Chapter 3: The Big Apple

It was almost five o'clock when we arrived at the Hilton Millennium. Jennifer had not talked to me since the "kiss". When I asked her if this was her first time in New York she nodded. When I asked her if she had ever seen anyone from Roger & Wilson she shook her head. I started to worry not only that the presentation would be a failure, but also wondered if we could make a safe trip back to Chicago.

We had adjoining rooms. I could sense her uneasiness when she learned that. After the bellboy opened her door, I asked her if she wanted to eat something. I was starving to death. She shook her head and walked into her room. I followed her in, tipped the bellboy and told him to leave my room key with me.

"Jennifer, that was an accident. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry. I apologize."

"It's okay. I know it was an accident." She spoke for the first time in two hours, but she wasn't looking at me.

"Thanks, Jennifer. I'm starving now. I bet you are too. Do you want to get something to eat?"

"No, thanks. Please just leave me alone."

"Okay. Call me if you need anything."

I went into my room, but I didn't go out to eat. I lay on the bed. I ran through my mind to try figuring out what was wrong, what made this trip so lousy? What made Jennifer feel so bad? I couldn't come up with any clues. I just stared at the ceiling.

The "kiss" incident started to replay in my mind again. I had the bulge again. I realized why I couldn't get into Alice's pants: my dick wouldn't react to the right circumstances at the right moment. I tried to think about the possible failure of the presentation and my dick grew harder. I tried to think about me having to quit my job because of this bitch and my dick was a steel shaft making a huge tent in my pants.

I went into the bathroom and jerked off. I smelled Jennifer and felt her hand on my lap when I was doing it. It didn't take long before I was finished. I felt guilty. She was a bitch and I shouldn't be thinking of her while jerking off.

I went back to the room and lay down. I fell asleep.

My empty stomach woke me up. I looked at my watch. It was almost eight o'clock, which meant it was nine o'clock in New York. I hadn't had anything, except for the pack of peanuts on the plane, for more than ten hours. I got up, hesitated for a while, and called Jennifer's room. After a long wait, she answered the phone.

"Jennifer, I need something to eat, and so do you."

"I'm not hungry."

"Jennifer, would you mind doing me a favor?"

"Go ahead."

"I need to eat, and I need to discuss the details of the presentation with you. I don't want to screw up your presentation," I entreated.

A long pause.

"Okay, but let me use the bathroom first."

I waited outside her door for what seemed like twelve hours. She came out carrying her big artwork folder. She was still wearing the same dress she had worn on the plane earlier.

"I know a fine Italian restaurant nearby."

"I don't want to go out. I'm pretty tired and I hope we can get things done fast."

"Okay," I said and pressed the button for the elevator.

I finished my double order of steak sandwiches in the coffee shop while she watched from across the table. Jennifer only had a salad. She obviously wasn't in the mood to eat.

I asked the waitress to remove everything except the coffee. I then laid my folder on the table. I flipped to the middle of it and pointed at some storyboard illustrations.

I looked at her while Jennifer was gazing at the pictures. "Jennifer, I hate to admit this, but the idea you're presenting here is great. I know Roger's going to like it, and so will the TV audience and magazine readers."

"I don't believe you're sincere."

"Why not?"

"You never are."

"Jennifer, listen: This presentation to Roger & Wilson is not only your baby, it is very important for me as well. I'm handling their account now, not Dave. Retaining them is going to mean great prospects and big bucks for me." I saw that she was still staring at her work.

"Jennifer, look at me!"

She raised her head and looked at me. Her face displayed no emotion.

"I know you don't like me. I don't think I like you either. But we're in the same boat and we need to work together. You are talented in creativity and artistic design..."

"No, I'm not."

"Why?"

"You don't."

"What?"

"You've never accepted my work. You never did, and you never will. You're biased."

"What makes you think so?"

"You say it all the time. You always criticized whatever I come up with."

"Jennifer, I always like your designs."

"You don't."

"I do!"

"You don't."

I tipped back all the way in my chair and almost fell over. I leaned forward again and put my arms on the table, then looked into her eyes. "Jennifer, I like your designs, all of them... Well, to be honest, most of them."