The Real Deal Read Free

none of that changed the velocity of the lonely winds that howled through his soul as he contemplated a bleak future.
    He picked up one of the pieces of red silk that had landed near where he sat. It was soft against his skin, but so light it weighed almost nothing. If he closed his eyes, it would be like it wasn’t even there.
    Just like him.
    Sometimes he thought if he closed his eyes long enough, he would cease to exist, fading into the cold mists that often surrounded his home.
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    Amanda mentally went over the game plan for her upcoming meeting with the president of Brant Computers as the elevator made its ascent.
    She could barely believe her luck. When she had put the proposal for a friendly merger before the Executive Management Team at Extant Corporation, she hadn’t been sure they’d go for it. She’d been almost positive if they did pursue her plan, they would choose someone higher in the management hierarchy to negotiate terms.
    That hadn’t happened. She’d been chosen over several colleagues to make the initial approach to Eric Brant. He had been receptive and the Executive Management Team had appointed her point man for negotiations.
    Her boss had wanted her to take a team with her, but she had convinced him the rapport she had established with Eric could be undermined if other negotiators were introduced at this juncture. Daniel had acceded to her arguments, allowing her to make the trip to Port Mulqueen, Washington, to talk to the president of Brant Computers alone.
    Her relief had been enormous since a representative from the company’s law firm had been one of the suggested team members. It was inevitable that she have business dealings with her ex-husband given that his firm handled all of Extant’s legal issues, but the last thing she wanted was for her first really big break with her company to depend on Lance Rogers’s cooperation.
    So far, negotiations had gone very well indeed.
    She watched the buttons light up as the elevator went past one floor after another without stopping to pick up further passengers. She willed each little circle to lighten and darken without the elevator stopping. She didn’t want any delays in her meeting with Eric Brant today, not even small ones.
    She wasn’t nervous, not exactly. Just impatient. It was a honey of a deal. She couldn’t imagine Brant’s board of directors not going for it. Not once she’d gotten buy-in from the company president and that’s what she was here for. After his encouraging reaction to her first proposal, she wasn’t expecting a lot of resistance.
    When the deal closed, she’d be one step closer to that position on the Executive Management Team she coveted. At twenty-six, she was the youngest female junior executive in the firm. Her goal was to be the youngest executive, male or female, and she was two years into a five-year plan to make that happen. Her plan would get a major boost when she successfully negotiated the merger with Brant Computers.
    A smile of professional satisfaction hovered on her lips as the elevator doors slid open. She adjusted the strap of her purse over the shoulder of her ultraprofessional, favorite red blazer and tightened her grip on her briefcase before stepping out of the elevator. Taking a cleansing breath, she walked toward the semicircular desk in the center of the large reception area. Her two-inch heels made whisper soft noises on the carpet that seemed to fit with the soft music playing in the background and the almost silent clicking of the receptionist’s keyboard as she worked at her computer.
    Amanda stopped in front of the desk and a blonde of indeterminate age turned to greet her. “Ms. Zachary?”
    â€œYes.” Amanda smiled.
    â€œI’ll just call Mr. Brant’s executive assistant and let her know you’re here.”
    The receptionist picked up the phone, dialed a number and spoke into the mouthpiece