into. My anxiety level was rising. “But you know it’s probably going to be a while before I start going out again.”
“That’s okay.” She held up a hand for emphasis. “I won’t push. I’ll drop the subject right now.” Good as her word, she sat back and sighed heavily. “Why don’t I get my materials together so we can go over the information before we get there?”
“Okay.”
“Great.” She stood up and leaned down to whisper conspiringly, “This will give me an excuse to get away from Kenny.” I laughed and watched her stroll back up the aisle.
The trip to Chicago turned out to be interesting. Snow began falling the moment we arrived; it was early December, so we should have expected the snowfall. We spent the afternoon in meetings, going over the company’s software in greater detail than the last time we were there. The company’s software had survived the first round of interviews, and now we were taking a much closer look.
The weather began getting treacherous long before we were finished, so we were forced to return to our hotel early. The hotel seemed completely empty when we checked in. Even the lobby and bar were unusually quiet.
We spent the evening laughing and joking with the bartender and waiters. I watched with glee as Sara fended off the advances of two salesman-types that wandered into the bar. She wasn’t budging an inch, and I loved watching her quick wit as she jousted with them. It was obvious to me that she found them distasteful, and she played into that, enjoying my amusement.
Eventually we found ourselves at the pool table, playing “men against the gals,” as Frank put it. While I loved billiards and wanted nothing more than an opportunity to wipe the smirk off Kenny’s face, I hadn’t played in years. Sara, on the other hand, had never played. It wasn’t very pretty as we went down in defeat game after game.
Somewhere along the line Kenny began to slur his words and tried his best to convince Sara to make a small wager with him. He had propped himself up against the pool table and was rubbing chalk on the end of a pool cue when he finally went too far. “C’mon, Sara. If I win, we go to my room. If you win, we go to your room!” he bellowed and began to laugh hysterically.
I wanted to choke him. The alcohol wasn’t doing me any favors, and I had to work hard to control myself. As I held myself back, I slid a glance at Frank who was shaking his head and frowning.
When I glanced back, Sara took a sip of her drink and approached Kenny slowly. Her smile glittered as she placed a hand on either side of him on the edge of the pool table and leaned into him seductively. He leaned down just a bit so that she could whisper in his ear.
What is she doing? For a brief moment, I thought she had lost all of her senses. Surely she wasn’t wasting her time on this egotistical bastard.
The triumphant smile drained from his face as Sara finished what she had to say and stepped away. “I think I’ve had enough pool for one night,” she said aloud, looking first at Frank and then at me. “Care to join me for a cup of coffee before we turn in?” I know my smile was wide. “I’d love to,” I replied, barely able to contain myself as I watched a sneer curling on Kenny’s lip.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Frank chimed. “You two go ahead.” He turned to Kenny and reached out fort the pool cue.
“Time to hit the sack, kid. I think you’ve had enough.” I watched to make sure they had left the lounge before I joined Sara in one of the booths. Two steaming mugs were on the table between us as I sat down.
I whistled low. “He’s such a jerk.” I picked up one of the mugs and placed it to my lips.
“He’s a dick,” she stated flatly.
I choked on my coffee, desperately trying not to spew the beverage all over the table. When I recovered, I looked at her and laughed.
“Excuse me?”
“He’s a dick,” she repeated, straight-faced. “Did I
“That’s okay.” She held up a hand for emphasis. “I won’t push. I’ll drop the subject right now.” Good as her word, she sat back and sighed heavily. “Why don’t I get my materials together so we can go over the information before we get there?”
“Okay.”
“Great.” She stood up and leaned down to whisper conspiringly, “This will give me an excuse to get away from Kenny.” I laughed and watched her stroll back up the aisle.
The trip to Chicago turned out to be interesting. Snow began falling the moment we arrived; it was early December, so we should have expected the snowfall. We spent the afternoon in meetings, going over the company’s software in greater detail than the last time we were there. The company’s software had survived the first round of interviews, and now we were taking a much closer look.
The weather began getting treacherous long before we were finished, so we were forced to return to our hotel early. The hotel seemed completely empty when we checked in. Even the lobby and bar were unusually quiet.
We spent the evening laughing and joking with the bartender and waiters. I watched with glee as Sara fended off the advances of two salesman-types that wandered into the bar. She wasn’t budging an inch, and I loved watching her quick wit as she jousted with them. It was obvious to me that she found them distasteful, and she played into that, enjoying my amusement.
Eventually we found ourselves at the pool table, playing “men against the gals,” as Frank put it. While I loved billiards and wanted nothing more than an opportunity to wipe the smirk off Kenny’s face, I hadn’t played in years. Sara, on the other hand, had never played. It wasn’t very pretty as we went down in defeat game after game.
Somewhere along the line Kenny began to slur his words and tried his best to convince Sara to make a small wager with him. He had propped himself up against the pool table and was rubbing chalk on the end of a pool cue when he finally went too far. “C’mon, Sara. If I win, we go to my room. If you win, we go to your room!” he bellowed and began to laugh hysterically.
I wanted to choke him. The alcohol wasn’t doing me any favors, and I had to work hard to control myself. As I held myself back, I slid a glance at Frank who was shaking his head and frowning.
When I glanced back, Sara took a sip of her drink and approached Kenny slowly. Her smile glittered as she placed a hand on either side of him on the edge of the pool table and leaned into him seductively. He leaned down just a bit so that she could whisper in his ear.
What is she doing? For a brief moment, I thought she had lost all of her senses. Surely she wasn’t wasting her time on this egotistical bastard.
The triumphant smile drained from his face as Sara finished what she had to say and stepped away. “I think I’ve had enough pool for one night,” she said aloud, looking first at Frank and then at me. “Care to join me for a cup of coffee before we turn in?” I know my smile was wide. “I’d love to,” I replied, barely able to contain myself as I watched a sneer curling on Kenny’s lip.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Frank chimed. “You two go ahead.” He turned to Kenny and reached out fort the pool cue.
“Time to hit the sack, kid. I think you’ve had enough.” I watched to make sure they had left the lounge before I joined Sara in one of the booths. Two steaming mugs were on the table between us as I sat down.
I whistled low. “He’s such a jerk.” I picked up one of the mugs and placed it to my lips.
“He’s a dick,” she stated flatly.
I choked on my coffee, desperately trying not to spew the beverage all over the table. When I recovered, I looked at her and laughed.
“Excuse me?”
“He’s a dick,” she repeated, straight-faced. “Did I