Derby Day Surprise – Chapter 6
By
JulieDCole


Quick update : Here I am in New York all kitted out to accompany guests to the Kentucky Derby with a business associate who has the hots for me. Nobody has realised I am not the girl they think I am and this is a short term arrangement after my female boss had to drop out at the last minute. I’m right in the deep end and I haven’t even met our client and his wife yet. I’ve not had any difficulty passing so far and only the hotel front desk manager knows my true identity. I’ve switched identities at extreme short notice and have been kitted out for the Kentucky Derby Day corporate entertainment section with an emphasis on a look that would please our key client but that is a challenge for tomorrow. Today I have to manage advances from our USA Sales Agent who is supposed to discreetly accompany me. At the moment he is in need of some assistance before he explodes.

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I tidied myself and redid my make-up. I did a quick spray some of my perfume without daring to go overboard and gave my hair a slight brush. I kept the casual look and opted for leggings and a shirt/dress with a belt and undid enough buttons to show a hint of my natural bosom. A hint probably as much as he was likely to get however hard I tried. I had a necklace that was a good enough match and some clip-on earrings so it helped the look. At least I was dressed informally so I didn’t give the impression to anybody that I was touting for business. I took out the black pumps we had bought from their box and removed the price labels from the souls.
They were comfortable and matched the leggings perfectly and gave me at least 3” lift in height that felt great. I had always admired the stiletto look and I walked around to get comfortable in them and practice the right steps. Not quite a runway model and no need to be a runaway one either.

I just better get a big bonus for this and I didn’t mean Carole’s package he was storing in his trousers. Hopefully the feedback would be good if I got this right.

I hoped the vodkas had worked through his system and that he’d calmed down a bit by now and if and when he finds out he’d be wanting to murder me. It did cause me to smile albeit nervously. I wondered if anybody would give him a briefing and explain who I was before we met our client. Probably not when I thought about it.

I might get chance to defend myself with a few karate moves that dad paid for if he got too fresh but at the same time I did quite like him. I preferred to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’d behave properly in front of guests since he’d worked for the Company for a long time.

Our driver was waiting in the hotel lobby as I exited the lift and he waved. We went down the underground car park. It was hardly worth getting in and out of the car in truth because as fast as I’d fastened the seat belt we arrived outside the front door of the restaurant. I probably had walked further down to the car than I would have done if I’d walked from door to door. Carole was waiting and he was on his mobile that was not a surprise but he freed a hand to open the car door for me. I tried to exit as elegantly as possible recalling the many red-carpet events I’d attended in London where the flash of a celebrity knickers was common and seemed to be what the photographers expected. I was glad to have selected leggings so that risk was avoided and I’d done a good job of hiding any bulges. It was a tight squeeze but not being well endowed it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Carole made an effort to stop talking on his phone to give me a kiss and I was going to have to get used to it. I ensured it was a cheeky kiss rather than on the lips. He took my hand and led me into the restaurant whilst continuing his conversation. He was finalising travel arrangements with his secretary who happened to be his wife. I bet she wasn’t aware I was clinging onto his arm and that he’d almost burst out of his pants earlier.

He’d made reservations but since we were early he decided we’d have a drink at the small bar that was alongside an attractive display of anti-pasta. I’d have happily sat there and made selections that was an option to casual customers without reservations but we settled for a bowl of olives and two Dry Martinis. A bit much for me after vodka but I decided I had to be sociable. The bar area and the anti-pasta cabinet were manned by two Italian guys with straw boaters and long aprons so they added character to the place. They focused attention to me that might have been due to my presentation or because Carole was still on the phone.
I was persuaded to try the Dry Martini by the barman whilst Carole was on his phone so I ordered one each. I couldn’t believe my eyes as the martini was just a base for almost a glass full of vodka. We did get an olive in the glass as well as some slithers of ice. I almost choked as I spluttered. Wow! I was already feeling chilled and I was scared I might give the game away.
When Carole finished his call we were offered menus. The two boater boys were like a double act and kept me amused with their tricks mixing and pouring drinks. It sounded like Carole had upgraded us to business class on the flight to Louisville and had managed to contact the hotel to confirm our arrival and the name change for me. The hotel was called The Brown Hotel. Not much of a name for a hotel and it sounded dreary so I hoped it was OK for our key client and his wife. Carole told me not to fuss and to trust him since it was 5 star and well positioned downtown. No lost reservations so we didn’t need to bunk up. As if.

Two business guys dressed in suits with open neck shirts sat at the bar with us. They whispered to each other and both seemed to give me the glad eye. When Carole excused himself to use the bathroom one of them tried to strike up a conversation introducing himself and then his friend. They were German from Hamburg and Fritz told me they were staying in the Hilton on the Park same as me and the desk front manager had recommended this restaurant.

They’d noticed me earlier in reception and wondered if I was a New Yorker or a visitor like them. It was strange to be chatted up and I’d done it myself many times whilst lonely on business trips. I knew all the lines and saw them coming. Nevertheless, I was flattered. If they suspected anything it wasn’t obvious.

When they saw Carole returning Fritz’s friend said to watch out my father was coming back. I laughed and said he was a business colleague and then kicked myself for being stupid because the comment was meant to get a reaction and I fell into the trap. I’ve done the same thing myself.

They just smiled at Carole which I don’t think he liked so he decided to swop seats with me. It was a bit obvious he didn’t like them so I didn’t have much choice. I certainly couldn’t risk any fuss or bad words. Helmut, the other guy pulled a face behind Carole’s back and I had to turn away before I burst out laughing. I never realised Germans had a sense of humour. I guess they were around my age and that’s probably what I would have done. I smiled and tried my best not to look them in the eye.

Luckily the waiter came to take us to our table and as I dismounted my barstool Fritz jumped up to take my hand to help. Carole glared at him because he had been too slow. I saw him mutter something and to avoid a fuss I reached for his hand. I’d gotten myself into something that I had not had any life training for. Fortunately Fritz and Helmut stayed at the bar for their food and we were sitting a safe distance away. Throughout our meal I did sneak a look from time to time. Fritz gave a small wave and luckily they left before we’d finished.
Carole outlined our schedule for the next day that meant a car would collect me at 10am after I checked out and we were scheduled to fly at 1pm. I wasn’t looking forward to the airport security so I had to plan what to wear and hope I didn’t get selected for a search. We were due to meet our key client at The Brown hotel and Carole had booked a steak restaurant for dinner. I don’t think he checked if this was OK with Jeremy Boyce and his wife or not.

I got a bit frustrated since these were my clients and they were Brit’s. I told Carole that we don’t eat giant steaks and if he’d booked Morton’s as I suspected then if JB’s wife was a vegetarian it was a bad choice. I knew she wasn’t but based on my research at Morton’s they show the raw meat to customers to decide on the choice of meat. In UK we prefer not to know the detail just the sauce that goes with it after cooking.

Carole agreed we’d check with JB on arrival to Louisville and he’s step aside to let me handle client relationships. I told him we needed to meet for introductions and suggested tea in the hotel but this time it had to be tea without vodka.

Carole walked me the short distance to the hotel foyer and took aim for a goodnight kiss. I was caught off-guard so the driver quickly intervened and coaxed him to head home and let me get some rest. He’d drunk most of the bottle of red wine he ordered with dinner whereas I’d tried to avoid mixing wine and spirit to keep my wits about me. I couldn’t afford any slip ups with large commissions at stake. I could earn at least double my annual salary if thinks went as planned.

I needed some time to think and to set up my computer to do some research about the Derby and Louisville before I hit the sack and jet lag and the Russian tea rooms were already kicking in. Well it was like 3 am in the morning at home and I’d been too nervous to sleep much during the flight. I’d been up since 5 am. I’d appreciated the make-up to cover the dark circles under my eyes. Still I’d got away with it so far.

I was down at reception checking for a wi-fi code at the front desk when I saw 2 figures in the bar who looked familiar. It was Fritz and Helmut so I looked away. I tried to slink past as I headed across to the lifts but Fritz spotted me and I just froze. I waved back and pointed to the lift but it didn’t work. Fritz was in-front of me before I could blink and urged me to join them for a nightcap. I gave in and accepted a coffee and a Baileys on ice. I hoped the coffee would keep me alert until I could escape from their clutches.

We moved to a booth that was a relief since it was more subdued lighting whereas if I’d joined them at the bar I’d have been in full light. They exchanged words in German assuming I was a typical Brit with no language skills. We did some German and French at school. Enough to realise they were deciding who had the best chance that even my poor grades gave me a grasp of ‘der beste mann gerwinnt.’ I assumed it was best man wins.

The laugh would be on them if they got that far. I persevered since at least I was getting some useful practice for Derby Day. The realised that if I could handle these guys after my success with Carole earlier then JB and Mrs JB ought to be a piece of cake. But convincing a woman might be more tricky than men on the hunt for some comfort.

Fritz brought the glass of Bailey’s and soon after a waitress appeared with the coffee. It was a bit weak but probably that was better at this time of night.

As they tried to find out more about me I found myself winding them up. At least I thought I was winding them up. I told them I was a reporter for a magazine who had travelled to New York to write a restaurant review and Carole was introducing me to a variety of local style restaurants.

‘He’s not your father or your uncle then as we suspected.’
‘No he’s a close friend and we lived together when he was working in London.’

‘What living together in a relationship way?’

‘Yes, what’s wrong with that?’

‘Isn’t he a bit old for that sort of thing?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know a bit of the old hanky-panky as you say in UK.’

‘Well he’s not that old and any way I’m not that sort of a girl it was a platonic relationship.’

‘Ah Pluto. You had a Pluto relationship?’

‘No a platonic not Pluto.’

‘But Pluto is same sex relationship, so you are gay then? That explains.’

‘Explains what? I just mean we are good friends.’

‘Yes but the Duty Manager told me to be careful. He told me that you were gay when I talked to him earlier as we admired you as you went past.’

‘ Well you can I’m not can’t you.’

‘Maybe we can find out if you are interested.’

That was a good time to leave so I excused myself to use the bathroom and I headed to my room instead. I’d be better to keep out of the way at breakfast so after I prepared for bed I ordered it to be served in my room with an early call. ‘

I crashed out after an exhausting day.