Here's a new story I just finished. I'd like to get some feedback on it and make corrections before I post it on the site.
The working title is "Contract".
Thanks
EddyFox
******
“I think we should see other people.”
“Andrew, are you breaking up with me?” Michelle fought back the waves of panic as they rose from her knotted stomach.
“Baby, I just need some space. That’s all.”
Michelle couldn’t say for certain if he was trying to convince her, or himself. “What about Thanksgiving?”
“I’m sorry, baby.” The line went dead.
That’s all the confirmation she needed. He wasn’t going. She was going to be on her own. Alone in a feeding frenzy of well-meaning relatives, each asking ‘When are you going to start dating some nice young man?’
It bothered her that she was more upset about having to face her relatives without a boyfriend than the fact that her boyfriend had just dumped her. ‘Not really a sign of a committed relationship,’ she thought to herself as she began the process of deleting Andrew from her life. ‘I’m probably better off without him.’
But that left her with a completely different set of problems. Her relationship with Drew was the result of a blind date. The girls at work were just trying to look out for her, but they were providing more help than she could stand.
Without a solution, Michelle resolved to let this crappy day fall by the wayside. She discarded her clothes into the laundry hamper, pulled out a clean fluffy towel, and emptied the water heater with the hottest shower she could possibly stand. When she left the sanctuary of the steam-filled bathroom, she busied herself with minor housekeeping tasks and focusing on getting ready for work the next day.
Work provided little in the way of distraction, until the subject of headcount came up in her departmental meeting. The idea hit her like a bolt out of the blue. ‘That’s it! I’ve got a part-time position to fill.’
When she got back to her desk, she sketched out a job description. By the end of lunch, she had a decent idea of what the personal ad might look like:
Seeking SWM 23-28 to fill roll of boyfriend.
Not interested in relationship. No smokers.
Must be available for family functions and social occasions.
Please send picture and resume.
MTS0525@hotmail.com
Michelle created the free email address to keep responses separated from her personal email. She chuckled to herself about the ‘resume’ part. ‘It will give them a chance to be creative,’ she thought.
Once she had decided everything was perfect, she began doubting herself. ‘Is this really a smart thing to do?’ ‘What if everyone who responds is a weirdo?’ ‘How desperate am I to stoop to this?’ Around 4:30 she went to the newspaper’s website and placed an ad in the personals. She thought to herself, ‘Thank God I don’t have to talk to someone to place this ad.’
When the Sunday paper came out, Michelle opened it up to the personals section first. Her ad, although slightly unusual, was not the weirdest or the most explicit by far. It didn’t take long for the responses to come pouring in. She had 150 on the first day. She made a number of cuts, the first one based on picture, the second one based on resume. After tightening her criteria a few times she came up with three that she was really interested in talking to.
Bracing herself, she dialed the first number, waiting for someone to pick up.
“Hello.”
“Yes. Could I speak to Brian, please?”
“Speaking.”
“Hi Brian. I’m calling in regard to the personal ad you responded to.”
“Oh…really? That was for real? I thought it was some kind of joke.” Click.
‘Yep. It’s a joke alright…’ thought Michelle, ‘and the joke’s on me.’
The second call went soother, and Paul agreed to meet her at a café to discuss the position in detail. Michelle had no problem spotting Paul from his picture.
“Hi Paul.” She extended her hand. “I’m Michelle.”
“Hi Michelle.” Paul stood and shook her hand. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Michelle pulled out a folder with Paul’s resume and picture inside. “I’ve read over your resume. Would you tell me why you applied for the position?”
Paul thought for a moment. “Curiosity, mainly. I was intrigued by the ad.”
“I see.” Michelle scribbled some notes on the folder. “Could you tell me about your last few relationships?”
“Well, my last girlfriend and I went out for about 4 months. We met through some mutual friends. Actually, we never really broke up as much as drifted apart. The one before that, we had been seeing each other for about a year when her old boyfriend came back on the scene, and she dumped me.”
“Un-hu.”
“How much does this pay?”
The fact that Michelle had been scribbling notes allowed her camouflage her shock. ‘How could I have been so stupid?!?’ she thought. ‘If you sell it like a job, OF COURSE they’re gonna want to be paid.’ She decided to keep the ball in his court. “What did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking around $5,000 per year.”
‘Let’s see. That is just over $400 per month. No way in hell.’ “I see…You will, of course, be required to cover date expenses.” ‘Right back at you, buddy!’ Michelle thought.
Paul paused on that. “How about dutch?”
“I think we can work out the particulars if you get the position.” Michelle looked at her watch. “I’ve got to get to another interview,” she lied. “I’ll give you a call and let you know one way or the other. OK?” Michelle gathered her things and stood to leave.
Paul stood as well and extended his hand. “Thanks Michelle. I’ll be expecting your call.”
*
“I think we should see other people.”
“David, are you breaking up with me?”
David fought the knot in his stomach that formed every time he thought he was being an asshole. Better bite the bullet and just get it over with. “We just don’t fit together, baby. I know it’s all my fault, but I just can’t see this going anywhere. I’m sorry.”
“David, I…”
As he set the receiver down in the cradle, he reaffirmed his decision that going to the corporate event stag was going to be much better than going with Angela, even though his boss wasn’t going to think so. Having her in a room full of prospects was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Her ability to piss off everyone in a hotel conference room at one time was truly amazing.
Regardless, giving Angela the stiff arm grated on David’s nerves. He pulled a beer out of the fridge, and settled on the couch to read the paper. One of the things he always read was the personals. It was like a class on how not to sell yourself effectively. A chuckle escaped now and again as he read down the ads until he came to this one:
Seeking SWM 23-28 to fill roll of boyfriend
Not interested in relationship. No smokers
Must be available for family functions and social occasions
Please send picture and resume.
MTS0525@hotmail.com
It took David an hour before he could wrap his head around the concept, but soon he found himself plunked down in front of his computer pounding out his social resume. The hour it took to be satisfied with his work passed quickly, and he fired off his response with a grin on his face.
Four days later, David received a call on his cell phone in response to his resume. They arranged to meet at the Bean Street Café for coffee. David arrived early, got a coffee, and took a seat to wait.
“Hi David. I’m Michelle.”
The woman extending her hand toward David was striking. He quickly came to his feet and accepted her hand. “Hi Michelle. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Won’t you sit down?” David pulled the chair out and waited for her.
“Thank you.” Michelle took the proffered chair and allowed David to scoot her to the table. She pulled out the folder from her bag and opened it on the table. “I’ve read over your resume. Would you tell me why you applied for the position?”
“I had just finished breaking up with my girlfriend, and I was feeling down. I tend to read the personals for enjoyment, and I came across your ad.”
“I see.” Michelle scribbled some notes. “Would you mind telling me about your last relationship?”
“Not at all. Angela and I met through a mutual friend. We went out a few times and seemed to enjoy each other’s company. The problems started when I started taking her to business functions. I’m a salesman and my boss believes that a ‘significant other’ on your arm is an effective selling tool. In Angela’s case, he could not have been more wrong. I was forced to set up separate 1-on-1 meetings after events to try and repair the damage she did. Finally I decided it wasn’t worth it, and I broke it off.”
“Interesting.” Michelle scribbled notes furiously. “What do you expect in return for being my stand-in boyfriend?”
David settled in. Now they were negotiating, and he knew this dance well. “I don’t know. What does the job entail?”
“You will be expected to make public appearances as my boyfriend. You accompany me to family functions and social occasions as such. The first family function is Thanksgiving at my parents’ house.”
“Really?” David’s mind was percolating with ideas. “What about privately?”
“Out of the public eye, we are two separate people. There IS no private relationship.” Michelle tried to read his face without success.
“Then what I want is a reciprocal agreement.” A rye smile crept across David’s face.
“Really?” Michelle saw where David was going. “So I accompany you to sales meetings and social events to keep your boss off your back?”
“Yes. Friends and family, too.”
“Sounds … interestingly symmetrical. When we go out, you pay for everything and I’ll reimburse half?”
David grinned. “You want to present that image? That’s fine.”
“David,” Michelle extended her hand, “I think you just got yourself a stand-in girlfriend.”
Michelle left the meeting with a smile on her face, daring someone to try and fix her up with someone.
She didn’t have to wait long. She had just settled into her desk at work the next day when Debbie’s head appeared around her monitor.
“Hi Michelle. How are you doing?” Her voice was desperately sympathetic.
Michelle looked up from her monitor. Debbie was asking a loaded question. She had been perpetually pregnant since Michelle had joined the company three years ago. She was deliriously happy as a wife and mother and was determined to enforce her happiness on Michelle. She had been the one to fix Michelle up with Drew on a blind date, and had no doubt heard the sordid tale of their breakup from him.
“I’m doin’ good, Deb. How are you?”
Michelle’s chipper voice surprised Debbie. “I’m good. I heard about you and Drew. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Well, you know. You just got to move on.”
Debbie brightened up. “You’re so right, Sweetie. I’m glad to hear you say that. I’ve got this wonderful guy I’d love for you to meet!”
“Actually,” Michelle grinned, “I’ve already met someone.” Inside, Michelle was doing an end-zone dance. She had been looking forward to this conversation with Debbie ever since she made the deal with David.
“Really!? That’s wonderful! Do tell! Do tell!” Debbie was practically oozing into Michelle’s cubical.
Michelle scrambled for details and decided to stick as close to the truth as she could. “Well, we met in Bean Street over coffee and got to talking. We’ve been out a couple of times, and he’s sweet.”
“What does he look like?”
Michelle picked up the phone and fished out David’s number. “Well, let me see if he’s free for lunch and you can meet him.”
Debbie’s eye’s popped wide. “Oh, that would be wonderful!!”
“I’ll shoot you an email if he’s free.”
“Thanks, Sweetie. I’ll see you later.”
The phone rang twice before David answered. “Hi. This is David.”
“Hi David. It’s Michelle.”
“Hi Michelle. What’s up?”
“Are you free to make a lunch appearance?”
David flipped through his schedule in his head. “I’ve got a 1:30, but I’m free before then. What’s the plan?”
“Debbie, from my office. She set me up with my last boyfriend, and was about to sick someone else on me. I wanted to put an end to this, quick.”
“I see. What did you tell her about me?”
Michelle recounted what she had told Debbie about him. “Cool. It appears that we’re going to need a story. I’ll work on that.”
“Great.” Michelle started trying on details of their relationship in her head. “Can you meet me at my office at 11:30?”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
David arrived just after 11:30 and the three decided on Mexican for lunch. Debbie monopolized the conversation until she couldn’t wait any longer for ‘the story’. “So, Michelle tells me you picked her up at a coffee shop. What line did you use to get her to talk to you?”
David went into his spiel almost seamlessly. “Well, I’ve never been very good with pickup lines, so I just asked her,
‘Excuse me, what is your favorite pickup line?’
He looked at Michelle expectantly.
Michelle played her part in recounting the conversation they were actually having for the first time. “And I said,
‘I don’t know. Probably, I’m petitioning to rearrange the alphabet. I’d like to get ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.’
“And I said,
’That’s a good one. I’ve always liked, “I seem to have lost my number. Could I have yours?” It seems not-to-forward and playful.’”
David looked at Michelle expectantly.
Michelle chimed in again. “And I said,
‘What about, ”You must be tired, because you’ve been running through my thoughts all evening.”
David leaned in and said,
’I’ve been working on a new one. How about,”I’d like to experience you with all five senses.”
to which Michelle eloquently replied, ”Huh?” I explained,
”Well, you are a vision to behold, your voice is musical, your perfume is intoxicating, and your touch is electrifying. The only question left is; how do you…taste?’”
Everyone at the table turned blushed simultaneously. “Oh, my,” Debbie intoned as they all tried to cover their reaction. However, that seemed to satiate Debbie’s need for juicy details. The luncheon concluded with David sharing most of his life story in between bites. David picked up the tab for everyone, and drove them back their office.
“Debbie, it was nice to meet you.”
“It was very nice meeting you. Thank you for lunch. You didn’t have to do that.”
“It was my pleasure.” David turned to Michelle and moved in close. “I’ll see you later,” and he pressed his lips to hers so fast, she never had time to react. She had not considered how they would part. As David left, she reflected on their first ‘date’ and decided it was a solid success. There were still rough edges, but they could easily be worked out. Just as she had prepped herself to get back to work, her phone rang.
“Do you want to settle up now or later?
Michelle grabbed her purse. “I’ll be right down.”
David met her at the parking deck.
“I’m not paying for Debbie’s lunch,” she said, as she dug her wallet out of her purse.
“I didn’t expect you to. Your’s is 7.73 before the tip.” David watched her rummage. “I wondered how you stayed so thin.”
Michelle smiled. “Here you go, here’s a ten.”
“Thanks. There’s a sales event next week. I think its Thursday night.” David put his wallet back in his pocket.
“I think I can make that. Firm up the time and I’ll keep Thursday night free.” Michelle put her purse back in her purse. “We need to leave for Thanksgiving next Wednesday night.”
“Understood. What are sleeping arrangements?”
Panic crept into Michelle’s voice. “I don’t know. I’ll find out.”
“Thanks. Give me a call.”
“Right. ‘Bye.”
The new couple parted without as much as a handshake.
**
“Ready?” David extended his arm.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Michelle slipped her arm through David’s as they entered the hotel. Her stomach hadn’t been this knotted since her junior prom.
“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.” David lead her to the conference room confident in his abilities, but more importantly, confident that Michelle wouldn’t drag him down. She looked terrific, and she was personable. He had coached her a little bit on what to expect, but the details of these events were always in flux.
They took their places as the meeting came to order. After a brief presentation, they broke into a more social function, where the salespeople were allowed to interact one-on-one with the prospective clients. David’s boss, Gary, felt that having a significant other along fleshed out the salesman, making him more of a friend watching out for a buddy, rather than a peddler pimping a product.
David hooked onto a gentleman about ten years older than himself, and eased into his presentation. Michelle found the ebb and flow of the conversation fascinating, if not the actual subject matter.
“So you see, Jim, we have all of the upside of the market leader, with none of the complications associated with their product.” David was heading into the home stretch.
“You make a very convincing argument, but an expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars doesn’t happen on a whim.” Jim was backpedaling.
“All I’m looking for from you is that you’re in our corner when it comes time to make the proposal. The product will do the rest.” David was maneuvering for the kill.
Michelle thought David was pushing too much. “Jim, can I freshen your drink for you?” This seemed the best way to interrupt him.
“Thank you, Michelle. Jack and Coke, please”
David took a deep breath. Michelle’s interruption threatened to throw him off his stride. As she took Jim’s glass and turned to leave, Jim’s eyes traced their way down her figure. David stopped what he was going to say and turned to admire the view with Jim. ‘She really is beautiful,’ he thought to himself. They stood in silence while Michelle crossed the room.
Jim spoke first as he watched Michelle sway hypnotically. “I’m sorry. What were we talking about?”
David took a chance. “I have absolutely no idea,” he deadpanned.
As Michelle disappeared into the crowd, Jim leaned over to David conspiratorially, “Why don’t you send me a proposal next week and remind me.”
**
“Hi. Are you about ready?” David asked.
“Yep. If you could just help me with my bags?” Michelle stepped back to give David access to her luggage.
He picked up her two suitcases and headed to the car. Michelle picked up her purse and the bag of Thanksgiving dinner ingredients she was responsible for. “Are you sure you want me to drive?
“Yes. Definitely.” The certainty of Michelle’s response fleshed out David’s perception of what Michelle’s family was looking for in a boyfriend for their ‘little girl’.
Traffic was significant, but not stifling as they wound their way down the highway. David was used to being in the car on his own, and soon slipped into his habitual way of passing time in a vehicle. He sang. Michelle was surprised and pleased to find that he had a good voice. When David saw Michelle smiling at him, he clammed up immediately and blushed furiously.
“No. Don’t stop. You have a good voice.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to having another person in the car,” David said, his blush deepening.
“No. I’m surprised that we have such similar taste in music, and I’m really enjoying hearing you sing.” She reached over reflexively and grabbed his hand.
David decided to accept the compliment as offered. “Thank you.”
Soon David was distracted by other cars on the road. Habits die hard, and the combination of focusing on driving, and a catchy tune by a female artist, David dropped into a familiar harmony on the refrain, only to find Michelle chiming in with the melody. It was David’s turn to look at Michelle and smile at the moment of trust she let slip.
“What!” Michelle flushed and waited for the feared critique.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Michelle asked.
“I love harmony, but I only have these CD’s,” he indicated the burned CD’s in the sun visor holder, “to sing with. Singing with someone else is a treat.”
It soon became a game. David and Michelle began to guess what the other was going to sing, and then sing the harmonizing part. The songs Michelle weren’t familiar with quickly displayed the harmony that had attracted David to them.
The drive passed quickly, and they soon arrived at Michelle’s parent’s house. As they drove up, Michelle’s parents came out the front door. Hugs and hellos were exchanged. “So you must be Drew,” Michelle’s mother intoned.
“David.”
“David? Why did I think it was Drew? Oh, well. No matter. David, I’m Linda, and this is my husband Arthur.”
Arthur extended his hand. “Call me Chip.” Chip started pulling bags out of the trunk while Linda looped her arm in David’s and began walking him to the house, all the while extracting information out of him at a furious rate. Michelle fell in step behind them, trying to keep track of any information David might come up with so she could corroborate it in later conversations.
Chip returned a few moments later, surprising them. “You’re room is all ready.” Michelle ran that phrase over in her head again and again, tripping up on the singular ‘room’ every time. “I’m gonna get something to drink. Anybody want anything?”
“I’d like a little something,” David replied. “What do you have?”
Once David and Chip had gone in the kitchen, Michelle asked, “Mom, what did Dad mean when he said our ‘room’ was ready?”
“Well your father and I talked it over, and he finally agreed with me that there was no sense in you two having separate rooms when you’re 25 years old, living on your own, and doing Lord knows what with your boyfriend.” She smiled, proud of her persuasiveness.
Michelle tried her best to let relief show on her face as she fought down the urge to vomit. “Thanks Mom. I can’t believe you got Dad to agree to that.”
After David returned with his drink, the four of them talked about the weather and the trip down, with a little football and shopping thrown in for good measure. Michelle and David then retired to their room to sort out their things and get settled.
“Oh, my god!” Michelle exclaimed as she sat down on the bed with her fingers pressed to her temple. “What are we going to do?”
“Make the best of it.” David set his duffel bag on the bed and began extracting his clothes.
“What do you mean?” Michelle’s panicked look spoke volumes.
“I mean you and I have an agreement. Nothing has to happen in here other than sleeping.” David picked up his bag and started unpacking his things.
When Michelle was done staring at his back, she picked up her bag and started unpacking as well.
Apart from the one snag, the evening went fabulously. David’s winning personality shone through and he pandered to Michelle’s parents without an ounce of shame. By the time dinner was over and the dishes were cleared away they had practically adopted him. They retired to the living room, and as Michelle walked by David, he pulled her into his lap and began nibbling her neck and tickling her.
“Stop it!” Michelle screamed as she twisted out of his grasp. She quickly retreated across the room and plopped down defensively in a chair across the room from David. An eerie silence descended on the room, broken by the sound of the front door opening.
“Hello!” Chip and Linda jumped up to get the door. The sound of excited children produced a strained, cross-eyed expression from Michelle’s face. Reluctantly, she levered herself up out of the chair.
David arose and extended his arms in greeting. “Come on. Let’s go ‘WOW’ them.” Michelle allowed herself to be hugged, and the turned to go and greet her sister’s family.
Rebecca was four years older, and had spent about 6 months without a man in her life since she turned fourteen. Her longest continuous stint without a boyfriend had been three days. Now, at the age of twenty-nine, she had been married six years, and had three children to show for it.
They came spilling into the foyer like pickup time at KinderCare. Introductions were made, but none of them stuck. All the energy in the room was devoted to getting Becca’s family’s mountain of luggage and equipment out of their van and into their room. After they had gotten settled, Michelle, claiming fatigue, retired to her room. David dutifully followed, and everyone retired for the evening.
“That’s quite a family your sister has there.”
“Yep.”
David watched her close up like flower at the first sign of frost. “How did I do?”
“Fine.”
David thought, ‘HER sister is HER problem. It is not your concern, David.’ He went over and pulled a pair of shorts out of the drawer and headed for the bathroom. “I’m gonna get ready for bed.”
David closed the door to the bathroom. Michelle started moving around the room mechanically, gathering the things she would need for her turn.
When Michelle returned from the bathroom, David was already in the bed.
“You’re on my side.”
David moved to the other side of the bed without comment. Michelle slid into the warm spot in the bed David had just vacated and instantly regretted it. She was yanked from the well of despair that surrounded her sister to an all-out assault in her senses from her make-believe boyfriend. ‘Why does he have to be so warm? Why does he have to smell so good?’ Her torture didn’t last long, as she quickly surrendered to sleep.
Michelle drifted back to reality snuggled under David’s arm as he lay on his back. She reached across his waist to draw him closer until she realized what was happening. Michelle retreated out of the bed as fast as she could, landing on her butt on the floor, taking most of the covers with her.
David jerked awake. “Are you ok?”
Michelle nodded her head quickly. “Sorry.”
David breathed heavily, trying to quell the adrenaline storm surging through his bloodstream. “It’s OK.” He got up and moved to the bathroom, his shorts tented with his morning arousal.
Michelle tried to right herself, and the room. Her thoughts were swirling, evading her attempts to think coherently. The funk she had started into last night only deepened.
David made several attempts to bring her out of it throughout the morning. All he succeeded in doing was driving Michelle farther away. By midday, she could hardly stay in the same room with him.
“David.” Chip appeared in the kitchen wearing his heavy coat and boots. “I’ve got to chop some more wood. Why don’t you come out and give me a hand?” Minutes later, at the woodpile, a comfortable routine had been established. David would set the logs too big for the fireplace on the block. Chip would split them into wedges with his ax. Then he and David would put them in the pile that was ready to go inside.
David had just started wrestling with another log when Chip asked pointedly, “You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well,” Chip sized up the new log, “my daughter is avoiding you like the plague,” WHACK! The log split cleanly in two. David positioned the wood for another strike. “It seems to me that two people in a new relationship ought to be a little more friendly toward each other.” WHACK! The wedges flew off the block from the force of Chip’s blow. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re treating my daughter right.” Chip’s gaze would have been intimidating, even without the ax in his hands.
“Chip, I’m sorry if I’ve given you any reason for concern. I’ll come clean. Your daughter and I don’t have a relationship. We have an agreement. We both have been pressured to have a partner in our lives, and we’ve gotten together purely to get people off our backs. I respect your daughter a great deal, and I’d never do anything to hurt her, but I’m only pretending to be her boyfriend in the same way she is pretending to be my girlfriend.” David held up his hands defensively. “It’s all for show, Chip. Obviously, not a very good show, but a show none the less. I’m sorry, Chip.”
Chip’s expression was unreadable. Seconds crept by like minutes until Chip bowed his head. His shoulders shook and his grip on the ax eased. “Her mother and sister?”
“Yes,” David replied, fearful the man would break down.
Suddenly the ax thudded to the ground as Chip threw his head back and laughed hysterically. “I put you both in the same room!” He only barely remained on his feet. It was a happy, infectious laugh, and soon David was giggling along with him.
Linda had been watching the two men anxiously through the window. She had expected a confrontation out at the woodpile, but Chip’s reaction only made her burn with curiosity about what was going on out there.
Chip finally got a hold on himself and clapped David on the shoulder. “It serves the damn matchmakers right.” He continued giggling as he picked up his ax.
“What happens now?” David asked.
“Now, we split a few more logs, if I can stop laughing long enough. Then we go in and have Thanksgiving.”
“What about Michelle and me?”
“I think the consternation Michelle is causing her mother and sister is just the right payback for the two mother hens. Your secret is safe with me.” After splitting a couple more logs through bouts of the giggles, Chip loaded his arms with wood to take to the house. “By the way, David, thank you for helping my daughter.”
After dispensing with the wood, Chip went in the house and gathered his youngest daughter in his arms. He put his mouth to her ear, and with a smile on his face, whispered in Michelle’s ear, “I love you. I promise to try to help you with your sister and your mother. Now, go give your boyfriend a hug.”
Michelle looked at her father questioningly. He returned her gaze with an all-knowing smile. ‘He knows,’ she thought. ‘Why do my lies always unravel around him?’ She walked over to David and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He eased his arms around her and drew her closer.
As their embrace deepened, Chip yelled from across the kitchen, “Oh, get a room!” and then burst into another bout of laughter. David began laughing as well, leaving Michelle to smile and blush furiously. Linda looked from face to face, wondering if they had all gone insane.
“Well, that was an interesting Thanksgiving,” David said, as he pulled up in front of Michelle’s apartment.
“I can’t believe my dad figured us out, and STILL let us share a room.”
David smiled, reminding himself that he definitely owed one to Chip. While nothing sexual had happened, Chip had encouraged them to spend time together, and had also engaged the rest of the family so the new ‘lovebirds’ could have some time alone. “He was enjoying all the irony in the whole situation. He also came to our rescue a couple of times when your mother or sister was grilling us for information.”
“I think he just enjoyed watching me stew in my own lie.”
“’Hoist on your own petard’ I believe is the phrase.” Michelle slapped his arm in embarrassment.
“Thank you for spending Thanksgiving with me at my parents’ house.”
“I had a good time.” Michelle looked at him incredulously. “I did!” He helped her get her bags in her apartment, and surprised her with a hug and a peck on the cheek, before driving off.
“Hello.”
“Hi Michelle. It’s David.”
“Hi David.” A smile broke across her face when she heard his voice.
“Are you free Friday night?”
“I think so. What time?”
“6:30 at Morton’s.”
“Oh,” Michelle worried. “What should I ware?”
“Nothing special. Maybe dress a little nicer for work, and be sure to tell Debbie ‘Hi’ for me.”
“Got it,” Michelle smiled. “Oh, I’ve got a Christmas party on the 15th.”
“I’ll keep that evening free.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you at Morton’s at 6:30.”
When Michelle got to the restaurant, David was already there. He greeted her with a hug and a quick kiss. He took her arm and led her to the hostess stand, and then to the table.
Michelle fell comfortably into the trappings of the date. David was engaging, funny, and the evening soon evaporated. David escorted her to the door of the restaurant when she stopped and pulled out her purse. “So who were we impressing in there?”
“No one.”
Michelle paused in puzzlement. “Then why did we have dinner?”
David turned to her. “I missed you.” David leaned in to peck Michelle on the cheek, and then he walked off to his car, leaving Michelle frozen in place in front of the restaurant.
David arrived at Michelle’s place at 6:30. He had decided on a tie this evening. A Christmas party deserved a sense of occasion.
“Hi David.” Michelle answered the door in a nice dress. “Come on in.”
The smells coming out of the kitchen took David by surprise. “What are you cooking?”
“Just a little chicken dish I found in a magazine.”
David was puzzled. “That seems kind of heavy to take to a Christmas party.”
Michelle returned with two glasses of white wine, handing one to David. “That all depends on the kind of party you’re throwing.” She took David’s hand and led him into the dinning room. Place settings for two graced the table, complete with two white candles. The perfect intimate dinner.
David understood immediately. The conversation waned at that point. Words weren’t really necessary. Dinner was set out and eaten, Dishes were taken care of. When everything was completed, Michelle insinuated herself in David’s arms and kissed him. It was not hurried, or forced, but natural and promising. When she finally let the kiss end, she straightened his tie, and then used it to lead him to her bedroom.
She moved with languid grace. David watched her with an appreciation of how she moved, the confidence she exuded. She understood now that he wanted her. He gave evidence of that in the way that he openly stared at her, and that knowledge gave her a power over him. A power she would exploit this evening to bring him pleasure.
She towed him into the bedroom by his tie, and then carefully removed it. She removed his shirt, easing the shirttail out of his pants and meticulously unfastening each button. Michelle placed the shirt and tie carefully on the chair and returned to stand in front of David expectantly.
David, delighting in the game, took the same measured care in removing Michelle’s blouse. Thoughts of an early Christmas present kept playing through his mind.
Each article of clothing came off in kind. First David, then Michelle. Their shoes, his pants, her skirt, all piled neatly in the chair, until there was nothing left to remove. Michelle stepped into David’s arms and offered him another kiss which he readily accepted. They twined themselves around each other until they stood breathless, eyes locked together.
David moved her to the bed, eased her down, and settled in beside her. Michelle groaned when David rolled on top of her. “Are you ready, Baby?”
Her answer hissed through her teeth, “Yessss!”
“Well, I’m not.” Michelle’s answer caught in her throat as David captured a nipple in his lips. As he slid his body down hers, her legs opened. A kiss or two and a lick or two and his mouth covered her core.
She writhed under his tongue, and eventually her eyes found his. He watched her reactions. He delighted in her pleasure. When he thought she was ready, he added a single finger to her simulation, and she came.
She gasped and screamed and heaved and shook. Just as she started down from her high, David slid up her body and eased himself into her. Her arms and legs wrapped around him as her eyes rolled back in her head. She regained her hold on the here and now, and David moved slowly inside of her. The new lovers quickly worked out a rhythm, and all too quickly David spent himself, grunting and flexing as Michelle comforted him and welcomed him.
David managed to roll off before he crushed Michelle, his arms suddenly turning to rubber.
“I think we’re going to have to terminate our agreement,” she said as she snuggled back into his arms.
“Ok.” David managed to sound a little disappointed. “I suppose it’s for the best.” When his breathing settled down a little more, he placed a hand under Michelle’s chin and brought her up for a kiss. “Hey, you’re kinda cute. How’s about you and me go steady?”
Michelle rolled her eyes around, thinking it over. “Well…OK. We can’t leave for my parents’ house ‘till Thursday morning though.”
“Oh, no,” David replied. “Thanksgiving at your parents. Christmas at my parents. And you think your family is bad.”
The working title is "Contract".
Thanks
EddyFox
******
“I think we should see other people.”
“Andrew, are you breaking up with me?” Michelle fought back the waves of panic as they rose from her knotted stomach.
“Baby, I just need some space. That’s all.”
Michelle couldn’t say for certain if he was trying to convince her, or himself. “What about Thanksgiving?”
“I’m sorry, baby.” The line went dead.
That’s all the confirmation she needed. He wasn’t going. She was going to be on her own. Alone in a feeding frenzy of well-meaning relatives, each asking ‘When are you going to start dating some nice young man?’
It bothered her that she was more upset about having to face her relatives without a boyfriend than the fact that her boyfriend had just dumped her. ‘Not really a sign of a committed relationship,’ she thought to herself as she began the process of deleting Andrew from her life. ‘I’m probably better off without him.’
But that left her with a completely different set of problems. Her relationship with Drew was the result of a blind date. The girls at work were just trying to look out for her, but they were providing more help than she could stand.
Without a solution, Michelle resolved to let this crappy day fall by the wayside. She discarded her clothes into the laundry hamper, pulled out a clean fluffy towel, and emptied the water heater with the hottest shower she could possibly stand. When she left the sanctuary of the steam-filled bathroom, she busied herself with minor housekeeping tasks and focusing on getting ready for work the next day.
Work provided little in the way of distraction, until the subject of headcount came up in her departmental meeting. The idea hit her like a bolt out of the blue. ‘That’s it! I’ve got a part-time position to fill.’
When she got back to her desk, she sketched out a job description. By the end of lunch, she had a decent idea of what the personal ad might look like:
Seeking SWM 23-28 to fill roll of boyfriend.
Not interested in relationship. No smokers.
Must be available for family functions and social occasions.
Please send picture and resume.
MTS0525@hotmail.com
Michelle created the free email address to keep responses separated from her personal email. She chuckled to herself about the ‘resume’ part. ‘It will give them a chance to be creative,’ she thought.
Once she had decided everything was perfect, she began doubting herself. ‘Is this really a smart thing to do?’ ‘What if everyone who responds is a weirdo?’ ‘How desperate am I to stoop to this?’ Around 4:30 she went to the newspaper’s website and placed an ad in the personals. She thought to herself, ‘Thank God I don’t have to talk to someone to place this ad.’
When the Sunday paper came out, Michelle opened it up to the personals section first. Her ad, although slightly unusual, was not the weirdest or the most explicit by far. It didn’t take long for the responses to come pouring in. She had 150 on the first day. She made a number of cuts, the first one based on picture, the second one based on resume. After tightening her criteria a few times she came up with three that she was really interested in talking to.
Bracing herself, she dialed the first number, waiting for someone to pick up.
“Hello.”
“Yes. Could I speak to Brian, please?”
“Speaking.”
“Hi Brian. I’m calling in regard to the personal ad you responded to.”
“Oh…really? That was for real? I thought it was some kind of joke.” Click.
‘Yep. It’s a joke alright…’ thought Michelle, ‘and the joke’s on me.’
The second call went soother, and Paul agreed to meet her at a café to discuss the position in detail. Michelle had no problem spotting Paul from his picture.
“Hi Paul.” She extended her hand. “I’m Michelle.”
“Hi Michelle.” Paul stood and shook her hand. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Michelle pulled out a folder with Paul’s resume and picture inside. “I’ve read over your resume. Would you tell me why you applied for the position?”
Paul thought for a moment. “Curiosity, mainly. I was intrigued by the ad.”
“I see.” Michelle scribbled some notes on the folder. “Could you tell me about your last few relationships?”
“Well, my last girlfriend and I went out for about 4 months. We met through some mutual friends. Actually, we never really broke up as much as drifted apart. The one before that, we had been seeing each other for about a year when her old boyfriend came back on the scene, and she dumped me.”
“Un-hu.”
“How much does this pay?”
The fact that Michelle had been scribbling notes allowed her camouflage her shock. ‘How could I have been so stupid?!?’ she thought. ‘If you sell it like a job, OF COURSE they’re gonna want to be paid.’ She decided to keep the ball in his court. “What did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking around $5,000 per year.”
‘Let’s see. That is just over $400 per month. No way in hell.’ “I see…You will, of course, be required to cover date expenses.” ‘Right back at you, buddy!’ Michelle thought.
Paul paused on that. “How about dutch?”
“I think we can work out the particulars if you get the position.” Michelle looked at her watch. “I’ve got to get to another interview,” she lied. “I’ll give you a call and let you know one way or the other. OK?” Michelle gathered her things and stood to leave.
Paul stood as well and extended his hand. “Thanks Michelle. I’ll be expecting your call.”
*
“I think we should see other people.”
“David, are you breaking up with me?”
David fought the knot in his stomach that formed every time he thought he was being an asshole. Better bite the bullet and just get it over with. “We just don’t fit together, baby. I know it’s all my fault, but I just can’t see this going anywhere. I’m sorry.”
“David, I…”
As he set the receiver down in the cradle, he reaffirmed his decision that going to the corporate event stag was going to be much better than going with Angela, even though his boss wasn’t going to think so. Having her in a room full of prospects was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Her ability to piss off everyone in a hotel conference room at one time was truly amazing.
Regardless, giving Angela the stiff arm grated on David’s nerves. He pulled a beer out of the fridge, and settled on the couch to read the paper. One of the things he always read was the personals. It was like a class on how not to sell yourself effectively. A chuckle escaped now and again as he read down the ads until he came to this one:
Seeking SWM 23-28 to fill roll of boyfriend
Not interested in relationship. No smokers
Must be available for family functions and social occasions
Please send picture and resume.
MTS0525@hotmail.com
It took David an hour before he could wrap his head around the concept, but soon he found himself plunked down in front of his computer pounding out his social resume. The hour it took to be satisfied with his work passed quickly, and he fired off his response with a grin on his face.
Four days later, David received a call on his cell phone in response to his resume. They arranged to meet at the Bean Street Café for coffee. David arrived early, got a coffee, and took a seat to wait.
“Hi David. I’m Michelle.”
The woman extending her hand toward David was striking. He quickly came to his feet and accepted her hand. “Hi Michelle. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Won’t you sit down?” David pulled the chair out and waited for her.
“Thank you.” Michelle took the proffered chair and allowed David to scoot her to the table. She pulled out the folder from her bag and opened it on the table. “I’ve read over your resume. Would you tell me why you applied for the position?”
“I had just finished breaking up with my girlfriend, and I was feeling down. I tend to read the personals for enjoyment, and I came across your ad.”
“I see.” Michelle scribbled some notes. “Would you mind telling me about your last relationship?”
“Not at all. Angela and I met through a mutual friend. We went out a few times and seemed to enjoy each other’s company. The problems started when I started taking her to business functions. I’m a salesman and my boss believes that a ‘significant other’ on your arm is an effective selling tool. In Angela’s case, he could not have been more wrong. I was forced to set up separate 1-on-1 meetings after events to try and repair the damage she did. Finally I decided it wasn’t worth it, and I broke it off.”
“Interesting.” Michelle scribbled notes furiously. “What do you expect in return for being my stand-in boyfriend?”
David settled in. Now they were negotiating, and he knew this dance well. “I don’t know. What does the job entail?”
“You will be expected to make public appearances as my boyfriend. You accompany me to family functions and social occasions as such. The first family function is Thanksgiving at my parents’ house.”
“Really?” David’s mind was percolating with ideas. “What about privately?”
“Out of the public eye, we are two separate people. There IS no private relationship.” Michelle tried to read his face without success.
“Then what I want is a reciprocal agreement.” A rye smile crept across David’s face.
“Really?” Michelle saw where David was going. “So I accompany you to sales meetings and social events to keep your boss off your back?”
“Yes. Friends and family, too.”
“Sounds … interestingly symmetrical. When we go out, you pay for everything and I’ll reimburse half?”
David grinned. “You want to present that image? That’s fine.”
“David,” Michelle extended her hand, “I think you just got yourself a stand-in girlfriend.”
Michelle left the meeting with a smile on her face, daring someone to try and fix her up with someone.
She didn’t have to wait long. She had just settled into her desk at work the next day when Debbie’s head appeared around her monitor.
“Hi Michelle. How are you doing?” Her voice was desperately sympathetic.
Michelle looked up from her monitor. Debbie was asking a loaded question. She had been perpetually pregnant since Michelle had joined the company three years ago. She was deliriously happy as a wife and mother and was determined to enforce her happiness on Michelle. She had been the one to fix Michelle up with Drew on a blind date, and had no doubt heard the sordid tale of their breakup from him.
“I’m doin’ good, Deb. How are you?”
Michelle’s chipper voice surprised Debbie. “I’m good. I heard about you and Drew. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Well, you know. You just got to move on.”
Debbie brightened up. “You’re so right, Sweetie. I’m glad to hear you say that. I’ve got this wonderful guy I’d love for you to meet!”
“Actually,” Michelle grinned, “I’ve already met someone.” Inside, Michelle was doing an end-zone dance. She had been looking forward to this conversation with Debbie ever since she made the deal with David.
“Really!? That’s wonderful! Do tell! Do tell!” Debbie was practically oozing into Michelle’s cubical.
Michelle scrambled for details and decided to stick as close to the truth as she could. “Well, we met in Bean Street over coffee and got to talking. We’ve been out a couple of times, and he’s sweet.”
“What does he look like?”
Michelle picked up the phone and fished out David’s number. “Well, let me see if he’s free for lunch and you can meet him.”
Debbie’s eye’s popped wide. “Oh, that would be wonderful!!”
“I’ll shoot you an email if he’s free.”
“Thanks, Sweetie. I’ll see you later.”
The phone rang twice before David answered. “Hi. This is David.”
“Hi David. It’s Michelle.”
“Hi Michelle. What’s up?”
“Are you free to make a lunch appearance?”
David flipped through his schedule in his head. “I’ve got a 1:30, but I’m free before then. What’s the plan?”
“Debbie, from my office. She set me up with my last boyfriend, and was about to sick someone else on me. I wanted to put an end to this, quick.”
“I see. What did you tell her about me?”
Michelle recounted what she had told Debbie about him. “Cool. It appears that we’re going to need a story. I’ll work on that.”
“Great.” Michelle started trying on details of their relationship in her head. “Can you meet me at my office at 11:30?”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
David arrived just after 11:30 and the three decided on Mexican for lunch. Debbie monopolized the conversation until she couldn’t wait any longer for ‘the story’. “So, Michelle tells me you picked her up at a coffee shop. What line did you use to get her to talk to you?”
David went into his spiel almost seamlessly. “Well, I’ve never been very good with pickup lines, so I just asked her,
‘Excuse me, what is your favorite pickup line?’
He looked at Michelle expectantly.
Michelle played her part in recounting the conversation they were actually having for the first time. “And I said,
‘I don’t know. Probably, I’m petitioning to rearrange the alphabet. I’d like to get ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.’
“And I said,
’That’s a good one. I’ve always liked, “I seem to have lost my number. Could I have yours?” It seems not-to-forward and playful.’”
David looked at Michelle expectantly.
Michelle chimed in again. “And I said,
‘What about, ”You must be tired, because you’ve been running through my thoughts all evening.”
David leaned in and said,
’I’ve been working on a new one. How about,”I’d like to experience you with all five senses.”
to which Michelle eloquently replied, ”Huh?” I explained,
”Well, you are a vision to behold, your voice is musical, your perfume is intoxicating, and your touch is electrifying. The only question left is; how do you…taste?’”
Everyone at the table turned blushed simultaneously. “Oh, my,” Debbie intoned as they all tried to cover their reaction. However, that seemed to satiate Debbie’s need for juicy details. The luncheon concluded with David sharing most of his life story in between bites. David picked up the tab for everyone, and drove them back their office.
“Debbie, it was nice to meet you.”
“It was very nice meeting you. Thank you for lunch. You didn’t have to do that.”
“It was my pleasure.” David turned to Michelle and moved in close. “I’ll see you later,” and he pressed his lips to hers so fast, she never had time to react. She had not considered how they would part. As David left, she reflected on their first ‘date’ and decided it was a solid success. There were still rough edges, but they could easily be worked out. Just as she had prepped herself to get back to work, her phone rang.
“Do you want to settle up now or later?
Michelle grabbed her purse. “I’ll be right down.”
David met her at the parking deck.
“I’m not paying for Debbie’s lunch,” she said, as she dug her wallet out of her purse.
“I didn’t expect you to. Your’s is 7.73 before the tip.” David watched her rummage. “I wondered how you stayed so thin.”
Michelle smiled. “Here you go, here’s a ten.”
“Thanks. There’s a sales event next week. I think its Thursday night.” David put his wallet back in his pocket.
“I think I can make that. Firm up the time and I’ll keep Thursday night free.” Michelle put her purse back in her purse. “We need to leave for Thanksgiving next Wednesday night.”
“Understood. What are sleeping arrangements?”
Panic crept into Michelle’s voice. “I don’t know. I’ll find out.”
“Thanks. Give me a call.”
“Right. ‘Bye.”
The new couple parted without as much as a handshake.
**
“Ready?” David extended his arm.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Michelle slipped her arm through David’s as they entered the hotel. Her stomach hadn’t been this knotted since her junior prom.
“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.” David lead her to the conference room confident in his abilities, but more importantly, confident that Michelle wouldn’t drag him down. She looked terrific, and she was personable. He had coached her a little bit on what to expect, but the details of these events were always in flux.
They took their places as the meeting came to order. After a brief presentation, they broke into a more social function, where the salespeople were allowed to interact one-on-one with the prospective clients. David’s boss, Gary, felt that having a significant other along fleshed out the salesman, making him more of a friend watching out for a buddy, rather than a peddler pimping a product.
David hooked onto a gentleman about ten years older than himself, and eased into his presentation. Michelle found the ebb and flow of the conversation fascinating, if not the actual subject matter.
“So you see, Jim, we have all of the upside of the market leader, with none of the complications associated with their product.” David was heading into the home stretch.
“You make a very convincing argument, but an expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars doesn’t happen on a whim.” Jim was backpedaling.
“All I’m looking for from you is that you’re in our corner when it comes time to make the proposal. The product will do the rest.” David was maneuvering for the kill.
Michelle thought David was pushing too much. “Jim, can I freshen your drink for you?” This seemed the best way to interrupt him.
“Thank you, Michelle. Jack and Coke, please”
David took a deep breath. Michelle’s interruption threatened to throw him off his stride. As she took Jim’s glass and turned to leave, Jim’s eyes traced their way down her figure. David stopped what he was going to say and turned to admire the view with Jim. ‘She really is beautiful,’ he thought to himself. They stood in silence while Michelle crossed the room.
Jim spoke first as he watched Michelle sway hypnotically. “I’m sorry. What were we talking about?”
David took a chance. “I have absolutely no idea,” he deadpanned.
As Michelle disappeared into the crowd, Jim leaned over to David conspiratorially, “Why don’t you send me a proposal next week and remind me.”
**
“Hi. Are you about ready?” David asked.
“Yep. If you could just help me with my bags?” Michelle stepped back to give David access to her luggage.
He picked up her two suitcases and headed to the car. Michelle picked up her purse and the bag of Thanksgiving dinner ingredients she was responsible for. “Are you sure you want me to drive?
“Yes. Definitely.” The certainty of Michelle’s response fleshed out David’s perception of what Michelle’s family was looking for in a boyfriend for their ‘little girl’.
Traffic was significant, but not stifling as they wound their way down the highway. David was used to being in the car on his own, and soon slipped into his habitual way of passing time in a vehicle. He sang. Michelle was surprised and pleased to find that he had a good voice. When David saw Michelle smiling at him, he clammed up immediately and blushed furiously.
“No. Don’t stop. You have a good voice.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to having another person in the car,” David said, his blush deepening.
“No. I’m surprised that we have such similar taste in music, and I’m really enjoying hearing you sing.” She reached over reflexively and grabbed his hand.
David decided to accept the compliment as offered. “Thank you.”
Soon David was distracted by other cars on the road. Habits die hard, and the combination of focusing on driving, and a catchy tune by a female artist, David dropped into a familiar harmony on the refrain, only to find Michelle chiming in with the melody. It was David’s turn to look at Michelle and smile at the moment of trust she let slip.
“What!” Michelle flushed and waited for the feared critique.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Michelle asked.
“I love harmony, but I only have these CD’s,” he indicated the burned CD’s in the sun visor holder, “to sing with. Singing with someone else is a treat.”
It soon became a game. David and Michelle began to guess what the other was going to sing, and then sing the harmonizing part. The songs Michelle weren’t familiar with quickly displayed the harmony that had attracted David to them.
The drive passed quickly, and they soon arrived at Michelle’s parent’s house. As they drove up, Michelle’s parents came out the front door. Hugs and hellos were exchanged. “So you must be Drew,” Michelle’s mother intoned.
“David.”
“David? Why did I think it was Drew? Oh, well. No matter. David, I’m Linda, and this is my husband Arthur.”
Arthur extended his hand. “Call me Chip.” Chip started pulling bags out of the trunk while Linda looped her arm in David’s and began walking him to the house, all the while extracting information out of him at a furious rate. Michelle fell in step behind them, trying to keep track of any information David might come up with so she could corroborate it in later conversations.
Chip returned a few moments later, surprising them. “You’re room is all ready.” Michelle ran that phrase over in her head again and again, tripping up on the singular ‘room’ every time. “I’m gonna get something to drink. Anybody want anything?”
“I’d like a little something,” David replied. “What do you have?”
Once David and Chip had gone in the kitchen, Michelle asked, “Mom, what did Dad mean when he said our ‘room’ was ready?”
“Well your father and I talked it over, and he finally agreed with me that there was no sense in you two having separate rooms when you’re 25 years old, living on your own, and doing Lord knows what with your boyfriend.” She smiled, proud of her persuasiveness.
Michelle tried her best to let relief show on her face as she fought down the urge to vomit. “Thanks Mom. I can’t believe you got Dad to agree to that.”
After David returned with his drink, the four of them talked about the weather and the trip down, with a little football and shopping thrown in for good measure. Michelle and David then retired to their room to sort out their things and get settled.
“Oh, my god!” Michelle exclaimed as she sat down on the bed with her fingers pressed to her temple. “What are we going to do?”
“Make the best of it.” David set his duffel bag on the bed and began extracting his clothes.
“What do you mean?” Michelle’s panicked look spoke volumes.
“I mean you and I have an agreement. Nothing has to happen in here other than sleeping.” David picked up his bag and started unpacking his things.
When Michelle was done staring at his back, she picked up her bag and started unpacking as well.
Apart from the one snag, the evening went fabulously. David’s winning personality shone through and he pandered to Michelle’s parents without an ounce of shame. By the time dinner was over and the dishes were cleared away they had practically adopted him. They retired to the living room, and as Michelle walked by David, he pulled her into his lap and began nibbling her neck and tickling her.
“Stop it!” Michelle screamed as she twisted out of his grasp. She quickly retreated across the room and plopped down defensively in a chair across the room from David. An eerie silence descended on the room, broken by the sound of the front door opening.
“Hello!” Chip and Linda jumped up to get the door. The sound of excited children produced a strained, cross-eyed expression from Michelle’s face. Reluctantly, she levered herself up out of the chair.
David arose and extended his arms in greeting. “Come on. Let’s go ‘WOW’ them.” Michelle allowed herself to be hugged, and the turned to go and greet her sister’s family.
Rebecca was four years older, and had spent about 6 months without a man in her life since she turned fourteen. Her longest continuous stint without a boyfriend had been three days. Now, at the age of twenty-nine, she had been married six years, and had three children to show for it.
They came spilling into the foyer like pickup time at KinderCare. Introductions were made, but none of them stuck. All the energy in the room was devoted to getting Becca’s family’s mountain of luggage and equipment out of their van and into their room. After they had gotten settled, Michelle, claiming fatigue, retired to her room. David dutifully followed, and everyone retired for the evening.
“That’s quite a family your sister has there.”
“Yep.”
David watched her close up like flower at the first sign of frost. “How did I do?”
“Fine.”
David thought, ‘HER sister is HER problem. It is not your concern, David.’ He went over and pulled a pair of shorts out of the drawer and headed for the bathroom. “I’m gonna get ready for bed.”
David closed the door to the bathroom. Michelle started moving around the room mechanically, gathering the things she would need for her turn.
When Michelle returned from the bathroom, David was already in the bed.
“You’re on my side.”
David moved to the other side of the bed without comment. Michelle slid into the warm spot in the bed David had just vacated and instantly regretted it. She was yanked from the well of despair that surrounded her sister to an all-out assault in her senses from her make-believe boyfriend. ‘Why does he have to be so warm? Why does he have to smell so good?’ Her torture didn’t last long, as she quickly surrendered to sleep.
Michelle drifted back to reality snuggled under David’s arm as he lay on his back. She reached across his waist to draw him closer until she realized what was happening. Michelle retreated out of the bed as fast as she could, landing on her butt on the floor, taking most of the covers with her.
David jerked awake. “Are you ok?”
Michelle nodded her head quickly. “Sorry.”
David breathed heavily, trying to quell the adrenaline storm surging through his bloodstream. “It’s OK.” He got up and moved to the bathroom, his shorts tented with his morning arousal.
Michelle tried to right herself, and the room. Her thoughts were swirling, evading her attempts to think coherently. The funk she had started into last night only deepened.
David made several attempts to bring her out of it throughout the morning. All he succeeded in doing was driving Michelle farther away. By midday, she could hardly stay in the same room with him.
“David.” Chip appeared in the kitchen wearing his heavy coat and boots. “I’ve got to chop some more wood. Why don’t you come out and give me a hand?” Minutes later, at the woodpile, a comfortable routine had been established. David would set the logs too big for the fireplace on the block. Chip would split them into wedges with his ax. Then he and David would put them in the pile that was ready to go inside.
David had just started wrestling with another log when Chip asked pointedly, “You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well,” Chip sized up the new log, “my daughter is avoiding you like the plague,” WHACK! The log split cleanly in two. David positioned the wood for another strike. “It seems to me that two people in a new relationship ought to be a little more friendly toward each other.” WHACK! The wedges flew off the block from the force of Chip’s blow. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re treating my daughter right.” Chip’s gaze would have been intimidating, even without the ax in his hands.
“Chip, I’m sorry if I’ve given you any reason for concern. I’ll come clean. Your daughter and I don’t have a relationship. We have an agreement. We both have been pressured to have a partner in our lives, and we’ve gotten together purely to get people off our backs. I respect your daughter a great deal, and I’d never do anything to hurt her, but I’m only pretending to be her boyfriend in the same way she is pretending to be my girlfriend.” David held up his hands defensively. “It’s all for show, Chip. Obviously, not a very good show, but a show none the less. I’m sorry, Chip.”
Chip’s expression was unreadable. Seconds crept by like minutes until Chip bowed his head. His shoulders shook and his grip on the ax eased. “Her mother and sister?”
“Yes,” David replied, fearful the man would break down.
Suddenly the ax thudded to the ground as Chip threw his head back and laughed hysterically. “I put you both in the same room!” He only barely remained on his feet. It was a happy, infectious laugh, and soon David was giggling along with him.
Linda had been watching the two men anxiously through the window. She had expected a confrontation out at the woodpile, but Chip’s reaction only made her burn with curiosity about what was going on out there.
Chip finally got a hold on himself and clapped David on the shoulder. “It serves the damn matchmakers right.” He continued giggling as he picked up his ax.
“What happens now?” David asked.
“Now, we split a few more logs, if I can stop laughing long enough. Then we go in and have Thanksgiving.”
“What about Michelle and me?”
“I think the consternation Michelle is causing her mother and sister is just the right payback for the two mother hens. Your secret is safe with me.” After splitting a couple more logs through bouts of the giggles, Chip loaded his arms with wood to take to the house. “By the way, David, thank you for helping my daughter.”
After dispensing with the wood, Chip went in the house and gathered his youngest daughter in his arms. He put his mouth to her ear, and with a smile on his face, whispered in Michelle’s ear, “I love you. I promise to try to help you with your sister and your mother. Now, go give your boyfriend a hug.”
Michelle looked at her father questioningly. He returned her gaze with an all-knowing smile. ‘He knows,’ she thought. ‘Why do my lies always unravel around him?’ She walked over to David and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He eased his arms around her and drew her closer.
As their embrace deepened, Chip yelled from across the kitchen, “Oh, get a room!” and then burst into another bout of laughter. David began laughing as well, leaving Michelle to smile and blush furiously. Linda looked from face to face, wondering if they had all gone insane.
“Well, that was an interesting Thanksgiving,” David said, as he pulled up in front of Michelle’s apartment.
“I can’t believe my dad figured us out, and STILL let us share a room.”
David smiled, reminding himself that he definitely owed one to Chip. While nothing sexual had happened, Chip had encouraged them to spend time together, and had also engaged the rest of the family so the new ‘lovebirds’ could have some time alone. “He was enjoying all the irony in the whole situation. He also came to our rescue a couple of times when your mother or sister was grilling us for information.”
“I think he just enjoyed watching me stew in my own lie.”
“’Hoist on your own petard’ I believe is the phrase.” Michelle slapped his arm in embarrassment.
“Thank you for spending Thanksgiving with me at my parents’ house.”
“I had a good time.” Michelle looked at him incredulously. “I did!” He helped her get her bags in her apartment, and surprised her with a hug and a peck on the cheek, before driving off.
“Hello.”
“Hi Michelle. It’s David.”
“Hi David.” A smile broke across her face when she heard his voice.
“Are you free Friday night?”
“I think so. What time?”
“6:30 at Morton’s.”
“Oh,” Michelle worried. “What should I ware?”
“Nothing special. Maybe dress a little nicer for work, and be sure to tell Debbie ‘Hi’ for me.”
“Got it,” Michelle smiled. “Oh, I’ve got a Christmas party on the 15th.”
“I’ll keep that evening free.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you at Morton’s at 6:30.”
When Michelle got to the restaurant, David was already there. He greeted her with a hug and a quick kiss. He took her arm and led her to the hostess stand, and then to the table.
Michelle fell comfortably into the trappings of the date. David was engaging, funny, and the evening soon evaporated. David escorted her to the door of the restaurant when she stopped and pulled out her purse. “So who were we impressing in there?”
“No one.”
Michelle paused in puzzlement. “Then why did we have dinner?”
David turned to her. “I missed you.” David leaned in to peck Michelle on the cheek, and then he walked off to his car, leaving Michelle frozen in place in front of the restaurant.
David arrived at Michelle’s place at 6:30. He had decided on a tie this evening. A Christmas party deserved a sense of occasion.
“Hi David.” Michelle answered the door in a nice dress. “Come on in.”
The smells coming out of the kitchen took David by surprise. “What are you cooking?”
“Just a little chicken dish I found in a magazine.”
David was puzzled. “That seems kind of heavy to take to a Christmas party.”
Michelle returned with two glasses of white wine, handing one to David. “That all depends on the kind of party you’re throwing.” She took David’s hand and led him into the dinning room. Place settings for two graced the table, complete with two white candles. The perfect intimate dinner.
David understood immediately. The conversation waned at that point. Words weren’t really necessary. Dinner was set out and eaten, Dishes were taken care of. When everything was completed, Michelle insinuated herself in David’s arms and kissed him. It was not hurried, or forced, but natural and promising. When she finally let the kiss end, she straightened his tie, and then used it to lead him to her bedroom.
She moved with languid grace. David watched her with an appreciation of how she moved, the confidence she exuded. She understood now that he wanted her. He gave evidence of that in the way that he openly stared at her, and that knowledge gave her a power over him. A power she would exploit this evening to bring him pleasure.
She towed him into the bedroom by his tie, and then carefully removed it. She removed his shirt, easing the shirttail out of his pants and meticulously unfastening each button. Michelle placed the shirt and tie carefully on the chair and returned to stand in front of David expectantly.
David, delighting in the game, took the same measured care in removing Michelle’s blouse. Thoughts of an early Christmas present kept playing through his mind.
Each article of clothing came off in kind. First David, then Michelle. Their shoes, his pants, her skirt, all piled neatly in the chair, until there was nothing left to remove. Michelle stepped into David’s arms and offered him another kiss which he readily accepted. They twined themselves around each other until they stood breathless, eyes locked together.
David moved her to the bed, eased her down, and settled in beside her. Michelle groaned when David rolled on top of her. “Are you ready, Baby?”
Her answer hissed through her teeth, “Yessss!”
“Well, I’m not.” Michelle’s answer caught in her throat as David captured a nipple in his lips. As he slid his body down hers, her legs opened. A kiss or two and a lick or two and his mouth covered her core.
She writhed under his tongue, and eventually her eyes found his. He watched her reactions. He delighted in her pleasure. When he thought she was ready, he added a single finger to her simulation, and she came.
She gasped and screamed and heaved and shook. Just as she started down from her high, David slid up her body and eased himself into her. Her arms and legs wrapped around him as her eyes rolled back in her head. She regained her hold on the here and now, and David moved slowly inside of her. The new lovers quickly worked out a rhythm, and all too quickly David spent himself, grunting and flexing as Michelle comforted him and welcomed him.
David managed to roll off before he crushed Michelle, his arms suddenly turning to rubber.
“I think we’re going to have to terminate our agreement,” she said as she snuggled back into his arms.
“Ok.” David managed to sound a little disappointed. “I suppose it’s for the best.” When his breathing settled down a little more, he placed a hand under Michelle’s chin and brought her up for a kiss. “Hey, you’re kinda cute. How’s about you and me go steady?”
Michelle rolled her eyes around, thinking it over. “Well…OK. We can’t leave for my parents’ house ‘till Thursday morning though.”
“Oh, no,” David replied. “Thanksgiving at your parents. Christmas at my parents. And you think your family is bad.”
