"Kenzie, can you check this for me?"
Kenzie Hennessy brushed aside the black hair raining over her paperwork and glanced over at her boss, saw the folder marked Tapas, and rolled her eyes. Brian James had been stalling on that client for too damn long. For a moment, she actually forgot the man's name, since they'd both been calling him Tapas for months, given that they'd always take him to lunch for that particular dish when trying to coax him into signing. But now that Mister Tapas was finally ready to use their marketing services, Brian kept pushing back the final part of the deal. She understood – the guy was a prick and spent most of the meetings hitting on her and drooling over her cleavage – but it was frustrating as hell for her boss to hide behind her.
"Just give me it, and let me deal with him already," she grumbled. "The sooner we finish his loans, the sooner he's out of our hair."
"I don't mean to stick you with all of my problems."
"But you do. At least you pay well."
"Expecting that raise, aren't you?" She smiled brightly up at him, baring her teeth. For the last seven years since coming to work for Mansfield Marketing Corp she had received a raise every October on her anniversary there. Brian knew damn well not to stiff her now. He shifted his tie and scratched at his graying temple, a nervous habit that made clear he got the message, then glanced down. "Is that skirt even shorter now?"
"Don't you go starting shit, too."
"We do have a dress code. I think."
"The manual says professional, not mentioning any specifics. And I'm not spending two hours a day at Pilates and Zumba to hide under some starched tablecloth."
"Ugh. Fitness freak." She flipped him off and turned back to her computer. He was one to talk, after all. He and his wife were at the gym a minimum of four times a week – though Missus James did admit that it was a great boon to their sex life. Considering how the man, despite being in his mid-fifties, still looked not a day over thirty and in his prime, she could easily picture what a boon their workout routine was. Truthfully, she imagined it a bit too often.
Brian started to walk away, then turned back and said, "Oh right, about the Katagowa deal."
"It's still a go, isn't it?" Apprehension twisted her gut. The two of them had been working with the Katagowa Corporation for nearly two years. If they get the trade deal, they'll officially have offices in Tokyo. If not, then a couple dozen people will be getting their severance checks by Christmas.
Brian's face was hard to read. "It's not a no-go, I can tell you that. But the presentation is changing venues. We need to go to San Diego. Mister Hiyoshi has to cut his trip here short, and isn't able to make the flight to Atlanta."
"Uh, we're going to San Diego? Who's we, exactly?"
"Just you and me. This weekend. I don't have time to prep anyone else, and Jensen's breathing down my neck and cracking the whip. It's not a problem, is it?"
Her husband was trying to get them a reservation at a very fancy restaurant downtown, but their schedules just wouldn't line up. This was the first week in months that it did. Until now. "Jeremy is gonna have a fit. What about your wife?"
"Lena will be fine. And if she isn't, I'll buy her a Rolex."
"She hates watches."
"Since when?"
"Since always. She knows it's your default gift. Sorry."
He headed off grumbling. Maybe she should've kept that a secret until later. Oh well, she thought. Best to know the truth right away, and get the sting out of the way. She resumed her task, inputting all of Mister Tapas' data – including his real name – before making a call to her husband. Although she had planned to tell him immediately, the guy was sounding too happy to just blurt it out. So she chose to do it in person, not cower behind a phone. As she talked to him about his day while heading out of the building, she tried to ease her guilt by telling herself that if she got this deal, not only was that raise guaranteed, her bonus was going to be enough to buy a table at that restaurant. And since they were going to California, she decided the best way to unwind before and after the meeting would be to hit the beach, and finally get a tan after the long winter. Jeremy would appreciate that, at least.
*****
"Ready for this?" asked Brian.
"The meeting or the flight?"
He smiled and patted her back, letting his hand linger a bit longer than necessary. Not that she minded. A touch here and a little flirting there wasn't a big deal. Even her husband wasn't bothered by it when it happened during company dinners. And Jeremy was usually the jealous type. It just served to remind her how greatly her hard work in getting in shape was paying off. She welcomed the reassurance, too. Flying was a nightmare in good weather, and the spring storm that rumbled loud enough to be heard in the crowded airport was making her nauseas. Their section was called for boarding, and she stuck close to him until they were at their seats.
For the flight, like always, they dressed for comfort rather than professionalism. She wore a long jacket over a t-shirt and yoga shorts, while he had on khakis with an elastic band, and a shirt that was tight enough to outline the sculpted muscles underneath. She let him glance down at her legs, no longer bothering to be sneaky these days. After all, her own gaze lingered on his chest from time to time. Her husband was no slouch, but she sometimes envied Lena.
"So how did your husband take it?" he asked. "Am I gonna get another earful during the company cruise?"
"Oh, hell yes."
She replayed it in her head, then gave him a more subdued record. Jeremy had been waiting at home for her, making dinner. His beard had been dyed again to hide the gray, neatly trimmed and shorter than usual, which she preferred. He had certainly been ready for their fancy dinner. She'd kept a smile on for the night, trying to keep the tone light, until she told him there may be a delay in their night out. Jeremy had kept his cool at first, until she revealed only Brian would be going with her, then he lost it. Words were said by both of them, particularly about how she and her boss often shared a room, and for the first time, she had let slip they usually shared a bed. This was a fact she'd wisely kept a secret for the last two years since the two of them had gone on trips together, and no matter her assurances, Jeremy had accused her of cheating. Without pride – and leaving it out on her recount with Brian – tears were shed as she promised she wasn't having an affair. Ultimately, he believed her, but the fight wasn't over.
