Michael
Richard waves me to a seat. “All working out with the hotel then, Michael? How's my investment coming along?”
“It's all going pretty well. In fact, I was going to ask if you're free one day next week.”
“For?”
“For coming up to the hotel and meeting the new staff. I've been trialling them down at the City Centre, but I'm happy with them now.”
“All good?”
“Some.” I rock a hand. “I shed a couple who didn't come up to the mark but I'm left with a team I'm very happy with. They're all multifunctional but specialising in different areas.”
“Those areas being?”
“One is a qualified swimming instructor, which means among other things, that we can make visits a full family affair. The parents can bring the kids and there's someone to keep an eye on them in the pool.”
“Sounds good. And the others?”
“One is a chiropractor cum masseur…”
“Which frees up your time...”
“Exactly. She does aromatherapy too. And the third can take charge of the self-defense classes.”
“Which frees up Charlotte.”
“Quite. So, if you would like to, you and Beth can meet them all and maybe you'd like to use the facilities while you're there?”
“I'm sure Elizabeth would want to. Massage and aromatherapy would be just the sort of thing she’d enjoy. And of course afterwards, she can tell her friends about it.”
“I sort of had that in mind myself.”
*****
James
pours coffee for himself and Charlotte then passes the jug to me. “Charlotte, can you
toast. “What am I making
new self-defence trainer. The other new staff too when they arrive this afternoon, but him in particular. You can talk him through what you've been
his investment?”
I made a point of inviting them.
butter over more toast. “No problem. What's he
“Charles.”
slapping marmalade over the butter. “And what kind of self-defence
two gulps. “He seems to cover the field. If it’s something a woman can use to defend herself, or a man for that matter,
on her toast, her
“Something wrong?”
he look like? This Charles the
is mainly female, he's real eye-candy. Big, blond, blue-eyed strapping guy but I'm almost certain he's gay, so
her toast and her gaze travels to
???
tag along if
“The more the merrier. Let's make
lobby. Michael steps smartly,
built. Michael strides forward, hand offered. “Charles,
shake. “You too, Michael. I’ve
my friend James and
James." He offers his hand, smiling
Instantly likeable…
me to settle on Charlotte
has been lurking behind me. “Hello, Chad.” She looks down, then at me, then at Michael. “Um, let me introduce you both to my
his eyes
husband. Hi, Chad. You might like to know that your employer
Michael
book of etiquette is silent
The receptionist is staring…
teach you
Time to take charge…
we should
*****
head for the
Michael and Charlotte following, he swirls around, gives an apologetic nod to Michael, then sweeps Charlotte
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