Cat on the Fence Read Free Page A

personnel.”
    “Sure it could. Corporations around the globe do it every
day.”
    “But this is not a corporation. It’s a not-for-profit
institution.”
    “Being not-for-profit doesn’t exclude you from needing to
care about the bottom line. You could go bankrupt if you don’t run this place
like a successful business.”
    “We’d go morally bankrupt, however, if we ran this
place like most businesses do.”
    He paused for a moment. Then a strange smile formed on his
face. “I understand, um, what was your name again?”
    “Karabi. Karabi Minstry.”
    “Right, Karabi. I understand that you’re passionate about
keeping the family together.”
    She fidgeted in her chair uncomfortably. Something about the
way Alex said her name, the way he was eyeing her as he said the word passionate …
Images of the two of them having hot, intense sex in various positions on the
boardroom table flashed in her mind. Karabi gave a slight shake of her head and
a quick cough to clear her thoughts. “I am.”
    He nodded. “I respect that. I have an alternative. We could
raise the money through a charity event. Don’t you guys raise close to a
million at your annual fundraiser dances? You’d only need a fraction of that to
stay in the black.”
    “The Zoo Ball won’t happen until the summer.”
    “Right, and the targeted proceeds for this summer’s ball have
already been earmarked for research and foundation donations. But I’m talking
about hosting a different one. Next month, with a Valentine’s Day theme,
specifically for this cause.”
    “In just a month? How would we do that? It’s way too cold to
put out a tent, and there’s no building here really suitable for a big indoor
party.”
    “We could rent out The Loft in Willis Tower.”
    “You mean the Sears Tower?” Karabi hated that they’d changed
the name of the building, which was once officially the tallest building in the
world and known worldwide for decades as Sears Tower, to Willis Tower. And so
she, like many other Chicagoans, refused to call it anything other than its
original name. No matter who bought it and took it over.
    “That’s expensive. It’d be at least a few grand just to rent
the place out.”
    “I already did the math. If we charge a premium for the
tickets and we get even a quarter of the turnout you get on average from your
events, we’d bring in close to ten times what we pay for it.”
    Karabi wrinkled her nose. “What kind of zoo throws a
high-priced, fancy fundraiser at the top of a high-rise building?”
    “The kind of zoo with two injured lions, desperately needing
cash for their care.”
    She rolled her eyes. Just the thought of getting all dolled up
and attending a party full of uppity pretension and expensive eveningwear left
a nasty taste in her mouth. Sure, Mr. Fancy-Suit would be more than happy to
attend some bourgeois ball. With his perfectly tailored suit and shirt,
spit-shined shoes and two-hundred-dollar watch. Even his wavy brown hair was
neatly combed, unlike most of the men and women who worked there. His gruff,
extended goatee and mustache seemed almost out of place on him. Karabi wondered
if he intentionally left it a bit on the scruffy side to make it appear as if
he didn’t care all that much about his appearance. If he did, Karabi wasn’t
buying it. No way this guy, who dressed as if he were coming in for a TV
interview rather than a meeting at the zoo, would leave his facial hair
unintentionally ungroomed. He had to know it softened his otherwise
unapproachable and high-strung movie-star appearance. Drew attention to his
bright, piercing blue-gray eyes. She wanted to rub her hand against the
stubble, to feel its roughness against her skin. Next thing she knew she was
imagining grabbing Alex by the tie and pulling him down on top of her, onto the
tabletop, and anxiously unbuckling his pants.
    Wait, where did that thought come from? She shook her head
as if to rid herself of fleas. “No, an impromptu