48 Hours Ch. 17

Later that evening, as the party at the Grand was in full swing, Jason pulled Chrissy to one side and out on the balcony. With the sound of the seagulls and the waves struggling to be heard above the nineties disco music, he spoke to Chrissy.

"I know now is not the best time, but we are flying early tomorrow so I just want to let you know something quite important. Tesbury Supermarkets have approached me about buying Sonja's as they want to build up their clothing offering and want a high end lead product that can filter down into more affordable lines. I have to say I was not enthused at first, but they did a good job convincing me that they would be able to keep the two markets distinct and the woman who will be running it is very impressive."

"Oh," said Chrissy, clearly shocked, and wondering if all her dreams were about to be shattered.

"Anyway, to cap that off, I then had a check-up with the doctor who said that I seriously needed to take it easy on the stress front or I wouldn't be around much longer."

"But you're going to be alright aren't you Jason?," she interjected, looking very concerned.

"Oh yes, you know doctors, they're always doom and gloom, so worried about saying everything is fine and you dropping dead the next day. So I'm not too concerned, but they are clear that if I don't step out the stress of Sonja's completely I am taking a very big chance with a stroke, and I'm not really a gambling man."

"Well then you must, but what will you do?"

"This trip to Vegas, it's not a holiday. Aaron is expecting to sign a movie deal, I'm expecting it to be worth around $25 million, so to cut to the chase, I am going to be Aaron's manager, a low key role, and Aaron and I are intending to sell our stake in Sonja's to Tesbury's and that will give them a majority holding. To be honest I think you should sell as well, but they are stipulating that the current shareholders, excluding me and Aaron, must remain as active officers of the company for at least the next two years. They have valued the company at 150 million, so your stake is worth 30 million pounds. The lawyers are working on the contracts and it should all be ready by Thursday next week. I will host a meeting with the Tesbury's MD once that is confirmed."

Chrissy was struggling to take all that in and just stared across the sea, the wall of slowly turning wind turbines rising from the calm azure sea and silhouetted against the reddening sky. She couldn't believe what a magical and enchanted life she was living.

"So, Chrissy, how do YOU feel?"

There was another spell of oppressive silence which somehow drowned out all the other noise.

"So, are you OK with that?" Jason asked again.

"Yes Jason. Yes I think it's absolutely the right thing, I do love all the staff at Sonja's and this will really be such a big opportunity for them to get on, it's just what they need, but I don't deserve all that money, it's too much!"

"Always thinking of others. That's exactly why you do deserve it and that's why I love you so much."

They looked into each other's eyes and kissed. It was a very tender kiss considering Jason didn't do kissing as a rule. Then they hugged, a comfortable and communicative hug that said thank you more intensely than words could ever manage.

Aaron appeared, smiled knowingly at Chrissy and took Jason's hand. Chrissy went back to the ball room to find Lynn. Although he was in some ways sad to see things changing as Sonja's, with the current plan it did seem that the pieces of this puzzle fitted very well together.

After saying the formal goodbye to Sara and Graham and wishing them a lovely time in the Canary Islands, Lynn, Chrissy, Belinda and Alan retired to Chrissy and Lynn's suite where Chrissy told them the news from Jason. There was hushed silence and shocked faces, but as the details emerged the smiles all returned. At the moment it was all secret as it might still not come off, but it really did all bode well for the future.

That night the four of them slept together, sharing each other as they each gave and took pleasure, always aware of the other's needs and the fact that they were now partners in a new enterprise that was continuing to bring them closer and closer.

The next week was very busy. Conni had come over with her friend Agnita to stay with Belinda and they had already put together a lot of work and commissioned a marketing company. Belinda and Conni had worked on the play-room, but were keeping the details secret from the others as a surprise.

Jason had already warned Chrissy she needed to be at the town hall meeting for Sonja's on Thursday afternoon and then be at the evening event that was taking place in an upmarket hotel near to the Tesbury's head office. It wasn't until Wednesday morning that he confirmed that it was all a done deal, but Chrissy was ready as she could not see any reason why the deal would not proceed. Meanwhile everything was on track for the purchase of the hotel and Lynn had been busy lining up the designers and contractors to start work as soon as it was theirs.

Alan, aware of the deal with Tesbury's, and wanting to make his mark, had put more flesh on the skeleton plans for repatriating some of the clothing production and had found an enthusiastic supporter in Jane, who was still unaware of the takeover. He was really pleased, as she was a good worker and the fact that she had bought into this would give her a lot of kudos with the new management team. He did fancy her a bit too if he was honest with himself. "The married ones are always the best," he thought to himself!

Meanwhile, out in the Atlantic, Sara and Grahame were having a fabulous time in Lanzarote and had tweeted various updates on what they had been up to. Chrissy, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on the store they managed just to make sure that the temporary manager was doing a good job.

Thursday came round and Chrissy set off to Sonja's HQ. As soon as she got there she was almost drowned in a sea of morose faces and bombarded by a torrent of anxious questions, none of which she could answer other than to say that it was a big announcement, a good announcement and no one's job was at risk. She was immensely relieved when they got to the hotel and the secret was finally revealed with a lot of razzmatazz by Jason and the MD of Tesbury's, backed by some upbeat music and a slide show explaining what Tesbury's wanted to do.

It finished with a short and personal video of various members of the Tesbury team explaining what it meant to them. After a barrage of questions which were all expertly and honestly handled, everyone was buzzing with motivation and excitement. Jane sought out Chrissy and told her about the work she was doing with Alan and asked whether she thought it was a good idea. Chrissy smiled and told her it was perfect, especially with the takeover, and gave her a big hug. She was quite emotional.

"You have no idea how happy I am. Thank you for believing in me, and thank you for finding Alan, he's brilliant!," she told her, and before Chrissy knew what was happening she had looked her straight in the eye, kissed her on the lips, and run off.

As they all settled down to dinner Chrissy had a good chat with Jason and found out all about Las Vegas and the movie deal. Transcender was actually going to be a mini series on Netflix, as there had been a last minute bidding war because the comic was flying off the shelves in Japan and Korea as well as the US. Jason was staying very calm about it all, as he had too, but you could tell he was completely made up for Aaron!

Later that evening, worn out and wanting to conserve her energy for the big move on Saturday, Chrissy was starting to say her goodbyes and make her excuses when she bumped into Karl, the store manager that she had done her secret training with. He looked so pleased to see her she couldn't really deny him the opportunity for a chat and a drink, so they retreated to a quiet corner. He had obviously decided that he needed to make a good impression at the town hall and looked absolutely amazing in a pressed blue linen jacket, black jeans and a dazzlingly white polo shirt with not a crease in sight and tight enough to show off his firm and sculptured chest.

He was quite a character and as they talked she found out a lot more about him. He was 23 and was from originally from Southampton. He had been brought up there because his parents worked on the cruise liners and he had had a relatively lonely childhood being looked after his grandmother, even more so after his parents split up. Chrissy had noticed he was quite dark skinned and had jet black hair with a slight curl to it, but he didn't have that typical Italian look. She had not dared to ask about it, but when he brought up his parents she asked him about them found out that his mother was from Romania and his father from Jamaica.

"She is so lovely," he said with a slightly distant look in his eye as if he was recalling her in his mind, "a bit scatty, and seems to stumble through life, but she loves me and has been so strong for me. I've not seen my father since I was five and have no idea where he is and no intention of finding out."

"Your mother sounds like a fabulous woman, it can't have been easy."

"No, not at all! I used to hear her crying at night and go into her room and cuddle up with her. Sometimes I think she just felt that everyone was just trying to stop her being happy, and I was so pleased that I could at least always bring a smile to her teary face. I remember a really bad time when the home office started sending her threatening letters about her needing to prove she had the right to live in England. She did, in the end, but it just made her very insular, rejected and defeated as it was bad enough that my father had just disappeared."

"Is she OK now?"

"Oh yes, she is fine. I see her every weekend and she is a nurse now and loves her job and I'm really proud of her."

"I'm so pleased. It's such a shame about your father."

"It's not so bad, not now my mother is settled, but I can't forgive him all the pain he caused her, and me really. Trouble is that the mirror always reminds me of him, so I have to just accept it."

"You seem really together though."

"Oh I am, it is what it is, and anyway, he did at least give me something to be proud of."

Chrissy looked him in the eye with an inquisitive glance and he laughed with a cheeky smile on his face.

"But that will have to be my secret."

"Oh will it," Chrissy said, smiling back and enjoying the flirtatious nature of the conversation, "well we all have secrets you know."

"Except from the ones we love."

"Especially from the ones we love."

They laughed and Karl asked if she wanted another drink. Why not she thought.

While Karl was at the bar Chrissy looked around and noticed Jane sitting at a table on her own looking a bit out of sorts, but not in an obvious way. She managed to catch her eye and beckoned her over, but she shook her head and looked down.

Chrissy was not happy with that response and so when Karl returned she said she needed to go to the toilet and on the way asked Jane if she was OK.

"I'm so sorry," she blurted out, "I don't know why I did that, what must you think of me!"

"You mean the kiss?"

Jane didn't respond. She burst into tears. She had obviously had quite a bit to drink and was in quite an emotional state.

"Come with me," Chrissy said in a firm, but caring way, and they both went to the ladies where she calmed down and allowed Chrissy to repair her face with a tissue and her make-up bag.

"Better?" Chrissy asked.

"Better," said Jane, her tearful smile melting Chrissy's heart as she looked up at her with her moist, shining eyes.

Chrissy held her face in her hands and kissed her. It was a soft, but firm kiss that lingered just long enough to say that it meant something. Jane looked into her eyes.

"Better?" Chrissy asked again, their eyes locked together.

"Oh much better," said Jane, a tentative smile on her face and a sexy glint sparkled as their lips met again, this time with a much stronger sense of passion.

They heard the outer door open and quickly broke free, adjusting their lipstick in the mirror together as two rather drunk girls entered.

"Come on," said Chrissy, taking Jane's hand.

Karl had seen Jane about, but didn't know her. Chrissy could tell that although he was seemingly happy to see her, he obviously also felt that she was gate crashing his party. However, he was the complete gentleman, and went off to get her an Aperol Spritz.

While he was gone and sensing the brief opportunity, Jane poured out her soul.

"I don't know what I feel," she said, "it doesn't really make sense. I had a disastrous marriage to a complete pig and now I've got a boyfriend, who I get on with OK, but I never really fancied him, you know, never found him attractive, and we hardly have anything in common. He's just a bloke, you know, a bloke you can tow around as your boyfriend, but there is something about you, there was from the moment I met you, and I think..." She paused. "I think that I am actually more attracted to women than men and I've just suppressed it for years and then when you came to Sonja's it just blew my mind, that you were, well..."

"A jock in a frock?"

"No, absolutely not! No you are not that, not that at all, you are you, that's the whole point. I was puzzled at first, I mean I had never met anyone like you before, but it made me challenge how I felt and I realised that actually I was lying to myself and that you were being true to yourself."

"Oh Jane," Chrissy said, taking her hand and looking into her watery eyes. "Do be true to yourself, we all spend far too much time trying to be what we think others want us to be. It's like a cage society puts us in, that closes our minds and keeps us from being who we want to be. A lot of the time that cage is good, it keeps us safe, on the straight and narrow, but sometimes we need to fly and feel the real joy that only real freedom beings."

She squeezed her hand tightly.

"You see when I saw you at first, when you were introduced to us, I saw a rival. I saw you were attractive, a bit mysterious, but also you were important and successful, and I was a bit jealous. Then when Jason explained you were, well, different, I thought about... Oh my God... I can't believe I'm saying this... I though about your cock, and then I felt this warm shivery feeling like I've never felt before and almost fainted."

Chrissy had notices Karl returning and closed down the conversation.

"I see, well... ah Karl, thank you!"

Karl seemed more relaxed and they were soon having a very good time together, laughing and flirting with each other.

It was mid week and it looked like they were the last 'men' standing. Even the bar had closed and it was only 10:00pm!

"So it looks like the party is over," said Karl downing the last of his drink, "I'm actually staying over, basically I really want to use their gym in the morning. Did you know it's state of the art, and because of the do I got an amazing rate. Can I tempt you girls with a nightcap? You are welcome to see what delights I have in my mini bar."

Jane and Chrissy laughed, and Chrissy looked at Jane and winked knowingly.

"I really think that is the worse pick-up line ever," said Jane, winking back at Chrissy and taking her hand, "but when a girl needs a drink, a girl needs a drink."

Karl's room was a reasonable size with a sofa, two chairs and a table in one corner.

"Well Karl," said Jane, dropping herself onto the sofa while Karl rinsed out some wine glasses from the bar in the bathroom, "this is a really nice room, very comfortable!"

"Not bad is it, I got an upgrade apparently as they are not that full this evening, and I think they'd like some repeat business from Tesbury's." he answered, his voice echoing slightly.

"Chrissy was telling me earlier that we would all be a lot happier if we were true to who we are and what we want, so who's for a bit of Truth or Dare?" Jane suggested, a rather naughty grin on her face.

"Mmm, I'm not sure," said Karl, returning and pouring out three glasses of wine.

"Something to hide?" Chrissy mocked in a joking way.

"No," he replied, with a lovely grin, "I'm happy to reveal anything you want, as long as you are of course."

"Really? I see! Well I'm feeling very open and honest this evening," Chrissy retorted, taking up the challenge.

"OK, OK, that sounds like a yes, I'm first as it was my idea," interjected Jane, exciteldly, "so I'm going for truth, so my question to both of you is..." She paused for effect, just like they do on those TV shows. "What do you think is the sexiest body part? Chrissy, then Karl."

"I think it is an erect penis honey, ideally big, smooth and stiff! So beautiful," purred Chrissy.

"Good answer! Karl?"

"Err, that's a hard one... ," the two girls collapsed in hysterics at his unintentional double entendre!

"Umm, breasts maybe," he mumbled.

"That's no answer," said Jane, you'll have to do a dare now as a forfeit."

"What? Seriously?" He looked at Chrissy, who was laughing and nodding. "OK, fair enough," sighed Karl.

"Right, as you like breasts, you've got to take off your shirt and let us both suck on your nipples while you count to 100."

"What? For real?"

The two girls were nodding furiously, their expressions slightly more serious than before in anticipation.

"OK then," he conceded pulling his shirt off and revealing a very toned chest. The two girls wasted no time getting to work, and it was only after a minute of too that Jane came up for air and reminded Karl that he was meant to be counting! Karl began. "1, 2, 3... 3, 4, 5..." He was struggling with the counting as the unbelievable sensation of two pairs of lips on his nipples and all the voluminous hair on his chest was making it very hard to concentrate.

"One hundred," he finally blurted out."

Jane grabbed Chrissy and gave her a passionate kiss right in front of Karl, their lips and tongues exploring each other with no valley left untouched.

"That wasn't part of the dare!" complained Karl, conscious of his state of arousal being extremely obvious.

"Nope, just needed to do that," laughed Jane, as she took a sip of wine and pointedly stared at the massive bulge in his trousers. "Keep your shirt off , but it's your go now Karl.

"OK, let me think." Karl was pretty keen to keep up the theme, but didn't want to be too blatant. "Dare. Chrissy, you must kiss Jane wherever she wants to the count of one hundred."

Jane stood up, lifted her skirt revealing her hold-up stocking tops, and hooked her thumbs under the elastic of her panties and slid them down her legs, her skirt hanging down far enough to just obscuring her private parts. She then pulled her bra straps through the short sleeves of her top, stretched them round and finally pulled out her lacy bra from the other sleeve.

"Ta da," she sang, posing with her panties in one hand and bra in the other! "Look after these for me Karl, honey." She said holding her her damp panties right in front of his nose so he could inhale the scent of her arousal, before dropping them in his lap. She lifted her skirt slightly and Chrissy immediately knew what she had to do, and kneeling, she kissed and caressed her velvet folds while Jane also struggled to count to 100.

"OK, Chrissy, your turn!" Jane cried, helping Chrissy to her feet.

"Truth!" She announced, "Name two people you want to make love to? Karl first."

"Both of you of course," he said casually with a slightly seductive smile and a serious undertone.

"I see, and Jane?" Chrissy replied almost as seriously.

"Yes, both of you!" She laughed, "you are both super hot in different ways, but, it's my turn again. I want you to show me a part of your body you would like me and the other person to suck."