by Amber Page
Jessie knew she owed it to Gloria at least to run the idea by her. But what if she wanted to accept it? She couldn’t take that chance. If worst came to worst she could always buy Gloria out—she only had a ten percent stake in the business.
She took a deep breath, then looked up at Nick. His expression was guarded, his earlier enthusiasm banked. Jessie had a strange feeling that he knew what she was going to say.
“Thank you, gentlemen. This is a very generous offer, and I am honored to know that you think so highly of me and my business. But I’m afraid I can’t take it. Roar is not for sale and neither am I.”
Nick frowned. “I know this would be a big change for you, but I think you owe it to yourself to give it some thought. This could take your career to a whole new level—and give you access to clients you could never get on your own.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Clients like Goddess, you mean? Because I didn’t need any help from a corporate big brother to land that one.”
“No, you didn’t. But you can’t hope to continue to have that kind of success. Roar’s not big enough to compete on that level.”
“Why not?”
Nick let loose a short bark of laughter, an incredulous look on his face. “Oh, come on, now. You run Roar out of your house! You must know that if Phyllis saw your set-up she’d realize that your agency doesn’t belong in the big league. It all looks very amateurish.”
Jessie gasped, feeling as if she’d been slapped. “Is that what you think I am?” she asked, hating the quaver that had found its way into her voice. “An amateur? And here I thought you were actually beginning to respect me.”
Nick frowned again. “Of course I respect you. We wouldn’t offer to hire you if we didn’t. But Roar …? It’s not going to take you where you want to go.”
Anger flared to life, and it was hard to get the next words out through the roaring in her skull. “Nothing about Roar is amateur. We’re on to something big and you know it. And, unfortunately for you, we’re not about to let a bunch of testosterone-addled bigwigs screw it up—no matter how much you throw at us.”
“Jessie—” Nick started, anger flashing in his eyes.
“No, let me finish. Roar is taking me exactly where I want to go—on my terms. I don’t want to go anywhere on yours.”
Nick glared at her. “Are you finished now?”
“Yes,” she said, lifting her chin defiantly.
Nick took a deep breath. “Jessie, I am going to chalk your immediate reaction—and your words—up to shock. Please take a few days to think about our proposal. I believe you’ll find it’s in your best interests to accept.”
“I’ll pretend to think about it, if you want. But I’m not going to change my mind.”
“Then Roar is finished,” Brad said, his expression dangerously calm. “We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you never get another scrap of business.”
Jessie’s blood boiled. “Go ahead and try. I’d rather live out of my car than work for the likes of you.”
Picking up her briefcase, she stomped out of the conference room.
Nick opened the door to go after Jessie. “Great parting words, Dad,” Nick said over his shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll seriously consider our proposal now.”
“Forget about her. One way or the other, we’re getting rid of Roar.”
Nick shook his head as he strode out of the conference room. He saw her standing red-faced at the elevator bank, angrily punching the “down” arrow.
“Jessie! Wait!” he shouted.
Mutely, she shook her head and continued stabbing the button, looking surprised when a set of doors opened in front of her. Nick sprinted down the hall and skidded inside the elevator before it could close.
“What do you want?” she asked, her blue eyes sparking fire as the doors closed behind him.
“I wanted to apologize for the amateur comment. It came out wrong. I respect what you’re doing and I hope you’ll at least consider our proposal. You and I—we could be great together.”
“And if I don’t sign on the dotted line?”
Nick shrugged. “Then I’ll enjoy beating you every time we compete against each other for a client.”
Jessie’s lips twisted. “Unless you destroy us first?”
Nick winced. “Listen, I’m sorry about what my father said. He doesn’t always handle things in the most diplomatic way possible.”
“Oh, I think he handled it exactly right. Now your offer doesn’t look even the faintest bit tempting—no matter how many zeroes are on it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, mentally stomping on the impulse to run his hands through that wild red hair.
She must have seen the heat in his eyes, because she flushed and looked away.
“Listen, just stay away. Stay away from me. Stay away from Roar. We don’t need anything from the Thorntons.”
The elevator dinged with impeccable timing, and before he could say another word she was walking away.
“You might not need anything from the Thorntons,” he said to himself as he pushed the “up” button, “but this Thornton sure wants something from you.”
Actually, he wanted all of her. Naked. Spread out on his bed.
He only hoped he could bury this irrational need for Jessie’s touch in work.
CHAPTER FIVE
“THEY OFFERED YOU what, now?” Gloria said, her cereal spoon dangling limply from her hand.
“Fifty million dollars,” Jessie answered between bites of yogurt.
“And you turned them down?”
“Yes, of course,” Jessie said. “Wouldn’t you have?”
“Look, I love Roar as much as you do—at least I thought I did—but I would have jumped on that buyout offer.”
“Why?”
“That much money would give you the financial freedom to do anything you want. You could start a new agency. Start a cancer foundation. Buy an island in the South Pacific! Anything!”
“Yes, but I’d be giving up on Roar. On my hope of proving to the world that women-run agencies can compete with the big guys.”
Gloria slumped back against her chair, her brunette hair catching the morning sunlight as she ran frustrated hands through it.
“I guess that’s where we’re different,” she said.
“How?”
“I see this as a job. A cool job—but a job. You see it as a mission.”
Jessie shrugged. “I guess I do. But, listen, if you want out I’ll buy your share.”
“No, that’s not what I want. It’s just … I wish …” Gloria’s mouth snapped closed.
“You wish what?”
“Nothing.” Gloria got up and carried her dishes over to the sink. “Will you do me a favor?” she asked as she put them in the dishwasher.
“Sure—what?”
“Well, you’re the one that’s always reminding me that Mom wanted us to suck every drop of joy out of life that we could. Do you think she would have wanted you to spend your best years chained to your desk? Or would she have told you to take this money and see where your dreams can take you?”
Jessie put her head in her hands. “But I do love Roar. It does bring me joy,” she said, trying to sort through the barrage of emotions assaulting her senses.
Gloria put a hand on her back.
“I know. But what about a husband? Or a family? Don’t you think those things would be worth having too?”
“What? No,” she said, sitting up so she could look at her sister. “I thought we agreed that those things were not for us? Too much chance of it all going wrong. Of ending up broken-hearted and unable to care for the other people who love you.”
“I used to think that. But now I don’t know. I’m tired of being alone. And, as much as I like coming home to you, I’d rather have a big strong house-husband meet me at the door, with a glass of wine in one hand and a bar of chocolate in the other.”
Jessie giggled at the image. “Sheesh. Turn my entire world upside do
wn, why don’t you? But, as nice as that sounds, I don’t think it’s for me.”
“Not even if the house-husband in question was a certain advertising executive named Nick?”
“Especially not if he was Nick,” Jessie said.
But there was a twinge in her heart. A twinge that said she might be lying to herself a little. A twinge that shouldn’t be there.
Suddenly angry, Jessie got up from the table and stomped down the front stairs.
Work would straighten her out. It always did.
Unfortunately more bad news was waiting in her inbox. The custom-made computers she had ordered were on back order again, and wouldn’t be arriving for another three weeks. The new web developer she’d hired had emailed saying he’d gotten a better offer elsewhere, so would be unable to begin work the next Monday. And one of her hot new business prospects—an online clothing designer that she’d thought was as good as hers—had canceled their appointment that afternoon.
“What the hell?” Jessie yelled out loud. “Is the universe out to get me or something?”
Only silence answered her. Every one of her staff of twelve had noise-canceling headphones glued to their heads and were so deep in their work they had no idea she was even there.
“Great,” she muttered. “Now I’m talking to myself. Time to go for a walk.”
The early spring weather had taken a turn for the worse, so Jessie piled on her lavender ski jacket and headed out.
As she walked she remembered Brad Thornton’s parting shot. He’d all but promised to sabotage her business. Were today’s troubles part of his vendetta against her? She wouldn’t have thought he could move that fast, but who knew?
Realizing she didn’t have enough proof to make a case, she decided to shelve the thought for the time being and get back to work. Hopefully the afternoon would go better.
Unfortunately her hopes were dashed the moment she walked in the door.
“Um, Jessie?” Gloria said.
“Yeah?” Jessie replied as she shrugged off her coat.
“Did you know Coleen was quitting?”
“No. Wait. What?”
“She just told me while you were out. Today’s her last day.”
“You’re kidding me,” Jessie said. She was the lead designer on the Goddess account. No way could she leave!
“I wish I was.”
“But she can’t leave today—what about her two weeks’ notice?”
“Two weeks is customary, but it’s not a statutory requirement—you know that.”
“We’ll just have to see about that,” she muttered.
Without another word, she stomped off to Coleen’s desk and tugged the headphones off her ears.
“Hey!” she protested.
“Don’t you hey me. Gloria told me you said you’re quitting?”
“She’s right.”
Jessie felt the first stirrings of panic flutter in her stomach. “But you can’t quit! We need you! The Goddess launch is less than six weeks away!”
Coleen sighed and scrubbed her hands through her hair. “I know, and I feel awful, but I’ve had an offer I can’t refuse.”
“What happened? Did someone back a truckload of cash up to your door or something?”
Coleen squirmed in her seat. “Kind of. Thornton & Co. offered to triple my salary—and give me six weeks of vacation. But to get it I have to leave you now. With no notice. I’m so sorry!”
Jessie sighed. She knew there was no way Coleen could turn down that kind of money. She was a single mom with two kids at home. She needed every penny she could get.
“Damn, girl. I’d try to make a counter-offer, but there’s no way I can beat that. I don’t suppose you’d accept cupcakes in lieu of cash?”
Coleen squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, Jessie. But I have to take it.”
Jessie quashed her anger and gave Coleen a sad smile. “I understand. However, I am going to need you to sign a nondisclosure agreement. I don’t want anything we’ve done here to show up in one of their ads.”
“I would never do that,” Coleen protested.
“Right. And if I had asked you yesterday you would have said you wouldn’t leave me without notice, either. I’d like it in writing, if it’s all the same to you.”
Coleen’s shoulders slumped as she nodded. “Point taken. Okay, I’ll sign whatever you need me to sign. I certainly don’t want to ruin what we’ve started.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it. I’ll call our lawyer and we’ll have something for you to put your X on by the end of the day.”
When the woman nodded, Jessie turned to go back to her office. She’d made it no more than two steps before she saw another hand waving at her timidly from the back of the room. Every clack of her stilettos sounded like another nail in Roar’s coffin as she made her way back to her lead copywriter’s desk.
“What’s up, Sharon?” she asked, trying to pump a cheerfulness she didn’t feel into her words.
“Um, well …” the slight woman started.
Jessie heaved a sigh. “Let me guess. Thornton Digital has made you an offer you can’t refuse?”
Sharon gazed up at her with awe on her face. “How did you know?”
“I just spoke to your partner.”
“Delilah? Why would she have …?”
Jessie shook her head. “No. Your work partner.”
“Oh. Right. Coleen …”
“The one and only. So let me guess. Today is your last day?”
“It has to be,” Sharon said sadly.
Jessie took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, despite the panic beating in her brain. “All right. But you know I have to make you sign a nondisclosure, right?”
Sharon nodded. “Whatever you need. I do feel bad about this, but with this raise we can finally afford to have a baby.”
Jessie clasped her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I understand. I just wish I could offer as much as they can.”
“Well, when you can I’ll come running back,” Sharon said.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Jessie replied.
Once back in her office, she gave in to the anger scorching through her veins. Now that she had proof about who was behind her troubles it was time to call him on it.
She punched Nick’s number into her desk phone and waited impatiently while it rang. He’d better pick up. If he didn’t she’d just march down there and confront him in person. Maybe she should take something to throw at him. Maybe …
“Hello?”
“Oh. Hello,” she said, surprised out of her mental tirade.
“Who is this?”
“This is Jessica Owens, owner of Roar and soon to be your worst nightmare.” Okay, that might have been a bit heavy-handed, but he’d get the picture.
“Jessie? What are you talking about?”
To his credit, he sounded genuinely confused.
“What am I talking about? I’m talking about the two employees you’re stealing from me. The client you persuaded not to deal with me. And the computer equipment you arranged to be delayed.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. I haven’t done any of those things. I’ve spent the entire morning looking for office space for Thornton Digital.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“I think you know I’m not that evil.”
“I don’t know anything about you,” she said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.
His voice gentled. “Listen, let me dig around and see what I can find out. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
That was more than she had expected. “Thank you,” she said.
“No problem. I’ll get in touch when I know more.”
After she’d hung up the phone Jessie stared into space. She wanted to believe Nick. She wanted to believe that he was different—an ad man with a soul, unlike his father. But she couldn’t help but remember the way he acted whenever they were in a meeting. That man was perfectly capable of doing these things.
She
sighed. Oh, well, there was nothing she could do about it right now. And, since it looked as if she was about to lose her lead creative team, she’d be better off digging into the Goddess work and figuring out what she was going to do than moping about.
It was a good thing she was an art director at heart—and a good one. If she wanted to keep this account, she was going to have to roll up her sleeves and get to work.
Nick burst into his father’s office without bothering to knock.
“I hear you’ve been busy this morning,” he said as he crossed the office and sat down in one of the black leather visitors’ chairs in front of the glass and chrome desk. “What do you think you’re doing?”
His dad put down the newspaper he’d been reading and looked at Nick over the top of his glasses. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, really? So you didn’t threaten Jessie’s clients? Or steal two of her best people?”
“Oh. That. I was just trying to help you get Thornton Digital off to a good start.”
“How does that help me?”
“Well, if you’re going to start a digital agency you’re going to need employees. And we know Jessie has good people—otherwise she wouldn’t have managed to get as far as she has. So why not steal them? Two birds—one stone.”
“It didn’t occur to you that I might want to hire my own employees?”
“Well, you’re going to need far more than two employees. You can hire all the rest of them! And I don’t care what you do with these. You can fire them tomorrow if you want to. I just didn’t want Jessie to have them.”
“There are other ways to get the Goddess work back. You don’t have to destroy Roar.”
“It’s not about the work. It’s about the insult,” his father said. “How did you hear about this, anyway? Have you been talking to that woman?”
“She called me, yes.”
“I don’t want you talking to her.”
“I’m not seventeen anymore. You can’t tell me what to do or who to see.”
“Maybe not. But I’m still in control of the agency. Stay away from that woman or else I’ll set up a meeting with the board and get the agency sold tomorrow!”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
