Sorry for the lag. I just noticed that it has been over a month since I updated and I apologize for that. I feel like I am always apologizing. This chapter seemed so long, but I was really trying to slowly transit Sandy as the man we love to the man he unfortunately turned into during season three.
This chapter is dedicated to Patty who had a very rough few weeks. Hope you are keeping your head high!
KellyPeter – Is crying a good thing?
Andy – Who doesn't love Sandy Cohen, although the next few chapters will challenge that theory.
KrabbyPatty
– I agree that this episode was one of the better ones of Season
Three. I really try to fill all the gaps and hope it doesn't seem
choppy when I do so. I wish we saw more of Neil and Sandy just being
guys. We lost all of the hope for that in Season Four when he went to
hang out with Derek, Meredith and the gang. The smut is never enough
for you! I always try for Julie to dig for info into Kandy's sex
life, but I always hit a wall. Find your muse!
Cohenwannabe –
There is more Julie/Kirsten banter in this chapter for you!
Panzie – A compliment from you is an honor. Can't wait for your post.
JennylovesKandy – Hope you enjoyed France. Thanks for the quote.
SexyEm - So glad you are still reading.
Chicaanglaise – Most of the time I forget what happens in a particular episode until I research it. I'm glad you enjoyed being taken back to it.
Rach – The evil business man is below!
Cheerleader2006 – I never knew anyone anxious for angst. Hopefully I will do it justice.
4everkandy – Glad you liked it.
KandyFan – Thanks for the compliment.
Bronwyn – Here's the update.
It was a big day. This day could make or break his career as a CEO. Sandy kept telling himself to stick to his morals and everything would be fine. He could impress the pants off of anybody. He impressed Caleb. Well, maybe impressed wasn't the right word. He was accepting of Sandy marrying his oldest daughter. Of course, acceptance didn't come for many, many years.
Kirsten always told him he was a natural charmer. He just had to believe her. That didn't mean he didn't need his reinforcements.
"Hey baby. Have you seen my lucky tie?" Sandy asked when he saw Kirsten as he entered the kitchen.
"I got it dry cleaned." She held up the tie to show him.
"Oh." He momentarily gave her surprised look, before remembering how well she really did know him. She knew it was a big day for him. "You're an angel."
"Big day?" Ryan asked.
"Well I got to sign some papers, make a few calls, build a hospital."
"Building a hospital? Wow!"
Sandy knew he couldn't take all the credit. "Well, Caleb deserves most of the credit. I just inherited the project."
"So who's paying for it?" Ryan asked, intrigued at such a big development.
"The board of the Newport Laguna Medical Center. They commissioned a proposal from us and from a firm in Brea. Today, we're both presenting."
Kirsten could sense the nervousness in Sandy's voice. "And they are going to pick you."
"Well, now that I got my lucky tie..." He tried to joke but Kirsten could see right through it.
Seth interrupted them all as he walked in with the news that he has an interview with a Brown representative. Although showing the support he needed, Seth seemed extremely uneasy about it. Although offering to practice, Sandy dismissed himself pretty quickly. Seth didn't show it, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
As Kirsten made her way to the front door, Sandy held it for her as she exited. As they made there way to their individual cars, Kirsten called to him across the driveway. "You better keep your promise to him. He seems off about this whole Brown interview." She leaned in to the backseat of her car, dumping the pile of portfolios to be filed.
He looked up from where he was placing his suit jacket to the sound of her voice. His eyes were met with the curves of the sexiest woman he was lucky enough to sleep next to every night. "I always keep my promises." He slowly made his way over to her, his eyes glued to her ass.
Her head resurrected from the backseat and her eyes met his and he closed the distance between them. "Not always." She teased.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Ever since this proposal has been on the books, you have not come to bed at a decent time. If I remember correctly, two nights ago you made a promise that you definitely didn't keep."
He knew exactly what she was talking about and felt the need to defend himself. "I didn't want to wake you up. You looked too peaceful."
"You still broke your promise." She said opening the front door to the vehicle.
"What if I make you another promise?" He asked hoping for another chance.
"I hate to say it but they are not carrying much weight these days."
He leaned in closer, resting his hands on her shoulders. "What if I begged?"
"Begging is good." She said leaning up to capture his lips. "You know, when I worked at the Newport Group, I always made time for this."
His eyes spoke volumes, his sorrow evident. "I'm trying to manage my time better. It will get better." He leaned in to kiss her. "It has to." He smiled, loving how her kisses made him feel.
"Will you be home for dinner tonight?" She asked, hopeful.
"If I didn't have this meeting, I would walk back through those doors right now." He joked.
"Oh, Seth would just love that." She imagined the look on Seth's face and it made her smile.
He backed away from her, his mind set back to the task ahead. "See you later." As he headed toward his car, he heard her voice.
"You're going to be great. The only one that needs convincing of that is you." She wondered where his self-confidence went sometimes.
As he walked into his office, Sandy felt focused and positive. It wasn't long for Matt to notice. "It looks like you're ready."
"I'm ready to kill this. You?"
"Yeah. What helped you get over the negative hump?"
"A certain sexy blonde told me I could do this." Sandy said with a wink and a smile.
"I need a sexy blonde in my life." He joked.
After the meeting, which he thought went well, Matt went looking for Sandy.
"I took a look at The Brea Group's plan this morning, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to spook you before the presentation." Matt needed to let Sandy know his fears.
Sandy had no idea where this is going. "So?"
"It's good!"
"Better than ours?"
Matt knew Sandy wasn't going to like what he had to say, but it had to be said. "They're both excellent, but The Brea Group has been wining and dining Bill Merriam and the board for months. I mean dinner, concerts, cruises..."
"Well we offered them bagels when they came in." Sandy knew where this was headed and throwing a joke in was not at the expense of his intelligence. It was his way of showing Matt that he didn't care.
"I'm worried that we've handicapped ourselves." Matt knew the way the business world worked. Did Sandy really know what he was doing?
"When I got into this, I said I wouldn't do business by plying people with meals and gifts."
"And I respect that, I do, but what it could all come down to is who Bill Merriam likes more?" Matt wanted to do more.
"Well, hopefully he'll appreciate the fact that we appealed to his intelligence and not to his taste for Pinot."
"Sandy, I think we need to up our game a bit."
"How so?"
"We need to see what he likes and play on it. Cater to his every need to ensure that he picks us over them. We haven't done anything to..." he struggled with his words and decided to be blunt. "....to kiss his ass."
"I'm not stupid Matt. I know that business works on many, many levels that I am not willing to stoop down to. That is not who I am and that is not how I want to run this business."
"But that is what works!" Matt argued.
"That is how Caleb did things. He was sneaky and shady and extremely unethical. He bargained for everything."
"Caleb was successful. He had the respect of many people in this town. People who we will need in the long run."
"The last thing I want to do is use Caleb as an example to follow. He used everyone in his life to get what he wanted, including Kirsten and I won't do it."
"We need this project Sandy."
"Hopefully, we'll get it without compromising ourselves in the process."
On his way home Sandy thought about what Matt said and knew he was probably right. Businessmen were of the lowest kind. He needed to stick to his morals. As he pulled up the driveway, he didn't want to think about it anymore and decided to go check on Seth. He knew something was bothering him and was hoping he would open up to him.
As he guessed, Seth was having second guesses about moving away from home. Sandy could empathize with that and told a story from his past to put his mind at ease. Everyone had these jitters. He would have to get over them. Sandy was completely distracted as the phone rang. This was it.
The phone call from the hospital board.
He noticed the disappointment in Seth's eyes as he accepted the call, but he had no choice. He needed to hear the potentially good news. He made a mental note to follow up with Seth.
Kirsten was making dinner when a sullen looking Sandy walked in.
"What's wrong?" She asked, figuring it was about the hospital project.
"Bill Merriam called. It looks like there going with the group in Brea."
Kirsten could feel his disappointment. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"I just really wanted this project." He didn't want to tell her that The Newport Group was extremely close to failure without it.
"Is it too late for a new approach?" She was hoping to salvage something from their meeting. She hadn't seen Sandy this disappointed since he was rejected from a job from an environmental law firm almost 20 years ago.
"No. We took our shot. Plus, I don't want a contract if we have to get it by plying some guy with Kobe beef."
"If that's what you think would convince him, I think you're selling yourself short." She knew there was so much more to Sandy than this. She knew he could convince anyone of anything as long as he put his mind to it. She had that much belief in him.
"What do you mean?"
"I just know that when you wooed me, there was no caviar and champagne, and you did alright." She gave him a smile, reminiscing of a time when life was so simple.
Sandy smiled back at her, remembering exactly what he did to woo her. It still amazed him that she gave him the time of day. "I should take Bill Merriam out for pizza and bad wine in the back of a mail truck."
The image of one of their first dates flashed in her mind and her smile grew wider. "I mean show him who you are beyond schedules and budgets." That is what she loved about him. He showed her who he was without the fine restaurants and fancy cars. He was different than the others and that drew her in. "And who knows, maybe he loves pizza." She leaned in to kiss his cheek. It was a moment he would never forget. She was always supportive, but sometimes he needed to be reminded of the good things he had to offer.
"Thank you baby." He said sheepishly, still not confident this approach would work. "I still wonder what I did to make you agree to go out with me."
"You did a lot of things. You were different from everyone else. Your approach was different. Your style was different and that intrigued me."
"You know, your life would have probably been much easier if you stuck to the rich, cocky routine that every guy offered you."
"Maybe easier, but definitely not half as much fun." She gave him a mega-watt smile.
"Well hopefully Bill Merriam is a smart as you are."
"That I can't promise, but turn on that charm of yours and it could melt anybody away."
Reason number infinity to why he loved this woman. "Thank you."
With his renewed confidence that Kirsten gave him, he decided to meet Matt in the office to discuss another meeting with Bill.
Matt was thrilled Sandy changed his mind. This would definitely help their cause. "This is a good idea. I know that they officially haven't given Brea the word yet. What should I do? Set up a tee time? Reservation at The Arches?" Matt's mind was running in a million directions, trying to appeal to Bill's tastes.
"You've ever eaten at El Pavo Loco?"
"No. Is that a new restaurant?" Matt didn't like the sound of this.
"It's a burrito stand. I thought we'd take him on a walking tour of the neighborhoods around the hospital." Sandy could tell Matt was not on board with the idea.
"You're kidding?"
"The Brea group's hospital is smack in an exclusive area. Ours would serve more people. I want to bring that home." Stick to the basics, Sandy kept telling himself. This was about the hospital, not the personal likes of Bill Merriam.
"Sandy...." Matt started to question.
"I know." Sandy closes his eyes, trying to shut out the righteous disapproval that Matt was about to disclose. "It's not how the rest of the world does business." Sandy shrugged his shoulders.
"Okay. I'll tell Bill Merriam that he'll have a day he'll never forget."
"I know you don't agree, but it worked for me once. I am willing to give it another try."
"What worked for you once? Not competing? Bowing out? Take a road less traveled?"
"Our proposals and our work ethic should be enough to win him over."
"Tell me when this worked for you because right now I am not feeling too confident about your approach."
"Look at me. Take a good, hard look. There's nothing special about who I am or where I come from. But yet, I somehow managed to get the most beautiful woman in the world to agree to spend the rest of her life with me. I won her over with absolutely nothing, but this." He pointed to the left side of his chest. "My heart is fully invested in building this hospital. That is what I have to offer and I can only hope that it is enough."
"Okay. Hopefully Bill will see that as well."
The next morning Sandy needed to speak to Seth. Today was his big interview and he wanted to show his support. He didn't look well. He looked nervous and scared all at once. He tried to offer encouraging words, but he seemed somewhat angry. It was weird, but he was brooding like Ryan. Sometimes he knew better to just leave him be.
Last night was an improvement, but Kirsten could not remember the last time she and Sandy spent the entire day together. Today was going to be no different. He was trying his new approach on Bill Merriam while she helped Julie with Kaitlin's birthday party at Neil's.
"Thank you so much for your help, Kiki. God knows I have my talents; cooking is not one of them." Julie loved having Kirsten by her side.
"Well it was nice of Neil to lend you his house." Kirsten pointed out the obvious, trying to squirm information out of Julie.
"Yes. He is a gentleman."
"Is he?" Kirsten gave Julie a look, indicating she was questioning what was going on between the two of them. How much of a gentleman could he really be? What were they already doing that Neil was already loaning her his house to use as her own. Kirsten couldn't help but pose that question.
There weren't many times Julie could defend herself in this position. "Kirsten please, we've hardly had a real date. We haven't even kissed."
"But he offered his house for Kaitlin's birthday. I'd say that's a good sign."
Julie didn't want to jinx it and changed the subject. "It is a beautiful house, although I was thinking you could change out the marble in the entrance hall, add some of the furniture..."
Kirsten interrupted. "Julie, since you haven't kissed yet, you might want to hold off on the redecorating."
"Yeah. Just making conversation."
"As long as that is all you were doing."
"I just don't want to think something is there when it's all in my imagination. You know how things happen. You kiss and then that immediately turns into sex and then before you know it, there is a break up. I am just trying to enjoy this safe zone. You know what I'm saying right?"
Kirsten just gave her a blank look. "You lost me." She admitted.
"There is such a small window of time before a relationship turns sexual."
"There is?" Kirsten didn't mean to sound so naive, but it had been so long since she was in the dating scene.
"Like with Carter." Julie said, bringing Kirsten back to a time she rather not think about. "It probably wasn't long before you slept with him." Julie noticed the horrified look on Kirsten's face and decided to fill the awkward silence. "Sex just comes so quickly."
"I never slept with Carter. I can't believe you thought I did." Kirsten was clearly upset, but not at Julie. She was upset that she gave off that vibe. She was a married woman.
"I'm sorry. I just assumed you did." Julie knew she hurt Kirsten's feelings and that wasn't her intention. "What about Sandy?"
"What about Sandy?" Kirsten asked, not knowing where Julie was taking this.
"Wasn't the time when you started dating, but before you slept together such a wonderful era?"
Kirsten was trying to think back to such a time. She couldn't help but smile and thoughts of Sandy washed away the thoughts of Carter. She couldn't help it, but she began to blush.
"What?" Julie wished she were inside her mind.
"Nothing." Kirsten quickly answered.
Julie gasped at the realization that fit like perfect pieces of a puzzle. "There wasn't much time, was there?"
"I'm not answering this." She said as she began to carry out the tray of food.
Later that day, Sandy started asking his own questions. Was he really cut out to be a CEO? Did he know what he was getting himself into? Was dismissing Matt's ideas a good decision? As he walked around the pier, the only thing staring him the eyes was the evident boredom Bill Merriam was experiencing. All the talking and positive presenting was getting him nowhere.
He didn't want to lose this hospital. He didn't want to be a failure. It was time to bend a little bit. He needed to recognize what was happening in front of him and change it. He got Matt's attention and pulled him to the side.
"We're losing him." Sandy stated the obvious. Matt knew it too, but he wasn't the boss. He waited for Sandy to continue, not wanting to pressure him. "Let's do it your way."
That was all Matt needed to hear. He knew if Sandy would just give him a little leeway, he could close this deal. "Yeah? You sure?"
Sandy knew to admit defeat. "The truth is the tour worked more on me than it did on him. I'm not going to rob this community of something it needs just so I can sleep easier." Once he put it into perspective, it was easier to accept what he was about to do. "Bill." He called over to him. "Its almost dinner time, where would you like to go?"
Two hours later, Sandy found himself seriously questioning his morals. How did he end up here? Matt made some calls, there was an expensed dinner, women, drinks, more women and a big smile worn on Bill Merriam's face.
Matt was right, but Sandy felt very wrong. He couldn't describe it, but he felt like he sunk to a level he never wanted to play at. He knew where this night was going, and that scared him even more. All he thought about was Kirsten and how disappointed she would be in him.
This is something Caleb probably did a million times. Now it wasn't such a mystery how Lindsay was conceived.
These women were professionals. The fact that Matt knew exactly what Bill wanted and needed scared him a bit. He couldn't believe that getting Bill laid was all that had to be done. He questioned the man's intelligence while questioning his own morals over and over again.
Sandy thought he was better than this, but here he was in Matt's apartment getting offers for things most men would have never turned down.
But Sandy wasn't like most men. He loved his wife and didn't even have to heart to tell her what he did. He was ashamed because he really wasn't much different than her father. He just had to keep reminding himself that this was all for a good cause.
Matt noticed Sandy was not happy with where the evening took him. "So, it looks like Lilly and Bill are hitting it off."
"Yeah I balked at taking him out to dinner but I'm totally cool about turning your apartment into the Playboy Grotto."
"Sandy, it had to be done. And he's in. He is doing business with the Newport Group and it's all because I called Lilly and some of the other dancers she works with."
"How can you be comfortable with this?" Sandy asked, starting to question the man Matt really was.
"This is how the business world works. Whether it is right or wrong is not for us to judge. We didn't do anything wrong here."
"I have a feeling my wife would view it differently."
"Kirsten would understand. Her father did things like this all the time. That is what made him successful. He catered to what people wanted. He always closed deals this way."
"I really don't want to be compared to Caleb."
"Fine, but go easy on yourself." Matt didn't want Sandy to beat himself up over this. He needed to put things in perspective. "Now, if you took the blonde up on her offer, then I would worry."
Sandy blushed, now knowing that Matt heard the things she whispered to him. "That stays between us. I have to go call Kirsten and tell her I am going to be late."
He stepped into the other room, dialed and waited for that soft familiar voice to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hi baby."
"Hey. How did it go?" She asked.
"It's actually still going." Sandy didn't want to clue her in on what "it" actually was.
"Well that's a good sign."
"Yeah." he said, uncertainly.
"Are you still at the office?" She was hoping he would be on his way home.
"Yeah." It just came out. Why was he lying to her? "I probably won't be home for a little while. You don't have to wait up."
"I'll try. I love you."
He wanted to tell her the truth, but how could he? How would she understand? Before he had the chance, he heard a dial tone. She was gone.
Another hour later, he finally walked through the front door. He wanted to go to bed and tell Kirsten everything. He wanted her to make what he did okay. But he couldn't face her. He decided to make himself a drink and start to get to work on the hospital. Hopefully he wouldn't have to behave like he did tonight. He could now get down to business and start planning something positive for the community.
He didn't know where to begin.
He was sipping his drink when he heard her voice.
"Oh hey." Kirsten walked into his office and the first thing she noticed was the drink in front of him. He rarely drank in front of her anymore. "When did you get home?" she didn't hear him come in.
"Just a few minutes ago. I thought you might be sleeping." He was already making excuses for avoiding her.
"No. I waited up. How did it go?"
"Well we made our case..." He looked up at Kirsten and sighed. He decided he wasn't going to tell her what case that was. "...And we got it."
Kirsten's face lit up. She was so proud of him. "Sandy, that's wonderful. And you did it your way."
"Yeah." That was all Sandy could muster.
Kirsten wanted to celebrate. "When are you coming to bed?"
"Soon. Bill Merriam is coming by tomorrow and I thought I should prep a little."
"Well I'm very proud of you." She said and leaned over to give him a kiss. She could taste the alcohol, savoring that familiar sweetness.
"Are you okay? You don't seem as excited as you should be." She couldn't put her finger on it, but he just seemed off.
"I'm fine. I just can't believe how things unfolded tonight." He wanted to explain without telling her the whole truth.
"Well come to bed. I'll bet good money things will unfold in your favor."
"Is that a bribe?" God, he loved this woman.
"Maybe." She said as she excused herself.
Sandy didn't want to wait too long and really, what prepping had to be done? Getting reservations, hiring call girls? He had to stop thinking about it.
When he opened the double doors to his bedroom, he was in complete shock and awe. There was his beautiful wife, laying on their bed wearing nothing else but his lucky tie. This vision will be embedded in his mind forever. Her long slender legs combined with her golden blonde hair made him think that those women tonight could never hold a candle to his beautiful wife.
"Wow." That was all that he could manage at that moment.
"Well I figured since this was lucky for you, it might be lucky for me." She could be such a tease sometimes.
"You're about to get so lucky." He couldn't wait to take her into his arms. He wanted to make up for all the little white lies he told today. He wasn't trying to be deceitful, but he was trying to justify and protect his decisions.
As his mind started to wander into the earlier events of the day, Kirsten was quick to notice his distraction. Normally he would never take his eyes off of her. Normally, he would never hesitate to make his way over to her.
There was nothing normal about the way he was acting.
She had to call his name to get his attention, and once gained, he did come rushing over to her. They made love, but something was definitely not right. Kirsten felt it immediately. Instead of responding to her kisses, there was hesitation. Instead of advancing further, there was a lag in interest. Kirsten couldn't remember the last time they had sex that felt this awkward. It was almost as if she was trying too hard.
Sandy couldn't keep his mind focused. He knew he must have been out of his mind if his gorgeous wife couldn't keep his mind on the task at hand. It was almost as if he was having trouble paying attention in school.
As they rested under the covers in each other's arms, there was a silence that just lingered amongst them. He was absent-mindedly playing with her hair as his eyes were fixed on the ceiling above.
"Talk to me." She broke the silence.
"Hmm?" He questioned.
""Something is obviously bothering you. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just feeling a little distracted. I'm sorry you noticed."
She rolled over and smiled up at him, her body weight resting on his. "Noticed? Sandy, no offense, but that might have been the worst sex we've ever had."
Now she had his attention. "Really?"
"Really. So tell me what's going on."
He hesitated, trying to figure out how to word what was going on without completely disappointing her. "I guess I am just feeling overwhelmed."
"The only thing you should feel is pride. You obviously did the right thing today. They hospital board chose you."
The more she spoke the worse he was feeling. He needed to get some sleep and try and start tomorrow with a new slate. "Yeah. I only hope it was for the right reasons."
"Sandy, you are a good man. I know what it is like to work there and how easy it is to take the short road. God knows my father probably did it a million times. But you are not my father. You are a good man who makes good decisions."
Sandy didn't say anything. The more she spoke, the more her words hurt him. If she didn't stop, he was going to start to resent her. He had to get some sleep. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Baby, I'm exhausted. I'm going to get some sleep." He slowly rolled over and closed his eyes.
"I love you." She whispered, but he pretended like he didn't hear her. He didn't deserve those words, especially not tonight.
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I hope you enjoyed this. These chapters are only going to become more difficult to write with all the angst. Please motivate me and click that button.
