Chapter Seven

The Kay Corp building was tall, skin and coolly modern. It had an expensive view of the other sleek glass office buildings and the other technoconglomerate companies that surrounded a small green on the north side of a sprawling business park.

There was an all-natural whole food deli on the first floor plaza, where they served sandwiches on seven grain pita bread layered with sprouts and avocado, along with earn crocks of specialty soups garnished with floating squares of tofu instead of chunks of meat.

Trendy coffee carts and frozen yogurt stands flanked a wide bank of elevators with glass doors and electronic eyes that spotted you on the lobby level so you never even had to press the call buttons.

On the fourth floor was a mirrored gym with the latest weight equipment and muscular blond trainers who had all-over suntans compliments of the corner tanning booth. You could get a massage or a manicure, even a shave and a haircut on the third floor spa located next to a travel agency that offered deals to Mexico or the virgin Islands.

And deep in the ground, well below the limestone - tiled lobby, there were rollers under the foundation to make the building flexible during earthquakes. The Kay Corp building had everything to ensure you would look healthy inside and out.

Emma tossed her empty latte cup into a shiny, bullet trash can made of chrome. She hadn't been in this building for two years - last time she had called on this account. She had forgotten how intimidating it was, so stark and hard and steely, as if it housed weapons of mass destruction instead of offices filled with people.

The elevator doors slid open and people filed out. She stepped inside and watched the doors close. She hadn't slept well last night. There was dampness on her forehead as she stared up at the lit numbers above her.

Floor three... Four... Five...

She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up again.

Floor fifteen... Sixteen.... Twenty.

So fast, she thought. That was how quickly time could get away from you. One single breath and you were past ten whole floors. You could wake up one morning and find out that suddenly most of your life had passed you by.

The floor numbers blurred together. She was tired. Staying up at night worrying about a presentation could do that to you.

Come on, silly. This is a big presentation. Get focused. She told herself.

She stood there for a moment, feeling scared and nervous and human, then she took a deep breath, told herself she could do this and walked toward the reception desk.

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Jim Edmonds opened the conference room door for her. Emma stepped inside with a bright smile plastered on her face. Her gaze flew to the man at the end of the table.

Her smile died.

Daniel didn't say a word to her. He just sat there at the head of the conference table while he studied her face. He was wearing a gorgeous silver-gray suit that made him look better than any man had a right to look. And she wanted to kill him.

"Great". She said under her breath. "It's the guy from the ballroom from hell". The longer she stayed there, the more she felt like a butterfly about to get stuck with pins. She'd known he was a CEO. And she'd known Kay Corp had replaced Rainy as president. It just hadn't occurred to her that it was this company. It meant she'd have to work with him sometimes. He'd known too. Judging by the way he was looking at her so calmly. He wasn't surprised to see her. 

Jim gestured to a seat at the conference table. Emma put her briefcase down, then opened it and took out the presentation folders, wondering what would happen if she just reached across the table and slapped Daniel with them.

Jim said, "This is Emma Green, Accountant of Redding Plc"

Daniel stood up. "Emma". He extended his hand to her

She wanted to cut it off.

"Daniel Rohan". He said as if they had never met before

"Daniel is our president and CEO" Jim added.

No, she thought. He's not the president. He's a dead man. She looked right at Daniel, hoping he could read her mind.

He had a death grip on her hand. "I understand you were bidding for our business about two years ago, when Rainy was president"

She gave him a look that should have burned a hole in him. "Yes" her voice was more clipped than she meant it to be. "We were bidding against Westwood"

He wouldn't let go of her hand. He just pulled her closer until she was standing next to him. Then he introduced her to the two vice presidents, the general manager, and the corporate relocation team. Her president was there also.

She smiled and shook hands with each of them, the whole time aware of his other hand on the lower of her back, aware that the smile he wore for the room was strained. 

She stepped away as soon as she could, then picked up the presentation folders and gave them to Jim to pass out. 

Daniel never took his eyes off her. He had sat there casually playing with a good letter opener, tapping it against the table and being just obnoxious enough for only her to notice. 

He could tap that thing all day ; she refused to look at him. She stood there waiting for Jim to finish. 

When he was done, she snapped open her folder, looked at the other three executives and smiled. 

Ignore him and do this proudly. Don't let him know you feel a thing. She told herself. 

She took in an easy breath and let the anticipation of plain old silence work for her a second, then she began, "Gentlemen..." 

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She was good. Damn good. And this proposal and bid were more comprehensive and thorough than any he'd ever seen. He could see the impression she was making on the other executives. They were enthralled with her plans. 

He stopped watching her, looked down at the table while he fiddled with the letter opener and just listened. He wanted her to show her stuff. 

For the next half a hour she went over her company's plan for relocating Kay Corp's personnel and offices to new sites in five western states. 

She finished, then scanned the faces at the table. "Any questions?". Her chin shot up, her shoulders went back, and she looked right at him. 

He wanted to stand up and applaud. Instead, he listened to each question raised and to her quick and knowledgeable answers. 

When there was a small lapse of silence he stood. " Well, it looks like as if there are no more questions. I think everyone is pleased". 

There was a murmur of agreement and some positive nods. 

She started to move, but he clamped his hands on her arm. 

"Excuse us gentlemen. I will handle the rest of these negotiations in private." Then he steered her toward the door to his office, opened it and almost had to shove her inside.

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Emma tried to squirm away from him.

"You knew I worked at Reddings" she said. "And you knew we'd be working together."

"Yeah I did"

"Bad idea Daniel Rohan. I'm going to make your life miserable"

"You already have"

His hand was gripping her hips. He guided her toward the sofa across from a huge desk. "Sit down"

"I don't think so" She stiffened and crossed her arms.

He picked her up and set her down, then placed his hands flat on either side of her and leaned down. "We have to talk"

She didn't say anything

"You don't have anything to say to me? " He was waiting

"Yes" she looked at him squarely in the eyes. "Do I have the account?"

He looked at her as if that was the last thing he'd expected her to say.

"Answer me, Daniel. Does Reddings have Kay Corp's relocation business?"

"Yes." His voice was clipped.

She gave him a look that said he had better be telling the truth. "Does Reddings have this account because of me?"

"Yes. You're good at your job. You earned it Emma. But that isn't the only thing I want to talk to you about"

"It's the only thing I want to talk about with you"

"Dammit woman! Will you just give me five minutes?"

"Put it in writing Daniel"

He just looked at her. Clearly confused

"I want a written agreement right now that Reddings has that account"

"Fine" He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to his desk, then let go and wrote out the agreement. "Here. Sign it"

"You first"

He smiled as he signed the agreement. The woman really had a lot of issues with him. He handed her the pen.

She signed it and snatched it off the desk.

"Now will you listen to me?" he asked

She looked at him, then waved her hand like she didn't care what he said. "Fine. Speak away"

"Is there a reason why you act this way around me?. Look.. Maybe we started off on a wrong path but we are gonna be working on some things together. Therefore if think maybe you just find a way to tolerate my crazy. I'm sorry about what happened at the ball. Pissing you off was never my intention. Believe me "

" Fine we'll get along " she said. " But only because we work together. And I'm sorry if I was out of line the other day too"

"apology accepted"

"I have to go now.. Have a nice day"

"Bye" He said 

He was still smiling after she left.