As Susan paid her fare and climbed out of the taxi she thought about her imminent meeting with a mixture of both anticipation and trepidation. Dressed in a smart grey pinstripe business jacket and knee length skirt carrying a slim document case, she briskly went up the broad steps to the large rotating doors of the hotel entrance, her stiletto heels clacking on the polished marble.
She had never met the woman representing the other company before, but she had dealt with her department and had now and then spoken to her on the phone. Wendy Cory was a sharp operator, she was also very blunt, to the point of being outright rude at times and if there was one thing that Susan didn't like it was people being rude to her, it really got her back up! Talk to her politely and she would go a long way to be of help. Unfortunately the amount of business that the company that Wendy worked for put their way meant that it would not have been very judicious of Susan to of told her where to get off, as much as she had wanted to at times.
Terms were being negotiated on a new and lucrative contract with Wendy's firm and it had fallen to Susan to negotiate over them with Wendy, who had already made some tough demands. Susan had a set of counter proposals and her terms of agreement set by her boss, she knew that it was not going to be easy to get a great deal, but she thought that she could maybe arrange at least a good deal on her companies behalf. That is if she didn't let Wendy walk all over her, and she had no intention of letting that happen she was determined, no matter how intimidating Wendy Cory was!
Susan walked out of the glass revolving doors and scanned the plush reception area of the hotel where she was due to meet Wendy Cory, she was dead on time as she liked to be on these occasions. There were several businessmen hanging around in groups or standing at the desk and some hotel staff at work. Susan looked around and spotted a dark haired woman sitting alone at a low table with a cup of coffee in front of her and reading a paper. Susan didn't know what Wendy looked like but seeing as there were no other professional looking women around the reception area she assumed that this must be her as this was where they had arranged to meet.
Susan walked over to the woman and stood in front of the coffee table. She moved her case to her other hand and offered it to the woman greeting her with a friendly smile. 'Hello, you must be Wendy? I'm Susan, nice to meet you.' The woman looked up from her paper for a momentary glance, nodded at her barely acknowledging her presence and then took a sip from her coffee and went back to the paper. Susan felt annoyance rising but kept the smile on her face, she also kept her hand outstretched instead of sheepishly taking it away. Long silent seconds passed and the woman looked up again and Susan thought a half smile just flitted across her face as she finally reached out and shook Susan's hand with her own slim well manicured fingers.
'Hi, yes, I'm Wendy. I've booked us a table in the restaurant here, hopefully the food will be adequate.'
With that, and not waiting to see if Susan had any objections or any other plans she picked up her paper and a slim case and began to walk through the lobby to the restaurant. Susan followed her.
They were shown to their table and sat down. While Wendy looked at the menu Susan gave her the once over. She guessed that Wendy was probably about 5 or 6 years younger than herself, say late twenties – early thirties, she had a nice figure, very slim, almost thin with small pert breasts. She was wearing a dark suit with an above knee length skirt that showed off her very shapely legs which Susan had to admit were fabulous. Wendy's face was angular with high sharp cheekbones, she had arching dark eyebrows and her hair was long, black and full with a wave in it, parted on one side. It would fall across her face now and then and she would throw it back with a toss of her head or tuck it up behind her small ear. She was, Susan thought, a very attractive woman. She betted to herself that Wendy could wrap most men around her little finger - but then she gave off such an aura of attitude that Susan wondered if any ever dared to approach her! She was like a black widow Susan decided with a little laugh to herself.
The waiter came over and they ordered their meal. Even before the food was brought to their table Wendy began to discuss the terms of the deal in hand instead of making the usual, polite small talk over the meal and then getting down to business afterwards. Susan knew the details so she didn't have to get her papers out and when Wendy made some strong demands Susan held her ground. She knew that for Wendy to be spending time over this deal meant that her firm wanted Susan's to handle the contract, they had just sent her to play hardball. This assumption gave Susan an edge and along with her feeling that this was in some way personal made her dig in and negotiate back just as hard.
They jousted over the meal and had secured a deal before they had even got to the coffees. The papers were signed and Wendy seemed to relax a little, suggesting that they go to the bar and have a drink to toast the deal. Susan wondered if Wendy was just a bitch at work, one of those ambitious career women types. Having had a glass of wine with her meal Susan ordered another one and sipped at it, but Wendy knocked back a gin and tonic in short order and had another one in front of her straight away.
'So how long have you been at your company?' She asked sitting in a corner seat with Susan.
'About ten years now, I worked there before, but I had a break for children and came back.'
'You do a good job.' Wendy stated. Susan smiled at the compliment.
'Thanks.'
'That was a good deal you made there. I could tell that you were bullshitting on some things, you showed more balls than most of the men who I deal with, I like that.'
Wendy reached into her bag and took out a packet of cigarettes. Without asking Susan if she minded if she smoked or offering her one she took one out and put it in her mouth. Taking a drag and lazily puffing out smoke she seemed to be surveying the bar, there was silence between them for a while. Susan studied Wendy sitting there, she was a remarkable woman, very attractive, languidly blowing smoke and sipping her G&T, a very strong character but also a mystery, she gave nothing of herself away.
'So, do you know this town? Is there anywhere to go in the evening to have fun?' Wendy asked. 'I'm staying overnight here.'
'I don't really know, I only come here on the odd business trip, never socially.' Susan told her. 'There is a nice restaurant down the other end of the street, but other than that I couldn't say.'
'Gee! That's exciting then.' Said Wendy, sarcastically.
Susan didn't know what to say to that. She wondered what the other woman did for 'fun' anyway?
Wendy seemed to be regarding her as the conversation had faltered now, drawing deeply on her cigarette as if considering something, gazing at her through the smoke with her arched and narrow dark eyes. 'Well I'd like to make something of the stopover here, I don't like to just waste my time.' She stated eventually.
'I'm open to suggestions, so if you can come up with an idea?' Susan told her politely, trying to be friendly and helpful.
Wendy really shocked her with her next comment, she didn't even lower her voice in the conversation to say: 'Look Susan, I'm going to be frank here because.... well because I just always am.'
Susan was intrigued to hear what was coming, but she was completely amazed at the question that came next!
