by Judy Angelo
Rico scowled. What business did Jim have, eyeing a woman he didn't even know? He didn't have time to ponder this further as Sharon Halliday and Nicholas Pringle entered the room, talking animatedly. They were both regional sales managers reporting to Ben Sampson, the director for sales and reservations, who followed behind.
"Rico," Ben said, and walked over to shake his hand. His sales managers nodded to Rico and took up their positions on either side of their boss. Last to come were Sarah Snow, VP of Marketing, and Kyle Pitt, her marketing research analyst. They greeted Rico and sat opposite the sales team as they always did. There was an ongoing rivalry between the sales and marketing teams, partly driven by their leaders and partly by the spirit of competition in the office. Each team was always trying to outdo the other. On the sidelines was operations, making sure the business ran according to plan.
Rico picked up his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Morning, everyone. Now that we’re all here, let me introduce Asia Miller who’ll just be an observer to our meeting. She’s here to make recommendations on how we can enhance…our communication skills.”
At his words Asia gave a nod to the group but then her sharp blue eyes returned to him and in her gaze was a hint of amusement. Rico tightened his lips and was just barely able to keep himself from scowling. The woman was laughing at him, was she? He turned his attention to his team, his mood moving from serious to sour in seconds. He had to regain control of his emotions. From here on he’d just ignore the woman.
The meeting started out on a less than positive note with Ben giving a sales report that reflected a decline in cruise ship passengers over the last quarter even though they’d already entered the summer vacation season.
“What’s your excuse this time?” Rico demanded. “This is the third quarter in a row.”
Ben heaved a sigh. “And for the third time in a row, Rico, I have to tell you that the best-made sales strategies and customer calls are nothing in the face of this worldwide recession. People just aren’t booking cruises the way they used to. Some of our repeat customers are now without jobs. That’s the reality-”
“Merde. That’s no answer to my question, Ben, and you know it. Our competitors are beating the shirts off our backs.” Rico gave a hiss of frustration. “What? The recession hit us but bypassed them?”
“Jeez, Rico, we’ve gone over this already.” A pink flush was climbing up Ben’s neck. “You keep ignoring the fact that our target market is the middle class, working folks who rely on jobs for income. Fantasia Lines and Chrysalis Cruises both cater to the luxury market. It’s recession proof-”
Rico waved his hand and silenced Ben mid-speech. Then he turned to glare at Sarah. “What are you doing about this? Isn’t it your job to drive the business? Obviously, I can’t rely on sales or else I’ll be locking up this shop. So what are you doing to stop the hemorrhaging?”
Sarah started then she picked up her pen and began to tap it against her notebook. “Well, Rico,” she began, her voice sounding high pitched and strained, “as you know, the budget was cut-”
“Don’t give me that crap about the budget being cut.” Rico almost slammed his palm on the table. He caught himself just in time. “Don’t talk to me about what you don’t have. Tell me what you’re doing with the money you do have."
“That’s what I’m trying to do, Rico.” Sarah spoke again, her voice stronger this time. “Each time I try to explain you cut me off. And you do the same thing with Ben. You do it to all of us.”
This time Rico did slam his palm on the table. “Listen, I don’t have time for whining. All I want is your plan of action to turn this ship around. We have to see a return to profit by the end of this quarter. This time failure is not an option.”
Silence. For a moment Sarah said nothing. She just stared back at Rico, the tightness of her mouth revealing her anger.
“May I say something?”
All eyes turned to Jim Henessey. “Sarah’s right. Every time someone tries to give you information or tries to make you understand a situation you cut them off. You never listen-”
"Carajo! I listen to you all the time.” Rico threw up his hands in frustration. "That’s why I have these meetings so often, to hear all the problems, issues and reasons why we’re losing business. But also to hear solutions, Jim. Suggestions on how to resolve the problem. And that’s what I’m not hearing from any of you.” He shoved his chair back and stood up. "And that’s what I’m paying all of you for, n’est-ce-pas? Solutions.”
No-one answered. They all stared back at him in their strange way as if they were afraid to express their feelings. For the life of him Rico could not understand why they refused to speak up. When the silence stretched on he decided to continue. “Sarah, Ben, what about that competition we instituted last year between the sales and marketing departments? Hasn’t that stimulated some creativity on your teams? And Jim, where is the creativity from the operations department? Come on, guys, I need to see results.”
It was Jim who spoke again and his voice was strangely calm. “Rico, since your previous CEO left and you set up headquarters in this office you’ve called these meetings and they’ve not been successful.”
Irritated, Rico opened his mouth to respond but Jim kept talking. This time it was Rico who found himself on the receiving end of an interruption.
“Nobody wants to talk, Rico, so here is my suggestion. Instead of these round table meeting you always call, let's do formal presentations with charts outlining what each person plans to say. That way, if we get sidetracked with questions or…disturbing comments we can still get back to the main topic.”
“Fine.” Rico spat out the word, too pissed to argue with the man. “I don’t see the need for all that but if that’s what it will take to get some information out of you all, we’ll do it.”
“It's what it will take for us to have our say,” Jim said, his eyes unwavering.
“In that case, this meeting is over. I suggest you all decide on a time for these presentations and let me know. Till then, I have work to do.” With that Rico turned and walked out of the conference room, not even stopping to acknowledge his very quiet observer.
He was mad at Jim. The man had made it look like he was the one who’d been disrupting his own meetings. And he’d done it in front of Asia Miller, the hired busybody. He'd looked bad in front of the ‘consultant’ and he didn’t like it. Not one bit.
He was halfway down the hallway to his office when he was stopped by the voice of the woman in question. “Rico. One moment, please.”
He stopped and heaved a sigh. He did not turn to face her. She’d catch up to him soon enough and, of course, she’d give him her professional opinion.
She stepped up beside him. “I’d like to accompany you to your office,” she said quietly. “We need to talk.”
Rico did not answer. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked on. Just what he needed. Another lecture.
CHAPTER THREE
“I have an assignment for you.” Asia struggled to keep from smiling.
Rico was sulking and he looked so cute doing it. He was slumped in his chair, his face set like a thundercloud, and he was angry. He was embarrassed, she knew, because she’d seen him at his worst. She knew he’d started off trying to make a good impression. And he’d failed.
“What assignment?” he asked, his voice a grumpy growl.
“Based on my observations,” she said in her sweetest, most charming voice, “you have two main problems. Number one, you let your emotions get in the way which results in your bullying your employees. Second, you institute systems that have built-in incentives for your departments to work against each other rather than together.”
“What systems?”
“You mentioned a competition between the sales and marketing departments. Such systems foster a rivalry that may not be in your best interest. Research has shown that giving teams a common goal to work toward is far more effective than setting up competitions between th
em. Hence, my assignment.”
“Which is?” Rico growled.
“I want you to come up with a program that will force the sales, marketing and operations teams to work together. Design it, implement it and after two weeks, assess it. I want you to report the results to me at the end of the period. I guarantee you’ll see a huge difference in the results of your teams’ combined efforts.”
“Uh, huh,” Rico said sardonically.
“Don’t knock it, just try it.” Asia was not fazed by his sarcasm. “That’s your assignment number one. Remember, you agreed to work with me so I expect you to keep your word. Do I have your commitment?”
She could see the reluctance flit across his face. He wanted to say no but how could he when he’d already told her he would fulfill her requirements? He may be a lot of things but she could sense that he wasn’t the man to back out on a promise.
“Alright,” he said finally. “We'll reconnect in two weeks. And if what you say works, I’ll eat my hat.”
That made her laugh. “I have a better idea. If my suggestion works you’ll have to agree to my next task, no grumbling, no questions asked."
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” she said. “Just be prepared to do anything I say because I know my experiment will be successful."
“And I know it won’t,” he countered, his look bold and confident, "so I agree.”
Asia got up then, her briefcase in hand, but she did not reach out to shake his hand. This time she wasn’t taking any chances.
“I’ll see you in two weeks,” she said by way of farewell.
He got up and walked her to the door where he held it open for her. This time when they parted he was smiling.
“I look forward to it,” he said confidently as she walked through the door.
******
“Robert’s on his way over,” Shelley whispered as the tall, gangly youth ambled toward them, his jeans threatening to fall off his lean hips, “and you know what he wants...”
Asia’s friend and fellow volunteer left the sentence hanging in the air. There was no need to say another word. They both knew Robert and they were more than prepared this time. He walked up to the counter behind which both women stood holding long-handled ladles.
“Double on the mashed potatoes?’ Shelley asked with a stern frown. “Triple,” Robert said, his thin face glowing as he gave them a wide grin. “You know I’m a growing boy.”
Asia shook her head. “Don’t we know it. I’ve got double portions of chicken for you. And,” she looked to the right and to the left then leaned forward, "I’ve got something in back for you,” she said in a staged whisper. “Half an apple pie.”
Robert’s eyes shone and his smile grew even toothier. “Apple pie is my favorite. You’re the greatest, Asia.”
“Hey, what about me?” Shelley gave a perfect pout. It made her look all of six years old.
That made Robert laugh out loud. “I love you too, Shelley. I wouldn’t give you guys up for the world.”
He gratefully accepted the plate piled high with food and rested it on his tray then headed for the table in the far corner by the window, his usual eating place. There he sat down and dived into the meal.
Asia couldn’t help smiling. She loved to watch him savor every bite of his meal. “That kid’s an eating machine,” she said, her eyes still resting on him.
“Yeah,” Shelley said with a chuckle, “all six feet five inches of him.”
“D'you think they’ll pick him for the community center basketball team?”
“They’d better,” Shelley said, her voice indignant, “or else they’ll have me to answer to.”
“Yeah, right,” Asia said, rolling her eyes, “as if anybody’s scared of your little four foot eleven self.”
“I’m four feet eleven and a half inches.” Shelley glared at Asia and straightened to her full height.
“Still a shortie,” Asia said with a laugh.
“And I’m in good company,” the smaller woman said, looking Asia up and down.
When Asia moved away to serve the next teenager she was still smiling. She enjoyed the teasing fun she and Shelley engaged in each time they met. They'd both started on the same day as volunteers at the youth shelter and community center and had become fast friends. That had been four years earlier when Asia had been twenty-one and still in university. Shelley, on the other hand, was a widow and the mother of two teenage girls. But, as tiny as she was, everyone knew she was a no-nonsense woman who spoke her mind but who was always quick to offer guidance, comfort and love.
Sunrise Community Center was a refuge for the young people in the neighborhood. It was a place where they could escape from the troubles of abusive homes and dangerous streets, and just be kids. The land and the buildings were a donation from a long dead philanthropist but his legacy lived on in the positive impact the center was having on so many young lives. Here, the kids could play basketball, soccer, squash and tennis and a warm meal was provided each evening to all who desired it.
Robert was a regular, and one they both loved. At the tender age of eighteen he'd found himself alone in the world, no longer eligible for the protection and support of the foster care system. He’d found a part-time job on a construction site but his wages were not enough to cover the rent and provide for his needs. That was where the center came in. He could count on getting one good meal each day and his entertainment requirements were satisfied with the variety of sporting activities available on the location.
Robert’s situation was not unique. Even though some of the users of the facilities were children from working families the majority were disadvantaged and this place was their only means of escape. Asia was glad she was a part of their world, a part of the solution to their problems. She made a good living in her consulting business and made regular donations to the center. Still, nothing was more satisfying to her than interacting with her young mentees. Through her relationship with such a diverse group she’d learned courage in the face of adversity, perseverance and patience.
She’d also come to realize the importance of seeing each person as an individual with unique desires and dreams. You had to see all the kids as seeds of hope and the volunteers as gardeners who would nurture them and let them grow to their full potential. Some had already blossomed and moved on to better lives but there were always new ones who showed great promise, who tugged at your heart strings and made you want to give them the world.
Robert was one of them. His greatest dream was to become a professional basketball player and so he spent hours on the court, practicing long after everyone else had departed. He was dying to be discovered and Asia prayed that one day he would. She smiled as she watched him rake his fingers through his curly blonde hair and slouch back in his chair, his ritual after a good meal. It was the sign that he was ready for dessert. Where he put all that grub, she could never tell. He was as thin as a pole. It had to be a combination of naturally high metabolism, daily manual labor and practice sessions that went on for hours.
As she stared over at Robert her eyes went out of focus and her mind wandered back in time to another man who was tall and lean but older and with hair the glossy black of a raven’s wing. Enrico Megalos. Her renegade mind kept taking her back to him, making her relive every moment she’d spent with him. It didn’t matter that all her interactions with him had been on a professional basis only. No, crazy brain that she had, it kept playing back each scene in her head and each time it ran the movie it was sexier than the time before.
The movie ran in slow motion, giving her a close-up view of his broad forehead, the thick dark brows, the lashes any warm-blooded woman would lust for, the long lean nose that spoke of his heritage and the piece de resistance - the firm yet sensuous lips she was dying to taste.
“Who is he?”
“Uh, what?” Asia blinked, dragging herself back to the present, and turned to stare at her partner in the food line.
“Who is he? The g
uy you’re mooning over?” Shelley cocked an eyebrow at her and her lips trembled like she was trying not to laugh. “This is the first time I’ve seen you spaced out like that and it can only mean one thing. You’ve found a man. Finally.”
“I…didn’t,” Asia protested but her voice was too weak, too airy, for her statement to be true. She knew it, and she knew Shelley knew it. Or at least she could guess very easily.
“Mm-hmm.” Shelley rolled her eyes and pursed her lips, looking so comical that Asia burst out laughing.
“I didn’t find a man,” she said again, her voice stronger this time. “Really, I didn’t.”
“Tell that to the birds,” Shelley said dryly then turned toward a lone straggler who approached with a tray. She loaded the girl’s plate with food then watched as she headed off to a free table. Only then did she turn her attention back to Asia. “Girl, I’ve known you since you were still beating the books on campus. I know every expression on that sweet face of yours. And psychologist or not, you’re no good at hiding your feelings.” Shelley dropped her ladle back into the mashed potato and reached for a napkin to clean up a blob that had fallen onto the counter. As she wiped she continued speaking. “What I see is love, honey. No use denying it. You’ve got a heart full of love.”
“But it can’t be.” Asia shook her head vehemently. “He’s a client.”
“Ah ha!” Shelley pointed a finger in Asia’s face. “I knew it. You’ve found a man. And thank God for it. You’re finally listening to me.”
“Shelley,” Asia whispered, “that’s not how it is at all.”
“How is it then?” She demanded, hand on hip.
“Carol, can you come here a minute?” Asia waved a hand at the white-aproned woman who was chatting with the cook. As Carol approached she began untying her apron. “Can you hold the fort for a while? Shelley and I need a break.”
“Sure,” Carol said with a shrug. “Most of the kids have already eaten, anyway. Nothing much to do.”
