The most thrilling night of my life, Part VII

He eyes definitely glanced me up & down one more time before he looked over at Alex and said, “Well I was just on my way out. So I will leave you two to talk. I’ll call you tomorrow Alex. And again, nice to meet you Collin,” as he walked out the door.

When I was sure he was gone, I looked over at Alex as he sat behind his desk and whispered, “Is he gay?”

Alex chuckled and replied, “Is the Pope Catholic, Collin? Why of course he’s gay. You’ll find that at least fifty percent if not more of the people in this business are gay. Why do you think I work in this field anyway,” as kept on chuckling.

I just laughed and said, “Yea, I kind of figured he was”.

But then Alex added, “The funny thing is, Collin, he asked the very same thing about you too.”

I gulped and replied as if to ask a question, “He did? When?”

Alex smiled and replied, “When we were going through the slicks before you got here”.

I simply replied, “Oh”.

Alex did admit that he was kind of taken back by Mr Ellis’s visit for he said normally the man didn’t get involved personally in projects as small as ours. Alex added that Mr Ellis basically ran Landue’s world wide operations and only got involved in New York, London, Paris and Hollywood kind of projects-- and only if they were over twenty million dollars.

When I asked Alex what size project did he think ours was, he replied, “Uhmmmm hard to say, Collin. But probably no more than three million dollars when all is said and done”.

Alex went on to sat that Landue Advertising was only a very small part of Mr Ellis’s business empire. He explained that Mr Ellis came from an affluent Texas oil family and the family’s estimated net worth was well over 800 million dollars according to Lone Star Monthly, a large magazine publication that served the entire State of Texas.

And while I certainly couldn’t help but be impressed with that kind of money and influence, nevertheless I realized it certainly wasn’t going to affect my relationship with his company. I mean if the ads were successful, then his company would probably use me again on another project. But if the merchandise tanked, then I was out. Only time would tell, I told myself.

After we finished going through some 50 slicks and chatted for a few minutes, Alex said, “Well look Collin, I’m really, really pleased. The merchandise should show up great and that’s because you’re modeling it. And if the merchandise sells like I think it’s gonna do, you and I are going to be heroes. So let’s keep in touch, OK?”

I replied, “Sure Alex and thanks for everything”, as I walked out the door for he had phoned a cab for me and it had just pulled up.

Then, two days later (Thursday), I was walking from my dorm to class after cramming just about all night for a history exam. Suddenly my cell phone went off. When I pulled it out and looked to see who was calling, I didn’t recognize the number. But when I answered it, a voice on the other in said, “Hello Collin, Garrett Ellis here. We met in Alex’s office this past Tuesday. How are you today?”

I quickly replied although I was a really nervous, “Hello Mr Ellis. Fine thanks and you”?.

Garrett replied, “Fine thanks. Collin, the reason I’m calling is I wanted to know if you would like to join me for dinner this evening?”

Before I could reply, he asked, “Is nine o’clock OK? I like to eat late.”

My mind went blank for I was so surprised by his question. But before I could think it through, I replied, “Sure.”

He said, ‘”Great! How about the River Oaks Bar and Grill, Collin?”

I replied, “Sure, that’s fine with me,” even though I had no idea where the place was.

Then he asked, “I don’t believe you have a car yet, do you?”

I replied, “Well, no sir, I don’t. But I can always take a cab.”

He quickly said, “No, you don’t need to do that. I’ll just send someone to pick you up at eight forty-five. It only takes about fifteen minutes to get from Rice over to the restaurant. How about the driver pick you up in front of your dorm?”

Although I was really nervous by now, I replied “Well, that will be fine, sir.”

After I gave him the name of my dorm, he told me that he looked very forward to having dinner. He said to dress casual because he was too. I wondered how he got my phone number, but then I remembered I furnished it along with my address to his company when they contracted with me. So evidently he must have taken the time to have personally looked it up or had someone on his staff do it for him.

After I took my exam, I went to two of my other classes that Thursday. Once they were over, I skipped lunch for I was really tired from cramming all night. I headed back to my dorm so I could sleep for a few hours. When I put my head down on my pillow, I began thinking about Mr Ellis and our dinner engagement in just a few hours. I suspected all along his intention wasn’t to discuss business, but rather to court me.

And while I was confused and didn’t know if my feelings for him would ever be mutual given he was so much older than me, nevertheless I wanted to get to know him. There was something that fascinated me about the man from the very moment we met.

As the sun set and the moon came up, I took a nice long hot shower, relaxed while I had a diet Pepsi in my room and then got dressed. I decided to wear a pair of gray docker slacks, green Polo pullover and my brown dress shoes. Of course I put Trent’s ring on, but for the first time since I began wearing it, I didn’t know what kind of luck I wanted it to bring me. I just knew that I wanted it to bring me some good fortune one way or the other.

About the time my ride was supposed to pick me up, Sean and some of the dormies were sitting out on the steps of our building talking for it was absolutely a beautiful evening outside. When they saw a white stretch limousine pull up and the chauffeur dressed in a tuxedo got out to open the door for me, their jaws nearly dropped to the concrete as I ran down the steps, turned and waved back to them just before I got in and we drove off.

When we arrived at the River Oaks Bar & Grill, my chauffeur who had introduced himself on the way as, “Joe” got out and opened the door for me. Once I stepped out in front of the entrance, he said, “Enjoy your dinner sir, I’ll be waiting out in the parking lot for you”.

Just as I walked in the door an looked around, I couldn’t believe what a truly exquisite restaurant the place was. The interior was decked out not in walnut or mahogany like a lot of fine restaurants, but in super expensive California Redwood which I recognized immediately. And the bar had the most beautiful marble top I had ever seen. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in black slacks, white shirts & ties and every table was covered with a fine white table cloths of course and only the finest silverware had been placed on them.

Just then, the host dressed in a tuxedo greeted me and said, “Hello, you must be, Collin”.

I smiled back and replied, “Yes sir, I am.”

He said, “Let me show you to your table, sir,” as he walked me about 60 feet into another large part of the restaurant. When we entered the dinning room only a few people remained and they looked like they were just finishing up with dinner. But I kind of expected that given we were eating so late to begin with.

Then the host said, “Mr Ellis phoned, he should be here any minute. In the meantime can I bring you a drink?”

I smiled and replied, “Well I am not twenty-one yet”.

The host just smiled at me and kindly replied, “Well don’t let that stop you, young man”.

I replied, “Well, sure then. How about a Crown Royal and Coke?”

The host replied, “Why of course”.

Just as he was serving me my cocktail, in walked Mr Ellis. He quickly said as he came up to me to shake my hand as I stood up, “Collin, how are you? I’m sorry I’m late, but I got held up by a train at the railroad crossing.

I replied, “Oh, that’s OK. I just got here myself”.

The host then asked, “Ahhhh, Mr Ellis, do you want your usual? ”

Mr Ellis replied, “Sure! But make it Blue Label tonight. I want a really good drink, Richy”.

I didn’t know there was such a thing as Blue Label. My dad drank Johnny Walker Red & Black label, but I was sure Blue Label had to be the very top, top shelf stuff.

When Mr Ellis sat down, rather than sitting across the table from me like most people would normally do, instead he chose to sit down at the side of the table right next to me. It seemed he established the tone right then and there that he intended for our dinner to be personal in nature all along rather than anything to do with business.

After we chatted for a few minutes, we ordered dinner. I had the red snapper and Mr Ellis ordered grilled swordfish cooked in lemon pepper.

Once the waiter picked up our menus, we looked at each other just for a moment or so. Mr Ellis then asked me about myself. Of course I told him that I was from Chicago and had won a scholarship to Rice--so I explained that’s how I ended up in Houston. Then I went into all about my family--my parents, big brother and two little sisters.

When I finally finished almost 20 minutes later, Mr Ellis smiled and remarked, “Yep, I have relatives who live in the Midwest, Collin. And families are pretty tight up there which I think is a very good thing”.

No sooner did he make that remark when the waiter brought our dinner. Just after we took our first bite, I thought I would be bold. So I asked him where he was from. He told me that he was originally from Houston, but attended a private boy’s school in Connecticut and then Harvard where got both his BBA and MBA.

Well needless to say, I was impressed as hell even more than I already was with him knowing he had graduated with two degrees from such a prestigious school. After he told me all about his Harvard days and how it led to a career in advertising, he went into his family-- like how his parents still lived Houston and had an older sister who now lived up in Dallas with her husband and children.

Before we knew it, we were the only ones left in the place. No sooner did the waiter pick up out plates when the host asked Mr Ellis if he wanted his usual after dinner drink. He gave the host a positive head shake and within a minute or so he was back with two glasses of fine brandy.

Then things got interesting. After we took a few sips and made small talk for a minute or so, he looked me deep in my eyes and said, “You know Collin, not only are you a smart young man, but your so very handsome too, I might add”.

By now there was no doubt in my mind that his real purpose all along was to court me just like I suspected. I don’t know what made me do it, but as he sat there with one of his hands on the table right in front of me, I moved my hand over and placed it on top of his. I replied very softly, “Well thank you, Garrett. That means a lot to me coming from you.”

Before I could say another word he quickly interlocked our fingers and said, “I still can’t believe how exciting you look in some of those slicks that Alex and I went through yesterday. We are going to sell a boatload of our client’s merchandise this year, you just wait and see.”

Without replying to his comment I smiled instead and squeezed our fingers together to let him know that I liked him too.

Then he said, “Collin I would like to see you again if that’s OK--like maybe spend the day together, how does that sound?”

I smiled and blushed a little. Then replied, “Well, OK, I mean, sure.”

He thought about my reply and then asked, “ Would this weekend be all right since its a three day holiday?”

I thought about his question for a brief moment and replied, “Well I would like to, but I kind of need to study most of this weekend. I have a major exam on Tuesday morning”.

Garrett calmly replied while he gently squeezed our finger together, “I see. Well I need to go out to my ranch tomorrow morning ( Friday). But why don’t you get done what you need to do tomorrow and then have the driver pick you up in the late afternoon, say around four o’clock. I’m having a get together and entertaining some friends & clients over the extended weekend out at my ranch beginning tomorrow night through the Monday holiday and I think you’ll fit in real well with group.

Well needless to say, his offer sounded great. But I still needed to study for I was making all A’s and certainly wanted to make sure I maintained them. But before I could respond, he added, “If you need to study which I want you to do, I have a complete library & study at my ranch and you’re more than welcome to use it. Then when you want to take a break, you can always come out and join the gang. How does that sound?”

By now his offer sounded just too good to refuse. So, finally, I smiled at him and asked, “Well are you sure?”

He repaid, “Sure! I want you to keep up you grades, Collin. That’s the most important thing. But you can study out at my ranch just as easily as you can study back at your dorm and you’ll be much more comfortable out there anyway”.

I looked him in his eyes as I squeezed our fingers together one more time before finally replying, “Well OK, Sure, Why Not?”

His face really lit up and he said, “Great!”

After we chatted for about fifteen minutes, he flipped two one hundred dollars bills down on the table without even looking at the check and walked me out to my limo. Just as soon as I got in, I rolled down the window and leaned my head out a little to say, “goodnight”. He bent over slightly until our lips almost met. But then I said rather softly as I looked him in his very soft eyes, “Well goodnight, Garrett. And thank you for dinner. See you tomorrow.”