because she had a few things to say to him. Just because he was VP didn't mean he had to be such a bully! Poor Dawson was huddled with his black-haired, purple-swathed cohorts, no doubt ready to quit.
The rest of the folks got out of there quickly, and then Jackson started to stroll in her direction.
"Oh Mr. Hawks, can we have a word with you?"
"Why sure, Dawson. I know you and the crew worked hard, but what can I say? Unit numbers don't lie." Jackson leaned against the conference
table casually, next to the four horsemen of the apocalyptic creative team.
"We quit."
"What's that?"
"You heard us, we quit. We all feel that our creative differences are too vast to overcome. Pitman obviously has a limited growth potential in its toy development, and frankly we're tired of being the brunt of it all. Obviously if Marketing did its job, and if we'd outsource some production, we'd be able to expand into the more lucrative areas of action figures and fantasy realm items."
" Dawson, the top-selling toys from our 2004 line last holiday season were the Wiggles. Cute, heartwarming."
"With due respect, Mr. Hawks, the top-selling action figure for Dec. 04 overall was the Fusion Monster based on the Fi-Bu-Mo cartoon, and it sold triple what our heartwarming line did. And in case I didn't mention it, that was produced by Harcourt Toys, not Pitman."
"Dude, you've got to reach into your inner child, and get what Pitman is all about. Don't quit, think of it as a challenge." Jackson put his hand on Dawson's shoulder. "Besides, the job market out there sucks."
Dawson leaned in to his cohorts, and they buzzed together like deranged bees. He popped out of the hive and addressed Jackson. "Considering the job market, we will give you another
month, but each of us officially gives notice. Is that right, Fletcher? Downs? Parson?" They each gave Jackson a dead-on nod.
Could this be happening? The creative team on the bread line in thirty days? Sounded like a pretty darn good idea to Jana Lee.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Dawson, but grateful for the extra month. Maybe you'll change your mind. But if you don't, to make sure you get unemployment, I'll lay you off instead." Jackson strode past the four stunned people and headed toward Jana Lee. The creative team made tracks out of the boardroom, leaving just Jana Lee, Oliver and Jackson.
Akk. Jana Lee shrunk down in her chair, fiddled with her scarf and tried to look invisible. Even though it sounded reasonable to realign a crew that wasn't in tune with the company, the reality of four people out of work was harsh when it was said flat out. She had the feeling people came and went from Pitman pretty easily. And here she was pretending to be her sister. Hopefully it wouldn't cost Jillian her job.
Jackson pulled a chair out next to her and sat very close.
"Miss Tompkins, I'm sorry to hear about your throat. I hope I didn't keep you out in the night air too late last night." Jackson smiled a very sexy smile.
It made her face feel hot looking at him. Parts of
her body that had been in an ice age state of dormancy came alive as he put his hand on top of hers. She pulled it away in an attempt to maintain sanity.
"Miss Tompkins's malady will no doubt lift by lunchtime. It's a purely temporary condition/' Oliver presented.
"Oh, really?" Jackson looked straight in her eyes. "In that case, if you'd be so kind as to join me for lunch in my office, we'll have Chez Paris cater in. How does a chicken Caesar salad sound? Iced tea? Or perhaps a soothing soup?"
Jana Lee smiled and tried not to talk. She just nodded amiably in agreement. She had to make nice to the boss for Jillian's sake. She could tell him off later. If ever. Her sister's job was at stake here. She stared into his unblinking chocolate brown eyes and tried to remember what she was going to yell at him about.
No wonder women fell at his feet. Jackson Hawks was the most powerful, sexy, intelligent man she'd met in a long, long time.
7
Twin
The rest of the folks got out of there quickly, and then Jackson started to stroll in her direction.
"Oh Mr. Hawks, can we have a word with you?"
"Why sure, Dawson. I know you and the crew worked hard, but what can I say? Unit numbers don't lie." Jackson leaned against the conference
table casually, next to the four horsemen of the apocalyptic creative team.
"We quit."
"What's that?"
"You heard us, we quit. We all feel that our creative differences are too vast to overcome. Pitman obviously has a limited growth potential in its toy development, and frankly we're tired of being the brunt of it all. Obviously if Marketing did its job, and if we'd outsource some production, we'd be able to expand into the more lucrative areas of action figures and fantasy realm items."
" Dawson, the top-selling toys from our 2004 line last holiday season were the Wiggles. Cute, heartwarming."
"With due respect, Mr. Hawks, the top-selling action figure for Dec. 04 overall was the Fusion Monster based on the Fi-Bu-Mo cartoon, and it sold triple what our heartwarming line did. And in case I didn't mention it, that was produced by Harcourt Toys, not Pitman."
"Dude, you've got to reach into your inner child, and get what Pitman is all about. Don't quit, think of it as a challenge." Jackson put his hand on Dawson's shoulder. "Besides, the job market out there sucks."
Dawson leaned in to his cohorts, and they buzzed together like deranged bees. He popped out of the hive and addressed Jackson. "Considering the job market, we will give you another
month, but each of us officially gives notice. Is that right, Fletcher? Downs? Parson?" They each gave Jackson a dead-on nod.
Could this be happening? The creative team on the bread line in thirty days? Sounded like a pretty darn good idea to Jana Lee.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Dawson, but grateful for the extra month. Maybe you'll change your mind. But if you don't, to make sure you get unemployment, I'll lay you off instead." Jackson strode past the four stunned people and headed toward Jana Lee. The creative team made tracks out of the boardroom, leaving just Jana Lee, Oliver and Jackson.
Akk. Jana Lee shrunk down in her chair, fiddled with her scarf and tried to look invisible. Even though it sounded reasonable to realign a crew that wasn't in tune with the company, the reality of four people out of work was harsh when it was said flat out. She had the feeling people came and went from Pitman pretty easily. And here she was pretending to be her sister. Hopefully it wouldn't cost Jillian her job.
Jackson pulled a chair out next to her and sat very close.
"Miss Tompkins, I'm sorry to hear about your throat. I hope I didn't keep you out in the night air too late last night." Jackson smiled a very sexy smile.
It made her face feel hot looking at him. Parts of
her body that had been in an ice age state of dormancy came alive as he put his hand on top of hers. She pulled it away in an attempt to maintain sanity.
"Miss Tompkins's malady will no doubt lift by lunchtime. It's a purely temporary condition/' Oliver presented.
"Oh, really?" Jackson looked straight in her eyes. "In that case, if you'd be so kind as to join me for lunch in my office, we'll have Chez Paris cater in. How does a chicken Caesar salad sound? Iced tea? Or perhaps a soothing soup?"
Jana Lee smiled and tried not to talk. She just nodded amiably in agreement. She had to make nice to the boss for Jillian's sake. She could tell him off later. If ever. Her sister's job was at stake here. She stared into his unblinking chocolate brown eyes and tried to remember what she was going to yell at him about.
No wonder women fell at his feet. Jackson Hawks was the most powerful, sexy, intelligent man she'd met in a long, long time.
7
Twin
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