* * *
“Earth to Ty. Are you in here?”
Tyler glanced around at the sound of his cousin’s voice. Xavier Anderson, the company’s vice president of finance, strode into Tyler’s office Thursday afternoon. Donovan Carroll, their friend and vice president of sales, joined him.
“What?” Tyler was still clearing his thoughts from the computer programming problem that bedeviled him.
“We knocked three times.” Donovan jerked his clean-shaven brown head toward the door behind him.
Tyler followed the gesture, then returned his attention to the two men. They were both tall and fit, and similarly dressed in dark pants and long-sleeved jerseys.
“I didn’t hear you.” Tyler pressed a couple of keys to save his computer file.
“That much was obvious.” Donovan shoved his hands in the pockets of his gray Dockers. “We should assign someone to check on you in case of a fire. I’m sure you wouldn’t hear the alarm.”
“Van and I are going to lunch.” Xavier stopped behind a guest chair. “Do you want to join us?”
“No, thanks. I packed.” Besides, Lauren Cobb, Xavier’s girlfriend of two months, would probably be there. He’d rather eat alone.
“You’re going to make me be the third wheel?” Donovan sounded as though he was only half joking.
“Sorry, man.” Tyler gave him a sympathetic look.
“You need to get out of your office once in a while, Ty.” Donovan pulled his hands from his pockets and folded himself onto one of the two gray guest chairs opposite Tyler’s desk.
Xavier took the other. “Have you heard from Kimball & Associates?”
“No, I haven’t.” Tyler looked at his black Movado watch. It was almost noon. “I thought you were going to lunch.”
“We have a few minutes.” Donovan shrugged. “So what’s the status on Kimball?”
Tyler turned away from his computer. Obviously, they weren’t going to let him get back to work. “They haven’t acknowledged my request for a proposal. They haven’t even responded to my emails or returned my calls.”
Xavier blew out a breath, sounding almost as disgusted as Tyler felt. “We’ve been working with them for years. Why are they now giving us poor service?”
Donovan glanced at Xavier. “I heard a couple of their account representatives recently left the company.”
Xavier ran a hand over his close-cropped hair. “You’re going to have to go with the other company.”
“You know I can’t do that.” Tyler leaned back on his chair. “This is our summer product launch. It needs to carry us into the fall. Iris Beharie’s a solo operation. One person can’t handle a project this big.”
The other men knew what was at stake. He’d told them. If he didn’t put together a successful product launch, Foster would name a chief executive officer from outside of the family. He couldn’t allow that to happen on his watch.
“It’s March nineteenth.” Donovan shook his head. “‘Osiris’s Journey’ drops July tenth. We only have sixteen weeks before the release.”
“I know the schedule.” Tyler rubbed his eyes with his thumb and two fingers. “I’ve found a couple of other companies to contact.”
“We don’t have time, Ty.” Xavier pinned him with his onyx stare. “You’re going to have to go with The Beharie Agency.”
Tyler frowned at the other two company vice presidents. He hated not being in control and that’s what had just happened. He’d gambled on hearing from the larger company. But the clock had run out, leaving him in the risky position of having to work with Iris Beharie. The threat came on two fronts. Professionally, Tyler wasn’t confident Iris could deliver a successful launch, which he needed to ensure Anderson Adventures remained in his family’s control. Personally, he didn’t know whether he’d be able to resist his attraction to the marketing professional. He didn’t know whether he’d want to.
Tyler sighed. “I just need another week.”
“Why are you resisting working with The Beharie Agency?” Xavier gave him the penetrating stare that made Tyler think his cousin could read his mind. “You were impressed with her proposal. Van and I read it, and we agreed with you.”
Donovan nodded. “It was detailed, creative and unique to our company. So what’s wrong?”
There was too much at risk. “Suppose halfway through the project, she’s unable to meet her contractual obligations?”
“We’ll deal with it—if it comes to that.” Donovan spread his hands.
“If it came to that, it would be too late.” Strain made Tyler’s voice brittle.
“You don’t have to prove yourself to us.” Xavier broke the momentary silence. “We know you’re a genius when it comes to game design and programming. And you know everything there is to know about this company.”
“That’s not good enough for my father.” The words were even harder to admit today. Would he be able to reach the bar his father had set for him?
“Foster wants you to spend more time getting to know our associates. And he’s right.” Xavier’s casual shrug belied the intense look in his eyes.
“What am I supposed to do?” Tyler jerked his chin toward the frosted-glass door of his office. “Walk up and down the hallways, asking people how their day’s going?”
“That’s what I do.” Donovan’s hazel-brown eyes twinkled with irreverent humor.
“You do a lot of things I wouldn’t do.” For example, agreeing to share a meal with Lauren Cobb.
“Then maybe Foster’s right.” Xavier frowned. “Despite your programming genius, your design creativity, the decades you’ve spent learning every aspect of the company, maybe you aren’t the right person to lead Anderson Adventures. If the only thing standing in the way of your goal is getting to know the people who actually keep the company going, Foster is better off looking outside for his successor.”
The rebuke stung, just as Xavier had meant it to. “Why does he have to look outside of the company? Why can’t you or Van take over?”
“That’s a good question. Why can’t you ascend to the throne, Xavier?” Lauren Cobb’s amused voice preceded her into the room.
At her entrance, Tyler stood with his cousin and his friend. What is it about her that makes me want to leave my own office?
Xavier kissed her cheek. “I thought you were going to meet us in the reception area.”
“You kept me waiting.” There was a light scolding in her reply. “I had to come looking for you. I wasn’t going to wait with the receptionist.”
An image of Iris Beharie laughing with Sherry formed in Tyler’s mind. They’d seemed to enjoy each other’s company after only a few minutes. Even following their disappointing meeting, Iris had smiled at Sherry and called her by name as she’d left their offices. In contrast, Lauren had met Xavier for lunch several times a week for months. Did she know Sherry’s name wasn’t The Receptionist? In fact, Sherry’s name was on a wooden plaque that sat on her desk. Had Lauren bothered to notice it?
Xavier took Lauren’s hand. “Then let’s go. I invited Van to join us.”
“Oh.” Lauren glanced at Donovan before returning her gaze to Xavier.
Donovan exchanged a silent question with Tyler, who shrugged.