Glamour by Louise Bagshawe

Author:Louise Bagshawe
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

“I’ll take it to them.” Evans sighed, and polished his glasses. “Really, Jane, you’re just twenty years old.”

“My age is irrelevant.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Well, it damn well should be.”

“And you’re gorgeous—so my straight friends instruct me.”

“Again, irrelevant.” Jane flashed on Michael Tiersky and his insults. Fancy girl. Slut.

“A gorgeous young girl in the boardroom would ruffle a lot of feathers.”

“You should know something,” she said. “In terms of boyfriends—” She blushed. “I haven’t had any.”

“None at all?”

“No.”

What chance had she had? Working twelve-, sometimes eighteen-hour days, doing whatever it took to stay on top of the job. Jane sometimes believed a cloistered nun stood a better chance of getting married than she did. “I understand,” Evans said. He had faced plenty of prejudice himself, and he sympathized with her; she was a brain, no doubt about that at all. And a young girl, in a hurry to be going places.

He liked Jane Morgan dearly. She was an amazing woman, and Evans admired her.

That said, he remained a Shop Smart employee; and she was most valuable where they’d placed her.

“In Personnel nobody will question you,” he suggested.

“Rhodri.” Jane spread her hands, and he was again half-amused, half-impressed. An interesting young woman, to be certain. “I am better than that. I came into this company wanting to learn the business, not wanting to be some glorified suit in charge of the parking rota at Shop Smart picnics. I know all about Shop Smart picnics. I invented them.”

“You are so young, Jane,” her friend tried again. “And you have no MBA. Not even a degree. Can’t you see people are jealous of you?”

“Of course I can, and I don’t see why I should give a damn.” Jane jumped to her feet, passionate.“Who produces, who doesn’t produce. That’s all that counts. The eighties are over. Haven’t we learned anything?”

“You’re so young, and already a vice president.”

Jane leaned across his desk.

“You know what I tell my juniors, Rhodri? Up or out. If they’re not promotion material within a certain time they are gone. Now tell me, why should the rules be different for me?You put me in as veep in charge of staff. Okay—I’ve delivered. The deadwood is gone.The motivation programs are there. . . .”

“So you should see it through.”

“Like hell.” She stood and ran a hand through her long hair, and he admired her, dispassionately. “I’m not into that. I want a real job, in business. Supply . . . management . . . marketing . . . there are lots of possibilities.”

Evans stood firm. “So you’re the no-bullshit girl?”

“Damn straight.”

“Then take some plain talking from me, Jane.You are a kid. And already you’ve been promoted five times higher than any kid would ever be. Whatever the numbers say, shareholders, and more importantly analysts, are going to bitch at seeing you promoted to board level.”

“Then explain why.”

“We did okay for many years before you got here,” he said calmly. “And we would do okay after you left.”

“But this is so dumb.” In frustration, she pushed a hand through her glossy hair.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.