Page 11 of One Midnight Kiss

“He just dropped a new account in my lap,” I said.

“Do you want me to get Ramsey? He just wrapped up his account.”

I shook my head. “No, this one is for me. The client asked for me, so he wants me on the account.”

“As the exec?” she asked with confusion.

“Yep.”

She frowned. “Did you get demoted?”

“No. This company is in a bind. Did I mention it starts now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Get your tablet,” I said. “We’re going downstairs. Apparently, I’m meeting the big shots at HomeTech in like twenty minutes.”

Penelope’s eyes went wide. “Really? HomeTech? This is huge! Have you seen those guys? They’re all techy and geeky while still kind of hot.”

“Yeah, huge is one word for it,” I said.

We collected our things and made our way to the elevator. My mind was spinning like it was trying to figure out a puzzle. I had a few pieces of the tech. Now, I had to put them all together and come up with a plan.

In twenty minutes.

Technically, fifteen minutes now.

The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped into HomeTech’s offices. I was immediately struck by the difference. Our firm was sleek, polished, and all about appearances. HomeTech, on the other hand, looked like a college dorm. Kids in hoodies and joggers were huddled around screens, sipping lattes and arguing in low voices. The smell of coffee and what I was certain was popcorn permeated the room.

“This doesn’t look promising,” I murmured to Penelope.

She just grinned. “Geniuses work better in relaxed environments.”

“Or maybe they need to learn how to dress for a business meeting,” I shot back.

A guy who couldn’t have been older than twenty-five shuffled over to us, wearing a backward baseball cap and a HomeTech hoodie. “You’re here for the meeting, right? The ad chick? This way.”

“You can call me Natalia,” I said. “Because if you call me chick, I’m going to throw you out a window.”

The guy burst into laughter. I didn’t normally make it a habit to threaten clients, but I had never been called a chick by a client before.

We were in unchartered territory.

He led us into a conference room that looked hastily put together—chairs mismatched, a whiteboard covered in scribbles. I took a seat, trying not to let my irritation show. This was already shaping up to be a disaster. Dave was going to owe me.

Penelope sat beside me, her tablet poised to take notes. “Do you want coffee, Natalia?” she whispered.

“Let’s see how this goes first,” I replied. “I’m not sure I should have a weapon in my hand.”

Just then, the door swung open and a man in his early thirties rushed in. He looked flustered but gave us a bright smile. “Hi, I’m Jerrod, CFO of HomeTech. Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice. I appreciate the hustle.”

I stood and shook his hand. “Natalia Dawkins. It’s good to meet you.”

“We’re really excited to have you on board,” Jerrod said. “Fox will be right in and then we can get started.”

Fox?

I wasn’t sure if that was another acronym or what. My question was answered a second later when a tall man with dark hair and piercing hazel eyes strolled in. He was wearing a slick suit tailored to perfection. The way he carried himself told me he was the boss.

This was the CEO I was going to be babysitting.

Shit.