Warming the IcePrincess Pt. 03

Claire asked her father what seemed to be an innocent question, which gave me time to gather my wits as I listened to them chat, "So dad what are you going to do with all your extra time off now?"

He smiled answering in a dubious tone, "Extra time? Honey at my age there is no such thing as "extra" when you're talk'in bout time."

"You know what I mean ya poop," she fired back at him.

He thought for a moment and sipped his wine before answering again, "Well I want to spend some time working the ranch and I've got that real nice Tabiano filly I've been trying to break, she's, she's well kinda like Jane. A real sassy, feisty young thing and she's almost as cute as our girl here."

I blushed lightly as he teased and offered, "Well now it sounds like you best be careful with that one, she might just try throwing you to see if you good enough to stay with her for the whole ride."

He laughed at my guesstimate of the horses moods and said, "You may be right there honey she's got spirit but I been on horses a lot cagier than this little girl that couldn't throw me She'll do fine with the right training. I want to see how she handles the show ring."

"Speaking of training, " he said with a glance from Claire back to me, "We are not going to be able to give you very long to get used to your new job honey and I'm sorry for that, we just can't spare the time."

Our meals arrived interrupting his explanation but as soon as we were all settled with our delicious food he resumed as thought the waiter had never appeared.

"I asked about your passport before because I was thinking of sending you with Claire here to China and help her land that Elmwood contract," he said smiling at my wide-eyed expression.

After a bite of his pasta he continued, "You know the material in that report as well as anyone. Claire is one hell of a saleswoman but even she will need to be well informed to make a solid deal for us. If we can get that contract for their three China facilities, they have three more U.S. factories and two in Taiwan. Not to mention their corporate headquarters, landing the first one will open the door to all the rest. "

You see Jane the Elmwood deal could prove pivotal for Continental," he left that statement hanging by a thread to chew another mouthful then added, "We are in a very tight spot financially right now and unless we get a grip on several issues quickly, the damage done by Clifton Adams might yet prove fatal to the whole company."

I sputtered in disbelief my thoughts hopelessly jumbled with what I was hearing, "but, but, you said the other night that the $55 million and, and his assets would be returned...and seized?"

He cut me off with a wave and explained, "That's all true, but none of it will be out of the courts for a while. Who knows, it could be years and we need to turn things around now. The next few fiscal quarters will be critical."

I could see the pain on his face as he sighed and leaned toward me as said sadly, "Jane I wish things weren't so intense for your first days on the job. Damn his hide, Adams was stealing us blind, that's bad enough by itself, but he's also been bungling the rest of his job. I was looking over our investment income with some of the board members this morning and it has stagnated only earning us about 45% less than what it did before he started. Our cash flow is a goddamn nightmare and if we get hit with another catastrophe like a Katrina before we can build up our cash reserves we'll be finished."

I was staring at him blankly, my mouth hanging open feeling as though I'd been royally snookered. Christ I'd volunteered for the job of bailing out a sinking ocean liner with a shot glass.

"That is where we're most gonna need you Jane honey. You have to make sound investments while keeping costs under control. My baby here," he nodded in Claire's direction, "will be focusing on her specialty, sales and marketing."

I glanced across the table into Claire's eyes they were hard-set and filled with a determination that I wished I could feel at this stunning news. Just looking at her proud defiant countenance helped bolster my own courage. If I was going to attempt the impossible, I could think of no one else I wanted standing by my side, and cracked an uneasy smile for her.

"I'm counting on you two ladies to pull a whole bunch of rabbits out of your hats to save forty years of hard work and the livelihood of all of the good people who work at Continental," his statement was as much a tightly controlled plea as it was an attempt at a rousing speech.

I looked across the table at Claire smiling back at me and she said with a wink, "Sounds challenging doll, you up for it?"

I answered with a confidence I didn't feel but for Bart's sake I ladled on the bravado answering, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

She leaned over to her father and kissed him lightly on the cheek saying, "Daddy you have yourself a team."

His smile was priceless happy, proud, and relieved.

A couple of ideas that I thought might pay quick dividends roared through my skull and I spoke up immediately, " As soon as we get back I'm going to need help getting a grip on the investment situation and I can of think couple of people would really speed up the process."

Both he and Claire stopped eating to listen.

I plunged ahead hoping I didn't sound naive or foolish, "I'm going to need a ton of computer support to research and organize everything. I think I'd like to start looking at it before Adams mucked it all up, probably need someone full-time for a while, I think you both know who I'm referring to."

"I'll have Mr. Phillips report to you as soon as you're settled into your new office," Bart told me unequivocally.

I nodded and continued, "Thank you, the other person I want to work with is retired now, I only hope I can still locate her. Even if I can, I don't know if she'd be interested in a consulting gig. She's the smartest damn numbers cruncher I've ever known and I'd really like to pick her brain to help formulate our investment strategies."

He said happily, "Anything you need honey just let me know, shoot I'll even go door to door to find her if that's what it takes."

I smiled at his homespun humor and shot quick glance over at a grinning Claire to see if she remembered the little joke I played on her a few days ago. I told him, "It may take that if she decides she doesn't want to be found. She's a little feisty herself"

Rolling with the punches he said, "Well hells bells she sounds like my kind of gal, I think I like her already, what's her name?"

"Elizabeth Cromwell," I answered and then went on explaining to him, "She was my college math professor the one who talked me into taking on a dual major."

His face had gone completely slack, mouth open and he was staring at me as if he were looking at a ghost.

I asked defensively, "What?"

He answered slowly, "I already found her, in fact I'm having dinner with her tonight."

Claire and I both stopped stunned, our forks halfway to our mouths and stared at him in disbelief waiting for him to elaborate.

"Claire honey you remember back a few years ago when I went looking for help trying figure out what Adams was up to? I found that college professor and she helped me brush up on some accounting techniques I hadn't used in twenty years," he said looking intently into her eyes.

She nodded and her smile grew as she glanced quickly over to me. I knew she was remembering our pillow talk where we discussed my naughty former teacher.

He continued as we set our meals aside to listen, "Well She was this cute little thing who helped me a lot and we started seeing each other after a while and we been seeing each other off and on ever since. Lately it's been a bit more on than off."

I was so excited by his surprising development that I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head. To say my choice of words was "unfortunate" might be the understatement of the year!

"Holy shit Bart, Talk about a spirited filly, you best be careful with that one. She will try throwing you to see if you good enough to stay with her for the whole ride." Before I was even finished with the outrageous statement, my face began coloring.

The two of them were both looking at me and grinning. Each had a single eyebrow arched in amusement. (Now I know where Claire gets that damn eyebrow thing.)

Bart Stilwell said to me quietly behind a shielding hand, his smirk growing with each word, "Thanks for the warning sweetheart, but I kinda found that out after a few dates." He laughed as I slumped into my chair in total embarrassment.

Finally, he went on mercifully ending my moment of supreme self-consciousness, "Liz really is something. Truth be told I've never had so much fun our worked so damn hard in my whole life as I do just trying to keep up with that woman."

A relieved grin crept across my face when I told him, "Well good for you, the both of you. It makes me so happy that two of my favorite people have found each other and somehow managed to get along."

Claire was just soaking up the conversation an astonished look on her face the whole time. I think her father's clandestine relationship had really surprised her. At the same time, I could tell she was very happy for him. While Bart and I chatted away like long lost friends, her expression had become almost serene. I could tell from the quick glances I stole in her direction while Bart and I talked she was very proud of her father, but there was something else in her look, relief.

His weathered face wrinkled with his broad smile as he added, "Oh we get along alright, sometimes I'm just happy to make back to my place just so I can get some sleep," he ended that little tidbit with a leer.

"Daddy," Claire slapped his arm, "Don't you know better than to kiss and tell?"

He hands raised in self-defense he said grinning, "Hell bells honey at my age I'm just so damn proud that I was able to rope a gal like Liz, I feel like stopping people on the street and telling them about it."

We all had a good laugh and returning to our meals, he asked me, "So you and Liz were close?"

"Yeah the last three years I was in college," I answered choosing my words more carefully now.

"She helped me through a rough patch with my family and I'll never forget her for the support she gave me. I was ready to give up on school, I had already decided to quit and go get a job. Just move to on with my life but Liz helped me see what an enormous mistake than would be. She pushed me to stay in school, she arranged all of the financing herself, and finally convinced me to flip my math minor into a second major." I told them both honestly. They both seemed content to sit and listen to me spilling my guts but I was growing a little uneasy being the focus of everyone's attention. Then a sudden realization ripped through the fabric of my consciousness. I had no reason to hold anything back from these two and doing so might even be a mistake. One I couldn't afford to make. I felt I owed them a little more but found my natural restraint re asserting itself. I was suddenly reluctant to share too much more, but did tell them, "She was my storm anchor in some very rough seas my during my sophomore year. My folks had given me the boot at Christmas time and luckily, Liz was there to help me pick up the pieces. She was more than just a mentor to me. She was my friend when I didn't think I had any. I owe her an awful lot."

Finally was about finished but I told them with complete sincerity, "If it wasn't for Elizabeth Cromwell I wouldn't be sitting here with my new family enjoying this wonderful meal today."

While Claire reached across the table and clutched my hand in both of hers Mr. Stilwell gave my arm a gentle fatherly pat. Both of their expressions told me I would find all the love and support I would ever need from the two incredible people that were now part of my life.

A tear fell from the corner of my eye and tumbled down my cheek when Bart Stilwell nodded saying softly, "Family, yeah I like the sound of that. It's been much too long since my wife has been gone and it's been only Claire and me, but it feels different now. Like were whole again wouldn't you say honey?"

Her cheeks showed the moist streaks from tears of her own as she nodded in complete agreement with her father.

I let go of Claire's hands and threw my arms around Bart pulling him into a tight embrace. I told him in a weepy voice, "Thank you, thank you, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that," I punctuated it with a wet kiss on his cheek and hugged him even more tightly.

His soft chuckle reverberated through my body as he told me, "Jane honey I think you just did."

We all joined in with his warm rumbling laughter, when I released him and saw him tenderly looking into my still moist eyes I knew for the first time in my life what it really meant to have a father.

He sighed into the emotionally charged atmosphere and broke the spell saying, "I do hate to break up this heart warming "family" gathering. Nevertheless, I still have some work to do before I dash off to entertain the charming Miss Cromwell."

He cracked such a huge smile after saying her name. I knew exactly what he was feeling. I feel just the same every time I so much as think about spending time with his daughter.

He stood pulling his wallet out and smiling down at us, "I will bid you lovely ladies adieu and be on my way," and flipped a wad of cash onto the table.

Claire and I were still smiling happily at each other and holding hands and didn't notice him lifting a catalog from his calfskin valise. When it flopped heavily to the table, we were both startled into paying attention to something other than each other.

"You two can furnish your offices from here. There are two requisition forms in the back," he told us. "If you get them filled out before you leave for China it should all be delivered before you get back."

Claire and I flipped open the catalog and began playfully "ohing" and "ahing" over the possibilities and chatting as though he'd already left.

He cleared his throat loud enough to remind us that we weren't yet alone, "You're each budgeted for up to seventy-five hundred, but if you could keep it a bit under that number, a good bit, the board members and I thank you in advance."

He turned to leave but stopped looking back with a troubled expression saying, "You two may as well go on home and study those materials for your trip. I want you both well prepared to go win that Elmwood contract, damn we really need it. The Gulfstream will be back from running the board members home sometime Thursday afternoon. It will be fueled and ready to go bright and early Friday morning."

"Thanks daddy we won't let you down," Claire said rising to go hug her father.

Not wanting to be left out I was right beside her and when they separated, he turned to me and I thanked him for everything with a tight hug of my own. That's when my onboard jester decided to rear her painted head.

I said, "When you see Liz tonight you give her this from me," and I planted a wet very lippy kiss right on his mouth.

His surprised smile was priceless when he responded, "By damn you two must have been close."

He, Claire, and I, all began laughing when he wiped his mouth with the back his hand asking, "When I pass that on to her does it have to be some dad gum wet?"

With a goofy smile on my face, I piped up, "Well hell yeah, that way she'll know it's not from you silly."

Impishly slugging his shoulder, I reminded him, "Now don't forget to discuss her coming to help me out, I could really use her brains on this."

He smiled shyly at both of us and said, "The two of us will be discussing lots of things tonight," he paused producing a small velvet covered box from his jacket pocket and continued, "I hope you two don't mind but I plan on asking her to join of our little family tonight."

Claire was crying and hugging her father in a flash. I just stood there smiling and shaking my head in amazement, staring at the biggest damn diamond engagement set I had ever laid eyes on. When Claire released her father to take her turn gawking at the boulder set in gold, I reached over his outstretched arm grabbing his lapel, pulling his face closer. I kissed him on the cheek before whispering in his ear, "You sly old fox, go get her, I don't see how she can refuse."

Driving home after picking up my passport, I had some real trouble staying focused in the late afternoon traffic. With the events of this incredible day replaying over again through my mind it was only now hitting me how exhausted I felt. I hadn't really done anything except ride an emotional roller coaster that went higher and deeper in a matter of hours than anything I had ever experienced. It really sapped my energy, I wanted nothing more right now than to crawl into bed and take a nice long nap. I had dropped Claire back at the office earlier to pick up her car and the report for the trip to China. When I pulled into the garage at home, her car was already in its space gleaming at me. I let myself in and heard her working in the kitchen. I stepped inside giving her a quick kiss before announcing that I just had to go lay down for a while. I noticed she had been back to the same boutique where my birthday gift had come from. The pretty foil bag setting on the counter was a dead giveaway, but I was just too weary to be even mildly curious. Seconds later, I was in the bedroom, my clothes in a pile at the foot of the bed and I was at last happily horizontal.

I swear my eyes were only closed for a few seconds when I felt Claire crawling into the bed behind me. Her smooth naked skin pressing against my back as she wrapped an arm around me felt wonderful but I only wanted her here right now if she was going to nap with me.

Her lips kissing the skin of my shoulder sent a chill down my spine and I carped at her, "Don't, I'm too tired."

She snuggled closer brushing the hair from my face and said softly, "You've been asleep for over two hours it's time to get up sleepyhead."

I did not want to hear that and groaned into my pillow before shoving her arm away roughly. I rolled out of the bed onto my feet announcing, "I have to pee," and shuffled off my eyes burning every time I opened them to navigate toward the bathroom.

Sitting on the throne yawning, my mouth felt like it had been used to store someone's of army boots. I snatched my toothbrush from the counter seeking simultaneous relief for the opposite end of my overtired body. Finished with my wiping, flushing, and spitting, I starred blankly at my reflection in the mirror and thinking about everything that happened today. The woman peering back at me looked tired, haggard, and not very damn appealing even after a nice long nap. It probably didn't help that I'd been sharing a bed with a smoking hot, insatiable woman all week and sleep always seemed of secondary importance. Laughing at my wandering mind, I tried washing my face hoping the clean feeling would help rescue my brain from its fatigue driven haze. I left the bathroom feeling a little better and expected to find Claire back in the kitchen. When I stepped in there I found myself alone with the appetizing aroma of her earlier industry. I glanced at the clock on my way to peek at her newfound treasure hidden in pink foiled stripes and it confirmed that I had indeed been asleep for quite some time.

The stiff foil-covered bag held something stiff inside, well semi stiff anyway. I lifted the thick blue jelly vibe out smiling at her ambition. It was fucking enormous, damn near as thick as my wrist and had to be a foot and a half long and heavy too. Setting it aside, I checked to see what else the pretty bag held and found that she had wisely purchased a large bottle of liquid lubricant, flavored of course. It rested atop a bed of wispy scarves in various pastel colors. I pulled one out and tested its strength finding it completely suitable for the wild ideas that had already begun forming in the deeper corners of my mind. Ideas that may have been somewhat different from those Claire had while she was shopping for these treasures. With the oven heating up the kitchen, I felt an overwhelming need for some fresh cool air. I dropped everything back into the bag, and headed for the patio. I stepped into early evening sun outside savoring the cool breeze that caressed my naked skin. Starting to feel somewhat human again, I breathed deeply of the fresh earthy smelling air. I only realized I was still carrying the bag from the kitchen when I reached up for the railing wanting stretch my sleep-stiffened muscles. I flipped it carelessly onto the glass table between a pair of white lounge chairs.