THE SETTING is New Zealand, errors and grammar are copyright to the author.
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CHAPTER 1
Bored stiff and facing another weekend home alone and not being asked to parties because it was known she was currently without a guy, Chelsea Rhodes was passing the reception desk late Friday when a tall guy in a blue shirt and yellow jeans for goodness sake was being turned away.
"As I said sir we don't hire executives here. Our agency is Executive Search International and here is their card."
Chelsea smothered a laugh. This guy must be joking. Dressed like that he should be asking building services if there was a vacancy for an interior window cleaner. He turned, she caught the appreciative stare in the almost emerald green eyes and her thighs appeared to spread slightly on their own accord.
Ohmigod.
She restarted her breathing and said recklessly, "Sir, I'm Miss Rhodes, director of operations. Would you care to join me for coffee and the meeting room over to my right where we can chat?"
Mr Green Eyes turned to the receptionist and snorted, "Is this usual?"
"No sir but you could do well by going with Miss Rhodes. She had a reputation for doing things differently."
Chelsea struck quickly. "Yes, and that scares off people, particularly men. Are you apprehensive about my approach, perhaps even scared of me Mr Green Eyes?"
He laughed and said anything but scared. "Are you available for dating?"
"Coffee Mr Green Eyes?"
He hesitated. That told Chelsea he was hooked. He was just getting used to a female using power play.
"Right, lead on Miss Rhodes -- I guess you have a first name?"
"It's Chelsea."
"Hi Chelsea, I'm Harry Chandler, just returned from England. "I worked in women's mail order apparel in Manchester."
"What, specializing in bras and panties?"
"Very droll Chelsea. The company was Sutherland House and I worked as director of business development."
Chelsea swung around to look at him. "Sunderland's is huge."
"Sales of £37.7 million last year through Sunderland House and its nine subsidiaries."
"Well we managed the equivalent of £1.5 million pounds."
"Even better in fact. My read is $NZ5.88 million in sales last year."
Chelsea smiled and said someone had done his homework. "Here we are, black. Milk is in fridge."
"Black thanks."
Chelsea poured two black coffees and forty minutes later was sitting in the chief executive's office with Harry. Paul Rich questioned Harry at length and then said, "Well, Harry please return here on Monday with your credentials and an outline of what you think you can do for this company. For the past two years we have talked about appointing a business development manager. Of course the offer of such a position starting from scratch would probably be an insult to you."
"Not necessarily. It would depend on the company's marketing objectives. I shall do what you ask. Do I report to you or Chelsea?"
"To Chelsea at 9:30. Our management meeting will have finished by then. Tell me Harry, you obviously appear to have studied our annual reports. What is one thing that strikes you about our company?"
"Your dispatch and returns facilities are in this building. That central core should be relocated close to the nearest container port and freight distribution network at the center of your market that certainly is not here in Auckland."
Paul and Chelsea exchanged glances "We have been battling with our board for two years to accept a strategic plan to rationalize our distribution network. Your arrival here may be opportune. The stubborn directors on our board may be prepared to listen to The Man From Manchester."
They laughed.
Outside Paul's office Chelsea said, "You impressed Paul greatly."
"And you?"
Chelsea's breathe caught.
"Or do you think my interest remains confirmed to bras and panties?
She blushed and dammit he caught some of that change in coloring as he raised his eyes after briefly running them over her bust line
He grinned and waited for her to say something.
She had nothing more to say but her mouth through some obscure connection with the sexual oriented part of her brain did. Her mouth blurted, "Are you predatory Mr Chandler?"
Harry reacted as if his brain had just been read: "Er, now that you mention it..."
"What Harry?"
"It's Friday night, let's go to a bra I mean bar."
Chelsea smiled and told him to wait in the main lobby; she would collect her handbag. She walked off in confusion and tried to work out had she just primed Harry Chandler to ask her out for a drink. The conclusion was she guessed that was triggered by her question about predatory. How on earth did that word get into their conversation? She knew the word, admittedly, but hadn't used it in conversation, ever.
As Chelsea walked from the elevator wearing her fashion-statement sunglass and carrying her fake zebra skin handbag Harry turned into her smoothly and took her free arm. She was aware the two women receptionists were staring and nudging each other. Gawd, rumors about Chelsea and her man in yellow jeans would be all over the office within minutes.
* * *
Milady Mail Order Ltd had operated since 1937, an unfortunate time to start a new business but by having to survive the harsh environment of the world war years and the five years of post-war recovery ensured the fledging company established the correct product lines for the time and focused on the importance of concentrating on core product to deliver.
Ten years ago Chelsea's mother Ruby Rhodes, only child of the founders Ralph and Katie Stone, had updated the company on the urgings of her architect husband That radical step of changing a very familiar company name to Phone For Fashion Ltd resulted in a slump in trade that lasted for only a nervous two months before the associated brilliant marketing campaign began to bite.
Women's talk about Phone For Fashion in coffee shops, hair salons, country general stores, bridge and women's golf clubs and company staff cafes expanded and sent company sales soaring. A year later Ruby Rhodes, the company's current chairman, won the Chamber of Commerce's national award of 'Businessman of the Year'. The award was then renamed 'Business Person of the Year' by the sponsoring organization that for very obvious reasons had operated for generations on the simple assumption that no woman would ever become a top dog in the business world.
Now chief executive Paul, Ruby's daughter Chelsea and the advertising and the marketing managers agreed that the company was in need of a makeover and it's over-bloated product lines slashed. But in their way stood the influential chairman, Ruby Rhodes. She argued the fundamentals were sound and the executives didn't have to worry the board about decisions to make slight adjustments to product lines or apply for permission to change emphasis on marketing although they must not be too radical.
Whenever executive directors brought a new makeover plan to the board, Ruby's comment was always the same: 'Don't change the car when its running smoothly and serves everyone well". The outside directors were handpicked by Ruby so guess what? The executive directors -- Paul and Chelsea and financial controller Belinda Charles -- would leave at the conclusion of the meeting once again with their revised recommend strategy for change destined for the trash can.
* * *
At the bar Chelsea and Harry chatted like people do getting to know a little about each other and after two drinks she rose and went to leave.
Harry looked surprised and said goodbye and, "Er, do I get a kiss."
"Please yourself."
They kissed and Chelsea gave him her card at told him coffee would be ready for him in her office on Monday at 9:30. She then left without looking back, hoping the abruptness of her departure would trigger his sex drive.
But no, he didn't come running after her and that perhaps raised questions about his sexuality.
She was almost at her apartment when he called.
"We forgot to go to dinner."
Her heart upped its beat. "Oh did we now?"
"Yes."
Well, where was this getting them? She made the move. "Here's my address."
"Got it, and...?"
"Bring over some take-outs. Make mine for a woman on a healthy diet."
"Fatty steak, onions and potato burger?"
She laughed and cut his call.
Chelsea changed into a black cat suit, looked in the mirror and said, "Oh God' and lowered the top and put on a bra. She then had second thoughts of looking like a female provocateur so changed into the clothes she had been wearing.
Almost dropping off to sleep after watching an hour's chat show, Chelsea raced to check herself in the mirror before answering the door.
"Sorry I'm so later, but good cooking takes time."
They kissed, lightly. He hadn't changed either.
Harry got down dinner plates from the cupboard without having to ask what cupboard as she opened the bottle of white wine he'd given her. He saw her bemused expression and smiled when he explained, "My mom also keeps the heavier daily-use tableware on the closet cupboard above the side right of the dishwasher."
He unloaded the containers wrapped in foil and with tags in beautiful handwriting. She wondered where had he found a take-out bar of this standard and handed Harry his wine.
"My hotel kitchen did this for me. This is your grilled chicken and pressure steamed carrots, broccoli and peas and a salad and this is low-cal dressing. I have steak, fries and peas and for desert we have fresh fruit salad with low-fat yogurt."
"Oh your darling man," Chelsea said, and finding him with his wineglass in one hand and her container of steamed vegetables in his other hand, placed her hands around his neck, pressed up against him until his belt buckle pressed into her gut and kissed him slowly and thoroughly.
"Wow."
"Time to eat," she giggled and flushed because he stood still, 'ruminating'.
Harry left a couple of hours later but the only other kiss was at the door. Chelsea had considered putting on a porn DV and wait for him to do the rest but decided, reluctantly, that was not the way to begin a relationship that quite possibly might last a month, perhaps longer. So she called her mom and yes she could join her and her father tomorrow for lunch. It would be on the launch and yes could bring a guest.
Harry had been in the position to follow the conversation so said, "It appears we have a formal date planned if I am to be the guest?"
"Yes, out in the harbor. As you know New Zealand has some of the finest pleasure boating waters in the world. I'll fill you in. My late grandparents co-founded the company and their only child, my mother, is chairman of the board. I'd like her to look you over outside the boardroom so please don't seduce me on the boat in front of her. I'm sure Paul will hire you because you fill a need."
"Seduce you...may I seduce you?"
