get away, there’s no place better to get lost, and lose myself, than the streets of New York City. I thought running the SkyTrack at my health club, Level 9/NYC, would give me the answers I needed. Approaching mile six, I’m still struggling as to why I hadn’t seen Sierra’s resemblance to Maggie before Noel pointed it out. Is that the source of my attraction to her? Or am I not even really attracted to her and just using her to fill a corporate need, succumbing to board pressure? Whatever is motivating me, I am making a mess of it all. Or am I out of my mind crazy attracted to her with her slightly wild, dirty blonde hair, fresh scrubbed face and Louboutin-perfection legs.
The only thing I know for sure by the time I’ve completed mile eight, is that I am running through scenarios in my head that will give me reason to contact her. I want to hear her voice. I need to apologize, more significantly than by just leaving flowers at her front door, and I haven’t done that, I have not offered a real apology. With every day that has passed, I know I am making it worse, but have convinced myself that she doesn’t want to hear from me and that I need space from her to examine my motivation.
Coming out of the locker room after a hot shower, I am surprised to see the owner of Level 9, Schooner Moore, on the premises. He and I have gotten to know each other a bit through a private NYC entrepreneurs group, and I know he is spending less and less time overseeing his vast health and entertainment club empire, and more time on a charitable foundation he’s building for physical therapy rehabilitation in developing nations.
Across the facility, Schooner is handing something off to a guy in dark glasses and a baseball cap, who looks a lot like Jesse Winslow, lead singer of the band, Winslow. The guy then heads across the complex’s rotunda with a redhead. The beachy waves in the redhead’s hair reminds me of Sierra’s golden waves. Laughing to myself, everything reminds me of Sierra.
As the guy and the redhead walk away, Schooner turns and I catch his eye, “Hale, good to see you.” Schooner Moore’s hand is outstretched, as he crosses the facility toward me with long-legged strides. “You should have let me know you were coming in.”
“Last minute decision. No meetings scheduled and I thought a run would do my head some good.”
“I know that feeling. The track has always been my place to work through things. Either that, or my boat,” he laughs. “Well, let me know if there’s anything my staff or I can get you. Good to see you again.” And with a clap on my back, one of the master entrepreneurs of our time is off.
Entering my office the next morning, I am immediately accosted by Susan Smith who appears to be lurking in the hallway. She follows me into my office, a terrier traipsing at my heels and takes a seat.
“From our perspective things seem to be going well working with your team. How would you rate it?” She pressures me for an answer.
“Feedback from my staff has been good. I haven’t heard anything negative from my directs, but I haven’t been involved in the day-to-day. You should check in with them.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.” And with less than a breath of air, she launches into, “If you are pleased with my team’s performance, it might add more continuity to handle the project you are running out of Texas with my group at the helm.”
“Susan, that project is not a staff level project. There’s a reason why management is so intimately involved. Does it really make sense to bring you into Austin when Sierra is based there?”
Just saying her name brings with it a sense of longing that I’m not expecting.
“Hale, I’m personally interfacing with many of your departments and personnel, including your direct reports. I clearly have a better working knowledge of your organization. So yes, I think my familiarity with multiple aspects of your organization will bring a more tangible benefit than mere logistics.”
I sit back and regard Susan. She is cut-throat all right. Cut-throat and competitive. A man in a black microfiber Hillary Clinton suit. Usually I like people who will do anything to get the job done. But backstabbers are not a favorite.
“Except that Sierra is doing an exquisite job. Honestly, I