Bad Business

28

Susan and I had dinner with Bob Cooper, at a table that also included Gavin, Bernie Eisen, and a flamboyantly good-looking dark-haired woman named Adele McCallister, whose title was elaborate and failed to reveal what she did. Cooper was at his smart, good-old-boy best, charming to all, and especially charming with Susan. Gavin was genially cryptic, and Bernie Eisen did his very best impression of a masculine winner.

A dele flirted with me through Susan.

"Well," she said, "Susan, he's a big one, isn't he?"

Susan smiled at her. It was like old money and nouveau riche. Susan was good-looking, as if her family had been good-looking for seven generations. It was as much a part of her as her intelligence.

"Would you like to feel his muscles?" Susan said.

"Is he really as muscular as he looks?" Adele said.

"Fearful," Susan said.

"Is that right?" Adele said, looking at me.

"Fearful," I said.

"May I feel?"

"I can't make a muscle," I said. "It will tear my coat."

"Somebody said you used to be a fighter," Bob said.

"Who?" I said.

"Oh, I can't recall, but there's some scarring around your eyes."

"You used to box?" Adele said.

"Not everyone thought so," I said.

"Oh, isn't that cute," Adele said to Susan. "He's being modest.

Susan's eyes gleamed at me for a moment.

"He has much to be modest about," Susan said.

"Let me ask you this," Adele said. "If all you men had a fight, would you win?"

A dele's question had a nasty little undertone.

"Question's really aimless," I said. "Anybody can beat anybody. It's only a matter of who wants it more."

"Boxing is not the only martial art," Gavin said.

"Absolutely," Bernie said. "Absolutely."

Cooper watched it all as if he weren't a part of it, an observer, open-shuttered and passive. He seemed especially interested in Bernie. Adele slid her hand over and squeezed my upper arm. I was too vain not to flex.

"Oh my God," she said, and looked at Susan. "Does he hurt?"

"Only in the cutest way," Susan said.

Bob Cooper paid us every heed. Bernie Eisen told some jokes. Gavin maintained his reserve. Susan and I fought Adele off for the rest of the meal. After dinner while the Kinergy winners crowded into the bar for Irish cream on the rocks, Susan and I went up to our room.

I n the elevator I said to Susan, "When we go into our room, don't say anything until I tell you."

"Why, do you think there's some sort of device?"

"How did he know I boxed?" I said.

"Healy must have talked to him," Susan said. "Maybe Healy told him."

"Healy doesn't tell anybody anything," I said.

"No, you're right. His business is to know, not to tell."

"Like you."

Susan smiled.

"My business is to keep Adele from climbing in through your fly," Susan said.

"Ever vigilant," I said.

"So CEO Bob must have been checking on you."

"And he might want to know more," I said.

The elevator door opened and we went to our room.