Chapter 3
The Sum of the Parts
Kate hung up the phone and sank back in her chair. She felt exhausted from her phone call with Alicia. It had already been a taxing morning and now she was late for lunch with Tony. In the elevator on the way up to the rooftop restaurant, Alicia's words rattled in Kate's head: “stale . . . predictable . . . nothing new,” she had said. Clearly, the morning's discussion about novelty was on target. Consolidated was looking for a breakthrough, and judging by Alicia's skeptical tone, she wasn't too sure she was going to get it from Kate's team.
Tony had already ordered and was inspecting a plate of Alaskan salmon by the time she got to the table.
“I'm so sorry I'm late,” she began. “I just got off the phone with Alicia.” ...
