Page 36 of Heart of Stone

“That’s certainly not how I would describe the turn of events. AsI recall,I was discarded for your ten o’clock and then you hijacked my cell phone!” He looked confused for a moment, but I didn’t pause in my quiet rant. “What’s the matter? The tall girl with the black hair didn’t fulfill the needs at Turning Stone Advertising? Oh, wait – I forgot. You prefer red heads, right? That must be why you’re here. The black haired bimbo didn’t work out. For that matter, I can’t begin to figure out why you would even interviewme! I didn’t think mousy brown hair did it for you. I’m not stupid, Stone. That was no job interview.”

He didn’t say anything and the silence stretched on for what seemed like eons. I just continued to glare at him. He, on the other hand, wore a look of mild disinterest that exacerbated my anger even more.

“Are you finished now, Krystina?” he asked, still ever so reserved and calm. I was taken aback.

Yeah, I’m finished all right.

I closed my laptop and stood up to leave.

“Sit down,” he barked with command. I scowled at him. But then to my surprise, his expression changed. He seemed frustrated almost, and looked as though he was having some sort of internal battle with himself. He ran a hand through his hair, all of his careful control seeming to evaporate. Finally, he took a deep breath and in a resigned voice said, “Please, Krystina. Sit down.”

Could it be? Alexander Stone, the man who defines the meaning of measured confidence, seems unsure of himself.

He reached out and placed a gentle hand on my arm. Curiosity got the best of me and I sat.

“Let’s clear the air and get a few things straight,” he said. “First of all, the ‘black haired bimbo’ that you saw? That was my younger sister, Justine. She was rather upset with me that day because I hadn’t made much time for her lately.” His face softened and he looked thoughtful. A small lopsided grin formed on his perfect lips. “The little snot actually scheduled an appointment to see me.”

His sister. Sure, that’s what they all say.

However, deep down I knew that he was most likely telling the truth. That woman was breathtakingly gorgeous, and her long, flowing ebony hair had matched his color so perfectly. I studied Alexander’s face, trying to see other similarities to the woman, only to find myself stunned once again by his extraordinary beauty. Two people that beautiful had to be related in some way. Maybe I misunderstood the affection that I saw pass between them. Even now, as he spoke of her, the expression on his face was one of tenderness, not one of a liar. Airing on the side of caution, I decided to bite my tongue and just listen.

“Secondly,” he continued. “There is a position available in the marketing division of Stone Enterprise. I would like to discuss the details of that once we get past this roadblock that we seem to be experiencing.”

“Is that what this is, Stone? A roadblock?” I snapped.

He hesitated before answering, as if choosing his words carefully.

“I’ll admit that your interview took an unexpected turn. I’m usually very good at reading women, but… you’re different for some reason.” A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Yeah, well nothing surprises me about you, Stone. I’ve got your type all figured out,” I said cynically.

“I wouldn’t be so assuming, Krystina. I’m probably nothing like you would expect. Isn’t there an expression about not judging a book by its cover? You may find that my pages are full of surprises,” he stated, casting me a roguish look.

“I doubt that,” I said with a false air of confidence. There was something about the gleam in his eye that was unsettling, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

“Then we can continue this cat and mouse game that you seem to be so apt at playing,” he said, his lips pursed with annoyance. “However, I would rather we discuss the reasons why I’ve sought you out.”

“Fine. Have it your way, Stone. Talk. I’m all ears,” I said, keeping up with my confident façade. I sat back and folded my arms, giving the appearance of total aloofness in an attempt to hide how shaken up I was by his mere presence.

“Finishing your interview would be an unnecessary formality. I already know that I want you, Krystina.” He paused, allowing me to digest what he had said. His eyes burned into me and I struggled not to read too much into his words. “Despite what you think, I really would like to offer you a job. Very few firms are hiring and your job searches have probably returned minimal results.”

“You’re right. Nobody is hiring,” I admitted bitterly.

“Except me.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What would this job entail?”

“Originally, the company was established for the sole purpose of providing affordable advertising to the business owners who have lease agreements with me. However, things have changed and I am looking to push Turning Stone Advertising to the next level. As of right now, the company is small and my personal knowledge of advertising is limited. If you came to work for me, I would have you manage the employees at Turning Stone and oversee all new incoming ad campaigns from start to finish.”

I was intrigued and I found myself straightening up a little in my chair. The thought of being in charge of an entire campaign was enticing, and more than just a little intimidating. I leaned forward and put my elbows on the table, itching to find out more.

“How many employees do you have at Turning Stone?”

“Currently, only three. They are mediocre on their best day, but they get the job done. For now.”

“Marketing can be very complex. Why would you start an advertising company if you didn’t know how to run it?”

“I know the basics. Enough so, that I could give direction to the few employees that I have and turn a small profit. The end goal was to help my tenants, not to make a fortune from it. Advertising in New York is very expensive. I want the businesses that pay me rent to be successful. A profitable business continues to provide me with a monthly income. Whereas, empty buildings are costly,” he finished, shrugging his shoulders indifferently.

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