Grant fumed silently. Although he couldn’t argue with anything Tom said, he wasn’t a man who liked reprimands. “Move on, Tom,” he said in a voice that he hoped left no doubt in Tom’s mind that he wasn’t in the mood to ponder past mistakes. “Now, what’s our strategy for dealing with it without blowing this completely out of the water?”
Tom sighed and Grant knew he’d get on board and move forward. “Let’s weigh our options. First, you can ignore you ever met her and she’s none the wiser.”
“Or maybe the gig’s up.” He wasn’t even aware he’d said it, instead of thinking it, until Tom responded.
“Are you out of your mind?”
The pulse tripping through his veins made his hands shake slightly. “Probably,” Grant admitted. “What if I made contact with Alyssa and explained my involvement? See if she’d be open to letting me meet Caroline now. Why wait until she’s an adult? I could be taking part in her childhood, instead of missing out.”
The silence from the other end of the line pulsated. Finally, “It’s your call. It’s risky.”
“How risky is it?” Now that he’d put the idea out there, he was arguing for it hard, even though he wasn’t completely sold on it himself. “With our original plan, I’d have no interaction with Caroline until she hit 21. If I reveal myself to Alyssa and slowly get her to trust me, who knows? She may accept this whole situation and let me take part in Caroline’s life now. She may not. What have I got to lose?”
Tom let out a breath. “It’s up to you. I can’t advise you on this. You’ve got some thinking to do. Meanwhile, I’ll carry on as always.”
The problem with secrets was, you couldn’t consult with others about them. “Yeah. I’ll keep you posted.”
“I know you’ll think rationally about this.”
Grant snorted. Tom was giving him too much credit. He had been many things the last three days, but rational was not one of them.
“And boss? One other thing you should know.”
“Yeah?”
“Our contact at the sperm bank is making noise again.”
Grant swore. “Again?” He sighed. He couldn’t take much more bad news today. “What does he want now?”
“Another ‘monetary contribution.’” The smirk in Tom’s voice matched Grant’s perception of the situation as well. A single donation to a reproductive clinic as a poor college student had earned him spending money for a trip to the casino, but that single action made eons ago in a different lifetime had set a course of life-changing events in place. His discovery that he’d fathered a child without his knowledge, a child he had no rights to, according to the privacy waiver he’d signed that night when he was twenty years old. His strategic hiring of Tom’s firm four years ago to track down that child’s identity, using whatever methods necessary, legal or not. Tom’s uncovering of the clinic’s clerk who was more than willing to provide information and stay quiet, at the right price.
The unearthing of Caroline Stark, the child created by his donated sperm and Alyssa’s intense determination to be a single working mother.
“How much does he want now?”
“Twenty thousand.”
Grant squeezed the phone. On one hand, a drop in the bucket, well worth the guarantee of continued silence. On the other, this wasn’t the first additional payment that guy had requested and Grant hated being blackmailed. Maybe it was time to call this loser’s bluff. Sure, Grant’s activity hadn’t been exactly legal, but neither had the clerk’s. What were the chances he would come forward and implicate himself?
“Pay him. Screw it.”
“Okay, boss.” Tom waited for any more instructions, then said, “Have a nice day.”
Grant smirked and hung up.
Chapter Three
Late in the afternoon, Alyssa breezed into Tony’s office, wearing her coat and carrying her briefcase. “So, I forgot to ask. Who was that guy you introduced me to on the street?”
Tony looked up from his computer screen. “Have you ever heard of Grant Fontaine?”
Alyssa grimaced. “No. But one thing was obvious – he had no manners.”
Tony shrugged. “He was busy. Besides, at his level of the food chain, he can afford to be rude to us underlings.”
“What is he, some hot shot?”
“He’s the President of Calibrite Electronics.”
Alyssa nodded. She’d heard of them, although she’d never purchased a Calibrite product.
“Calibrite is making a big splash in new electronic gizmos – they have a whole line of cell phone products with every extra you can imagine. And they do a lot with computer gadgets and TV’s.”
Alyssa came into the office and sat down. “Who does his advertising?”
Tony drummed his fingernails on the table. “A few years ago I worked up a proposal for him. He was with Friedman, Inc. and wouldn’t consider switching.”
“Well, now. That sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one.” Alyssa smiled.
Tony studied her face, then rolled his eyes. “You know, you keep this up and you’re going to make us all look bad. As your mentor, I order you to slow down and wait for the rest of us.”
“No way.”
“If you snag Calibrite, you’d be McDunn’s golden girl.”
Alyssa felt her heart racing, precipitated by a good challenge to expand her skills and accomplish the seemingly impossible. “Tell me everything you know about Calibrite.”
Tony sat back in his chair and ran a hand over his mouth. “Hold on. If I’m not mistaken …” Tony leaned forward to pull up an internet search on his computer and typed in, “Calibrite Electronics.” He paged through a long list of articles and tapped the screen. “Yes, here it is -- big shakeup in the ownership and upper management some years back – well, ten years ago. Calibrite was a family-owned empire. Maurice Calibrite inherited it from his father when they were still doing old-fashioned stuff like typewriters and office equipment. Maurice was the brainchild behind jumping onto the new technology wave. He invested a lot of money into modernizing the company and offering the kind of products that the modern electronics consumer would want.”
Tony clicked into a new article on the search. “When Maurice was thinking of retiring, his only child was his daughter and she wasn’t interested in the business.”
“So where does this Grant Fontaine come in?” Alyssa craned her neck, trying to look at his screen. “What are you looking at?”
“Newsweek did a human interest story a few years ago. He married the daughter, and she-bang, he was instant President of the company.”
“Wow. Talk about marrying well.”
“Wait, though, that’s not the end of the story. Fontaine and his wife were on vacation in Hawaii and they were in a car accident. He was injured, in the hospital for a long time. But she was killed.”
Alyssa gasped. “Killed on vacation in Hawaii? How horrible.”
Tony leaned back in his chair. “Yeah. From what I’ve heard about Fontaine, he became kind of a hermit. Brilliant at business, don’t get me wrong. Ole Maurice left his million-dollar-baby in good hands. But anti-social. Fontaine hardly ever makes public appearances. Very secluded.”
Alyssa said in a quiet voice, “He’s mourning his past love.”
“Yeah, well, like I said, it’s been ten years or so.”
Alyssa broke herself from her sad thoughts. She stood to leave. “No wonder he wasn’t very friendly when we met this afternoon. If you don’t mind, I’m going to give him another try. I’m going to contact him about McDunn and Early services.”
Tony shrugged. “Go forth and prosper.”
“He sounds like a big shark, which I need to add to my clientele. And now I have a soft spot for him after hearing his story. I think I could help him.”
Tony pounded the top of his desk. “I’m quite sure we’ll all report to you someday.”
Alyssa blushed. “Shut up.”
“I’m totally serious – do you know how much revenue an
account like Calibrite would bring to this firm? You better start thinking about what terms you want to demand from McDunn if you snag an A-List client like that.”
Alyssa waved and left. As she walked, she pulled out her Blackberry and accessed Calibrite’s address. No time like the present. Although she wasn’t a fan of drop-by cold calls, maybe she could use the rushed introduction today as a conversation starter. Besides, if she called and made an appointment, it could take weeks to get on his calendar. Hailing a cab, she settled in for the ride.
A half hour later, the driver let her out at Calibrite’s headquarters. Although it was late in the day, she had a hunch that Grant Fontaine would still be working. She entered the building and gave her name to the security guard on duty. He picked up the phone.
“Hi, Miranda. There’s an Alyssa Stark here to see Mr. Fontaine. Right.” He put his hand over the receiver. “Mr. Fontaine isn’t seeing anyone else today. She wants you to set up an appointment for next week.”
* * * *
Grant clicked shut his laptop and snapped off his monitor. He’d been out of sorts all afternoon and he needed to get home and ponder his new reality.
He passed by Miranda’s desk and waved. She held up one finger.
“No, he will not be interested in meeting with you this evening. He’s on his way out. I can’t accommodate drop-bys, especially at this time of the day.” She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes.
Thank God for Miranda. She kept his schedule humming and ticking. Miranda pulled up his calendar on her computer. “Ms. Stark, how’s next Friday at one?”
He gasped without realizing it and Miranda gave him an odd look. “Alyssa Stark?”
She nodded and jotted something on a scrap of paper. “The only earlier appointment he has is Thursday at four. But he’s booked at five, and he needs some travel time so you’ll have to be prompt.”
Alyssa Stark – twice in one day. This time was no accidental encounter on the street. She had come here specifically to see him. Why? A thread of panic planted itself in his chest. Had he screwed up somehow? Left a clue? His careful plan was unraveling bit by bit and there didn’t appear to be anything he could do about it now. There was no way he could wait till next Thursday or Friday to see Alyssa. The suspense would kill him. Did he believe in karma? Divine providence? He wasn’t sure, but the enormity of the situation buzzed in his veins.
“Miranda, I’ll see her now.”
Miranda gave him an eyebrow-scrunching confused look. She tapped on her wristwatch.
Yeah, he knew how late it was. “Send her up.” He motioned to his open office door and walked through it, ignoring the look of disbelief on his secretary’s face.
He took off his coat and tried to will the beating of his heart to slow to its normal rate. He sat in his chair and took a deep breath. In. Out.
He didn’t have to wait long. Moments later, Miranda escorted her in, with just enough attitude to let them both know that she didn’t appreciate this spontaneous surprise.
“Thank you,” Alyssa said and glanced around the office.
Imperceptibly, he froze. Gazing at her unrushed brought him to a conclusion. She was more beautiful in person than in the candid shots Tom had captured. With her tall, slim frame Alyssa could have modeled professional wear, but the jacket she had on disguised any curves that may be hiding beneath. Her blonde hair was styled with an attractive but professional flair.
But it was her face that caught and held his attention to the point of distraction. She was gorgeous. Her lips were full and alluring. His traitorous imagination treated him to a completely unsolicited visual of taking her into his arms, crushing her against his chest and devouring those delectable lips with his own.
“Mr. Fontaine, thank you for meeting with me. I realize this is way out of the boundaries of professional etiquette but after our brief introduction on the sidewalk this afternoon, my colleague Tony told me about you and Calibrite. I really think I can help you with an advertising campaign that will increase your sales.” She walked toward his desk and stopped in front of it.
He shook the unwanted sensual image out of his mind. If he wasn’t careful he’d need a cold cup of water to splash in his face.
“Forgive me. I was distracted.” He stood, took her hand into a shake and berated himself. Twice now he had trouble controlling his errant thoughts in front of this woman. Where had that reaction come from? He was always in total control of his mind and body. Obviously, Alyssa was an attractive woman. But he’d encountered attractive women before without incident.
“No problem. Could I have a few minutes of your time?”
He motioned to the chair facing his desk. “Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable.”
“I’ll make this brief. I’m new with McDunn and Early, although not new to advertising. I’ve worked in Chicago and Baltimore before that, and have built a large clientele of very satisfied customers.”
As she talked, he watched her lips, torturing himself with his desire to cover them with his own. Grant cleared his throat. “I already have an advertising firm.”
“Yes,” she continued, “with Friedman, Inc. But could I entice you to give McDunn and Early a look? I’d like to ask you some questions about your current advertising needs. Using what gaps I uncover, I’ll come up with a variety of visual prototypes to present to you by early next week. I have virtually uninterrupted time to focus on exactly what you need, Mr. Fontaine.”
Why did that statement make his mind wander to very unbusiness-like things? “Friedman has handled our advertising for decades.”
She smiled. “That in itself is a good reason to look at what someone else can do for you. Maybe Friedman is stuck in a rut. I could give you new ideas.” She handed him a business card. “I maintain an online portfolio of all my best campaigns. Feel free to look it over. I assure you I’m qualified to help you.”
He shook his head. His carefully-monitored world was twirling too fast, falling apart. He couldn’t hire her, guaranteeing that he would see her frequently. Not without analyzing the implications, considering the alternatives.
“What have you got to lose, Mr. Fontaine?” she pressed. “My work will cost you nothing. If you don’t like the results, you’re under no obligation to sign with us. But if you do, just think of the possibilities.”
Her enthusiasm was contagious and he was seeing firsthand what an accomplished professional she was. Removing the complication of who she was, and what she meant to him, there would be no reason at all he’d refuse her. “All right. A few questions, then you work on some materials. We can meet again when you’re done.”
Her blazing smile softened the uncertainty in his heart. She led him in a discussion. She was confident, friendly and responsive. A perfect woman to mother his child.
Check that. A perfect woman to lead his company’s advertising.
* * * *
Alyssa looked over the notes. Mr. Fontaine wasn’t sold yet on her services. She’d have to wow him with her brilliance and leave him no choice but to hire her. Billboards, television, radio, magazine, newspapers. This would be a ton of work, but what an opportunity.
She connected her gaze with his, unable to hold back an enthusiastic smile. “I am so excited to get started on your prototypes. I know we could do an amazing job taking over Calibrite’s complete advertising portfolio and meeting your goal of a 20% increase in market share. I assure you I will work night and day until I have prototypes for each of the venues to present to you next week.”
He’d been nodding agreeably but when she finished speaking, his facial expression morphed into something less positive. “That’s not necessary, Alyssa. Take two weeks and do it during work hours. I don’t want you spending every waking moment on this.”
Alyssa frowned, his words puzzling her. She had never heard anything like it from other successful entrepreneurs. In fact, Grant Fontaine was unlike other high-powered business leaders she’d met, in a couple of ways. For one
thing, he was younger than most executives. He looked to be in his late thirties, forty on the off side, just a few years older than her. And despite the success he held in the electronics industry, there were times during this meeting that he seemed downright nervous. What was he nervous of? Surely not her.
“Pardon me?” His odd response to her offer of nose-to-the-grindstone hard work threw her off guard.
He shifted in his chair. “I don’t want you to break your back over this. There’s no rush in my opinion. I’ll review your results when you can get them to me.”
She cleared her throat. His casualness worried her. She wasn’t about to let this shark slip off the hook over a loose deadline. “I assure you I will work hard for your business. At this point it’s my top priority.”
He sat studying her for a moment. “Don’t misunderstand. I am interested in seeing your materials. And I appreciate your offer to have them ready for next week. But this was a lot of stuff I threw at you. You’d have to work evenings and all weekend to get it ready. Just in case you do have something else going on, such as a life outside the office, I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on you. Take an extra week. The world won’t stop. We’ll meet and go over your prototypes when they are ready.”
Another item to add to Alyssa’s list of how Grant Fontaine was unlike any other executive she’d ever met: he evidently cared about work/life balance and preached it to the point of pushing out a deadline a week in order to give her easier work hours. Unheard of in the advertising biz. She tried to relax and avoid the urge to be suspicious of his generous offer.
“Fine, thank you. We’ll meet again in two weeks.”
They set a date for their follow-up meeting and Alyssa left his office. She walked by Miranda’s desk and thanked her for the impromptu meeting. By the elevator, she turned. He leaned in his doorway, arms crossed over his chest. She stepped into the elevator, watching him as the door closed, and she added one more thing to her list – a surprising item that she definitely hadn’t expected: Grant Fontaine was one hell of a sexy man.
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