Chapter 55

Jay

“Mr. Canton, do you want me to have lunch brought in?” Jessica asked, disturbing Jay from his emails.

“Uh, no. Keep it casual,” he instructed, before returning to work.

Kasey was pretty guarded about the author she would be bringing in, but he was prepared regardless. In the end, he was selling Kasey’s idea, which he could do in his sleep. If he could convince a skeptical executive and an entire accounting department that it was a great idea, he didn’t think he would have trouble with one indie writer.

It was a welcome feeling to be so energized and refreshed, something he had lacked while Kasey was working for Renee. Having her back in the office was great, but going home to her every night was even better. The two had been spending each night together since the weekend, discussing everything from their favorite movies to marketing campaigns for the new division of Passions.

Kasey was everything Jay never knew he wanted in a woman. She added value to everything she touched, including him, and his business. There was a reason he hadn’t moved forward with any women he’d had relationships with in the past. To garner his undivided attention, Jay required much more than sex. Kasey intrigued him, made him think, and in many ways she improved him.

He was just finishing up an email when Mitchell peeked his head in with a few updates about the day. The two chatted about staffing cutbacks, as well as which team members they saw as good fits for the new division.

Mitchell was fully onboard with everything, which was a great asset to the team. Building businesses was Jay’s strong suit, but building relationships was Mitchell’s. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of all the employees and could quickly identify the right person for the right role without hesitation.

By the time their meeting was over, the outline for the new company was all but ready to launch. Mitchell had presented a few options for the building, and Jay selected his favorite with an agreement to make an offer before the end of the business day. Things were coming along quickly, which was just what Jay wanted.

“Mr. Canton, I have Ms. Wright and Ms. Ross for you,” Jessica chimed through the intercom speaker a few minutes after Mitchell left Jay’s office.

“Send them in,” Jay announced, standing to button his suit jacket as he walked towards the doorway.

Kasey led the way, wearing a light pink dress that draped over her body. Jay clenched his teeth to contain the lustful smile he felt rising from his groin.

“Ms. Wright,” he greeted Kasey with a nod, and she smiled with a gleam in her eyes that made him feel proud and possessive. Not only was she so impressive, but she was his girlfriend. And that felt good.

“Mr. Canton, allow me to introduce you to Janice Ross,” Kasey introduced the writer, who needed no introduction. Janice was well known not only for her great writing, but for her chart topping numbers.

When Kasey first told him about having a writer in mind who could produce sufficient earnings to pay for the new division, he thought she was simply exaggerating, or over-valuing her reach. But, Janice Ross had more than enough earnings to cover the start-up expenses they were incurring to bring Kasey’s vision to life.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Jay tried his best to appear less than knowledgeable about Janice’s reputation, hoping not to appear like a shark in the water. “Come on in and have a seat,” he led the two women to the seating area in his office. Kasey sat on the sofa with Janice, while he sat across from them in a loveseat.

“This is a nice office,” Janice looked around the office with wide eyes.

“Thank you,” Jay straightened his tie.

“Janice, I wanted you to meet Jay because he’s not like the average large publishing house CEO. He’s much more in touch with artistry,” Kasey began. Jay wasn’t expecting her to begin with that approach. He didn’t even know she thought of him that way.

“I noticed that from the reclaimed desk,” Janice said, with a nod towards his amazing wooden desk.

“They had to lift it through the window, after installation!” Kasey exclaimed, and the two erupted in laughter.

Jay didn’t even remember telling Kasey the story about his desk, or why it meant so much to him, but clearly she had picked up on it. He smiled, watching the two women interact until Kasey focused on him.

“I’ve had a vision for a publishing company unlike anything else currently available, Janice. Something that will help to develop and cultivate artists like yourself, without molding you into something you’re not. My thinking is simple—you’re a superstar already. Like we discussed yesterday, you can sell books, there’s no doubt about that.”

“What could benefit you is a team approach to execute your vision cohesively. So that your media management can meet with your distribution, and your publicist can sit in meetings with your management staff.”

Kasey continued outlining her new business, and Jay could see Janice’s face softening with interest. He wanted to let Kasey make the sale on her own, but she kept looking across the coffee table in his direction, so he knew she thought he should speak.

He observed that Kasey had no idea how powerful she was. She thought she needed Jay, but she didn’t. Kasey would be a superstar on her own, and he wanted to make sure she knew that, well before the new company reached the success he felt was inevitable.

“There’s a reason we brought you in, Janice. We want independent writers, because you’re the ones who know your business like no one else. All we want to do is assist you, but luckily for you, we’ve mastered the art of supplementing. We take what you give us and take it to the next level.”

“From marketing and promotion, to crossover and international releases. We present options, not direction. That we leave to you, because we truly believe that no one is better versed in your vision than you. And that vision is priceless. We don’t want to silence or distort it, we want to amplify it and broadcast your work around the world.”

Kasey was smiling as Jay reiterated everything she’d shared with him about her vision for the company, in a much more concise way. Jay realized that may be what drew her to him. She had the brains, but Jay was her confidence while she was still working up the nerve to sell herself.

He had never considered himself to be any type of trophy, but for Kasey, he would wear the title proudly. He wanted to help her in any way he could, and seeing that he made her happy was enough of an accomplishment.

“I like what you’re doing here. Even more, I like that you’re starting with indie artists. We’re often over-looked, as if we don’t want help, but we do! We just want it on our own terms, and the freedom you’re both describing is exactly what I’ve been searching for my whole career.” Janice’s voice cracked as she finished. She was overwhelmed by their pitch, and Kasey leaned across to hug her, something Jay would never have had the inclination to do.

He was suddenly aware that they made a good team, the yin and yang of selling. Janice agreed to join the team, and after signing all the paperwork, announced that she was going out to celebrate the new venture. Jay insisted she go to the rooftop lounge at the hottest restaurant downtown in his car. She graciously accepted, and he informed her everything would be on Passions.

“Can I speak to you for a second,” Jay gripped Kasey’s elbow as she moved to leave the office following Janice. They bid her goodbye, and then Jay closed his office door to give them privacy.

“I know who she is,” he announced.

“Janice?” Kasey played coy.

“Yes, Janice. She’s the top seller in mysteries and sci-fi,” he said, placing one hand on each of her hips as he pulled her close to him.

“That’s why I never said her name,” she admitted, smiling sweetly.

“That’s a huge accomplishment, signing her, Kasey. That’s the push we need, but we couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You wouldn’t need to do it without me,” she joked, but Jay wanted to make sure she understood that she was not at fault for the position Passions was in.

“Kasey, you don’t owe me anything. I gave up the company willingly, because I needed you to know how much you mean to me. And I’d do it all again to have you. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give up for you.”

Kasey lifted up on her toes, “You’ve made my dream come true, Jay. I owe you everything.”

Before he could respond, her soft lips were pressed against his, and Jay melted into her, wishing they could end the day early and climb back into bed. She was taking over his world, and he enjoyed every second of it.