Never Say Never Read Online Free PDF Page B

existing computer system and replace it with our own at no expense to them; in exchange, we would use their name as a reference and in our advertising strategies. It was a relatively common practice in our business.
    Sara practically jumped at the opportunity to get back on the road again. As a result, she was out of the office three or four days a week, wooing potential customers.
    Near the end of May I was able to get away for a vacation on the Cape. I tagged along with Susan and Pam to Provincetown and spent the next ten days lying on the beach under a blistering sun, floating in the cold Atlantic salt water, and picking my way over pebbled beaches.
    In those two short weeks, Sara managed to close a deal with the Austin Group, a prestigious retail chain based in Atlanta, Georgia. When I returned from vacation, we met with two men who represented their company. The first, an older gentleman named John Austin, had started the company some forty years ago. His one-room store had grown into a chain of furniture stores all across the southeast.
    The other gentleman could not have been much older than myself. Billy Austin was John’s grandson, and it was obvious that he would one day inherit his grandfather’s business. It was equally obvious that Billy Austin was gay, particularly when he appeared more than casually interested when I mentioned where I had vacationed. We hit it off instantly.
    The next several months were filled with anxiety as we worked long distance to hammer out a proposal and a contract. During that time I was in constant contact with Billy, who turned out to be incredibly talented and outrageously funny. We developed an easy, teasing friendship.
    By August, tension had grown between our two groups, to the extent that no one really believed that a deal would be made. So when Billy called for his daily chat just two weeks before Labor Day, I reached for the phone with reluctance.
    “Hey, gal,” his throaty drawl called out before the receiver was pressed to my ear.
    “Surprise, surprise,” I laughed. “Hey Billy. Got any real news for me today?”
    “It’s done.”
    There was silence as he waited for my reaction. “No. Are you kidding?” After weeks of stagnation, I couldn’t believe it.
    “No kidding. I just faxed you a signed contract.” I chuckled, enjoying the moment. “I can’t believe it.”
    “Believe it,” he implored. “When can you be here?”
    “Whoa, Billy. We haven’t even picked the team yet.”
    “That’s easy. We know who we want. You and Sara. Period.” Although somewhere in the back of my mind I had known I might have to spend some time in Atlanta, the thought of traveling again left me exhausted.
    “Gee, Billy,” I hedged. “I’m really not sure. I’ll have to work on it here and get back to you.”
    “Ah c’mon, Leslie.” His voice dipped lower as he teased me.
    “You’ll love it down here. I promise I’ll show you a heck of a good time.”
    “Yeah, I’ll bet you will.” While we hadn’t actually come out to each other, I was certain that he knew I was a lesbian.
    “Seriously, Leslie. I want this to go as smoothly as possible, and I am confident that you’re the best person for the job.” I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment. “And Sara?”
    “Well, Sara managed to charm an awful lot of people while she was here. She would certainly help smooth the transition.” I thought about what he was saying, knowing it made sense.
    But I dreaded the thought of working that closely with Sara again. I didn’t think I could stand her coldness day in and day out. “I’ll talk to her, Billy. We’ll work something out.”
    “Okay. Call me tomorrow and let me know when you’ll be here.” He laughed, full of himself, and hung up the phone.

    Well, well. I certainly am in a pickle now. I placed the phone back in its cradle and gazed out the window, wondering just what to do next. I knew that I had to formulate a plan before my boss got too involved. He