Ginger Blue

A murmur broke out in the courtroom upon this pronouncement. Mr. Parks jumped from his seat at the plaintiffs table and stormed over to Al. Before anyone could stop him his fist slammed into Al's face and knocked him from his chair. He grabbed the attorney's chair and threw it out of his way as he tried to get to Al once again. The Bailiff and a deputy sheriff grabbed him as the Judge was banging his gavel upon the bench.

After the two men subdued Mr. Parks the Judge said, "Mr. Parks, I sentence you to thirty days for contempt of court. I further remand you for prosecution for assault and battery."

By the time all Mr. Parks legal problems were settled he was almost destitute. He was sentenced to six months in the county jail for his assault on Al in the court room in addition to the month for Contempt of court. While Parks was still in jail Al received a letter from the attorney who represented him offering to settle Al's claim against the resort and Parks. Include was a financial statement showing Parks circumstances. The resort was barely breaking even from operations. Parks wife worked in town to support the family. Parks offered to sign ownership of the resort over to Al in settlement of the debt. After the debt owed to the bank the resort was only worth about $67,000.

Al decided that was more than enough repayment for a document he had only found by accident. Besides, ownership of the resort free and clear along with the six acres it sat on was well worth more than that amount. Al now owned 16 contiguous acres along one of the most beautiful stretches of Elk River. Even better, there was a paved road through part of the resort property and alongside the ten acres his home was on. He was happy with that. All he had to do was find enough money to keep the resort solvent, in good repair, and operating.

When the Parks family lost the resort they packed up their personal belongings and drove off not telling anyone where they went. They left owing the remaining employees and some vendors several thousand dollars.

The morning the Parks family left the senior remaining employee came to Al's house to find him. She reported the family's departure and wanted to know what they should do now that Al owned the resort. To Al's surprise the woman at his door was one of the women he used to fuck in high school. Prudence told him what had happened and Al almost panicked. He just sat down, almost collapsed into his chair and stared at Prudence with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Al looked at Prudence and said, "Shit, I am sick to death of that asshole and his whole family. How much am I hanging out for? FUCK, I wonder if they stole anything from the resort when they took off."

"I really can't say for sure if they took anything from the resort, Al, but if they did it wasn't much. Most of us watched them load their things. They told us you were kicking them out and to see you for our pay since you owned the place now. They probably cleaned out the bank accounts but I was late getting things done yesterday and didn't make the deposit so we do have a little cash in the till. From what I hear the bank account balances were always low and many times overdrawn. Sometimes our paychecks bounced. Most of us would have left if we could find another job. As for what you owe the help and vendors, I don't know. The books should tell us though if we can find them. A lot of our vendors have us on a cash on delivery account because of the rubber checks Parks wrote."

"Crap. I need to think about what to do here, Pru. I've got a few dollars stashed but not much. I hate to ask Gramps for help with the resort. He didn't want me to take it when Parks offered it to me, but I wanted it and the land so I ignored him." Even though it was early, Al walked into the house and opened the old refrigerator. He took out a beer and twisted off the top. After he took a deep swallow he looked at Prudence and waggled the beer at her then lifted his eyebrows.

Prudence smiled and shook her head no. She said, "Sorry, tiger. It's still a little too early for me."

Al laughed and said, "Bullshit. I remember a lot of days not too many years ago when we were drunk and screwing our asses off by this time of day."

Prudence laughed and said, "Yeah, but one of us is a much smarter woman now. I believe I'll pass. Unless you tell me not to I still have a kitchen to run and people to feed. I can't do that if I'm over here drinking and screwing around with you."

Al walked back onto the roofed over patio and sat down again. He looked at Prudence for a moment then smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled his cell phone from it. After looking through his contact list he dialed. After the phone was answered Al said, "Hello. This is Al Thom-"

Even over the small cell Prudence heard the man yelling. "You son of Satan. How dare you call here after all you've done? I've told you and told you to keep away from my daughter."

Al broke in and yelled right back, "Listen, preacher. I know you don't like me and I can't say I like you much, either, but this doesn't concern you. I know Angel doesn't have a job and I-"

"You leave Angel alone. She has a job working with me at the church. She is redeeming herself in the eyes of the Lord and doesn't need the likes of you leading her into sin again." The phone clanged when the preacher slammed his receiver down ending the conversation.

Al looked up at Prudence and gave her a sickly grin. "I guess I'm still on the Reverend's shit list. I'll try to get in touch with Angel somehow and see if she wants to run the resort for me. She took two years of business administration at the college in Neosho so I think she can handle it. I think she even took some business management and accounting classes from the college in Joplin after she finished in Neosho. Do you think you can work with her if she'll do it?"

"Oh, hell yeah. We're still pretty tight. You want me to talk to her and have her come see you? She can't afford a cell so the only way you can talk to her is if you sneak past her daddy or she comes to you."

"OK. Do that please Pru. I'll try to find some money to pay the bills up. I'll be over later today to look the place over. Is there anything I need to do or know about now?"

"Jesus, Al, there's tons of shit you need to know and do. Hell, you're the owner. You got inventory to replace, supplies to order, bills to pay, repairs to make. Shit, I could go on and on. The place is petty run down. Mr. Parks was cutting corners for a long time before you got ahold of him."

After Pru left, Al returned to his work on the old house. They were almost finished with the restoration and Al was already living in the building. Now it looked as if he was not going to finish the work for some time. He suspected he would have to spend a lot of money and time working on the resort instead of his house. Of course he still had his farm work to do, also. His grandfather talked long and hard trying to convince him not to take on the resort. Now he wondered if he had been correct. Well, it was too late now. He either had to spend some money and keep the operation going or close it down quickly.

That evening about 9:30 Al heard steps on his porch then a knock on his door. He moved to the door and opened it to see Angel standing there. She smiled and said, "Damn you, Al, you've been pissing Daddy off again. Pru called me and told me you wanted to see me. He was so pissed I had to climb out the window again."

Al laughed and stepped back inviting Angel in. After she chose a chair and took her seat Al said, "Damn, you really climbed out the window and down the tree again? Between the Reverend's sermon on the phone and you telling me that, it feels like old times."

Angel smiled and then said, "Pru told me what happened. I don't know how I fit into this though. Whatcha need?"

"Well, I know you still don't have a job and are only working at the church for your Dad. I thought maybe you would like to be the manager of the resort for me. I don't have time to do it and work the farm, too. I think I'm going to make Prudence the food service and catering manager if you think she can handle it. You can be the General Manager. What do you say?"

"Al, you know Daddy will have a fit if I do that. Hell, he'll probably kick me out of the house like he threatened to do back when we were running wild." She grinned and looked around then said, "You got a place for a girl to sleep if that happens? And what will the job pay? I can't be pissing daddy off if I can't make enough to live on. At least I still have free room and board over there."

"I really hadn't thought about the pay. How about I let you use one of the bedrooms either here or in the resort, give you three squares, and $200.00 a week until we see where we are. If the resort makes a little profit I might be able to raise that some later. Pru says I have a lot of repairs to make and I have to pay others also though so don't count on a raise any time soon."

Angel sat and thought for a few minutes while she finished her beer. Finally she grinned and said, "You know I'm so sick of Daddy and his damn overbearing attitude I think I would have done it for free room and board. Ya got a deal. When do you want me to start?"

"Tomorrow?"

Angel laughed and said, "OK, deal."

"Great. I need to go over and see what shape the place is in. Why don't you meet me here at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning and we'll go over together. We need to talk to Pru sometime tomorrow and get her input too."

It was almost 8:45 before Angel showed up the next morning. When he heard her on the porch Al opened the door and stepped out to meet her. He hugged her tightly, stepped back and said, "I had almost given up on you Angel. I was getting ready to go over without you."

"Sorry. I was waiting on Daddy to leave so I wouldn't have to argue with him this morning. I didn't have the courage to tell him I was going to work for you when we got up this morning. I really dread that conversation and want to put it off as long as I can."

"Won't he wonder what's going on when you don't show up at the church?"

"Not for a day or two. I didn't go in every day."

"Well, come on. At least Pru should be caught up enough to visit with us for a while before she has to begin working on lunch."

The three friends spent almost an hour touring the building and nearby grounds while Prudence pointed out problems and discussed the current operation. Finally she said she had to return to the kitchen to continue her preparation for the lunch trade. Al and Angel continued to walk around. They went back over some of the same ground as before. After they finished the tour Al and Angel went into the cluttered office to discuss the things they had seen and been told that morning. They both referred to the notes taken during the morning. They did a cursory prioritization of tasks and discussed duties of each of the three under the new management. They were still working when Prudence personally delivered their lunch.

After lunch Al went back to his house to get some of his tools. He returned to the resort and began making some of the higher priority repairs. While he was doing that Angel was going through the records and files trying to figure out what shape the resort was in financially and administratively. Neither of them ended the day on a happy note.

After Angel left for the evening Al walked through the quiet building. They had a night watchman that doubled as the desk clerk should anyone stop wanting a room. His pay was just a room to sleep in and his meals. Other than that no one was in the building after about ten in the evening. They stopped seating in the restaurant at eight. At one time the bar stayed open until two a.m. but now it closed at 10 p.m. with the last call being 9:30 p.m.

When Al entered the kitchen everyone was gone except for Prudence. She was making early preparations for breakfast the next morning. He watched her work for a few moments then quietly walked up behind her. The gentle sway of her breasts and movement of her beautiful ass had him hard and needy. He wrapped his arms around her waist then slid his hands up to cup her breasts as he ground his cock into her ass.

At first Pru jumped. She turned her head enough to see it was Al accosting her. She relaxed slightly and leaned against him. God his hands and cock felt as good as they had years ago. She wanted him so badly. She twisted in his arms, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a deep kiss. After the kiss broke she pushed back and moved his hands from around her.

Prudence looked at Al and took a deep breath. She felt herself shaking and her pussy moistening. Damn this man could still do it to her. She could feel the moisture in her pussy already soaking her panties. Her nipples were hard little pebbles in her bra. When Al reached for her again she intercepted his hands and held them away. She said, "Al, are you sure this is what you want to do? You know we shouldn't be doing this at all. I'm engaged to be married and I'm your employee now. This could be considered sexual harassment you know."

"What? You're kidding! I can tell you liked it. Hell, you want it as bad as you ever did when we were younger. And besides, you'll have your job whether we screw or not. I just want to have a little fun here honey."

"No, Al. Our time is past. Oh, you're right, I want to do it probably as badly as you do. My pussy is dripping for you already but I know we shouldn't and so do you. Besides, do you really want to hurt Angel like this would? I don't think you want to hurt her any more than I want to hurt David."

"Huh? What does Angel have to do with this? Crap, she's even played with us before. Hell, she knows I'm a pussy hound. She's known it as long as she has known me. Besides, what I do or who I screw is nothing to her."

Prudence looked at Al, sighed, and shook her head. She said, "You really are a dumb fuck aren't you? Al, that girl loves you to death. EVERYTHING you do or say matters to her. She has loved you since we were in Junior High School. Why the hell do you think she did all those crazy things she did with you when you were younger? She was horrified by some of the things you made her do. She was ashamed to show her face after some of the games you made her play but she did them because she loved you and you wanted her to do them. You stupid shit, she only dated other boys after you quit going out with her. Since then she has turned down two proposals of marriage just hoping you would come to your senses, stand up to her father, and ask her to marry you.

"Damn you, Al, if you keep fucking everything with a pussy you are going to kill that girl. She loves you so much she is willing to alienate her family for you. Why the hell do you think she comes running every time you snap your fingers? Now, I can't make you stop fucking around with other sluts but I CAN stop you from doing it with me. Now do I still have a job and a friend or did I throw them both away tonight?"

Al stood in shock. He was so shocked he noticed his erection was gone. He was no longer even horny, just surprised and feeling really, really guilty. He looked at Prudence for a moment then said, "I don't know what to say, Pru. I never thought. I thought she was just kinky and we were having fun together. I need to think about this some more. And YES, of course you still have a job. Dammit, honey, we're friends. I would love to be fuck buddies, too, but if I can't I damn sure want a friend and a good cook and food service manager. I'm sorry I upset you here today. I just thought-"

"NO. That's your problem, Al. You DIDN'T think. Hell, I wonder sometimes if you EVER think. You just decide you want some pussy and move to get it. You don't think about what problems you might cause or who you might hurt if you get it. You don't even think you might be able to get some quality pussy from someone who really CARES about you and who would make it so much better than just a quick piece of ass. Think about it here, Al. Think about all the pieces of ass you've ever gotten. Where did you get the best one, who gave you the best fucks ever? I bet it was Angel and you want to know why? Because she loves you and puts her entire heart, soul, and body into fucking you."

Al just stood there a moment longer then turned and walked out of the building without saying anything else. He trudged down the path the quarter mile to his house deep in thought. Angel loved him? Damn it, he didn't ask her to love him. What the hell was wrong with her? Shit, she was spoiling it for all of them.

After Al got home he opened a beer and chugged it. He opened another and sat on his patio staring across the river. He enjoyed watching the moonlight glinting off the flowing stream and listening to the gentle chuckle of the river and the sounds of the night. He continued thinking about his conversation with Pru, or rather her lecture. He admitted he kept coming back to Angel when he wanted something special in the sex department. Hell, sometimes he just called her to go out because he missed being with her.

He thought she dropped everything and rushed to him because she was easy and an outstanding fuck. Could it really be because she loved him? FUCK, was it so good because he loved her? Thinking back he never had any proof she ever did anything with any other boy besides him. Oh, sure, if he pushed her she would show her body to others, but as far as he knew after they started dating she never went with another boy until the night her father laid down the law and made them quit seeing each other. He remembered pining away for her after that happened. He fucked anyone he could get into bed after that. Sometimes he nailed two or three different women a week looking for a piece as good as he got from Angel. He thought it was just because he missed the pussy. Did he really miss Angel instead? Crap, even facing what he faced now with the resort he was happier than he had been in a couple years. Was it because Angel was back in his life?

Al drank all the beer still in his fridge. Finally after two a.m. he staggered into his bedroom and went to bed. He was still asleep the next morning at 9 a.m. when Angel came hunting him. She kicked and banged on the door until he got out of bed and staggered into the living room to open it for her. She was crying as she banged on his door. Al opened the door and Angel flew into his arms. She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back. She had a red spot on her cheek. Al stroked her back and calmed her until she stopped crying.

Angel stepped back from Al and wiped the tears from her cheeks with her fingers. She smiled up at him and asked in a broken voice, "Did you mean it when you said I could live with you if Daddy got pissed at me over this job? I really hope you did because he cornered me this morning and tried to make me stay home. Someone told him yesterday about me working here and it hit the fan last night when I got home. He told me if I came here this morning there was no need for me to come home tonight. When I told him I was coming to my work he slapped me and ordered me to stay home."

Al moved back to Angel and wrapped her in his arms. To his surprise he didn't even get hard. He gently pulled her into his embrace and calmed her. He kissed the top of her head and said, "Yeah, Angel, I meant every word of it. You can stay here with me as long as you want. You can stay for the rest of your life if you want to, Honey. Do we need to go get your things now or how do you want to handle this?"

Angel's heart raced when she heard Al answer the way he did. Could he possibly mean what she hoped he meant? Damn, she loved this man. She was afraid to believe he meant she would be his woman. She had been hurt so many times before by Al. She was sure he didn't do it on purpose but he still hurt her feelings a lot. Al was an unthinking asshole and she knew it. He mostly spoke or acted before thinking of the consequences so hurt his friends, especially his lady friends. At least from what she saw he didn't act that way about his farming or his business. He was just lacking in social graces and wanted what he wanted no matter who it hurt.