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
coffee for himself and Charlotte then passes the jug to me. “Charlotte, can you make yourself available after breakfast for half
“What
like to introduce you to the new self-defence trainer. The other new staff too when they arrive this afternoon, but him in particular. You can talk him
his investment?”
active in the project, so I made a point of inviting
toast. “No
“Charles.”
kind of self-defence does he do? Does he specialise in
in 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, he seems happy to teach it.”
chews on her toast, her
“Something wrong?”
he look like? This
blue-eyed strapping guy but I'm almost certain he's gay, so the
and her gaze travels
???
I'll tag along if that's okay,”
more the merrier. Let's
the hotel lobby. Michael steps smartly,
man stands waiting, tall, blond, powerfully built. Michael strides forward, hand offered.
with a firm shake. “You too, Michael.
me introduce you. This is my friend James
James." He offers his
Instantly likeable…
gaze travels past me to settle on
down, then at me, then at Michael. “Um, let
eyes
on his shoulder. “Yes, husband. Hi, Chad. You might
Michael stand
is silent
The receptionist is staring…
no-one teach you manners,
Time to take charge…
Perhaps we should go somewhere more
*****
for
following, he swirls around, gives
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