No Strings__ - By Janelle Denison Page 0,4
at humor. “Then I’ve done my job.”
“Very well, it seems.” He briefly looked over at the happy client who was busy shaking Perry’s hand while gushing about the campaign, then back at Chloe. “Congratulations on the new account.”
Her gaze warmed with appreciation. “Thanks, Aiden.”
That was another thing he liked about Chloe. Despite her creative talent and advertising savvy, she displayed absolutely no conceit or arrogance over her newest triumph, as many of their coworkers did. She didn’t feel the need to flaunt or brag about her acquisitions, and to Aiden, that spoke to her confidence and determination when it came to pleasing her client.
Her success today was a nice feather in her cap and put her another notch closer to a promotion and taking on bigger accounts, but Aiden wasn’t too worried. There was no denying that Chloe was good at her job, but he’d like to think that he was better. The proof would come as soon as he was awarded the St. Rafael account.
“How about I buy you a drink later, after work, to celebrate?” he offered.
She nodded, and smiled. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Knowing she and Perry had contract details to go over with the client, Aiden left the conference room and went to his office to return some phone calls and to work on a few accounts that needed his attention. He skipped going out for lunch, and instead bought a roast beef sandwich from the lunch cart to eat while he answered emails and edited copy for a client’s upcoming media blitz.
At three-fifteen in the afternoon, the phone on his desk buzzed and Perry’s personal secretary, Lena, spoke through the intercom. “Aiden, Mr. Perry would like to see you in his office regarding the St. Raphael account, please.”
A jolt of excitement surged through Aiden. This was it, he thought, tamping down the crazy urge to execute an elated fist pump in the air. Despite Chloe’s fantastic campaign today, Perry was going to entrust him with one of the firm’s biggest clients—and as soon as he blew away St. Raphael with a kick-ass campaign, that five-figure bonus would be all his. Yes!
“I’ll be right there, Lena,” he said, his voice much calmer than he felt inside.
After disconnecting the call, he stood and put his suit jacket back on to look as professional as possible, straightened his tie and started toward Perry’s suite of executive offices. On the way, he caught sight of Chloe across the way, heading in the same direction. Her smile faded, as did his, as they both came to a stop at the double glass doors that led to Perry’s domain.
“Wait a second,” he said, unable to stop the unease settling in his stomach like lead. “Where are you going?”
“To see Perry.” She looked equally wary, as if seeing him there had taken her by surprise, as well. “And you?”
“The same.” Shit. This situation didn’t bode well. Not at all. “Did he want to talk to you about the St. Raphael account, too?”
A slight frown creased her brow. “Yes.”
Aiden had no idea what was up, because they were each qualified and experienced enough to handle the account on their own. Chloe was coming off the high of her Organic Kitty presentation earlier today, which was no doubt fresh in Perry’s mind and could possibly give her an added edge. But honestly, there was no telling what the CEO had planned, or why he’d summoned them both. Unless he intended to give one of them the account, and let the other one down easy, all in one fell swoop.
It wouldn’t be the first time something like that had happened in his career—and he hated that he was in that position now.
He exhaled a deep breath, refusing to let Chloe see him sweat because he hadn’t lost the account yet—and wouldn’t let it slip through his fingers if he had his way. Pushing open the glass door, he gave her an easygoing smile and waved a hand inside the executive offices. “After you.”
2
CHLOE SAT DOWN in one of the plush seats in front of Richard Perry’s large glass-topped desk, and Aiden settled into the chair next to hers, while their boss regarded them both with an unreadable expression.
A nearly tangible tension vibrated in the air between her and Aiden. There was so much at stake, for the both of them, and she reminded herself that confidence, sprinkled with a large dose of fortitude, was the key to getting what she wanted. That way of thinking had