A Loser Rebounds Ch. 05

"Penny, now down take this the wrong way. When we discuss things do you mind if I sound flirty at times."

"I wouldn't think so."

"I work better with women when I relate that way."

She laughed and said well go ahead, that she might even get to enjoy it.

When the call ended Andy felt sympathetic toward Penny. Life could be such a shit for some people but he bet she loved her baby and her baby would grow up understanding and wondering why weren't all other mothers in wheelchairs.

"God we are prisoners of the way we think," he mused.

Early next morning a woman in a black business suit came up to Andy's desk and introduced herself as Glen Fryer. "I'm to take you to Mr Rizzo."

"Who the hell is this guy Rizzo?" Andy teased and he was sure Glen turned white. He heard some gasps from behind and heard Miranda directly behind him whisper, "Jesus."

"Mr Carlos Rizzo is the chief executive of our multi-billion dollar corporation."

"God I thought this organization appeared to be so well run the CEO must be female."

Glen now looked at him impressed but shook her head and said Mr Rizzo was a guy.

"No please don't," he heard Miranda mutter and so Andy didn't ask and how was it that Glen was so adamant that Mr Rizzo was male.

As the elevator car rose, Glen leaned against Andy and whispered had he ever had sex in an elevator.

At first Andy thought he was dreaming but then felt Glen's breath just above his collar.

"No because there usually are other people in the car like now. But give me the green light and let's see how far they'll let us go."

Glen shot across to the other side to stand beside an elderly couple.

"Did that young man pass wind dear?" and Glen said loudly to the woman, "Yes."

The elderly man and women were the last to leave the car and Andy winked at the woman who smiled back.

As they went to their selected floor Glen said, "I really can see why they wish to promote you. It's because you are so different. God you got my going back there."

"You have a great ass Glen so I am interested. When you stop teasing but holding back, I'll take that as a signal you want me to kiss it."

Andy pretended to be disgusted at the hand sign she gave him.

Carlos Rizzo came forward to shake Andy's hand and he heard Glen gasp when he said, "Hi Carlos, so this is what the best office in the building looks like."

"Young man, to your credit you are not shy and managed to word that so I could be offended."

"Or feel guilty."

"Now I am offended."

They laughed like old pals.

Glen will take you through to the chairman of staffing and our director of HR.

"Mike Orlando and Liz Carter."

"So you know the names of senior people here?"

"Only the ones who count Carlos. Your wife is Hannah, a former Hollywood starlet in several big films. Her parents the McGill's are on a ranch where she was born, not ten miles from my parents' ranch."

"In Wyoming."

"Yeah. Her folk are a mite nearer to Gillette than my folk."

"I know the area. I've been there a couple of times. Will Hannah know you?"

"She might if she has a great memory. I was the 15-year old kid who rode off against her over the jumps at Casper years back in a final and she didn't win. But I remember her as being most gracious and she actually kissed me and held up my hand to the crowd."

"Great story, I'll remind her. She didn't like fighting to gain recognition and that's why she never was comfortable in Hollywood. Well off you go. Great meeting you...er..."

"Andy and I'm not offended. You have 500-plus people worldwide to try to remember their names. I'm flattered that you bothered to say hi. That makes you a top admin guy in my book."

"Now I'll remember you," Carlos grinned.

As they went out into the foyer to enter the boardroom, Glen said she couldn't believe it when he'd called Mr Rizzo Carlos to his face. "You will be the youngest person by far to have called the CEO by his first name at a first meeting."

"Well I hope he remembers me," Andy said and patted Glen's butt cheek low down and squeezed.

She slammed his hand away, and stopped and spun around, eyes blazing.

"Don't ever again touch me like that. Even if you are a rising star I'll slap you."

"Come on Glen admit it. You liked it."

"There's a time and place for everything Andy. Figure that out and one day you might find me better disposed toward you."

"Oh so pussy is being put on ice. That's so sad."

"God you are impossible. Please don't make it so I have to report you. Mr Rizzo would probably take your side and forced me to go to mediation."

"I'll back off Glen. Sorry but you are so damn attractive."

"So it's all my fault?"

"Yeah now you mention it."

She sighed and opened the door.

The meeting lasted almost two hours but he left satisfied, and that included leaving the two negotiators feeling they hadn't been bled dry.

He called Linda.

"Hi out with it'. I have my sister here. She's in town overnight and I'm about to leave for a business round-table conference followed by a formal dinner that Larry will also attend.

"Who's Larry... your husband?"

"Yes and I supposed you wanted to take me out for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Just a minute, I'll ask Lorna. She knows about you and me."

"Yea Lorna will go to dinner with you but she says that's all. She's married."

"And so are you."

"Asshole. Well what did you get?"

"Seventeenth on the executive ladder."

"God and you're only in your early twenties with a lowly bachelor's degree for studies that most of use never knew existed..."

"Well I won't apologize for my age. My title is executive director, external branding. It's a new department that will be located in part of the 33rd floor. My chief responsibilities will be to develop our corporate image at home and abroad at levels above public relations and sponsorship and to assist to increase the profiles of our senior executives within international trade organizations, international aid organizations and with international consumer protection organizations."

"Jesus and how will you achieve all that?"

"That's my initial job. And then I expand staff and am ultimately expected to have a department that occupies the entire 33rd floor."

"And where will internal audit go?"

"That's their problem, not mine."

"Who do you report to?"

"Carlos."

"Holy shit. There will be gnashing of teeth over this. Did you ask for a car?"

"Yes and a park on the executive floor."

"Good. And what kind of car?"

"A mid-sized Mercedes because I argued I will be dealing with visiting international VIPs."

"Omigod. I pick it won't be long before you jump up the ladder past department directors."

"I don't give a shit about that. My focus will be on the effective development of my department and attempting to confine it to floor 33. Small is best I reckon."

"Who will be your first appointment?"

"I've asked for Glen Fryer to be my operations manager. She has an MBA. I think I heard her shriek 'No, no for that asshole, when Liz Carter approached her with my request. Mile Orlando suggest I make myself scarce before Glen came charging in and I ran. Mike said Glen might think differently after thinking about it overnight, saying Glen was always on about the prospect of exciting challenges ahead without saying what challenges."

"She might mean babies."

"Ha."

Linda said, "Well I'm almost off. Here's Lorna."

The woman who picked up the phone identified herself as Lorna Wells.

"Hi Lorna, I am so delighted you have agreed to accompany me to dinner this evening. Shall we start with drinks somewhere?"

Instead of answering immediately, Lorna yelled, "Linda are you sure this is the guy you talk to me about? This guy sounds charming and ever so correct. He doesn't sound like a rude and demanding guy who only thinks about one thing."

Andy smiled when he heard Linda reply, "Take the risk and deal with the consequences."

The meal backed by good wine and interesting conversation and they were close enough to walk to Lorna's hotel."

"Will you come up?"

"No and thanks for the invitation."

"Oh."

Andy embarrassed Lorna and kissed her deeply and said, "In the morning you'll appreciate that you remained true to your marriage vows."

She sighed.

"Perhaps so. Well just one more kiss and make it last."

In the morning after being at the internal chief attorney's office to sign his new contract and read and affirm other documents before signing, Andy went to his office where he'd been working. Miranda had moved back into her former desk and scowled at him. All his things were dumped in the aisle. Everyone else in that line had moved back to their former desks.

Stewart Green came out of his office and apologized.

"Congratulations Andy on your huge elevation. We have been notified by email."

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry your exit has come to this. I tried to stop it but found myself outnumbered."

Andy said loudly enough for even people at the rear of the room could hear. "You are paid to manage Stewart. Deal with it."

Andy walked out without looking back and thinking jealousy was really a bad thing, making good people behave like that.

After stopping for coffee in the café, Andy went to the 33rd floor. It was open planning and he was ignored.

"Mrs White," he called to the manager in her office behind him. "Please come out here."

The middle aged woman came out and he said, "We haven't met. I'm Andy Ash and will be taking over this entire floor but that is some way off yet. Please introduce me to every member of staff in this room and then reorganize this space so that I'm left with approximately one-third of this general area along the outer windows. Chest high screens will be arriving later this morning to provide a temporary division. I can advise you I will require no further space for at least the next twelve weeks for my new department. I apologize for the short notice of this change, and that you all will be shifting to a new location in due course, but those decisions have been made for me."

Andy knew none of the auditing staff and so the introductions were cool but not noticeably unfriendly.

When that finished he thanked Mrs White and said she was an accountant, could she please work out the cost-sharing of space and apportion the appropriate share to his department and also issue a photocopying password for his department."

She said, "And phone usage for this floor to be apportioned equitably."

"That won't be necessary. I'll arrange to have the landline phones removed. All my people will be 21st Century people and communicate entirely electronically."

"And the name of your department?

Andy scratched his head and said you know Annie... um may I call you Annie?"

She smiled and said yes.

"You know I'm so green at this sort of thing and my elevation is so new I haven't a clue of what my department is called. My titled is executive director, external branding and so I assume it's the External Branding Department."

Annie smiled and said she'd find out for her own use and would advise him.

Miranda arrived while two cartons of his person effects on a trolley.

Mrs White's eyebrows rose when Andy kissed Miranda on the lips after she'd apologized for her reaction to his leaving the department on promotion when he'd only been there for such a short time and her behavior had led to an unwarranted display of ill-feeling.

"Jealousy can be such a bad thing," said Mrs White but received no other reaction than two brief glances.

"All staff wish me to represent them to ask that you to return to our section at 5:00 this evening for 30 minutes of drinks and an official farewell. Mr Lawn has approved this. Oh boy, did he bawl us out."

"Thank you Miranda, my fall of respect for my fellow workers in your section has been salvaged and thanks. I'll see you at 5:00."

Miranda pulled down Andy's head and kissed him again and left with her trolley.

"Andy that woman would be a go lay for you."

"Thank you Annie. Now let's go into your office and discuss your gripes with this change."

"Oh don't bother with that, get yourself settled in. So far everything is fine."

Ten minutes later Glen entered and Annie said, "Oh good morning Miss Fryer. I do believe this is the first time you've entered this department."

"Yes. I'm here to see Mr Ash."

"He's over there on his phone. Oh he's free now."

"Oh hi Glen welcome to my department whatever it's called."

Employees hearing that laughed.

"It's either the Department of External Branding or the External Branding Department. That's one of the things I need to discuss with you, plus your car and to tell you no way will I..."

"Hush Glen, let's sit over in this far corner and chat quietly."

"No way."

"So you are forcing me to make you sit?"

Glen lost her nerve.

"Very well I'll do what you ask."

"There are two chairs in the corner. You choose where to sit."

She chose the one with her back to the windows. They talked so quietly so no one could hear.

She asked which name he preferred.

"External Branding Department has a less officious tone to it, would you degree?"

"You surely mean agree. Yes," she said making a note.

"We have immediate access to an E-Class Mercedes that has done 4000 miles or you may order a new vehicle with delivery in two to fifteen weeks depending on accessories and upgrade packs."

"I'm not really into goodies. What colors are available with delivery within two weeks?"'

She consulted her notes and said, "God I can't believe they are giving you a Mercedes". Here we go, Sand Beige, Mars Red, Diamond White Metallic, Capri Blue Metallic."

"What is the color of the pre-owned model?

She flipped a couple of pages and said, "Black with black interior."

"That's it. I'll have that one."

"Oh dear, it has extra goodies, a sunroof and rear view camera."'

"I can live with that. Now let's talk about this challenge facing you of becoming my operations manager. Pull your chair closer."

She made no move.

"Please."

She moved three inches closer.

"Please move to within a foot of me. What I am to say is confidential."

She moved even closer than that.

"Okay I realize your present position gives you prestige, being on the highest rung of the PA ladder. You could come across at no loss of salary and plus your own PA."

"Why are you so determined to get me?"

"You will be a beautiful companion to have beside me when we travel and I believe you'll be great in bed."

She appeared to miss that last comment.

"Travel?"

"Yes don't you travel with Carlos?"

"Never, his wife always accompanies him and she used to be a PA."

"Do you like travel?"

"Yes not that I've done much."

"How does Rome sound?"

"Omigod."

"Am I beginning to seduce you?"

"I heard what you said about bed but with you, no way."

"Are you planning to marry soon?"

Glen said that was none of his business.

"I suggest you do answer."

"I do plan to marry by my mid-thirties. I'm twenty-seven."

"Well I have no plan to marry. You could run with whoever you like here and commit to being my sex partner when we travel."

"I can't understand you are being so strange about this. One would think you either want me or don't want me as a sex partner."

"Well here's how it is. I intend to wait for a woman who is to marry shortly. A rather large number of marriages end in divorce and if she is involved in divorce I hope to be next cab on the rank. So this is all about strategy. I don't have sex with you on American and that leaves you free to find lovers and possible become engaged to one. While overseas you pose as my fiancé and that will lead to me gaining closer family contacts in more relaxing situations than offices..."

"...to allow you to project our corporate branding more intimately involving longer exposure."

"Yeah you've got that right darling."

"Don't call me darling. God I can see why our chairman and CEO are bolting on to you. You think outside the square and are devious to boot. I had no intention of talking to you about my career and here I am talking about your proposal to change my career direction."

"Oh and where was your next step from being our top-ranked PA?"

"I have qualifications to secure a high position in public relations."

"Exactly and what am I offering you?"

Dropping to a small voice Glen said, "Something that sounds like 60% minimum in PR and the remainder advanced development of business relationships."

"Yes and the sex content might only be 0.002%."

She went "Ohhhh" as if complaining and laughed.

The tone of that laugh and her more relaxed manner suggested to Andy she'd decided to come over to him but would want to see the color of money.

To Be Continued