“Don’t worry, Mitchell,” Jay responded absentmindedly, still scrolling through the new email that had stolen his attention.
“When are you meeting with her?”
Glancing at his wrist, Jay looked up to Mitchell with a childlike smirk, “In thirty minutes.”
“Are you serious? We can get some background on her. Maybe figure out what we should offer. With a talent like this, you only get one shot,” Mitchell’s words were pouring out of his mouth as he followed the folder Jay was carrying to the door of his office.
“And I only need one shot. Everyone’s got a price.”
With his confidence overflowing, Jay said his final goodbyes to Mitchell after promising to update him immediately after the meeting. Walking through the office, Jay was a superstar as always, everyone stopping what they were doing to wave or ask him how he spent his weekend.
When it was time to make his way to the conference room, Jay had just ten minutes to devote to reading Kasey’s background check. From all accounts, she was an angel as far as the criminal background check was concerned.
Her transcript from the University of Minnesota showed she was a stellar student, but it was the last page that intrigued him the most. Despite having dismal resources, in the past four years, Kasey had brought seven unknown authors to the top of the literary world—all becoming New York Times Best Sellers, with two going on to international success.
That accomplishment was impressive on its own, but knowing how much more she could have at her fingertips working for him made him wonder how brilliant she could be as his exclusive agent. She must have some magic touch to be able to take writers to the next level, and he wanted her at Passions Publishing.
Just as he finished skimming her profile, the intercom on the conference table buzzed, alerting him to a message from reception.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Canton, Ms. Wright has arrived,” the cheery voice chimed through the speakers.
Waiting an extra few seconds before responding, Jay straightened his tie before leaning over the intercom. “Bring her in.”
He knew it would take a few minutes for them to arrive, since he had strategically scheduled the meeting in the back of the floor, ensuring Kasey would have to walk through the sea of offices and cubicles, sure to be impressed by the vastness of the operation in comparison to the small firm she currently worked for.
Jay spent the time smoothing his jet black hair back, happy to feel it was still styled to perfection. He ran his hands down his suit, double checking every detail of his appearance since he was sold on the idea that the look of success attracted more success. If you look good, people want to work with you, and Jay Canton looked very good when three soft taps sounded on the glass door to the conference room.
Again, he made the receptionist wait a moment before inviting them to enter. He wanted Kasey to be overwhelmed by the prestigious, and beside herself with intimidation as she realized how busy this man must be. His plan was for her to feel honored to even be in a meeting with him, but that all changed the second his eyes landed on her.
Instantly, he regretted not having a current photo in the file provided by security, and made a mental note to reprimand whoever failed to inform him of her stature. He was expecting a book worm type, with thick glasses and even thicker ankles. Kasey Wright was anything but.
She glided across the floor after placing her hand on the receptionist’s wrist, whispering something that made the young girl forego the escort, and immediately retreat towards the door.
Kasey wore a simple black dress, because her body required no frills, it was enough of a show stopper, and her curves showed as much as possible, stopping short of being too distracting for a business meeting. Jay’s eyes drifted from the hem at her knees, to the thin ankles, ending at her stilettos, before returning to her gorgeous face.
Her dark brown hair fell over her shoulders in deep curls, accentuating the almond shaped eyes that seemed almost too big for her narrow face. She was stunning, and this wasn’t coming from a man who had never seen A-List actresses, or slept with cover girls.
What struck Jay most about Kasey was her aura. She walked with a confidence that he’d only seen in himself—a swagger that let him know she was not intimidated and wouldn’t be. He liked it. She was more than looks, something he hadn’t seen from a woman in a long time.
“Nice to meet you, Kasey Wright,” Jay introduced himself with his right hand extended after waiting until the last minute to rise out of his seat.
Taking his hand in hers, with a handshake that was firm and feminine at the same time, Kasey refused to return his smile, and instead dropped her hand back to her side as she looked directly into his dark blue eyes.
“What is this about?” she asked sternly, but the feeling went straight to his manhood.
She was more than he even expected, and he was now more certain than ever that he had to have her working for him. Her success made sense now, and he wanted her to succeed under his umbrella. It didn’t matter what it cost, or how much time it took, Kasey Wright was going to work for him, of this he was certain.
Chapter 4
Kasey
“Please have a seat,” Jay Canton said, trying to disguise his command as an invitation.
It was apparent from her first glance that Jay was used to getting what he wanted, but that didn’t deter Kasey. Without a word, she sat in the seat beside him, noticing that he had chosen the head of the extremely large conference table to show his dominance.
“Are you from Minnesota?” he asked, reaching over to grab two glasses, and pouring from a pitcher of water with three slices of lemons floating among the ice cubes.
“Born and raised.”
Kasey wanted to cut the small talk short, in fact, she would have been happy to go without it altogether. She couldn’t quite understand his strategy, but for a man as successful as Jay Canton, she was sure there had to be one.
She’d done her research on the man Forbes deemed to be the new face of publishing, and was fully aware of how cut throat he was in her industry. Every record for first week and first month sales was owned by Passions Publishing, and it pained her to admit she’d lost a few potential clients by offering far more than her small firm could ever afford to pay a writer.
“I was actually raised in Ohio. I’m afraid my parents are still a bit sad I didn’t attend Ohio State,” he said with a smile, sliding a glass across the table, which was met by Kasey’s open hand. She didn’t want his refreshments, or the bullshit story he planned to tell her about his humble upbringing.
Regardless of where Jay came from, she knew he was a billionaire, living in one of the architectural wonders of the state. There would be no connection made from their shared alma mater, although it was clear that was the direction he was heading.
“You’re a gopher, right?” Jay asked, ignoring her rejection without a hint of disappointment.
“Mr. Canton, you know where I went to college,” Kasey tried her best to match his confident and serious demeanor, but there was something about him that made her feel at a disadvantage she could never overcome.
Sure, he was the boss of a company so prestigious everyone knew him by first name. Passions Publishing was a cornerstone of the industry, and there wasn’t a genre they didn’t dominate. But that wasn’t what made her feel the need to exert her independence more than normal.
“You’re right. I know where you went to college, and much more.” He let the last word linger as he took a sip of his lemon water as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Listen. My time is money, and if you just want to tell me what you know about me, we can end this meeting now. Trust me, I will beat you on that topic.”
Jay didn’t respond immediately, instead he stood, slowly. Kasey had to sit back to keep from peering up at him, but even with her new posture, she was staring at a tower.
“Your time is money, Ms. Wright. Money you’re not currently being paid. I’ve s
een the work you’re doing, and the projects you’ve overseen,” he began, tapping a thin folder in front of him as if he held some classified information about her.
Kasey was overwhelmed by his presence, as it finally hit her. His looks were one thing. A 6’ 2” man was enough to make a girl swoon, but Jay matched his height with looks that could only be described as beautiful. The way his jaw was chiseled brought to mind famous sculptures in Florence.
His hair was slicked back with perfect precision, and she could only imagine the effect he had on women. A man so successful and handsome must have his pick of the ladies, without so much as a word. The way he used language made him even more dangerous.
While he may have wanted to intimidate her, his stance and speech did the opposite. She was allured, too intrigued to even find words of her own, so she sat back in silence, hoping he took her silence as a signal to continue.
“I read a book by your latest client recently—someone no one else saw any potential in. I’ve since learned that she sent her work here, but our team of agents turned her down. That’s a clear indication that you have the eye that everyone in my company lacks, and for that expertise I’m willing to pay top dollar.”
Kasey remained silent, looking up at Jay as he glared down his nose, his full lips slightly pursed together. The man was gorgeous, but she knew there was no way there could be anything more in his eyes than dollar signs.
She’d met plenty of men like him, willing to do and say whatever it took to close a deal. He only wanted Kasey on his staff to bring him more money. She was an asset, and he thought he could buy her. There was nothing more to it, and after that realization, his weak attempt at mild seduction, if that’s what it was, annoyed her.
“I’m not sure what you have in that file, it looks a little thin,” she looked over at the folder before looking directly in Jay’s eyes. “I’m already employed, Mr. Canton. I’m not looking for a job. You called me.”
“Five hundred thousand, plus a four percent royalty on every book you personally oversee. If you bring the author to Passions Publishing, ten percent.”
His swift change of pace caught her off guard. Pushing back in her seat, Kasey forced her mouth closed, hoping he didn’t hear her low gasp.
There were stories about agents who made huge deals in LA. Deals that afforded them a life of luxury, but she couldn’t imagine that being a possibility for her. Now, Jay Canton was offering to triple her salary, with a bonus incentive her current employer could never match.
Still, something felt wrong about her meeting with Jay. He was too open, almost needy. She knew there must be more leverage in her deck than she was aware of, and decided to gamble on herself. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that Jay was a businessman and only wanted to make money from her, so she rose to her feet to finally meet him face to face.
With her stilettos, Jay only towered over her by a few inches. It wasn’t exactly an equal playing field, but much better than sitting down.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Canton, I’ll see myself out.”
“I can at least walk you,” he said, as he began walking beside her before she could protest.
His cologne was alluring—the subtle scent of rosewood. Together, they left the conference room, with Jay not speaking another word until they were surrounded by the mass office space. Kasey had never seen so many people in a publishing house, and they all looked so busy—making calls, typing away on keyboards, scribbling in notebooks. Her own employer had six offices and 4 cubicles.
She was one of the lucky ones with an office, but it didn’t compare to the offices at Passions Publishing. From what she could glimpse on their brief tour, every office had a wall of windows, overlooking the skyline of Saint Paul. She could only imagine the inspiration a view like that would invite.
“The elevator is this way,” Jay interrupted her gaze into a corner office, alerting her that she had been caught staring.
Upset by her inability to maintain her composure, she stormed to the elevator, just as a short brunette approached Jay with a question. She pushed the button and joined two other women in the impeccably decorated elevator car.
A strong hand, with clearly manicured nails stopped the elevator doors from closing, and Jay’s handsome face peeked in. Kasey held her chin high as the two women behind her gasped audibly at his presence.
“There’s a company party Friday. Come. You’ll see what it would be like to work here,” he feigned nonchalance, but Kasey was beginning to feel the upper hand for the first time in their interaction.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she answered, without looking at him. Instead, she pushed the button so the doors would close, and watched Jay Canton smirk until the metal doors shut.
The women giggled, loudly whispering how handsome he was, while Kasey struggled to catch her breath, reminding herself he could very well be watching her reaction through the elevator cameras.
It wasn’t until she got into her Honda Accord that she finally threw her head back and let out the deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in. Jay Canton was more than she could handle, but something deep inside her looked forward to their next encounter, regardless of where it would be.
Chapter 5
Jay
“We should really consider going national with that new promotion George suggested earlier,” Mitchell said.
Jay could barely focus through the day’s meetings, let alone his friend’s mindless banter. It had been more than three days since he’d met Kasey, and she hadn’t so much as sent him an email follow-up, which was an expected industry courtesy.
The company party would be the following day, and the thought of being turned down was not sitting well with him. Jay Canton didn’t deal with rejection well or often.
“What’s the latest with Kasey Wright?” Mitchell abruptly changed the topic, and Jay straightened up in his seat, aware that his business partner could pick up on his vibes.
“Not sure. I haven’t heard from her since Monday, but I know the offer was more money than she’s ever made in her life,” Jay explained in a dazed tone, working the thoughts out as he spoke.
There weren’t many people who would hold out on a deal as good as the one he’d offered Kasey. She was either playing hard to get, or worse, she was hard to get.
“I think it’s about more than money with her, Jay. She’s been with that firm through thick and thin. She’s a loyal agent, if such a thing exists, but that rarity is what’s making her so damn successful.”
So, Mitchell believed it was the latter, Kasey Wright was going to be hard to get. That didn’t deter Jay in the least, instead, it excited him. She wanted him to fight for her and he was readying himself to do just that.
“What do you think she needs?” he asked Mitchell, his head cocked to the side with interest. Jay might have been the ladies’ man, but Mitchell understood women better, and was always his go-to when trying to understand the opposite sex.
“Someone like Kasey is dedicated to her writers. She wants to know that it means more than churning a profit to you. She most likely looks at a place like Passions as a warehouse for authors—with no integrity for the art. Kasey wants to know that you’ll let her be her. She’s probably afraid you’ll want her chasing money, and it seems by avoiding the chase of riches, she’s found her treasure chest.”
“You’re pretty heavy with the analogies today, don’t you think?” Jay smirked, before joining Mitchell in a laugh.
“Seriously. Don’t be so heavy on the money talk, and instead just be honest with her. You like what she does, you like how she does it, and you want to offer her an opportunity to do that here —with more resources and support than she currently has access to. The pay is secondary to a woman like Kasey.” Mitchell spoke confidently, like he knew more about her than Jay ever could. That was one of his many strengths, the uncanny ability to empathize with people he had nothing in common with.
Like Jay, Mitchell was extremely wealthy
, and could never understand turning down a financial opportunity for loyalty to glorified employees. Sure, they both loved Passions Publishing, but if an offer to buy the corporation in its entirety was the best strategy, there would be no emotional ties stopping them from signing on the dotted line.
“Either way, I’m sure she’ll make a great addition to the team,” Mitchell added as his phone buzzed. Excusing himself by raising one finger, Jay nodded, silently communicating they would discuss it more later on.
Ten minutes passed, and Jay, alone with his thoughts in the large office, decided that action beat theory and picked up his office phone with a plan.
My One and Only: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Second Chance Romance Page 27
