“I’m trying kid.” Junie felt the weight of her destiny pressing down on her. The place she grew up was quicksand. It swallowed up better people than her. The idea that Junie could be the one to lift herself out with only sheer tenacity seemed highly unlikely. Impossible. But somehow Val could make it all seem within reach.
“Get your ass back to that office. Score another night at that fancy hotel. Pitch the hell out of your idea, and don’t take no for an answer.”
“That’s all?”
“And if time permits, sleep with him. Every sundae needs a cherry on top.”
Tucking her phone into her pocket, Junie put a lid on her coffee cup and headed back outside. Pride would tell her to ignore the text from Hugo and remember the sting of this morning. It was mortifying to be tossed out of his office and bumped down to the Pen. But there wasn’t room for pride. She needed to change her life. If Val was right and he was playing mind games, then she’d need to do the same. Let the games begin.
Chapter 8
“I wasn’t sure you’d come back.” Hugo was escorting a tall beak-nosed man from his office as he waved Junie in. “Thanks for coming Bill. I’ll be in touch.”
When they were alone, Hugo closed the door and didn’t bother containing his excitement at seeing her. She was good. Never replied to his text message. She let him wonder. Wait. And he wasn’t proud to admit he had done plenty of both.
“I wasn’t sure I was coming back.” Junie didn’t take the seat he was offering, instead leaning herself against the bookcase below the window. “You might want to work on your communication with your team.”
“I’ve had a team for about two hours.” Hugo turned his mouth up in a playful smile, but she wasn’t budging. Her beautiful brows were knit together with lingering frustration. It was sexy as hell. But not productive for this meeting. “I’m still interviewing for a few other spots on my team. There will be some bumps in the road as I get my feet under me here. Hopefully we can still find a way to work together.”
Her face softened a little and she rolled her eyes. “I should make you grovel a little more, but I’d like to get to work.”
“Then let’s do it,” Hugo announced, slapping his hands together and offering a seat across from his desk again. She finally obliged. “I want to talk patents. I looked through the information you left me, and I didn’t see anything about that.”
“There’s a good reason for that. I don’t have one.”
“You haven’t applied for a patent yet?” Hugo asked, checking his tone to make sure he wasn’t talking down to her. A woman like Junie would hate that.
“No, I haven’t. Do you know how much it costs to apply for one? I’m not sure I’ve properly communicated the budget constraints I’m working under right now. I spent every dollar I had between making a prototype, traveling here, and building this presentation.”
“I understand. I’ll get you the money to apply. I know a few loopholes and I’ll make some calls. We could have something processed by the end of the week.”
“No.” Junie bit out the words as though he’d just proposed they rob a bank or slap a baby.
“Listen,” Hugo said, leaning in toward her. “It’s the first thing James is going to ask about when you pitch this to him. He’s not going to invest in something that isn’t protected by a patent.”
“When I pitch this to James West?” Junie coughed, clearly not believing what she’d heard. “When exactly will that happen?”
“Certainly not until after the patent application is filed.” Hugo wrote a few notes down on the pad in front of him and waited for Junie to fire back.
“I thought you said he’d never go for this.”
“I don’t think under normal circumstances he would.”
“What makes these circumstances anything but normal?” Her body language was dancing between excitement and incredulity.
“You.” Hugo stared intensely at her until she finally looked away. “You look unstoppable. Invincible. I’m not going to bet against you.”
“Damn,” she sighed, hanging her head. “You are a smooth talker. I almost believed you for a second.”
“I’ll be patient. You strike me as someone who prefers action to words. I can work with that. We’ll start with the patent application. Then we’ll talk more about sourcing options. You’ll need a really solid pitch for a man like James West. He’ll bust holes in any weak spots, and I don’t think he gives out second chances.”
Hugo kept himself in check as he delivered this important message. He knew how body language could shape an entire encounter. The natural posture for a moment like this might be smug and arrogant. But again, a woman like Junie wouldn’t have it.
“What’s in it for you?” Junie’s eyes turned to slits as she appraised him wearily. “This is your new job. New boss. A traditionally unpopular idea that won’t win you any favors. Tell me your angle.”
He raised up a finger to challenge her argument. “Or it’s innovative and I’ll be labeled a maverick. I could play it safe here and easily do the job James hired me for. That would be boring. I could build a department and have it running smoothly in thirty days. Then what? I’d be obsolete here. You walk in here with a solid idea. I’d be a fool to let you go without at least trying. I laid the groundwork with him this morning. I told him I’d be working on something, and I’d bring him the idea once it was ready.”
“You’d bring him the idea?” She was waiting for the shoe to drop. Or more like she was waiting for the other shoe to come out of nowhere and whack her in the head.
“I’ll be honest with you, Junie. You deserve that. I’m not looking to put my name on the product or the future of it. But I don’t think you’ll be able to make a strong enough case for yourself without me. Maybe it’s all that patriarchy stuff you said last night. Maybe it’s that you haven’t had enough time in the corporate world. This is your weak spot. No one wants to admit they have one. But if you can accept that you need me for this, I think we can make something happen here. The ball is in your court.”
Junie fiddled with her hands and looked up at the ceiling as she answered. “Before last night I honestly thought my presentation was solid. I put so much work into it. I guess I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I’m good if you want to help me get ready. I’ll take whatever help I can get.”
“You have my word that I’m not looking to steal your thunder.”
“You can have the thunder. I’m terrified of it. Have been since I was a kid.”
Hugo mistook it for a joke and chuckled, but she was serious. Big bad Junie wasn’t quite so fearless. And apparently there was more than the weather that was causing worry.
“How long will I need to be here?” Junie shifted nervously in her chair as she looked toward the window. Hugo could see the math she was doing.
“I’m not sure. But you’ll need to be near the office. You and I will be working together. I’ll call the hotel and extend your reservation. We’ll sort out the other details later.”
“You don’t need to do that.” Junie shook her head, looking suddenly small. “I can get here just fine from the place I originally booked.”
“I have no doubt you could. I need your full dedication for the next couple of weeks. Late nights. Complete commitment. It’ll be easier if we are staying at the same hotel.”
“Easier?” Junie laughed whimsically as she swept her long hair off her shoulders. “I’m going to keep my eye on you.”
“I make you nervous?”
“No.”
“Then why are you going to keep an eye on me? Just like what you see?”
“You think you’re slick, like you can play everyone around you. You think about everything before you say it. It’s all the move of a chess piece to you. Most people think it comes easy to you, but I can see the wheels always moving in your head. That must get exhausting.” Junie propped a hand under her chin as though she were analyzing him deeply.
Damn. She’d made a dire
ct hit.
“I enjoy the power of language. It’s something I’ve always found compelling. It’s not quite as dramatic as you make it sound though.”
“Hmm,” Junie hummed and nodded, looking thoroughly unconvinced. “Well I’m not looking for all the games. You don’t have to sit there and analyze every word, every move. I’m pretty straightforward. With me, you get what you see. I wouldn’t mind if you were the same. Last night you kept saying you were off your game. It would be all right with me if you were just you.”
Shit. She’d been able to blindside him. It wasn’t that he was playing games. He thought of it more like a conductor in front of an orchestra. With enough skill he could direct people, all with the hope of creating something beautiful. But it was exhausting.
People fit into boxes. Upon meeting them Hugo assessed, labeled, and stored everyone where they belonged. James West was an alpha macho guy who was driven by success. There were ways to work with him to ensure they could all get what they wanted. Mirabel just needed a shot of confidence and the boost would carry her forward. But Junie wasn’t fitting where he wanted her. An obvious fighter. Underdog. Scrappy. Motivated by the need to change her life. But there were more layers to her. Confusing ones.
“Good to know.” She’d wanted more, something deeper but he was too rattled to engage. Instead, Hugo slid a document over to her and gave her some time to scan it. “Fill out the patent application. If you need time to have your lawyer review it I can probably get you a day.”
“My lawyer,” Junie chuckled. “I do my own taxes. I fix my own shower. I guess I can read my own application too.”
“They make it more complicated than it needs to be, but they are sticklers for the details. That application is no joke. Take your time. I’ll set you up in a conference room, and you can have Maribel get you whatever you need.”
Junie took the documents and her simple cloth shoulder bag as she made her way to the door. She paused as though she were being held there by some force. “Don’t screw me over on this.”
Hugo had to smile at the delivery. Junie laid down a simple demand that sounded heavily laced with a threat. Then without waiting for his reply, she was gone. For all the years he’d honed his skills, he had to applaud her raw talent. Making an entrance was great, but a powerful exit stayed with people.
Chapter 9
“I’m so sorry about this morning.” Maribel brought a steaming hot cup of coffee and placed it in front of Junie. “I’m glad you were able to come back.”
“Luckily I was able to shift things around in my schedule.” Junie mixed some of the sugar into her coffee and pretended to be completely engrossed in the application in front of her.
“I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot.” Maribel looked as though she couldn’t leave until she’d been given some kind of absolution. “From the sound of it you and Mr. Ronaldo will be working together closely, and I just can’t bear to think you and I can’t get along.”
This always mystified Junie. The need to be liked and approved of made no sense to her. “Don’t worry about it, Maribel. We’re good. I’m hoping all of this actually turns into something. I am tired of working my ass off and getting nowhere.”
“I’m sure it will.” Maribel took out a tablet and started keying something in. “He’s asked me to extend the reservation on your hotel room. Just let me know your room number and I’ll take care of that.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Junie shook her head and laughed. “You’re his assistant, not mine. I can get my own coffee and extend my reservation.”
“Of course you can.” Maribel smiled gently and pushed her glasses up a little tighter on her face. “But if you’re doing that sort of stuff you aren’t doing what needs to be done. I can easily update your reservation, but I can’t do whatever that is.”
“It’s an application for a patent. I’m not so confident I can do it either. Look at the requirements. Specification, claims, drawings, declaration, and information disclosure statement. This is going to take forever just to figure out.”
“You figured out how to invent something.” Maribel put her tablet down on the table and gave Junie a long look. “It’s a paper. Take one step at a time and I’ll bet you can figure it out. If not, use this.” She clicked a button on a small remote and a large screen rolled down from the ceiling. “It’s called a smart board. You can use it for searching just about anything. The tablet for it is there.”
“Thanks.” Junie pulled the tablet closer to her but didn’t feel any relief. She’d been able to make her way to this point with tenacity and brute force. Now the rubber was starting to meet the road and she wasn’t all that sure she knew where she was supposed to be driving.
“One more thing.” Maribel took the phone from the conference room table and dialed a quick extension. “Hello this is Maribel. I’m the executive assistant to Mr. Ronaldo.” She sighed loudly. “R-O-N-A-L-D-O. Mr. West personally hired him this week. I suggest you learn the name. Now I need someone from our litigation team up to conference room B1. Make sure it’s someone skilled in processing documents.”
“Can you do that?” Junie asked in disbelief. “I mean I knew you could kick people out.”
“I’m not usually like this.” Maribel tucked her wispy hair behind her ears and blushed. “Mr. Ronaldo told me to walk around this place like I own it. He’s quite inspiring. I’ve been a temp here for two years and now here I am with a full-time job. I don’t want to lose it, so I’m going to do everything I can to make this work.”
“He does give some good pep talks.” Junie sipped her coffee and closed her eyes. It was strong, fresh, and heavenly good. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to brew something like this for herself every morning. “I half believe I can patent this product and change my life.”
“I think you can.”
“At this point I’m not even sure I can show up at this office every day this week. I only packed two business outfits and this is the second one.”
“We’re about the same size. I can lend you a couple of skirts and tops. I live right around the corner. I’ll run home at lunch and get you a couple of things.”
“You don’t have to do that. I know we didn’t have a great first meeting, but you don’t have to spend all this time trying to make it up to me. We’re more than even at this point.”
“Your success is going to be my success. We’re all a team now. Whatever I can do, you better believe I’m going to do it. I’ll bring you some clothes at lunchtime. You just get that paperwork done, and don’t hesitate to ask me for anything else.”
“You’re full of surprises, Maribel.” Junie refocused on the application and the smart board, trying to pull together what she could. One of the company lawyers would be here soon so she had better look like she at least partially knew what she was doing.
Her phone chirped with a text message and she fished it out of her bag.
* * *
Hugo: That interview was a dud. I think you might have ruined me for being impressed by people. You set the bar too high.
* * *
I’m going to have some stiff competition in Maribel. She’s brought her A-game this morning.
* * *
Hugo: Good. I hope you’re getting everything you need. I’ll be busy most of the day but let’s do dinner. Maybe you pick the place tonight.
* * *
We like very different places. Not sure that’s a good idea.
* * *
Hugo: You’d be amazed what I like. Surprise me. Something very you.
* * *
There was a light knock on the door and Junie juggled her phone as though she’d been doing something scandalous. Texting back and forth with Hugo certainly didn’t break any rules. It’s not like they were sending dirty pictures.
A short man with a rapidly receding hairline came into the room, looking confused. “I’m Steve Baleful. My boss told me to come up to this conference room.”
J
unie thought for a second about Maribel’s little mantra. Walking around like you owned the place wasn’t a bad idea.
“Yes.” Junie stood, gestured to a chair at the table and cleared her throat. “My name is Juniper O’Malley. Feel free to call me Junie. We’re going to be working on completing this patent documentation today.”
“And you’re working for . . .?”
“What do you mean?” Junie narrowed her eyes and watched as Steve squirmed nervously.
“I’m sorry,” Steve stuttered. “Who is the patent for? I was wondering what you’re doing in here and like, why.”
“Hmm.” Junie let her face show disappointment as she leaned back and folded her arms across her chest. “Who is the patent for? Because I couldn’t possibly be the person who needs this done? You know what Steve, I’m not sure I need you in here. Perhaps there is someone else on your team who doesn’t mind working with a woman. I understand it’s probably a shock to your system and you need some kind of explanation. But I don’t intend to explain my role to you. Mr. Ronaldo has given me his support on this task. I intend to complete it. You are welcome to be the man who decided he didn’t want to assist. I can let him know that.”
“I didn’t decide that.” Steve practically ran to a chair as though the music had just shut off and he was going to lose the game. “I’m happy to help. I’ve done a lot with this sort of stuff. It’ll be a breeze.”
“Oh,” Junie sang, clapping her hands together, “that’s good to hear. These things are so tedious; I just hate them. I’ll defer to you and will assist if you get stuck. I’ve got some project management tasks to work on.”
“Of course.” Steve slid the stack of papers closer to him. “You’re going to be listed as the sole developer of this product?” His brows were high up on his forehead as he looked her over again.
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