“All right, then.” Olivia turned on her heel and retreated to the table where she perched on the end, legs crossed. “You’ve been on the account now for what, twenty minutes? Dazzle us with your insights.”
Cole pocketed the marker, stripped off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, taking his sweet-ass time as he collected his thoughts. “Mama’s is a New York icon and like New York, Mama’s should be edgy, slick, and sexy.”
“Those muffins are about as sexy as my Nana riding bareback,” Olivia quipped, drawing a few snickers from her team.
So they were still alive after all. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking pleased with herself.
“Maybe that’s the problem,” he returned, feigning confusion. She was going to take the hard road, he realized. It didn’t matter what he suggested, she was predisposed to disagreeing.
So much for starting fresh.
Well, if she wanted to do things the hard way that was fine by him. He’d never backed down from a fight in his life. Not even when facing a pissed-off blonde with a vendetta. “How many New Yorkers do you know that aspire to a frumpy, muffin-induced carb coma?”
Olivia shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. Mama will never go for it.”
“We’ll never know if we don’t try.” He reached around Olivia and grabbed a file off the table. She flinched instinctively, leaning away as he invaded her space. It didn’t matter. The scent of her perfume, a light floral blend, filled his nostrils and nearly derailed his focus as he recalled the last time he’d been this close to her. “According to the notes I have, her family is moving into position to take control of the company. It may not be Mama making the decision this time.”
“Regardless, it’s extremely risky. You’re talking about sexing up their family business.” She emphasized the word “family” as if a jackass like him couldn’t possibly grasp the concept. “We need to stick with what works.”
Doing his best to let the sting of her potshot roll off his back, he stretched and yawned. She really didn’t know anything about him and now wasn’t the time to let his personal feelings get the best of him.
“Bor-ing! The last time I checked, this was a city thriving with young working professionals, not the muffin-loving families of suburbanites. It’s time for Mama’s to get with the millennium.”
“It’s not going to happen,” she argued, shaking her head.
“Not with an attitude like that,” he shot back. Damn, she was stubborn. He scanned the room, searching for a nonexistent ally. “Are you all really so afraid to try something new? Because I’m here to cure you of that fear.”
Olivia tipped her head to the ceiling and took a deep breath. He would have bet his partnership she was counting to ten in her head as she fought for composure. It was kind of cute how she got all flustered when she was angry.
“Hear me out,” he suggested, trying a more diplomatic approach. He had to get Olivia on board if he was going to stand a chance with her team, and right now not a single one of them was willing to even make eye contact. “Mama’s got a muffin for every occasion: you’re fired, breakups, the morning after…”
“Genius.” Olivia slid off the table. She circled Cole as though she smelled blood in the water, her lips curled back in a devious smile. “Maybe Mama can even add some new muffins to the menu. Let’s see. How about ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’, the ‘Coyote Ugly’, and maybe a ‘Trump’ for good measure? They’ll be all the rage.”
Nervous laughter filled the room. Her team sat idly in the crossfire, enjoying the show, but he wasn’t going to rise to the bait. He’d never allowed his emotions to rule him in the boardroom and he wasn’t about to start now. Besides, if he was honest with himself, he kind of liked this fiery side of Olivia. She brought the same passion to the office that she brought to the bedroom.
Pritchard had been dead on in his assessment of her: smart as a whip with a tongue twice as sharp. He liked how she wasn’t afraid to challenge him. Still, that didn’t mean he was going to allow her to push him around. He had a reputation to uphold.
“Cute, Olivia, but I’m serious. We need a fresh angle.”
“That may be,” she said with a snicker, “but I don’t think morning-after muffins are what Mama had in mind when she asked us to begin working on a new campaign.”
“Do you have a better suggestion?” He smiled, revealing the dimple that had helped him win more arguments than he could count. “Because I’m telling you, Mama’s needs an edge and we are going to give it to them.”
“Mama’s is my account, and I’ll make that decision,” she challenged, daring him to disagree. Realizing he’d pushed her too hard already, he remained silent. The tension in her shoulders, the angry tilt of her head, and the frustration in her eyes said it all. Now wasn’t the time to pull rank on her. She’d stood her ground, gone head-to-head with him, but she was clearly feeling raw about the whole thing. “Let’s call it quits for today, everyone. We can regroup tomorrow, but keep brainstorming. It’s time to show Mr. Bennett what we’re made of.”