Page 110 of The Pack Next Door
“Save this whole cracked shipment situation by making one of a kind pieces with the remains of the pottery? I hope so, but I need something from you.”
“Anything,” Emma said, straightening up.
“How do we tell if this will sell? Do you have focus groups or something to test new products on?”
“No.” She tapped her bottom lip. “Usually Briar releases a small test line to our uber fans and decides whether or not to invest in more of that product based on their response.”
I smiled slowly.
“I’m gonna need the name and address of one of those uber fans,” I said. “Someone who’s opinion Briar would never question. Can you do that for me?”
Emma moved to her laptop, quickly searching for something, then copying it down on a piece of paper before handing it over.
“Gretchen is very influential.” Her grip on the paper tightened, not letting it go until she felt like I understood. “Like her husband is the CEO of some big company and is on the boards of half the other major organisations in town. If she likes something, that’s weighted more heavily than anything else, if only for the fact she has a coterie of very stylish friends.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said.
“But.” Emma still hadn’t let go of the paper. “You can’t just march into her gallery and demand to talk to her. People make appointments months in advance.”
“Watch me.”
There was one benefit of being classified as a bit of a hot head. While everyone else was arguing about what was possible, I was acting, finding out through experience exactly what could be done. I borrowed a small box and a bunch of foam peanuts,using it to surround the pot and protect it from any knocks. Loaded up, I made for the car.
“What’s the plan, Mads?”
Gideon appeared beside me. The guy was so damn quiet it was like he materialised from the shadows themselves. I hoisted the box in my arms.
“I’m gonna find out whether gluing these pots together is going to work for the customers, because this is the real alpha trial. Briar couldn’t give two shits about whether we can catch a rabbit without hurting it, but the pottery? She cares way too much about that, and I’m determined to make sure we have a solution that’s fit for purpose. I’ll be back later… maybe.”
Because it wasn’t just this Gretchen that needed to be impressed. In my mind’s eye, I saw the grumpy scowl of a potter we all knew and did not love. Tom had the capacity to make or break my mate’s happiness, so that meant I needed to get him on my side and seeing things my way.
Chapter 54
Gideon
This is our alpha trial.
My brother’s words rang in my head as I walked through the warehouse.
“Emma.”
“Oh, hey, Gideon.” She looked over my shoulder. “Is Jace going to make an appearance? Mads was just here, asking about our client base. Seems like you Whitlocks are busy today.”
The look she shared with Seb made clear in what capacity she meant. In my experience, people who got the most excited about a courtship process were those not actually involved in it. All fun, no actual responsibilities. Perhaps I could use that to my advantage.
“I spoke to Briar this morning and she said to mention the venue deposits?”
“Shit!” The sly smile was replaced by horror, the order she was working on abandoned. “Shit, shit, shit…” I watched her open her laptop and pull up her emails. “Briar was umming and ahhing about what she wanted to do, and with everything going on, I forgot about following up on that.” Her hand raked her hairback from her face as she went milk pale. “It might be too late to get our deposit back.” A bag was produced from under the table, her keys in her hand. “I need to go down there and beg Lucien not to penalise her. I’ll…”
She made an exasperated sound as she went still.
“Tell him that Briar’s mum had a fall, and that we had a catastrophe with the shipment?” Seb suggested. “We’ve sent enough business his way that he should be reasonable.”
“Lucien Woodward.” Her flat tone told me everything I needed to know. “Be reasonable?”
“What if I came with you?”
That desperate look in her eyes, it turned to hope, then became wary.
