Having Fun with Mr. Wrong (12 page)

The health food market was wide open. And it was an interesting niche, especially for a gas station chain catering to travelers on the go. Smithinson would do well to expand their Health-to-Go concept.

****

Dressed in her double-breasted dark gray pin-striped suit jacket and matching skirt, red blouse, and high heels, Carmala clutched her leather Coach briefcase and made her way out into the world. She cabbed it directly to Smithinson. On the way, she reiterated her morning affirmations, which she did, well, almost daily, while doing yoga. As she mentally recited them, rote-like, she didn’t think of the words, thus they did little to reduce her nerves.

Good thing she’d arrived fifteen minutes early. Her mouth went dry, and she accepted a glass of water from the receptionist.

Once she’d had been introduced to the twelve board members, she got right to the point. She sat at the head of the table and handed out her agenda. “Ladies and gentlemen, upon studying your business plan, we recommend promoting Smithinson as a green company. We feel this would help deflect any bad notions in the public’s mind about oil companies. In fact, expansion of the Health-on-the-Run convenience stores shows that Smithinson cares about the health of its patrons who need a fast, healthy snack or meal. Why not address that need with a twenty-four-seven healthy food bar? And, for that matter, why not add them to all of the retail locations? To further enhance your image, Smithinson could introduce environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled cups, plates, and napkins.”

She could practically taste the air of approval in the air as told by the “hmms,” nodding heads, and appreciative expressions. She loved being on a roll. The interest in her ideas spurred her on a thrill ride. Some of the board members appeared skeptical. But she figured the majority would rule.

George spoke first. “Carmala, in theory, this sounds like an excellent idea to introduce to potential investors. Your proposal presents additional costs that were never factored into the original request for funds.”

Oh. No worries
. She’d use her accounting knowledge to convince them.

Brad from Marketing spoke up next. “I think Carmala has the right idea. We can essentially bypass negative perceptions the public has about gas stations. Let’s face it. We need gas, the consumers need gas, and alternative fuels aren’t the answer yet. So maybe it will make them feel better if they’re eating their vegan sandwiches on recycled plates. I like it.”

“Regardless, Brad, we need to run this by our research and development team as well as our accounting department and get revised projections for funding.” George smiled at Carmala. “I think we all agree that the plan has a lot of merit. All in favor of the plan, subject to the appropriate departmental approval, say aye.”

Ten hands quickly went up. The secretary recorded the vote.

George directed his next comment to Carmala. “Then I say we will get back to you in a couple of days.”

Carmala’s smile stretched ear to ear. She couldn’t help it or keep the joyful note out of her voice. “That’s all we can ask for, sir. Thank you.”

She had her win, subject to the company’s accounting review. Now all she had to was wait.

****

Tick tock, tick tock. Three nail-biting days had passed since the presentation, and Carmala hadn’t heard back from George at Smithinson. Thanksgiving was only a week away. She needed to know the verdict so she could wrap everything up before the holiday.

She decided to make the call. As his secretary located George, her heart pounded hard, nerves pinched her skin.

He finally answered the phone. “Carmala, what’s up?”

“Hello. I wondered how the research was going. I wanted to start lining up your investor money before the holiday. So I thought I’d check in with you.”

“Carmala, I didn’t want to spoil your Thanksgiving.” There was a hesitation on the line. “Our research and finance departments reviewed the proposal. Unfortunately, they decided your ideas would not support the profit goals promised to our current investors. Also, they don’t flow with our organizational direction. Now, if it were up to me or marketing, we’d be all for it.”

Ah, God.
That sucked. Big time. And here she thought she had them.

“George, don’t give up on me. I need to come up with a different approach, and I will. I promise you that.”

“I hope you do. I’m willing to give you another shot. However, these guys are all leaving for vacation, so there’s not a lot of time.”

Time. There was never enough of it. There’d be no way she could line up board approval before they left for vacation. Or could she?

****

Later, at her apartment, Guido and Carmala sat down to another one of Guido’s scrumptious meals. Tonight he’d made spaghetti and meatballs complemented by her personal favorite, cabernet sauvignon. She really needed the wine.

She ate a forkful of the spaghetti, enjoying the Sicilian flavors of his gravy. That’s what her family called their tomato sauce, and so did Guido’s family. Another familial connection between them. The green peppers gave it the extra punch not normally used in restaurants. “Guid, the sauce is delish.”

“I’m glad you like it, babe.” He held up his glass of wine to her. “How’d it go today?”

“My campaign for the Smithinson Gas account bombed. Usually clients are willing to try new ideas, but this time it was a no go. They said their accounting and research departments couldn’t buy into the concept of mingling health food with their gas convenience stores, claiming it conflicted with their corporate vision. It’s unclear to me what they intend to do in the face of their bad PR from the oil spill.” She twirled some spaghetti and forked it into her mouth. The stress made her hungrier than usual.

He nodded, took her hand, and kissed it. “Come on, babe. It’s just a deal. You’ve got dough. You don’t need the extra commissions right now. You’ve got the new digs paid for the next six months. Your boss shouldn’t have given you such a difficult client so soon.”

Guido didn’t understand how important it was for her to prove herself to Synergy Plus and that this was her chance. Yet he was being sweet to her, and she appreciated that. “Guid, you’re right, I need to chill. Nothing I can do about it tonight.” She got up to clear the table, and Guido joined her.

“You’ve worked too hard on this already. Have some more cab.” He poured her a third glass, and she took a large gulp while they washed the dishes.

On nights like this, she loved Guido. When he was good, he was very good. She thought of a line she’d heard in a movie or maybe read in a book somewhere. She wasn’t sure. But it went something like taking the sweet with the bitter. And wasn’t it accurate? The truism epitomized their relationship. While they may fight from time to time, he came through for her more often than not.

Guido was right. She’d overworked this assignment. Tom had entrusted her, rather early, with a difficult client. Maybe he was testing her? Well, she’d prove herself. She always did. She thought of one of her affirmations: whatever I need will come to me in the perfect time and space sequence.

In her buzzed state of mind, she thought this client didn’t appreciate what she and her firm had to offer. Their current plan wasn’t working. If it were, they wouldn’t be at Synergy Plus’s door asking for more funding.

Maybe she
should
let someone else take the account.

She finished her wine, and Guido brought coffee and dessert into the living room.

“This is homemade frozen soy yogurt and blueberries topped with a sugar-free raspberry glaze.”

“You’re too good to me, Guido.” She pulled him in for a long, wet thank-you kiss.

They ate their dessert and cuddled on the couch. He massaged her feet, slowly circled her arches, very lightly. Mmm. His touch hit her erogenous zone and made her instantly horny.

He unbuttoned her blouse, reached behind, and undid her bra. Then he tantalized the nipples of her breasts with light butterfly touches. Carmala threw her head back and closed her eyes, allowing Guido to have his way with her. With more insistent touches, he pinched her nipples and followed the action with a gentle caress.

Ah, God!
He drove her nuts!

Before she knew it, her skirt and hose were off, and he was going down on her, sending her into wave after wave of many orgasms. Finally, she hit the very top of an ecstatic plateau and pleaded with him to stop.

Guido carried her to bed. Carmala felt comforted by his huge, muscular arms and nestled her head in the crook of his neck. Once in bed, he kissed and caressed her, and man, he worked his magic. He quickly brought her to arousal again. Rising above her, he crashed into her. It was a little rough but with just the right amount of passion, and within minutes she rode the crest of yet another orgasm. But he wouldn’t let himself have his own yet. He was teasing her again.

He pulled out of her, rolled her on top of him, and leaned back with his hands behind his head. “Finish me, baby.”

She took control, bringing herself and then him to one final soul-ripping orgasm. He reached for her and pulled her down into his arms. He buried his head into her neck. She could feel their sweat combining. In that moment, they were one. Body and soul.

Guido was simply the very best.

He whispered in her ear, “Carmala, I love you more than life. You are my goddess.”

“I love you too, Guido. You’re my hero.”

****

Carmala awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. Despite her doubts about Smithinson last night, she was bound and determined to save the account. No matter what it took. She had a brainstorm on the subway ride to work.

And she thought she had the answer.

When she arrived at the office, she raced to Tom’s desk and ran the idea by him.

“Tom, what do you think?”

“I think it sounds good, and believe me, Smithinson is going to come around. They need us. They don’t have a shot in the dark without us. What you’ve proposed isn’t something I’d normally suggest, but in this case, I think you’re right. Go ahead and line up the financing now. Once you’ve raised the promises for the capital, we’ll present it to the board. We can do it together, if you’d like. I’ll call over to Smithinson and buy some time.”

“No, I can do this.” He agreed, and she walked out of Tom’s office with a confident stride.

At her desk, Carmala dug out her little black book of client contacts. Well, not really a book, more like a text document she kept on her phone, password-protected, so no one could see it. It contained important numbers of people she’d met and established a professional rapport with since the beginning of her working career. People of influence and money. She’d made these contacts at times when she could get no reinforcement in her abilities or any kind of affirmation that she was good enough from her former employer Banter Androson & Company. And now, they could go scratch their asses. She had her Dream Job. Indirectly, she also had a lot of the clients she’d worked with at Banter in her pocket. Many of these people had expressed to her, countless times, they’d believed she was severely underemployed and stifled as a staff auditor.

She would call some hot-to-trot execs who’d invest a little moola in her idea for Smithinson, and then she’d really prove herself to the board. With a bit of help from her new best friend Betsy from the Synergy Plus secretarial pool, she’d get a few more contacts that the company had used before. But before she reached out to any of them, she’d make the most important call herself, to her biggest investor. Marc Blass.

“Marc, can you meet today at the Plaza Oyster Bar for lunch? Something really important has come up.”

“I’m jam-packed. What’s this is all about?”

“I can tell you that it has to do with combining healthy food with gas-station convenience stores.”

“You’re talking about Smithinson Gas. Heard all about it. They aren’t interested in going global with that health food stuff.”

“Trust me. I have a really good hunch. Can you please meet me for lunch?”

“I can meet you for a quick drink after work. I’ll meet you at the Plaza at six sharp, okay?”

“You won’t be sorry. I promise.” She knew it with every fiber of her being: she could sell him on the proposition.

At the bar she ordered a martini but didn’t touch it as she waited. She caught a whiff of her Tiffany perfume, which she’d sprayed on, maybe a little too heavily, for good luck. Her hands perspired as the nerves got the better of her. An affirmation materialized in her mind. Success came to her effortlessly and easily.
Hmm.
With her palpitating heart, she wasn’t so sure how easily. She picked up a napkin and twisted it into rings on her fingers while she watched the door for Marc’s arrival. His buy-in was crucial.

He strolled in fifteen minutes past six. She found herself annoyed. She’d been punctual—why had he made her wait? She was nervous enough as it were. Yeah, the prospect could be late, but never the prospector. Then, again, she was dealing with Marc Blass.

“Marc, it’s so good to see you.” She air-kissed him.

He slid into a seat beside her and immediately ordered a straight-up martini, dry. “Let’s hear it, kiddo. Make it fast. I have another appointment.”

“Okay. Well, here’s the story…” Carmala pitched her five-minute spiel.

He looked doubtful. “I’m not sure this will work, given the current managerial attitude. Knowing you, though, I’ll bet you sweet-talk them.” He winked, and from anyone else she’d consider it degrading, but with Marc, it’d been part of his charm. He swallowed the remainder of his drink. “I have to admit, I’m impressed with your ideas. The fact that Tom is behind you is also encouraging. So I’ll agree to put in one million dollars.”

Yeah!
With Marc’s backing, she’d have the leverage to convince the other investors.

She rehearsed her pitch all night. First thing in the morning, she let her fingers do the dialing and recited the pitch to every single potential investor. “This is Carmala Rosa from Synergy Plus. I have the deal of the century. My client is seeking private financing but will be taking themselves public within two years. They’re going to place health food restaurants in their gasoline convenience stores across the country. With everyone being health conscious these days, the expansion is bound to be hugely successful. Call, e-mail me, or text me ASAP! I need numbers as soon as possible before the holiday!”