Rory needed to burn off some tension before the luncheon with the cat food CEO, and hitting the weight room at the health club had the desired effect. Dripping with sweat, she headed toward the water fountain to get a drink before she finished her workout. She took a long drink, turned around and found herself face to face with Will Prescott’s girlfriend. “Oh, hello.”

“Hi.”

Rory stepped aside to let the woman take a drink. “Aren’t you the girl I always see with Will Prescott?”

She smiled and wiped her face with a towel, then tossed it over her shoulder. “I’m Savannah. I’d shake your hand but I’m rather sweaty.”

“Women glow, remember?”

“Most do, but I sweat like a racehorse.”

Rory couldn’t help but be impressed as she craned her neck to look up at the woman who was a tower of solid muscle. Despite the sweat pouring from her body, the redhead was still stunning, though the freckles added a touch of innocence. “I’m Rory Callahan.”

“Ah, you’re the very clever copywriter partnering with Will on a new client.”

“He said I’m very clever?”

“Extremely. He speaks very highly of your talent. Said he wouldn’t have gotten the new client without your work. Will really likes your style.”

“That’s very nice to hear. So, uh, how long have you been with Will?”

“Oh, a little more than a year. He got me to move here from Atlanta, in case my accent tipped you off that I’m not a New Yorker. It’s been a wonderful experience being with him.”

“You moved all the way here just for him?”

“Absolutely. Within an hour of meeting him I knew he was the one I wanted to be with.”

“You relocated all the way from Georgia after knowing the guy for an hour?”

“Well, I’m a very good judge of character. And it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. By the way, Rory, that cheesecake you sent him was absolutely delicious. Very kind of you. I couldn’t help but steal some of it.”

“Glad you enjoyed it.” No wonder he didn’t get mad when I ate his dessert at the luncheon. He’s gotten used to his girlfriend doing the same thing.

Savannah looked around and dropped her voice. “I must say, you’ve certainly made an impression on Will, and I’m not only talking about your ability to turn a phrase. Especially after what happened at the Halloween party.” She gave Rory a wicked smile.

The color drained from Rory’s face as her eyes went wide. “He told you about that?”

“Oh, yes, in great detail. He does like it when a strong woman takes the initiative. So when you pinned him against the wall, he was seriously turned on. Okay, now don’t ever tell him I told you this but... he said it was the best kiss he ever had. Sure wish I’d been there to see it.”

Her jaw slowly dropped.

Savannah looked at the clock. “Oh, I need to get back to work. It’s been nice meeting you, Rory. We should have lunch sometime since we do have something in common.”

Rory was still stunned. “Huh?”

“Will Prescott, of course. Happy to share him with you. Gotta run, have a nice day!”

***

RORY SLOWLY WALKED to Skylar’s art room, still stunned at the meeting with Will’s girlfriend.

Skylar looked up at her. “Rory, what happened? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“Actually, that would not have shocked me as much.”

Skylar put down her brush. “You okay?”

“Just surprised at what I heard.” Rory moved toward Skylar’s drafting table and sat opposite her. “I ran into Will Prescott’s girlfriend at the health club.”

“And that shocked you?”

“No, it was what she said. We were both at the water fountain and I mentioned I’d seen her with Will a few times and introduced myself. She tells me Will is very impressed with my talent.”

“So far this is not terribly earthshaking. Get to the part that is going to knock my socks off.”

“Well, I decide I want to know what sort of relationship they have, so I ask her how long they’ve been together and it turns out more than a year. She actually moved here from Atlanta to be with him. Then she thanks me for the cheesecake and says I really made an impression on Will... because of what happened at the Halloween party.”

Skylar’s eyes went wide. “You gotta be kidding! He actually told his girlfriend about that?”

“And apparently added that it was the best kiss he’d ever had. Can you imagine a guy telling his live-in girlfriend another woman is a better kisser? Who does that?”

“An insensitive jerk like Will Prescott. Damn, what a creep. See, I told you so. He hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Then, get this; she actually says she wishes she’d been there to see it!”

“Oh my God, she’s one of those girls who likes to watch!”

“But wait, it gets even better. She says we need to have lunch sometime since we have something in common, that something being Will. And she adds that she’d be... happy to share him with me.”

“Holy shit, they’re into three-ways!”

“Apparently they’ve got one of those really open relationships. What shocked me was how casual she was about the whole thing, like it was no big deal I kissed her boyfriend and he told her about it. And now she wants to share Will with me? Ewwww.”

“What the hell is that stunning woman doing in a relationship with a guy like Will Prescott? She shouldn’t have to stand for that kind of treatment.”

Rory shrugged. “Hell, who knows. Oh, and she moved here all the way from Atlanta to be with him after knowing him for one hour!”

“There’s something seriously wrong with that woman. Must be a low self-esteem issue.”

“Definitely. And she obviously wasn’t jealous that he’d kissed me or talked about me. Which is a good thing, because she’s looks like she could break me in half. They must be into some weird kinky stuff.”

“That’s the only way he’d ever get a girlfriend like her. And he must be hung like Secretariat. Anyway, maybe now you’ll believe me that you need to keep him at arm’s length and continue annoying him, otherwise he’ll be bugging you to join them in a ménage and you’ll end up on a trapeze or something. God only knows what kind of setup they have in the bedroom.”

“I admit you’re right. I simply can’t believe it.” She threw up her hands. “Well, now I wish we hadn’t partnered with him on that new client.”

“Now you know why I told you to charge him for combat pay. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to be with you every time we have to meet. I’ll kick his ass if he tries anything funny.”

“Hell, Skylar, he might ask you to make it a four-way. He did hit on you in college.”

“Stop it, we haven’t had lunch. Speaking of which, we need to get going in a few minutes to meet the cat food guy.”

“Right, and we need to bring our A game today. Tell you what, though... it was nice hearing that I’m apparently a very good kisser.”

“That said, may I remind you that the cat food guy seemed interested in you. Remember, use the list to annoy Will, avoid everything on it for Brett.”

“Right now I just wanna win the contest.”

***

BRETT HEMMERSON STOOD up to greet them as they arrived at his table in the expensive restaurant. “Rory, Skylar, it’s a pleasure to see you both again.”

Rory shook his hand. “Thanks for inviting us.”

“Hell, thanks for adding us to the short list,” said Skylar.

He laughed a bit as they all sat. “Well, your ideas really stood out. There were a lot of submissions that were pretty standard. I found it interesting that the smallest agencies had the best ideas.”

Rory smiled. “Well, we do keep our client base at a manageable level so we can offer personal service.”

He locked eyes with her. “I like relationships with a... personal touch.”

Damn.

Skylar might be right. I think he’s interested in me.

Skylar picked up the ball. “I’ve worked with a lot of copywriters, but Rory is by far the most talented. And of course, she has personal experience with a famous bunch of cats.”

Brett nodded as he picked up a menu. “Right, you’ve got one of Madison Shaw’s kittens. I think that story did more for shelter cats than any amount of advertising. By the way, Rory, after meeting you I confess I did look you up online and saw that you had helped Madison bottle feed the kittens.”

“Right, I was running kitty day care since I work out of my home and live across the street from Madison. It was a lot of fun and I really bonded with my own cat.”

“Well, that speaks volumes about you. Along with being a very talented writer you’re also a good person. Life’s too short to work with jerks.”

Skylar turned to Rory. “That’s what I keep telling her.”

Brett closed his menu, looked right at Rory. “Well. I know what I want.”

Rory blushed a bit as she looked at her menu. “I’ve never been here. What looks good?”

He kept staring at her. “Everything.”

***

RORY HAD TRIED TO KEEP the lunch conversation about advertising, and it was working for the most part. Still, every so often Brett had given her a look which told her he wanted something more than good copy. Along with an occasional comment which could be taken one of two ways.

Business or pleasure.

She wasn’t sure. Was he simply one of those guys who hinted at stuff rather than come out and say what he meant?

Then again, was the fact that Skylar was sitting at the table keeping him from it?”

Skylar apparently picked up on that and stood up. “Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to go to the rest room. Having some trouble with one of my contacts.” She gave Rory a wink as she left the table.

“I hate when that happens,” said Brett.

Rory decided to lighten things up. “I should tell you that I gave my cat a sample of your food, and now he’s boycotting his old brand. So this contest is costing me money.”

He laughed a bit. “Yeah, I’ve heard that happens a lot. Tell you what, Rory, I’ll have a few cases sent over to your place to make up for it. How’s that?”

“Very generous of you, but I can afford it. How about you send it over to the shelter where I volunteer?”

“Consider it done.”

“I would guess this is a big step for you, going national. There would be no worlds left to conquer if you became the number one cat food in America.”

He shrugged. “Well, success in business isn’t everything, Rory. Though helping cats lead better lives or find homes is very rewarding. But there’s more to life than work. There are other goals. Finding the right woman, for instance. Then there’d be no worlds left to conquer.” A slight smile.

Again, the look.

Damn, he sure could conquer me with no problem.

“I’m, uh, sure you don’t have any trouble in that department, Brett.”

“I said the right woman, Rory, not any woman. And I’m sure a smart, attractive woman as you is not hurting for dates.”

He’s fishing. Wants to know if I’m available.

“True, but finding the right date is the challenge. Since I haven’t found him, I’m not seeing anyone at the moment.”

“Hmmm. Interesting. And surprising.”

“Well, I’m very particular. In fact, my friends tell me I’m too particular. Probably why I’ve never married.”

“I’m the same way. It’s actually a good trait to have in regard to romance. You don’t need to settle. Love isn’t about finding someone you can live with, but someone you can’t live without.”

“I guess that’s true, since I haven’t met anyone I couldn’t live without. Either that or there hasn’t been a man who couldn’t live without me.”

Brett laughed a bit. “You’ve got a quick wit, Rory, but that’s not surprising considering the copy of your commercials.”

“So, you’ve checked out our website.”

“We’re not handing over our future to someone who doesn’t have the right touch. I vetted all those on the short list. But I must say, I didn’t see a single spot you’d produced that I didn’t like.”

“That’s nice to hear. I didn’t realize experience was a factor in the contest.”

“Oh, absolutely. Gotta find the right agency. The same as finding the right woman. In regard to the latter, as far as relationships go, right now there’s no time. I’m totally consumed with the contest and taking the cat food national. But once that’s launched, I’ll have plenty of time for dating. Of course, there is one deal-breaker.”

“And that would be?”

“The woman obviously has to love cats. I mean, since I have four of them she’d have to really be a cat person. Love me, love my cats.”

“Ha! I say the same thing all the time. But lately it seems every guy I’ve dated doesn’t like them. What is it about some men and cats?”

Brett shrugged. “I guess some men think they’ll lose their masculinity if they like cats. Ridiculous, really. But at least you know I love them.”

It was clear he wanted to ask her out, but not until after the contest so as to not to create the impression of favoritism.

And then it hit her.

Was she only on the short list because he wanted a date?

“So, Brett, can you tell me how you came up with the short list?”

“Well, the Marketing Department did the majority of the work thinning the herd. They went through all the submissions and narrowed it down to eight that they liked. Since we wanted six semi-finalists I reviewed all eight and eliminated two of them because I simply didn’t like their slogans. But don’t worry, yours was not even under consideration to be removed from the list. To be honest, there were two outstanding proposals and yours was one of them.”

“Oh really? May I ask who submitted the other one?”

“Nope. But hey, you did ask who the other agencies were that made the short list and I just sent it over to the ad club since I’ve contacted all of them.” He reached in his pocket, pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to her. “So now you know who has a hat in the ring.”

She looked at the list.

Will Prescott was on it.

Dammit.

She handed it back to him. “Some fine agencies there. But good to know the big boss liked my proposal.”

“Very much. Of course, when you come in to make your presentation, I’ll be there, but you’ll have to really impress the Marketing Department. They know a lot more about advertising than I do.”

“But will you make the final call?”

“Depends on if it’s a tie on all counts. I do offer my input, but I trust my Marketing Department and what the focus groups say. My company wouldn’t have become this successful if I didn’t listen to people smarter than myself.”

“Oh, you seem pretty smart, Brett.”

“About what cats like to eat and what’s healthy for them, sure. About how to market cat food, not really. Or how to market anything. My company was in real trouble until I hired an advertising person. That’s what really turned things around. Before that, our product was the proverbial tree falling in the forest.” He leaned back in his chair. “One reason I’m enjoying talking with you and hearing your ideas today. You’re smart as hell.”

“Thank you, that’s nice to hear.”

“Brains, creativity and personality are a rare combination, Rory. Checks off three important boxes. And you love cats, which is the biggest box. In reality, when I bring a woman over to meet my cats, they’re the ultimate focus group.”

Rory couldn’t help but laugh. “Y’know, they’re very good judges of character and they know when a person doesn’t have a good heart. It’s like they have a built-in bullshit detector.”

“Wish I had one of those at the office!”

Skylar returned and took her seat. “So, what have you two been talking about?”

“Boxes,” said Rory.

***

THE MOMENT RORY GOT into the car and closed the door Skylar grabbed her hand before she put the key in the ignition. “So, what happened after I left you two alone?”

Rory turned to her and smiled. “I have to admit, you’re right. He’s interested in me.”

“I knew it!”

“And thanks for that excuse about your contacts.”

“Hell, I don’t even wear them. So, c’mon, what happened?”

“Well, the conversation got a little personal. I’m pretty sure he wants to ask me out but I know he doesn’t want to do that while I’m a contestant in the contest. Wouldn’t look good. But he said once the contest was over and he took the cat food national, he’d have plenty of time for relationships.”

“There ya go. I could tell by the way he was looking at you, like I wasn’t even there.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Skylar. You have guys beating a path to your door.”

“Yeah, they’ve worn a trench. And most of them can stay in it.”

“There is one thing that worries me, Skylar.”

“What’s that?”

“I guess I’m wondering if I made the short list because he’s interested in me and not my work.”

“Oh, please. Our proposal was terrific. And there’s no way he’s going to risk the future of his company in order to get a date with you. Hell, even if you didn’t make the cut he could have simply called you up and asked you out to dinner.”

“I suppose so.”

“Now maybe you’ll get Will Prescott out of your head. Brett Hemmerson is smoking hot, smart, rich and he loves cats. He doesn’t appear to be a jerk like Will or someone who would be interested in a three-way or some weird open relationship.”

“Speaking of Will—”

“For God’s sake, Rory—”

“No, I’m not speaking of him romantically. He’s on the short list for the contest. Brett showed it to me.”

“Oh, hell. Dammit, he’s talented. So we’ve got stiff competition.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t have a cat. Or know them like I do. That’s one box he can’t check.”