I wonder if they still use that expression, 'high maintenance' to describe women like her? I knew she was of course. People who lunch at the '-----' expect to pay at least a hundred dollars for their repast.
The firm, of course, would pick up Karen and my tab because this was a working lunch. Karen, you see, is the companies Director of Engineering, I'm Vice President For Inter Departmental Co-ordination. A fancy title for referee/baby sitter between big IQs and bigger egos.
So lunch was to soften Karen to Marketing's idea to split R and D's new product into two units to maximize profit. Then Yvonne passed by our table.
"Karen, dear, what a surprise!"
"Yvonne! I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were still in Italy. I talked to Aunt Francine last week and she didn't mention you were back."
"Greece dear, and I just got back Tuesday."
Beautiful women don't intimidate me. I intimidate them. Not to brag, but I'm one of the city's hottest catch. I'm the one to decide who I favor with a date. I'm fifty seven, and six foot tall. My (and let's not entertain false modesty) rugged chiseled good looks, styled salt and pepper hair, manicured nails and custom made suits make the ladies swoon. There isn't a waitress who doesn't blush when I smile at her and thank her for whatever.
But Yvonne flummoxed me. I've never seen such perfection. Ever! I knew right then I must have her. I rose from my chair to give her the advantage of seeing me at my magnificent best. I gave her my "You want to be with me" smile. It never fails.
She was the most picture perfect lady I'd ever seen. Five foot six or so in her heels. Slender ankles. Shapely legs. Her knee length sandy beige elbow length sleeve wool knit dress accentuated her shapely physique. Her sunshine blond hair was styled in a short elegant do, without a hair out of place, it looked soft and natural. Her makeup was subtle, as if her porcelain skin was untouched. Her blue eyes, framed in long lashes were irresistible. Her warm smile lit up the room.
"Yvonne, this is Rex, one of my associates. Rex, this is my cousin Yvonne."
"Pleased to meet you Rex." She shifted the white fur she was carrying from her right elbow to her left and held out her beautifully manicured right hand. It seemed natural to bend down and kiss it.
"The pleasure is mine, Yvonne." My God she is perfect!
"Rex and I just finished the business part of our meeting," Karen lied. Thank you Karen! "Why don't you join us?"
"Why thank you. As long as I'm not intruding."
I signaled a waiter to bring another place setting.
By the end of lunch we'd made a date for Friday night. It was no surprise when she told me she lived in a neighborhood of very high end condos.
I was half way to the building before my driver was around to open the car door. Yvonne was waiting in the lobby. She glanced at her elegant diamond watch, then gave me a warm smile.
She was a vision. Dainty mauve spike heels. Smooths shapely legs. A purple satin jacket with a sumptuous purple fur collar that flowed down to it's belt, and purple fur cuffs. Makeup and hair of course picture perfect. A little purple clutch purse.
Dinner and dancing. Sparkling conversation as we got to know each other. Yvonne was divorced once, and recently widowed. Forty two, fine arts degree, no longer works. Multi lingual. Travels to Europe to shop.
Yes, very high maintenance. But so am I.
We shared a warm kiss in the lobby and made a date for the following Friday.
"Yvonne said she enjoyed her date."
"So did I. Fascinating lady. She's a widow?"
"Yes. Year and a half ago. Sad. He was quite a bit older. Heart attack. So tragic, it happened as they were making love."
"God!"
"Yes."
"We're going out Friday night. I'm taking her to the club."
"That's sweet. Now you be gentle. Remember, she's just getting over it. And if you hurt her, you'll have me to answer to." Karen laughed. I don't think she was actually joking though.
Casual Fridays at the country club meant white jackets and black bow ties, until October the first. Only the right people, sponsored by the right people, were invited to join.
Yvonne wore the white fur she'd been carrying when we first met, over a pink cowl neck cashmere sweater and an ankle length dove grey pleated skirt. Her earrings were quarter size multi diamond broaches, her necklace a chain of diamonds and on each wrist a diamond bracelet.
At the end of the evening we kissed while she waited for the elevator. She invited me to come for dinner Sunday evening.
When the door opened it was only my strong will that prevented me from jumping back.
The statuesque beautiful bald black woman who answered the door was a few inches taller than me. Her shoulders were wide. her arms well muscled. She wore a black satin and white lace maid's dress and black spike heels. Miles of smooth black shapely legs were displayed. Her smile was warm, and her eyes twinkled. No doubt this wasn't the first time someone was surprised when she opened the door.
"Welcome, sir. May I take your coat?"
"Rex, this is Tracy, my domestic. Tracy makes the best martinis. Would you like one? I've already started. I expected you at eight."
I chuckled. "Traffic, mam." It was eight ten.
At eight forty five exactly Tracy announced dinner. I remember, because Yvonne couldn't help giving a quick glance at the ornate, Louis the something, mantel clock.
We just finished dessert and coffee when Tracy said. "May I get you anything else?"
"yes dear, call down to have Rex's car brought around."
Soon we were dating exclusively. It took a while to bed Yvonne, but wow! What a wild gal between the sheets. The only odd thing is she wouldn't allow me to stay the night, and she wouldn't spend the night at my place.
On Valentine's day I proposed.
She accepted conditional on a 'pre nupt'. No worries as we were both, shall we say, comfortable. Mostly the usual legalese saying "What's mine is mine and what's yours is yours." The only odd thing was the clause she insisted on which basically said she had intimate needs and I would do everything to satisfy them. Interesting. What could possibly go wrong?
Since it was Yvonne's third and my second marriage we had a simple civic ceremony, then, nothing fancy, an intimate party at the club with forty of our closest friends an associates. No speeches, dinner and dancing.
The next day we flew to her lodge in the Laurentians in Northern Quebec.
I was kind of surprised she'd keep it after her husband died. She wasn't the outdoors type. But the lodge was no shack in the woods. All varnished wood inside, the latest energy efficient windows, a roaring fire that was a hologram that gave off heat and smelled like a wood fire.
