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A third click gets me through statistics. While I imagined I’d lose most of the audience here, to my surprise, they’re all watching and listening carefully as I go over some of the key figures. I do local and state-level assessments before slapping them with nationwide percentages as a conclusion. The redhead is smiling, clearly intrigued. Blue Eyes doesn’t look mad anymore, but he doesn’t look happy, either.
It's fine. I’ll keep feeding on that energy.
Everybody else is with me as I move through the following slides, explaining the potential benefits of the system I’ve designed. Once I start talking dollars, the tech giants awaken in the front row.
“Think of the billions spent deploying response teams only for them to arrive too late, in rebuilding after disasters occur, in medical costs to families, in lives lost when emergency services are overwhelmed,” I say. “Asclepius takes a preventative approach, combined with an optimization of resources when the worst does happen. All we have to do is combine the existing tools we have at our disposal and implement across the board.”
The more I talk, the more confident I feel.
Truth be told, I’ve always been terrified of the stage, but my upbringing and rowdy family have pushed me forward even when I only wanted to crawl into a dark corner and hide. I’ve gotten used to being torn out of my comfort zone and forced to adapt to the point where it’s no longer a traumatic experience but rather a challenge I owe myself to overcome. And so, by the time I’m done talking, I’ve got everyone listening and half-smiling, most of them clearly noting the benefits of Asclepius in both long- and short-term applications.
My nerves are stretched thin, and I can feel Blue Eyes’ gaze piercing deep into my very soul, but even his broad frame appears to have relaxed a little. Maybe I’m not Rude Coffee Girl anymore. Maybe he can see some of the potential I’ve laid out.
“In conclusion,” I say when I arrive at my final slide, “the benefits of this program clearly outweigh the development and implementation costs. It’s not a cheap project, but I am confident that governments the world over will allocate funding once they see the benefits. And the best part? The project comes with me attached, as its creator and the sole professional able to further develop and implement it. Thank you for your time…”
To my sincere astonishment, the hall breaks into a rowdy wave of applause.
I freeze once more, but this time only to admire the looks on their faces. They’re in awe of what I created. They see the potential, and they are absolutely hungry for more. I don’t even have time to play the humble CalTech gal as Callie rushes up the stage and escorts me off into the front-row crowd.
“You were amazing up there,” she says, then quickly introduces me to some of the tech folks with plenty of cash to spend. “Guys, I want you to meet Olivia here. Does she have the single most impressive and ambitious program here today or what?” She laughs and starts introducing people. I hear plenty of big names, the kind I would’ve killed to get hired by in previous years, but it’s the redhead and Blue Eyes that end up getting most of my attention. “And this is Lilian Darcy, head of DartSay Technologies…”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I smile softly as the forty-something fox takes my hand.
“Likewise, darling. How does five hundred K per annum sound, to begin with?”
My lips lock into a tight line as I struggle to discern reality from fantasy. Did I just hear her toss half a million bucks around like it’s nothing but spare change? The woman looks sharp and deadly in her teal green pantsuit, red lipstick applied to perfection and ginger hair combed into an aggressively tight bun at the top of her head. Her jewelry is gold, simple and minimal. Her manicure is pristine, as is her skin. I’m willing to bet she’s got a team of dietitians working for her; it’s the type of glow that’s out of reach to mere mortals.
“Excuse me?” I manage, once I remember I’m still expected to answer.
“I mean it,” Lilian says. “You knocked my socks off with your proposal, and I want in.”
“Five hundred K barely scratches the surface,” Blue Eyes interjects, and Callie somehow fades into the background, leaving me alone with the two giants. There are others waiting to talk to me, and I would love to be all giddy about it, but Blue Eyes’ attention on me is enough to reduce me into a trembling hot mess as I try to understand what he’s after. “I’m offering seven fifty, plus all living expenses paid for the duration of your contract with us. Rent, bills, car rental and insurance… you name it, I’ll cover it.”
“Whoa…” I murmur, unable to look away. His expression is stern, yet there is a layer of indescribable heat lingering just beneath the surface. I feel as though I may touch the sun itself if I reach out. “That’s a lot of money…”
“Bucklow, you ruthless prick,” Lilian says. “You won’t let me have anything nice.”
“Not even the first time I’ve been called a prick today,” he replies with a wry smile, giving me a brief glance before he looks at her. There is clear history between them. A friendly rivalry of sorts, that much is obvious by the fleeting smiles and familiar warmth in their dynamic. “I suggest you try another hall or wait for another speaker. Bucklow Tech is absolutely bagging Asclepius.”
“Erm, I think you need my consent for that,” I chime in.
He shifts his focus back to me. It makes my skin tingle all over. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, but not in a traditional chin-dimple, fridge-sized-man kind of way. He’s athletic, but not overly muscular. I’ll bet his broad shoulders come from swimming, and the way the fabric of his jeans and shirt flow down his body tells me there are interesting things for me to discover underneath…
As if! The man probably hates me but loves my project! I was unbearably rude to him earlier, after all. But his lips. Good grief, they’re ridiculously kissable.
Snap out of it, Olivia.You’re on the verge of bagging the job of your dreams. Focus on that!
“Seven fifty no good?” he says. “Shall I up it to eight hundred?”
“Bucklow Tech…” I whisper, the name soundingly decidedly familiar. I find myself drowning in his piercing gaze again, but this time my memory succeeds in making the relevant connections. “Oh, dear God… you’re Will Bucklow. Hottest thing in California tech… Holy crap…”
“And I’m giving you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he says. “I’m even willing to overlook the coffee incident for this.”
Lilian shakes her head. Everything about her exudes calm and confidence. On any other day, she’d be the one I’d be happy to work with. But Will… holy smokes, Will Bucklow’s company is at the very top of my wish list. It’s ridiculous that I didn’t recognize him sooner. Then again, his whole shtick is staying out of the public eye.
He’s handsome. I’ll give him that. Dreamy. Hot like a sizzling sidewalk in the middle of summer. And if I say yes to his job offer, he will also be my boss.
“You’ll regret it,” Lilian says.
