Chapter 4
Kasey
“Please have a seat,” Jay Canton said, trying to disguise his command as an invitation.
It was apparent from her first glance that Jay was used to getting what he wanted, but that didn’t deter Kasey. Without a word, she sat in the seat beside him, noticing that he had chosen the head of the extremely large conference table to show his dominance.
“Are you from Minnesota?” he asked, reaching over to grab two glasses, and pouring from a pitcher of water with three slices of lemons floating among the ice cubes.
“Born and raised.”
Kasey wanted to cut the small talk short, in fact, she would have been happy to go without it altogether. She couldn’t quite understand his strategy, but for a man as successful as Jay Canton, she was sure there had to be one.
She’d done her research on the man Forbes deemed to be the new face of publishing, and was fully aware of how cut throat he was in her industry. Every record for first week and first month sales was owned by Passions Publishing, and it pained her to admit she’d lost a few potential clients by offering far more than her small firm could ever afford to pay a writer.
“I was actually raised in Ohio. I’m afraid my parents are still a bit sad I didn’t attend Ohio State,” he said with a smile, sliding a glass across the table, which was met by Kasey’s open hand. She didn’t want his refreshments, or the bullshit story he planned to tell her about his humble upbringing.
Regardless of where Jay came from, she knew he was a billionaire, living in one of the architectural wonders of the state. There would be no connection made from their shared alma mater, although it was clear that was the direction he was heading.
“You’re a gopher, right?” Jay asked, ignoring her rejection without a hint of disappointment.
“Mr. Canton, you know where I went to college,” Kasey tried her best to match his confident and serious demeanor, but there was something about him that made her feel at a disadvantage she could never overcome.
Sure, he was the boss of a company so prestigious everyone knew him by first name. Passions Publishing was a cornerstone of the industry, and there wasn’t a genre they didn’t dominate. But that wasn’t what made her feel the need to exert her independence more than normal.
“You’re right. I know where you went to college, and much more.” He let the last word linger as he took a sip of his lemon water as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Listen. My time is money, and if you just want to tell me what you know about me, we can end this meeting now. Trust me, I will beat you on that topic.”
Jay didn’t respond immediately, instead he stood, slowly. Kasey had to sit back to keep from peering up at him, but even with her new posture, she was staring at a tower.
“Your time is money, Ms. Wright. Money you’re not currently being paid. I’ve seen the work you’re doing, and the projects you’ve overseen,” he began, tapping a thin folder in front of him as if he held some classified information about her.
Kasey was overwhelmed by his presence, as it finally hit her. His looks were one thing. A 6’ 2” man was enough to make a girl swoon, but Jay matched his height with looks that could only be described as beautiful. The way his jaw was chiseled brought to mind famous sculptures in Florence.
His hair was slicked back with perfect precision, and she could only imagine the effect he had on women. A man so successful and handsome must have his pick of the ladies, without so much as a word. The way he used language made him even more dangerous.
While he may have wanted to intimidate her, his stance and speech did the opposite. She was allured, too intrigued to even find words of her own, so she sat back in silence, hoping he took her silence as a signal to continue.
“I read a book by your latest client recently—someone no one else saw any potential in. I’ve since learned that she sent her work here, but our team of agents turned her down. That’s a clear indication that you have the eye that everyone in my company lacks, and for that expertise I’m willing to pay top dollar.”
Kasey remained silent, looking up at Jay as he glared down his nose, his full lips slightly pursed together. The man was gorgeous, but she knew there was no way there could be anything more in his eyes than dollar signs.
She’d met plenty of men like him, willing to do and say whatever it took to close a deal. He only wanted Kasey on his staff to bring him more money. She was an asset, and he thought he could buy her. There was nothing more to it, and after that realization, his weak attempt at mild seduction, if that’s what it was, annoyed her.
“I’m not sure what you have in that file, it looks a little thin,” she looked over at the folder before looking directly in Jay’s eyes. “I’m already employed, Mr. Canton. I’m not looking for a job. You called me.”
“Five hundred thousand, plus a four percent royalty on every book you personally oversee. If you bring the author to Passions Publishing, ten percent.”
His swift change of pace caught her off guard. Pushing back in her seat, Kasey forced her mouth closed, hoping he didn’t hear her low gasp.
There were stories about agents who made huge deals in LA. Deals that afforded them a life of luxury, but she couldn’t imagine that being a possibility for her. Now, Jay Canton was offering to triple her salary, with a bonus incentive her current employer could never match.
Still, something felt wrong about her meeting with Jay. He was too open, almost needy. She knew there must be more leverage in her deck than she was aware of, and decided to gamble on herself. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that Jay was a businessman and only wanted to make money from her, so she rose to her feet to finally meet him face to face.
With her stilettos, Jay only towered over her by a few inches. It wasn’t exactly an equal playing field, but much better than sitting down.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Canton, I’ll see myself out.”
“I can at least walk you,” he said, as he began walking beside her before she could protest.
His cologne was alluring—the subtle scent of rosewood. Together, they left the conference room, with Jay not speaking another word until they were surrounded by the mass office space. Kasey had never seen so many people in a publishing house, and they all looked so busy—making calls, typing away on keyboards, scribbling in notebooks. Her own employer had six offices and 4 cubicles.
She was one of the lucky ones with an office, but it didn’t compare to the offices at Passions Publishing. From what she could glimpse on their brief tour, every office had a wall of windows, overlooking the skyline of Saint Paul. She could only imagine the inspiration a view like that would invite.
“The elevator is this way,” Jay interrupted her gaze into a corner office, alerting her that she had been caught staring.
Upset by her inability to maintain her composure, she stormed to the elevator, just as a short brunette approached Jay with a question. She pushed the button and joined two other women in the impeccably decorated elevator car.
A strong hand, with clearly manicured nails stopped the elevator doors from closing, and Jay’s handsome face peeked in. Kasey held her chin high as the two women behind her gasped audibly at his presence.
“There’s a company party Friday. Come. You’ll see what it would be like to work here,” he feigned nonchalance, but Kasey was beginning to feel the upper hand for the first time in their interaction.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she answered, without looking at him. Instead, she pushed the button so the doors would close, and watched Jay Canton smirk until the metal doors shut.
The women giggled, loudly whispering how handsome he was, while Kasey struggled to catch her breath, reminding herself he could very well be watching her reaction through the elevator cameras.
It wasn’t until she got into her Honda Accord that she finally threw her head back and let out the deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in. Jay Canton was more than she could handle, but something deep inside her looked forward to their next encounter, regardless of where it would be.