She was just about to walk into a meeting and asked him if she could call him back in an hour or so. He said great. She hung up, gathered her files and notebooks and laptop and headed to the large conference room with its wall of glass and took a seat at the long table. Seconds later Christine Miller, the president of Sheenan Media’s Home Design Division entered the boardroom with Cormac.

Whitney still hadn’t put two and two together until Christine introduced Cormac as Cormac Sheenan, Founder and CEO of Sheenan Media, Sheenan Cable, Sheenan Broadband, as well as the other half dozen companies he’d acquired as part of his mini media empire.

Everyone laughed at Christine’s playful words “mini media empire,” and even Whitney had cracked a smile, but she was also shocked, because Cormac Sheenan was ruthless in his acquisitions and mergers. He slashed staff and downsized companies, reducing not just ‘bloat’, but really good people as he reshaped each organization. Yes, it was fiscally responsible operating with a lean team, but sometimes he let the wrong people go. In fact, he frequently let the wrong people go. She knew first hand by his slashing of staff at Colorado Living, and then his whittling of the Bridal team.

Cormac had caught her eye during the introduction but his expression gave away nothing. Was he surprised to see her at the table? Would he be different with her now?

She spent the hour trying not to let her nerves, or her imagination, get the better of her. She told herself to be calm and patient and wait to see what happened after the meeting.

Cormac didn’t look at her as she left the boardroom, nor did he stop by her desk on his way out.

She told herself not to be disappointed. She told herself she wasn’t interested in a man like Cormac Sheenan. He wasn’t her type. He wasn’t anything like the men she dated. It was better she found out who he was now, before things progressed and soured.

And then he called.

He asked her to meet him for drinks after work. They agreed on a place just a couple blocks from her office.

Whitney arrived, heart already racing, torn between worry and curiosity. What would he say? How would this go?

He was already at a table when she arrived. He stood as she approached. His smile was crooked, even a little bit lazy. “I had no idea that my Creative Director was so young,” he said as she sat down.

She watched him drop back into his seat and extend a muscular arm along the top of his booth. He moved with an easy grace, clearly comfortable in his body.

She didn’t know if it was nerves or stupidity but she blurted, “And I had no idea that the founder of Sheenan Media might just be a likeable guy.”

He looked at her a long moment, and then gestured for the cocktail waitress. “Do you like wings?” he asked her, as the waitress approached.

Whitney wasn’t sure she knew where he was going with this, but she did like wings, even more than she liked ribs, and she nodded.

“And drinking?” he prompted.

“Their pale ale. It’s from their own micro-brewery.”

He ordered a pint of the same and then his focus returned to Whitney as the waitress walked away. “Not likeable?” he questioned, sounding more amused than annoyed.

She shrugged. “You have a reputation.” She saw the lift of his brow and added, “As CEO of Sheenan Media.”

“Because I turn struggling magazines around?”

“Laying off dozens of employees in the process.”

“It’s my job to make the magazines profitable.”

“You have a history of laying off the wrong people.”

“Because I let you go four years ago?”

Now she was surprised. He must have done some research. “You saw I worked for Colorado Living.”

“And Colorado Bridal. First editorial then design. You have an interesting resume.” He hesitated, studying her. “And you’ve risen to the top very fast.”

“You’re concerned it’s too fast?”

“No. I believe the great ones do rise fast.”

The great ones.

She told herself not to be flattered.