Page 7 of Trouble Me
“Nice to meet you again, Emma.” He smiled and gestured for her to sit down as he settled in behind his desk.
Crossing her legs, she sat on the edge of the seat, her back ramrod straight. In his slacks and button-down shirt, Shane exuded an air of prestige that fell in line with the company he represented. It wasn’t as though Shane was the first handsome, powerful man she’d dealt with in a professional setting. She could handle this, even if he was the first man in the workplace that made her breath catch every time she saw him.
Focus on the job, Emma.
He leaned back in his chair, the wine-colored shirt stretching across a chest she figured wasn’t a stranger to the gym. She caught herself and met his eyes. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”
She blew out a breath and straightened her shoulders. Her work experience was one thing she could talk about with confidence. “Right. I grew up here in Madison Ridge, but left for college after I graduated.” Her eyes darted away and she swallowed, pushing back the growing ball of sorrow in her throat. She returned her gaze to his again and lifted her chin slightly. “I started out as a marketing associate for a bank in Atlanta while I worked on my MBA.”
“You were there for a few years with several positions,” Shane glanced up from reading her résumé, one brow raised. “Deciding what you wanted to do?”
“I call it learning the ropes, Mr. Kavanaugh. Later in my experience, it came in handy.” Her tone was sharper than intended. She resisted the urge to wince, but just barely.
He held her stare for a beat. “Fair enough.” His gaze shifted back to the paper in his hand. “How did you end up working for one of the world’s largest beverage companies?”
“By that time, I was a marketing manager and ready for a change. A recruiter called me at an opportune time and I made the leap.” Banking had been a boring, uptight atmosphere for her younger, party-hungry self. Her counterparts at the time all seemed to work fabulous jobs with all kinds of fun perks. The call from her recruiter friend had been both a blessing and a curse.
Shane nodded. “And you worked your way up into a C-level position before leaving and starting your own firm.” He laid the paper down on the desk in front of him, tapping a finger against full lips that made her lower belly burn. His gaze remained fixed on hers. “Tell me about your company.”
She inhaled a small breath. At least this was part of her accomplishments and not her royal screwups. “I owned a marketing firm that employed around one hundred employees all over North America.”
His brows shot north when she told him her firm’s two most lucrative deals for some of the largest companies in the world. She bit her lip to keep from breaking out into an unprofessional grin. She’d been damn proud of her crew when they’d landed deals that put her firm on the cover of the Atlanta Business Chronicle a few years ago.
On the heels of her swelling pride, her heart landed with a thud in her chest. Giving it all up nearly broke her spirit.
He was quiet for a moment. “Why did you sell your company? With deals like that, it would be an understatement to say you were doing well.”
She bit back a sigh. There’s no progress without struggle, right? Talking about her past was inevitable. Who sold a highly lucrative company at the pinnacle of their career, only to interview for a middle management position two years later?
Recovering alcoholics with a shitload of debt, that’s who.
She cleared her throat and looked down at the desk calendar before bringing her gaze back to his. “My family went through some rough times. They needed me to be here with them. While it may have been a career-changing decision, it isn’t one I regret making.”
No, she didn’t regret coming home to be with her parents for what turned out to be their last years. But she did regret the circumstances under which she’d had to sell the career equivalent of her heart and soul. She’d used a substantial chunk of her proceeds to dig her parents out of the debt they’d been in, but her own medical bills and the rehab facility she’d spent six months in to get clean had put a sizable dent in her earnings as well. It made Emma’s gut twist with disgust at herself.
But telling a prospective employer you’d sold your company in part because of alcohol addiction? Especially an employer that made its earnings on alcoholic beverages?
Her stomach twisted again. Maybe this hadn’t been a great idea. But a girl had to do what a girl had to do.
How else are you going to save the house? Think about the house.
Shane nodded once before leaning forward. “What do you know about our company?”
The knot in Emma’s stomach loosened slightly when he didn't press her for more details. “I know KVN is a family company, and the largest distributor of wine in the world. It’s been in your family since the 1800s, and thus far, the company has always been run by a member of the Kavanaugh family. Headquarters are in Napa, California, but there are offices in London, Sydney, Rome, and Auckland. KVN is also the second largest producer in North America of non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice.” She took a breath and continued when he stayed silent. “You have several hundred thousand acres of vineyards around the world, and the brand continues to grow with the addition of tasting rooms and lodges at various locations in California and Europe.”
He smiled and the large leather chair creaked as he rocked back. “You did your homework.”
“I like to be prepared.”
“I can see that.” Shane averted his gaze to her résumé, frowning. Damn. Frowning was not a good sign.
“There’s no doubt in my mind you’re qualified for the job. Your references are stellar.” He tapped his fingers on the desk before looking back at her. Emma stayed silent, unsure if she should add anything that would help her case. Unfortunately, Shane had a poker face.
“With your background, you could hit the ground running.” He rapped his knuckles on the wood of the desk, his stare riveted to her résumé. After a pause, his eyes met hers. They really were a mesmerizing blue.
For all that is holy, Emma, focus!
“I need an ops manager in here quickly. I have two other interviews coming in today, but I will be making my final decision within the next day or two.” Standing, he held out his hand. “Thank you for coming in, Emma. I’ll be in touch.”
