If they hadn't been sitting on the floor, Kyle would have reached under the table and kicked him.
No, that probably would be too subtle for Mitch.
"Let's wait until we get back to Jeffersonville," Kyle said, smoothly confiscating Mitch's toy.
"We are interested in visiting your manufacturing facilities," stated Mr. Matsuzaka.
He was? Swallowing his astonished relief, Kyle dared to hope that the evening hadn't been a complete failure. "It would be my pleasure to show you Stuart Computers and to have the opportunity for you to be our guests when your schedule permits." Behind his smile, Kyle held his breath.
Mr. Matsuzaka leaned toward his advisors for a discreet conference.
Mitch sulked over the loss of his computer. Fine, as long as he sulked silently.
Kyle sipped his tea and pretended that nothing much was at stake, certainly not the first new contract to supply a computer system in months.
In the past two years, Stuart Computers' new business had dropped off dramatically. Kyle knew he had a high-quality product at an equitable price, but competition was greater than it had been the year Kyle had raided his trust fund and he, Mitch and two other college buddies had begun the company.
Back then, business had come to them. Now they had to court new markets. And they were losing out.
After eight years of astonishing growth, Stuart Computers was coasting and Kyle thought he'd finally figured out why. His entire upper management was under the age of thirty. They were competing against seasoned executives who'd been in business longer than thirty years.
The huddled conference had ended. "We would be pleased to visit your plant in June."
Three months away. Kyle almost groaned aloud. That meant Matsuzaka had other companies under consideration. But at least Stuart Computers was one of them. "We'll look forward to your visit."
Three months was a long time.
On the other hand, Kyle thought with a glance around the room, he had only three months to polish the rough edges of the Stuart Computer engineers.
***
The heavy glass doors of Drake Office Supply whooshed closed behind Maggie Jefferson, closing the door on her career in sales as well.
Of course she hadn't made any sales, so she supposed her short stint at Drake didn't count. Three months was a long time to go without income, even if she did still live at home. In a way, Maggie was relieved to have been fired. She'd hated sales, which was probably why she hadn't been any good at it. And, too, most of the merchants in Jeffersonville knew her or her family, and couldn't quite see "that charming Miss Jefferson" as a salesperson.
Maggie trudged toward the car. She was a teacher and a good one. Unfortunately, the Jeffersonville school district's declining enrollment meant that there were too many second-grade teachers.
And everyone naturally assumed that sweet Maggie Jefferson, direct descendant of Jeffersonville's founder, was working for the fun of it. So when one of the second-grade teachers had to go, it was assumed, naturally, that Maggie would be the one to go.
The problem with having a town named after your great-great grandfather, she thought, was that everyone automatically believed that fame and wealth went hand in hand.
There might be wealth in the town of Jeffersonville, Georgia, but it wasn't in the hands of the Jefferson family. And Maggie had been fruitlessly trying to correct the situation ever since she discovered the genteel way of life enjoyed by her mother, grandmother and great aunt was threatened by a lack of funds.
As she climbed into her grandmother's antique pink Cadillac, she felt flushed and cranky and not at all charming.
She slammed the door shut, enjoying the loud sound. Being ladylike, sweet and nice wasn't landing her a job. People seemed to expect the Jefferson women to sit around in white gloves and hold tea parties all day long.
Probably because that was precisely the image her grandmother fostered.
Maggie immediately felt guilty for her disloyal thoughts. She was just frustrated because she, alone among the Jefferson women, seemed truly aware of their precarious financial position.
And she, alone among the Jefferson women, was going to have to do something about it. After all, one couldn't support oneself on charm alone, could one?
Or could one?
From Princess Charming available at amazon.com and other online book retailers.
Table of Contents
Cover
Author's Note
DEDICATION
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
About the Author
Also available by Heather MacAllister in the Kindle store
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