and concept boards, with bad coffee and determination being the motivators.

y eyes made me look like someone who'd been through three rounds of a box

slightly intimidated by the meet

7:30, my

Hell: Car i

b, the same one Blackwood had disappeared into last night. The

rning, M

plied, getting

the sedan was empty, its leather seats spotles

tomach tied itself in knots with each block, anxiety mounting. What if my sugges

rivate gate that I hadn't noticed befo

ym, level 35," he told me, producing

ve gym? Tha

ed the card. Glass walls from floor to ceiling offered a stunning pan

ck athletic shorts and a fitted gray t-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders, now glistening with s

or retreat back to the elevator. I didn't have tim

l, Ms. Gray. I

to face me. His hair was disheveled, his face red wi

, lifting my portfolio. "Though I wasn

e at 5 AM. It clears my head." He reached for a towel on a bench nearby.

the opposite end of the gym bef

rview. This office was smaller, somehow cozier, with a plush leather couch and booksh

corner with a note beside it: "Help yourse

ks on his shelves. Business strategy, architecture, classical

thing int

pletely transformed back into the tall businessman in the charc

ed automatically

upted, striding to the coffee machi

nother apol

uch while he sat in an armchair fac

ve got," he said,

read out three concept boards. I'd worked all night on thes

bols for older wealthy men," I demonstrated. "But that market is shr

ovation, combining Archer's Swiss know-how with the newest t

t silently, his exp

of portraying the watches as symbols of success, we portray them as tools

actio

It acknowledges that nobody needs an expensive watch to tell the time anymore. Instead, we position Arc

ining each board in a systematic manner. The sil

id quickly. "I can head in anoth

" he cut in. "M

usly? It's the ri

uality of their products. It's that they can't tell me wh

third concept board. "This addresses

yes h

ke

tartled me.

visuals are too safe, too cautious. If the concep

en holding back on the design, no

told him. "Perhap

ate the difference between throwaway

a man who sounded all about business, he

myself asking befo

eyebrow rose

on this project? You've got dozens of

rtment has become complacent. They take old ideas a

a system

" A smile danced at t

st night? The restaurant? Was

rmous potential, but he is prone to ge

om

ood up. "The car will take you to the office. Work

revocable, but somet

his eyes. "I value your interest, but

se affairs affect my busines

en't involved.

er. "But Kim has a past, Ms.

use I'm new? Or becau

railed." His voice fell. "Office relationships don't typica

d if he was speaki

you and Vanessa?" I blurted o

ld. "That's not pertinen

n informed me I

ons in motion," I said,

meeting with Archer next

More

door, and he sp

. G

ned.

t." His gaze locked with

hiver down my spine

e creative department last

"Why would she

ed firmly, "is w

re morning. Blackwood's restraint when it came to Vanessa. His surprise reaction t

re sat a tiny box with a car

met cup of coffee. The consideration touched m

of the office, chatting with fellow employees. He n

hanks" and ga

son really a workplace player? Or was Black

omputer, an emai

rp@SharpInd

ct: L

ia da

lunch today? There is so much I can tell you about Alex.and Bla

nes

te key. All my instincts were te

re of me? And what would she reveal about Al

had to be focused on the Archer campaig

what game I'd unknowingly enlisted in,