It all sounds like something he’s gotten directly from a tabloid.
How is any of this relevant to Diosa?
Outside the fact that she’s the most popular singer of the year, what does she bring to the label as a whole? More importantly, what does the label bring to her? I’ve yet to hear how this fits Summer.
Diosa is elegant, and Summer Smith is the epitome of a cool girl. She’s a better fit for the AlteredX athletic brand.
Even I know more about her than this stuffy suit does, and I didn’t even know we were going to be discussing her today.
Mr. Keller interrupts a few times to have his say, and it’s obvious he doesn’t know jack about her either. In fact, I question why he’s even here.
I stifle a groan but eventually realize they will lose a big client if they continue down this route. I try to keep my mouth shut, opening and then closing it and biting my lip. But eventually, I can’t take it anymore, and I raise my hand.
Mr. Keller glares at me, motioning for me to put my hand down, but I act as though I don’t see him, keeping my hand up and smiling at all the suits staring in my direction.
“Miss Bennett, do you have a question?” the greasy-haired man leading the discussion asks while sounding annoyed.
A few of the suits chuckle under their breaths, but I stuff down the embarrassment and forge on. I didn’t get this far in life by allowing some assholes to run me off.
Mr. Keller clears his throat. “I’m not sure Miss Bennett is ready to offer ideas in front of this management team, sir.”
I shoot him an annoyed look before masking it behind a wall of fake cheer. “I assure you and Mr. Cavendish, I wouldn’t waste anyone’s time by offering ideas I feel bring nothing to the table.”
Charles’s eyes narrow, and his hands ball into fists.
My presence is definitely not wanted by him, and that fact not only annoys me, but it also bothers me for reasons beyond the boss factor. And I don’t like those feelings.
“Well, then, Miss Bennett, get on with it. I’m the CEO of the company and have things to do with my time.”
The CEO of the company.
What a damn egomaniac. I bet everyone in the room would be interested in knowing what the CEO does to strangers at clubs in coat closets.
“I think it’s best she gets more training under her belt, sir,” Mr. Keller says. “She didn’t mean to put her hand up.”
My head snaps to him, nose scrunching up. I can’t stop my annoyance from showing.
Charles raises his eyebrows at Mr. Keller and then turns to me.
“Did you mean to put your hand up?”
This is getting ridiculous. For a man who has better things to be doing, he surely is wasting his own time asking worthless questions.
“I didn’t raise it by accident, sir.”
Laughter breaks out around the room, and I feel a deep blush form on my face. This is not the sort of first-day impression I was hoping to make. Not only is Keller making a fool out of us both, but I’ve clearly made an enemy of the boss. The whole room has to see his disdain.
He leans back, elbows resting against the desk, looking bored and incredibly sexy in the process. It manages to throw me off my game and muddle my brain, so I look away. My eyes scan the room, looking for someone willing to offer a smile of encouragement.
“Then please, get on with it.” I look up at him. He’s grinning, surely prepared to watch me make an even greater fool of myself.
I take a deep breath and repeat the mantra,you’ve got this, at least three times in my head. When I’m finally calm, I take one more deep breath, straighten my shoulders, and dive in.
“Summer Smith is huge with the younger crowd. She’s a style icon, but her personal brand is relaxed, casual, and a bit hipster. Her Instagram and Snapchat following is insane, but beyond her music, it’s due to her mystic and yoga posts.”
“Your point?” Mr. Keller snaps, and for a change, that glare of Charles’s is directed at him.
“Go on, Miss Bennett,” Charles directs, looking back at me with a slightly less annoyed glance.