A Loser Rebounds Ch. 14

Mrs Stephens thought the alternative presentation by Andy's team was far superior, more dynamically interesting and injecting mojo (whatever that meant).

"Then instruct J Crombie-Angus to use this layout. Here's our letter releasing our work to you without charge."

"They will refuse."

"Tell them to use it or else and in future you'll determine who does the layout work."

"Yes I will do that," Mrs Stevens said, attempting to hide her breasts behind folded arms. May I visit your outfit... I mean establishment?"

"Yes of course, it's called Loop-a-Doo PR."

"That's Bob Thompson's outfit. I often see Bob at functions."

"He's retired and I bought him out."

"Well Andy you have proven you have drive and initiative. Yes I will come and visit your office tomorrow. I know where it is... say at 10:00 for coffee."

"Yes perfect."

"Um Andy could you not linger when glancing at my breasts?"

"Wonders are to behold."

"Oooh Andy you flirt. Please call me Elaine."

And that initiative was how Andy achieved a double whammy. Loop-a-Doo received billable PR work from Loop Promotions that totaled $64,000 during the following twelve months and J Crombie-Angus frequently engaged Loop-a-Doo on sub-contract when it became overcommitted and also paid Loop-a-Doo to come up with original thinking to appease some of J Crombie-Angus' more demanding clients.

That close association between the giant agency and the minnow had eventuated when the vice-president of production at J CA, Mary-Anne Angus, invited Andy to lunch. He boggled when she came out to greet him because they were strapped up so high but he quickly found she was all business (and lesbian he learned later). Also at the lunch in the boardroom were the agency's three partners who appeared bent on proving why Loop-A-Doo should not be invited to do any of their agency's work. But none of the negative bullshit moved the hard-ass Mary-Anne (daughter of the deceased co-founder) and she delivered the terms of engagement with Loop-A-Doo for sub-contracting for spillover work and for consulting for original proposals.

"Our sleepy little agency is on the move," Addison complained when they'd sneaked home for a midday fuck, licking the tip of Andy's dick clean after she'd seduced it into an explosive delivery.

"Yeah I noticed it's a bit tight in the main office will those new recruits. It reminded me of you."

"You are sheer filth, disgusting and foul," she giggled. "But then I suppose I can see the analogy. We'll have to find new accommodation."

"Nah stay, let's take over the entire first floor."

"I'd love that but I've made enquiries but both tenants told me to get lost."

"Mind if I have a go?"

"No be my guest."

Andy rolled off the bed and Addison yelled, "Andy you haven't finished me off."

She was ignored and she yelled that she'd buy a dildo.

He heard that and yelled as he prepared to enter the shower, "Get a double-header and do you butt at the same time. I'm off to get more working space for our people."

She thought yeah, they'd not steered into anal yet. Gee it was obvious he'd left it to her to choose when she was right for that.

"Asshole," she yelled and then giggled, thinking she could have chosen a better word of mild abuse.

Andy went to the company that managed their apartment building along with others. The hard-faced manager eyed him as if expecting a complaint about trash or noisy neighbors. He wondered if she'd spent her early life as a prostitute and then managing that place before coming to this job.

"Good morning Mr Rush."

"Call me Andy. Howya doing Rosie? Getting enough?"

She appeared amused.

"I hope you are taking care of your pretty wife."

"Yeah Rosie. She gets everything she needs and a little bit extra at times."

Rosie showed her bad teeth in a smile.

"Rosie I'm afraid you're going to lose us."

"B-but you are our premium tenants in Granite Building."

"Oh sweetie, I'm sure you use that line every time a tenant says it's time to move on. Look Rosie our business is booming. I note you have space on the 12th and 23rd but I'm afraid we are committed to 2nd floor occupancy. We'll have to find it in some other building unless...."

"Unless what?"

"Omigod Rosie, you were listening. "Unless you can clear out those other two tenants and give us the entire floor."

"Um what about just one of them?"

"Oh Rosie, I'm sorry about your attitude. I expect to find a more accommodating manager in another building."

"No wait. If you take the entire floor we can lift you to our whole-floor premium rate."

"Sorry Rosie but with the world economy is down at the moment. Only fools pay premiums. We'd want the entire floor on our existing base rate."

"I see. And what other concessions?"

"None dear Rosie unless you are thinking nookie. We know you guys have to run your business to get adequate investment returns. You kick those other two occupants upstairs and you still get the same income off that floor and you know you are always paid on time."

"Yes on time. Well you get back to work pinching the butts of all those blondes you have in your At 4:00 Rosie waddled into Andy and Addison who were discussing the need for an office manager.

"Oh hi Rosie, take a seat while I poor us coffee," Addison said. "We haven't seen you for such a long time."

"Your husband was in my office and pounded me just after lunchtime."

"Oh bad boy Andy. At her age Rosie would be satisfied with just a finger."

Andy looked appalled and the two women cackled.

"You take over all of the first floor from this coming Monday at the same base rental."

Addison gaped until Andy said smoothly, "The coffee darling."

"Oh yes," she said and almost tripped over a chair.

"H-how, how did Andy manage it Rosie?"

Andy waited for Rosie to delivery, expecting not to be disappointed.

"You be careful to hang on to your Andy darling. He's such a charmer and knows how to mentally squeeze a woman. Most men lack those skills."

"Rosie that's good advice I fully accept and thanks for being so accommodating. Look you were in the business as a practitioner and then as a Madam. What can you tell me about anal sex?"

Grabbing his coffee, red-faced Andy ghosted out of the room.

Before people left work on Friday they had to load their work possessions into cartons that coincided with the number Addison has placed on their chairs and desks and side cabinets.

The two other tenants moved out on Saturday morning and Addison and Andy helped the two workmen they had hired to shift the desks and cabinets of the people who were being moved into the vacated areas. Meanwhile two fit-out guys who'd already measured up, worked to close off space for an a larger film and camera processing room and the newly appointed IT manager arrived with a contract cabling team who began build building a computer cabling network connecting each desk throughout the entire first floor so that all the laptops would be connected to the new server. That would allow all work in progress to be checked on by either manager that all work could be backed-up with a copy of everything backed-up simultaneously off-site in case of emergencies.

"Well this ought to do it," Andy said as he and Addison were the last to leave and headed to early dinner. "We are now approaching the optimum size for current management and IT demands. If we go much larger we'd require more space and have to hire more managers and that begins escalating overheads."

"I indicated earlier when we were reorganizing space and you greeted that with a lack of enthusiasm."

"Only because you were promoting it as your idea," he grinned. "No I have thought through all the possibilities and decided why grow bigger and bust our gut? We should just increase efficiencies and profits and then wait for someone to offer to buy us out."

"I'd probably say no. However if we were made a great offer what could we do?"

"Start up a business consultancy from scratch."

Addison thought for a moment and then said she could be interested in that.

"What I can't understand is why have we grown so rapidly since you became a partner?"

"Well I found some new business and are reputation began to grow and we become known for our successes and I pushed for three business magazines and two on-line business news websites to do articles about us and lo, clients began seeking us out. Everyone likes a reputable high performer."

Addison yawned and said well that was enough business. Her head was spinning.

"Pregnant?"

"God you can be a clown at times," she said, taking his arm and squeezing against him as they walked.

* * *

In early June the office was handling three large promotions and Addison reluctantly stayed behind when Andy went off to his Brother Pete's high school graduation. The family was pleased to see him and they all attended the ceremony. Pete received the math prize. He would be going on to Andy's former college at the end of summer.

They had a great time at dinner and Pete was over the moon when his father Carl and brother Andy announced they were combining to buy Pete a pre-owned vehicle next day.

Their mom Irene thought that was a wonderful idea and kissed both her men. Andy had noticed his mom and dad appeared to be a lot happier that he could ever remember and now they were holding hands.

"Will I get the same treatments when I graduate next year?" asked Sister Susie.

"Of course you will, we do things fairly in this family," said her father. "I suppose you'll want a pretty pink car with a ribbon around it."

"No anything will do providing it's a V8 soft top," replied his perky daughter.

Next day Peter chose a Ford F150 pickup in excellent condition and Andy was so happy handing over his share of the money, remembering how hard it was for him all through college not having a vehicle.

"I'll be able to pull the chicks with this pickup with its upgraded sound system," Pete boasted.

"Pete don't let dad hear you talking like that. Oh you're lucky because he's in deep conversation with Bert Bridges about your insurance."

Andy had just dropped his hire car off at the airport in Wyoming when Addison called.

He said, "Hi darling, I'm at the airport waiting for my flight. So the approach has come?"

She ignored that. "Great I missed you. How did it go?"

They chatted and then she said, "How did you know we have been approached by another business?"

"Just a hunch."

"Well you were correct. Two guys from J Crombie-Angus arrived the day you left and chatted about working closer together and then I knew they were itching to have a look around and I obliged them. My feeling was they were blown away and I suspect they'd thought we'd just have a couple of rooms and a small team."

"Spies eh?"

"Yes."

"But not necessary evil spies?"

"No. I've just received a call from the managing partner of J Crombie-Angus. They want to meet us, I mean he wants to set up a meeting of their three partners and you and me. I said yes and a restaurant lunch is arranged for 1:00 on Friday."

"Yeah well Friday's is a good time for our industry. Are you happy about this?"

"I don't know."

"Well that's being honest. Let's go to lunch on Friday and see what the bastards want, eh?"

"That's inappropriate language and probably grossly unfair."

"I love you and will see you about 4:00 if you come to the airport we can fuck."

"Andy!"

"Oh yeah I remember, you don't wish me to talk honest like that."

She sighed.

Arriving at the apartment, Andy found Addison had left work early and had a roast in the oven and was in a gown, with her hair down and she poured drinks.

He grinned and kissed her, grabbing both cheeks of her ass and she squealed and began almost to pant.

"I've seen a gynecologist. She sees no reason why I haven't been able to conceive and suggest perhaps I should stop working. That would reduce stress and I could learn to relax more and perhaps associate with women with young babies."

"What would that do?"

"Develop my feeling of imminent motherhood."

"That sounds like bullshit."

Addison said well he didn't know everything and she expected him to be open-minded and supportive.

"Oh yeah."

They had sex again after dinner and Addison went to bed to relax reading.

Andy worked on his doctoral studies.

Lunch on Friday was top quality and the three partners from JCA, two guys and a rather manly woman with hard eyes, were polite, very friendly and not at all dominant.

Eventually the cards were on the table:

1. Outright purchase.

2. A majority sale with Addison and Andy remaining on at their premises to manage that operation as JCA promotions subsidiary.

3. An outright sale with Andy offered the opportunity to buy in as a JCA partner. A management position would be available to Addison.

"Well thanks guys," Andy said. "We could be interest in any one of those proposals but we need to talk so will contact you on Monday. Tell me, why is the partnership offer open to me, rather than to us both or to me rather than Addison?"

The steely bitch said, "I don't want another woman as a partner and because you are the acknowledged innovator and mover at your agency."

"Well yes because I specialize in those areas. Anyone could do it."

"Oh yes," said Jan. "Then why did that agency only begin to buzz after your arrival?"

"Well Jan thanks for being upfront. If you don't want my wife as a partner, then you don't get me. However, if the price is right Addison and I might decide to sell. I'll call you on Monday morning."

Addison was livid as they entered the cab.

"That bitch, why did you say you'd call her on Monday instead of the suave Bruce Malcolm?"

"Because that bitch you have just defamed, is Mrs Jan Thomas, only child of James Crombie, founder of JCA and is the principal stockholder in that company, according to my research. She will now know I know and will be telling her colleagues to tread carefully because she now sees us as clever shits."

"Well I think...."

"Hold it. If what you are about to say concerns their proposal, let's both sleep on it and discuss the proposals with clear minds in the morning, leaving emotion out of it. We must examine the proposals put to us plus the one not stated and that is we telling them to get lost. That one is a negative and so was understandable they didn't mention it."

"Okay I agree but why do they want us?"

"Greed. They want our clients and our people and to continue trading under our established and reputable name."

"God why can't you be like normal people and not know such much."

He grinned and said that was a come down. The other day when he commented about her gynecologist's recommendation, Addison had accused him of not knowing everything.

"Yes I did say that and there's no need to have such memory recall. Anyway I'm still right; no one knows everything.

Andy grinned and grabbed her thigh.

"God no, not in a cab," she hissed.

To Be Continued