"Sure. He's scary as shit, but he likes you. When he knew what I wanted, he almost smiled." I took a sip of my own coffee and enjoyed her dazed expression.
Tasha pulled herself together and nodded. "Thanks. I'm just surprised to see you here."
"I'm a morning person; who knew," I said.
"No, it's just, I, I didn't think we'd decided you needed to be here." Tasha headed towards the community center office.
"I'm here," I said. "What first?"
Tasha's quick stride hitched, but she recovered quickly. "First, we have to decide if this is the right location."
I caught her arm and turned her around. "There's a large park over there, sports fields, a junior high school just up that hill, and the community center right here. The vacant lot is on the opposite side of their parking lot and borders the school grounds. How could it be any more perfect?"
"You could have seen all that from the satellite maps," Tasha pointed out.
"Is that how you would have decided?" I asked. "You're here. I'm here. Get used to it, Ms. Nichols. We're a team."
Tasha pulled her arm from my grasp and slopped some of her coffee on the ground. She scrubbed at the splatter with her new pair of Jimmy Choo heels. The understated cream color turned to a bright golden glitter around the heel, and I swallowed hard. Her long legs stretched from her pale pencil skirt and the satin pink of her blouse only served to make her copper-colored hair gleam.
Strawberries and cream, I thought.
"Besides," I said through a tight throat. "I know you don't like getting in front of the cameras."
Tasha scowled at the news vans that were crowding the small community center parking lot. "Did Stan send them or was that your bright idea?"
"I'd love to blame Stan, but it's your fault for getting me into work mode. We need to be transparent and show the nation that we are here on the ground ourselves," I said.
"Fine, you can do that," Tasha said. "I'm going inside to see if we can actually get the permits."
"Paperwork is definitely your dominion," I said. I opened the office doors for her while I waved at the news reporters. "I'm going with our whole 'lead by example' idea. Sound good?"
Tasha gave me the ghost of a smile. "I'm sure you'll make it sound great. Just don't get too excited."
"Then get inside before I start to think you just gave me a compliment." I shut the glass-plated door in her face.
I swore Tasha was about to stick her tongue out at me when the reporters appeared. I watched her shake hands with the head of Parks and Recreation before I turned to face the dozens of questions.
I held up both hands. "Hyperion Industries is determined to show the United States, and the entire world, that GroGreen is more than just a fun game. The application has excellent tools for hands-on use, so we've decided to put it to use ourselves. Today, we are laying the framework for our first GroGreen community garden."
The reporters were skeptical. One short reporter shoved her recorder in my face. "What does 'laying the framework' entail? Sitting in the community center conference room all day?"
I let the barbed comment bounce off me. "I see you haven't met Tasha Nichols, our GroGreen team leader. Sitting in meetings is not the style of leadership that created such a versatile and innovative application. Thanks to Tasha Nichols’ hands-on involvement, we have two Hyperion executives here, on the ground, and ready to lead by example."
"So, you'll be in the garden yourself?" another reporter asked.
I grinned and nodded. "I'm looking forward to it. GroGreen has the task-list abilities to turn even my thumb green. And you are all welcome to join in."
I left the reporters to put their spin on my claims. It would take a lot more than a quick promise from a slick executive like me to turn things around. Tasha had the real task of convincing the Parks and Recreation Department to allow us this experiment. As I joined her in the conference room, I realized it was going to be more of an uphill battle than we had thought.
"Ms. Nichols, I appreciate the scope of your vision and your generous offer, but we are just not sure this is what we need right now," the department head told her.
"You think it's a publicity stunt. We're moving too fast and you'll be left holding the bag," I said.
Tasha flashed a look at me. "Mr. Reynolds, this is my associate, Rainer Maxwell."
Mr. Reynolds shook my hand. "I appreciate you cutting through the bull, Mr. Maxwell. We are not interested in developing that patch of land without a long-term vision."
Tasha opened her briefcase with an authoritative snap. "Then, please, consider this five-year development plan. I've included a yearly review as well as lines of communication that will offer daily support."