by Regina Hart
Iris led him the few steps into her living room and gestured toward her chunky, emerald sofa. “Have a seat.” The invitation went against her grain. She’d never intended to entertain clients in her home. But by showing up on her doorstep and questioning her character, he’d left her no choice.
Tyler hesitated a second or two before shrugging off his overcoat and following her instructions. Iris didn’t take his coat. He wouldn’t be staying that long.
“What happened at RGB?” Tyler set his coat on the cushion beside him.
Iris settled onto her matching love seat. “RGB was my second job out of college. I’d worked there for more than five years as a public relations coordinator. Meanwhile, other people with less experience and ability than me were advanced ahead of me because they either had the look the executives wanted or their father knew someone in management.”
“The old boys’ club.” Tyler’s tone was dry.
“Exactly.” Iris crossed her legs and folded her arms. Her stomach still churned at the injustice. She’d never forget it. “I’m not proud of the fact that I played their game for so long. I thought my hard work and dedication would be rewarded. Instead, I behaved like the definition of insanity.”
“You were literally doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.” Tyler’s eyes no longer burned with the fires of retribution. They’d softened with an empathy Iris was even less comfortable with.
“That’s right.” She lifted her chin, defiant. “I was passed over for a fourth time for an account executive position. Management promoted the son of one of the vice president’s friends. My consolation prize was being assigned to his team provided I did his work.”
Tyler frowned. “If they wanted you to do his work, why did they give him the job?”
“His father wanted him to have the title and pay.” Iris swung her right calf in short, stiff movements. “And to take the credit.”
“Unbelievable. What did you do?”
“That’s probably where the claims of unethical behavior come in.” Iris didn’t hesitate. “I told them in anatomically correct terms what they could do with their offer and how they could do it. But I didn’t give them the chance to fire me. I quit. I can show you the email if you doubt me.”
Tyler’s eyebrows leapt up his high forehead. “You responded in an email?”
“Maybe that’s how Pete Kimball got the idea that my behavior was unethical.”
“Who mentioned Pete Kimball?” Tyler’s enigmatic expression didn’t fool Iris.
“It’s simple deduction, Sherlock.” Iris stopped swinging her leg. “Pete Kimball wants your account. And he knows I have it.”
* * *
The marketing consultant was on to him. Tyler looked away. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—lie to her. And he was glad she’d stopped swinging her leg. He’d been distracted by those shapely limbs in the faded, red leggings. About half of his bluster had been his attempt to mask his reaction to them.
His fingers twitched, itching to remove the clip binding her sable tresses. But the style emphasized her elegant, warm-honey features: high cheekbones, long nose, that Cupid’s bow mouth. He could blissfully drown in her wide, coffee eyes.
Tyler pulled his gaze from Iris’s face and let it roam over her living room. The decor reflected the woman: modern, well put together, bold; from the large emerald sofa and matching love seat, to the sterling-silver-and-onyx entertainment center and matching coffee table. Three of the walls were painted pure white. The wall behind the entertainment center was deep red. The lamp on the silver-and-onyx corner table was carved from stone. The beige wall-to-wall carpet must have come with the townhome.
“I’m sorry I accused you instead of asking for an explanation.” Tyler’s attention dropped to the magazine spread open on her coffee table. It was the latest issue of a computer gaming publication.
“Corporate espionage is a hot-button issue in the gaming industry.” Iris shrugged. “Being told you’ve hired an ethically challenged consultant probably didn’t sit well with you.”
“I appreciate your understanding.”
“Now that we’ve gotten that straightened out, I’m going to settle in for the evening.” She stood, unfolding her arms. “I’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare for your executive team meeting Monday morning.”
I’m being dismissed. Tyler suppressed a smile as he rose from Iris’s sofa. “Of course. I’m sorry to barge in on you at home.”
“I’m glad we talked it through.” Iris led him to her door. “Once you get to know me, you’ll realize you can trust me. I understand and respect your need for confidentiality.”
Tyler jerked his attention from her hips. He shouldn’t be checking out his consultant. “Thank you.”
Iris opened her front door, pulling it wider as she stepped back. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
Tyler stepped over the threshold, then looked back at her. “Should we get together to discuss the agenda for Monday’s meeting?”
Her winged eyebrows knitted. “We already discussed most of it when we met this morning.”
“All right. Good.” He hadn’t felt this awkward around a female since puberty. “One thing we didn’t discuss, though, was where you’ll be working.”
She frowned. “I usually work out of my office.”
“I think it would better for you to work out of ours.” Where had that come from?
“Why?” Iris looked as startled as Tyler felt.
“You pointed out yourself that we’re on a tight schedule, which is even tighter since you insist on an internal launch.”
“The internal launch is the right thing to do for your employees.”
“I’ve conceded that.” Tyler propped his shoulder against the doorjamb and looked into her eyes. “But it will be more efficient for us to work together if you’re near me.”
“I’m working on projects for other clients, as well.”
“Are any of those projects as big as Anderson Adventures’ launches?”
“Of course not.”
“Then you can fit them in around our launches while you’re working in our office.”
Their eyes locked in a contest of wills. Tyler sensed Iris’s struggle to construct counterarguments. He’d never worked with a consultant like Iris. She obviously didn’t subscribe to the belief that the customer was always right. But whereas she’d won the battle of the internal launch, Tyler was determined to win this contest. It might be his only victory during the entire project.
Her slender shoulders rose and fell beneath her oversize NBA sweatshirt. “All right. I’ll work out of your office.”
“Thank you.” Tyler straightened from her door. “I’ll see you Monday, then.”
“I guess you will.”
Tyler couldn’t conquer this smile. She’d sounded so annoyed. “We’ll get you set up with an office and a security key card.” He turned and strode to his car without waiting for her response.
If absence made the heart grow fonder, maybe seeing Iris every day would lessen his growing attraction to the marketing consultant. Somehow, he doubted it.
* * *
The Anderson Adventures executive team looked bright and alert, as though they’d been up for hours. It was only eight o’clock. Iris wasn’t used to interacting with such energetic executives so early, especially on a Monday morning. What was their secret? Was it the coffee?
“I’ll make the introductions.” Tyler sat beside Iris on one side of the large sterling silver–framed Plexiglas conference table. He gestured toward the distinguished older gentleman at the head of the table. “Foster Anderson is our CEO. He founded this company with his brother, Gray.”
Foster inclined his head. “Good to meet you.”
“You, as well.” Iris recogni
zed Tyler’s father from photos she’d found on the internet. Those images hadn’t done him justice.
In person, Foster Anderson was an attractive, charismatic figure. Father and son bore a close resemblance: perfect sienna skin; square, chiseled features; long, broad nose; full, sensual lips. In fact, all of the Anderson Adventures men were easy on the eyes. They looked more like classic Hollywood heartthrobs than stereotypical computer nerds.
Focus, Iris.
Tyler gestured toward the opposite end of the table where the only other woman in the room sat. “My aunt, Kayla Cooper Anderson, is a member of our executive team.”
Kayla’s large onyx eyes twinkled. “Thank you for coming, Iris.”
“Thank you for the opportunity.” Iris admired the timeless woman’s grace and style. She wore an ice-blue skirt suit. Her glossy, still-dark hair was swept up and back in a chignon, displaying understated but expensive pearl earrings that matched her necklace.
Tyler continued the introductions. “Xavier Anderson is our vice president of finance.”
From her research, Iris knew Kayla was Gray Anderson’s widow and Xavier was their only child.
“Good morning.” Xavier had his mother’s eyes, minus their warmth. Instead they were onyx laser beams, trying to bore their way into her mind.
“How do you do, Mr. Anderson?” Iris returned the finance officer’s steady gaze.
“We’re all on a first-name basis.” The final member of the team interrupted the introductions.
Tyler grinned, waving a hand across the table. “And, of course, Donovan ‘Van’ Carroll, our vice president of sales.”
Iris inclined her head toward the sales executive. “Good morning, Van.”
“Hi.” With that simple greeting and a killer smile, Donovan settled back onto his chair. His broad shoulders were relaxed beneath his long-sleeved garnet-colored shirt. His demeanor gave the impression he was spending the evening with friends at a jazz club rather than sitting through an early-morning business meeting.
All eyes were on Iris. She took a breath and wished for a little of Donovan’s calm. Instead her efforts to ease the butterflies battling in her stomach were futile. There was a lot riding on this account: her self-image, her sisters’ respect, her livelihood.
Don’t think about those things right now...
She straightened in her chair and returned the gazes of the other people around the table. “I want your thoughts regarding Anderson Adventures’ next product launch. As I explained to Ty, I strongly believe we should first host an internal launch to support your external campaign.”
“Why?” Xavier’s question wasn’t unexpected. Like most finance officers, his first concern was the budget.
Iris met Xavier’s gaze. “Every Anderson Adventures employee is an unofficial member of your sales team.”
“We prefer the term associates.” Donovan sat forward. “But you’re right.”
“Associates. Excuse me.” Iris made a note of the term, then resumed her explanation. “Imagine that, shortly after ‘Osiris’s Journey’ is introduced to the media, Sherry’s neighbor asks her about it. Without the internal launch, Sherry couldn’t tell her neighbor anything he didn’t already know about the game. With the internal launch, Sherry would find out about the game directly from you and could ask her own questions. She’d then have insight her neighbor wouldn’t have read in the media. As a result, he’d be even more enthusiastic about the game.”
Donovan added to her narrative. “And, if her experience with the internal launch was positive, her neighbor would pick up on her excitement.”
“Exactly.” Iris smiled at Donovan. With his sales background, he understood her point. “Your associates also could help create a buzz about ‘Osiris’s Journey’ on their social media sites.”
Foster gave her a considering look. “We’ve never had an internal launch before, although Van has suggested associate meetings.”
“But I was outvoted.” Donovan shrugged good-naturedly. “Instead, we sent a company-wide email.”
Iris winced. “That strategy is well-intentioned. But it lacks the personal touch. And not every associate reads the email.”
“Well, Iris, no one has ever explained the impact to us so clearly. Thank you,” Kayla added.
Why hadn’t their other marketing consultant reviewed this simple concept with them?
This wasn’t the first time Anderson Adventures had contracted with a marketing firm. Although obviously profitable, like most companies these days, it operated with a lean staff. From her research, Iris knew the gaming company had a strong sales force, and a sizeable research and development team. But support departments such as human resources, accounting and marketing were slim. Most of the functions those departments performed were outsourced, which kept consulting firms such as hers in business.
Xavier crossed his forearms, bunching impressive biceps beneath the long sleeves of his bronze shirt. He shot a look toward Tyler and Foster before settling again on her. “It appears the marketing firms we’ve contracted with in the past didn’t give us our money’s worth.”
Kayla cocked her head. “Didn’t Loretta work for one of those firms?”
Xavier seemed surprised. “Her name’s Lauren and she doesn’t work for a marketing firm.”
Tyler and Donovan exchanged a look. It was similar to the silent communication Iris shared with Rose when Lily was on the edge, or with Lily when Rose was ready to blow a gasket.
Kayla continued. “Well, going forward, we now understand the value of an internal launch. Thank you, Iris.”
Donovan raised a hand. “I’d like to point out that, if anyone had listened to me, you’d have understood its importance years ago.”
“A prophet is never appreciated in his own time.” Tyler’s voice was somber though his ebony eyes twinkled with mischief.
So, the vice president of product development does have a sense of humor.
The words and reactions directed toward Donovan Carroll made it clear that he was part of the family despite his different surname. In fact, this planning session felt more like a family discussion than a corporate meeting.
Foster returned to the agenda. “What’s our next step?”
Iris shifted her smile from Tyler’s and Donovan’s antics to Foster. “We need to determine the type of internal launch. Simple or elaborate? Serious or festive? Do you envision an associate meeting or an event?”
“I’m sure I can guess what type of launch you’d prefer.” Xavier’s tone was dry.
Iris’s cheeks warmed. “‘Osiris’s Journey’ is an exciting product. I don’t think a simple associate meeting would do it justice.”
“Iris is right.” Kayla addressed Xavier. “‘Osiris’s Journey’ is worth an event rather than a boring old meeting. If Lisa made the suggestion, you know you’d agree.”
Xavier sighed. “Her name’s Lauren, Mom. And associate meetings don’t have to be boring.”
“But they are.” Kayla’s nod added emphasis. “Don’t you agree, Iris?”
“I agree with Iris and Kayla.” Donovan’s interruption saved Iris from responding.
“How elaborate are you thinking?” Xavier propped his forearms on the glass table.
“You’re just thinking of the price.” Kayla crossed her arms.
Xavier gave his mother a look. “Someone has to.”
Kayla sighed. “You wouldn’t be so focused on the cost if this was Lori’s idea.”
“Lauren,” Xavier corrected. “And yes, I would.”
Why couldn’t Kayla remember Xavier’s girlfriend’s name? The older woman didn’t have any trouble remembering Iris’s name and they’d just met.
“Xavier has a point, Aunt Kayla.” Tyler spoke up. “If the goal is to give associates information to help sell the produ
ct, why does the meeting have to be elaborate?”
“This isn’t just about information. It’s about people, our people.” Foster’s quiet response carried a wealth of meaning and messages. “We want to show our associates that we care about them. They’re an important and strategic part of this launch.”
“Understood.” Tyler’s tone was respectful but Iris heard the tension in his voice.
“So, we’re going with a bigger launch.” Xavier held Iris’s gaze. “Don’t break the budget.”
Iris smiled to reassure him. This wasn’t her first rodeo. “I can produce a dynamic launch on a budget.”
“That’s why we hired you, Iris.” Kayla inclined her head.
“Let’s get started.” Tyler pushed away from the table, signaling the meeting was over.
Iris stood, pausing to wish the other members of the meeting a good day. Donovan seemed satisfied by the meeting’s outcome. Xavier appeared concerned. Kayla looked pleased.
But it was the strain on Foster’s expression that stayed with Iris. What had put that look on his face?
Iris was getting the feeling that there was more at stake with this launch than just the success of “Osiris’s Journey.”
Chapter 5
Tension twisted the muscles in Tyler’s neck and shoulders as he escorted Iris away from the executive conference room and down the aisle that led to Sherry.
Why was his father second-guessing him?
Why had Iris smiled at Donovan?
Why do I care?
“That was one of the most efficient executive meetings I’ve ever attended.” Iris seemed impressed. “And one of the shortest.”
“We don’t have time for unproductive meetings.” Tyler stopped beside the administrative assistant’s desk. “Hi, Sherry. Do you have Iris’s key card?”
“I sure do.” Sherry pulled a small rectangular cream card from a side desk drawer. The Anderson Adventures logo was set in large black type in the center of the card’s hard plastic surface. She offered it to Iris, along with a black-and-silver lanyard. “It’s good to see you again, Iris.”