involved she would have been able to ignore the whole thing and walk out the door. But Lester seemed so distraught… Had he really envisioned her as a daughter to whom he was leaving the business?
"Calla, please," the older man said quietly. "Just for a few months. Your experience would be invaluable and there is so much Slade has to learn about our employees and the way we manage things…"
He let the sentence trail off suggestively and Calla knew he was resorting to another sort of appeal.
Lester was subtly warning her that if she didn't stay on to supervise the transition, Slade would have a free rein. She shivered at the thought of him descending on Chapman, Inc. with no one to moderate his natural ruthlessness. How could she even be sure he would honor the statement he had made about not letting any of the "dead wood" go if she wasn't on the scene?
All this she saw in Lester's faded blue gaze as she sat very still. That feeling of being pursued returned and she wanted to shout her defiance of the man who was calmly maneuvering her in the direction he wanted.
"Lester?" she whispered tentatively.
"I promised him, Calla. I give you my word."
She continued to stare at him for another agonizing moment, knowing full well she should be putting herself first this time, not her ex-boss. There was a danger in staying near the source of the new power in her life. She should be running a million miles in the opposite direction…
Coldly, eyes narrowed, she turned to meet the watchful look in Slade's golden gaze. He was waiting with cool, predatory patience. He knew she had no choice.
"How long?" she asked in a hard whisper.
"Six months," he returned unhesitatingly. They were back to facing each other across a negotiating table.
"One month," she snapped instantly. "Six months is absolutely out of the question. There's no need. I can teach your new manager whatever he or she needs to know in one month."
"Perhaps. If I had that new person ready to step into your shoes. But I don't because I was under the impression you'd be the one taking over the job. It will take me at least six months to find and train someone new."
"You'll have to work a good deal faster than that!" she vowed.
He eyed her narrowly. "All right, I'll cut it down to four. On the understanding that I can find someone within the next few weeks. If that doesn't work out, I'll need the full six months."
"You'll get three months from me whether or not you're successful in recruiting a new manager. That's my final offer. I simply won't commit myself to any more time." She sat back in her chair, challenging him to argue.
He gave her a level stare as if considering her ultimatum and then he appeared to make his decision.
"All right," tie agreed bleakly. "Three months it is."
There was a charged silence around the table as the three people present considered what had just taken place, and then Lester smiled broadly and winked at Calla. "You know, you two are a treat to watch.
I've thoroughly enjoyed myself during the past month and tonight was a fitting ending!"
"Lester," Calla began, determined to ignore his delight in the way things had worked out, "if you don't
mind I would like to go home."
"Didn't Slade tell you?" Lester said gently. "He's volunteered to take you home. Which leaves me free to stay here a while longer yet. You know how it is at parties like this. I'm a born socialized."
Slade was already getting to his feet. "Let's go, Calla. It will be my pleasure to see my newest manager safely home."
CHAPTER THREE
"That little rebellion was certainly squashed easily enough." Slade grinned in satisfaction as he gently stuffed Calla into his silver Mercedes. "Are you always going to be this amenable?"
Calla shot him a scathing glance as he slid in beside her and started the engine. "Are you being deliberately offensive or do you just naturally have to crow whenever you get your own way?"
"I suppose it is rather unfair to enjoy such an easy
"Calla, please," the older man said quietly. "Just for a few months. Your experience would be invaluable and there is so much Slade has to learn about our employees and the way we manage things…"
He let the sentence trail off suggestively and Calla knew he was resorting to another sort of appeal.
Lester was subtly warning her that if she didn't stay on to supervise the transition, Slade would have a free rein. She shivered at the thought of him descending on Chapman, Inc. with no one to moderate his natural ruthlessness. How could she even be sure he would honor the statement he had made about not letting any of the "dead wood" go if she wasn't on the scene?
All this she saw in Lester's faded blue gaze as she sat very still. That feeling of being pursued returned and she wanted to shout her defiance of the man who was calmly maneuvering her in the direction he wanted.
"Lester?" she whispered tentatively.
"I promised him, Calla. I give you my word."
She continued to stare at him for another agonizing moment, knowing full well she should be putting herself first this time, not her ex-boss. There was a danger in staying near the source of the new power in her life. She should be running a million miles in the opposite direction…
Coldly, eyes narrowed, she turned to meet the watchful look in Slade's golden gaze. He was waiting with cool, predatory patience. He knew she had no choice.
"How long?" she asked in a hard whisper.
"Six months," he returned unhesitatingly. They were back to facing each other across a negotiating table.
"One month," she snapped instantly. "Six months is absolutely out of the question. There's no need. I can teach your new manager whatever he or she needs to know in one month."
"Perhaps. If I had that new person ready to step into your shoes. But I don't because I was under the impression you'd be the one taking over the job. It will take me at least six months to find and train someone new."
"You'll have to work a good deal faster than that!" she vowed.
He eyed her narrowly. "All right, I'll cut it down to four. On the understanding that I can find someone within the next few weeks. If that doesn't work out, I'll need the full six months."
"You'll get three months from me whether or not you're successful in recruiting a new manager. That's my final offer. I simply won't commit myself to any more time." She sat back in her chair, challenging him to argue.
He gave her a level stare as if considering her ultimatum and then he appeared to make his decision.
"All right," tie agreed bleakly. "Three months it is."
There was a charged silence around the table as the three people present considered what had just taken place, and then Lester smiled broadly and winked at Calla. "You know, you two are a treat to watch.
I've thoroughly enjoyed myself during the past month and tonight was a fitting ending!"
"Lester," Calla began, determined to ignore his delight in the way things had worked out, "if you don't
mind I would like to go home."
"Didn't Slade tell you?" Lester said gently. "He's volunteered to take you home. Which leaves me free to stay here a while longer yet. You know how it is at parties like this. I'm a born socialized."
Slade was already getting to his feet. "Let's go, Calla. It will be my pleasure to see my newest manager safely home."
CHAPTER THREE
"That little rebellion was certainly squashed easily enough." Slade grinned in satisfaction as he gently stuffed Calla into his silver Mercedes. "Are you always going to be this amenable?"
Calla shot him a scathing glance as he slid in beside her and started the engine. "Are you being deliberately offensive or do you just naturally have to crow whenever you get your own way?"
"I suppose it is rather unfair to enjoy such an easy
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