My Nights With Kate

by M T Stone

  “Don’t drop the ball at the goal line, Jack. You’ve worked almost 30 years for this. You’ve skipped more meetings in the last 10 days than you did the last 5 years.”

  “I know my heart isn’t in it anymore, Kristen. I just want to be done. I’ll nail the conference call this afternoon, and then I’m out of here.”

  “Okay. Hopefully the transition team can handle it without you.”

  “Well, it’s not like I’m going to disappear. I’m just so damn tired of meetings.”

  “And yet you’re flying out to the middle of nowhere for a meeting tomorrow morning?”

  “That’s different. You know I love startups.”

  “Is it the startup or the 22-year-old?” she asked, with a sober glare.

  “It’s both, Kristen. For the first time since Eva’s death, I actually feel alive. I want to get the fuck out of here and live. I’m sorry she’s only 22, but she reminds me so much of Eva when we were young. You have no idea, Kristen, what it’s like to lose your soul mate. It feels like Kate has brought me back to life.”

  “You’re right, Jack. I’ve never found a soul mate, so I won’t pretend to know how it feels to lose one.”

  “What’s really bothering you, Kristen? I know it’s not about the meetings.”

  “No, you’re right. I couldn’t care less about the meetings, but I do care about Jayne,” she said, slumping back in her chair. “She’s really concerned about you.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? She’s watched you live in a state of near-depression for the last several years. You appear to have lost interest in a business you spent 27 years building, and now you’ve almost completely withdrawn from her and the rest of your family. What do you suppose is going through her head?”

  “Shit, Kristen. I never even thought of how this all looked from the outside. It didn’t even occur to me. How are she and Julian doing anyway?”

  “She’s keeping one foot in her co-op, if that tells you anything. He wants to get married, but I think she’s putting it off until she’s sure you’re alright.”

  “That’s what I thought. It’s really ironic that you chose to hit me with this today. I was just thinking about her earlier this morning.”

  “You’ve always been a fantastic businessman and great father, Jack. Don’t throw it all away.”

  “I won’t. Thanks, Kristen. You’ve always been there for me, and I want you to know it’s appreciated.”

  “I know, Jack. The feeling is mutual.”

  ~~~

  Our earnings were released at 4:05, after the stock market closed. Our stock rallied after hours as people looked toward the closing of the deal. The conference call went well, except for one analyst who was determined to nit-pick the numbers. After calmly answering his first two questions, he lost his connection to the conference bridge for some strange reason. After his departure, I took the opportunity to reflect on all that we had built over the past three decades and reassert my faith in the transition team. The new owners were acquiring a business that was firing on all cylinders, so it would be a smooth transition. After the buyout, I would be the largest shareholder in the acquiring company so I would still have a vested interest. Even though my words may have been comforting to shareholders and analysts, it didn’t reflect my true feelings. As I left my office that afternoon, it felt as though my job there was done.

  On the way home I gave Jayne a call, as she was out of town working with a new designer. It was time to mend fences and check up on her.

  “How are you, sweetie?” I asked when she answered.

  “What’s wrong, Dad?”

  “Nothing. I just wanted to check up on you.”

  “You sound sad.”

  “The reason I’m sad is because I’m concerned about you. Why haven’t you finished moving out of the co-op?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You know, Jayne. Talk to me.”

  “I honestly don’t know. I’ve been worried about you. I’ve been worried about my job, and the thought of more change was just giving me anxiety.”

  “I understand, Honey. Are you and Julian alright?”

  “Yeah. Julian’s great, but I know he’s getting worried because I won’t fully commit.”

  “The way I see it, Honey; you have three choices. Get married in June, move in with him and get married later, or move back into your co-op. Which one excites you most?”

  “Getting married in June,” she replied, without hesitation.

  “That’s what I thought. Are you still thinking Chelsea Piers?”

  “I can’t believe you remember that.”

  “How could I forget? I’ll see what I can book for June, alright?”

  “Thanks, Dad. You aren’t dying or anything are you?”

  “No, I’ve just come back to life, Honey. It’s time to live again.”

  “Thank God! I’ve been really worried about you. You better call Grandma, too. She’s been more worried than me. I think Matilda would appreciate if she wasn’t stopping by every night to see if you’re home.”

  “Enough said. I’ll call her. I love you, Honey.”

  “I love you, too, Dad. Are you sure everything is alright?”

  “Everything is perfect. Now go talk to Julian and start planning!”

  “I will. Thanks again, Dad.”

  After hanging up with her, I checked in with Mom. I was puzzled as to why she hadn’t simply called if she was worried.

  “Oh, I know how busy you are. I didn’t want to be a bother.”

  “You can call me anytime, Mom. You know that!”

  Her real motivation in stopping by the house each evening was the same as Jayne’s. Those two have the same highly developed curiosity, and my not telling them what I was doing was driving them both nuts. That’s why I decided to put Jayne’s wedding on the docket. That will keep both of them busy between now and June. Mom almost came unglued at the news, and I’m sure she was on the phone with Jayne the minute I hung up.

  Two down and one to go. The only thing left was to figure out how to get Brandon on a better path.

  ~~~~~~

  Chapter 19 – Tough Reception In PA

  Jack

  It’s amazing how you can sometimes go into a situation with perfectly honorable intentions only to find you have completely misjudged the situation. Mr. Wallace Meckler was the President / CEO of the company, and he was clearly as tired of running his company as I was of running mine. To add insult to injury, a man who had spent years putting U.S. manufacturers out of business (in his view) was riding in to save the day. The bottom line was: He didn’t trust me.

  After showing him Kate’s line, I could tell he was impressed. They could manufacture the entire line on site. However, it would take about $700,000 worth of retooling, and that was a risk he was not willing to take.

  “What if we signed a long-term contract?”

  “With a startup company? Not a chance.”

  “But, Wallace, I’ve been in business for over 27 years.”

  “Yes, and, for most of those years, you were driving manufacturing off-shore.”

  “If we didn’t do it, someone else would’ve. You know the economics as well as I do.”

  “I will sell you the factory and everything that goes along with it. I’m 62-years-old, and I’m tired.”

  “I understand.”

  Meanwhile, Kate stood in the corner of his office looking dejected with her prototypes on display.

  “This is nothing against you, darling. You are obviously very talented. It’s just too late,” Wallace said as he noticed her withering demeanor.

  “You realize that, in this environment, your building will fetch 75-80 cents on the dollar, and the machinery is basically worthless. Maybe 15 or 20 cents on the dollar, if you find the right buyer.”

  “I agree, but it beats losing the rest of my life savings.”

  At this point, it was obvious that any further discussions were a waste of breath. While Tim helped
Kate pack up her presentation, I went out to the factory floor and talked with Brenda, the Daytime Production Manager. She agreed that it would be difficult to replace her income and was more than willing to help us work things out.

  “If it will save my job, and those of my co-workers, you just tell me what needs to be done,” she said as we exchanged contact information.

  If everyone is as genuine as they appear to be, this would be a very productive and profitable plant. There are still good people in this country who work hard and do their best if they know they will be properly rewarded.

  As we walked back to the car, I put my arm around Kate. “Don’t worry. This is going to turn out even better than I thought.”

  “Wow, you and I must’ve been at two different meetings!”

  “Just wait and see, Kate. You will like how this all comes together.”

  The minute we were back in the car, Kate returned a call to her mother. I took the opportunity to call Rich. If he wanted to be involved in our next venture, he was going to become the primary investor in a garment factory in Allentown, Pennsylvania. After getting over the initial shock, he began to see the brilliance behind my master plan. The corporation would be run out of New York. Jayne would make sure Kate’s line was picked up and merchandised properly. All we needed was a good operations manager out in Allentown, and we could manufacture the whole line onsite. We could get the building at a 25 percent discount, the machinery for next to nothing, and have it all customized for $700,000. It would be great to have manufacturing only 95 miles west of the city. We could fully utilize our “Just in time” inventory model. Between that and reduced shipping costs, it would almost make up for the higher labor costs.

  Toward the end of the conversation, I told Rich that I thought he and Brandon should meet with Wallace to negotiate the purchase of the plant and equipment. Wallace would be far less emotional if he wasn’t dealing with me. In the meantime, I would talk with some of the key managers from the plant to see who was best suited to help run things out there. As for Kate, she would bring along her designs to make sure there weren’t any unforeseen manufacturing issues in her line.

  “Wow, I guess I really did misjudge how the meeting went. Is Brandon going to be involved?” Kate asked, after I got off the phone.

  “I hope so. I would like to get him out of Investment Banking.”

  “So you’re hoping he will see the profit potential and want in?”

  “Exactly. You’re so smart for your age.”

  “Thanks. I do have one more problem though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “All my stuff is still in Jackie’s apartment, and she’s leaving for California tomorrow.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll show you the solution when we get back to the city.”

  ~~~

  Kate

  It always amazed me that nothing was ever a problem as far as Jack was concerned. Watching him set up the new business in an almost effortless manner was a great learning experience. It was easy to see why Jack was successful. He made things happen with a snap of his fingers. I spent the rest of the car ride wondering what his solution to my problem was as he wouldn’t tell me. Damn surprises. It made me wonder if he was going to let me move into his house or if it was something stupid like a spare storage unit. It’s probably a storage unit because, if I moved into his house, he would have to admit to his family that we're dating.

  When we arrived in Manhattan, I noticed Tim turned north on 8th avenue instead of 5th which was home to the St. Regis. My curiosity was really getting the best of me. We definitely weren’t going to visit storage units, not with the price of real estate in this neighborhood.

  “Please, tell me where we are going.”

  “Alright, I’m going to show you Jayne’s co-op. She’s almost out of there, and it would be a nice place for you. She has a guest bedroom that you can put your things in for now. She turned one of the other bedrooms into a study where you can work on designs and anything business-related.”

  “Where is Jayne’s place?”

  “That, I’m not going to tell you. You will see for yourself shortly.”

  "Please let it be near Central Park" was my only thought as Tim continued north on Central Park West.

  “We have arrived,” Tim said, glancing in the rear view mirror.

  “You’ve got to be kidding! Jayne lives right on Central Park West?”

  “Yes. Two adjacent units came up for sale after the whole Bernie Madoff debacle. I knew it was a once in a lifetime chance, so I bought both of them for just under $10,000,000 cash. Now that Jayne has moved in with Julian, this one will be sitting empty.”

  “Central Park West, that’s unreal. It’s literally across the street from the lake.”

  “Exactly. That’s why I bought them. The views alone are worth the price. This unit was completely remodeled in 2006, so it’s nearly perfect.”

  As I looked out the windows in the sitting room, I had to wonder why someone would ever give up a place like this. Julian must have one hell of a pad.

  “Will this work for you, Kate?”

  “It’s beautiful. How much is the rent?”

  “It’s $22,000 per month including fees. But, luckily, I’m a pretty easy-going landlord. I bought them as a long term investment so I’m not concerned with the monthly cash flow. I haven’t been charging Jayne anything, so I’ll do the same for you. Just take good care of the place.”

  “Are you serious? What about Jayne? I haven’t even met her yet.”

  “She’ll be cleaning out the rest of her stuff this weekend so it will be totally empty. If the marriage plans fall through, then you two will have to figure it out. I doubt that will happen though.”

  “Wow. This place is really amazing. Is all this furniture Jayne’s?”

  “No. It all came with the place. So it’s yours to use.”

  “Whew, that’s a relief. You wouldn’t want to see my crap in here. I think I’ll tell Jackie she can just trash my stuff. All I want is my photo albums, my favorite blanket, and a few things like that.”

  “Sure. We’ll go over there sometime so you can get whatever you want. There’s no rush, I have the Diamond Room for a couple more weeks.”

  “Yeah. I’m going to miss that place. I’ve kind of grown fond of it.”

  “Me, too,” he replied, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

  As we drove back to the hotel, I had to wonder what was going on in Jack’s head. He’s the type who has everything laid out well in advance, so most likely he’s already got our future figured out. Maybe he wants me to have this place so we can use it for a rendezvous spot instead of his house. That would make sense as his family would no longer be visiting once Jayne moves out. It can be our little love nest, and we can go for walks in Central Park in the evening. What an awesome place to live!

  “I don’t feel like eating out tonight. Would you just order something semi-healthy from room service, Kate?” Jack asked, as we rode the elevator to our room.

  “Sure, is everything alright?”

  “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just want to hang out and relax with you tonight.”

  “I could use a night of relaxation, too. I have anxiety.”

  “Why would you have anxiety? You should be on top of the world.”

  “I know, but I get the feeling there’s more going on inside your head than what you’re sharing with me. You seem to be off somewhere in deep thought, and it’s making me nervous. It’s like you’re working on a secret plan or something.”

  “That’s just the way I’m wired. I’m always trying to solve the world’s problems. I don’t want you to be stressed about it. I think I’m going to give you my special Swedish massage tonight.”

  “You know massage?”

  “Sure. I learned it in high school. It was a great excuse to get girls to take their shirts off!”

  “I can’t imagine you as a teenager; you’re bad enough as an adult.”

  There’s
that trademark smile again. He’s so sexy when he smiles like that.

  ~~~

  Jack

  I think the real reason for Kate’s anxiety is that she knows, as well as I do, that we are in completely different stages of life. She’s just embarking on an exciting career, whereas mine is winding down. She will undoubtedly want to raise a family, but I’ve been there and done that. Oh well, a massage table and some lavender infused oil will help us both feel better… for tonight anyway.

  I knew Kate would enjoy my special massage, but it was nearly as much fun for me. Pouring warm oil on her back and spreading it across her smooth skin was not an unpleasant task. I always liked how warm oil feels on bare skin. I began with her shoulders and worked my way down her back. She seemed to really like it when I pushed on her sacrum. There is something about pushing on that spot that feels so good. Humans tend to spend too much time sitting, and that’s one area where tension really builds up. My hands traveled over her buns and back up her sides to once again work my way down her back. I could feel myself becoming aroused as I worked my way down her body again. This time, I spent a little extra time working her Gluteus Maximus because that’s another area where tension builds up. Kate’s was nicely developed from all the yoga, and it showed in her hamstrings as well. I continued to work my way slowly around her butt cheeks and down her muscular legs.

  Kate

  I loved the way his strong hands felt as they slid along the length of my body. There is nothing sexier than a man who’s willing to go the extra mile to make his woman feel good. As I rolled onto my back, I kept my eyes closed and simply focused on the pressure from his hands. He started massaging my feet, and it felt so good it was nearly orgasmic. I loved how he worked between each of my toes and along the inside of my arches. I could feel all my tension melting away. As he began to work his way up my legs, it reminded me of our first night together when he followed this same path using his lips and tongue. I could feel myself getting wet as he poured warm oil on my thighs and began rubbing them with those manly hands.