They would all be there, he thought, having started without him, laughing, making small talk – the kind of name-dropping chit chat they always made when trying to impress.
Did they realize, he wondered, how shallow it made them seem?
How insecure?
Did they understand how transparent that type of behavior was?
Trying to boost self-esteem by attaching a hint of intimacy to a well-known entity had never been for Keller. He wanted to prove his worth by his own actions, stand out for himself, not be known for being acquainted to so-and-so or be mentioned for having sat at the table near this-and-that.
He was the genius when it came to business. He alone could land the Jericho contract. And he would. All by himself. Not on the coattails of anybody else.
It was all meaningless, he thought, tomorrow's shining stars were already waiting impatiently in the wings to outshine today's popular luminary.
He pushed the gas pedal closer to the floor and heard the engine respond instantly.
* * *
The party would be in high gear, now.
A few of the guests would have had time to be more than a little tipsy. That's how it was, he thought, desperate souls drowning secrets beneath a flood of alcohol presented to them in deceptively beautiful containers – paper thin glasses, fluted and etched – packaged poisons in exquisite stemware.
If he had a list of his least favorite things in life, parties would be right up there close to the top. But like so many things in life, this party would be endured for Lyndyl's sake.
He really loved that woman.
The mere mention of her name could start the fires deep inside him.
* * *
Keller burned in other ways when he recalled this evening's meeting with the board. He did not make it a practice of blaming others, but Wade Paulkey was so inept, he made a blank sheet of paper look complicated.
Paulkey was infatuated with the sound of his own voice. That had to be the reason he droned on for over an hour over a minor point that should have been dispensed with in a matter of two minutes.
And now, Keller was melting rubber to make it to the charity bash that he and Lyndyl were hosting. Well, it was Lyndyl's baby. He was only there as window dressing, but he was glad to support his wife.
YOU ARE READING
Love Songs: The Wrong Note - A Collection of Short Stories
General FictionA second volume of short stories in the Love Songs collection. Many of the stories in this collection focus on the theme of love and how it sometimes goes wrong. A large collection of stories that run the gamut from humorous to tragic. 1. Love Songs...
