As You Like It. Lori Wilde

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СКАЧАТЬ all familiar with his work.”

      A hushed, reverential silence fell over the room. Everyone in the software industry had heard of Beau Thibbedeaux. He was, arguably, the best video-game design architect ever to code a script.

      Or at least he used to be.

      Dash, Judd, the system liaison and the four programmers exchanged a look. Marissa didn’t know the whole story of the Beau Thibbedeaux scandal but apparently it had been a doozy.

      The guy had been the biggest star at the largest video-game design company in the country. Hailed as a creative genius, he was a visionary far ahead of his time. From what she could gather through the industry grapevine, Thibbedeaux hated being rushed or pressured.

      The rumor was he’d run afoul of a very influential, very impatient overseas client. Beau had simply walked away from the project with an unfinished design left on the table.

      Marissa figured Thibbedeaux must have suffered some kind of mental or emotional meltdown because she could not fathom any other reason why the man would hightail it back home to Louisiana and leave the company stranded. Personally, she would rather lie down and die than disappoint her employer no matter how difficult the project or the client.

      “Beau’s no longer in the business,” Judd said, but Marissa could tell from the speculative expression in his eyes that he would love to be responsible for luring Thibbedeaux back to Manhattan.

      “I heard he’s a complete recluse,” another programmer added.

      “The guy retired over two years ago,” Dash supplied. “Last I heard he owned a B and B or a restaurant or a bar or something like that in New Orleans.”

      “We were hoping Pegasus could coax him out of retirement.” Francine steepled her fingers and glanced around the table.

      “There are plenty of other qualified designers available,” Judd said. “Jack Firestein. Ashleigh Henning. Blair Downey to name a few.”

      Francine was already shaking her head. “But none of those other candidates have Beau’s flare for pure, unadulterated fun. We’ve reviewed his video games. He’s the one we want.”

      “I once worked with Beau. The guy is completely unstable and when he decides to dig his heels in, he digs his heels in. There’s no way he’s coming back.” Dash shook his head.

      Dash’s easy capitulation surprised Marissa. She’d never known him to give up without a fight. She studied him, trying to figure out his angle.

      “I’m sorry to hear you say that.” Francine’s face reflected her disappointment. “If Pegasus can’t make this happen for us perhaps there’s another software developer who can.”

      Oooh, the plot thickens. Why was Francine so insistent on Thibbedeaux?

      “Now, Francine, be reasonable,” Judd said, attempting to placate her. “If the man is retired, the man is retired.”

      “We want Thibbedeaux.” Francine crossed her arms. For whatever reason, she wasn’t going to give an inch on this one.

      Judd met Marissa’s gaze. She knew that look.

      Are you my ace in the hole? Her boss’s expression quizzed. He hadn’t asked the nonverbal question of Dash, but of her. He’d chosen her as his go-to person. Pride swelled her chest. Yes, yes.

      This is your chance. Jump in. Say something. Do it, do it, do it.

      Excitement pushed Marissa to her feet. Anticipation had her slapping her palms against the smooth coolness of the tabletop. Enthusiasm had her vigorously nodding her head.

      “I can make it happen,” she said, the words spilling from her mouth before she’d fully thought this commitment through.

      All she knew was a very important client wanted something and it was her job to fill her clients’ needs. If she gave Baxter and Jackson what they wanted, Judd would be pleased. And if Judd was pleased, he would give her the promotion.

      And the General would stop asking her why she was disappointing him by wasting her time at Pegasus when he felt she obviously would not get promoted there.

      The new job would mollify her father. At least for a little while anyway.

      Francine beamed at her. “Now that’s the kind of can-do spirit I’m looking for.”

      Marissa possessed the upper hand and she knew it. Francine wanted Thibbedeaux.

      Badly.

      “We’re going to need more money,” she dared and thrilled to her own audacity. “This work is beyond the realm of what we normally perform for Baxter and Jackson. We will require twenty-five percent more than our usual fee.”

      “Fifteen,” Francine countered.

      “Twenty,” Marissa haggled, leaning forward in an aggressive stance. “And you pick up the tab for my travel expenses.”

      From the corner of her eye she saw Judd watching their interaction like a spectator at Wimbledon, a wide grin on his craggy face. His approval fed her momentum and her boldness.

      “Can you assure me you will get Thibbedeaux?” Francine asked.

      “You have my word, one hundred percent.”

      Judd got to his feet. “Could you excuse us for a minute?”

      “Certainly,” Francine said and wagged a finger. “But I am counting on Marissa to accomplish what she has promised.”

      How many times had similar words spurred her to climb higher and push harder? Nothing motivated her more than someone’s lofty expectations.

      Once the door snapped closed with Francine on the other side of it, Dash let out a hoot of laughter.

      “What’s so funny?” Marissa glared and sank her hands on her hips.

      “Boy, are you screwed.”

      “Just shut up.”

      “I can’t get over the image of you traipsing through the muck of the Louisiana bayou in your la-di-da Manolo Blahniks and your smart little black miniskirt trying to convince a man more hardheaded than a pit bull to return to the city he hates. Priceless.”

      “Overdoing the melodrama a bit, aren’t you, Peterson?” Marissa rearranged her papers. Dash was just jealous because she’d beaten him to the punch.

      “And remember, you’ve got to talk Thibbedeaux into designing a sex video game.” He laughed again. “I know Beau. It ain’t gonna happen, Sturgess. When you come back with your tail between your legs, a complete failure, I’ll be the new account director and you’ll be answering to me.” He jerked a thumb at his chest.

      Dash knew just how to bother her, but if he meant to dampen her resolve with his derision, he’d sorely miscalculated.

      “You’re just pissy because I had the cajones to commit to the project before you did.”

      Judd СКАЧАТЬ