Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
He’s put together as always, his more salt than pepper hair combed neatly from his part and wearing a crisp gray suit.
I’m slightly less vibrant this morning, the lack of sleep starting to catch up with me, and I fake a cough to cover a yawn.
“Dalencia just launched their winter campaign,” I explain, leaning back in the leather chair across from his desk and interlacing my fingers. “It’s too early to pull any data, but their runway show in Paris did well.”
“Did well?” He quirks a brow, and I smile, knowing full well that, to him, “did well” means nothing. Neil is a fan of hard data, not supposition.
“They just released their first run into stores. Thirty of the forty-two Saks Fifth Avenue locations are already requesting more inventory. Nordstrom is doing much the same. And their couture inventory at Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdale’s is no longer available.”
Neil smiles, enjoying the shop talk just as much as I do. While his relationship with Avery is one of coddling and comfort, he and I share a very different bond. In this building, we’re not father and son—he’s my boss, and he demands a level of excellence.
I don’t resent the difference, but rather, I thrive on it. Nepotism got me in the door, but I’ve been fighting for every success since then, just like everyone else.
My first campaign was for dog biscuits. Kibble Treats was a small, family-owned company that grossed just under one million a year. I realize that sounds like a lot of money to most people, but in terms of business, especially the kind of major corporations that Banks & McKenzie works with, Kibble Treats’s revenue was peanuts.
And now, because of my hard work and the achievements of my first campaign and the campaigns that followed, my father and Chris promoted me to an executive position and let me run campaigns with some of the biggest corporations in the world.
I’m at the top of a ladder I built, which is something I’m incredibly proud of.
My father nods in approval, a small grin curving his lips upward. “That’s more like it.”
“Gotta keep you on your toes sometimes, sir.”
My dad laughs. “That’s a great perspective in life, but not in business. We should be ten steps ahead all the time.”
“Last I counted, we were twelve steps ahead.”
He shakes his head, amused. “You’d better be if you’re going to beat out Seth on the Midnight venture.”
Ironically, I’m way more aware of the need to be ahead of Seth than my father knows. He’s still sniffing around my people on a regular basis, and a feeling in my gut tells me he’s already gotten plenty of information. To get ahead of him now, I’m probably going to have to go back to the drawing board completely, but I’m not dejected. Two years ago, a marketing executive named Doug Stamper held my job. He had a lot of Seth’s personality traits, and, as is obvious by the fact that he’s no longer with the company, karma caught up with him. I just have to stay my own course.
“We’re well equipped to handle everything Seth McKenzie throws at us and then some.”
“That’s good.” He fiddles with a glass paperweight from his desk, passing it back and forth in his hands. “You know, sometimes hindsight is twenty-twenty.”
“Meaning?”
“I’m just wondering if I was a little overzealous in my agreement to pit the two of you against each other for this so-called friendly competition.”
“Why?”
He eyes me knowingly. “Come on, Beau. You and I both know why.”
Everyone in the office knows why. Within thirty days, Bethany went from stopping at my office for lunch to stopping at Seth’s. Even if you’re not the type to dive into the office gossip, it was kind of hard to ignore.
“I appreciate the concern, Neil, but there’s no need for it.”
My dad’s eyes are warm with affection. “I don’t know if I tell you this enough, but I’m proud of you, Beau. Really proud of you.”
“Is this my dad or my boss telling me this?”
He smiles. “Both.”
“Thanks,” I say. “It’s appreciated.”
The sound of the door swinging open behind me pulls my attention to over my shoulder, and June strides in with a stack of files in her hands.
“Hey, June,” I greet, making her head jerk up and her eyes jump to mine.
“Oh!” she says in a rush. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting. Denise wasn’t at her desk, and I just assumed you were free, Mr. Banks.”
“You’re not interrupting anything, Juni,” my dad says with a gentle wave of his hand. “It appears you have quite the stack there. Please tell me it’s for Beau,” he teases, and the sweetest-sounding laugh escapes her lungs.
“Well, sir, Beau didn’t ask me to get every paper contract we’ve ever signed with Clover Athletics. You did.” She pauses and shrugs. “Though, I guess I could pretend he requested it if you let me go back outside and start over.”