"Sir, Sir," I hear Taylor's voice from my cocoon. I am wrapped in giant flower petals and warm butterfly wings.
"SIR!"
I cannot stop my eyes from opening. I turn my head towards Taylor's loud voice. A sweet little kitten mewls from within my nest of warmth. I give my head of security the stink eye.
"Sir, it is 7:25. Your first meeting starts in thirty-five minutes."
The silky kitten morphs into a bed-headed brunette who pops up looking like I feel - discombobulated and put out.
"Fuck! Christian, we overslept," the kitten moans. What in the holy hell is this dream?
Blinking several times, I realize that I am in Ana's room in the suite at the casino. Taylor is standing at the door looking in at Ana in her robe and me in my sweatpants cuddled in her bed.
In two long strides, I slam the door in Taylor's face. Grumpy kitten is for my eyes only. Taylor is paid well enough to get over it. Ana is standing at the foot of the bed, looking back and forth from her suitcase to the bathroom. She appears unable to logically sequence her morning routine. I step into her bathroom, start her shower, kiss her forehead, and head to my own bathroom to do the same.
Seventeen minutes later, we reconvene in the living room. Morning mess Ana has morphed into professional Ms. Steele. Her hair is crafted into a high pony with a tendril wrapped at the base to hide her hair tie. Her make-up is minimal and flawless. She is wearing a well tailored, navy pencil skirt and fitted blazer over a stem green silk blouse. She is wearing navy, patent Mary Jane heals and has her laptop and files tucked in an over-sized Louis Vuitton shoulder bag. Oh, fuck me…please let her stockings be thigh highs attached to a lace garter belt. Ms. Steele breaks character just long enough to give me a once over with an approving hum before she is back to being all business. Taylor summons our elevator and we head down to rule the universe.
Normally, my time spent with the German-arm of GEH is no different than time with any of my other executive teams around the world. I believe in hiring top-notch talent and incentivizing them to perform well. Unfortunately, today's meeting is not going as well as I expected.
During our meeting preparations, Ana noted a few discrepancies in this quarter's data. Such deviations are not uncommon. They are usually explained by data reclassification and such. It is for this reason that I insist on conducting these in-person meetings on a regular basis. Spreadsheets and executive summaries can only paint so much of the picture. It is in person that I can fully assess each team's performance.
Soon after the meeting commences, it becomes obvious that the discrepancies are indicative of performance issues on the German front. While I appreciate that the team with whom we are meeting is frank and honest, I am angered that this is the first that I am hearing of trouble from their office. If the numbers that Ana pulled are correct, this could affectGEH's quarterly global earnings. In short, GEH will have its first ever decline in market value. I should have been made aware of these issues months ago.
By lunch time, the atmosphere in the conference room is thick with tension. Suit coats are removed and sleeves are rolled up as we work through the data to develop new strategies to salvage this disaster. Ana arranges for a catered lunch to be brought in. When I suggest that we take a fifteen-minute break, Ana passes me a slip of paper suggesting that I give everyone an hour until we reconvene. I shoot her a dirty look but make the suggestion. The room clears quickly.
"An hour, Ms. Steele?" I raise an eyebrow in judgment.
"During my study abroad semester, I found that the professors always gave extended breaks during long seminars. Thomas explained that it is very European to take a long walk, have a cigarette, or sit in the sun after lunch. These long breaks help avoid the after-lunch coma that happens in so many American meetings."
Sure enough, when the team re-assembles an hour later, they are refreshed and ready to problem solve. Another point for Ana Steele from Montesano.
The German executives are diligent about working until well after sun set. When my German head of operations suggests that we adjourn for the day, Ana suggests that we schedule to reconvene at the GEH offices in Frankfurt at 1 pm the next day. When I shoot her the stink eye, she mouths 'reducing the carbon footprint.' Who am I to argue with my own edict?
Most of the German team departs Baden-Baden for their Frankfurt homes as soon as the meeting ends. I invite my head of operations to join me for dinner. Before I can extend the invitation to include his assistant and mine, I hear two of the female executives inviting Ana to join them at a near-by restaurant. Ana surprises them and me by politely declining. She blames the effects of all of our travel and jet leg and bows out for room service and an early lights out. My dinner is necessary for business purposes. As I prepare to depart, Ana collects my things and returns to our shared suite.
My dinner runs long. When my companion suggests that we hit the casino, I politely decline and head for my suite. The elevator ride up is my first chance to process the events of the prior evening. I secretly hope to find Ana curled asleep in my bed. What I would not give for another night spent inhaling her scent and curling into her warmth. Even better, perhaps Ms. Steele has managed to stay awake so that we can talk about what happened last night and where we go from here.
Alas, not all wishes come true. As I let myself into the suite and bid Taylor good evening, I am greeted with an empty living room. The lights are dimmed except for a few table lamps to guide my way. The door to Ana's room is shut. My bed is turned down but empty. After a quick shower, I don sleep pants and a t-shirt. I poor a Scotch and settle in to answer emails before turning out the lights. I am pleased to find a relatively empty inbox. I attribute this to my assistant's diligence with staying on top of my correspondence. Even Andrea struggles to manage things with this level of efficiency.
With unexpected time on my hands, I take my Scotch out to the balcony. I sip the amber liquid as I breathe in the sights and sounds of Baden-Baden. Taking a play from Ana's book, I quiet my mind and absorb the moment. An uncharacteristic inner peace washes over me.
Before retiring to my room, I am tempted to peek in on Ana. It takes great self-restraint to stop myself from cracking her door to check on her sleeping form. Despite what we shared last night, I am still her boss and we have yet to define and delineate what happened between us and what we want to happen moving forward. After double checking the deadbolt and brushing my teeth, I climb into my cold, empty bed. As I reach for the bedside lamp, I see a folded note with Christian penned in a lovely cursive.
Dear Christian,
I plan to take a short hike on a nearby trail tomorrow morning. I hope that you will consider joining me. The trail is rated easy so running shoes should suffice. If you are interested, meet me in the lobby at 5 am. A car and driver have been arranged.
Anastasia
I find the note interesting on several points. First, it highlights Ana's adventurous spirit. Never once have any of my other business travel companions planned a side jaunt just for enjoyment. Second, the note makes it clear that Ana will be hiking with or without me. Third, and most curious is the way that she signed off. She ended the note with no 'sincerely' or 'yours truly.' Additionally, she signed her full first name. Is this meant to be some sort of formality? I suppose it is more endearing than using her last name but less casual than penning just 'Ana.' In short, this brief note gives me no insight into what she is thinking and how she is processing our previous night's dalliance.
For a skinny minute, I consider texting Elliott a copy of her note and asking for his opinion. The only thing that stops me is knowing that he will then require all of the details of our trip since we last spoke in Taiwan. Instead, I place the note under my charging phone and set the alarm for zero dark thirty. It would seem that a hiking trip is in my future.