Romantic Acquisition Page 0,20
if he’d just learn to love her a little.
A tear formed in the corner of her eye and she brushed it away angrily. She’d never put another child through that kind of pain. She wanted children. But she could live without them. Other women lived whole, fulfilled lives without children so she’d find a way.
Kate arrived at the cocktail party early to make sure everything was in order. The bartenders were already at their stations and the caterer approached Kate, asking when she wanted to start the hors d’ouvres. Kate discussed the other technicalities of the party but everything seemed under control. David arrived ten minutes after Kate and she could tell by the look in his eyes that he liked her outfit. It was conservative enough for his tastes.
The guests arrived almost immediately after David did and Kate was busy matching groups of people up with others to ensure that conversations were lively and interesting. She chided herself each time she surveyed the room looking for one man in particular. She was not watching for Carlo, she told herself. She was only making sure everyone had arrived so she could slow down a bit.
Three hours later, the party was in full swing. Everyone was having a great time and Kate decided to find a quiet corner on the balcony.
She was looking out at the lights of the city, admiring the way the fall skyline twinkled with the stars now that the humidity had died down slightly with the beginning of fall just around the corner.
“What the hell are you wearing?” a deep voice said from behind her.
Kate swung around and smiled as Carlo walked towards her. She wished her heart didn’t skip a beat but it did. She forced her face into a more professional mask as he stopped a foot away from her.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well, what?” she asked, smothering an automatic smile at his approach.
“What are you wearing? Why are you wearing something that looks like my grandmother would own?”
She couldn’t help it. Kate laughed at the insult. “It’s just a cocktail dress,” she said, not really defending her outfit since she hated it. It also made her feel wonderful that he hated it as well.
He looked her up and down, his eyes not missing a single detail of the simple dress and conservative shoes. “I guess I’m just used to you showing up in something every other woman wishes she could pull off instead of what every other woman is wearing.”
Kate could no longer maintain her passivity. His compliment sent her stomach into flip flops. “Thank you.”
“So why the hell are you wearing it?” he demanded again.
“I thought something more conservative would get David off my back for a while,” she explained, scanning the crowd and finding her boss as he slapped another vice president on the back.
Carlo followed her gaze, his eyes not showing any emotion, as usual. “Has he been bothering you lately?”
“No, not really,” she said, letting out a little breath. “He’s just his normal, ornery self.”
Carlo turned back to her and she thought she saw a slight bit of disgust in his eyes but she wasn’t sure. “How would you run the company differently?” he asked, taking a drink from a passing waiter.
Kate was shocked. No one had ever asked her something like that. “Wow! That’s a big question.”
“Haven’t you ever thought about how things could be different?”
“Sure I have. Who hasn’t? I’ve just never been asked.”
“Well, here you go. What would you do differently?”
Kate looked over to where David was still standing, “Well, for one thing, I’d create a more team environment,” she whispered.
Carlo laughed. “It isn’t treasonous to think differently than someone, Kate. It’s okay to talk out loud.”
Kate smiled slightly. “You don’t know David very well, do you?”
“Not really. He doesn’t strike me as the most creative of leaders. Am I very far off the mark?”
“No, he’s an old school, textbook style manager.”
“Wouldn’t you say that most companies need a director rather than a manger at the helm?” he asked.
Kate considered that for a moment. “I guess so. It would depend on what you consider a director versus a manager.”
“I’d categorize your leadership in your department as more of a directorship than a manager. From what I’ve seen so far, you seem to have an idea and ask the whole team to manage towards that goal. A manager only takes direction from a supervisor, ensuring that the tasks are accomplished but with no vision behind the orders.”
Kate thought about what