Once we reached the conference room, I immediately logged in and began setting up the camera while Adrian got comfortable in one of the seats closest to the large, flat screen that covered almost the entire wall. I placed all the necessary paperwork in front of him before going back to where the Mac computer was and patiently waited for the 10 minutes to be up.
Adrian, on the other hand, had no patience at all. “Just call now,” he snapped at me. “I don’t have time to wait.”
I instantly jumped and pressed the call button on the flat screen computer. Small beeping noises filled the room, confirming that the connection was secure and that the phone call was going through.
After a few more rings, a man appeared on the screen, frowning slightly. “You’re a little early, Mr. Kingston.”
“Only by five minutes; I have other matters to attend to,” he said in a cold, snappy tone. In response, the other man’s expression turned to one of pure business and a little fear. “Now, brief me on the previous advertisements used before we begin.”
As instructed, the man launched into an explanation of the advertisements they had developed in the New Zealand branch for Kingston Corp.
Deciding that was my cue to set up the conference room, I scurried around the table quietly while I set up the next meeting that was going to be held in here in half an hour. I zoned out of the conversation that was taking place in front of me, until Adrian’s voice brought me back to reality.
“That is my assistant. You have no business with her.” His harsh tone had lashed out, and my head snapped in his direction, before my gaze trailed over to the man on the screen, who was staring at me.
A blush made its way to my cheeks as I awkwardly cleared my throat and continued setting up the paperwork in front of each chair that was placed around the table, until the man spoke up again.
“What’s her name?” he asked, and I frowned slightly, thinking, I’m in the same room, you know.
“Mr. Evans. If you wish to keep your position – no, your job – then I suggest you listen to my advice when I say that you have no business with her.”
I looked over at Adrian to find his jaw clenched as he threw a ferocious glare in the direction of the man on the screen, and my eyes widened slightly.
“Sorry, Mr. Kingston,” Mr. Evans muttered. “It won’t happen again.” The conversation steered back to business. The conference call ended about 15 minutes after that encounter, when I was already seated by the computer and ready to switch everything off. Once I was done, I looked over at Adrian for his next assignment.
“What do you think we should do?” he asked after a short silence, his voice coming out emotionless.
I tried to mask my surprise before answering. “About the improvement? Personally, I don’t believe what they’ve created is good at all. You want to convince the consumer that the hotel is a safe place to stay in with a family; for example, showing what the hotel has to offer children. I mean, there are tennis courts and swimming pools in the New Zealand one as well, right? You also want to show that an individual can relax during their stay there. Show the massaging places and spa resorts you have there as well.
“Sex appeal being the only aspect of the advertisement isn’t really going to get you anywhere unless you’re aiming the advertisement at horny teenagers,” I finished, biting my lip.
Adrian looked deep in thought for a few moments, rubbing his jawline and frowning slightly before I saw him nod slightly in agreement. “You’re right. Email what you just said, over to the New Zealand office and tell them I approve.” I nodded briefly to acknowledge his order while writing it down in my notebook as a reminder.
“Anything else?” I asked once I was done.
“Have you found a dress for tomorrow’s fundraiser?” he asked, slightly raising one eyebrow in my direction.
I got out of my seated position and nodded slightly as the image of the dress Amy had sent me from her phone this morning popped up in my mind. The dress was much more decent than the last one she had chosen, and I thanked her countless times during the morning rush before work. She told me she only bought it because she didn’t want any horn dogs to be perving at my deadly curves; although the dress still barely covered anything and looked like it would stick like a second skin from the top half. Amy had also bought a pair of nude heels to go with the dress, and I squealed in delight once she had told me they were Christian Louboutin’s.
“Good,” he nodded, before everything became silent again. I frowned as I realised that Adrian had started the conversation first this time, and spoke before I could stop myself.