“Thanks, Gavin.” Though Alexandra hadn’t teamed with Gavin in years, she knew he was rolling tape. If the conversation didn’t go well, the footage would get scrapped. But Alexandra’s gut told her that once Ellen relaxed, she’d begreat.
Crossing her legs, Ellen swept her hand over the leg of her pants suit. “Not much to say about me. I’m married with fourchildren.”
“And you work here full-time?”
During their conversation, the color returned to Ellen’s face and she stopped fiddling with her bracelets. As she spoke about each of her children, she smiled, the softness in her eyes matching her sweettone.
“What do you do foryourself?” Alexandraasked.
“I work at Wilde!” Ellen laughed. “Magic happens here. It’s an exciting environment and even though I’m not a creative type, I feel like a part of the team. I’ve been an executive assistant for over twenty years and Crockett is a dream to workfor.”
“How would you describe yourboss?”
Ellen’s sincere smile said it all. “Honest, driven and insanely smart. But success hasn’t gone to his head. He’s grounded and steady. I’ve worked for some real hotheads.” She shook her head. “Plus, if one of my children is sick—or all of them, like when they got the flu last winter—Crockett tells me to take care of my babies and not to worry about a thing.” She smiled. “He doesn’t even dock me vacation time. That man is agem.”
Alexandra called over her shoulder, “Gavin, are wegood?”
“Got it all,” Gavin said as he set the cameradown.
With a smirk, Ellen pointed at them. “You two aresneaky.”
Alexandra laughed. “I like to call it ‘efficient’.”
“Great job,” Gavinsaid.
Next up? Wilde Innovations’s Quality Assurance Director, Larry Berry. Larry flirted shamelessly while Millie applied his makeup and joked with Tom as he clipped the mic. He announced how excited his wife and kids were about seeing him on TV and how he’d become a mini-celebrity in his neighborhood. But when Gavin started rolling, Larry straightened up, cleared his smoker’s throat, and lost the animated gestures. After a brief introduction, Alexandra asked a few basic questions. Larry’s easygoing nature made him a natural in front of thecamera.
“What’s involved in leading Wilde’s QA team?” Alexandrainquired.
“Nothing leaves this camp without my seal of approval.” Larry’s gritty timbre was a sharp contrast to his relaxedpersonality.
“Can you expand on what’s required to earn thatseal?”
“Absolutely.” Larry caressed his moustache before launching into a high-level summary on the ins and outs of testing code following the software engineer’s stringent requirements. “If my team approves, products move to the beta stage. But if we find the slightest glitch, back itgoes.”
“What types of glitches would send a product back to the drawingboard?”
“I can’t discuss specifics. What I can say is that my team catches each and every problem before the productsfly.”
Off-camera Decker grunted. Alexandra flicked her gaze in his direction, acknowledging she’d heard him. Had Larry meant fly out the door or was he referring to the Spy Flies? Either way, his answer would have to be edited. Changing tactics, she asked, “How long have you run the Quality Assuranceteam?”
“I got promoted last month and I’ve got giant shoes to fill. My predecessor, Ruth Lizzard, deservesallthe credit. Her commitment and dedication ensured every single product worked as expected. And in mission-critical situations, there’s no room forfailure.”
Crockett hadn’t listed Lizzard as an available interviewee. She made a mental note to check with him. “What does the future hold for you,Larry?”
He grinned. “This is the year to make things happen. The sky’s thelimit.”
“Got it,” Gavinsaid.
“Great job, Larry.” Alexandra shook hishand.
She loved crafting a well-rounded story. Ellen’s warm nature contrasted Natalie’s straightforward and polished persona. Decker rounded out the interview with his creative genius and steadfast loyalty. And Larry contributed an affability that made him instantly likable. Everyone brought value and perspective. And hopefully increasedviewership.
Out of the corner of her eye, Alexandra spied Wilde’s handsome CEO and her heart flipped. He’d been leaning against a cloaked table, looking fashion magazine ready. With a hand in his pocket, his relaxed stance contradicted the fierceness radiating from hiseyes.
She rose, the attraction tugging her toward him, but she folded her fingers around the edge of the table to anchor her inplace.
“Great interview,Alexandra.”
