Olivia fidgeted on the soft, buttery leather of the chair in Vixen’s waiting area. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Ms. Rodriguez,” she muttered under her breath. “The reason I’m here today is—”
What exactly was she supposed to say? I have to leave my job at PBA because I slept with my boss and then he pulled some strings to do me a favor that I didn’t ask him for and now the entire freaking agency is convinced I’m the office slut they always thought I was?
Probably not the most auspicious way to start a job interview.
Natalia’s door swung open and Olivia rose to her feet, sucking in a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
“Ms. Masterson.” Natalia smiled, stepping through the doorway looking every bit the powerful executive. “It’s so nice to see you again! I apologize for running late. Things have been rather busy with the spring fashion show just around the corner.”
Olivia smiled and extended her hand. “No apology needed. I’m pleased to be here.”
“Let’s get down to business then, shall we?” Natalia gestured for Olivia to follow her into the office, which turned out to be nothing like Jonathan’s. Sure, Natalia had a bank of windows with a killer view of the city, but her walls were plastered with prints of Vixen campaigns and catalogue covers stemming back to the company’s inception in the seventies. Olivia admired the artwork, wondering what it must have been like to build such an iconic brand, blazing trails no other retailer dared. The women of Vixen were cutting edge and the new campaign would catapult the brand back to its rightful place at the forefront of the lingerie industry.
Natalia motioned to a sleek leather chair in front of her steel and glass desk and then sat down in a single, fluid movement. “So, Ms. Masterson, tell me why you’re here.”
Olivia swallowed hard. She’d made an impression on Natalia and Vixen once before, right? She could handle this. “First, please call me Olivia. I want to thank you for your kinds words about our ‘Be a Vixen’ campaign. Jonathan told me you were impressed by our team.”
“He should have told you that I was impressed by you, since that’s what I actually said,” Natalia said with a smile. “But why don’t you cut to the chase, Olivia?”
Olivia’s heart thudded in her chest. Her mouth felt suddenly dry. All those hours of practicing and her carefully prepared speech had flown out the window. “I’m here because I want a job at Vixen Enterprises,” she said at last.
Natalia nodded but said nothing, just folded her hands together and placed them on the desk. Her gaze was almost as intense as Cole’s, even if it didn’t affect Olivia in quite the same ways.
“I realize your threat to steal me away from PBA during the pitch was a joke, but PBA is…” She paused for a moment. How exactly had she planned on saying it? “PBA and I have mutually decided that our futures lie in different directions.”
Natalia let out a short laugh and shook her head. “Trouble with the boss?”
Olivia felt herself turn bright red. She knew she needed to say something, but there was some sort of twelve-pound watermelon in her throat keeping her words at bay.
Natalia waved her hand in a careless gesture of dismissal as she smiled at Olivia. “Men. They always think they know what’s best for us. That they know what women want. And yet they are so rarely correct.” She leaned forward and looked directly at Olivia. “I’m glad you’re here, because I want you to work for me.”
Olivia blinked rapidly but felt unable to move. “Really?”
Natalia laughed again. “Really. I’ve been looking for someone to lead my Marketing and Consumer Insights group. It’s a new business unit for us, so you’d have complete freedom to build the department as you see fit, from the ground up. I think you’re perfect for it. The research in your presentation was absolutely convincing, and I like your style.”
Of all the ways Olivia had imagined this interview playing out in her head, she hadn’t anticipated this one. It was radically different from her first interview with Pritchard five years ago. But then, she reminded herself, she’d been fresh out of college then, not a woman with years of experience in one of the best advertising agencies around.
“I don’t know what to say,” Olivia replied. “It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m flattered you’d consider me for the position. I’m just not sure I’m ready to lead a whole department.”
“Nonsense,” Natalia said. She leaned back in her chair and studied Olivia, no doubt calculating her next words. “Modesty won’t get you very far in this business, Olivia.” Her stomach lurched as she remembered that Cole had said exactly the same thing to her once. “Jonathan Pritchard doesn’t hire incompetents. I know you led the team at PBA. Their loss is my gain. I fully expect you to be a good investment.”