Xavier Drifts

Xavier left the office with the address and a contact name of seven prospective employers, all within easy walking distance of his hotel.

Back in his dreary room that was much like bedrooms he was very familiar with, Xavier went online and looked at the webpages of all seven businesses and rated them according to his perception of their suitability to become his next employer. He'd decided on general business accountancy and while working at that would work on his registration as an accountant in Texas.

He accepted the offer of employment at the number one office of his choice and became part of a working group of four other senior accountants, all female. Initially he was snubbed but when the women realized this passive new guy was not attempting to get into their pants they initially relaxed but later appeared worried that Xavier was not interested in them and so must be gay. Well that worked out okay because none of them worried about gays.

Xavier noticed they all had breasts. Well a guy had an attention span of roughly ten-seconds in looking at a women's mouth for a smile or the lack of it. Three of them were married and so that left Tammy if he were interested because good guys didn't screw married women or even women already in a relationship.

On the third day working at the office, Xavier walked into the unisex toilet and straight ahead was Tammy seated in a booth with the door open.

She made no effort to close the door.

"You're gay, right?"

"Hell no."

The door slammed shut.

She shouted, "Are you still there?"

"Yeah and waiting for an invitation to join you."

"Good away."

Xavier went down a level to public toilets and peed, wondering what Tammy's pussy looked like. When anyone sits on a toilet seat nothing much is in view.

He returned to the shared office and Tammy had obviously reported because the women eyed him carefully.

Claire asked respectfully, "Is it true you are not gay?"

"Yes definitely and I've never alleged I was."

The chief accountant entered the room and his seniors all went to work busily.

"Come through Xavier. I can spend an hour with you explaining some of the unique aspects of Texas tax law."

When Xavier returned to the group office Claire said, "We are sorry we have acted a little anti-man to you and for misjudging you. Tammy says although you caught her with her pants down and then rejected the accusation you were gay, she said she felt no fear of you and that you didn't charge in to get a piece of her."

"Well that's not my style. If you are sorry come and kiss me."

Claire who was 50-plus came up and Xavier stood and was kissed. Claire pulled his hand onto a rather massive mammary and called, "I confirm he's not gay; he didn't flinch with I pulled his hand on to my boob. Come of you lot, kiss him to confirm we all accept him."

Kate and Tammy both kissed Xavier while Maria just waved and said she was sorry for having snubbed him but he was fine with her now.

Later Tammy offered to go on a date with Xavier and he answered evasively, probably leaving her thinking he wasn't interested but he didn't want Tammy telling her colleagues about what happened on those dates. God give a guy a break Tammy!

Xavier registered to have his professional qualifications updated in Texas and had an anxious wait, half-expecting to be called up to explain his 'unbecoming professional behavior' out west but all that eventuated was receipt of written approvals and notations about updates to his professional education requirements and the steps he needed to take to practice as a public accountant in Texas.

He breathed a sigh of relief and become a member of the appropriate professional body to complete those professional educational requirements and when that was done, Xavier was ready to look for a more satisfying position. What he was doing now was pretty much routine.

Well the experience had been worthwhile. Each Friday night he went with three of the women to a bar after work, Maria choosing instead to hurry home to her family. Xavier had not thought of women aged twenty-three to fifty-five as being the reformation peer group he'd wanted to engage with, but to his surprise he found socially the three women collectively had gradually changed his thinking about things, especially his former attitude that being in the company of a woman automatically meant looking for prospects of sex if she were at least a little desirable.

* * *

Xavier returned to the agency he'd visited when first arriving in Houston and asked for Beth, the consultant he'd used previously. She remembered him of course, not because of his looks but because of his first name. Or perhaps a bit of both.

"Hi Xavier, it's good to see you again. You're looking great."

"Houston has been a good environment to me. I've decided to stay in Texas and want a new job with more variety for an accountant that the one I've had."

"So not in a department store?"

"No."

"Not on a cruise ship?"

"No."

"What about on a ranch."

"What, a ranch is big enough to require its own accountant?"

"Well the one I'm thinking about is. It raises beef on pastures rather than feedlots, grows crops for stock feed and for sending to market, the family trust has investment in oil exploration, owns three farm supply businesses, and other minor businesses that have accountant. The family has decided it needs a residential accountant on tap for the farm operation and each of them would use that hired person as a personal accountant. Um the head of the family Mr Lovell is my great-uncle which is why I received this listing."

Xavier said, "What you have said about the work sounds good, tell me more."

Next day later Beth called him and said Uncle Jed, the rancher wanted to meet Xavier. Beth said she'd take Xavier to the Sugarland Regional Airport, about twenty miles southwest of the city, to meet the rancher who'd fly in from the ranch in Fayette County with some of his family.

The party was in a conference room at the airport when Beth and Xavier arrived. Beth had pointed out the ranch's white and dark blue 6-seater Piper Matrix. She greeted everyone with hugs and then introduced white-haired rancher Jed Lovell (who appeared to be in his earlier seventies), Molly his wife, Willie their son and his wife Kathy and their daughter Faye who was in her mid-twenties.

Wondering who was the real boss and wishing he'd asked that, Xavier soon found out because the lean and weathered-face Jed was two inches taller than the 6 ft. 1 in. accountant, said with authority, "Well son I like the look of you and if you stack up under our scrutiny at this meeting you'll be our man if you want the job. Molly has checked out your credentials and they are in order. The only blemish Molly could find was a disturbance you caused at the opening of a state building out west but we have to assume you'd had too much to drink?"

"I'd not had breakfast and had four glasses of champagne in the pre-opening buffet Mr Lovell but really my downfall was just bad behavior for which I regret."

"Do you have a fixation on women's breasts?" Molly asked.

"It I did I don't have it unduly so now ma'am. I've come down here, leaving that blot on my past behind me."

"Now if I thought that statement fell short of the truth..."

"Ma'am my mother taught me not to lie to women but boasting within a group of men is permissible."

She smiled.

"Can you ride a horse Xavier?" Kathy, Jed's daughter-in-law asked.

"Yes ma'am. I often spent most of summer on a ranch before I went to college and rode as recently last year in a four-day summer trek through Colorado Mountains when on summer vacation."

"That's good. I ask because I go riding as does my daughter Faye and because of the possible threat of illegal aliens and drifters, Willie won't allow us to ride without a man capable of taking care of us."

"That would be fine and after graduating college I was member of a gun club for a couple of years."

Jed asked, "So you'd be prepared to kill a man?"

"I guess so if it were a matter of life and death but my thinking right now is I'd go for a shoulder shot. Is your ranch that dangerous?"

Willie said no, it was generally a peaceful environment but drifters had been known to cause trouble in the district. More general questions followed and then Molly lead Beth and the other two women out, saying they were be out having coffee and the men could join them after finishing talking business.

"We are looking at hiring a person qualified to act as our ranch-based accountant/financial controller/administrator," Jed said. "Our principal attorney who is based in Austin reckons if you or the person who does all of that for us, we ought to be able to secure him or her for $65,000 a year. The person we currently employ as an administrator wishes to retire and that salary together what we pay in accountancy fees costs us close to $50,000. Willie who has a fine arts degree has finally decided he doesn't like ranching and wants to work from the ranch fulltime painting imaginary old cowboy scenes in oils that Texan people will pay several thousand for one to hang in their living rooms. That's crazy but that's how it is."

Xavier murmured a guy was happiest when he worked at doing what he liked doing. He asked about the workload of the accountant and Jed said he and Molly had calculated an efficient person could probably do everything working no more than five hours a day.

"That would give you time to accompany the women riding or going to the city with them or helping us out driving machinery during cropping. The money on offer covers everything but you would get most weekends off, the first three weeks of July would be your vacation and you provide your own car but we provide your fuel and we service your vehicle. You also have free accommodation and eat with us."

"How much ranch work would be involved?"

"Well who knows? It depends on demand. I'd say not more than five to ten hours a week on average."

Xavier said in that case the salary should be $70,000 and Jed said they'd had that in mind as their top figure for the right guy.

"I think you are the right guy. What about you Willie?"

"Yeah I'd say so. Xavier doesn't raise any concerns with me and his references checked out, according to Beth. Are you coming to work for us Xavier?"

"Yes if everyone agrees on that.

"We are," Jed said. "Molly whispered before she went out that she likes you. In a couple of days Beth will present you with a contract for two years. You best come out and see the environment before you sign because when we say a contract for two years we mean two years."

"No it's fine. Beth showed me photos and two film clips of your guys and the ranch. Let's shake on the deal."

The joined the women who looked up expectedly and Jed said, "We have a done deal. Xavier is our man."

"Oh that's lovely," Molly said, rising and walking up to Xavier and kissing him. "You call us all by our first names, do you hear? You a family now."

"Thank you Molly, that makes me feel very welcome. If anyone asks you guys what I do around the ranch I suggest you call me your company's chief administrator. Calling me your accountant/financial controller/administrator is a bit of a mouthful. I added chief to the title to give people I have to deal with clear understanding I have the authority to act on behalf of you all in administration matters."

"I agree to that," Jed said. "I'm really not one for titles but with your multi-tasking you do need that descriptive title. Is that it?"

"Almost," Xavier smiled. "My ways might be a little different in some areas that what you are used to but that will be because I keep abreast with latest trends in best practice and changes to laws. I'll be working to give State and Federal Government every dollar they are entitled to and not a cent more and not a cent less and I will be analyzing revue and spending streams to find where we can possibly make savings or squeeze more out of spending dollars. I don't want check signing authority and you guys are welcome to bring in an auditor to review my work any time you wish."

"Well that all sounds fine. Any questions Willie?"

"Nope I think we have clear understanding with you Xavier. We all accept dad and mom have reach an age where they ought to be sitting back more and doing some travel so we need a senior guy like you to run the show, the business side of things. When they do easy back Kathy will take over running the ranch and Faye will become her assistant manager now that she's back finished with her studies and had two years being bored working in management in Austin and then New York."

"I've never heard of anyone becoming bored in New York," Xavier said, looking at Faye who looked away.

"She had a lover in Austin and followed him to New York and it turned sour," Willie said. "Now that's out of the way, let's keep it that way huh?"

"Sure Willie and I understand from experience what it's like when things mess up on you."

Faye looked back at Xavier and he took it her weak smile was saying thanks.

"What about our personal tax returns?" Molly asked.

"You all decide whether to employ your own accountant or use me," Xavier said. "Any of you who use me can be assured of confidentiality."

Then minutes later, Beth and Xavier watched the family fly off in the Piper.

"Who's flying the airplane?"

"Kathy I should think. They all were licensed pilots but Jed and Molly let their licenses lapse because of their age. There are both in their early seventies. They all accept Kathy is a natural when it comes to flying an airplane."

"Is Faye always that withdrawn?"

"She got hurt emotionally by that guy. One night two of his new buddies visited him and the guys began drinking whisky. Faye went to bed and awoke to find the three guys were stripped off and more than keen to have sex with her. She arrived home distressed and Jed and Willie went to New York to kill those three guys but when they began asking questions at the place when Faye had been living, the guys involved just disappeared.

"Jesus. So that's why Jed asked me would I shoot a guy if they went to harm your aunt or Faye."

Beth said, "I guess so. When I heard him ask that I say his look and decided he was being very serious."

As they entered the Houston, Beth said, "Would you like to come home for dinner? I left a casserole slow-cooking and there's no one to eat it but me. My attorney husband is in Dallas all week on refresher education."

"Yes sure, I'd like that."

Xavier had a thought that over dinner with the pre-dinner drinks taking hold, that he'd impress Beth with his liveliness and humor and sexiness. She'd fall against him, a little drunk, and he'd kiss her and she'd say no that she was married and then she'd stay well yes provided he promised to tell no one.

But it was nothing like that.

As Beth said as she closed the door to the garage, "I need to freshen up and I guess you do too. Do you want to join me in the shower?"

Huh. She looked to be about forty and appeared to have good boobs.

"Yes I'd love..."

And then Xavier recalled how he's screwed up his promising career in a State Treasury in assisting to manage and account for the citizen's tax dollars from the time they were received until the time they were disbursed, among other things.

Beth said, "I'm not in the habit..."

"Nor me and I think I should not do this, and in fact with your husband not at home Beth I belatedly think I should not be here and must go."

"God you are ruining me night. I was expecting you to pound me excessively until I was as limp as a rag doll."

Eh?

"Go on go," she said "At least I'll land a commission out of you. Just go. As soon as your job contract arrives from Austin for you to consider, I'll call you. Please go."

Xavier left the house not feeling proud but rather aghast at how close he allowed his stupidity to once again spiral out of control, well almost. How would Molly have judged him if she'd learned, had he'd gone ahead and screwed her great niece and thus pulled her into an adulterous relationship? Kathy and her daughter Faye would have been equally disgusted while perhaps Jed and his son might have thought Beth had been showing signs she wanted sex and approved of Xavier for coming up with what had been needed.

Oh yeah?

Xavier sighed and wondered why Faye had shown little interest in him being interviewed for a position that could well impact on her. Indeed exactly what did Faye and her mother do at the ranch? Well it was a new job and in time all questions would be answered.

* * *

Three weeks later Xavier purchased a year-year old white Ford Taurus Limited and two days later, after finishing work at attending his farewell party, he left for the ranch that was just under two and a half hours' drive away. He'd called and spoke to Kathy who said they'd wait dinner for him and she told him to call again when he'd reached La Grange, the county seat of Fayette County, situated at an historic crossing of the Colorado River.

Xavier decided he liked Kathy the best of the family. She was softly spoken with a ready smile whereas her mother-in-law Molly was hard-faced with hard eyes and her daughter Faye was withdrawn and wan. Still Faye was still acting like a wounded gazelle, and with good reason.

The rambling house of 7- bedrooms in two wings from the main block built in Texas mix stone, had been constructed in the late 1970s after the original ranch house built in the 1880s and added to be generations of the family was deemed to be overdue for replacement and was burned to the ground. As Xavier drove up the gravel driveway he thought although the home was large, it wasn't overly grand like some of the ranch houses he'd seen since leaving Houston. He decided it looked homely and he liked it.

He sounded the horn lightly and Kathy and a dog came running out to greet him and as he got out of the car she grabbed him and kissed him on the mouth, not holding back.

"Oh I'm so excited you're here," she burbled. "Come and join us for a drink. You can unpack later."

The Spaniel sniffed him and appeared to approve.

"Here name is Cleo," Kathy said, taking Xavier's arm and pressing it against a breast. He hoped that was accidental but then decided it wasn't when she let his arm go as they entered the house through the wide doors she left open and into the large entrance.

Jed and Willie rose and greeted Xavier while Faye remained seated and said hi.

Molly entered, presumably from the kitchen and went straight up to Xavier, lightly hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and said, "Welcome to the Lovell family home young man. We are so pleased you have arrived."

After the leisurely dinner with the Mexican cook/maid clearing away, the men and Faye disappeared to watch TV, Molly said she was off to put the hens away for the night and to feed the swine, Kathy helped Xavier with his luggage and led him to his room in the guest wing.

The room was large and airy with coffee making facilities and a small fridge and microwave and a bathroom with a bath as well as a shower and toilet.

"This is lovely and so comfortable," Xavier said, keen to indicate his appreciation, thinking it would pay to befriend Kathy.

The way in which she responded was totally unexpected.

Kathy kicked the door shut and said, "May I kiss you again?" and before he could respond, she grabbed Xavier and kissed him and grabbling his right hand pulled it against her groin.

Jesus.

He left his hand where she'd placed it but kept his fingers still. But he couldn't help kissing her back. Kathy, who was much younger than her husband and was perhaps forty-five, was proving to be rather sexy.

When they finally broke apart she said, "I can't wait to get you out riding with me alone. I'll bring condoms."