Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She sighed as she sank into the chair in front of me. “Of course not. Why would I?”
She was a terrible liar, and I actually liked that about her. The way her honesty slipped through the cracks even when she was trying to play it cool. “I guess we should get started then.”
Morgan had a tablet in her hand, and she turned her attention to the device. “Great. I have a lot of ideas, but I’m wondering about your timeline. When do you envision this product launch taking place?”
I paused, staring at her a moment as I took in the change she made when we shifted to business. Her agitation disappeared, and the crease in her forehead flattened out. Maybe we’d be able to work together without too much trouble after all.
“I was thinking six months,” I said.
“So, early May?” She swiped open a calendar on her tablet with quick, efficient movements.
“Let’s make it the first of May,” I suggested. “Start the month out right. That way, we should see the results in the second quarter’s financial reports.”
I watched her make a note of the launch date on her tablet. I stood up and walked around my desk. My office was large, and I’d pushed the desk to the wall for a reason. I liked to move around while I was thinking. The space between the desk and the entrance was perfect for pacing.
Morgan watched me curiously as I tracked the length of the office, tossing a red stress ball from one hand to the other while I spoke.
“Since the prototype’s already been tested and approved, we’re starting ahead of the curve on manufacturing. The funds we’re investing can go straight toward mass production.”
“Parker can take care of that,” Morgan said, turning her chair so she could face me as I walked back and forth. She crossed one leg over the other, and for a second I forgot my next thought entirely.
I glanced out the window at the city skyline, anchoring myself back to the conversation. “He told me the same thing. That’s convenient, and it frees us up to focus on the ultimate goal. Making sure this thing sells.”
I turned around to find Morgan smiling. “I’m way ahead of you there.” She swiped through her screen on her tablet, then stood up to show me a chart.
“I researched industry trends over the last couple of days, and I created this graph of how I expect the launch to go if we take advantage of three key points,” she said enthusiastically. “First, the high demand for faster charging capabilities. Second, the projected growth of electric vehicle charging stations, which is expected to expand exponentially over the next five years. Finally, we need to take into account the competition between North America and Europe to get ahead in this industry. We might be leading the technology here, but there are a few companies that are working on similar products overseas.”
“Wow,” I said, blown away by her strategic thinking and in-depth grasp of the industry in general. I stopped pacing completely and she had my full attention. “I’m impressed.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, like she couldn’t decide if that was flattery or an insult. “You sound surprised.”
“Sorry.” This time, I couldn’t keep myself from grinning. “That was definitely meant as a compliment.”
“Part of my job is conducting market research to identify ideal customers and create strategies to reach them,” she said, her tone cool and pointed. “I didn’t get this job because of nepotism. I earned it.”
Her father had said as much to me this morning but hearing her defend herself so fiercely was surprisingly endearing. There was pride in the set of her shoulders and the stubborn tilt of her chin, and I felt a startling rush of affection for her. I nearly acted on it, my hand starting to reach out to cup her cheek before I caught myself and shoved my fingers through my hair the way I always did when I was frustrated.
Usually, that reaction was somehow related to work but this time, it was all tangled up with Morgan and the desire she stirred in me without even trying. I wasn’t used to that.
“Here,” she said, angling the tablet toward me. “Take a look at the report.”
I stepped in closer and looked at the chart she’d created. Even just a quick glance told me that she’d accurately applied the information she’d researched to create a reasonable expectation of profitability within the first three months of launching the EV charger.
I didn’t say anything for a moment, and she bit her bottom lip as she looked at me expectantly, watching my reaction to the chart. The way she worried her bottom lip—soft, deliberate, unguarded—knocked the air out of my lungs. And suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about market projections anymore. I was thinking about her mouth. And kissing her.