Hideaway House

by

Philip Johnson

As the category indicates, this is a non-erotic story, so don't get mad at me when you don't find much sex in the following story.

Chapter One

The name Paradise Found sounded somewhere between somewhat cheesy to plastic luxury. But the first thing a person noticed when they pulled up to the front entrance was true luxury. Not over the top luxury, but quality everywhere. The construction made it look like an old mansion that had survived the ravages of time in nearly perfect condition. The entrance gave the appearance of large old oak double doors, but as you approached they opened automatically and you saw the grand lobby. Off to the far right was the reception area with a long marble counter and the staff perfectly dressed and smiling. Nothing could be found out of place, and there was no hint of hurrying or stress. If you were checking in, their attention would be on you alone until all of your needs were met and you were on your way to your room or suite. The lobby was more like a huge living room with a long ornate fireplace, and seating groups scattered all over, and there were three writing desks with computers and printers tucked into private alcoves. The one thing noticeably absent, was provision for small children. Though they were certainly welcome, Paradise Found didn't encourage them. This was a retreat for adults.

The restaurant wasn't elaborate, but it was tasteful and served excellent food. The bar area was a quiet getaway, often accented with a piano player or a soft duet, and with abundant seating scattered around, with side tables and coffee tables like one might find in a private club.

Paradise Found was on Old Republic Road just a couple of miles south of Harrisonburg, Virginia. The inn was sandwiched in between the George Washington National Forest, and just to the south, was the Shenandoah National Park. Just two hours to the east was Washington D.C., but you would never know it. The inn was quiet and serene at all times, a simple escape from the big city for a couple of days for some people, and a much anticipated destination for others who planned to stay for many days. Paradise Found was a nice jumping off place for those wanting to explore the different federal lands that practically surrounded the inn, but there was also the Hideaway. For some, the Hideaway was the whole reason to stay at Paradise Found.

The whole of the three hundred acres of the Hideaway was bounded on the south by the Shenandoah National Park, and nothing but beautiful natural Virginia on the other three sides. The Hideaway had much to offer. Gentle hiking trails, two swimming pools, tennis courts, and enough private places, so that people that wished to be alone could be. There was no restaurant there, but foods were prepared at the inn and transported to the Hideaway twice a day. Simple foods like salads and sandwiches, as well as trays of finger foods to be enjoyed indoors or out. The bar was inside the lodge, a large rustic log building that might put one in mind of the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone, only on a much smaller scale. Also in the lodge, were a couple of meeting rooms and large seating area that were finished in dark woods with heavy furniture that was covered in rusty red leather that appeared to be aged to perfection. Just off the north side of the lodge was a huge covered patio with direct access to the bar, and on cool days mesh screens could be lowered to break the breezes and make lounging more comfortable. Access to the lodge was restricted to guests of Paradise Found of course, and even though the Hideaway was no more than four hundred yards from the inn, transportation was readily available. For those flying in by private plane, there was Bridgewater Airpark and a shuttle to Paradise Found could be arranged with a simple phone call.

The Inn was busy as usual and almost full and things were running along very smoothly until Frank Kennedy the manager at the Hideaway got a call on his cell phone from his boss Cal the resort manager.

"Frank."

"Hey it's Cal. I just wanted to let you know that Rex Pascoe just arrived without a reservation. You better check and see if his ex is still out there and warn her."

"Well shit, and I'll bet she's out there at the south pool sunning topless again."

"You'll be lucky if she isn't bottomless too."

"Thanks for that reminder. Okay, I'll see what I can do."

"Whatever you did the last time worked."

"Hell, it should have, had I been any nicer to her I would have been making love to her."

"Hey, whatever it takes."

"Thanks, but I'll pass on that one. Call me if Rex heads this way."

"I'll try Frank."

The ongoing feud between Rex and Loretta was the stuff of legends and stories. Rex was wealthy and hot tempered and he was used to having his own way, and Loretta could hold her own and used to glory in making his life miserable. Even though they were divorced, they traveled in the same social circles and seemed to work hard at running into each other whenever they could.

Frank found Loretta at the pool just as he suspected he would. As soon as he saw her he back stepped then and called out, "Loretta, it's Frank."

"I'm out here sunning, Frank."

"Are you decent?"

"Hell no, but so what, I don't care if you see my boobs hanging out."

Frank took a breath and stepped out. The first thing he noticed were her legs spread and her boobs weren't the only things hanging out, but he wasn't about to comment on that detail. "Sorry to bother you Loretta, but I just wanted to let you know that Rex just arrived at the inn."

"Damn it, they said he didn't have reservations."

"He didn't."

"Then tell him to kiss off, Frank."

"You know we wouldn't do that to him or to you. What can I do to make this easier for you? Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, a pistol, so I can stop him following me around. I'm the one that introduced him to this place damn it. Oh to hell with it, if he shows up he shows up, I'm not running from him this time."

"Okay, I just wanted to let you know."

"Will they tell him that I'm here too?"

"I don't know, Loretta. Well, I'll leave you to your sunning then."

"Thanks, Frank."

"My pleasure, Loretta."

"I'll bet."

He walked away smiling. If she had any idea how many naked or nearly naked people from beautiful to old or ugly he had seen in his ten years at the Hideaway, she wouldn't be so quick to assume he'd get the hots for her. Loretta looked good for a woman in her fifties. It was too bad, she was still in her forties. He did have to remember though, that she was rich, and still had powers of influence from Massachusetts to the Virginias. Before he had gone fifteen feet, his eye was drawn to the roof edge of the pool house. "Damn it."

Loretta looked up and asked him, "You okay, Frank?"

"Yeah it looks like the storm last night knocked a limb into one of the security camera mounts. I'm going to have to replace the whole damn thing." Frank just shook his head and walked away. Had he done his morning check of the four security cameras like he should have, he would have caught that right away. Well, no harm done he figured. He'd just get Lester Hanley, the maintenance man, to put it right again. That little problem was nothing compared to dealing with the likes of Loretta's nakedness. He called Cal and told him not to worry about Rex, because Loretta was ready for him if he did appear.

Paradise Found was accustomed to having guests that often ranged from the mildly affluent, to the rich and famous, but mostly their clientele came from the corporate world. At the very least, the guest was likely to be well positioned in the government or business world since their cheapest room in the off season was two hundred dollars, and that was when the Hideaway was closed for the season. That same room in prime season, if you were lucky enough to get a reservation, would go for five hundred and the deluxe rooms much more than that. Then there were the suites that went for big money, with the rates varying almost from day to day depending on what was going on in D.C. or the time of year, and of course how busy the inn was. The bottom line was they were accustomed to dealing everybody from congressmen to commoners.

Cal's office phone rang and he picked up and said, "Cal."

"Cal, this is Phyllis at the desk."

"Yes, what's up Phyllis?"

"Mrs. Carsdale, and her...um...guest, are here to check in and her reservation was screwed up."

"Oh shit. Let me think. I hate to do this because they don't deserve it, but put them in Mr. Bingham's suite, he's in Egypt for another week or so."

"Thanks, Cal."

"No problem." Now he just had to find out who screwed up the reservation so he could wring their neck. Cal left his office for the day and decided to take a walk through the inn. It was something he did as often as he could. It was just good business. He had been at the inn long enough that the regular guests often times would stop him and they would shake hands and make small talk, all just part of his day to day function.

Chapter Two

Before going home, Cal stopped in the kitchen and they fixed him up with dinner and served him at a small table in the corner. With that done, he made a pass through the dining room and glad handed his way from table to table, working his way out. When he reached a small table, he saw a woman sitting alone. "Good evening, I'm Cal Glassman, the manager, how's dinner?"

"Wonderful."

"I'm glad you approve, is there anything we can do to make your stay more pleasant?"

"Well, if you could add one more room in the next twenty four hours I'd like to reserve it."

He smiled and said, "I take it your reservation is up and you don't want to leave. I take that as high praise."

"Well, it's that too, but actually I expected to be done here by now and I'm not."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. How much time do you need?"

"A few more days would be nice."

He was pretty sure there were no rooms to be had but he said, "After dinner come to the desk and ask for me. I can't promise, but if there is anything I can do, I certainly will." He handed her his card and said, "Take your time, Miss..."

"I'm sorry, I'm Nona Camden."

"It's very nice to meet you, Nona."

"Thank you, Mr. Glassman."

"Cal please."

"Cal, thanks you"

"Don't thank me yet, there's a shortage of miracles but I'll try." As he walked away Cal called maintenance and caught them just before they went home. "Tony, it's Cal."

"You just caught me Cal, I was on my way out."

"Then I'll talk fast. What's the status of room six eleven?"

"Almost done, maybe couple more days. They must have had quite a party in that room."

"It was a very expensive one for them too. Their lawyer didn't even balk at the ten grand figure. Okay, so tell me, what would it take to have it done by tomorrow evening?"

"Well, another man and divine intervention might do it. Got a hot date?"

"Very funny, Tony. I have a guest that's in a bind."

"And she's good looking with big watery eyes."

"You're close, she's great looking, but how did you know?"

"I've been around the block too. Look can I get with you in the morning? I'll come in early and see if there's anything that can be done."

"See you in the morning then, Tony."

Nona was at the front desk about fifteen minutes later and Cal was summoned. He took Nona to the end of the counter and said, "Nona, I can't promise anything, but I'm working on one possibility. See me in the morning, say sometime after nine, and I'll let you know one way or the other."

"Thank you very much, I know that just one guest in one of your cheaper rooms isn't going to make your profits bloom, so I see you as my hero just for trying."

He smiled and said, "Just hold a good thought."

"I will." Cal looked at his watch and knowing he would be up even earlier than usual, decided to hell with it, and went back to his office. He had a hide a bed, so he pulled that out and spent the evening alone in his office. But that wasn't so bad, he would have spent his evening alone at home too.

Cal was up, showered, shaved, and having breakfast in the kitchen by seven. By eight, he got a call from Tony. "Okay, here's the deal. We can have the bathroom done by late this afternoon, but the room still needs some more work and we want to replace the carpet, but I guess that could wait."

"So if I said I didn't need it until say six that would help?"

"That would help a lot, Cal."

"Then so be it, but don't let me down."

"Not to worry."

"I have to worry because that's what I'm paid to do. Thanks, Tony."

"You bet."

Nona appeared right at nine and waited for Cal at the end of the registration counter after the desk clerk paged him. She saw Cal coming toward her, but he was stopped by a man that at least in his own eyes was an important person. She watched as Cal started out cordial and continued to keep a keep a near smile on his face, but his body language told her that he was getting upset. Then it struck her that she knew the man talking to Cal. His name escaped her at the moment, but she had seen him on television talk shows a few times. She still couldn't recall his name, but she did know that he was a lobbyist and a person that knew how to keep his face in the public eye. But to Nona, he was just arrogant, abrasive, and self serving. When Cal came over to her she said, "Excellent self control."

"Pardon me?"

"Oh, nothing." She knew he would never comment on his run in with Ralph Clayton. The man's name had popped into her head from out of nowhere and it surprised her. "I know the man that you were just...let's say interacting with, and like a lot of the world, I too just don't like him."

"He does have presence."

"I will give him that much."

Cal smiled then and said, "Nona, I have a room for you."

"I knew you could work miracles." He told her the story of the room and that she would have to be without a room until six o'clock and she said,

"That's fine and thank you so much."

"You're welcome, I'm glad we could help. You look very nice by the way."

"Thank you, I didn't know if I needed to dress for the road or more comfortably for working in my room, but I decided I'd best be prepared and dress for the road."

"I'm glad that won't be necessary now. Nona you're welcome to leave your bags in my office until your room is ready."

"Thank you Cal, that would be nice. I'll use the day to take care of some business then."

"Maybe I'll see you at dinner."

"Would you join me for coffee?"

"I'd love to but...how about a cocktail in my office?"

"I'd like that, what time would you suggest?"

"Let's try for about five if that's convenient for you, Nona. Then by the time we've enjoyed a drink, your room should be ready for you."

"Meet you right here then?"

"That would be fine."

Nona made it back to the inn just before five and settled into a chair where she could see the registration counter, but suddenly turned away. It was Peter, her ex husband, and he was about the last person she ever wanted to see again. He was sporting a moustache and he was wearing glasses, but she was certain it was him. She was trapped, so she grabbed a magazine and did her best to hide behind it and still keep track of him, but just the sight of him made her nauseous. After talking to someone for a minute, he left so she put the magazine down and worked to get herself settled down again. Cal noticed her sitting there, but was trapped in a conversation for the moment. He continued to pretend to listen to what was being said, but his eyes were on her. He had seen, met and been with a fair number of women that looked as good as Nona did, but he couldn't remember any that impressed him as much as she did. He didn't know why that was either, but he just knew that to be true. Cal finally jumped into the conversation again and said, "Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me I must leave you and take care of business." With hands shaken and parting words mumbled, he moved away, but not toward Nona. He wanted to disappear and then wait a minute before going to her. His image was very important to him and how it affected his work life, but no less important to him was his private life. The less his staff and guests knew about him, the better it was for him.

Minutes later Cal went to her and sat down. "Nona, if you'll wait a minute or two, and then have Phyllis at the desk bring you to my office."

"Of course, take your time." She wasn't certain, but she had a suspicion why he was doing what he was doing. He disappeared and Nona waited almost five minutes, and then went to the desk and found Phyllis.

"Oh yes, Mr. Glassman said to bring you to his office." The two women went to the hall past the reception desk and to an unmarked door where Phyllis knocked and then opened the door. "Cal, Miss Camden to see you."

"Thanks, Phyllis. Oh, if a Malcolm Hayes asks for me, please bring him around would you? No need to call me first."

"I'll take care of it."

Nona offered, "Thank you, Phyllis,"

"You're quite welcome."

"Make yourself comfortable Nona, can I order something from the bar for you?"

"A black Russian, if you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all," Cal called the bar and in less than five minutes, their drinks were delivered. He handed the Black Russian to her and then raised his glass to her saying, "To your continued success, Nona."

"Thank you Cal, and for the drink as well."

"My pleasure."

"If the person comes that you're expecting, I'll just slip out."

"I have a confession to make. I don't even know a Malcolm Hayes, I just made that up."

"Oh...I think I understand why too. You don't want any gossip starting."

"Very astute of you, so you're a writer."

"Yes, my first book was a modest success, but it didn't win any awards. My second one did a little better, and now I'm into my third one. I also have a confession."

"Good, I understand that's good for the soul."

She smiled and sipped her drink and said, "I'm here doing location research for my writing, but as I travel, to help my bank account, I have been staying at inns and am writing an article for Conde Nast magazine about inns of the southeast."

"Very enterprising of you."

"Needless to say, Paradise Found will be mentioned in glowing terms."

"Then I'm in your debt."

"Then if you'll forgive me being forward, perhaps we could have dinner before I have to leave."

"I'd like that, Nona."

Chapter Three

She took another taste of her drink and said, "Cal, you are very good at what you do."

"I'm glad you think so, but may I ask why you say that?"

"I've watched you in action. In fact, I've watched you a number of times in the several days that I've been here. You don't just talk to people. It's more like a courtship, or a dance. In fact, I'd venture the guess, that sometimes what you say isn't all that important to them. It's your body language, and your facial expressions. As a writer, it's very important to me that I observe people. If I want my characters to seem real and alive to my readers, then I have to pay attention to those details and be able to use them."

"Good writing isn't just good dialogue."

"That's right. For example, when you talked to Ralph Payton earlier today, you came across as really listening to him. Even when he started to get agitated, you pretended to sympathize with him and really care about what he said. But from my angle, your body language started to tell a different tale." Cal studied her for a minute as he tried to decide how to respond but she made it easy for him.

"I know you can't and wouldn't comment on that conversation, and that's as it should be. I just wanted to pay you that compliment and explain why I gave it to you. Like I said, you're very good at your job. Besides, you managed to find me a room when I was certain that would be quite impossible."