AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sara shot a brittle smile at her, silencing Eileen’s objection. “Those are just the buzz words. We’ll address your actual beliefs in your product differentiation.”
Sara glanced around the table, checking for any additional objections. When none were forthcoming, she plunged back into her presentation.
Dermot listened to the ideas with a sense of impending doom. Eileen had tried to warn him. She’d known that they were embarking on more than a casual affair. That’s what had angered her so badly this morning—not that he didn’t want to disclose their relationship, but by refusing to plan for a future disclosure, he was announcing that he was only interested in a brief fling.
His skill at manipulation that had engineered her arrival so smoothly now worked against him. He’d bought into the publisher under the pretext that his money would be used to fuel growth and expansion. The publicity campaign was central to that growth.
Eileen was going to be associated irrefutably in the public mind with witchcraft, bizarre and scandalous pagan rituals, and weird occult powers. The news rags would be thrilled to exploit any personal connection between the two of them. Eileen would be accused of bewitching him. Dermot’s business judgment would be called into question.
He remembered how, after one of his parents’ legendary scandals, the reporters had circled the family home like sharks scenting blood in the water. An enterprising photographer had snapped a picture of a very young Dermot playing in his sandbox, catching him in the act of demolishing a sand castle, and used it to highlight an article about the effects of parental discord on children. Dermot was forbidden from playing outside after that, trapped in a state of house arrest for over a month until the reporters and photographers finally disappeared.
He had vowed as a child that he would never endure that particular hell again. His conduct as an adult had conformed with that vow, so that while he’d had his share of articles and photo spreads about his personal life, especially after that most eligible bachelor nonsense, he’d never suffered through another tabloid feeding frenzy.
Most of his adult life, he corrected. His trip to Ireland had touched off a flurry of irrational behavior. First his telling the men he’d gone leprechaun hunting with about his affair with Tami. Then having sex with a dryad. Confessing his sexual desires to Eileen, and having unprotected sex with her.
His stomach clenched. He hadn’t used a condom this morning, either. And the last time they’d made love, it had been in the standard position that could easily have gotten her pregnant.
A sudden babble of voices recalled him to the meeting. Sara had concluded her presentation, and the other attendees were now adding their own comments.
Royce glanced his way and frowned. “You look concerned, Stone. Do you see a problem with Sara’s proposal?”
“The proposal is fine. I said as much during our prereview.” And thankfully he had reviewed Sara’s material once before, since he’d paid absolutely no attention during her presentation. “But there’s a difference between a proposal and an executed campaign. I’ll reserve judgment until I see how it all plays out.”
Royce didn’t look happy with Dermot’s answer. And why would he be? Dermot had practically shoved the publicity campaign down his throat, and now he was backing off his support.
Sara regained the meeting’s momentum like the trooper that she was. “That’s a valid concern, Mr. Stone. And why we’re here today, to hammer out the details of the execution. Ms. Lyons, after hearing the presentation, which sections of the proposal d
id you feel most comfortable with?”
“I liked the idea of applying ancient wisdom to modern situations. In fact, as soon as you said that, I had an idea. Women are so often called upon to play the role of wife, mother, and caretaker of elderly parents. Many times, they feel guilty about taking time for themselves, and end up neglecting their needs in favor of others’. Or else they overcompensate and always put their own needs first, with no regard for how their actions affect those that rely upon them. One of my religion’s central beliefs crystallizes how to balance those two extremes—do what you want, so long as it causes no harm.”
Sara scribbled frantically. “Oh, yeah. That’s good. We can run with that.”
Dermot leaned back in his chair, stunned. How could he have overlooked something so incredibly simple? In all of his plans and deliberations, his schemes to get Eileen to come to him or his resolve to have nothing more to do with her, he had not once asked what she wanted. Oh, he’d considered her wants. How else could he have baited his trap with this publicity campaign? But he’d never simply come straight out and asked her.
God, he was a fool.
He entered the discussion, offering his full range of experience and support. He’d make sure Eileen had every opportunity for a successful publicity campaign. If she chose not to go through with it, that was one thing. But he wouldn’t cripple the campaign before it started, simply to make things easier for himself. That would run counter to her prime dictate, and he was gaining more respect for that philosophy every time he heard it.
* * * * *
The meeting broke up an hour and a half later. Dermot stood immediately.
“Ms. Lyons, if I might have a word with you?”
“Certainly.” Her cheeks glowed, and sparks glimmered within her eyes.
The other attendees slowly filed from the room, most telling Eileen how pleased they would be to work with her, or how successful the campaign was going to be. Finally, the two of them were alone.
“You did great,” Dermot said softly. “You’ll knock ‘em dead on the talk show circuit.”
She blinked, then smiled. God, he loved that smile. A barrel of honey would not be as sweet as the curve of her lips.
“Thank you, Dermot.”
“You know why I’m so certain you’ll be a knockout talk show guest?”
“Why?”
