Unwanted Heat

Nicholas

“Playboy Nicholas Parker, breaking his two month stance of not being photographed with a woman, brings yet another new one to an event.

Nicholas Parker brought a stunning woman to the New Beginnings Gala

Saturday evening, reportedly bidding $15K for her to win the first dance auction. Such a shame, as we know we won’t be seeing her again with Nicholas Parker.”

A picture of Kenzie and myself arriving at my parents’ house for the gala is shown as I knew it would be, since for some reason the gossip sites love to report any move I make in my personal life. Every day this week I have been checking the sites, looking for reports and pictures from the gala but until now hadn’t found any. It took them three days to get one up-longer than I expected. However, this is the first step in my own PR campaign to change how the media views me.

I have plans to take Kenzie out in public, hoping the press will see us on at least a few of those occasions. Hopefully in a couple of weeks this can all be behind me and I can move on with my life. With the press off my case I will be able to focus on PFS like I need to be doing without worrying that my employees are questioning my ability. After a few weeks of being seen with Kenzie, I will maintain a contract with her but will likely only request her company for large events when it’s expected I bring a guest.

Looking at the picture on the site, I have to admit that I’m surprised we managed to pull it off as well as we did. Kenzie was absolutely outstanding in her performance; she shocked me to hell when she started discussing farming initiatives with the president of the university. It was clear in that moment that she did her homework before that night and reinforced to me that she was taking this contract seriously. I haven’t figured her out yet… usually I get a good read on people fairly quickly, but for some reason with Kenzie, I’m having a harder time. I assumed women who did this sort of thing were only after money, which I suppose is true in Kenzie’s case. She was honest when we first met to discuss the contract that she needed the money, but I guess what surprised me was the reason she needed money. I guess I just assumed women would want it to purchase material items: a bigger house, a new car, new clothes… that sort of thing.

“You made the sites again I see, Parker,” Alex interrupts my thoughts by barging into my office.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“I just saw that. Damn fucking vultures can’t leave me the hell alone.”

“The president of the shipping company is demanding a meeting with you tonight over dinner and drinks-”

“Tonight? What the fuck Alex?!”

“I know…They’re insisting they need a meeting with you tonight before they are willing to sign off on the investment.”

“What’s their sticking point?”

“Their employees.”

“We’ve guaranteed them that everyone’s job will be sustained for six months and if at that time their jobs are terminated a severance package will be offered. What’s the issue?”

“I don’t know. I think they’re afraid we’re going to go back on our word.”

“It’s in the fucking contract!”

“I know it is, Parker, I reviewed the contract with them but I think they are still concerned. They want to meet tonight, dinner and drinks. Honestly, I think he just wants to hear it from you that his employees’ jobs are safe.”

“Fine… whatever, work with Melody to rearrange my schedule. I expect you to be there Alex, if he is taking away my Friday night, you’re losing yours.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good.”

“Oh and Parker, he’s bringing his wife. If you could bring someone it might make you appear a little more trustworthy.”

“A fucking date will make me appear more trustworthy?”

“Just saying.”

“Fine, whatever. You bring Ella and I’ll bring a date.”

“Later.”

These are the fucking things about business I hate: why would bringing a date to a business dinner make me look more trustworthy? The fucking details are in the contract about his employees, but now I have to spend my Friday night at a boring dinner, ironing out, once again, the contract details because he doesn’t trust me.

“Good afternoon, Wilder Consulting, how may I help you?” a voice answers the phone on the second ring.

“This is Nicholas Parker, I need to speak with Bridget urgently.”

“One moment.”

Even though the chance of being seen by press tonight is minimal, for my PR plan to work I need Kenzie to be available tonight. I can’t go alone if Alex and the other person are bringing dates. I can’t bring a different woman or it defeats my purpose of contracting with Kenzie in the first place.

“Hello, Nicholas,” Bridget picks up the line a few moments later.

“Bridget, I need you to contact Kenzie immediately.”

“Is something wrong? When I spoke to her the other day she indicated the gala went well but if that wasn’t the case-”

“The gala was fine. I need her tonight. I know it’s short notice and I’ll pay an additional fee for her inconvenience but it’s absolutely imperative that she accompany me to a business dinner tonight.”

“What time will you need her to meet you?”

“I need her at five, dinner is at 5:30 near PFS.”

“I’ll contact her right now and will call you back once I get off the phone with her.”

“Good.”

I wait, and wait, for Bridget to call me back with Kenzie’s decision on whether or not she can attend dinner with me tonight. I don’t do well with waiting or with things out of my control; if it were up to me I would have contacted her directly and offered her whatever she needed in order to agree to accompany me tonight. I get that I’m not supposed to do that so we both keep some privacy, but it would have made things so much easier if I could have just picked up the phone and told her what I needed from her tonight. I’m not used to letting someone else take control in my life; I don’t do well following orders which is why I started my own company.