Aquitaine merger. Her own opinion on this score amazed her—though she had been against the joining of the two companies initially, she realized that she had somehow come to view their union as a promising thing.
She was not, however, wholly at ease. Her conversation with Marc earlier in the day and the idea that he had planted implications about her in Cole’s head still rattled her slightly. And she had been all too aware at dinner of Cole’s eyes on her. He couldn’t possibly believe anything Marc had said, especially after they’d set the record straight with their talk. Still, she felt uncertain about the way he watched her and frequently found herself rubbing at her wrist, still remembering the ache from when she had slapped him.
Despite everything, Cole had behaved like a perfect gentleman, even escorting her outside after dinner and onto the patio, where there was a table set up with items for the evening’s activities, along with chairs for their group.
René instructed them all to settle into a semicircle while he retrieved a giant inflatable beach ball from the nearby cluster of props. He directed Cole to a separate chair, facing the rest, and placed the beach ball into his hands.
“Julien instructed that this weekend was both an exercise in team-building and an opportunity for your new boss to learn more about each of you while, in turn, you get to know him. So I have taken some of the usual icebreaker activities and adapted them to your situation.”
To her right, Emma sensed Giselle straightening as René moved around their circle. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at Giselle’s obvious interest and managed to catch Cole’s gaze in the process. He grinned at her, as though he shared her amusement, and she belatedly realized that, like Giselle, she had straightened at this attention. She quickly turned her focus back to René.
“To begin, we will let Cole get to know you each a little better. He may toss the ball to each of you in turn, and when he does, I will choose a slip of paper with a question you must answer. Cole will be allowed one follow-up question, if he chooses.”
On her left, Emma sensed Aurora fidgeting nervously. She turned her head and found the other woman frowning. “What sort of questions will there be?” Aurora asked.
“The list might include anything from where you grew up to how many children you have or what your favorite color is. You must all remember that your CEO is new to both this country and your firm, so while you already know multiple details about each other, he is still getting to know you. Now, are there any more questions?” René paused before stepping out of the semicircle and moving back to the table. “Excellent! Then we begin. Cole, whenever you’re ready, you may toss the ball to anyone you choose.”
Somehow, Emma was not at all surprised when the red-and-white striped sphere came flying toward her. She caught it easily and then looked to René for her question.
“Do you have any siblings?”
“No,” she answered, forcing her attention back to Cole. “But I do have lots of cousins, back in the States.”
“Cole,” René spoke, “do you have a follow-up question?”
“Where in the States?” he asked.
“Oregon,” she replied. “I was born and raised in a small town there before I left home for college in Seattle.”
“A West Coast girl, then,” he remarked.
She nodded and sensed he would have questioned her more if René hadn’t prompted her to toss the ball back. Cole caught it and shifted in Louis’s direction.
Louis answered questions about how he met his wife and how long they’d been married, before Aurora, Giselle and Marc each had a turn. Marc talked at length about several awards he’d won over the years before René pointedly cleared his throat, and Emma found the ball aimed back in her direction. She rested it in her lap as René read her question.
“What is your most profound childhood memory?”
She
She was not, however, wholly at ease. Her conversation with Marc earlier in the day and the idea that he had planted implications about her in Cole’s head still rattled her slightly. And she had been all too aware at dinner of Cole’s eyes on her. He couldn’t possibly believe anything Marc had said, especially after they’d set the record straight with their talk. Still, she felt uncertain about the way he watched her and frequently found herself rubbing at her wrist, still remembering the ache from when she had slapped him.
Despite everything, Cole had behaved like a perfect gentleman, even escorting her outside after dinner and onto the patio, where there was a table set up with items for the evening’s activities, along with chairs for their group.
René instructed them all to settle into a semicircle while he retrieved a giant inflatable beach ball from the nearby cluster of props. He directed Cole to a separate chair, facing the rest, and placed the beach ball into his hands.
“Julien instructed that this weekend was both an exercise in team-building and an opportunity for your new boss to learn more about each of you while, in turn, you get to know him. So I have taken some of the usual icebreaker activities and adapted them to your situation.”
To her right, Emma sensed Giselle straightening as René moved around their circle. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at Giselle’s obvious interest and managed to catch Cole’s gaze in the process. He grinned at her, as though he shared her amusement, and she belatedly realized that, like Giselle, she had straightened at this attention. She quickly turned her focus back to René.
“To begin, we will let Cole get to know you each a little better. He may toss the ball to each of you in turn, and when he does, I will choose a slip of paper with a question you must answer. Cole will be allowed one follow-up question, if he chooses.”
On her left, Emma sensed Aurora fidgeting nervously. She turned her head and found the other woman frowning. “What sort of questions will there be?” Aurora asked.
“The list might include anything from where you grew up to how many children you have or what your favorite color is. You must all remember that your CEO is new to both this country and your firm, so while you already know multiple details about each other, he is still getting to know you. Now, are there any more questions?” René paused before stepping out of the semicircle and moving back to the table. “Excellent! Then we begin. Cole, whenever you’re ready, you may toss the ball to anyone you choose.”
Somehow, Emma was not at all surprised when the red-and-white striped sphere came flying toward her. She caught it easily and then looked to René for her question.
“Do you have any siblings?”
“No,” she answered, forcing her attention back to Cole. “But I do have lots of cousins, back in the States.”
“Cole,” René spoke, “do you have a follow-up question?”
“Where in the States?” he asked.
“Oregon,” she replied. “I was born and raised in a small town there before I left home for college in Seattle.”
“A West Coast girl, then,” he remarked.
She nodded and sensed he would have questioned her more if René hadn’t prompted her to toss the ball back. Cole caught it and shifted in Louis’s direction.
Louis answered questions about how he met his wife and how long they’d been married, before Aurora, Giselle and Marc each had a turn. Marc talked at length about several awards he’d won over the years before René pointedly cleared his throat, and Emma found the ball aimed back in her direction. She rested it in her lap as René read her question.
“What is your most profound childhood memory?”
She
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