The three tales

oring their probing stares and low snickers. They could barely contain their joy. The Ice Bi

ing the close to one

er. They thought she wa

And maybe th

Renault International

from college. And over

the corporate ladder, s

. She had always remained professional and distant from her employees,

division was undoubtedly the most productive arm of the company. So when Tom Salkind retired earlier that year as CEO, she'd been sure the

was

stepped inside and slammed it behind her. She wasted no time in grabbing a Xerox box full o

e

uffed her most person

e words that had cha

at pride and enthusiasm

my grandson, Matthew

owner, Gerard Renault,

d of Directors, the ne

to

at the thought of him.

old Harvard Business g

wo years. He was barel

CEO of a Fort

ce door closing caugh

ace the last person

sorry. I di

's fine Matthew. I could tell from your shocke

id stiffly, before twist

ck

you stormed out of t

in

e I'm doing?" she snap

things in

r arm. Blowing out a long, jagged breath she

psed the hurt look on

is fault. Actually Matthew didn't deserve any of

he'd been nothing bu

ways kept him a

it," he s

from her arm, flashi

e t

he said, and she a

it disappeared and she figured it had just been her imagination. He clea

and I need yo

ut you know I can't st

penetratin

will y

curled her lips into

me in my life, I don't ca

ong always striving to

ime ever she had no g

and for just a moment she experienced a pang o

r regret, she grabbed o

umber. If you find you have a question just c

round to finis

"thanks" followed by

ees thought, she did have feelings and she fel

the events that had tra

ow held the position that she'd coveted for the

nd downright rude beha

im to apologize, but qui

he on the othe

he'd given up so muc

end her spiraling head first to depression. Painf

replayed themselves in

ked out on her shortly after she'd miscarried the

hedule had been the ca

asshole and a jerk, but

n her to work harder

e goal that had cost her

nt

in a deep breath, as she forced them not to fa

of there before she did

e floor and indulge in a

ive into the impulse. Th

rtainly di

*

ed down in the plush

and blew out

ather do this to Lan

close cropped, jet black

retired, his grandfath

O. So it had been a sho

announced

ed out, he'd pulled Ge

plana

t? You told me Ms.

," he'd

rugged his stocky shou

hen he'd spoken. He at

to support her bid for CEO. They were really uncomfortable with having

t you. I'm so

ld be apologizing to,

g on his heels

chair and stared out a

idn't deserve this. She

was her thanks? If he'd

t t

e card in his hand, t

to him and told him to

n flashed across his f

with him Friday night?

to ask her since he'd

lder woman t

aring a form fitting white turtle neck Cashmere dress that hugged her

boots. The soft white

houlder length hair had been pulled back into a severe bun and she'd

brown

since. No matter how hard he tried to invite her to lunch or engage he

yone called her the Ice

But he sensed beneath h

n who she worked ha

o discover. He wanted

one she showed to t

led on the back of the card. What would she do

tep with an invitation

answer to both of those questions. She would give him a cool, but polite, no.

know Lana more intima

something far better tha

amrod straight, in his chair. It was a long sho

ck down at the card. C

nd bounded out of his office just in time to see

ew wider. Pe