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
jug to me. “Charlotte, can
can.” She crunches toast. “What
self-defence trainer. The other new staff too when they arrive this afternoon, but him in particular. You can talk him through what
on his investment?”
but he wants Beth to be active in the project, so I made a point of inviting them. Give her the opportunity to
scrapes butter over more toast. “No
“Charles.”
butter. “And what kind of self-defence does
can use to defend herself, or a man for that matter, he seems happy to teach it.” He reaches for the coffeepot.
chews on her toast,
“Something wrong?”
he look like? This Charles
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
puts down her toast and her gaze travels
???
I'll tag along if that's
smile is sunny. “The more
hotel lobby. Michael steps smartly, but Charlotte hangs
strides forward, hand offered. “Charles,
shake. “You too, Michael. I’ve been looking forward to seeing
introduce you. This is my friend James and my wife,
you, James." He offers his
Instantly likeable…
gaze travels past me to
She looks down, then at
his eyes wild,
hand on his shoulder. “Yes, husband. Hi, Chad. You might like to know that your employer is my second
and Michael stand
of etiquette is silent on this
The receptionist is staring…
no-one teach
Time to take charge…
I say. “Charlotte… Perhaps we should
*****
head for the
following,
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