Chapter 25
OLIVIA
On Monday morning, I arrived at the office in my highest heels and a slicked-back bun. My makeup was dramatic, but I knew it was on point, and my suit was one I’d had tailor made before I’d left New York.
That little situation with Charlie had temporarily made me forget who I was: a baddie from New York, not some shit-kicking bumpkin who hadn’t accomplished a lifetime of success by the age of twenty freaking nine.
I wasn’t even thirty yet and I’d already won awards, closed deals that had made much older executives sweat from their eyeballs, and promoted some of the best brands in the country. In my world, I wasn’t unprepared or incapable. I was at the top of my game.
For a while back there, I’d let being new in town make me forget where I’d come from and what I’d made of myself. Instead of embracing my own history and experience, I’d gotten caught up in the pretty scenery and laid-back lifestyle. I’d gotten caught up in Charlie.
Well, no more.
When I’d spoken to my father early yesterday morning, I’d told him that I wouldn’t be working with Charlie anymore and he’d promised he would make the necessary arrangements. No questions asked.
In the meantime, however, it appeared that the Andersons hadn’t taken the news very well and they’d set a meeting with us later this morning. As soon as I’d found out, I’d given some thought to the stance I’d taken yesterday.
In a knee-jerk reaction to finding out he didn’t want to work with me, I’d decided not to work with him instead, but that seemed a little childish now. Refusing to work with people just wasn’t me. No matter how much of an asshole or an egotistical maniac a client was, I’d worked with them all.
I could take it even if I didn’t want to, but I’d also since realized that the best punishment for Charlie would be to make him squirm.
He didn’t want to work with me? Fine, but I would show him that I was a boss woman who would never let a crusty, dusty, musty man like him make me feel like I was less than I was.
Regardless of how he felt about it, he was just going to have to work with me. Unlike him, I was a professional. Our respective families and the businesses we ran had been working together for years and I wouldn’t let his tantrums about me derail that relationship.
I had worked so hard over the years helping to build my dad’s companies and Charlie wasn’t going to take that away from me. He wasn’t going to force me to step away from a media plan I had devised and was excited about.
I was not going to avoid him any longer. Screw that. From now on, I was going to own my space and my position at the firm regardless of whether that meant I had to work with him.
My footsteps were clipped as I strode down the hallway to the conference room for our Monday morning staff meeting, my heels clicking decisively against the tiles.
Straight after this, we were going into the meeting with Jack and Charlie, and I was as ready as ready could be, armed with some new additions to the original plan that I was eager to share with them.
They were additions that were going to make Charlie’s blood boil, but he could either agree or he could remove himself from the ranch’s marketing.
As far as I was concerned, he could stay on the property, ride his horse, and chase his cattle around while I took care of their business, but he would never sit around a table with me again.
When I strode into the conference room, Dad and London were already there along with a few of our other team members, but we were still waiting on a couple more. London cocked an eyebrow as she looked me over, a wicked smile appearing on her lips.
“Looking good, Liv,” she said, keeping her voice low so Dad wouldn’t hear what she was saying. “I assume we’re preparing to kick some cowboy ass after this?”
“So hard.” I returned her smile and went to greet our father, brushing a quick kiss to his cheek and ignoring the confusion in his eyes.
I hadn’t told him why I hadn’t wanted to work with Charlie, but I knew he suspected the worst. “Good morning, Daddy. Stop worrying, would you? It was just a difference of opinion.”
“And now?”
I shrugged as I straightened up. “There are ways in which to overcome differences. We’ll see whether Charlie chooses to accept any of those I’m going to present in the meeting. If he doesn’t, then he can mosey his butt down the old dusty trail.”
Dad let out a slow, deep breath from his nostrils, but nodded. “I’m proud of you for finding a way to get past it. I knew you would.”
I smiled. “Always, Daddy.”
The door opened again and a small group of people walked in, rounding out the team who needed to be present. As soon as the others were seated, London and I sat down and Dad stood up, smiling as he spread his arms out wide.
“Good morning and thank you all for being here,” he said with genuine fondness and gratitude in his voice.
“First and foremost, I know you have all been notified about my impending retirement and I realize that you might have some questions. Let me assure you that I’m not just going to disappear overnight. ”
Around the table, people nodded and sent him understanding smiles before they glanced my way.
Dad brought his hands together. “I hope to be fully retired by the end of the year, but I’d also like to commend you all for bringing Olivia into our ranks so naturally.
The transition so far has been smoother than I ever could’ve dreamed and I would like to thank each and every one of you for making it as painless as possible. ”
Some chuckles rang out and Dad joined in.
When it finally subsided, he looked around the table.
“Lastly, before we move on to discussing our client profiles and the big projects we’ve got coming up, I would like to remind you all that the annual Walker Marketing conference is only a few weeks away.
The executive team will be flying to New York to host it, but as always, you’ll be in excellent hands while we’re gone. Any questions so far?”
When no hands went up, Dad sat down. Together, we delved into the nitty gritty of the current clients and projects being handled by this branch of the firm.
Tasks were assigned and strategies were devised, and as soon as the staff meeting ended, Dad stood up to go and collect Jack and Charlie from our reception area.
London glanced at me from across the table. “Are you ready for this?”
“I was born ready.” I knew it was a cliché, but there was something powerful and empowering about having been reminded of who I was, and the reality of it was that I had, in fact, been born ready.
As the eldest Walker child, I’d literally been groomed for this role since the day of my birth. Dad had never pushed me into marketing, but I’d gravitated toward it naturally. Later on, I’d realized he’d been preparing me for this all along.
Since the Andersons were the largest client of our biggest branch, that also meant I had been ready to handle their account for years. I just hadn’t gotten to know them until now.
“Don’t let him get in your head,” she warned in a low voice when I heard Jack and Dad laughing just outside the door.
A moment later, it reopened and there he was. Well, him and Jack, but as I stood up to shake their hands, it was Charlie I focused on.
Cowboy Charlie in his faded blue jeans and a black button-down shirt, his scuffed leather boots on his feet. Those piercing blue eyes, still gorgeous despite belonging to such a complete dickhead, bored into mine. Tingles shot down my spine when our hands connected for a firm shake.
I withdrew my hand quickly, but not overly so. It was simply a matter of not letting the touch linger—no matter how much I wanted to. A lock of his rich brown hair had fallen across his forehead, begging me to push it back, but I resisted.
I’d known this was going to be difficult, but I intended to make it through without letting on just how difficult. Taking care to keep my expression schooled, I waved for him to take a seat. “Welcome to Walker Marketing.”
He frowned at me. “Liv, I—”
“We’ll all talk in a moment,” I cut over him, my voice professionally cool.
As I walked back to my seat, I felt his eyes on me. When I sat down facing him, he was looking at me like he didn’t understand. He was probably wondering why I hadn’t taken any of his many, many calls, but I rolled my eyes as a silent response.
That was the best—and the most—he was going to get from me on the subject.
Dad got the ball rolling by opening the meeting, but he quickly turned it over to me.
A tiny stab of guilt hit my gut when I looked at Jack and realized he seemed just as confused as his son.
He had been nothing but kind and supportive since I’d started in Houston.
It was a pity his son had led us to where we were right now.
“Thank you both for being here,” I said, genuinely grateful that Jack had insisted on coming to see us.
To the extent that he’d agreed to come here this time.
The meeting was happening on my terms, and as long as things stayed that way, we would continue to have a mutually beneficial working relationship. Facilitating that was the only reason I’d agreed to this.
“My father has brought it to my attention that you would like me to stay on as our representative for the ranch. Is that correct?”
Jack nodded. “You’ve gotten to know us, Olivia. You’ve also done an excellent job so far and we’re not fond of jumping from one person taking point to the next.”
“Of course.” I hadn’t expected they would take kindly to welcoming another stranger into their lives and onto their property. “I’m prepared to stay on as the firm’s lead for your account, but I do have two conditions.”
Jack frowned. “That doesn’t seem unreasonable. Let’s have ‘em.”
I moved my gaze to Charlie’s, knowing how much he wasn’t going to like what came next. Tough luck, buddy.
“First, one of your brothers will be joining our conversations,” I said, speaking directly to him now. “I don’t only want you as my contact person.”
Fire ignited in his eyes, the angry flames so very different to the kind of heat I’d grown used to seeing in them. “That’s ridiculous. I’m the final call. Why bring in anyone else if they won’t be able to make any decisions unless I agree anyway?”
“You’re completely disconnected from socials, Charlie,” I reminded him. “Colt, on the other hand, has a following and perspective. He’s been engaging in the campaign and—”
“I’ve been following it too,” he objected firmly. “While I’ll admit that I don’t have many followers and that I haven’t been engaging, I am aware of what’s being said about us and I’ve been keeping an eye on it all along.”
“What’s the second condition?” Dad asked, easing us away from the deadlock I could tell we’d been about to reach.
I glanced at Jack again. “Charlie and Colt will attend our firm’s conference in New York in a few weeks. This will help them to understand our ethos and who we are as a company. It will also illustrate to them the experience we come to the table with.”
Charlie ground his teeth, incredulity shining from his eyes. “New York?”
“Yes,” I said. “New York.”
A deep furrow appeared between his eyebrows as he stared back at me. “Why?”
“Because I want you to experience the city to better understand who you’re working with.
” Even if I know you’re a country boy who wants nothing to do with said city and can’t stand city people.
“I came to live with you on the ranch and the experience gave me insight I couldn’t possibly have gotten otherwise. ”
“Yeah, but I don’t need to understand your company the way you needed to understand the ranch.”
I locked my gaze on his. “I beg to differ, but either way, those are my conditions. You’re welcome to think it over and get back to us. We have plenty of other competent and capable people who can run point on your account if you decide not to accept.”
“We accept,” Jack said immediately, grinning at Dad and looking like he thought they were getting off light.
“It’s actually a really good idea. I agree completely.
You came to the ranch and look at how much you learned from that experience.
It’ll be good for Charlie and Colt to gain the same level of insight. That’s real collaboration.”
Charlie, on the other hand, was glaring at me like he was hoping I could hear the cuss words he was hurling at me in his head—and I had no trouble guessing them. His shoulders and spine were stiff as boards, his muscles bulged with frustration under his shirt.
I smiled.
Good. Let the games begin.