After seeing what he went through, I’m in favor of my father’s viewpoint on this one.
I pull up in front of Sasha’s stately home and knock on the door. She opens it, wearing a long, off-white dress that hugs her curves. She has to be at least six feet tall in those heels. My first thought is one of respect. She doesn’t have any insecurities about towering over the men in the room, and I like that.
Well, technically, my first thought is that she would dwarf Brielle, but there is no reason for Brielle to be on my mind, so I shut down that line of thought immediately.
“Sasha, I’m Damian,” I say, introducing myself to my date. Her white teeth shine against her tan skin, and her blonde hair is probably dyed, but it suits her. She’s certainly attractive, like my mother insisted.
“Hi, Damian. I’m ready if youare.” She smiles.
“It’ll be an evening of industry gossip and inane small talk. Not exactly a riveting night,” I warn her. It must come across harsher than I meant. Her face pinches, but she recovers quickly. A lot of what I say comes across harsher than I mean it to. She was going to figure that out soon enough.
“A Mercedes-Maybach, nice.” She grins. “Is it the S-Class? With the biturbo engine?”
My brow wants to rise, but I keep my face neutral. She clearly knows something about cars. Or at least luxury status-symbol cars.
“It is.”
She’s in the car with the door closed before I have a chance to open it for her. The ride back into the city is tortuously slow, but Sasha is pleasant company. The conversation isn’t stilted, but she also isn’t filling every second with chatter and annoying questions. My mother did good with this pick—I have to give her credit for that.
Not that I plan to let this go anywhere. I never do.
I pull up to the center where the function is being held, and a valet politely opens the door for Sasha while I get out. He takes my car while we start into the building.
“So, is there anything I should know about these things before we go in?” she asks.
“Not really.”
“A man of many words, I see,” she laughs.
I let the comment go without elaborating any further. She’ll see for herself in a few minutes. There isn’t really anything for me to tell her.
They’re already into happy hour by the time we arrive. The ballroom is filled with people in suits and dresses, talking and mingling with each other. It’s a networking event, but this industry is small, and networking opportunities are few and far between. I know all of these people as well as I’m ever going to.
“Are you interested in a drink?” I ask Sasha.
“Sure.”
We push our way through the throng of people to get to the bar. I gesture for Sasha to place her order first.
“A martini, extra olives, please.”
“And a bourbon, straight,” I add.
After we get our drinks, I lead Sasha to an area that isn’t as crowded. I glance around, taking in the turnout for this, when I spot Walter Burke. Before I have a chance to lead Sasha further away, he starts to make his way toward me.
“Damian, boy, how are you?” he asks and then turns to Sasha. “Hello there, I’m Walt.”
“Mr. Burke,” I greet through gritted teeth. “This is Sasha Tilman.” My father’s ex-business partner smiles a slimy, toothy grin at my date.
“Nice to meet you,” Sasha says pleasantly.
“I hear that you’ve been chasing after Leon Vitale,” he laughs.
It would be a lie to claim that Walt’s interest in Cardinal West’s account wasn’t in some way a motivating factor. Any chance I have to see Walter Burke cut down at the knees, I will gleefully accept. But Cardinal West Outdoors has a good business model, a solid reputation, and potential for exceptional growth. I want the Vitales’ account because it will be a good fit for CreativEdge more than anything. Taking the win from Walt is just a very nice bonus.
That’s business. A cutthroat climb to the top. I would never consider undercutting my clients or giving them substandard service at top-tier prices, but my competitors? They chose this industry, and they need to keep their game strong enough to appeal to their clients and maintain continued business, or it’s their own fault if they find another provider who can give them the service and quality they need.
“We’ve had a few conversations,” I tell him.
