Read A Deeper Dimension for Free Online

intelligence whatsoever. Owen Bradshaw had the keenest and quickest mind in the business with the exception of Alex Mason. He had a particular talent for being able to rattle off ideas, facts and theories faster than his listeners could follow, and all the while wearing the same benign, idiotic expression.
    He was talking to her now as they headed to the elevator. “The fellows from the Nelson manufacturers are a bigger nuisance than their orders are worth,” Owen sighed with exasperation. “They’re like scared rabbits who jump at the slightest noise of unrest in the economy. Chances are that since Alex isn’t here, they’re going to be hellish to handle.”
    They stepped into the elevator, still talking. After nodding a greeting to Jerry, Diana asked Owen, “Are they likely to be upset with having to deal with a woman?”
    He hesitated. “Probably,” he admitted after a moment. “It’s unavoidable, of course, because we wouldn’t dream of discriminating on the basis of sex, and we stand behind all our employees. You, Diana, are the one who should conduct this meeting, and if others can’t handle it, they can take their business somewhere else. Real professionals deal with charts and facts, not skirts or pants.”
    “But what if I lose the contract?” she protested. They were heading towards the conference doors now. Owen paused with his hand on the knob.
    “Most people are too smart to cut their own throats by refusing to deal with us. We’re the best suppliers of steel in this part of the nation. They may resent you, but they won’t do anything too foolish,” he whispered. Then he opened the door and politely allowed Diana to precede him.
    He then turned to the group of men already at the table who had risen at their entrance. “Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Mason’s executive assistant, Miss Diana Carrington.” Owen gave Diana a warm smile as he spoke. “We’re very proud of her.”
    Diana allowed none of the warmth that she felt as she heard these words to show. She surveyed the five men who were being introduced to her. There was an unconsciously regal incline to the tilt of her head that hadn’t been there before, and her eyes calmly met those of each of the men, showing no hint of intimidation or trepidation. Her voice was brisk as she greeted them all, allowing and receiving no nonsense.
    The meeting as it progressed was baffling and infuriating. The men had apparently accepted her with no problems, yet they all acted with a caginess when presented with Mason’s counter-proposal that was completely illogical. Diana’s proposal had been concise to the point of terseness to avoid any loopholes in the agreements. It was fair and reasonable, and yet the other men disagreed with every phrase. When asked what they disagreed with, they vaguely murmured something about the wording being unacceptable. When asked for a better alternative, they simply shrugged their shoulders.
    Diana put up with this farce of a business meeting for the better part of an hour. Then she suddenly put down the papers she’d been holding and started stacking everything together. “Gentlemen, I believe the meeting is over with,” she stated, a thread of controlled anger in her voice. “You apparently don’t want a reasonable proposal, and you can’t come in with an alternative of your own. Please call us and cancel the meeting the next time you wish to be so unreasonable. Our time is too valuable to be wasted like this.”
    Owen had got up at her words and, as she turned to walk out of the room, he was right behind her and quickly closing the doors after them. She continued to walk rapidly down the hall and Owen had to trot a little to keep up with her longer legs. Fuming in silence for a minute or so, she suddenly realised that she was going too fast for him.
    She said a little sheepishly, “Sorry,” and slowed up.
    “Quite all right, my dear. You’re very tall, aren’t you?” He said it