Usually corporations send representatives, but Kate and Jacob run a tight ship and apparently do almost all interactions with their contractors one-on-one.
I’m pretty confident it’ll be an easy meeting. Hopefully Aria won’t get in the way.
Aria’s got a straight skirt on that lands just below her knees and closed-toed heels rather than her normal strappy sandals. I wonder if she’s trying to cover up more, now that she works for Jeremy.
“ We’re just going to meet them for drinks at the Grove Park Inn,” I explain as we head to my car.
“ At two in the afternoon?”
I shrug. “Clients’ choice.”
We’re quiet on the way and arrive before Kate and Jacob, as expected. I order my usual martini. Aria thinks for a few moments, then looks to me for help.
“ You don’t have to get alcohol,” I offer, wondering if she doesn’t drink.
She’s looks relieved, then nervous again. “I don’t want to seem—“
“ Can you make her a virgin cocktail?” I ask the waitress, who is probably about my age and looks bored out of her mind.
“ Yup. Want to try our virgin mojito? Mint, limeade, and soda.”
“ Please,” says Aria, settling back into her chair with a small smile.
She brings us our drinks just as Kate and Jacob come in. They’re in their mid-forties, both very attractive, tall, and have a powerful presence. We stand to greet them and their handshakes are firm but warm. I focus on not being intimidated—I far prefer to deal with company representatives than the actual people in charge—and flag down the waitress. Jacob orders a whiskey for himself and a glass of Chardonnay for Kate, who is busy doing something with her phone.
“ Oh, you went to Duke,” says Aria as Jacob turns to us.
I look at her in surprise, and see her gesturing toward a class ring on his right ring finger.
“ Yes, good eyes.” He smiles.
“ I hear they’ve got a great power forward this year.”
I raise my eyebrows but hide my surprise as Aria launches into a detailed conversation about Duke basketball with Jacob, one of our firm’s most important new clients.
I’ll thank her for that later.
Kate’s put down her phone and is listening somewhat apathetically, but seems content to wait to get to business. I search for a class ring on her finger, or any clue on her person to help draw her into the conversation.
But Aria beats me to it, glancing in Kate’s direction and saying, “And you? Blue Devil or Tar Heel?”
“ No, no. I was a Tiger.”
Before I know it, there’s a fun, rather loud conversation about the ACC and every sport ranging from football to women’s basketball to swimming. I don’t have a lot to contribute, but do add that I went to Appalachian State and hide my annoyance when this admission is greeted with laughter.
Jacob orders another round for everyone, asking the waitress to put it on his card. When I protest—our firm always tries to pick up the bill for these meetings—he waves his hand, dismissing the idea. Kate and Jacob are both leaning slightly toward Aria, their body language indicating they’re having a nice time.
I relax, pleased.
By the time we get around to discussing their ad campaign, I’m buzzed and push my second half-finished martini aside.
“ Well, we’ve been thinking a lot about the redesign…” Kate says, opening her own file and spreading out some design drafts in front of her and Jacob.
Redesign? I flip open the file, trying to appear casual, and frantically scan for any note of a redesign. Maybe it was in an email I missed? Shit .
“ Is that what you use in Durham?” Aria asks, leaning over Jacob’s shoulder to peer at the papers.
“ Yes. As you can see, it’s industrial. Here in Asheville, we want hip. We want to appeal to whatever these…” Kate pauses, looking around the hotel bar with mild disgust, searching for the right word, “…whatever these mountain people seem to like.”
“ That’s really smart,” says Aria, beaming at
I’m pretty confident it’ll be an easy meeting. Hopefully Aria won’t get in the way.
Aria’s got a straight skirt on that lands just below her knees and closed-toed heels rather than her normal strappy sandals. I wonder if she’s trying to cover up more, now that she works for Jeremy.
“ We’re just going to meet them for drinks at the Grove Park Inn,” I explain as we head to my car.
“ At two in the afternoon?”
I shrug. “Clients’ choice.”
We’re quiet on the way and arrive before Kate and Jacob, as expected. I order my usual martini. Aria thinks for a few moments, then looks to me for help.
“ You don’t have to get alcohol,” I offer, wondering if she doesn’t drink.
She’s looks relieved, then nervous again. “I don’t want to seem—“
“ Can you make her a virgin cocktail?” I ask the waitress, who is probably about my age and looks bored out of her mind.
“ Yup. Want to try our virgin mojito? Mint, limeade, and soda.”
“ Please,” says Aria, settling back into her chair with a small smile.
She brings us our drinks just as Kate and Jacob come in. They’re in their mid-forties, both very attractive, tall, and have a powerful presence. We stand to greet them and their handshakes are firm but warm. I focus on not being intimidated—I far prefer to deal with company representatives than the actual people in charge—and flag down the waitress. Jacob orders a whiskey for himself and a glass of Chardonnay for Kate, who is busy doing something with her phone.
“ Oh, you went to Duke,” says Aria as Jacob turns to us.
I look at her in surprise, and see her gesturing toward a class ring on his right ring finger.
“ Yes, good eyes.” He smiles.
“ I hear they’ve got a great power forward this year.”
I raise my eyebrows but hide my surprise as Aria launches into a detailed conversation about Duke basketball with Jacob, one of our firm’s most important new clients.
I’ll thank her for that later.
Kate’s put down her phone and is listening somewhat apathetically, but seems content to wait to get to business. I search for a class ring on her finger, or any clue on her person to help draw her into the conversation.
But Aria beats me to it, glancing in Kate’s direction and saying, “And you? Blue Devil or Tar Heel?”
“ No, no. I was a Tiger.”
Before I know it, there’s a fun, rather loud conversation about the ACC and every sport ranging from football to women’s basketball to swimming. I don’t have a lot to contribute, but do add that I went to Appalachian State and hide my annoyance when this admission is greeted with laughter.
Jacob orders another round for everyone, asking the waitress to put it on his card. When I protest—our firm always tries to pick up the bill for these meetings—he waves his hand, dismissing the idea. Kate and Jacob are both leaning slightly toward Aria, their body language indicating they’re having a nice time.
I relax, pleased.
By the time we get around to discussing their ad campaign, I’m buzzed and push my second half-finished martini aside.
“ Well, we’ve been thinking a lot about the redesign…” Kate says, opening her own file and spreading out some design drafts in front of her and Jacob.
Redesign? I flip open the file, trying to appear casual, and frantically scan for any note of a redesign. Maybe it was in an email I missed? Shit .
“ Is that what you use in Durham?” Aria asks, leaning over Jacob’s shoulder to peer at the papers.
“ Yes. As you can see, it’s industrial. Here in Asheville, we want hip. We want to appeal to whatever these…” Kate pauses, looking around the hotel bar with mild disgust, searching for the right word, “…whatever these mountain people seem to like.”
“ That’s really smart,” says Aria, beaming at
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