25-12-2018, 04:44 PM
"She worked with the designers?" Jen said in shock, staring at Frank. "Who? What did she say?"
Frank gave Jen a helpless smile. "To be honest Jen honey I don't know the details," he said. "I'm sure Claudia will be happy to explain everything. Have you contacted her yet?"
"No," Jen said.
"You should Jenny," Frank urged her. He tenderly stroked her cheek. "She works for you. Claudia, Annette and Bridget, they all work for you. They want you to call them, ask questions, have them do things for you. Otherwise they think you're not happy with their work. It's all about managing your personal staff."
"Um, okay," Jen said uncertainly. "I have a personal staff?" she said to herself.
"This I did attend to myself," Frank said handing Jen a small wrapped box.
"God Frank you have to stop giving me things," Jen said with a laugh. Despite her words she was clearly pleased and charmed. Like all girls, Jen liked gifts. Especially gifts from a man she liked.
"Open it," Frank said, smiling at hearing the delight in Jenny's voice.
Jen opened it. Inside was a small bottle of perfume. Jen spritzed a little on her wrist. The fragrance was amazing!
"You normally wear Ralph Lauren Romance?" Frank said.
"Um, yeah," Jen said, surprised he (or any man) would recognize her perfume. She'd worn Romance for years. It'd been a Valentine's Day gift from Mike. He never even smelled it, he just liked the name ("Romance"). Jen had worn it ever since.
"Claudia told me," Frank explained with a grin. "I met with Ralph and he designed this perfume for you.
"You freaking met with Ralph Lauren?" Jen said shocked and awestruck.
Frank nodded like it was no big deal. "I told Ralph how special you are," he said. "Sexy, young, bubbly, beautiful, sassy, romantic, full of life. A ballerina. I told him about your role in Chicago."
"Oh my god you won't let that go," Jen said with a laugh but she was clearly flattered by all his compliments and attention.
"I have friends on Broadway," Frank said grinning to her. "I told them about you. They'd like to meet you."
"Frank, god, you're crazy," Jen said looking incredulously at him, but also beaming into his eyes.
Frank chuckled. "In any case ... Ralph started with Romance and made it special for you. This is the only bottle in the world."
"God," Jen said staring mesmerized at the crystal bottle. "This is too much Frank," she said completely blown away.
"We need to name it," Frank said, the grin still on his face. "I think we should call it Goddess."
Jen looked uncertainly at Frank. "Goddess" was Mike's nickname for her. It didn't feel right letting Frank use it. Using it as her safe word was okay; it was like Mike saving her. But this didn't feel right.
"Um, I'm not sure, Goddess might be too highfalutin for me," Jen said with an awkward laugh. "How about, um ... how about Jenny?"
Frank's smile grew wider. "Jenny, I like that," he said. "Because you're my Jenny."
Jen gave Frank a weak smile. "I do kind of feel like Jenny when I'm with you," she said. Her knees felt weak looking at him.
"Jenny it is then," Frank said. He leaned in and kissed Jen. Jen kissed him back.
"It's all too much though," Jen said a moment later. She worried about Mike's reaction to all this. She looked at the dresses and perfume. All that added to the extremely expensive diamonds in her nipples and belly button. And the Caribbean vacation. And the private jet. And, and .... Mike was not going to like this.
Frank read her mind. "People make choices Jenny, and things happen for a reason," he said sagely. "Mike has certain skills but he's squandered opportunities, made shortsighted decisions. I think your husband's reached his ceiling professionally. That's something you need to accept Jenny."
"There's nothing wrong with teaching," Jen said. "I always thought he was going to be a teacher when we were in college. He's not practical really. He doesn't do well with the rat race. Teaching fits him better than Wall Street or Apple."
"He's teaching high school, not even college. Not even graduate school," Frank pointed out. "And part time at that."
"I like it that way," Jen told Frank. "I like Mike at home. I like knowing where he is."
"A man's not supposed to stay at home," Frank said. "A man's supposed to go out and take care of his family."
"God that's so Neanderthal," Jen scoffed. "And you wait until someone you love is put in jail, and you can't see him, you don't know what's happening, you don't know if they're ever going to let him go. Then maybe you'll like knowing he's at home."
Frank didn't reply, one of the few times in his life he didn't have anything to say. With the fundraiser approaching, Jen said "I think I'll just wear my own dress Frank." She laid the bottle of Jenny on the table, unused. She pulled a dress from her suitcase. With the mood broken, Frank didn't try to convince her otherwise.
********************
Jen forced herself to work the room. Unlike the prior fundraisers, Jasmine and Leo were there along with others from Jasmine's campaign like Deidre. Other Democratic bigwigs were there too, like JJ.
So Jen pushed Frank from her thoughts as she worked the fundraiser. By the end of the evening they once again exceeded the target goal by over 150%. Everyone on Jasmine's team thanked and congratulated her. Most realized the evening's success was due to Jen's efforts even more than Frank's.
Jasmine didn't thank Jen though. She didn't even talk to Jen all night long although more than once Jen caught Jasmine looking at her, like she was judging her. That annoyed Jen, but then she made no effort to talk to Jasmine either. Whatever, it didn't matter. She was making contacts and advancing her career. Which was a good thing, because even though Frank was an ass, he was right. Mike didn't make a lot of money.
Afterwards everyone went to a bar to celebrate. Jen chatted with people she knew like Leo. She did her best to avoid Frank. The evening's success though tempered her annoyance.
"Are you going to ignore me all night?" Frank whispered to her as the celebration continued around them.
"I might if you keep being a jerk," Jen said.
"I'm sorry Jenny," Frank said earnestly. He looked vulnerable again. "I'm actually not good with people. Socially I mean. I don't know when to turn it off."
"Well, now you know criticizing Mike's career is over the line," Jen chastised him. "It's not Mike's reached his ceiling. It's where he wants to be right now. And I want him to be where he wants to be. Do you understand that Frank? It's what married people do, they support each other."
"I understand," Frank said between clenched teeth. He wasn't used to this. Being chastised, having to admit he was wrong. He didn't like it. But he liked less Jenny being angry and giving him the cold shoulder. "I apologize." He gave her an almost boyish smile. "I take it all back. Are you coming to my room tonight?"
"Will see," Jen said noncommittally, her tone still cold. Then she moved her foot and dug the stiletto of her high heel into Frank's ankle. Giving him a sexy smile, she said "If you're a good boy." Frank grinned at her, a mixture of relief and excitement on his face.
JJ watched Jen and Frank from across the room. He approached them. "Hello Frank," he said offering his hand.
"JJ," Frank said with a nod, shaking JJ's offered hand. The 2 power brokers looked at each other a moment, like 2 predators paying each other respect.
JJ turned to Jen. "I don't think we've met," he said. "I'm Jonathan Jakes. People call me JJ."
"Jennifer Andrews," Jen said shaking JJ's offered hand. Frank frowned at Jen's use of her real last name, but what could he do?
"You did a wonderful job tonight," JJ said to Jen. He grinned and joked "Maybe we can get your help with a candidate who has a chance of winning."
Jen frowned at JJ. "Jasmine Kelly is a social liberal who's financially conservative and supports a strong military," she said. "How is that a bad thing? Her only problem is she's young and beautiful." Jen frowned at herself. Why the fuck was she defending the Jasmine Kelly bitch?
"Well, perhaps the former more than the latter," JJ said with a chuckle. He tilted his head as he eyed Jen. "You're Mike Andrews's wife?"
"Yes," Jen said.
"And you support Jasmine Kelly?" JJ asked with a raised eyebrow.
Jen flushed at JJ's reference to Mike and Jasmine's past relationship. "I'm working for her," she said defiantly. "I'm voting for her." Once again she couldn't believe what she was saying.
JJ looked at Jen contemplatively. "Well, good for you," he said. He nodded at Frank then walked away. As he did he glanced at Jen's left hand. No wedding ring.
As the celebration wound down, JJ kept his eye on Jennifer Andrews. It wasn't hard, the stunning girl was easy to look at. JJ noticed she spent a lot of time with Frank Tower. He frowned at that.
Frank gave Jen a helpless smile. "To be honest Jen honey I don't know the details," he said. "I'm sure Claudia will be happy to explain everything. Have you contacted her yet?"
"No," Jen said.
"You should Jenny," Frank urged her. He tenderly stroked her cheek. "She works for you. Claudia, Annette and Bridget, they all work for you. They want you to call them, ask questions, have them do things for you. Otherwise they think you're not happy with their work. It's all about managing your personal staff."
"Um, okay," Jen said uncertainly. "I have a personal staff?" she said to herself.
"This I did attend to myself," Frank said handing Jen a small wrapped box.
"God Frank you have to stop giving me things," Jen said with a laugh. Despite her words she was clearly pleased and charmed. Like all girls, Jen liked gifts. Especially gifts from a man she liked.
"Open it," Frank said, smiling at hearing the delight in Jenny's voice.
Jen opened it. Inside was a small bottle of perfume. Jen spritzed a little on her wrist. The fragrance was amazing!
"You normally wear Ralph Lauren Romance?" Frank said.
"Um, yeah," Jen said, surprised he (or any man) would recognize her perfume. She'd worn Romance for years. It'd been a Valentine's Day gift from Mike. He never even smelled it, he just liked the name ("Romance"). Jen had worn it ever since.
"Claudia told me," Frank explained with a grin. "I met with Ralph and he designed this perfume for you.
"You freaking met with Ralph Lauren?" Jen said shocked and awestruck.
Frank nodded like it was no big deal. "I told Ralph how special you are," he said. "Sexy, young, bubbly, beautiful, sassy, romantic, full of life. A ballerina. I told him about your role in Chicago."
"Oh my god you won't let that go," Jen said with a laugh but she was clearly flattered by all his compliments and attention.
"I have friends on Broadway," Frank said grinning to her. "I told them about you. They'd like to meet you."
"Frank, god, you're crazy," Jen said looking incredulously at him, but also beaming into his eyes.
Frank chuckled. "In any case ... Ralph started with Romance and made it special for you. This is the only bottle in the world."
"God," Jen said staring mesmerized at the crystal bottle. "This is too much Frank," she said completely blown away.
"We need to name it," Frank said, the grin still on his face. "I think we should call it Goddess."
Jen looked uncertainly at Frank. "Goddess" was Mike's nickname for her. It didn't feel right letting Frank use it. Using it as her safe word was okay; it was like Mike saving her. But this didn't feel right.
"Um, I'm not sure, Goddess might be too highfalutin for me," Jen said with an awkward laugh. "How about, um ... how about Jenny?"
Frank's smile grew wider. "Jenny, I like that," he said. "Because you're my Jenny."
Jen gave Frank a weak smile. "I do kind of feel like Jenny when I'm with you," she said. Her knees felt weak looking at him.
"Jenny it is then," Frank said. He leaned in and kissed Jen. Jen kissed him back.
"It's all too much though," Jen said a moment later. She worried about Mike's reaction to all this. She looked at the dresses and perfume. All that added to the extremely expensive diamonds in her nipples and belly button. And the Caribbean vacation. And the private jet. And, and .... Mike was not going to like this.
Frank read her mind. "People make choices Jenny, and things happen for a reason," he said sagely. "Mike has certain skills but he's squandered opportunities, made shortsighted decisions. I think your husband's reached his ceiling professionally. That's something you need to accept Jenny."
"There's nothing wrong with teaching," Jen said. "I always thought he was going to be a teacher when we were in college. He's not practical really. He doesn't do well with the rat race. Teaching fits him better than Wall Street or Apple."
"He's teaching high school, not even college. Not even graduate school," Frank pointed out. "And part time at that."
"I like it that way," Jen told Frank. "I like Mike at home. I like knowing where he is."
"A man's not supposed to stay at home," Frank said. "A man's supposed to go out and take care of his family."
"God that's so Neanderthal," Jen scoffed. "And you wait until someone you love is put in jail, and you can't see him, you don't know what's happening, you don't know if they're ever going to let him go. Then maybe you'll like knowing he's at home."
Frank didn't reply, one of the few times in his life he didn't have anything to say. With the fundraiser approaching, Jen said "I think I'll just wear my own dress Frank." She laid the bottle of Jenny on the table, unused. She pulled a dress from her suitcase. With the mood broken, Frank didn't try to convince her otherwise.
********************
Jen forced herself to work the room. Unlike the prior fundraisers, Jasmine and Leo were there along with others from Jasmine's campaign like Deidre. Other Democratic bigwigs were there too, like JJ.
So Jen pushed Frank from her thoughts as she worked the fundraiser. By the end of the evening they once again exceeded the target goal by over 150%. Everyone on Jasmine's team thanked and congratulated her. Most realized the evening's success was due to Jen's efforts even more than Frank's.
Jasmine didn't thank Jen though. She didn't even talk to Jen all night long although more than once Jen caught Jasmine looking at her, like she was judging her. That annoyed Jen, but then she made no effort to talk to Jasmine either. Whatever, it didn't matter. She was making contacts and advancing her career. Which was a good thing, because even though Frank was an ass, he was right. Mike didn't make a lot of money.
Afterwards everyone went to a bar to celebrate. Jen chatted with people she knew like Leo. She did her best to avoid Frank. The evening's success though tempered her annoyance.
"Are you going to ignore me all night?" Frank whispered to her as the celebration continued around them.
"I might if you keep being a jerk," Jen said.
"I'm sorry Jenny," Frank said earnestly. He looked vulnerable again. "I'm actually not good with people. Socially I mean. I don't know when to turn it off."
"Well, now you know criticizing Mike's career is over the line," Jen chastised him. "It's not Mike's reached his ceiling. It's where he wants to be right now. And I want him to be where he wants to be. Do you understand that Frank? It's what married people do, they support each other."
"I understand," Frank said between clenched teeth. He wasn't used to this. Being chastised, having to admit he was wrong. He didn't like it. But he liked less Jenny being angry and giving him the cold shoulder. "I apologize." He gave her an almost boyish smile. "I take it all back. Are you coming to my room tonight?"
"Will see," Jen said noncommittally, her tone still cold. Then she moved her foot and dug the stiletto of her high heel into Frank's ankle. Giving him a sexy smile, she said "If you're a good boy." Frank grinned at her, a mixture of relief and excitement on his face.
JJ watched Jen and Frank from across the room. He approached them. "Hello Frank," he said offering his hand.
"JJ," Frank said with a nod, shaking JJ's offered hand. The 2 power brokers looked at each other a moment, like 2 predators paying each other respect.
JJ turned to Jen. "I don't think we've met," he said. "I'm Jonathan Jakes. People call me JJ."
"Jennifer Andrews," Jen said shaking JJ's offered hand. Frank frowned at Jen's use of her real last name, but what could he do?
"You did a wonderful job tonight," JJ said to Jen. He grinned and joked "Maybe we can get your help with a candidate who has a chance of winning."
Jen frowned at JJ. "Jasmine Kelly is a social liberal who's financially conservative and supports a strong military," she said. "How is that a bad thing? Her only problem is she's young and beautiful." Jen frowned at herself. Why the fuck was she defending the Jasmine Kelly bitch?
"Well, perhaps the former more than the latter," JJ said with a chuckle. He tilted his head as he eyed Jen. "You're Mike Andrews's wife?"
"Yes," Jen said.
"And you support Jasmine Kelly?" JJ asked with a raised eyebrow.
Jen flushed at JJ's reference to Mike and Jasmine's past relationship. "I'm working for her," she said defiantly. "I'm voting for her." Once again she couldn't believe what she was saying.
JJ looked at Jen contemplatively. "Well, good for you," he said. He nodded at Frank then walked away. As he did he glanced at Jen's left hand. No wedding ring.
As the celebration wound down, JJ kept his eye on Jennifer Andrews. It wasn't hard, the stunning girl was easy to look at. JJ noticed she spent a lot of time with Frank Tower. He frowned at that.
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