Page 21 of The Seven Rings
Burt Springer greeted her first. “Good morning! Thanks for making yourself available on such short notice.”
“Never a problem. It’s good to see everyone.”
And everyone, Sonya noted, included Miranda Ryder, the steely and steady head of the company.
“We’ve got some progress reports to discuss, but before we get to that, we have an angle to run by you. The visuals you created, using regular people rather than models, wearing Ryder gear, using Ryder gear in their everyday lives, are the heart of the campaign. We’d like to expand on that.”
“All right.”
“Take the young man on the Ryder bike, heading to work in his business suit. Is he local? Available?”
“Eddie—he works for Doyle Law Offices. He’s interning there. As for availability, I can certainly contact him. I do have several more photos of him.”
Maybe muscle and mind did connect, Sonya decided, as she thought a step ahead. “But you don’t want the same look. A different outfit, different day, different activity? Is that what you’re after?”
“Got it in one.”
“Casual clothes, heading out to meet friends for pizza. Out for an evening—sunset ride—with a date? Like that.”
“Sunset ride with a date?” Livvy, public relations, put an index finger to each side of her head. “That’s a winner.”
“We’d like him to wear Ryder shoes, Ryder gear. You get his sizes, we’ll provide them,” Burt told her. “Then there’s your lovely and generous friend, Cleo.”
“I can speak for her, and say she’ll be happy to. More yoga? Different poses, different outfits. Maybe something outdoors. She has a gorgeous little Sunfish. She already has a Ryder PFD, but you could add to that.”
The banging started overhead. Sonya fisted a hand under the desk as Yoda squeezed between her feet.
Miranda Ryder’s eyebrows shot up. “Is there a problem, Sonya?”
“They’re calling for thunderstorms.”
“It sounds like the storm’s inside the house.”
“It really does. Let me say, I think this is a terrific angle. I’m sure I can engage the same photographer, and I’ll contact Eddie. I can already give you Cleo’s sizes. Which others do you want to add?”
The banging stopped abruptly as she started the list. And the doorbell began to bong.
“Sorry, just give me one minute.”
She rose quickly. Though she knew it was Dobbs, she looked out the window first. Then moved over to close the library’s pocket doors.
It at least dulled the sound.
“Sorry again,” she said when she sat back down. “It’s a glitch I really need to fix. Old houses.” She added a smile.
“Maybe it’s haunted,” Burt said with a quick laugh.
“Oh, no question about that.” She added her own quick, and casual, laugh. “It adds to the ambiance.”
She took notes, added her own ideas and vision. And when the house fell quiet again, felt as she had in the gym.
She’d outlasted Dobbs.
It took over an hour, and included a couple of bitchy door slams, but she got through it. And felt she’d barely missed a beat.
When she ended the call, she sat back, closed her eyes.
Clover congratulated her with Gaga and Grande and “Rain on Me.”
