Page 8 of Protected By West
"Ah," the presenter at the front of the room laughed and shook his head. "This is a bit earlier than some of you are used to getting into the office."
Tracy turned and saw that Jamie was already looking back at her. On weekdays like this one they were usually in the office at this time or on the way. Long hours were part of their lives, butmany of the people in the audience were likely more hands-off than hands-on like they were.
They probably didn't deal with their customers face to face.
Tracy turned her head and saw the other credit union staffers smiling back at her. They'd likely had the same thoughts that she did.
They'd all had their work compared and compared badly against banks. It was one thing to be proud of what you do, but the executives that she'd met and interacted with from banks just seemed to stick their fingers in their ears or put on blinders thinking that credit unions were inferior just because they thought so.
Narrow minded thinking, but it came with the territory.
"This is the first day of a two-day conference. We're packed with sessions each morning and afternoon. The evenings, I'm sure you've noticed, are open. There are networking events in the evening for our presenters and vendors to meet and mingle with all of you!"
Tracy nodded. They'd already scheduled meetings outside of the evening events with vendors that they were interested in using. It was easier to talk uninterrupted than with vendors than dealing with half-drunk executives with roaming hands trying to interrupt a discussion of business matter just to try and get phone numbers. All of the participants were in a spreadsheet with their office phone numbers, but there were always those who wanted 'personal' numbers.
Why they thought showing their asses after a few drinks was just part of the business.
Ugh.
"I'd like to introduce you to the three presenters who will be in this room for the morning sessions. Later, during the lunch service in the ballroom behind this one, you'll meet the presenters from the second half of the day. You'll have the abilityto hear a little more about them with a quick run down of what they'll cover in their individual sessions before you make your final decisions of where to go."
Tracy saw movement beside her and leaned in toward Jaime.
"That idea might hurt or help the presenters."
Tracy nodded and leaned in closer. "Some people get their heads turned with an outgoing personality. And some," she lifted a brow at her friend, "settle on their pretty face and no matter what comes out of their mouths, people smile and clap."
Jaime nodded in reply. "There are those awesome few who split the difference and people gravitate toward them."
The side door to the ballroom opened up and a trio of men walked in.
Jaime leaned further over and smiled, her grin lifting more than the corners of her mouth, it lit her up. "Looks like these guys are the morning presenters. And the one in the middle. I sure hope he splits the difference you were talking about." Jaime reached over and poked Tracy in the side of her leg. "I'm glad if he's one of the presenters for the whole conference this morning. I'd hate to have to fight you over the breakout that he's going to be in."
Tracy would normally have a quippy reply. Something clever or a little naughty.
She managed to hold it all in because her tongue was tied.
Walking up the front of the room, in the middle of two men in impeccable suits was Weston Cooper. He had a cowboy hat under his arm, and she smiled at the sight.
Both of her grandfathers had been military men and while her father's father had died before she was born, but her mother's father, Pops, he would always stand a little taller wherever he was when someone dared to walk inside with a hat on their head.
"Your head cold, son?"
His voice always took on a stern, general-like quality and no matter how big or 'bad ass' a man would look before her Pops spoke, they'd always take their hats off. And if they had a lick of sense, they'd apologize and step aside for the older man who wore his Vietnam Veteran hat in his back pocket when he was inside.
Obviously, Weston had been taught much the same.
"Oh wow. That cowboy looks tough."
Tracy nodded. He did.
Weston had kept an easy conversation going with her at the bar and then dinner. Hell, he'd even kissed her while his hand got up and personal with her backside in that elevator. Not once while they'd been together did she feel like he might hurt her in any way. Even when he had his fingers dug into the hair at the nape of her neck, he'd been strong but gentle.
Something she'd heard about but never felt before.
The three men took a few steps up to the platform where the presenters were going to speak and turned to face the crowd.
Standing there, with his legs just a hair bigger than the width of his shoulders, she barely held back a toothy smile.
