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“I asked Erika to set one up for you yesterday. I’m sure it’s on a note by your desk.”
“All right. When will IT be here to set it up for me on my laptop?”
“IT?” I asked, turning to face her. “You just have to plug it into the mail application on your laptop. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“That may be true,” said Ava. “But that isn’t in my job description. My time would be better spent doing what I was hired to do.”
I smiled because if I didn't, my voice would probably send her running and I needed her for today’s meeting with Morgan. “Ms. Grady, you were hired to assist me. Your job description is to do what I ask of you to do. Now, send that email, and don’t let me repeat myself.”
This time her lips twitched and her cheeks hollowed as though she were sucking them in. I waited for the usual tears, but she turned on her heel and left instead. Well, not exactly the best start, but at least she didn’t walk out.
I spent the next few hours going over the plans, the schedules, the costs, and the profits, ready for anything Morgan would throw at me.
My phone rang at precisely two o’clock. “Yes?” I answered.
“Mr. Morgan is here,” said Ava.
“Bring him in.”
Hanging up the phone, I rubbed the palm of my hands against my black slacks. I didn’t know why I was so nervous. I just knew that I wanted this account more than any other business deal I’d closed so far.
Morgan strode into my office; his belly appeared a little larger than the last time I’d seen him. He reminded me of Colonel Sanders with his white hair and mustache.
“Mr. Morgan, sir,” I said, extending my hand. “Pleased to see you again.”
Morgan ignored my hand and hooked a thumb behind him. “What happened to your other assistant? The one who brought the cannoli. What was her name again?”
Surprised by his questions, I faltered in my response. I had prepared an answer to any business question he’d throw at me, except for any about Frances.
“Her name’s Frances. And, um… she left.”
“Really? That’s a shame, Crawford. Doesn’t bode well for you if you can’t keep good staff around.”
I pasted on a smile. I didn’t want to argue about Frances. “She’s on temporary leave,” I lied. Wanting to change the subject quickly, I added, “Why don’t you take a seat and we can discuss business?”
Morgan sat at the meeting desk in my office. His eyes scanned the room, searching. I connected my laptop to the television monitor in my office and opened the first slide of my presentation.
“Do you have family, Crawford?” Morgan’s question surprised me again. The bastard had to know about my brothers. Despite our efforts, we made the news often. I wanted to discuss the business plans I’d put together, not Luke or Ryan.
But I unclenched my fist and said, “Yes, I have two brothers. Now, if you take a look at this graph, it shows our first-year projections.”
Morgan nodded, but he wasn’t looking at the graph. Instead, he stared at me. I cleared my throat and presented the slides I’d prepared. He sat quietly, not interrupting me for the rest of the meeting. I went through thirty-two slides and not once did he ask a question. When I was done, I walked to my desk and brought the bottle of cognac I’d purchased. “What do you say we toast our new partnership?”
“I haven’t agreed to anything yet, Crawford,” he said.
I knew that. But he hadn’t said no either. What else did I have to do to make this deal happen?
Morgan stood. “Well, I’ll be in touch.”
He wasn’t going to sign the deal. I recognized his unimpressed look. I’d given it to others myself many times before. But I couldn’t let him leave with that look on his face. I had to change his mind.
What would Frances do?
“Congratulations, once again, on your granddaughter’s christening,” I said, just as Morgan was about to step out of my office. As I’d hoped, he halted.
Pursing his lips, he turned around. “Thank you for the gift. My family appreciated the gesture.”
Sensing he would walk out again, I blurted out what I wanted to say from the beginning. “Mr. Morgan, sir. I really need this property. I’ve been planning this development for nearly five years and this property is the last piece of the project.”
