped to her throat and lodged like a lump, stopping her breath so she nodded like an idiot instead.

  “Good.” Adam gave her a crooked smile, re-clipping his phone to his hip. “Pick you up at your place around eight p.m.?”

  Not trusting herself to say something stupid, she half turned toward the ladies’ room, nodding again. “Sounds like a plan.” She gripped the restroom knob and flashed what she hoped was a normal smile, and not the giddy nervous tick she imagined.

  “See you tonight, then,” he said before turning on his heel toward the elevators.

  Grace pushed her way into the restroom and stood dumbstruck in front of the porcelain sink. She blinked at her reflection in the mirror. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, what the fuck just happened?” Squealing like a teenager, she reached for her phone. Violet was going to flip.

  “You called?” Adam stood in the doorway, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. The only time Margot texted was when she didn’t want the dirt on her own hands.