Forrest had been urging her to go. The manager had even suggested that her expenses would be paid by the company. He wanted her to handle some of the presentations, he said. The red-haired girl suspected that he wanted her to handle more than just formal presentations of charts and diagrams. The way Forrest had looked at her as he talked about the meetings left little doubt in her mind. Sheila felt reasonably confident that she could handle any approaches the men might make. Still, it would be embarrassing. No, she'd probably be better off remaining at work. She might make enemies out of the executives she turned don each evening.

"I don't think I'll go," she answered her husband. "It just doesn't excite me that much."

Tom's face showed a peculiar expression of disappointment. He grunted in response, then finished his meal in silence. Sheila was aware of a growing anger in his eyes as he looked over at her. She had thought he might be relieved at hearing her decision. He had made enough comments about what happened at conventions. He suggested that the company only held them to give the men a chance to screw every girl on the payroll. She wasn't about to tell him that they didn't heed a convention for that. Except for her, the men in the company were fucking all the girls without leaving town.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "I thought you wanted me to stay home."

Tom pushed back from the table. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, then rubbed the greasy hand on his pants. He got up and put his jacket on. He didn't speak to her until he got to the door. Then he looked back at her for a moment.

"I don't give a damn what you do!" he snapped. "Just don't try to pull anything on me. Don't think I owe you anything because you aren't going."

Sheila watched the door slam behind him. She fought back the immediate surge of resentment. Damn him! She'd never tried to use anything against him. She certainly didn't hold it up to him that her salary was considerably higher than his. She had never suggested, as happened to be true, that she could be making a hell of a lot more if she weren't married to him. That must be the problem, she suddenly suspected! He was resentful of her rising position. He was jealous of her success.