She turned and looked at Alan, raised her glass and said,
“Cheers!” She downed half her drink. “Will you celebrate with me? I just closed
a deal and need to savor the moment.” Alan almost fell as he moved to sit
beside her.
“Congratulations. What kind of deal?” He really didn’t give a
damn about the deal. He just wanted her to keep drinking. The look in her eyes
was one he knew well. She had just closed some business deal that would make
her obscene amounts of money. The rush was more potent than any narcotic. The deal
made you feel invincible.
She leaned in and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I could
tell you but then I’d have to kill you.” She laughed. He laughed. Neither one
thought it was funny. Both understood the rules of the game. You don’t tell
someone in a bar about the deal you closed. Well, not on the first drink
anyway.
The woman in red ordered another rum and cola for her and
another Southern Comfort on the rocks for him. They toasted her success, again.
Alan had seen this type of thing before. If he played his cards right, he could
help her celebrate well into the wee hours. By the third round, she was leaning
into him, laughing at anything that came out of his mouth.
“Oh, baby. I’m such a light weight,” she slurred, finishing
her drink. “I know I shouldn’t drink so fast, but I am still on the closer
high.” She took a sip from his glass and then looked him in the eyes. “You look
sad, Alan. What’s wrong? Did you have a bad day?” She handed his glass back to
him.
“It was just the opposite of yours, sugar,” Alan replied
honestly, downing the rest of his drink. He knew how to play the sad card for
the sympathy, adding a sad smile to seal the deal.
Getting up, she tossed three twenties on the bar and grabbed
his hand, dragging him out the bar. Alan looked back at the bartender who could
not disguise the envy in his eyes. Alan winked at the man and kept pace with
this alluring woman.
Before leaving his room, he had placed his wedding ring in
the room safe. It pays to be prepared when you’re out of town on business.
There’s no harm in a little a pleasure especially when the pain of losing a
deal was so fresh. Once they were in the elevator, he hit the button for his
floor. Before the doors were closed, she was all over him. The sweet taste of
rum invaded his mouth along with her tongue. Hands were roaming all over their
bodies. He wasn’t sure they would make it to his room.
He struggled with the key card, trying three times before the
light turned green on the lock. They burst into his room, slamming the door
behind them. She threw him on the bed and climbed on top of him. She looked
amazing straddling him. If she would just stay in focus it’d be even better.
He knew what to say to make this moment perfect. “Glob nwable
jrount.” That didn’t sound right. “Glob nwable jrount,” he repeated. His right hand
had fallen off her breast. Then the headache hit him.
“Baby, are you all right?” asked the woman. He couldn’t see
her very well but he could swear she was smiling. “Is something wrong?” Now he
knew he heard her giggling.
“Romsal flagret dim!” he screamed. His entire right side was
numb, his head felt like it was about to explode and the gibberish that came
out of his mouth was meaningless. Help
me! The woman got off and sat down on the bed beside him.
“Alan, I think you’re having a stroke. You have all the
signs. Numbness and paralysis on your right side, your words are garbage, and
you can’t seem to look at me. Blurred vision and headache?” He nodded as best
he could. “I thought so.” He noticed she didn’t do anything. She just sat and
smiled at him. “You know, I may have slipped something in your drink. It was
careless of me, I know. Don’t worry. They will never notice it during the
autopsy.”
Alan was having a hard time focusing on her words. Something
about his drink. Autopsy? “Lasmer
pladle frangel?”
“Okay, Alan. There’s no call for that kind of language,”
laughed the woman. “If you’re asking why I’m just sitting here instead of
calling 911,” she held up her phone with the number ready to call, “there is a
very good reason.” She canceled the call and tossed her phone on the bed. “You
hurt my feelings.”
Alan stared at her, waving good-bye to him. It was the last
thing he ever saw.
Coming soon: Reunoin - An Abby Chilton Novel
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