Summer In Stanton (Stanton Falls #3) by Kaci Hart

Chapter One

 
 
    “We’re running out of
time on this guys.  I mean we are literally hours away from losing one of
our biggest clients and if that happens, it’s on us.  All of us.  So
let’s pull this together and get it done.  Nick, Rachel, I need something
big like yesterday.  Robbie and Jo, you run point on the sponsorship angle
and for goodness sakes, call me back soon with something good.”

 
    Tessa pressed the hang
up button on her speakerphone--abruptly ending the conference call that she was
on with her direct team members.  

 
    This is not good.
 Definitely not good.  

 
    She moved her hair from
her face.   She was so frustrated that she was about ready to pull it
out.  In fact, she was so desperate that she would have seriously
considered doing just that if she thought it would help make a good enough
Product Placement Proposal to keep the client happy.   She figured
that she at least had a little more time to right the ship before she had to
present it to her boss.  When her phone rang no more than ten seconds
after she finished her conference call, she was surprised.  She had
specifically asked her secretary to make sure she not be disturbed this
morning.   She pressed the button on her phone.   

 
    “Beth, I thought I said
no interruptions.”

 
    The girl sounded
flustered.

 
    “Right. I-I wouldn’t
bother you Ms. McGuire but it is important.   I just took a call from
Mr. Atwell’s secretary.  He wants to see you in his office as soon as
possible.”

 
    Tessa looked at the
watch on her hand.  It was eleven a.m.

 
    “Okay.  Let them
know that I’ll be there before noon.”

 
    “I’m sorry ma’am.
 I probably should have said exactly what she told me.”

 
    Now this woman is just
frustrating.  Why doesn’t she ever just spit out what she has to say instead
of making me pull it out of her.  

 
    On more than one
occasion, Tessa had seriously considered replacing the woman.  This only
made her mind up for her.  Here she was working the biggest client the
company had and her secretary apparently thought she could read minds.
 Still, she didn’t want to fire her.  No one deserved that.  She
gave herself a mental note to have her moved to a role that would probably be
better for her and get herself a new secretary.  In the meantime, she sighed
in frustration before responding.  

 
    “Which was what
exactly?”

 
    “Oh, sorry.  Mr.
Atwell wanted you to come immediately but I told her you were on a conference
call.  She said you were to head over once you were finished.”

 
    “Okay then.  Tell
them I’m on my way up now.”

 
    “Yes ma’am.”

 
    The phone clicked off
and Tessa grabbed some of her documents.  She didn’t want to keep them
waiting any more than she already had but she had to show them that there were
going to be positive results.  

 
    She walked down the long
hallway, her heels clicking as she made her way across the shiny, tiled floor.
 She looked around as she walked.  

 
    You’d think someone died
by the looks I’m getting.  

 
    People who normally
talked to her at length every time they saw her were averting their eyes.
  All around people were pretending to be working when she knew they
were watching her.  No.  This was really weird.  It was quiet.
 That was the last thing that an ad agency in the heart of New York City
should be.  

 
    I haven’t seen it like
this in here since the day . . . oh no.

 
    The door to Mr. Atwell’s
office opened slowly and a very displeased looking man walked out.  It was
David Drabst, the CEO of the company she worked for.  Her boss was the
head of her division but he reported directly to Mr. Drabst.  Unfortunately,
Mr. Drabst was never seen on this floor unless there was really bad news.
 He walked right past her without looking at her or saying a word.
 That was when she realized why everyone was looking at her like