Space in His Heart by Roxanne St. Claire Read Free Book Online Page B

Five

    The Friday afternoon exodus of administrators
and managers signaled the end of Jessica’s first full week on the
assignment. It reminded her that back in Boston the offices of Ross
& Clayton were emptying as the staff headed to the conference
room for the week-ending ritual known as “Beer Friday.” A
melancholy wave compelled Jessica to dial her dearest friend and
favorite employee.
    “Jo Miller,” answered a gravelly voice.
    Jessica smiled at the familiar sound. “Wish
you were here… instead of me.”
    At her friend’s tiny shriek, Jessica pictured
Jo running her lacquered nails through spiky blond hair, then
unclipping a funky earring to settle in for a chat. “Hey, babe! Ah,
we miss you so.”
    “Thought you’d be at Beer Friday
already.”
    “I’m avoiding it for as long as possible,” Jo
said. “It’s no fun without you.” Jessica knew her well enough to
believe the sentiment was genuine. “So how’s it going, Pygmalion?
Have you turned the space cadet into the next media darling?”
    “Don’t be clearing any wall space for a
Silver Anvil yet,” Jessica warned, referring to the coveted PR
award. “But we have some interest from a couple of the networks and
I’m lining up a photo session. The man, however, needs a major
attitude adjustment.”
    “Uh-oh. Captain America meets Wonder Woman.
Could get sticky. What’s he like?”
    Jessica mulled over the right words to
describe him. “Intimidating.”
    “As gorgeous in person as that picture you
found on the NASA site?”
    “Better,” she admitted glumly. “But he needs
to be gorgeous for this thing to work, right? He’s easy on the eyes
but not easy to whip into shape, as I found out in the studio the
other day.”
    “What happened?”
    “I didn’t exactly dominate with superior
media training skills.”
    “Don’t tell me.” Jo laughed into the phone.
“We had a clash of control freaks.”
    Jessica smiled. This was why she’d called Jo.
Just to laugh at it all. But, even with the open invitation from
her best friend, she wasn’t quite ready to share the effect Deke
Stockard had on her.
    “Never mind. How are my favorite
clients?”
    The silence lasted a beat too long, sending a
tug of worry through her.
    “Jo, this is me. I can handle it.”
    “Well, most everyone seems to be fine with
Carla Drake as your temporary replacement. She’s met with every one
of your clients.”
    Jessica dropped her head back against her
chair and closed her eyes. “I expected that. They know I’m gone.
Temporarily. Those clients are loyal to me and to the agency.
That’s okay, really.” Jessica knew she was trying to convince
herself as much as her trusted employee.
    “True. But…” Jo seemed to be searching for
the right words, and for some reason, it was far more chilling than
her usual quick wit.
    “But what?”
    “She kind of talked Dash Communications out
of the Next Generation plan.”
    “Are you kidding?” Jessica shot forward, fire
in her veins. “That’s my whole strategy for next year. They love
that idea! All the events, all the media coverage. Is she crazy?
That campaign will make the agency a million in revenue.”
    “She proposed a different approach. Something
she did for another cell phone company client in California.”
    “And they bought it?” Jessica asked. Not
possible. Not remotely possible. “I spent weeks creating that
campaign and didn’t Tony see the numbers? Next Gen was projected to
bill over two hundred and fifty thousand in the first half of the
year!” Nothing swayed Tony like profits.
    “Evidently. Actually, her new idea is, um,
pretty sweet on the bottom line. Didn’t you get the memo on
it?”
    “No.” Jessica rubbed her temples where a
familiar stress headache threatened. “What a lousy way to end the
week.”
    “Do I have to give you my ‘there’s more to
life than work’ speech again, Jess? Come on, what fun things are
you doing down there this weekend?”
    “Work.”
    Jo’s