Page 12 of Meeting Up with the Consultant

He just laughs. “You obviously aren’t a climber.” He shakes his head and motions to the mountain. “This.” Then he motions to the group and back to those milling around camp. “All of this is life to me. It’s energy. Purpose. Once you breathe in that thin, frigid air, it seeps into your very cells. Sure, I want to know that Ascent is only carrying the best products so all these guys stay as safe as possible.” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “But company or not, climbing is in my very essence now. If I wasn’t here, I’d be somewhere else, stretching for the next handhold. Pushing myself to the brink, because that’s what we, every single one of us, do.”

The video ends with Ascent’s logo and a new tagline “Come climb with us.” Kensie reaches for my computer, and I hand it to her, instantly missing her heat against my side. I turn to Brad. His arms cross over his chest, and he stares into the space where the computer had been. That can’t be good.

“I don’t like it.” Brad’s voice comes out low and tight.

“Are you kidding?” Kensie gushes as she steps up beside me, watching the video again. “It’s exactly what we’ve been missing.”

“No.” His hand slashes through the air. “It doesn’t go live.” He points at me. My chances of making Alaska home dying with each word Brad speaks. “If you can’t get the message I want to give, then why am I paying you to be here?”

8

-Kensie-

Getting through Brad’s thick skull is not on my Denali-sized list of things that has to get done. Yet here I am, twelve hours after he stomped off like a two-year-old—I now have first-hand experience of how pouty a toddler can be—from what might just be the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen done in marketing. I bounce my knee as Emmy tries to talk some sense into Brad. Yes, I called in backup, because he is being a total idiot about this entire thing.

Harding’s video will rock the small mountaineering world. In fact, it might even cross over into the other outdoor communities. It pinches that I hadn’t come up with something like this before, but I know when something has the potential to go viral. Have first-hand experience with that as well.

But it’ll be stuck in oblivion if I can’t get Brad to see further than his own discomfort.

“Brad, it’s a great video. It captures everything this company stands for,” Emmy says for like the hundredth time from where she leans against the sideboard in Brad’s office. “Besides, I look hot in it. That alone makes it worth putting up.”

She winks at me, and I shake my head. It’s the truth, but I’m not in the mood.

“I don’t want that up on our website.” Brad sits back and folds his arms across his chest like he’s lain down an irreversible edict.

I’m not sure what pushes me over the edge. Maybe it’s that I’ve barely slept a handful of hours for the last week. It could be that I skipped lunch and the wrinkled apple I’d stolen from the back of the break room fridge digested hours ago. The copious amount of coffee I’d swallowed just to stay awake definitely contributed.

I push up from my chair and lean over his desk. I mean, I go all bad cop on him with the scowl and all. The way his eyebrows raise a fraction normally would’ve given me a jolt of adrenaline, but I am beyond being gentle with him.

“Get over it. Okay? Yes, that climb up Denali was devastating. Yes, you spent a month in the hospital recovering from the fall. But without the climb, without you, our new body protective gear would’ve never been made.” My voice gets rough, but I don’t care. “Those garments are going to save lives, Brad. You say you want to move this company forward, but you’re so set on dwelling in the past. Harding’s video is brilliant.”

Brad opens his mouth to interrupt me, but I hold up my finger and give him the stink eye.

“In fact, Harding has brought brilliant advice all around, and if I were you, I’d stop acting like a grade-A jerk and offer him a job.” I stand and clench my hands. You’d swear I’d taken on the spirit of a thousand avenging Valkyries of old Norse lore with the power coursing through me. “I have work to do. Your interview with Sunny Rebel starts any minute, and you’d better not be sulking when you get down to the new product storage room. I’m loading Harding’s changes to the website before the interview starts because we need to snatch every opportunity we can if you want to save lives.” I step toward the door. “I really hate to say this, but as your marketing director, either you allow me to do what’s right for this company or I’m walking.”

I stomp out the door and collide into a solid chest. Strong arms wrap around my back to steady me. Which is good because the Valkyries zoom back to wherever it is they hang, leaving my knees weak like all my bones had turned to jello.

Harding’s gaze holds mine, drilling deep into the very core of me. His heart pounds hard and fast against my palm. It just about matches my own that at any moment will beat so fast it will chug away. When his gaze finally pulls from mine, it dips to my lips, and, I kid you not, all that energy and power I’d harnessed with Brad returns in full force, blasting my body, my very soul, with white-hot zings.

“Sorry,” I manage to whisper.

“Kensie.” His hands flex on my lower back as my name comes from his lips in a hushed, reverent murmur. “Thank you.” He swallows, and his Adam’s apple bobs so much it looks like it hurt. “For trusting me. For saying that to Brad.”

I lift my shoulder in a small shrug. “It’s the truth. Drives me nuts, but you have great suggestions.”

His mouth turns up on one side, the dimple making that sexy dent in his cheek. “I have all kinds of suggestions I hope you agree with.”

His gaze darts back to my lips. Yes, yes, and yes! I’d be totally open to any and all recommendations that lead to him staring at my mouth like he wants to devour it.

I bite the corner of my bottom lip. I shouldn’t be standing staring at Harding like I had all the time in the world. There is something I’m supposed to be doing, but, for the life of me, all my brain can focus on is him. His face takes on a pleased look that pulls me in.

“Wait.” I stiffen as reality pushes its way back in. “The interview.”

Glancing at my watch, I groan and push past him. There’s barely enough time to get to the supply room, let alone get the meeting pulled up on the MeetSpace app. I dash down the hall, chiding myself for my lack of focus.

I don’t have time for gawking in the hall. This interview has taken so much planning and logistics, I can’t let my suddenly high-alert hormones screw it up. Besides, Harding is leaving in two days to jet off to wherever his next job is. I can’t be staring into his gaze, wondering if he’s as good a kisser as I imagined him to be.

Sunny Rebel, a local Denali summit guide and Brad’s friend, has agreed to call after her trek to the summit. Ascent sponsored the climb, and Sunny is attempting to break the female Denali speed record. I’d gotten a message from base camp she is due any minute, a blistering two hours faster than the last record.

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