by Donna Hill
That explained the attitude. Alexis nodded and let Claire continue.
“I have a master’s degree in educational leadership. I spent four years with Teach For America, teaching fifth grade in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. I’m good at what I do. I’m married and have a two-year-old son. I’m dedicated to my job, but I will be honest—my family comes first.”
Alexis smiled. “That was the most impressive thing you said...about your family.” That little ache that echoed in her belly was still there, not as powerful or as painful as when her mom first passed away, but there nonetheless. She knew the importance of family. She was sure that if her mom were still here she would have never left Atlanta, no matter how good this deal was. She cleared her throat. “I think we’re going to make a formidable pair.”
Claire smiled and appeared to physically relax. The knock diverted their attention.
“I.T.,” a voice announced.
“Come in,” Alexis said, standing. Claire followed suit.
“Morning, I’m Jason. I’m gonna connect all of your equipment and set up your accounts.”
“I’ll get out of your way.”
“It should only take about fifteen minutes.” He sat down at the desk, booted up his laptop and turned on her computer. He got set up and went to work.
“Where can I get a cup of coffee?” Alexis asked.
“Come on, I’ll show you the employee lounge and my office...and—” she added with a grin “—the ladies’ room.”
* * *
By the time Alexis and Claire returned to her office, Jason was just finishing up. He showed Alexis how to sign into her email account, and had her sign for an iPad and a company cell phone.
“Thanks, Jason.”
“Sure thing. Any problems or questions, we’re at extension 2100.”
Alexis and Claire sat down to finish their coffee. “While you’re at the meeting with Mr. Stone, I’ll get your files set up on your computer and check your supplies to see what you may need.”
“Perfect.”
Claire got up. “If you need anything before your meeting, I’m on speed dial.”
Alexis grinned. “That’s definitely good to know.”
“And I’ll email you my cell so that you can program it into your phone,” she added on her way out of the door.
Claire quietly shut the door and Alexis released a long breath. The combination of excitement and nerves ran rampant through her veins. She was eager to get started. She’d had the opportunity to review Graham’s plan and she had some ideas on how to make it happen, as well as a suggestion that she hoped he’d agree to. After studying the company’s objectives and their projects already in operation, she found one area that had been overlooked and, if implemented, could elevate R.E.A.L. on yet another level.
She turned on her computer and took her jump drive from her purse and popped it into the computer’s USB port. Once the notes that she’d made appeared on her computer screen, she reviewed them, made a few corrections and additions and then sent them to a secure folder. Just to be on the safe side, she printed two copies of her report.
She jumped at the sudden ring of her desk phone. She picked it up. Claire was calling to inform her that Mr. Stone wanted to move up their meeting to “right now.” She added that it was something Alexis would have to get used to as he often changed meeting times when he was juggling several projects.
“Thanks. I’m on my way.” She collected her notes, laptop and cell, and took the elevator down. It occurred to her as she stepped off that it was odd that Graham, as the founder and CEO, should be on the lower floor.
But from everything that she’d gleaned about Graham Stone, he was anything but status quo.
Alexis took a moment to get her bearings. She caught a glimpse of soft pink at the end of the corridor, moments before the slender figure crossed a threshold and was out of view. She wondered if Tracy would be attending the meeting. Hopefully she would. It would give Alexis an opportunity to see up close and quickly how Tracy operated and the dynamics between Tracy and Graham.
The rhythmic click of her long-legged stride was absorbed by the dove-gray carpet. Graham’s door was open. Several people were in the office. She walked in.
* * *
Graham sensed her before he actually saw her. The short hairs on the back of his neck tingled. He turned from the conversation he was in with one of his staff members and his gaze zeroed in on Alexis. The tingling sensation spread down the center of his spine. His jaw clenched.
“Ms. Montgomery, please come in.” Graham waved her in and the other four people in the room stopped in midsentence and looked at her.
Alexis felt as if she was on the runway at Fashion Week and was being appraised by potential buyers. Graham made the introductions.
“All of you are aware that R.E.A.L. has a new VP of Development. I would like to formerly introduce Alexis Montgomery.”
Alexis’s gaze swept the small assembly and graced them with a warm but professional smile. “Good morning.”
Graham continued the introductions that included Anthony Harrelson, Vivian Small, Kwame Knight and Jae Jennings. They were all heads of each of the following departments: Finance, Corporate Communications, Marketing, and Social Media. They would all report to Alexis.
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. I’m looking forward to us working together and me getting to know you.”
“You can set up your individual meetings with the department heads and they can bring you up to speed,” Graham said with a briskness that indicated this would not be the place for chitchat and small talk. Everyone took their cue and moved to the rectangular conference table and sat down.
Graham undid the single button on his suit jacket before he took his seat at the head of the table. Alexis found herself between Jae and Vivian. Jae was head of Social Media, and Alexis was sure the evolving digital platforms kept her challenged. She reminded Alexis of a lightning bug in a bottle, buzzing and flashing pinpoints of light and biding its time until the lid was opened and it could escape. Vivian was the diametric opposite. There was a calming aura about her. The strands of silver that ran through her intricately twisted upswept locks belied the buttery smoothness of her skin. Alexis placed the head of Corporate Communications in her early to mid-forties, and noted she wore a striking wedding band encrusted with diamonds.
Anthony Harrelson and Kwame Knight, heads of Finance and Marketing respectively, sat on the opposite side of the table. They could have easily stood in for magazine cover models—gorgeous from head to toe. Alexis absently wondered if good looks were a part of the hiring criteria.
Then much to Alexis’s surprise Tracy strutted in and joined them, taking the seat nearest Graham.
“Let’s begin,” Graham said, turning to Tracy.
“The first agenda item is from Finance.” She gave a short nod to Anthony and placed her iPad on the table. She took notes as each executive outlined issues of concern in their departments and gave updates on pending projects.
Alexis remained an observer, which allowed her to get a good sense of the staff members’ styles and personalities, as well as the dynamic between Graham and Tracy.
It was clear that he relied on her and she knew it. Alexis had to give Tracy her props, though. She knew her stuff. She was up on every nuance in every department and if she didn’t understand what was being conveyed, she had no problem challenging the information.
Alexis was surprised at how laid-back Graham appeared to be. She perceived him to be one who relished control, but what she slowly realized was that Graham controlled everyone in the room without uttering a word. It was in a look, a subtle shift of his body in his seat, the sound of a low hum in his throat. Each person in that room deferred to Graham Stone.
The meeting lasted for exactly forty-five minute
s. Tracy announced that everyone would have the details of the meeting uploaded to the corporate shared drive by the end of the day.
Everyone except for Tracy and Graham gravitated toward Alexis at the conclusion of the meeting, offering warm words of welcome and promises to contact Claire to set up a one-on-one. Even as she shook hands and smiled and nodded, she managed to catch glimpses of Graham and Tracy nearly head-to-head at the conference table, talking in low whispers.
Alexis was at the door when Graham’s voice stopped her. “Would you wait a few minutes, Alexis? I’d like to have a word.”
Alexis would have sworn on a stack of hotel Bibles that Tracy’s perfectly made-up face contorted. But it happened so quickly. Maybe she was wrong.
“Of course.” She moved back into the room. Tracy took a seat.
Graham’s gaze dropped down to her. “No need for you to stay.”
This time Alexis didn’t mistake the shift in Tracy’s expression. It was lightning quick, but it happened.
Tracy grabbed up her iPad and phone. “Oh, of course. I have some calls to make. Don’t forget about your three o’clock.” She breezed by Alexis as if she didn’t exist.
Inwardly Alexis rolled her eyes at Tracy’s immature behavior and took a seat at the table.
“How has the morning been so far?”
Alexis smiled. “A whirlwind. But not more than I expected. Claire is wonderful and everyone seems friendly and good at their jobs.”
Graham nodded while she spoke and Alexis had the feeling that Graham wasn’t really listening, not from the way he was looking at her. His unfaltering gaze and the way he would periodically run his tongue across his bottom lip ignited a slow heat inside her belly, akin to a pot of water put on the stove to simmer.
“I’d like to hear your thoughts on the proposal that I gave you to read.”
Alexis swallowed and shifted a bit in her seat. She crossed her legs. Graham’s gaze momentarily tracked the movement, then returned to her face.
“The proposal is solid, which I’m sure you already know. I did a bit of research and I couldn’t find any other urban model that resembled it. I know we can sell the idea to charter and independent schools.”
“I want to begin with the public school system.”
Alexis flicked a brow. “Okay. If we select a school and set up a model...”
Graham slowly rocked his jaw and pressed his body forward. “My goal is to give every inner-city child—particularly children of color—the educational opportunities that the kids Uptown and in suburbia get. The Public-Private Partnership Initiative will bring in successful people from every area of discipline to conduct classes on how they did it. Ten months of school, ten separate sessions. We work it into the curriculum.”
She was mesmerized by his intensity. The way he presented the proposal was so definitive, so clear, so doable. Except she knew the NYC Department of Education was a sea of bureaucratic red tape. It might take her the length of her five-year contract to pull it off.
“I’ll get working on making the contacts at DOE. I take it you have a list of investors.”
“I do. I’ll get you the list. I want you out front on this.” He leaned back a bit and the heat that he emanated lessened. His eyes moved lazily across her face. “You’ll need to set up individual meetings with each of the potential investors, pitch them the idea and get them on board. Once you and I knock out all the details—this will be tight,” he added, tapping his long finger on the table. “And then we’ll have Legal draft a contract for the investors. I need you to complete this phase of the project in three days.”
Alexis nodded. “I’ll get right on it.” Right on it. I wonder how that would feel?
The corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly as if he’d read her wicked little thoughts. Her face heated.
She stood and smoothed her skirt. “If there’s nothing else...”
“I’d like us to meet again on Thursday to discuss your progress. I have to go out of town on Friday.”
“Oh.” A twinge of disappointment pinched her. “Of course. I’ll get as much done as I can.”
“All of the organization’s resources are at your disposal. All of the department heads report to you. Don’t hesitate to use them.”
“Yes, thank you.” She walked to the door.
“Enjoy the rest of your day,” Graham said.
The murmur of his voice slid up her spine and tickled the hairs at the nape of her neck, and the tiniest of moans escaped from her lips. She glanced over her shoulder. “You, too.”
Alexis headed back to her office, acutely aware of the dampness between her legs. Was she going to have to carry around an extra pair of panties in order to be in the same room with Graham? Damn.
The best thing to get her mind and body off him was work and she had plenty of it. Yet even as she returned to her corner office she wondered what was going to be more challenging: completing the details of his complex proposal in three days or staying in her right mind around him
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin ebook. Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com
ISBN-13: 9781460318188
FOR YOU I WILL
Copyright © 2014 by Donna Hill
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com