Free Working It by Cathy Yardley Page B

paperweight. “Drew, we’ve been good friends for a long time. I was friends with your father, as well.”
    â€œYou’re not ordering with another vendor because of Dad, are you?” Drew’s voice was harsher than he’d intended.
    â€œIt’s not that,” Alejandro said. “Well, not personally. But Robson is in trouble. Everyone knows this. As much as I want to help you, there’s a good chance you’ll go under. If I place an order with you and you…. Well, you know. I’d be stuck until a new vendor could supply me, and they’d put all their regular customers as priority. I can’t afford that.”
    Drew blanched. “I’m doing everything I can to turn it around, Alejandro. We won’t go under. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
    â€œThat’s just it,” the older man said kindly. “You won’t have anything to say about it. Not in the end.”
    Drew took a deep breath. This wasn’t happening. This just wasn’t happening. “It would really help the factory. We need this order.”
    â€œI can’t tell you how sorry I am that I can’t promise it to you.” And to his credit, he really did look apologetic. “If you stay in business, if you can get the factory back on its feet, I’d be happy to sign back up with Robson Steel.” He paused. “Just not now.”
    Those final three words hit Drew like a hammer. He closed his eyes for a second, then nodded. “I understand.”
    Â 
    â€œJ ADE ? What’s this I hear about you being out of the office for three weeks?”
    Jade was sitting in her hotel room at the Sleep EZ Motel just outside of Montecito, Nevada. The room was done in shades of mustard yellow and avocado green. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, which felt lumpy as old oatmeal. All of this wasn’t helping her mood one bit. Now, her boss calling her on her cell phone was just icing on the cake.
    â€œBetsy, you said I could go after the Robson Steel account. I’m doing sales training instead of a media campaign. That’s how we’re going to get the hundred thousand.”
    Betsy paused. “That’s a good one. Nobody else thought of that.”
    Jade grinned smugly. “I know.”
    â€œStill, why are you out of the office?”
    Jade closed her eyes. “I’m training sort of on the fly. I’m doing a road trip with Drew Robson.”
    â€œReally?” Betsy’s voice was inquisitive. “I see. And how’s it going?”
    Jade let out a breath. “Well…it hasn’t been optimal.” Understatement of the year. “But I think once we work out some communication issues, we’ll be doing well.”
    â€œIn other words, he’s being completely irrational and not listening to you,” Betsy paraphrased, a laugh in her voice.
    Jade let out a weak chuckle. “Well, at least he’s trapped in the car with me for a few hours a day. I figure it’s sort of like brainwashing.”
    â€œIn the car? You don’t mean you’re doing a real road trip?” Betsy’s voice crackled with static. “Who does that anymore?”
    â€œYou wouldn’t believe the little towns we’re hitting. If we flew, apparently it’d take just as long to drive from an airport,” Jade said. Of course, the fact that she doubted Robson Steel wanted to spend the money on all of that plane fare didn’t help, either, but she wasn’t about to tell her boss that.
    â€œJade,” Betsy said, her voice wheedling, “are you sure that you want to go through with this? It just seems like you’re betting awfully hard that this man and his company will get you what you want. I’d hate to see you throw away your career at Michaels and Associates for a losing proposition.”
    Jade had been thinking the same thing, but hearing Betsy say it… “I’m not,” Jade