Crazy Ladies: Part One

By Laurie Vincent

The downtown Minneapolis branch of Summit Wealth Group, an investment firm, is in chaos when several of their top financial advisors leave the firm. Enter Mike Callahan, the ruggedly handsome new manager, hired to replace ineffective George Hinckley, a member of the Old Guard blamed for failing to attract and maintain high revenue-producing talent. Mike, a take-charge, results-driven alpha male, brings with him two of his advisors with proven track records: Daniel Esposito, a hot Latin in his mid-forties, who immediately causes temperatures to rise among the women, and Elizabeth Holland, a seasoned, bubbly person on the surface – or is she?

Meet the Crazy Ladies of the office!

Suzy, the most senior sales assistant and “Go-To” girl. She does her best not to get frazzled by some of the office’s demanding, stronger personalities that keep her jumping. At home, she has an over-sexed boyfriend who rarely gives her peace. Mike wants to groom her to be his Number Two.

Rebecca, a gorgeous African American diva on the lookout for a rich man to marry, does not get along with other women, and prefers the company of her gay best friend Travis and his partner Lionel. She is assigned to Daniel, which causes an office rivalry, and while she is ecstatic, soon suspects he might be providing more than advice for some of his wealthy female clientele.

Angie, a cute and spunky Asian, has the Dress Code Police up in arms over her outrageous outfits and speaks with no filter. She also wanted to assist Daniel, but gets stuck with Elizabeth, and gradually learns she is hiding an ugly secret.

The mystery begins!

George, the displaced branch manager, recognizes that he once worked with Daniel and Elizabeth at a prior firm that was destroyed by an explosive scandal. Neither of them want to discuss it, nor do they want him to admit having known him. Slowly he begins remembers a lot more about what went on behind the scenes which actually caused the old firm to blow-up!

With big money and even bigger egos at stake, anything could happen to keep things under wraps!

A cast of the quirkiest characters lock horns in a wild, sexy, mystery-filled series set in the high-stakes world of investment advisors & the women who support them . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurie Vincent
• Release date: Sep 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005531928

Laurie Vincent

Laurie Vincent is my pen name. I live in the Midwest and love a juicy story with interesting characters, spiced up with sex, some suspense and of course, humor. I have balanced a career in the financial industry with writing (which has always been a fun side-line). Pieces of the people I write about come from those I've known. I am always jotting ideas down in composition notebooks that I eventually transfer to my laptop. I love all kinds of movies -- from the classics to even the trashy (but enjoyable) ones! I appreciate getting feedback from people who have read my stories - I truly believe it makes me a better writer to take their comments to heart. I hope to hear from you soon!

Book preview

Crazy Ladies

Part One

By

Laurie Vincent

© 2014 by the Author

All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and incidents are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

Shortly after awakening, Suzy Gallagher knew without question that her day would be insane. The jarring beat of her alarm sent a shock through her system, interrupting what probably amounted to four hours of sleep. She leaned over her boyfriend, Kevin Mueller – amazed that the irritating sound bore no effect on him – and smacked the snooze button. How he managed to drag his butt out the door and be punctual for work mystified her. Usually, she was up in a snap, ready to leap into the shower, get dressed and jump on the bus headed for downtown Minneapolis.

All part of her daily ritual – if life could be that organized.

Before climbing out of bed, Suzy held back the urge to give Kevin a swift kick. His sex drive had been off the rails last night. He blamed it on a savage blend of endorphin and hormones – or some silliness like that – after three hours at Lifetime Fitness. All that lifting, flexing, squatting, and performing lunges amped up his libido. He was literally pumped when he found her folding laundry at their apartment, a devious grin plastered on his face, and dropped his gym bag.

Lucky her!

In slowly untangling her sleek legs from his hairy ones, she was aware of that sweet, noticeable ache that reached deep inside her. Her boyfriend always left her sore. She could be at her desk hours later and receive a sudden reminder of where he’d been that morning when shifting in her seat.

Kevin was forever in the mood for some, never passing up an opportunity to pounce on her. His stamina and mojo were off-the-chart. The slightest hint of encouragement set him off. He simply could not get enough.

Suzy did enjoy his high-spirited libido. What girl wouldn’t appreciate a hot boyfriend with a continuous erection and killer piston delivery – not to mention a ripped body? He did turn her on and kept the spark alive once they got busy. His timing was her real issue: his explosive lust was a force to be reckoned with, preempting any plans she made or disrupting her routine. Keeping her up all night during the work week was a big no-no, particularly with all the drama at the office.

In her small bathroom, she winced at the burst of light upon flicking the switch, and again at her frazzled reflection in the mirror. Her hair was tousled, skin pasty and eyes were bloodshot. God, she felt like crap – and looked it, too. Late night shenanigans with Kevin certainly came at a price. She shook her head, reached for her light pink flannel robe hanging on the hook and draped it over her naked body.

Fortunately, Kevin did not share that unflattering view. She could have an avocado facial with cucumber slices over her eyes and a towel wrapped around her hair, and he would promptly jump her bones – twice.

Suzy tried to be objective in assessing her own features. She had lustrous, shoulder-length red hair, often pulled back by barrettes, brilliant blue eyes, a small, thin nose, and, as Kevin often described, Lips meant for nibbling. She viewed herself as a skinny girl with average looks. By no means was she an exotic creature.

At least that was her humble opinion.

She went into the kitchen in search of coffee. Caffeine usually jump-started her system. The orange glow of the sky peeked through her blinds as she passed the opened window. The sounds of buses and car horns sounded three stories below. The city of Minneapolis gradually welcomed the new day.

The little coffee maker, set on a timer, had done its job and yielded the steaming hot cup. Several sips later, Suzy scooted on the stool by her counter and savored the quiet. It was that slice of time she counted upon to catch her breath before diving into the fray.

Suzy, thirty-three years old, was a registered sales assistant working the Summit Wealth Group, a financial services firm that competed with the bigger houses such as Bank of America, Raymond James, Stifel, Wells Fargo and UBS. Summit had branches across the country, with a strong Midwest presence. Summit’s downtown Minneapolis office, where she worked, was by far the largest and the most troubled.

Over the past six months, the branch’s top tier advisors, generating a million or more in fee revenue, had left Summit. Big checks were written to steal premium talent from companies in that highly competitive space. Like it or not, that was how business got done. The departure of five put a significant dent in Summit’s earnings and caused senior management to take a closer look at George Hinckley, the manager responsible for that branch. One person leaving might have been deemed unavoidable, but to have four others follow could not be tolerated.

Poor George – her sympathy went to him.

He took tremendous heat from the regional director and fought accusations of being out of touch with his people, and unable to recruit new blood. Had his old cronies in the upper ranks not interceded, George might have lost his job instead of getting demoted. Wasting no time, the powers-that-be hired a new branch manager to replace him.

As of yet, nobody had seen his successor, Mike Callahan. Interviews took place at their corporate headquarters in New York, conducted in relative secrecy. Not even George was given an introduction. Their Retail office, populated with financial advisors, assistants, and a few support staff, were often in the dark regarding organizational changes. This breakdown in communications was interpreted as a bad omen. The atmosphere, as a result, turned chaotic.

Suzy prayed that Mike Callahan was a good guy. Not wishing to cast more stones at George, she felt a definite lack of leadership at the helm. George was too forgiving of those whose production slipped below target levels; too fearful of the better ones leaving if he adhered too rigidly to the rules; and too timid when ugly confrontations between front and back office brewed. In trying to please everyone, he and the offices suffered.

It was bizarre how money influenced people’s behavior and their outlook on life.

Cash had always been tight for Suzy. She learned to exist on a budget and made do with her annual salary of forty-four thousand a year. She stashed away what she could, but her bank balance never seemed to climb at an encouraging rate. The cost of living in South Minneapolis clearly outpaced her earnings. Pursuing another career, however, was never a consideration. A bigger paycheck did not interest her. She had learned the securities industry from the bottom up and loved it.

When she started at Summit eight years earlier at the age of twenty-five, it was a mere job that paid the bills – certainly an improvement over waiting on tables or being a receptionist, which were other options she briefly considered. Back then, she knew squat about the business. Terms such as cost basis tax accounting, portfolio managers, investment models and performance reporting were foreign to her. Gradually, she learned the ropes while working with the sales force and other assistants and gained enough experience to train the new hires. What began as a temporary way to make a buck soon grew on her. She thrived on the rapid pace the job demanded: juggling incoming calls, opening new accounts, processing requests, taking orders and tackling problems.

Suzy tied her hopes to the new branch manager restoring the stability that had been missing. Confidence in Summit had crumbled with the controversial exit of their biggest moneymakers. People worried about layoffs if profit margins were down. It would be a huge embarrassment to shutter their prime location. Whoever the top brass brought in would have to do a major overhaul to reverse the situation.

On Monday, they received the announcement that Mike Callahan was making his grand entrance later in the week. Naturally, they all panicked. Just yesterday, they were told he would arrive in the morning – which was today. The stress level went viral.

That was the root of Suzy’s frustration from being so sleep-deprived. How could she be at her best when she was physically wiped out? First impressions were crucial. It was a big day for her, a chance to shine. She was a responsible person – the Can-Do, Go-To Girl – whom everyone counted on to pull out all the stops, rally the troops and get things done. Her boyfriend, however, tossed a wrench in that plan with his overactive boner – damn him!

Honey? Kevin called from the bedroom.

Suzy pushed aside her optimism and carried her steaming cup.

Kevin sat up, his six-foot-three frame spanning the length of their mattress. He had thick brown hair that was usually covered by a Twins cap, a goatee and a trim, muscular physique. He patted the space she had previously vacated. How about a quickie before I hit the road?

She raised a brow. "You’re a brave man to ask that with piping-hot coffee in my hand."

He grinned. You had a damned good time last night. What’s wrong with starting the day on the right foot?

Unlike her, Kevin looked amazing rolling out of bed – or whenever she set her eyes on him. They’d been together five years, most of it happy. She gazed at his handsome face and then ogled those defined pecs down to the chiseled abs, all dusted with hair, over to his hefty biceps, and let her irritation with him fade. She was incapable of staying angry with him – or basically anyone else (being an old softie at heart) – for very long. He was thirty-six, had hazel eyes and a deep, masculine voice that easily coaxed her out of her clothes. "You can’t be serious. Wasn’t our little marathon enough?"

He threw back the sheet, revealing his morning wood. His size usually caused her heart to beat a little faster. When they first became intimate and he had unzipped his pants, her jaw dropped, as probably did every other woman he’d had. She had never been with a man so well-hung or so hot.

"With you, babe, it’s never enough. His outstretched fingers inched in her direction. What’s the problem? Too much man for you?"

Although temptation flickered, Suzy dodged his grasp. That was no small feat, as the man had extensive arms and therefore, maximum reach. Another bout with him would totally sabotage her schedule. Down, boy. I need to hop in the shower, and literally chase the bus.

Come on, babe. I’ll drop you off at the office. You won’t be late – at least, not enough to get canned.

"If I left things to you, I’ll arrive in a wheelchair. My God, Kevin, we went at it until midnight, and passed out. Two hours later, after you power-napped, you snuck over and spooned me before I fully woke up, ready for the bonus round. I look like hell."

Not from this angle, babe. His grin widened. Lose the robe and show me that sexy body. Why hide it?

He made a second grab for her, but only fumbled as she eluded him with a quick back step. That caffeine boost gave her the advantage, sharpening her reflexes. There’s coffee in the kitchen, along with yogurt, fruit, and cereal. If that doesn’t work for you, you can always hit McDonalds.

I have a taste for something with a little more tang to it.

Happy trails, cowboy.

She took off with a little smirk. Abandoning him in that condition pleased her. After all, misery loved company.

Strolling into the bathroom, Suzy rehung her robe and drew back the shower curtain. She caught another glimpse of herself in the mirror. This time, she was feeling the sexy vibe. Whipping her red hair behind her shoulders and slightly arching her back, she noticed how her breasts tapered nicely to the tiny waist that Kevin easily encompassed with his giant hands. Her butt was small and heart-shaped, nicely filling out a pair of snug jeans.

Secretly, she liked that Kevin couldn’t keep his paws off her. Oh, there were nights he practically put her out of commission, but overall, it reaffirmed that she had it. Teasing him was fun, especially since his reaction was so visible and stroked her ego.

She reflected on the status of their relationship. Apart from Kevin’s unnatural horniness, she was undecided whether they were meant to take it to the next level. Neither of them felt the pressure of marriage, nor discussed it. He was husband material, she supposed, making respectable wages as a mechanic, and handy at repairing anything around their apartment. They were fairly compatible and seldom fought; even when they did, she suspected he deliberately staged it just for the make-up sex.

She hadn’t yet heard the ticking of her biological clock. Children were in her future, but not at this juncture. She had plenty of time to get serious about starting a family. Until then, she held her maternal instincts in check.

She stepped into the tub, drew back the curtain and soon endured the initial icy jolt before the temperature improved. Water splashed over her breasts and heated her nipples. She arched her back to receive the benefits of the delightful cascade and allowed it to rinse over her inflamed crotch, where a distant tingling still lingered. Kevin was very familiar with every inch of her and knew exactly how to deliver the goods. Her orgasms with him always strong rocked her to the core.

The warmth of the rejuvenating spray gradually enveloped her. The nagging ache from a night of repeat-lovemaking slowly receded, and a murmur of relief broke from her slowly parted lips.

She swiveled her hips again, revitalized by the soothing flow.

Oh yes . . .

Just as she went for the body wash, the curtain slid back and in climbed her strapping boyfriend, fully boned, bearing a mischievous smile.

Cool, he said, placing a hand on either side of her, his beefy arms blocking all avenues of escape. We haven’t done it in here for a while. His tone dropped a notch as he bent his face to hers. That’s right, babe. Come to Daddy.

Suzy’s smile vanished as the plastic bottle slipped from her grasp.

***

An hour later, Suzy hustled from the elevator to the reception area of Summit Wealth Group, taking a second to duck into the ladies’ room for a cursory check. Although she had performed an inspection using the truck’s rearview mirror, she wanted to confirm her appearance wasn’t too atrocious. Her hair wasn’t mussed, her makeup seemed complete, and her outfit still appeared competently ironed. The flush in her checks, however, was plain.

Whew.

Kevin had received a mere peck on the lips for his chauffeur services and a smack when attempting to sneak a hand up her skirt.

As of now, you’re on punishment, she snarled. "The cookie jar is closed."

He gave her a wink. Catch you later, babe.

Suzy made her way through the strolling bodies, some walking with purpose, others barely awake to her cubicle. Although