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
then passes the jug to me. “Charlotte, can you make yourself
“What am I making myself available
new staff too when they arrive this afternoon, but him in particular. You can talk him through what you've been doing and perhaps
up on his
the project, so I
more toast. “No problem. What's he called?
“Charles.”
what kind of self-defence does he
a woman can use to defend herself, or a man for that matter,
chews on her
“Something wrong?”
look like? This Charles the
thing. Given that the clientele here is mainly female, he's real eye-candy. Big, blond, blue-eyed strapping guy but I'm almost certain he's gay, so the women are comfortable with him when it has to get
toast and her gaze
???
along if that's okay,” I
is sunny. “The more the merrier. Let's
lobby. Michael steps
Michael strides forward, hand offered. “Charles, great to
a firm shake. “You too, Michael. I’ve been looking forward
you. This is my friend James and my wife,
He
Instantly likeable…
gaze travels past me to settle on Charlotte and he gapes.
where she has been lurking behind me. “Hello, Chad.” She looks down, then at me, then
eyes wild,
Chad. You might
and Michael
etiquette is silent on
The receptionist is staring…
teach you
Time to take charge…
Perhaps we
*****
for
Michael and Charlotte following, he swirls around, gives an apologetic nod to Michael, then sweeps Charlotte into
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!