Chuck’s Chicago Assignment

Chuck worked as a contract project manager for several clients. He accepted a six month on-site assignment for a Chicago processor of industrial additives. His project was to add a value stream to the plants production facilities. The staff at the small plant seemed friendly and easy to get along with, so he moved into a hotel a few miles from the plant and locked up his condo in Indiana for the duration of the project. Everything went as could be expected for the first month, schedules being extended due to delivery failures, work arounds being implemented, pretty much status quo.

In the second month an email reached his box announcing a safety week that included luncheons every day for the staff, a chili cook-off and a big cook-out to end the week. He was personally invited to participate by the plant manager and his direct report, Brenda Collins, the value stream manager he worked for.
The first couple of days of the week, Chuck was actually too busy to participate so he sent an email each day asking forgiveness for not attending. The second day, Brenda came to the project trailer with a large plate of barbecued ribs and brisket. He was slightly embarrassed by this but accepted the food and the company of his boss gracefully.

Brenda was a slender brunette, short, about 5′-2″ with a good figure. Chuck had noticed early that she did not wear a ring, so he assumed she was not attached. She dressed fairly conservatively, but seemed always to wear tops and blouses that showed off her very nice breasts. Her slacks were never too tight. She was just an extremely attractive woman.

As they sat eating their lunch, she shared that she was a single mom with two kids, a girl 16 and a son 14. She said they were both good kids and didn’t fight or bicker like most brothers and sisters, so she felt blessed. They got good grades and the older sister always helped the younger brother with homework and projects so he would succeed. Chuck offered that she should be happy they got along so well. She smiled a pretty smile and agreed. When they finished lunch, she asked him if he was going go join them for the chili cook-off in two days. He said that he was sorry that he didn’t have a place to prepare his “world famous” recipe that would almost certainly win the competition. She laughed at his boasting and said that her kitchen could be made available for the preparation. Chuck pondered that thought and said he would get back with her. She smiled over her shoulder as she left the trailer and said “You might like what we could cook up together” That statement took his mind off the rest of that days business activities.

The next morning Chuck sent an e-mail accepting the offer of a place to blend his magic potion and Brenda responded almost immediately with her address and home phone number. She called several times that day to confirm that he indeed intended to visit her.

The evening of chili cooking was pleasant, and playful. Brenda wore much more casual and sexier clothing to work in her kitchen. Her apron was over a pair of short cut-off jeans and a halter top. He had taken liberties himself wearing walking shorts and a tee shirt that showed his well trimmed chest and abs.
Brenda started the evening off with a pretty stiff vodka martini on the rocks for him, which washed away the cares of the day. She was drinking Moscata by the tumbler full and it didn’t take long before they were both pretty mellow.

The spices were blended, meat browned and vegetables added to each of their recipes and the pots were set to simmer. Brenda suggested that they move their drinking to the “mancave” so named because she decorated it in hopes of trapping a man. Chuck laughed at that suggestion, as if she needed anything to get a man’s attention.

Brenda shared that her life as a value stream leader had its drawbacks, not the least of which was a total abandonment of any kind of social life at all. As they sat and became more and more mellow, Chuck playfully suggested ways she could enhance her opportunities. She laughed at some of his suggestions, like joining an online dating group that held group parties and such. “Hell, Chuck, I’m not that desperate”, she laughed and then looked sort of sad and added “Am I?”

Chuck had struck a nerve and would like to have crawled under the sofa, when she brightened and said, “I could always hire hot sexy project managers and seduce them while we made chili”.