Friends and Family Series
Mac
By:
Ron Robbins
(© 2010 by the author)
Editor:
Frank Perry
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Chapter 6
The Penthouse - A New Order
They arrived at the penthouse Sunday afternoon. Christopher greeted them warmly, took their bags and went about his business, while they both headed to the den to read their email messages.
Drew was working at his desk when Christopher knocked on the study door. "Professor Webster has been trying to reach you all week, sir," Christopher said.
"Thank you. Come in, Christopher, I have something to discuss with you that may affect your future employment with me," Drew said. "Something splendid has happened on our vacation that will affect our future living arrangement. Mac and I will be living together as a couple from now on. It's only fitting that we give you the opportunity to resign if you feel uncomfortable about this new arrangement. I'll understand if you choose to resign under these circumstances. Take your time and give it some thought. I would like to know your decision before I leave for Paris. However, I would appreciate it you could stay on and take care of Mac until I return."
"Congratulations, Mr. Stevens, I wish you and Mac all the best. Thank you for considering my feelings, but I'm not uncomfortable with your lifestyle. You are both gentlemen, and I will continue to serve you as I always have."
"Thanks, Christopher. I would be lost without you.
"Mac is my Executive Assistant and also my Manager of International Development. Notify the building management that he is to become a joint tenant in this penthouse. If you need anything from now on, he will be able to help you. Refer all my business calls to Mac from now on. He is going to need your help while I'm away. I would appreciate your taking him under your wing."
"That's fine with me, sir."
"Chris, if you have a few minutes free," Mac said, "I would like to discuss several projects that need your expert skills. I'll be with you as soon as I finish up with Drew."
Mac closed the door behind Chris, and took Drew in his arms and kissed him, "I've wanted to do that all afternoon."
"I love you so much, farm boy, I'm going to miss you terribly."
"I'm more concerned about how these trips drain you of your energy. Every time you come back, you look worse. Three months is too long to be separated, Drew. What's to prevent me from flying over to Europe every other weekend? Your signature is still required on corporate documents and someone has to hand-carry them to you, who better than your assistant?"
"Good thinking, I'm going to make arrangements to be home every fourth week. You run along and talk to Chris while I find out what is on the Professor's mind."
"Professor, I'm sorry I was unavailable to return your calls," Drew said.
"Welcome back, Mr. Stevens, I hope you had a good trip. The bad news is that you owe me fifteen thousand dollars. The good news is that Mac not only graduated number one in his class, but he has received the highest score of any student at Yale Law School in the history of the school."
"My God, this is fantastic news Professor. Yet, I'm not surprised. I would like you to break the news to him personally. Hold on. Let me call him. Before I put him on, I would like you to join us for lunch sometime this week. If you will call my secretary tomorrow morning and let her know what day is best for you, she will arrange everything, now let me find Mac."
Drew stuck his head out the door and asked Mac to step into the library and take the call from the Professor.
Mac picked up the telephone and said, "Hello, Professor. ... Oh my God, this is great news; I'm so delighted. I look forward to our lunch and thank you for the good news." Mac hung up the telephone and was in a state of euphoria. In one swift motion he pulled Drew from his chair and into his arms and held him tight.
"You wonderful, beautiful man, you made this all possible." He showered him with kisses. "My God, Drew, number one." He laid his head onto Drew's shoulder and cried.
"Let it all out baby, you've made me so proud."
Mac calmed down and kissed Drew again. "I wanted so much to please you, those were tears of joy. He put his arm around Drew's shoulder and led him over to the sofa. Sit with me for a minute." He pulled Drew close to him and wrapped his arm around him. "So many wonderful things have happened to me since I've met you. How can I possibly put into words the deep feelings I have for you? It would take too long, but simply put, I love you more than anything in this world. As the days go by, my love for you grows stronger.
"I'm trying very hard to temper my outburst of joy, but every now and then, I slip, but I'm working on it. There have been many beautiful moments in the past three weeks, and now this. It has been too much of an emotional overload. Your love is more than enough for me, yet you have made every moment pure joy for me, and I thank God every day for His blessings."
"God must think we deserve each other," Drew said. "I hope you will always express your feelings whenever the spirit moves you. I think it would be a nice gesture if you gave the Professor a conservative Rolex watch as a token of your appreciation. I'm going to have the company sponsor a graduation party for you to celebrate your outstanding achievements at Yale and to announce your new promotion. We can also announce Rod Johnson joining the firm at the same time. It will be a grand affair with all our families and friends. Naturally, the whole MacDonald clan must attend. I can't wait to see Charles' face when we tell him our news. Let's surprise him with the news at lunch tomorrow. In fact, he would be the ideal person to organize this party. Charles is a big mover and shaker at Yale and he will enjoy planning the whole thing."
"You make out a list of the people you want to invite. Don't forget to include the Harts. Now remember what I told you about our joint account. If you want to buy the family new clothes for the ball, go ahead. I want you to use the money in any way you wish. Naturally, the firm will pick up all of their expenses, and we'll send the company jet to pick them up."
Mac smiled, "You're really getting into this. My family will be shocked by all this luxury."
"You're damn right I'm excited! I can't give you an engagement party, or a wedding party, my love, but I can sure as hell make up for it with this graduation party. Anyway, I enjoy doing these things for you. I hope you will accept them as my way of letting you know how much I love you. Please don't deprive me of my little pleasures."
"I won't deny you anything, Drew. I've never been showered with so much affection before and I'm beginning to enjoy it." He kissed Drew again. "I had better get back with Chris."
Mac found Chris in the drawing room. "Sorry I took so long, Chris, but I just received some good news. My Professor informed me that not only did I score number one in my class, but the score was the highest ever recorded at Yale. I'm willing to bet that I'm the first Kentucky farm boy who has broken the Yale Law School's record. Drew is planning to have a little fun with Charles at lunch tomorrow that should prove interesting. Charles will be pleased because he can take the bows at Yale for hiring such an upstanding lad."
"Congratulations, Mac! To quote Kim, 'You are one smart cookie'. I'm pleased that you're going to be with us from now on."
"Thanks, Chris; by the way, Drew loved the medal. Now let's get down to the serious business. Next weekend I'm going to have my own private graduation party. I'm inviting two other couples to join Drew and me for the weekend. One couple will be Rod Johnson and his girlfriend. The other couple is Lenore Hart and her boyfriend Robert. Incidentally, Rod will also be joining the firm.
"We'll start off with cocktails here, Friday evening. From here, we'll have dinner at the Four Seasons. After dinner, we'll see a Broadway show. Perhaps, after the show, we can catch whoever's performing, at the Rainbow Grill. Then, Saturday we'll fly out to the West Wind for a day of sailing and back here for Sunday brunch. Think you can handle that for me?"
"Piece of cake," Chris said.
"Drew wants you to take me around to meet his tailor. He wants me to fill out my wardrobe. I'm going to rely on your expertise to see me through. I want you to stay with me during the selection process and teach me everything I need to know about fabrics and clothes. Also I'd like you to pick out a conservative Rolex watch for the Professor with an appropriate inscription. Most likely I'll need that for Wednesday.
"I'm sure Charles will keep me busy with this graduation party, so I will need those suits as soon as possible. It's important that I look my best. You know the look. I'll leave everything in your capable hands.
"And now, it's on to important business. Chris, I need you to find me an assistant for my South American operations. He should have martial arts training, be polished, intelligent and above all a self-starter. He must have a degree and be fluent in Spanish and German. Any candidate from the Intelligence community would be ideal."
"I'll start working on that right away."
"You work out the times with the tailor and let me know," Mac said. "It's going to be a busy time for all of us in the next several months and I'll be counting on you to see me through this, Chris. Did Kim send over my wardrobe?"
"Everything is in your bedroom, Mac."
"Oh yes, I want you to move my things into the connecting suite next to Drew's. Let's keep that room set aside for my use. I don't want to disturb Drew in the mornings when I dress. Well, it's time for me to get my act together and invite our weekend guests." Mac reached Rod and confirmed their date for the weekend's invitation. He gave him a quick rundown on the dress code and schedule. Rod gave him Lenore's number and he was able to confirm her for Friday as well.
Mac went into the study and pulled Drew away from the telephone, kissed him and led him into the drawing room where Chris had already poured their wine. Mac said, "Would you like me to play anything special?"
"Anything would be fine."
"Drew, would you mind if we have a brandy in the living room after dinner, for old time's sake?"
"That would be nice, Mac. I'll ask Chris to take care of that."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
After they finished dinner, they walked down the hall to the living room. Chris said goodnight and closed the living room doors behind them. "We've spent some memorable moments in this room," Mac said. "I was happy to be here with you then. This living room was my favorite room, and will always be special."
Chris had set a large silver serving tray with their coffee and brandy on the large coffee table in front of the sofa. Drew poured the coffee and brandy in each glass and handed one to Mac. Mac found a soft jazz station on the stereo, came back, and sat next to Drew on the sofa. He pulled Drew to him and wrapped his arms around him. They looked out the picture windows at the streets of Manhattan below them. They had slipped off their shoes and stretched out their legs on the glass coffee table in front of them.
"The day we returned from Pound Ridge was the most memorable for me. It was an end of a perfect day for me. The sun was setting over the city and my life was changing for the better. You had asked me that day to live here with you. I was overjoyed to be with you that evening. When you walked into the room that night I thought you were the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. It was a strange feeling. I felt very close to you and wanted to take you in my arms and never leave this room.
"The moment passed, but the memory lingered for a long time in my dreams. In retrospect, I feel that night I was beginning to realize my love for you as a man. Claudia was right on target, women seem to sense these things. Our weekend on the yacht only confirmed what I already knew.
"That, my love, is why this apartment brings back so many fond memories." They finished their drinks turned all the lights off and went into Drew's bedroom.
Drew walked over to Mac and undressed him as Mac undressed Drew. Drew took Mac in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Mac wrapped his arm around Drew's waist and stayed that way. It was not long before their erections were demanding release. Drew led Mac to the bed and turned off the lights. Their lovemaking had become more relaxed and intimate. They were more experienced about each other's body and knew how to increase each other's passion. It was only when they could not wait any longer that they climaxed together. Drew fell asleep nestled next to Mac as he had done every night since becoming lovers. Whatever position they slept in, it was always close to one another, as if afraid to lose each other.
Mac was up the next morning at five for his normal morning exercises. After he had showered, shaved and styled his hair he walked back to the bedroom to wake Drew. He sat on the side of the bed, pulled Drew into his arms, and held him until he opened his eyes. He continued to hold him in his arms and kiss him gently until he could feel his erection.
Drew felt the bulge in Mac's crotch. "I know what that means, baby. As much as I would like to make love to you, I just can't; it's a work day."
Drew kissed him, jumped out of bed, and ran to the bathroom. Mac laughed as he walked into his bedroom to finish dressing.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Drew and Mac were the only people in the office at seven that morning. The office staff would not be in until eight. Drew turned over the stack of reports he wanted Mac to tackle and his assignments for the rest of the week. "The first thing I want you to do is to get together with Alex Savage and have him create an office and a small conference room out of the existing conference room next door. We can relocate the present conference room down the hall. Have them install a door between the two offices. We can both use Barbara for the present, unless you want your own secretary."
"No, I would prefer to use Barbara while I'm covering for you. Barbara knows your routine. Let's stick with your system."
"Barbara has a list of our service contractors. I'm giving you a free hand on the office design. Please follow up on Rod Johnson. I would like to have him on board as soon as possible. I know he is your man, but I think we'll let Charles train him until he passes the bar. Rod will soften the blow with Charles when he learns you're working for me."
Barbara's voice came over the speakerphone. "Mr. Stevens, would you care for cup of coffee?"
"Yes, thank you, Barbara, and a cup of tea for Mac MacDonald.
Barbara entered Drew's office carrying the small serving tray with bone china cups and saucers and two small silver pots and set it on Drew's conference table.
"Barbara, I would like you to meet Mac MacDonald," Drew said.
Barbara smiled, "I finally get to match the voice with the man. I feel that I already know you, Mr. MacDonald; it is a pleasure to meet you in person at long last."
"The pleasure is all mine, Barbara," Mac said as he shook her hand.
They each took a seat at the conference table. "Barbara, let me give you a rundown on Mac's position with the firm. As of today, Mac is my Executive Assistant in addition to his position as Manager of our International Business Development group. Please prepare a memo to that effect for distribution to all personnel. Mac will be responsible for all international business. I'm also giving him the authority to handle all my correspondence, communications, and contracts while I'm on assignment for the President."
"This is just for your ears, Barbara. Mac has graduated at the top of his class from Yale Law School." Drew smiled, "I'm going to spring this on Charles at lunch today. It will be fun to see his reaction. You know how Charles is about Yale, Barbara."
Barbara chuckled, "Yes, sir, I'm afraid Mr. King is not going to be a happy camper when he learns that Mr. MacDonald is not going to be assigned to him. Rumor has it that he already spread the word. Congratulations, Mr. MacDonald. It looks like you're going to be a busy man. I hope you will treat Mr. King kindly today. Mr. MacDonald, your employee, Rod Johnson, told me on Friday that he ranked second in the standings after you."
"My God, this is great news," Drew said. "Now I have the top two lawyers from Yale on staff. Barbara, I want you to work with Mac from now on. You can assign one of your assistants to work with me. Officially, I'm not available, so transfer all calls to Mac. I must concentrate on the President's committee work from now on."
They left Drew alone in his office and continued their meeting in the adjoining conference room. "I'm going to need all the help you can give me, Barbara, if I'm to be effective in this job. You know what I'm up against. I'll need you to guide me through the rocks and the hard places. Let's face it, there are going to be people who will resent me, but that will all change once they realize we're all on the same side and I'm here to help them, not to play politics.
"In addition, I would like you to keep me informed on any unhappy campers who are thinking of jumping ship. I'm not referring to the usual office rumblings, but to any legitimate complaints that need looking into. I want you to get the word out that I'm a good listener and willing to try to help our people in any way I can. Let it be known, that everything will be kept confidential. I want to cut our turnover rate to zero.
"From now on, I want you to call me Mac. I know we are going to make a good team, Barbara. I can assure you it's not going to be dull. You can switch my appointment schedule around any way you want. Any appointments I underline in red cannot be changed. I have two appointments like that today, my luncheon meeting and the second meeting at two o'clock with Mr. Stevens and his bankers. You can schedule my appointments from six-thirty to six-thirty, except for my class days, which I will block in as soon as I know." Mac reviewed his list of priorities with Barbara until they had covered everything. He asked her to make appointments with the VP's of Marketing and Public Relations, ASAP.
"Have you any news on the Rod Johnson application?" Mac asked.
"Personnel started working on it two weeks ago, Friday. Rod Johnson drove down from Yale to fill out all the paperwork and met with the VP of Personnel."
"That was a smart move on Rod's part."
"It sure helped to speed up the process a lot. I checked with Personnel last Friday, and I was told they were waiting for his college transcript, but everything else was in order. The drug test and the field report are due in this week."
"Would you get the VP of Personnel on the phone for me, Barbara?"
Barbara dialed the extension, "He is on the line, Mac."
"Good morning, this is Mac MacDonald, Drew Stevens' assistant. He has asked me to follow up on the status of the Rod Johnson offer. Barbara informs me that you have not received an answer from Yale, nor do we have results back from his tests. I think you have a problem. Mr. Stevens asked me to handle this for him as he has his heart set on extending an offer to Mr. Johnson this Friday and I don't plan to disappoint him. Unless the world ends between now and Friday morning, we will have the paperwork on his desk. Now that you understand how important this is, I'm sure you'll make every effort to push this through. If there's anything I can do to help expedite matters I will be more than happy to give you a hand. I would appreciate your letting me know this afternoon exactly where we stand."
By noon Mac had met with the marketing and public relations people, and headed up to the Penthouse for lunch with Charles and Drew. "Congratulations on your promotions, Mac. I received Drew's memo this morning. I'm sorry to lose you," Charles said.
"Thanks, Charles."
"Charles," Drew said, "before we left on vacation, I authorized Mac to hire his classmate, Rod Johnson, and he has accepted our offer. I would like you to get together with Mac and put a package together. I know you're disappointed about losing Mac, but I need him more. I've appointed him as my Executive Assistant. I wanted you to know first before that memo is circulated. Rod Johnson will be Mac's replacement. Rod thinks you're the best corporate lawyer around and has not missed one of your speeches. He will be under your wing until we see how he fits into our structure. I've learned that Rod is graduating second highest in his class from Yale Law School."
Charles broke out into a broad grin, "Well now, things are looking better by the minute."
"You have been very polite by not inquiring about where Mac ranked on the exam. See, Mac, good manners and breeding always tell. I thought you should know, Charles that my Kentucky farm boy graduated first in his class with high honors."
Charles was surprised at the news. He stood up, with a broad smile on his face. He shook Mac's hand, "Well done, Mac, congratulations. I'm still disappointed that you will not be in my department, but we are all on the same team. Drew, I think this calls for a big celebration party," Charles said. "GW Stevens has the top two graduates from Yale on staff and you can bet I'm going to get a lot of good publicity mileage out of this for the company."
"Charles, I think that's an excellent idea," Drew said. "How would you like to take charge and handle everything?"
"It would be my pleasure, Drew."
"Great, you have a blank check on this one," Drew said. "I'll draft a memo to the VP's of Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations, to let them know that you will be in charge of this project. I know you will do a fine job as always, Charles. I appreciate all you have done for Mac already. We hope to have a signed contract from Rod this coming weekend, he has already accepted a tentative offer from Mac, and signed our employment application. We are just waiting for Personnel to complete the paperwork."
"Mac, let's get together the first thing tomorrow morning and hammer out that package." Charles said, "I'm really excited about this party, Drew."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
"That was the best weekend I've spent in a long time, Mac," Lenore said. "We really had a great time and everyone was super. Drew, you're a prince. I hope we can get together and do it again. I hate to eat and run, but Robert starts his shift at three this afternoon, so we are off."
Lenore and Robert were the first to leave. Rod and his girlfriend were dressing for another party. Mac and Drew were waiting for Rod to join them in the library. "Come on in, Rod," Drew said. "I wanted to thank you for joining us this weekend. I understand why Mac speaks so highly of you and Lenore. You're both interesting people, and I enjoyed your company this weekend. I'm pleased that you decided to join my company. Mac, why don't you take over?"
"All your drug tests came back positive, so we can't hire you," Mac said.
"What!"
Mac laughed, "I've always wanted to do that. I'm happy to report that you passed all our tests with flying colors and we have put together this employment contract for you." Mac handed Rod a copy of the employment contract. "Let me give you the meat of the offer Rod. We're offering you a starting salary of $70,000 dollars, which will include all the usual company paid benefits, profit sharing, stock options, retirement and incentive program. You will also receive a sign-on bonus of $5000, which is tax-free. Plus, there is differential housing allowance of twenty-percent per year if you live within a 25-mile radius of our corporate office. In addition to a $3000 one-time clothing allowance, the company will pay for all your relocation expenses and you will receive a $1,500 out-of-pocket housing allowance for incidentals. You are entitled to an all-expense paid, two-week house hunting trip. Our own in-house staff can assist you to find suitable housing in the area. The entire benefit package is spelled out in detail in your contract. Any questions so far?"
"Correct me if I wrong," Rod said. "Excluding the benefits package, are you offering me a salary of $70,000 and another $9500 cash bonus when I sign the contract?"
"That not quite correct, Rod. You will receive an $8000 sign-on bonus in cash. You'll receive the $1500 dollars when you move. Your salary for the first year will be $78,000. Of course you will have a progress review after six months, based on your job performance."
"Give me a few minutes to read this contract over now," Rod said.
"Take as much time as you need, Rod," Mac said.
Rod read the entire contract, "Do you have a pen, Mac?" Rod signed three copies of the contract and handed them back to Mac. "Mr. Stevens, Mac, I want to thank you for this most generous offer," Rod said. "It's a super package. You have exceeded my expectations. Just tell me when and where to report to work."
Mac stood up, shook hands with Rod, and said, "Welcome to the firm. Report to me tomorrow morning and we'll get you squared away."
Drew walked over to Rod and shook his hand, "Congratulations, and welcome to my firm. Mac speaks very highly of your abilities and feels that you have great potential. I must confess I have learned never to doubt his judgment. I want you to work hard and grow with this firm. Always remember that Mac is in your corner, and you can learn a lot from him. Mac, I believe you have something for Rod."
"I'm really happy to present this sign-on bonus check on behalf of Drew Stevens, one of the finest bosses in the world." Mac handed Rod a cashier's check for $8000.
"I can't thank you enough," Rod said. "I want you to know you will never regret hiring me." Rod hugged Mac and slapped him on the back. "Thanks, buddy, I hope it doesn't embarrass you in front of the boss. This graduation party has been the greatest, but this position has made me very happy, Mac." He shook Drew's hand again and said, "Thank you, again, Mr. Stevens, you're everything Mac said you were, only more so." With the hand shaking over, we all returned to the living room.
Rod and his girlfriend thanked them both again and left.
"It's early, Drew, I'd like to spend the night at the Retreat," Mac said. "We can be there in an hour and return early tomorrow morning."
"That sounds wonderful. I haven't been home for almost two months," Drew said. "You make the arrangements for the chopper and I'll speak to Chris and Kim."
The Retreat
Kim greeted them in the foyer. "Mr. Stevens, you have an urgent message, please call Barbara as soon as possible." Drew took off immediately to the library. "You both look rested and healthy again. Have you heard from Yale yet on your exam?"
With a deadpan, look on his face, Mac said, "You don't really want to know, do you?"
"We both know you gave it your best shot, no matter what your marks were, Mac."
"Kim old friend, I'm graduating first in my class at Law School with honors."
Kim's face lit up with a big grin. He hugged Mac, "You had me worried. I'm so happy for you. I'll take your bags to the villa."
"No, Kim, take them to the master bedroom. Drew hasn't had a chance to talk to you yet, but we have made some important changes in our lives. Drew and I will be living together as a couple from now on. I know he plans to speak to you regarding the new arrangement. If you find this uncomfortable to handle, we will understand. Do you think you'll be able to deal with this, Kim?"
"Of course; I'm happy that you will be living here from now on. This place would never be the same without you, Mac; this is where you belong."
"Thanks, Kim, now I know I'm home. It nice to know that you will be around to take care of me, I'd be lost without you. In any event, Drew could never find anyone to replace you. I know he will be happy to know that our home is in your capable hands. We plan to have an early dinner this evening. Would you serve us a bottle of your best white wine in the drawing room before dinner? And Kim, bring in three glasses. We should all have a drink together. I'm going straight to the gym and work out. I'd appreciate your trimming my hair if you have time."
"I'll be waiting for you in the salon after you shower," Kim said. "I'll also let Mr. Stevens know where you will be." Kim smiled as he headed for the library.
"Kim, I'm sorry I had to rush away before I had the chance to speak to you," Drew said.
"Mac has already told me about your news. I wish you both a long and happy life together. I'm pleased that Mac is going to be living with us. This place has been dismal since he left. He is always so cheerful to have around and I love him like a son, Mr. Stevens."
"Thanks, Kim, I happen to agree with you. I know Mac has a warm place in his heart for you."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
After dinner was over Mac said, "I'm going to turn in, Drew."
"I'll join you after I make my call to Washington," Drew said.
Drew finished his calls and headed to the dressing room, undressed and put on a lounging robe. Mac had the lights dimmed in the bedroom and was lying on the large chaise lounge in his silk lounging robe facing the picture windows. Soft dreamy music played in the background. A decanter of brandy and two brandy snifters were on the large end table. Drew walked over and sat next to Mac. Mac wrapped his arms around him and kissed him tenderly. They removed their robes and lay together.
"I wanted to be here with you tonight, my love," Mac said. "This is the first opportunity I've had to thank you for being the perfect host this weekend. You made us all feel welcome. You're really an incredible person. I think I will always cherish this weekend as another memorable experience in our married life. It was very enjoyable to have the three people I am most fond of share this weekend with me."
"Your love is the most wonderful gift I have ever known," Drew said. "You'll never know how empty my life was before you arrived here. I feel like a new person ever since you walked into my life. Your warmth and your enthusiasm are infectious. You have been well worth the long wait, my loveable farm boy.
"As stressful and arduous as this past week has been, I was able to accomplish everything without feeling exhausted," Drew said. "It's so nice to know that you will be here for me at the end of the day. The simple pleasures of dining together and discussing the events of the day have become enjoyable for me. This is my first experience at being married and I like the feeling."
Mac lifted Drew's head and tenderly kissed him. "Isn't this what married life is all about?" Mac asked. "I love to feel your skin pressing against mine. Your Kentucky farm boy will teach you how to relax and enjoy life." Mac kissed Drew on the forehead, then very passionately on his lips. Slowly and gently, they ran their fingers over each other's body. They finished their brandy and walked arm in arm to the bed and made love.
They were up early the next morning and on their way to New York by seven, making it to the office by eight thirty.
Barbara buzzed Drew to let him know his sister Claudia was on the telephone. Drew picked up the receiver, "Good morning, Claudia, who rattled your cage so early this morning?"
"You forget, dear brother, I have three young children to see off to school every morning. Chris told me you and Mac were entertaining guests over the weekend, so I knew you would be too busy to talk. Is there something going on between you and Mac that you're not telling me?"
Drew smiled, "Whatever do you mean, Claudia?"
"Don't play innocent with me, little brother, I know you too well. Charles, my observant husband picked up on several things that meant nothing normally, unless you had a suspicious nature like Charles. He said you looked and acted like a man in love. Not only that, but unexpectedly you're having an office built for Mac next to yours. There is nothing unusual about that, mind you, but Charles said you had appointed Mac your Executive Assistant. Now everyone has to go through Mac first. I also heard about that Senior VP who got his knuckles rapped for refusing to follow orders."
"Look, Claudia, the company needs Mac more than Charles does at this point. I'm leaving for overseas next week and I need Mac to be my eyes and ears while I'm away. Anyway, Mac found an excellent replacement for himself for Charles. Charles is right about one thing, I do feel ten years younger, and I've never been happier in my life. Of course, you were right about Mac. You now have another brother-in-law."
"That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you, Drew. You two are my favorite people, maybe now you will listen to your sister when she tells you something the next time. You tell that gorgeous hunk that he'd better visit more often now that he's family."
"Hold on, you can tell him yourself."
Mac took the receiver, "Hi, beautiful. Since, I couldn't have you; I did the next best thing and married your brother. I hope you're not angry."
Claudia laughed, "I think Charles was getting a little jealous anyway, but in spite of that, honey, welcome to the family. I'm so happy for Drew. He has been carrying the torch for you for a long time. I couldn't be happier for you both. Now, you take care of my little brother, he is a very special guy."
"That's precisely why I married him. It's comforting to know that you and Charles have accepted me into the family. That means so much to me. I'm sure Charles will make me pay my dues in the next few weeks. You know he's in charge of my graduation party, don't you? Watch, he'll have me running around dusting the books and polishing furniture to get ready for the big event. I told him I'd rather he have the spotlight, because we farm boys don't need all that fuss and bother."
"I had planned to call you the first thing this morning to congratulate you on your achievement at Yale," Claudia said. "But the news of your marriage foreshadowed everything else. Anyway, my gorgeous brother-in-law, I'm glad you blew the socks off that bunch at Yale. Promise me you'll visit us before the graduation ceremonies. How about two weeks from Saturday?"
"Thanks, I'll try to be there early Saturday morning, two weeks hence. Let me put the boss back on."
"He really is a darling, Drew, I just love him to death," Claudia said. "Let's all get together and talk again before you leave."
"Please keep this news among the four of us for now," Drew said. "If you want to tell Mom, go ahead, but please, no one else."
"You have my word on that," Claudia said. "Talk to you on Sunday."
After their meeting, Mac took off to his temporary office.
They met for a quick lunch and returned to the apartment for a late dinner. The workout in the gym, and the whirlpool bath did the trick, and they felt refreshed. When they walked into the living room for their glass of wine, they couldn't help but notice the huge bouquet of white roses, and a bottle of Rothschild wine with two cut crystal wine glasses.
"What a beautiful bouquet," Drew said.
Drew opened the card and read, `To my two beautiful people, Mac and Drew, may your love remain as pure as the roses, and may the wine warm your hearts as you have ours. With all our love, Claudia and Charles.'
"Drew, that is so thoughtful. What a sweet lady," Mac said. "We are very lucky to have her on our side."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The next several weeks were demanding for Drew and Mac. Drew was commuting to Washington every week in preparation for his trip to Europe. In addition, both were putting in long hours at the office. Drew was concerned about Mac's lack of experience. Mac really needed more training for the workloads he was handling. Drew felt it unfair to drop everything in his lap, regardless of how dedicated and smart he was. He also knew that Mac would be working twenty hours a day to prove he could handle the job. They finally came up with a simple workable system that solved all their problems.
The Yale graduation ceremony was scheduled in three weeks. The gala banquet scheduled for Saturday night at the Waldorf Astoria was set. Drew planned to return to New York Thursday afternoon, the day before graduation. Mac's entire families were Drew's guests for Graduation week. The company booked the out-of-town guests into the Waldorf Astoria as well.
Mac was making progress with the speeches he had written with the help of the Marketing Department. They had put together two-dozen, half-hour speeches in addition to ten impromptu speeches that would cover any situation. The director of marketing scheduled Mac for a round of speaking engagements that were to begin the week after graduation. His first speech was to be to the American Petroleum Association followed by an American Management Association dinner speech the following week. Thereafter a speech was booked every other week. The speeches were taped, and forwarded to Drew in Paris, for his comments.
Fortunately, the time passed quickly for Mac. The International group was demanding most of his time, the remainder of the time he would spend pouring over Drew's daily correspondence, which Mac would send to him in a condensed daily memo. The weekly progress reports were emailed every Saturday morning. That report was the summary of the final actions taken for that week.
Drew returned the reports to Mac the following day with his comments. Mac's early training was paying off as he had learned a great deal about each group sitting in at the division meetings with Drew. His photographic memory helped him a great deal. He had a unique advantage in that he retained everything he heard or read. He was privy to all communication at the highest levels of the company, as well as every division, on a daily basis. Each day became easier for him. With his brain capacity like that of a mainframe computer, it was not difficult for him to give the managers immediate answers to their questions, without the need to review the files. The department heads reached a point where they elected to call Mac directly with their problems, thus eliminating the long detailed memorandums.
Mac became proficient at handling the day-to-day business. Drew was pleased with his progress and told him to report on those decisions that committed the company to large financial obligations.
Mac's new office was nearing completion. The interior designers had submitted several decorating schemes, yet the designs did not appeal to him. He knew what he wanted, but the designer could not come up with a scheme with which he felt comfortable. In desperation, he turned to Claudia for help. He had admired the way she had decorated her mansion. He explained the effect he wanted to create, simple yet elegant. Claudia was delighted with the opportunity to use her talent and agreed to work with the decorators to come up with the decor that Mac wanted.
Mac's second priority was to perfect his graduation speech. He had rehearsed the speech, but was not happy with the results. He even tried the speech out on Charles and Rod. Charles made a few minor suggestions and thought it was a winner. Mac however, was not satisfied and thought he was stiff and mechanical. He wanted this speech to be interesting and polished. He needed the help of a professional and found that help at NYU. The director of the NYU Drama School suggested he contact Jim Lucas, the head of his Drama department. Jim was an excellent speech and elocution coach. Mac later learned that Jim had coached many prominent stage and screen stars over the years, as well as the CEOs of many of the leading corporations. He wasted no time in hiring Jim to work with him on his speech.
After working with Jim for two weeks, Mac felt comfortable with his delivery and confident that he could handle any speaking engagement. In fact, he hired Jim to coach him on all his speeches. Mac decided to test his newfound stage presence at the bankers' convention prior to his scheduled round of talks. The results were very positive and the VP of Marketing was delighted with the response.
Mac couldn't possibly handle all the requests that came in. He enjoyed public speaking and kept improving his technique with every speech he made. He liked people and projected that feeling to his audience. The VP's were satisfied once again. Not only was he in demand, but was able to deliver his speech in three languages.
Graduation Week
Mac's family arrived the Sunday before his graduation for a week of fun in New York. Their entire week was been planned from the hour they arrived until their return flight one week later. The first event on the schedule was a dinner party at the Penthouse. It would be the first time all his family had been together in six years. The GW Stevens PR department had planned an exciting week of tours from museums, Broadway shows, and the usual landmarks, that New York has to offer.
Claudia was planning a small graduation lawn party in Pound Ridge for friends and relatives for Friday afternoon. She also invited Rod Johnson and Lenore Hart and their families as well. She arranged to have all of the younger children stay at the estate for the night of the big awards dinner at the Waldorf, Saturday evening.
Drew arrived back in town on Thursday afternoon as planned. He spent a few hours in the office before returning to the apartment to spend the rest of the day with Mac. This had been their first separation since they'd become a couple. Drew took the elevator up to the penthouse and found Mac in the library talking on the telephone. He walked in, closed the door, walked over to Mac and kissed him on the forehead and behind his ear.
Mac hung up the phone, and pulled Drew down on his lap, then kissed him. Mac held Drew in his arms for several minutes. "God, it's wonderful to hold you in my arms again, I don't think I've missed anyone as much as I miss you, my love."
"I know the feeling," Drew said. "This is so delightful."
Mac followed Drew into their bedroom while he changed into casual clothes. They returned to the living room for a glass of wine before dinner. Drew felt the pressure and the tension melt away as he sat back and studied Mac. He realized how handsome and appealing he was. Mac still had the same warm smile and easy way, yet the overall change in his demeanor was dramatic. This was the first time in months Drew had had the chance to observe him. He had become the polished person he had strived to be. His movements were controlled and smooth, and his diction and speech were flawless. His voice was perfectly modulated. Gone was all trace of his Southern accent. Gone, too, were the effects of his broken leg. Mac had become the ultimate professional, handsome and well groomed. He was something to behold. The evolution from college senior to business executive had taken place. Drew hoped Mac had not lost his refreshing country charm beneath this polished facade.
Later that evening, they were having an after dinner brandy in the living room. Mac put his brandy snifter down, walked over to Drew, took hold of his hands, and pulled him into his arms. "You're driving me crazy, my beautiful baby. I cannot wait any longer, let's go to bed." Mac led Drew into the bedroom. Their lovemaking was passionate and deliberate. They blended their minds and bodies together as they experienced that electrifying sensation of lovemaking, touching each other's naked body, kissing the erogenous areas that heightened erotic desire. The touch of their fingertips was like the touch of a feather brushing the skin. The intensity and the passion radiating throughout their bodies, holding each of them in a state between absolute peace and a passion so intense and beautiful that you hoped it would never end.
They lingered on this deep, wonderful plateau until they could no longer sustain the intensity of the orgasm without blacking-out. They experienced the most beautiful and sustained climax. Their minds joining in a sexual experience left them exhausted and completely satisfied. They fell asleep in each other's arms.
Mac awoke at five and untangled himself from Drew. He covered Drew with the blanket and left. After completing his morning workout, he shaved, showered and went back to the bedroom to wake Drew.
They were not pressed for time this morning, so Mac crawled back into bed, took Drew in his arms and kissed him gently until he opened his eyes. He continued to kiss Drew on the lips, neck and ears until they were both aroused. Mac marveled at the golden luster to Drew's skin in the morning. He had never seen this before. It was exciting to feel Drew's warm silky skin touching his own.
"Look, my beautiful farm boy, we have a busy schedule this morning and as much as I want to make out with you, I can't this morning."
"I'll let you rest, sweetheart. Yet I hate to stop now that I have you all primed, because that erection of yours is a thing of beauty." Mac kissed him again and held him tightly for what seemed a long time. "I love you so much, Drew, I hate to let you go. I would be perfectly content to hold you like this forever. I'll let you go this time, but tonight is another story." Mac smiled and released Drew. "Now go do your thing right now, or else."
Mac was in the living room scanning his third morning newspaper when Drew walked in and sat next to him on the sofa.
"Well, my love, what's on the agenda for today?"
"After breakfast, I plan to take you back to the bedroom, rip your clothes off and make love to you until we are so drained we'll fall asleep until tomorrow. Then we'll continue to make love until it's time for you to leave for Paris, or until we can't get it up anymore. That, my dear, should keep us satisfied for at least three weeks."
"Don't say another word," Drew said. "I just may weaken and let you have your way. I can't think of anything I'd rather do. In fact, I could easily spend the rest of my life in your arms."
"I want you so much, Drew, that I would drop everything and take you to Paradise Island and never leave. But alas, my love, you have made me responsible for all these people, so we can't leave now.
"To get back to your original question," Mac said. "We'll spend a few hours working at the office. Then we fly to New Haven with Charles and Rod for the graduation ceremonies. A chartered bus to New Haven will whisk our families to the ceremonies. After the ceremonies, the families will be bused to the King estate for cocktails and dinner. The four of us will fly directly to Charles' estate after our lunch with the Dean.
"After dinner, you and I will fly to the Retreat for some serious lovemaking, returning to Manhattan late Saturday afternoon in time to dress for the Gala at the Waldorf. Yours truly will make his speech to the multitude and run home for some more lovemaking. After Sunday morning breakfast, I wave bye-bye to the family and return to you for more serious petting before you take off for Paris."
"I like the lovemaking parts," Drew said. "It has a nice flow to it and gives me something to look forward to each evening."
"I thought you would appreciate those little farm boy touches."
"You're right about that. Now that we agree on the good stuff, let's have breakfast and begin your big day."
The lawn party was in full swing by the time Rod, Charles, Drew, and Mac arrived. They changed and joined the other guests. Mac introduced Drew to his family. Drew met Mac's older sister, Norma Jones, and her husband, Lawrence, their children: Jenny, 24; Edward, 20; David, 18; and Judy, 15. Next were his other sister, Anne Gunning, and her husband, Brian, and their children: Josh, 15; and Kurt, 12.
The party was well organized and everyone was enjoying themselves.
Rod was really the only outsider in the group, and Jenny, Mac's niece, took him under her wing, and made him feel at home. Rod and Jen were both about the same age and soon discovered that they had a lot in common.
It was Mac's day, and he was enjoying himself. He spent several hours playing requests and a few sing-along numbers for the guests. As the evening approached, Mac and Drew thanked Charles and Claudia for the wonderful party, and left to catch the helicopter to the Retreat.
After arriving at the manor, Drew stopped to speak to Kim while Mac went on up to their suite, undressed and took his shower. After Drew showered, he joined Mac in the Jacuzzi. Relaxed, they slipped from the Jacuzzi and donned their robes. Drew poured two snifters of brandy, walked over to the chaise lounge, and lay down next to Mac. They sipped their brandy and discussed the events of the day.
"I was very proud of you today, Mac. I thought the speech you gave was excellent and you looked so handsome standing at the dais in your cap and gown. I was glad I was sitting, because I was getting an erection picturing you standing there naked in all your glory."
Mac burst out laughing, "I'm the one that is supposed to picture my audience naked, not the other way around."
"I like it better my way," Drew said. "I had a warm feeling in my heart knowing that the beautiful guy standing there was all mine. All I could think about was holding you in my arms like this."
"Why don't we remove these robes? I want to feel that smooth golden body next to mine." They lay down again, each with an arm wrapped around the other with their sides pressing against the other. "This is nice," Mac said. "I like to feel that velvety skin pressing against mine, I find it so stimulating. I love running my fingers all over your body and feeling your erection. I particularly love to feel the warm moist silky area around your crotch. I enjoy watching your penis dance in tiny little circles when I run my fingers very softly around and under your testicles and feel your scrotum become tight and hard. You really turn me on, baby, when you moan softly in my ear. I can feel the small electric waves of excitement passing through your skin into my body and taking me to the same height of stimulation you are feeling. I've learned how far I can excite you before I push us over the edge. I want you to enjoy this level as long as you can before it becomes painful. When we're both ready and can't take it any more we'll move to the bed for our deep, passionate, wonderful climax." Mac continued until they were both fully ready to climax. He stood and led Drew to bed. Their combined passion carried them to that wonderful love and fulfillment they could now achieve, they had learned how to use the power of their brains to become as one.
This night was different than most, because Drew awoke after four hours and wanted to make love again. He made Mac get out of bed, still half-asleep, and take a shower with him. After they dried off, he rubbed his own body all over with his special body oil and did the same to Mac. Then they returned to bed where they made love again.
Mac was up at five, did his workout, shaved and showered. He went back to bed and took Drew in his arms as he did every morning. He kissed him until Drew opened his eyes. This time he forced his tongue into Drew's mouth, until they both had hard erections. This morning, Drew did not stop Mac and remained in his arms. Mac couldn't resist the feel of Drew's satiny skin. Finally, he kissed every inch of Drew's body. The sun shining down on Drew made his skin glow like a golden statue. "You are beautiful, my love," Mac said. "It's painful to realize that we will be apart for three weeks." Drew was so aroused that he could not hold back anymore. He pulled Mac on top of him and within a matter of seconds, they both climaxed again.
Drew awoke a little after nine o'clock and headed for the gym to exercise while Mac took his third shower.
Mac dressed and headed for Drew's small kitchen to cook breakfast. He prepared the kind of country breakfast his mother made for him on the farm. He was finishing frying the potatoes and sausage when Drew came behind him and put his arms around Mac's waist, nibbled on his ear, and kissed his neck.
"Hi, handsome, you look so domestic standing over a hot stove and smell good enough to eat."
"That feels nice," Mac said. "If you keep that up, I just may change my mind about breakfast and take you back to bed."
Drew laughed, "In that case, I'd better set the table, or we won't have the strength for the party tonight. It certainly wouldn't look right to have the guest of honor and his boss falling asleep at the party, as tempting as your offer may be."
After breakfast, they took their coffee into the den and sat in one of the sofas that faced the floor to ceiling windows. It was a spectacular view of the mountains. "Come over and sit next to me." Mac said. He put his arm around Drew's shoulder and pulled him close.
"You know, I never realized how delightful sex could be until I fell in love with you," Drew said. "It is a very complex emotional experience for me. It's times like this that I would like to chuck the President's Commission and stay here with you."
"Look, Drew, as much I would like that, I don't expect you to change any plans that have been in the works long before I walked into your life. I'm not going to pressure you anymore on that score. It finally dawned on me that I am being selfish putting that much pressure on you. I know this is hard on you. Your work with the commission won't last much longer. My only real concern at this point is your health. This job takes so much out of you. I can't bear the way you're driving yourself. It's very upsetting to see how exhausted you are when you return from these trips. You must take better care of yourself. You're not alone any longer, my love. I'll take as much of the work load off you as I can, but you must cut back.
"I have a grueling schedule ahead of me for the next two years, but I'm not going to let it interfere with my quality time with you. I'm not opposed to working long days during the week, but the weekends are ours," Mac said. "We're going to take a minimum of eight weeks vacation time off each year. You have given your life to this company, more than any of your employees. Now it's time you took it easy. I would like you to consider buying something like our little love nest in the Caribbean.
"We need a place like that to escape to every chance we get. I also want your permission to form the MacDonald-Stevens Corporation. We can each put in a couple million dollars for startup. After that I intend to plow every dollar back into the corporation. I want to build our own corporation when I leave GW Stevens."
"I don't understand, Mac. Why would you want to leave my company? I expected you to become President and run the company after I've stepped down."
"I will run your company as long as you need me, but after you finish with the President's business you can start looking to find my replacement. I realize the great opportunity you are offering me, but I have no desire to succeed you as the president. The GW Stevens Company is a family owned business and the top position should go to a member of your family. I may be your spouse, but I'm not family. There would be resentment against both of us, if you made me CEO of the company. You must think about this from your family's point of view. Anyway, I plan to retire when you do. That gives you seventeen years to train your replacement. You can still keep your hand in by remaining as chairman. You've become an integral part of me and I don't plan to waste one minute of our time together. I'm concerned sometimes, because I'm not emotionally prepared for the glimpses I see of our future, yet these premonitions have never been wrong. I wish it were possible to explain this phenomenon to you, but sometimes it takes a while to understand it myself. I promise to explain everything to you when I'm able to comprehend the meanings myself. Your faith in me has given me confidence and strength I need to go on. Drew, I love you so much, I wish everyone could know what a beautiful person you are, and I am grateful for your love." Mac saw tears running down Drew's cheeks. He pulled Drew closer and kissed him very tenderly.
"What can I possible say to let you know how much I love you?" Drew said.
"You don't have to, I know how you feel. Your brain waves are getting stronger every day. It's really incredible the compassion you feel for me, and I'm deeply touched."
"I never thought there could be any resentment from my family if I made you CEO. I certainly would not have suggested the opportunity unless you were capable of handling the job. It's obvious that you have given this a lot of thought and it's certainly something for me to consider. I'm not even going to ask what is going on in that amazing brain of yours, because I only have another day to spend with you," Drew said. "My only question is, are your sure four million is enough operating capital to start your new company?"
"Yes my love, if I need more I can always borrow more from you."
"I'm going to make a serious effort to be home more often," Drew said. "It would be nice to own an island like Paradise Island. I like that island but I would be very surprised if it's for sale. However, I'm sure there are other islands available. You won't have any argument from me about retiring early," Drew said. "Thanks for sharing your dreams with me, baby. You are the most beautiful gift that God could have given me and I pray he lets me keep you forever."
To be continued...
Posted: 03/02/12