by Glazer, J B
“Good. I’ll be right back,” he informs us.
I look at the clock. It’s ten, which means it’s midnight Chicago time. I’m exhausted, and my back is getting stiff from my having sat in one place for so long. I stand and slowly stretch, putting my arms behind my back and arching my chest. I look at Jake, who’s watching me intently.
“You’re making it really difficult,” he says in a low voice.
“What?” I ask, puzzled.
“To resist you.”
Oh. Suddenly I’m really nervous.
Simon comes back and says, “I’m going to turn in.”
Jake looks at me. “What about you, Lexi? Are you staying?” His blue eyes bore into mine.
“I’m going to turn in too,” I find myself saying. Disappointment registers on his face, but he quickly hides it. “I’m tired, and I need to have a clear head for tomorrow,” I add.
Jake nods. “OK, see you tomorrow.”
Shit, what did I just do?
Simon and I leave his room, and I look at him. “I think I just blew it.”
“What do you mean?”
I tell him about Jake’s comment. “I think he was propositioning me when he asked me to stay.”
“Well, why didn’t you?” Simon asks.
“I don’t know…I panicked. As much as I wanted to, the timing wasn’t right. We have a huge meeting tomorrow, and I don’t want to be off my game. The last thing I need is for things to be awkward between us and for that to come across. Shit, what if he thinks I’m not interested?”
“Lexi, he might. Face it—you’re going to have to make the next move.”
I sigh. “I know.” As much as I’m against doing it, I don’t think Jake will try anything further after tonight.
That night I have trouble going to sleep. I may just as well have slept with Jake; I probably would have gotten more rest. I toss and turn all night, worried about how he’ll act toward me tomorrow. He didn’t overtly ask me, but I know the meaning behind his question. All I’ve wanted was for Jake to give me a sign he’s interested. Now that he has, why the hell didn’t I take him up on his offer? I was just caught so off guard and freaked out. On the bright side, maybe he is finally ready to forget about his rule. I just hope it’s not too late.
We meet in the lobby the next morning. I purposely arrive five minutes late so I don’t have to be alone with Jake. My plan worked; he and Simon are waiting for me.
“‘Morning,” I say.
“Good morning,” they respond.
Jake seems to be his usual self, but then he says, “You drive with Simon. I have some calls to make.”
“Oh, we’re taking two cars?”
“Yes. I have business to take care of afterward at the agency, so I’m not coming back to the hotel.”
“OK,” I say, wondering whether he really has calls to make or whether he’s avoiding me.
“Nervous?” Simon asks.
“A little,” I admit.
He looks and me and says, “You’ll be fine, and you look perfect as usual. Love the shoes.”
“Thanks.” I give him a smile. I’m wearing a fitted black jacket with a low-cut, white, ruffle blouse; slim-fit, boot-cut black pants; and hot-pink stilettos for a pop of color. I added a statement necklace but kept the rest of my jewelry simple. My hair is pulled back into a low bun, but I kept the top loose so it looks more casual.
“You have everything?” I ask Simon.
“Of course,” he says. “Let’s go. We’ll see you there, Jake.”
Once we’re in the car, I turn to Simon. “Do you think he’s avoiding me?”
“It’s hard to say. Try not to worry about it. Focus on the pitch, and then we’ll plan your art of seduction.”
I smile. He used our tagline for the campaign. How appropriate.
We arrive fifteen minutes early, and the receptionist asks us to take a seat in the lobby. Twenty-five minutes later, she shows us into the conference room. It’s show time. We have an hour for the presentation followed by a half hour of Q&A. Jake handles introductions and opens up the meeting. He really is so charismatic and knows how to captivate a room. Then it’s my turn to share our strategic approach to the assignment. My voice comes out much more confident than I’m feeling. I go through my slides, and Simon interjects here and there to build on what I’m saying. Jake is right—we do make a good team. Next, Simon shares the creative. I try to read the room while he’s presenting. The clients primarily have poker faces, but I can tell the design director loves the print campaign. Simon picks up on it too and shares some details about the photography style he envisions and the list of photographers he has in mind. He gets through all the work, and then Jake reviews the staff plan and cost proposal. The clients ask a lot of questions about our fee structure, and then they ask if we’re the team that will be working on the business.
“That’s up for discussion,” Jake says. “We hand-selected a very talented group of individuals to work on this campaign. We felt it was important they had a certain style to bring the work to life in the way Simon envisioned. In light of that, many of the art directors would stay on if you choose to go with this direction.”
They ask a number of other questions, most of which we anticipated. Then they throw us a curveball. “Do you think your campaign pays off the name of the perfume?”
Simon jumps in. “Yes, I think we’ve definitely paid off the notion of Enchantress but in an unexpected way. Many of our initial ideas were in the direction of a fairy tale. But we didn’t want to go with the first thing that came to mind. We wanted to go deeper and push the boundaries creatively.”
Michael, the company’s marketing director, nods and says, “I like the direction you’ve taken the work. I guess we were expecting something a little softer, like the fairy-tale angle.”
I get an uneasy feeling. Have we totally missed the mark? Jake seems to be thinking the same thing.
He tries to appease Michael and says, “We definitely could go the fairy-tale route. However, we believe our approach will strongly resonate with our consumer.”
“Yes,” I say. “Speaking from the perspective of your target audience, who doesn’t love a fairy tale? But the thing about fairy tales is there’s usually a damsel in distress who needs rescuing in order to get her happily ever after. I don’t like to think of myself as a victim at the mercy of someone else. I want to have some ownership and a hand in making my own destiny. That’s why I like our approach. It makes me feel empowered and in control instead of helpless, but I still get my happy ending.”
The clients stare at me and nod. Simon again jumps in and says, “Lexi is right, although there are some things we can do creatively to soften the work without losing the integrity of the idea. For instance we could add a faint lipstick kiss by the logo. And maybe our spokeswoman is draped in white bed sheets. That will add more drama given the dark background. We also can play around with different lighting.”
Michael seems excited by the idea. “So you’re flexible then?”
“Absolutely,” says Simon. “We’re open to making adjustments so everyone is comfortable as long as we don’t lose the intent behind the concept.”
“That’s fair,” he says. “Thank you all for coming. It looks like you spent a lot of time and effort on the work. It’s a beautiful and arresting campaign. We should have a response out to all of the agencies within the next month.”
We all shake hands and thank them for their time.
All three of us are quiet on the elevator ride down to the lobby.
Once we’re out of the building, Jake says, “Great job in there, both of you. Whatever happens, I’m proud of the work and the way you handled their questions. It was a tough crowd, but I think we made a strong showing.”
“Do you think we had the right strategy? It seemed like they were expecting something safer,” I say.
“I think we brought them something they weren’t expecting to see. But you both managed to dismiss their con
cerns and show them why this is the right campaign. Lexi, I loved how you reminded them of their target when you gave your perspective on fairy tales. You made the idea seem outdated and irrelevant, but you did it in a way that wasn’t insulting.”
“Thanks.” I smile at him. “You both were great too. Simon, I think you won Michael over with your suggestions.” I turn to Jake. “I’ve never seen you present before. You definitely know how to work a room.”
“A skill I’ve perfected over time. You should see my uncle. I learned from a master.”
“How do you think it went?” I ask Simon.
“I definitely think we have the design director in our court, though I’m not sure how much influence she has. I saw a few smiles from the others when I flipped over the print ads. I think they loved it.”
“Really?”
“You have such little faith. Do you think they want to go with some outdated fairy-tale approach? Sex sells.”
“I’m glad you’re so confident,” I tell him.
“This is your first pitch. Trust me—unexpected is good. No client wants to go with an expected idea, especially in this category.”
“I agree with Simon,” Jake says. “I’m going to call the office to let them know how things went. Are we still on for dinner?”
“Yes,” I say.
“I actually decided to meet up with my friends tonight,” Simon says. “So you two are on your own.”
Jake fidgets with his car keys and seems uncomfortable.
“Is that OK?” I ask him.
“Yeah, no problem. What time is good for you?”
“I don’t know. Seven?”
“Sure. See you then. Oh, by the way, I made massage appointments for both of you at the spa this afternoon. You deserve some relaxation. It’s on me.”
“Thanks,” I say. “That’s really nice of you.”
“Yes, Jake. You are a saint.”
Jake smiles. “See you at dinner, Lexi.”
“See you.” As Simon and I walk back to the car, I give him a suspicious look. “Do you really have plans tonight?”
“Yes. I thought you should take your own advice and get started on this seduction plan. You’re the one who said you want a hand in making your own destiny.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?”
“Yep. So how do you plan to do it?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m taking your advice. It’ll involve alcohol—lots of alcohol.”
He laughs. “Good girl. Now, my dear, I have some calls to make.”
Simon phones the office and gives the creative team an update on how the pitch went. I’m lost in my own thoughts about Jake. Now that the pitch is over, I need to focus on my plan for tonight.
When Simon and I get back to the hotel, I call the spa.
“Hi. This is Lexi Winters. I’m calling to confirm an appointment.”
“Yes, Ms. Winters. We have you down for our signature massage at two followed by a paraffin mani/pedi.”
“Um, great. Thanks.”
“Oh, and Ms. Winters, all services and gratuity have been taken care of.”
I thank her and hang up. I can’t get over the fact that Jake paid for my services. I really don’t think he’s writing this off as a business expense. I call Simon, who answers on the first ring.
“I just called the spa, and Jake treated me to a massage and mani/pedi.”
“He is generous. I have a massage and facial.”
I laugh.
“What? You shouldn’t neglect your skin.”
“OK, see you down there,” I tell him. “Actually, do you want to meet for a quick bite first?”
“Yes. Let’s meet in the lobby in ten minutes.”
I quickly check my e-mail then head downstairs. Simon and I decide to eat outside by the pool. We order salads and split a bowl of fruit.
“I could get used to this kind of treatment,” I tell him.
“Tell me about it.”
“Is Jake always this generous?”
“He’s good to his staff. I hear he gives out great gifts at Christmas. I’ve only traveled with him a handful of times. Now that I think of it, he does always pick up the tab, but it’s usually business-related expenses.”
I digest this news and decide to change the subject. “So tell me about these friends of yours. Who are you going to visit?”
“Shane and Elizabeth. They were the ones who introduced me to Lance. I lived next door to them when I first moved to Chicago, and we were very close. They moved out here a few years ago, so I called them up when I knew we were coming. They were delighted.”
“That’s great. It’s nice that you keep in touch. Do they have any children?”
“No, they tried to for years, but Elizabeth was never able to get pregnant. They were going to adopt, but the plans fell through. I think that’s why they moved—to get a fresh start.”
“Stories like that break my heart. Do you think they’ll try to adopt again?”
“I don’t know…maybe. They’re older now, in their midforties.”
I try not to think about the fact that my biological clock is ticking. This was never a factor for me before, but now that I’m no longer with Ben, it’s something I have to consider. I know I’m only twenty-seven, but who knows how old I’ll be when I meet someone and settle down?
Sensing my mood, Simon says, “Lexi, you’re young. And who knows, after this weekend you just may have yourself a baby daddy.” I punch him lightly on the arm.
We head to the spa for our appointments. After checking in we each receive a locker key and go to change. I blow Simon a kiss. “See you later.” I head into the changing room and find a big, white, fluffy robe with a matching pair of terry-cloth slippers in my locker. I put them on and head into the waiting room. It’s dimly lit; soft classical music is playing; and the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of jasmine. Immediately I feel more relaxed. I love going to the spa; it’s just something I don’t do that often. I regularly treat myself to nail appointments but never at a place like this. A woman in a white smock comes in and calls my name. I stand up, and she introduces herself as Monica. I follow her down the hall into one of the treatment rooms. She tells me to undress and lie down on the table. After she leaves I do as she says and slip under the sheets, which are heated. This is heavenly. She knocks and comes in; then she gets to work putting a cucumber mask over my eyes. She asks me if there are any particular areas that are bothering me.
“My neck and shoulders are a bit stiff.”
“Do you sit behind a desk?”
“Mainly, yes.”
“OK. I’ll put some extra focus there. But we’ll start on your front first.”
I find myself relaxing as she works. After a while she has me roll onto my stomach.
“My, you are tense,” she says as she works on a knot in my back.
“I’ve been under a lot of stress lately.”
“Just try to relax and picture the tension rolling off your body.”
I do as instructed and make a concerted effort not to think about this evening. A short while later she pats my back and informs me she’s finished. She tells me to dress, after which she’ll take me to my next appointment. I stretch luxuriously, put my robe and slippers back on, then head to the locker room to change. When I emerge, Monica is waiting for me.
“Thank you. That was wonderful.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your stay.”
I certainly intend to. She takes me to Trina, who’s doing my mani/pedi. She tells me to go choose a color. I decide on Essie’s “You Don’t Know Jacques!” for my toes and “Angel Food” for my hands. I find an issue of Us Weekly and catch up on celebrity gossip while my feet are soaking. Trina adds some orange peel and flower petals to the water. Does it get any better than this? I’d text Jake, but I think they frown upon people using their cell phones in here. An hour later my nails are drying when a cute girl who looks to be about my age sits next to me.
“I love your color,” she says, eyeing my toes.
“Thanks. I’ve gotten it on my fingernails but never my toes before. I wasn’t sure if I should do this or red.”
“No, I like it. It’s a good choice.”
“Thanks. Are you here for a special occasion?”
“A wedding. It’s tomorrow.”
Just then one of the nail technicians calls her name. “Have you chosen your color?” she asks.
“Yes, I want what she has.”
I smile at her. “Have fun at the wedding.”
I dry for about twenty minutes then head upstairs. I decide to take a short nap before getting ready for dinner. I place a wake-up call for five and also set my cell-phone alarm, just in case. This is one time I definitely can’t afford to oversleep. I need to look perfect. After channeling our target consumer for the pitch these past few weeks, it’s my turn to play the temptress.
I must have fallen asleep, because the phone wakes me up from a dream. I take a long shower then carefully blow-dry my hair. I decide to wear it down with a center part, but instead of flat ironing it, I use a big round brush. I want full, sexy hair. For my makeup I do smoky eyes in a bronze palette with nude glossy lips. Now what to wear? Of course I packed lots of options. I decide on a short chiffon halter dress that’s a deep coral color. It’s always brought me good luck; plus it looks great with my tan. I wonder if it’s sexy enough, because it has a high neckline, but I figure the back is open; plus it’s cinched at the waist, which gives it a very flattering fit. I pair it with gold stiletto sandals, chandelier earrings, and a cuff bracelet. As a finishing touch, I add my secret weapon, a dab of Emporio Armani, on my neck and wrists. I throw my phone, lipstick, some cash, and my hotel key in a clutch. I double-check my reflection in the mirror and fluff my hair. Satisfied, I make my way to Jake’s room. We didn’t discuss an actual meeting place, so I figure I’ll stop by on my way to the lobby. I’m ten minutes early, but I’m too antsy to sit and wait in my room. I’m so nervous that I probably should have raided the minibar beforehand. But I didn’t want to meet him smelling like alcohol, so I figure I’ll just get drunk at dinner.