Chapter 10 – The Pitch Meeting

Dr. Cole

The walls of the conference room were the usual blend of modern corporate chic—glass, brushed steel, and just enough accent lighting to suggest innovation without warmth. I’d already tuned out most of the artwork, focused instead on the numbers and mockups laid out across the sleek table.

The director of marketing, a man named Brian Keller, was doing his best to sell me on synergy, audience segmentation, and cross-platform visibility. All important—sure—but I wasn’t here to be dazzled by jargon. I was here to find the right team. A group who understood the brand my clinics represented. Not just clean lines and pastel logos, but trust. Discretion. Aesthetic comfort with clinical precision.

“We’ve got a few high-profile health and wellness campaigns under our belt already,” Keller said, flipping to another slide on the tablet. “But I think this one deserves a personal touch. I’d like to bring in one of our senior execs—she’s our top creative, and fast. She tends to get ideas the moment she sees the client.”

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

“She’s the one who ran the campaign for NorthStar Pharmaceuticals,” he added proudly.

Keller turned to his assistant. “Can you grab Beth?”

I leaned back in the leather chair, letting my mind drift for a moment while the assistant left the room. I had already visited three other agencies this month, and while most were impressive enough on paper, none had made me feel confident handing over the reins to my brand. Maybe this would be different.

A few minutes passed.

Then: the click of heels in the hallway. Confident. Steady. A rhythm that tugged at something low in my chest.

Keller stood, smoothing his tie. “Ah, here she is.”

I turned.

And for the second time in as many weeks, my world tilted off its axis.

Elizabeth.

No—Beth.

Five-inch heels hugged the curves of her calves, and a high-waisted black pencil skirt clung to her hips like it had been sewn in place. Her blouse was white, semi-sheer, the black bra beneath it sharp and deliberate. The top buttons were undone, revealing just enough skin to stir memory.

Her hair was down.

Her mouth was glossed.

And she looked nothing like the woman grinding on me in a dark club.

Except she did.

Exactly like her.

My eyes snapped to hers.

Beth froze mid-step.

Fuck.

The second her eyes met mine, the memory of her moaning my name in that exam room came rushing back—along with the way her thighs trembled beneath my hands. My jaw tightened.

Keller gestured between us. “Dr. Cole, this is—”

“We’ve met,” I said smoothly, rising from my chair. “Miss Monroe is actually a patient of mine.”

Beth didn’t even blink. “Yes, Dr. Cole has seen me professionally.”

The emphasis wasn’t lost on me.

Brian’s eyebrows lifted. “Ah. Well then… I’m happy to bring in someone else if that would be more appropriate—”

Beth cut in, voice crisp and confident. “Of course not, Brian. We’re all professionals here. If anything, that just makes me even more qualified to understand the target demographic.”

She smiled, polished and poised, but there was a flicker in her gaze when it slid back to mine. A silent challenge. Or maybe a reminder.

I nodded, forcing my tone to match hers. “Agreed.”

Keller seemed relieved. “Perfect. I’ll give you two a few minutes to get acquainted with the brief. Beth already has the pitch materials, and she’s great at reading the room—so I’ll let her work her magic.”

He patted the table twice and exited without another word.

The moment the door clicked shut, silence stretched between us like a wire.

Beth didn’t sit. Not yet.

Just crossed her arms and tilted her head.

“So,” she said. “Funny seeing you here, Doctor.”

Beth didn’t sit right away.

She just studied me for a beat, head tilted, arms folded beneath her chest. Then, with a slight smirk and a sparkle in her hazel eyes, she asked, “Are you stalking me?”

The tease in her tone landed like a match flicked onto gasoline. I cleared my throat, heat prickling the back of my neck.

“I—no. I had no idea you worked here.”

She let out a soft laugh, finally stepping closer. “Relax, I’m joking. Of course you didn’t know. But now that you’re here…” She slid into the seat across from me and scooped up the pitch folder. “Let me show you why I’m the best in the industry.”

She flipped through the materials quickly—too quickly, yet somehow not rushed. Her eyes scanned, focused and calculating, before she set the folder down and tapped her finger once on the table.

“One thing I noticed immediately? There’s zero social media strategy in your current campaign materials.”

I blinked. “Social media?”

Beth nodded, already in presentation mode, all confidence and polish. “In this day and age, that’s not just an oversight—it’s a death sentence for business growth. Especially in healthcare.”

She leaned forward just slightly, enough to drop her voice to a flirtatious near-whisper.

“With a h-um—good-looking gentleman such as yourself?” She smiled, her gaze flicking briefly down my chest and back up to my face. “You should be all over social media. Let the patients see who they’re trusting. Show some behind-the-scenes moments, highlight testimonials, maybe even a few casual reels—white coat off, real human stuff. You’ll have new clients flooding your front desk before the week is out.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

Beth smirked. “Trust me.”

Then she cleared her throat and added, smoothly, “I mean… I’m not the best for nothing.”

I leaned back in my chair, intrigued despite myself. “This is the fourth agency I’ve been to this month. Not a single one of them mentioned that.”

She shrugged, the picture of humble confidence. “That’s because they’re not me.”

Her gaze held mine, steady. “There’s a reason we outperform all the others. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t come here first.”

I exhaled a soft laugh. “Well, I just went alphabetically. Figured I wouldn’t settle on the first one I visited. Wanted to shop around.”

She tilted her head, already preparing to counter.

“So that means after us you’ll be headed to—”

“No,” I cut in smoothly. “Won’t be necessary.”

Beth paused.

I held her gaze. “I already like what you’ve come up with in five minutes more than all the other firms’ full plans put together.”

That made her smile again—just a hint more genuine this time.

Our eyes stayed locked.

Something silent passed between us—sharp, charged, familiar in a way that shouldn’t have been possible in a boardroom. Her lips parted like she was about to say something else, but neither of us moved. Neither of us breathed.

Then the door creaked open.

“Back with the coffees,” Keller announced as he stepped inside.

Fucking perfect timing, man.

I wasn’t sure if I should be relieved or furious. I’d been sinking into her eyes like a man lost at sea—and maybe I wanted to drown a little longer.

Brian glanced between us, missing none of it. “So,” he said, clearing his throat, “I hope Beth here’s lived up to her reputation and given you something impressive.”

I forced a smile, leaning back. “Oh, I’m more than impressed, Keller.”

Beth gave nothing away—but I saw the flicker of something pleased in her posture. Confidence, quiet and earned.

“And,” I continued, “I do believe my search is over.”

Brian’s brows rose. “That quick? Well, we’re flattered. We can get a proposal drawn up and—”

“I’ll sign as soon as it’s ready,” I said, tone easy but firm. “But I have one stipulation.”

“Oh?” Brian asked, already bracing.

I turned toward Beth again. “Miss Monroe is in charge of everything.”

That caught both of them off guard.

“I won’t work with anyone else,” I added. “What she gave me in five minutes far exceeds anything I’ve seen from full-scale teams across three other firms. So I’ll be trusting no one but her.”

Beth’s eyes widened just a little—but she recovered fast. Keller looked at her, then at me, like he wasn’t sure if he should be thrilled or suspicious.

“Understood,” Brian said slowly. “That’s… very high praise.”

“It’s also non-negotiable.”

Beth crossed her legs and gave me a look that made it very hard to remember we were in a professional setting.

“I hope you’re ready to be dazzled, Dr. Cole,” she said smoothly. “Because I don’t do anything halfway.”

I smiled, but I didn’t trust myself to respond.