Entirely fiction!

Hanging around a bustling bar, you see all kinds of people. It’s easy to concoct a fictional scenario ….

The annual conference was an ordeal. Dee knew that going in. Department heads from divisions across the globe were meeting to garner favour with the board. No easy task given the board was made up of prickly family members mostly and some other large stakeholders. The annual conference was their way of getting together to outdo each other and make backroom deals for leverage. The matriarch, the widow Mrs Glenn, was old and word had it that she shifted her will based on her last martini and who made her feel the most special. She enjoyed watching her family members trip over each other to please her. And they unashamedly did going to great lengths to harness the chance at her approval and multi million dollar share. Some even thought billions if rumours could be verified.

Dee surveyed the room. The usual suspects were there. Her colleagues from local office as well as divisional vps from other cities. Pathetic, she thought, as martini glasses clinked with sparkling wine and other libations. Everyone was so superficial trying to tell the best stories and get drunk quicker. This was the blow out before the big presentations the next day. Dee was carefully sipping her Manhattan; no point in presenting with a hangover if she didn’t have to. It had been done before…

Her eye caught another up and coming marketing vp, Candace. Same job as Dee but different division. Dee noticed how Candace cozied up to the big players with ease and gracefully brushed their arms as she laughed (a little too loud?) at their jokes. Making small talk and fake compliments was never Dee’s forte. She relied on her skills on the job and performance results to make her impact. Her presentation tomorrow would make heads roll; including Candace. Dee had collaborated with finance to create a series of breakthroughs that would certainly get her a nod from partners.

Dee turned her attention from Candace to the small group of partners who had gathered a a corner table. You could see the wheels turning and the venom brewing. Mrs Glenn had not yet arrived but her presence was expected; she loved to make an entrance. Lying in wait, the small group was clearly gossiping and it was anyone’s guess who their target was. Dee stayed under the radar. Limit of two drinks. No gossip and never any inter office relationships! As far as she was concerned that was a death wish.

Dee glanced at what she called the rookie table. The newly minted vps who had something to prove. Each had brought something to the table but were clinging hard to the title and were desperate to make their next big move. The annual conference was their chance to keep the title or be farmed out to pasture. The name of the game was peak performance and many couldn’t handle the pressure. The other way to secure your place was (and only a very few had the knack) was to get the dirt. Yes. That’s right. Schmooze your way into someone’s good graces and find their Achilles heal. Then use it for personal gain. Dee found their methods entirely repulsive, but secretly admired their tenacity even if misguided.

Dee was almost ready for her second and final drink of the evening. She’d made enough small talk and hellos to the right people. Before things got out of hand as they always did at social work events, she would take her cocktail and work the room a final. Pressing the flesh to work in her favour before retiring to her room for a decent sleep after a final review of her masterpiece presentation.

The bar was busy so Dee bided her time and surveyed the crowd. Her eyes stopped as she watched the young bartender shaking a cocktail while laughing and chatting with a customer. Dee noticed that his uniform white shirt was slightly tight in all the right places showing his myriad of exotic tattoos. Was that an animal tooth on the thin leather strap around his neck? His thick black hair was slightly unkempt making his overall look a bit daring yet masculine and rugged.

See started to blush involuntarily. Only to be shaken from her reverie by an annoying colleague, Chad, from IT who, it seems, caught her red handed checking out the bartender. Chad comments to Dee about her apparent fascination with the young bartender. Dee brushes him off and says h she could be his mother. Get real.

Dee quickly gets to the front of the crowd and waits for service at the bar. As (bad?) luck would have it, bar hunk makes his way over to her. What are you having? Dee pushes her empty highball across the bar and asks for another Manhattan. Hunk looks her over and remarks that he pegged her as a dirty martini type. There’s that annoying blush again! Thanks, but I’m a Manhattan kind of gal. Yeah. Says hunk as he turns to reach for the appropriate bottles. You look like an uptown girl.

When Dee accepts her drink, her hand lightly grazes the hunk. She looks up to see him smile and say here’s a napkin. Unnerved Dee takes her drink and walks away. She’s not usually so off guard and, could it be butterflies?, nervous. Whoa. Dee retreats to a quiet corner to gather herself. She takes a massive gulp almost finishing the glass. As she sets down her drink, she notices handwriting on the napkin. What? Dee looks more closely. Chad approaches from behind. Hey what are drinking? Let me get you another. Caught entirely off base, Dee jumps in surprise. Easy there! Didn’t mean to scare ya!

Dee realized she needed a diversion and accepted Chads offer for a drink. What was she doing? This was not her usual professional self. Chad saunters off happy to be of service. Ugh. Lap dog. And Dee takes the opportunity to read the napkin.

It simply says: you have beautiful eyes and I’d like to see more … Rick 555-533-1367 Dee stuffs the napkin like it’s on fire into her clutch purse.

Dee is blushing like mad. The kid, Rick, really was young enough to be her kid if she had any. Seriously. She looks over to the bar to see Chad pointing at her and chatting with Rick. Oh no. Chad returns with the drink grinning from ear to ear. Here. Rick says he made this one special since you inhaled the last one so quick! Ha ha.

Dee takes the drink with thanks and immediate excuses herself to talk to someone she knows. Across the room. In Portugal. Anywhere away from Chad. She glides to a far off table and says hi to her counterpart from Boston. While stealing quick peeks at the bar her eyes lock with Rick. She looks away quickly and then back again. He’s staring at her!

Dee puts down her drink and walks away with a mumbled apology about needing the ladies. As she gathers her thoughts and heads for the elevators to her room, she is startled by a hand on her arm. Dee spins around ready to give Chad a swift brush off. But when she turns, she is face to face with Rick.

This can’t be happening. He’s throwing her off her game. She’s here to make her presentation and leave. With a bonus and a bigger office if she’s lucky.

I meant what I said. And you’re even more beautiful up close. I’m off at 10 pm. Call me. With a smile to melt the coldest heart, Rick walks away. Leaving Dee in giddy shock. Having not felt like this since highschool, Dee stumbles into the elevator. When the elevator door closes, Dee is alone. Retrieving the napkin from her purse she chides herself for her lack of composure and immaturity.

But she can’t help thinking about Rick. Was she crazy? If she contacted him what would be the harm? This wasn’t her town. No one would know. Her mind races as she makes her way into her room. Maybe just this once…..