High Stakes

As always, I have to acknowledge the fabulous Randi, who converts my scribbling into something resembling a story. So thank you Randi. There's also an aside.... Never bet with Randi.

*********

"Jesus, I would love to tap that. God damn she's hot. Has anybody been there? I mean, surely I'm not the only one, she's fucking gorgeous."

"Whoa, slow down, pal, if she hears you saying shit like that your ass will be out the door so damn fast, your feet won't even touch the ground."

I heard Theo's suppressed snickering. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. Just because she's the boss, don't mean we can't dream. Damn she's fine, that's one hot piece of ass fella's."

"Jesus H Christ, are you trying to get fired. Listen my friend, here's a bit of free advice. Keep your damn opinions to yourself. If anybody else hears you refer to her as a 'piece of ass,' your days here will be over. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it, Damn, chill dude. I was just saying."

I wasn't happy. It's nice to know I could still turn a young man's eye, but his language was far from pleasant. I work hard at keeping my forty-five-year-old body in good shape, and I do look after myself. Perhaps I needed to reconsider his role here as an intern.

The fact he came highly recommended didn't mean I had to keep him. His endorsements were excellent, and he did have some clever people going into bat for him. Perhaps I would just have to keep him under closer scrutiny. If I overheard his crass comment, then others could have easily heard, as well. This was not the sort of behavior I condoned, even if it did give me a little smile.

Theo was one of six new interns that we had taken on for the year. I loved to keep a flow of fresh new faces coming into the business each year. They were the life blood of industry, hard working and filled with fresh ideas. Some of my top execs had come into the business this way. In fact my head of staff had started in just this fashion. She was now my most trusted advisor.

Yes, I preferred to employ women, but a business can become tilted without a balanced approach and men bring different perspectives. I learned that the hard way, and promised myself never to make that mistake again.

These days, I tried to keep the split about sixty forty. I liked giving women a start. I remembered how hard it was when I came out of college, fresh faced and full of ideas. None of the companies I approached were interested. I had a masters degree, earned the hard way. They viewed me as just another young woman. All they cared about was what I looked like.

It's hard enough being a woman in a world full of men. Forget all that you hear about it being an egalitarian world. All of the misconceptions and preconceived notions of such a world are completely misplaced.

I worked damn hard to start my business, and it had taken me the best part of fifteen years to build it up to it's present position. Yes, now I had men falling over themselves to be part of my organization, part of my world.

I was cautious when it came to men. You don't pour your whole life into a business empire, and then lose it over a stiff cock and a smile. Yes, I liked sex, but for me, it had to be no strings attached. I wasn't looking for romance; all I wanted was the occasional roll in the hay: sex with none of the ties. I didn't want to be tied to one man. I didn't want to have to put up with their jealous bullshit as I flew around the world.

My business interests meant lots of travel, and it meant I had lots of interactions with other business people, mostly men. The last thing I wanted was some jealous lover tracking me down, following me around, stalking me.

It wasn't like I was a slut. I wasn't interested in married men, nothing about that was intriguing. Jealous wives are just as dangerous as jealous husbands and boyfriends. No, I chose my partners carefully. I wasn't looking for long-term commitments. Erica Jong once wrote something called the zipless fuck; that's what I sought out: sex, for the fun.

My life was to busy for any such entanglement. I focused all my attentions on profit and loss spreadsheets, growing my little empire into something of which I could be proud.

That desire had been cultivated by my father. I'm sure he wanted a son, but all he got was me. Yeah, I was a daddy's girl. He is the one who pushed me. Okay, I couldn't play football, so it was the world of business he pushed me into. He cultivated my interests, guided and mentored me. Mom was always there, as well. As a doctor, and a very successful one, she was well aware of the value of hard work and strong ethics. Those principles were well and truly driven home in me, from a very young age. Today, they stood me in very good stead.

Yes, she was a little sad when she realized I wasn't going to be supplying grandchildren, but she came to accept that I was a little different.

I caught up with Bill Smith, Theo's supervisor, later. "Bill, I want to talk about that young intern, Theo. How's he doing?"

"He is a bit brash, Sage, but he's full of ideas. I think you have a hot one there. Definitely worth hanging onto."

"Really? I have heard some rumors about comments he has been making."

"Yes, he has a fairly high opinion of himself, he is young and overconfident, but there's a lot of good stuff behind the facade."

"All right, I will take that on board, but I think perhaps you should keep a close eye on him. If I hear any more complaints, he'll be looking for a new job."

"I understand, Sage," he murmured contritely. As Theo's mentor, he knew I expected more. He knew damned well my feelings about inappropriate comments and rude behavior. I prided myself on the fact we had never had a sexual harassment case. I considered that it was our prudent selection policy, and that my closest associates understood the importance of selecting the right candidates and were intuitive, understood how to read people and how to get the best out of them.

My problem was the business had been expanding so quickly it was hard to keep it filled with good people. Yes, there were plenty of job seekers, but that's all they were. There were usually good reasons they were unemployed. That being, they were hopeless.

********

I loved books; they were my passion. It was something I got from my mother, my love for the written word. While other kids were running around, I preferred to find a good book, curl up in my favorite reading nook and do nothing but read.

That was the reason I started my own publishing house. It was, however, my fathers enforced work ethic that drove it to become one of the most successful in the US, and I was about to open new branches in several European centers.

As always, it was late when I walked out of my office and locked the door. Walking towards the elevator, I was intercepted by Theo.

"Hey, boss lady," he greeted me as we waited for the elevator.

"Theo, my title is Ms. Amanthas," I replied sternly. "If you stay long enough, you might get to call me Sage. At the moment, that's not looking very likely. Bill has had some nice things to say about you, but that is interspersed with a lot of negativity. I have received several complaints about remarks you have made. Please keep that in mind."

His face dropped, his brash in your face attitude was gone. "Ahh, sorry Boss... I mean, Ms. Amanthas."

His embarrassment was cut short by the arrival of the elevator. As the doors closed, I asked, "How have you found your first month here?"

His brashness reappeared quickly. "Yeah, it's been awesome. I have learned a lot."

"Good, how is Bill to work with?"

"He's okay, a bit stuck in his ways, but I reckon I'll bring him around."

"I beg your pardon?" I scowled.

He realized he had inadvertently stepped over the line. "Oops, sorry. He's great, actually. What I meant was, the world is changing, and there are new ways to do business, new avenues to explore. I was hoping that I could convince him to listen."

"Theo, Bill has been in this business a long time and he is a trusted employee. Tread very carefully before you start making disparaging remarks."

His face showed concern, but not contrition. I expected him to be embarrassed, not condescending.

"I'm sorry if you saw my remarks as some sort of insult, Ms Amanthas. I was merely trying to point out that a lot has changed; there are new methods and avenues for promotion. I think if Bill were to listen to what I am trying to say, we could do better than we are currently doing."

"Don't be ridiculous, Theo, of course it's an insult. There's a reason Bill is where he is today. He listens to people; perhaps you should try it yourself." The elevator hit the basement parking garage and I marched off before I snapped. What a presumptuous dick. I would definitely need to keep an eye on him.

I watched as he climbed into his little red Toyota. Tidy, but at least 10 years old, obviously not that well off.

I pulled out onto the road, and headed for home. Such a warm evening, I retracted the top on my Audi R8 Spyder, and moved effortlessly through the traffic. She was my toy, and I loved how she drove. Powerful, yet not ostentatious, a whispering seductress.

Unfortunately, I couldn't clear my mind. That damn Theo had managed to infiltrate my shields. He was a handsome thing, young, fit, and although it annoyed me, his bravado also aroused in me something I didn't like.

The drive had been nice; it allowed me to unwind, but somehow, I felt jittery. I paced around, feeling the anxiety.

It did make me appreciate the apartment. This was my haven, my palace. I loved it. Initially, I had to rent in the City to be close to work. When the business finally picked up enough, I brought this place. I guess it was a statement. I was telling the world this is me, I'm doing all right.

Waterline Square, on the upper west side, was one of the most prestigious locations in New York City. I loved that it looked out over the Hudson, but it was also close to work, was in the heart of the city and it didn't hurt that it had every conceivable amenity known to human kind.

It was glamorous, with floor to ceiling windows and beautiful teak hardwood floors. The high ceilings gave off a sense of room and space. The kitchen glistened with its quartz and granite benches, the gorgeous stainless steel appliances, the huge walk in glass wine chiller.

The bathroom was opulent to the max, dual sinks, with marble tops, the floors a beautiful hand-picked travertine tile. The enormous power shower, which I picked out myself, was like standing in a waterfall.

My bedroom overlooked the river and gave the most exquisite views of the city. I loved sleeping at night, with the city-scape, the lights, and the stars. God, even the mornings were spectacular. It made waking early such a pleasure.

Damn it, he infuriated me, provoking emotions I was so unfamiliar with. I had to admit, there was something about him, something I couldn't put my finger on. He had a certain charisma. So hard to define why he made me feel this way.

Over the next few days, I kept a close eye on him, and Bill gave me daily updates. By the third week, Bill was uncomfortable. In the midst of our review, he squirmed a little. "Out with it, Bill. Something's bugging you."

"He's not listening, Sage. He's been working on this damn program for tracking writing competitions from all over the world. He has developed these damn spreadsheets that fill automatically with competition winners."

It sounded interesting. "Why are you upset? It actually sounds like a good idea."

"Yes, it is promising. It's just the way he is going about it. He won't listen to advice. We have a damn IT department, and he hasn't involved them. Frankly, that pisses me off. We have resources, and he should be using them. We have several other employees working on ways to track writers we are interested in. I asked him point blank to include them in the development."

"And?"

"He ignored my request."

"Has he been keeping you in the loop?"

"Yes, vaguely. He tells me he is going to present it at the Friday planning meeting."

As much as his program interested me, I was disappointed in his insular approach. We had good people, and for him to ignore them, well, frankly, that was insulting. It was time for a confrontation.

Just before lunch on Friday, I walked into his office. He looked surprised. "Hey Boss, I mean Ms. Amanthas. What brings you in here?"

"I understand you have been working on a new program for tracking new and up and coming writers?"

"Um, yeah. I was going to present it at the planning meeting this afternoon."

"No, Theo. That's not the way we do things here. Has Bill seen your presentation?"

His eyes rolled back and he shook his head in resignation. "No, not the finished thing."

"What about the other members of our team, who are already involved in something similar?"

"No. Look, Ms. Amanthas, frankly, the people you have on this just aren't up with modern technology."

"Perhaps not, but they have something you do not, Theo: experience, and knowledge."

"Yeah, but..."

"No buts, Theo. What about our IT department?"

Again he shook his head. "So you were just going to spring it on us as some big reveal?"

"Yeah, I wanted to show you that I'm not an idiot. I was trying to impress you, show you I do have good ideas."

"Theo, you want to impress me?"

He nodded his head in defeat.

"Right, well let me tell you, young man, you are going about it the wrong way. What would have impressed me is seeing you include all of the other people this impacts. I would have like to see you build a team. Get as many people as possible, from all over the business, and most importantly. I expect to see you keeping your department head properly informed."

"But this is my idea, my programming. I built the model, nobody else."

"So you wanted the spotlight, the glory?"

"Yes."

"We are a team, Theo. The whole business is one team. This isn't a public company. It's mine. The way we do things here is to include, and inform. You want respect, then earn it. Nobody was going to steal your credit. If you can't work within a team, then there's no place here for you."

He suddenly looked very nervous. "What are you saying?"

"I told you what I expected from you, Theo. You didn't deliver."

"You're firing me?"

Sucking in a deep breath, and lifting myself up. I replied questioningly, "Give me a reason why I shouldn't?"

"Give me a chance. This is a good program; it'll be great for the business. You will get a full report every month of every writer who enters into competitions from all over the world. You'll see the good ones, the bad ones. You will have a database, you will be able to track their progress, have their contact details."

"I am not saying I'm not interested. What I am trying to say is, I do not want mavericks working for me. I want team players." Staring intently at him, I added, "All right Theo, you want a chance? Here it is: prove to me you can build a team, gather together the resources that best suit. Show the presentation to Bill tonight. Ask him for advice, ask who you should talk to. Get him to show you how to fill out the requisition forms for funding. Build a team, then lead it."

He nodded, I could see his brain working overtime. "I could just leave and show this to other publication houses. They will all want it."

"Perhaps, but once you get out of court, you will be bankrupt. This was produced in our time, on our property, and we have already paid for it. If bankruptcy is what you really want, then do it. I will look forward to seeing you in court."

"Jesus," he muttered under his breath. "Okay, have it your way. I can do it."

"Good." I turned and walked out. I could feel his eyes burning into my ass as my navy pencil skirt hugged my hips. I made sure there was a swagger as I strutted out. Damn it, he got under my skin.

Bill looked confused when Theo didn't present at the planning meeting. Afterwards, we sat together and I explained my chat with the recalcitrant Theo.

He laughed lightly. "Wow, I guess we will see what he is made of then, won't we."

"Bill, I want this to work. He annoyed me with his childish behavior, but this program, if it can do what he says. Well, I want it."

"Yes, I understand. I do have a copy of the program already."

Over the weekend, I put in some miles. I run. In fact, it is my second biggest passion. I love books, and words, but running is my physical passion. Over the years I have run three full marathons, many more half marathons and hundreds of fun runs. Not to mention the cross-country events.

As I pounded the pavement on the way to the park, my mind kept going back to that damn Theo, his smile; damn, when he smiled, I felt it. He had an aura. I set my Fitbit and headed around the park. I was entering a half marathon in two months, and I was in the process of building my miles up in preparation.

To support my road miles, I was in the gym every lunchtime and staying late every other night to do cardio work.

It was while I was on the rowing machine, I noticed Theo on the treadmill. I smiled inwardly. He wasn't a natural runner; he had an ungainly gait. His arms moved, but it wasn't graceful. My routine was to start on the rowing machine, then move to the bike. As I swung my leg up over the bike, I noticed Theo struggle as he moved off the treadmill. He toweled off, his shirt saturated in sweat.

He looked exhausted, and that gave me a strange feeling of superiority. I know that sounds terrible, but it was nice to know he wasn't as perfect as he thought he was.

Bill and I caught up for our weekly review, and I was impressed. Theo had managed to build a solid team, he brought Bill up to speed, made sure the team was fully informed and involved and the program was a real winner. If he was honest, and all he wanted was to impress me, then he had achieved his mission.

It was naughty, but I used my powers as boss to get hold of Theo's data from his training sessions in the gym. His numbers were dreadful. Why was I being so inquisitive? I cannot explain it he had woven some kind of spell over me. He was under my skin, and it irritated me.

It was a few days after we went live with Theo's program that I got a shock. I had been on the treadmill for about ten minutes when Theo appeared in my peripheral vision. He was on the machine beside me. "Hi, Ms. Amanthas, fancy meeting you in here."

I felt his eyes appraising me. I suppose this was the first time he witnessed me in my athletic training gear. The yoga pants and form fitting tank top were showing off my figure.

Call me a bitch if you like, I enjoy the envious glares of men. I know I look good, and at my age, it's perhaps a more intense reaction than it was when I was twenty.

He started to run, and I struggled to hide my smirk as he fell into his ugly running style. Already ten minutes into my run, warmed up and moving fluidly, I increased the pace.

Theo tried to follow suit: he upped his pace, and if he looked clumsy and uncoordinated before, now he looked completely out of sync.

As the minutes ticked by, he struggled more and more. I increased my pace again, enjoying the burn. He tried, but he couldn't do it, I sensed rather than saw his body push, but he had already hit the wall. It was rather embarrassing to see him slow down and ungracefully stumble off.

That meeting was repeated several times over the next couple of weeks. He got better, but he just wasn't a natural. Our working relationship, however, improved. He did impress me there. He had a lot of great ideas, and he brought a freshness, a bold intensity. I was not the only one impressed, either. Bill sang his praises. It was time to make him a full-time job offer.

For his performance review, I sat in. Initially, it was just as a spectator. I left Bill to ask all the questions. Once we got to the part where we offered him a position, I took over.