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Advertising Diva, Laura Armstrong is after Imperial Cruise Lines, the biggest account of her career and the one that will lead to the next step in her Life Plan of becoming one of the most powerful women in advertising. That winning the account will also prove her father wrong is a bonus.
Sexy Southern Gentleman, Nathan Maxwell, is after that very same account, but for completely different reasons. Landing the account means a sizeable bonus just in time to save his family’s farm, and the only stable home his sister’s ever known, from foreclosure.
When the two end up on the same ship in the middle of the Mediterranean for a clandestine reconnaissance mission, Mt. Vesuvius isn’t the only thing that could erupt.
Will Nathan sink her ship of dreams before it ever leaves port, or will the way to love be smooth sailing?
“I'm going to need the demographics on Imperial Cruise Lines, and its three closest competitors, ASAP.”
“We're going after Imperial? What happened to Kendall-Monroe?”
“Fired. And use your street team to find out the inside scoop on Kendall-Monroe and Hawk Media. I'm on my way to meet with the CEO of Imperial now.”
“Damn, woman, you work fast.”
“Jackson Jefferies is a long-time friend of the family, so getting a sit down was easy. Convincing him to listen to someone besides my father is a different story.” Jackson Jeffries was the CEO of the cruise line, one of her father's closest friends . . . and one of her father's best customers. Her family's shipbuilding business built Imperial's liners, and Jackson relied heavily on her father's counsel.
While at her best friend's wedding over the weekend, Laura's father had received an email from Jackson saying they'd fired their advertising agency. Since her irksome father had already given a competitor agency a heads-up that Imperial was in the market, time was of the essence.
“If anyone can convince him, it's you. You could sell moonshine to a teetotaler.”
“Thanks. I think. Anyway, wish me luck.”
“Good luck. And call me when you're done.”
Laura stashed her phone and entered the cool two-story lobby, walking directly to the security desk. After signing in, she took the elevators to the top floor for one of the most important meetings of her career.
A full-service advertising agency, Giddings-Rose had made a name for itself creating ad campaigns for traditional Fortune 500 companies, including insurance companies, department stores, banks, airlines, and manufacturers. But Laura's goal was to drag Giddings-Rose kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century, with accounts who wanted rich media campaigns, digital brand development, interactive marketing and communications strategy, and pay-per-click campaign management. The future of advertising.
When she'd first approached Curt, the agency's VP of Business Development, about Imperial and its needs he'd been skeptical, but the agency couldn't count a cruise line among its accounts, and having one would look good in its portfolio. And on his resume.
“What do you want, Laura?” Curt had asked.
She'd used her tough-minded skills on him. “I want your job, but I bring you Imperial, I'll take the VP of Client Management that's coming open.”
“You bring me Imperial, and we'll talk about it.”
“No.” She approached his desk. “I've reeled in some big fish for this agency. It's time I reaped the rewards of all that hard work. Dammit, Curt, you know I deserve it.”
Curt had held her gaze. “I know. Look, I'll go to bat for you, but I can't promise anything.”
“That's all I'm asking. Thanks, Curt.”
The elevator doors opened on the lobby of Imperial Cruise Lines bringing Laura back to the present. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the polished marble floor with all the determination of a gladiator stepping into the Roman Colosseum. “Showtime.”
Rebecca is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Florida Romance Writers, RWA Contemporary Romance, and Florida Writers Association. She and her mountain-climbing husband live at sea level in sunny Florida.
Awards:
2014 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award Finalist (Dreams of Perfection)
2013 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award Winner (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence Winner (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Virginia Romance Writers Holt Medallion Award of Merit (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Georgia Romance Writers Published Maggie Finalist (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Shooting Star Award (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Finalist (Rescuing Lacey)
2013 Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers' Awards Finalist (The Promise of Change)
2011 Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist (The Promise of Change)
http://www.rebeccaheflin.com/
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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5400814.Rebecca_Heflin
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