Since all traces of snow were gone and Suzanna thought it would be fun to go, Quentin decided to rent a car and drive up. Black tie was specified.
Quentin was the type of man for whom evening clothes were made, and Suzy looked forward to them both dressing up.
They headed out to dinner after work on Friday night, then went to the musical he had so thoughtfully found tickets for. She thought it was every bit as good as she had heard, and thanked Quentin warmly in the back of the taxi on the way back to apartment.
Once there, they indulged in a few heated caresses, and then she finished packing her bag with everything she'd need for the party the following night, plus another change of clothes. Then they called a cab and went to Quentin's apartment.
They had decided it would be easier to drive to Tuxedo from Quentin's than from Suzy's since he lived right by the George Washington Bridge, and he wanted to host for the New Year's weekend, since she had had him over for Christmas.
This would be the first time they dressed together for a party. It was a little bit like the informal intimacy of being married, involving as it did some little elbowing to get a peek in the mirror for shaving or makeup. They loved it.
Quentin was strikingly handsome in traditional black with a white pintuck shirt. Looking at him made Suzy's heart stand still.
Suzanna wore her gold lame, not new, but exquisite. Quentin had never seen it on her before, and was enchanted. He called her his 'golden girl' all evening.
They made a spectacular couple. Her gold charm bracelet was her only piece of jewellery and she knew it would be a real conversation piece that would help break the ice at the party.
The Cyrus Reed estate was on the side of a mountain, across Route 17 and almost opposite the old Tuxedo railroad station. There was a high privacy fence around it with a uniformed security guard at the gate.
Quentin stopped to be identified, and showed their invitation. The house itself was huge and of whitewashed brick. A butler answered the door and took Suzanna's wrap and Quentin's coat.
He announced them in the doorway which led to a small ballroom where dancing to a three-piece combo was in progress.
Martha and Cyrus Reed came forward to greet them and introduce them around the room to those not dancing. All heads turned toward them to look and question. The faces, in addition to being exceptionally striking, were also vaguely familiar to everyone.
Gradually, people started to recollect where they had seen these now-familiar faces before, and gathered around to express their admiration of the commercials. Cyrus and Martha explained that these were also the two talented people responsible for their latest sales campaign.
Then Suzy showed her bracelet to the Reeds, who were extravagant in their praise.
Martha Reed expressed a desire to have copies of the Imperial Food charms, and asked if Suzanna or Quentin would mind.
They were both flattered.
"I don't mind at all," Quentin said with a smile, before telling them where he had had them custom-made.
Now that the ice was broken, Suzy and Quentin became part of the friendly gathering. Martha Reed told Suzy she had tried all her recipes, with excellent results. They showed Suzanna and Quentin to the bar, then left to greet more guests.
The bartender fixed them a drink apiece, and they picked up some food from the lavish buffet, and sat for a while watching the dancers.
The food served consisted of delicacies like lobster thermidor, salmon in aspic with truffles, Japanese snow crab, jumbo shrimp and prime rib. They had helped themselves to a bit of each, and were impressed with all they ate.
When they had finished eating, they joined the throng on the dance floor. Suzy was comfortable in Quentin's arms, and they were well-matched. He was, like Suzy, a good natural dancer. They saw quite a few people they knew since many of the guests were also in advertising, although with other agencies.
By the time the eleven o'clock dessert buffet was served, they had met everyone there. It was a congenial gathering with none of the cattiness she had come to fear. The dessert table was laden with various cakes, an assortment of ice creams and sauces, chocolate mousse and crème brulee. She had to try to restrain herself and not eat her dessert too romantically with Quentin, who had a dab of mousse at the corner of his handsome mouth which she would have loved to have licked away.
When everyone had finished with brandy or liqueur, they went back to the dance floor. Quentin and Suzy danced the night away, hardly noticing the time as their bodies met, melded, merged, a tantalizing taste of what was to come once they were finally alone together. She had never been so happy, and hoped he felt the same.
Near midnight, noisemakers of all kinds handed out. At five minutes before twelve, the host turned on the large TV set to the throngs in Times Square.
The whole convivial group joined in the countdown as the giant golden ball descended.
On the stroke of midnight, Quentin took Suzanna in his arms to give her his first kiss of their first New Year's Eve together.
"I love you, my golden girl," he whispered in her ear.
"I love you too, darling," she whispered back, stroking his cheek. "I'm so glad we came. Thank you."
"So am I. I know all these people can see that we belong together."
After that, pandemonium broke loose. There was lots of kissing, hand-shaking, back-slapping and horn-blowing. There was a magnificent grand piano in the room, and Suzy wasn't standing far from it.
She turned to Quentin and said, "The three piece trio seems to be a bit remiss. Do you think I should play Auld Lang Syne?"
Quentin beamed and nodded. "I think they'd love it. Go ahead."
Suzanna sat down, and after a four-bar intro that caught everyone's attention, she and Quentin started to sing. In seconds they were joined by the whole party, including the three musicians, who had been on a mis-timed supper break.
Then the band started up again, and began to play the slow, nostalgic golden oldies--the kind for lovers only.
Suzy saw Martha and Cyrus Reed watching them indulgently from the sidelines. Their kindly smiles led her to believe that they now knew there was more that a business arrangement between the advertising executive and his assistant, but were pleased for the and not at all scandalized.
She mentioned it to Quentin, and he nodded. "I don't care who knows now. You've more than paid your dues, with all your hard work. We both know I had nothing to do with Candy choosing you as her Femme Fatale, and your Imperial Foods success was the product of years of your fabulous cooking, darling. Nothing at all to do with me, or even Elder and Rubin."
"Thank you, darling, but I think you're underestimating how much you did contribute to my success. Your support, especially when Brad was stealing my ideas, meant the difference between soaring like an eagle, or getting fired and scurrying away with my tail between my legs, and we both know it."
"You, scurry? Never."
"Except to get into bed with you," she said with a sultry purr.
He grinned. "Indeed. You are a most frisky little kitten then, my love."
"But seriously, thank you. And Happy New Year. With us toasting to an even better one than last year, if such a thing is possible."
"Amen to that, my gorgeous pet." He stooped and kissed her, amid the indulgent smiles of all who had been admiring the young couple.
It was almost one when the party started to break up.
Since Quentin and Suzanna had a fairly long drive ahead of them, they were among the first to take their departure. They said goodbye, and as they stopped to say goodnight and thank you to the Reeds, Suzy was surprised and delighted to be given a motherly embrace and a kiss on the cheek by Martha Reed. She was even more surprised to receive a bear hug and kiss from Cyrus.
"Thank you for coming, my dear, and thank you, Quentin, for bringing her. You two certainly dress up a party."
"Yes," added Martha, "It was delightful to have you both. I hope you'll come again soon. We're not usually
this formal, but it's easier to hire help for special occasions now that we're getting on in years."
"Everything was lovely, and we would certainly enjoy coming again, and seeing you socially again," Suzanna said warmly.
"Happy New Year!" said Cyrus.
"And many more for all of us," said Quentin.
They headed to the car, and Cyrus walked a way down the drive with them. "Will you call me at the office during the week, Quentin? I'd like to talk some more business with you."
"Of course," said Quentin. "Maybe we could have lunch later in the week?"
"Fine. I'll let you know what slots I have free when I look at my calendar."
He helped Suzy into the car, and with a final goodnight, they left the rest of the revelers and started back to the city.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
When Suzanna got to her office on Tuesday morning after her fabulous New Year's weekend at the Reeds and at Quentin's apartment, Sharon said, "I took a message for you and left on your desk. Nathan Elder would like to see you in his office as soon as you get in."
Suzanna thanked her and went to put her coat away, trying not to feel alarmed. She had gone home the night before to pick up her mail and get a change of clothes.
Quentin hadn't come in yet, and his cell phone kept going to voice mail, so there was no way of telling him about the message.
For some reason, she felt a bit uneasy about it, and wished he was there with her.
She left word with Sharon to tell Quentin about her summons to Elder's office as soon as he arrived, and headed up with a dire feeling of dread, though she could not have explained why.
Suzanna had never before had any reason before to go up to the 'ivory tower' as the employees referred to the VIP floor, so she was ready to start looking for signs when she got off.
As it happened, she didn't have far to look. Elder's office was almost directly opposite the elevator. Suzanna took a deep breath, knocked at the door and walked in.
The receptionist looked up from her desk and said, "Yes? What can I do for you? Oh! Excuse me. You're Ms. Sills, the Femme Fatale, aren't you?"
"In name only, for the ad campaign," Suzanne joked lightly. "I believe Mr. Elder wants to see me."
"Yes, he does. He's waiting for you. Go right in."
Suzanna opened the door and entered, clutching her small pad and pen nervously. She was wearing a simple beige shirt-waist dress with a multi-stripe ascot in autumnal colors, business-like and sensible, not designed to excite or entice.
Yet, when she walked in, the eager gleam in Elder's eye, the alacrity with which he jumped from his chair, and the effusive way he greeted her as he took her hand, almost brought back the nervousness she had felt back in the days before Quentin.
"Ms. Sills!" he exclaimed in an oily voice, obviously meant to be ingratiating. "I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to make your acquaintance. Naturally, I've admired and been impressed by your work, as I'm sure Quentin Pierce must have told you. Do sit down."
He held a chair for her, and although he didn't actually touch her, she felt herself flinch involuntarily. She smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, yes, Mr. Pierce did tell me that you liked my work. But what can I do for you now?"
"It's what I can do for you, actually. It occurs to me that you deserve a promotion as well as a raise. I've spoken with Mr. Rubin about it and he approves. I've also had a sign made for your desk."
He opened a drawer and took out a walnut plaque with 'Suzanna Sills, Junior Exec.' printed in gold letters.
Suzanna was dumfounded. "You can't be serious. The raise is one thing. I think I have earned that. But I've been with you only four months. I think I need at least another year as Mr. Pierce's assistant before I'm ready to tackle a Junior Executive position. I'm just not ready."
"Nonsense, Ms. Sills. In the four months you've been here, you have secured for us two big accounts, Imperial Foods and Femme Fatale Cosmetics, and the phone has been practically ringing off the hook since for people who want us to produce the same magical successes for them as you did this holiday season."
"Mr. Elder, the only reason I was able to secure those accounts was that Mr. Pierce had already laid the groundwork. I'm just not ready to be on my own. I'm more the creative side, if you see what I mean, than the wheeling and dealing side."
His brows knit. "False modesty, I am sure."
"No, really, I mean it. Mr. Pierce manages the clients so I can keep producing. It's a well-balanced team and I would hate to break it up. Kind though your offer is, I'd like to take a rain check, but if I can't, well, I'm happy as I am. Very grateful for all the opportunities you've given me, of course, and flattered at the offer, but I'm afraid I would have to respectfully decline at this time."
"Ms. Sills, I'd like you to think this over very carefully. With my backing, there's no telling how far you could go. I'm sure you like your office. You could keep it. Mr. Pierce's office is large enough so that we could build a cubicle in one corner for his new assistant.
"Wouldn't that be terribly expensive?" asked Suzy, trying to wriggle off the hook gracefully.
"Not compared to the raise we're planning on giving you."
He mentioned a sum that was music to her ears, but also astronomical.
"Really, that's incredibly generous—"
"You're worth it. You've already brought in so much with Femme Fatale, it's actually peanuts."
She stared at him. "May I have time to think about this?" she asked.
"I don't see what there is to think about, so I'll give you two weeks to clear your desk, and for Quentin to find someone else. I'm sure you'll make the right decision."
"Supposing I decide against it?" Suzanna asked, wanting to know the worst.
He smirked. "I don't think you'll do that. It wouldn't be wise, and you seem like a smart girl. I'm sure you'll find that your career comes first, unless of course, you've formed some kind of, er, personal liaison with Quentin Pierce?"
"Nothing like that," lied Suzanna with as much sincerity as she could muster. "I work hard. I certainly don't sleep my way to the top."
"Good, because office affairs are always a bad idea, as I'm sure you know," he said with a leer.
"I'll certainly keep that in mind, Mr. Elder. May I go back to work now?"
"Of course. I'll expect to see you here in two weeks ready, for your new er, duties."
Suzanna rose on trembling legs, thanked him with as much grace as she could muster, and fled from the office, shivering as she fled.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Once outside Mr. Elder's office, Suzanna finally felt as though she could breathe again. She should have been delighted at the incredible offer. Instead, she was devastated.
For the first time since starting to work there, she felt under real threat, and had no idea what to do to protect herself.
Elder was the serpent in Paradise. He had been Sondra the porcupine's sponsor, she was sure of it. She would have to ask Quentin, and what he would say about all of this, she had no idea. She hoped he would not overreact to the come-on, and do something they would all regret.
All the way down the elevator, she tried to calm herself, so that he would not see how shaken she had been.
As luck would have it, she ran into Brad Sherman just as she was coming off the elevator on her floor.
"Suzy," he said without preamble, "you're just the person I want to see. May I come into your office for a few minutes?"
"Of course."
Quentin was seated at the large table, obviously waiting for her, and could not quite conceal his surprise at seeing Suzanna walk in with Brad. He was even more surprised when she asked him to leave because she needed a private word with Brad.
But he did as he had been asked, and closed his office door behind him, none too gently.
Brad perched himself on the edge of the sofa and said, "I know that Mr. Elder sent for you this morning and I have a pretty good idea why. Please don't be insulted. You're too good
for this."
"For what?"
"I'm going to say it straight out. He's an old pervert, and the last thing in the world you want is to get into his clutches. Listen, I know someone must have told you about Sondra, the last girl who worked here."
"The porcupine."
Brad blushed. "I was one of the--well, you know. That is how I discovered Elder's interest in her. He is a notorious old chaser. I'm amazed in this much more canny day and age, that no one has ever prosecuted him. I suppose good jobs are hard to come by, and women make compromises. Compromises just like I did. It worked for me for a while. I got moved up the ladder, but Sondra dropped me soon enough when someone more interesting and challenging came along."
Campaign for Love Page 22