Getting to Us Chapter 3
Yoga class? Who goes to yoga class at 10:30 on a Friday night?"Lonny, have you ever heard of a Yoga class at night?"
"Sure. This is the Big Apple. Things stay open all night. Look up there at the windows."
Will saw the row of brightly lite windows on the third floor of the Nike Club with bodies jogging on treadmills.
"Ok, I see. Listen I have to stay up till 12:30 so I can call….Never mind. Do you want to have a beer with me? "
"Sorry Boss. I've got a date waiting, and you can't drink yet. Will you be needing me in the morning?
"Yes. Tomorrow we're shopping. As much as I hate it, I have to get some casual stuff. See you at 10. Okay?"
"Set your alarm. 12:30pm, in case you fall asleep. She won't like it if you forget."
Will forgot that Lonny was in the car when he called Mac. It didn't matter. Lonny could be trusted to keep his secrets. He better not screw this up with Mac though. Lonny would have his head.
Almost time to call.
Will wondered how he had gone from calling the shots, over a contrite woman who hovered over him, fussing about his every need- to this: sitting by a clock, waiting for a chance to ring her in the hope that she might have an evening free to grace him with her presence ! He had to laugh. That Mackenzie was something else. Only this time he better take it seriously. She was clearly back on the market, seeing other guys. Who knows she might even be sleeping with someone again. He couldn't think about that ….
After she ditched that dick Wade Campbell he thought she was out of the game. But that was months ago. He should have seen this coming.
While Will fretted the clock finally reached 12:30.
" Hi, it's me"
" I know it is."
" How was yoga class ?"
" Fine thanks"
" I know all about gyms staying open all night. Lonny explained it to me."
" That's great Will. Is this why you called? To discuss gym hours?"
" You know it's not. Are you free for dinner any night this week?"
"Not really. I like to stop by Hang Chew's when I'm not too tired and have a bite with the team. It's good for morale. I like to leave Monday to Thursday loose. "
" How about Friday night then?"
"No, I have plans, but Saturday night would be great."
" Saturday it is. Where would you like to go?"
" You surprise me Will. You always choose great places."
" So we have a date then?"
" Yes we do "
" Listen if Friday night opens up, you let me know. I mean if your 'plans' should happen to change ( he wanted to say if whatever dick head you're spending it with should happen to…drop dead) I don't have any plans…."
" Good night Will. See you on Monday. We still work together you know !"
Mac said sweetly, as she put down the phone."
"So, what happened last night?"
"Yes please, I'll have another tea." Mac told the waiter as she and Sloan relaxed over a late breakfast in the café at Bergdorfs. "What makes you think anything happened?"
"Kenz, it's me you're talking to. Are you going to tell me that Will didn't call you?
Do pigs fly? "
"Ok, yes he called, several times."
"Ha. I knew it ! I hope you didn't see him?"
" Of course not. I never even got dressed. Went straight to bed, watched the show and read all evening. When he called me at 12:30 I had to sound all awake and I think I did."
"What was he doing calling you so late?"
" He was supposed to. He thought I was getting home from a Yoga class. He was waiting to ask me out."
" YOGA class? Do they even have such things at night?"
"Apparently they do. Lonny said so. Anyway, he asked me out properly and I told him the first opening was next Saturday night. He said that I should let him know if Friday "opened up" because he thinks I have other plans for Friday."
"Do you?
" No…but I could have by then."
" Kenz. for someone who doesn't play games I would say you are a master of…"the dark arts" as you call them ."
" How do you think I got Will so interested the first time around? I was new at ACN, I had a few guys taking me out after Brian dumped me, but none of them were half as interesting or sexy as Will, but he didn't know that. Will chased me hard, and I was not an easy catch. "
" This is fun. Tell me more !"
" Well we were dating, but not sleeping together yet. Will turned up at a restaurant with a famous blond model and someone in the newsroom saw them together. It was all over the studio the next morning. Will claimed it was just a casual supper that he had agree to before she left for Paris to model the collections- a month earlier…I told him I didn't need an explanation, as we were not exclusive, and then I took off for the weekend and did not take his calls…. for three days.
He must have gone crazy because when I got in on Monday there were roses on my desk and a note saying…" Exclusively Yours, Will"
"Ha. how cute is that? So I'm dealing with a pro. Ok Pro, what is the plan this time?"
" No plan. Just like you said, I need to feel good about myself, and sexy again. What time is our appointment at the LUSH Spa?
"Not for two hours."
"Good, I want to pop across the street to Bergdorf's Men's Store."
"Kenze, you are not buying him anything. This day is about YOU!"
" I know, but I am still his EP and you know I choose his wardrobe and the new Zegna line just arrived. I just want to take a fast look while I'm close by."
Mac and Sloan took the escalator up to the second floor and Mac lead the way back to the designer section where a very tall, very buff man stood waiting by the dressing rooms.
"Lonny what are you doing here?"
"Lonny put his finger to his lips- "SHUSSH…..he's in there trying on something.
You better get out of here fast unless you want to blow your cover. He thinks you're with some guy this week-end" Lonny whispered.
"How do you know that?" whispered Mac
" I know everything. Now get going!"
" Lonny you're a man of style. What do you think of these pants?"
Will popped his head through the drapes and immediately saw who Lonny was whispering to.
"Well, what have we here?!"
Mackenzie was speechless, but Sloan was quick as lightning.
" Hi Will. We just finished buying Mac the more gorgeous cocktail dress you have ever seen. Just found a gift for my Dad- and we're outta here! Bye Will !" Sloan grabbed Mackenzie's hand pulling her- as they raced out of the store.
"Did you hear that? Now she needs a special cocktail dress?" Will said sadly.
" Come on , the girl needs clothes. That doesn't mean a thing."
"Like hell it doesn't."
"That was a close call. How did you think up that cocktail dress story in a split second?"
"That was not a story- we're going to buy you one today. "
"Why"
"You'll be needing it, that's why. I have a feeling that Will will be wanting you on his arm at every classy affair from now on… "
"I hope so."
Monday morning could not come soon enough for Will. He was early for his standing appointment with Dr Habib.
" Good morning Will. You're nice and early."
" Yeah, I have a lot of baggage to dump today."
"Well the good news is that you are wanting to talk about things, which is a change for the better. Why so anxious?"
" Here's the thing. I was in control and now I'm not. I was the one calling the shots and now I'm waiting in line. I am considered a real catch in this town, or so they tell me. Hell I was on People's 100 sexiest men list this year! When I call someone for a date I never get turned down. NEVER! I may get a drink thrown in my face, but that's only after I start to talk. Before that, I'm gold! "
"Fine…you're gold…..and…?"
"And with her I am just one of a crowded field of other guys and I don't like it one bit. Did you know that she was out buying a cocktail dress on Saturday, obviously because some guy has asked her to be his date at some swank affair in this town and she wants to look so special that she needed a new dress…for him?"
"What was it like when you first met Mackenzie presuming we are talking about her?"
"It was just like this. She was always racing out to go someplace and I had to work hard to clear the field."
"So then why are you so surprised ? It sounds like this is more about your expectations, then it is about Mackenzie's behavior. What exactly did you expect would happen when you decided to try again with her?"
" I don't know….that it would be easier. Not in every way. I expected that we would have issues, especially since we work together every day, and after all she did cheat on me. But I sure never expected to have to compete with other guys. I thought we were way past that. I thought she loved me."
" I see. You thought that after four years apart, no time alone except while you were in a hospital bed, no personal conversations except on the issue of her cheating, and not one date….you would be the only man in her life, and you would have exclusive rights to her? "
" Well when you put it that way….. OK so it turns out that I took Mac for granted and now I have work to prove that I adore her and I deserve to be the only man in her life. Is that what we're saying now?"
" That sounds right to me."