..”“I love Nancy, and you’ve done a superior job in always grooming her to take over from you. She’s done the same with Sheri. I’ve seen lot... of promotions get squelched because the exec didn’t groom his or her replacement. You have and that makes my agreeing to this much easier. Congratulations.”“He wants an answer by midnight.”Derek laughed “Go talk to Alice and Pam, and then tell him you accept. I see him talking with them right now.”Dave turned and saw that Alice and Pam were paying close. She made up her mind that come the weekend she and Barry were going to sit down and air it out.Her thoughts were interrupted by the telephone. She was not surprised that it was Gordon or that he was blunt and to the point, "Tonight, 6 p.m., room 524 at the Holiday Inn South. Wear something sexy." And he hung up.Promptly at six she knocked on the door to room 524 and was pleasantly surprised when a very handsome man of about thirty-five answered the door. The man gave her a big smile and offered. The dinner itself was uneventful. Nicole went through her litany of complaints while Stephanie listened and I watched the thin lips of her mouth–how different than her sister’s full pout–and her long, thin arms and neck. As I was picking up the plates and taking them into the kitchen, Nicole said, ‘You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you, Steph. Are you doing something different?’ ‘No!’ Stephanie said. ‘My wonderful husband hypnotized me, and I lost 6 pounds in a week! I feel. Just a man, hanging out, having a few drinks at a bar. I don't know what it was, but something about seeing him in this convivial element was just so sexy to me.After a few rounds of beer and bar games, people began to head out for the night, until it was back to being myself, Abby and Owen."Excuse me for a minute," Abby said, as she got up to head to the restroom. As she stood up from her chair, she shot me a glance and nodded her head, gesturing for me to come with her."Um, yeah, I'll be.