Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
It’s clear Belinda is a frequent flyer of this President’s Club. Not surprising, given how much Henry relies on her. “So, let me get this straight. Lena and I bust our asses to sign these contracts, and you reap the rewards?”
“What can I say, perks of being the general manager.” Belinda studies her nails. “Directors are also suitably rewarded.”
“With what?”
“Hotel vouchers and bonuses.” She shrugs. “That sort of thing.”
I was already in a bad mood coming into this meeting, but now I’m annoyed. No one told me I’d have to be a salesman to line Henry’s gold pockets. “Well, it sounds like this GrayStone contract has guaranteed your club seat.” I lean back in my chair, making a point of stretching out my thighs. “I’d prefer the cash bonus, thanks. How about you, Lena?”
“Always a fan of cash.” She’s enjoying watching me hang myself with our boss.
Belinda sneers at my leisurely position. “These meetings you have lined up over the next few days? All this prep work you’ve been doing to ingratiate yourself with our special guests? I expect results.”
“Kissing ass is not one of my strong suits, if you haven’t noticed yet.” Now I’m just poking the bear. But, fuck it, Henry’s going to fire me anyway once I walk into dinner with Sloane tonight.
Our tablets chirp with an incoming email from Mindy.
Belinda stares at me for a lengthy moment before peeling away. “You may begin, Eleanor.”
At the sound of her name, the owlish events manager begins rhyming off events and projections like a programmed computer.
All the while, Belinda’s eyes bore into me.
“Stay back a moment, please, Ronan,” Belinda beckons in a clipped tone.
I sink back into my chair as the ladies leave. I should have known I wouldn’t get away that easily after being a dick.
Belinda saunters over to shut the door behind them. “Okay, what the fuck has gotten into you today?”
It’s more about what I’ve gotten into. Or who I’ve gotten into.
“I had a shitty sleep,” I say instead. “I was up early.”
“Yes, I heard you dragged our pro out on the course.”
I sigh. “Okay, give me whatever lecture you’re dying to give.”
“Who says I’m going to lecture you?”
“Because I recognize that tone, I’ve heard it so many times before. You want to make me feel like a complete idiot, so go ahead. Let’s have it.”
Instead of retaking her chair, she settles onto the boardroom table, her ankle brushing my knee as she crosses her legs. That skirt of hers is climbing dangerously high. This undoubtedly breaks an HR rule or five.
Then again, we broke all those rules and then some in Wolf Cove two years ago.
“I haven’t spent hours training you only for you to fall apart during one of the most important weeks of the year,” she says calmly.
“You haven’t trained me to be a fucking salesperson.”
“Is that why you’re in such a little snit?” She studies my face. “You have exceeded my expectations up until now. The sky is the limit for you at Wolf if you apply yourself.”
“You mean, if I earn you diamonds and vacations.”
“And cash bonuses, don’t forget those,” she quips, sliding her glasses off to set them on the table beside her. It’s a rare sight when she doesn’t wear those.
Guilt tickles my conscience. I’m giving her a hard time, and there’s no good reason. With a sigh, I point at my tablet, abandoned on the table. “Do I have to memorize all those price lists and shit before tomorrow too?”
She laughs. “No. That’s nitty-gritty stuff. That’s for Eleanor and her team to iron out. We focus on impressing upon these people the benefits of hosting their events at Wolf Hotels. You are selling a partnership. A relationship.”
“And these meetings I have over the next few days are all with women because you expect me to do what as part of selling this relationship?”
“I know what you’re insinuating, and don’t be silly. That is definitely not part of your job description.” She rolls her eyes. “You’re meeting with Olivia McEowan from Black Titan.”
“Oil and gas.”
“Yes. She has been a white whale for Wolf Hotels. When her father was alive, the company’s corporate events were held at Wolf. Since she’s taken over, she’s axed the budgets by more than half. Wolf hasn’t hosted them at any of our locations in nine years. We used to make almost as much with them as we’ve secured with GrayStone.”
I whistle. “That must hurt.”
“It does. Convince her to choose us again.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Be yourself. But with your pants on.”
I arch an eyebrow.
“Come on. If you can convince Jacob Farnsworth to suck Will Darling’s dick, you can do anything you set your mind to.”
The reference to that night in Alaska is so unexpected I burst out laughing. “Hey, I didn’t convince anyone to do anything. And that match-up was Connor’s idea.”