A New Beginning

Last Saturday the department store where I worked was having their goodbye party. They rented a hall and had dinner and drinks. We all worked together for so long and then our place was closing. Everyone was hugging, kissing and crying. We were like one big family. It was sad saying goodbye to so many long time friends. No one did anything that would be considered disrespectful. Joe found out I was going to the party without him. Of course I didn't want to take him due to his jealousy. When he called me on Sunday I told him I would have lunch with him on Monday. That's when you saw us at the restaurant.

I told Joe he was just too jealous and that I didn't love him and thought we shouldn't even see each other anymore. That's when he became enraged and called me all those names and he said he would get even with me. Then he stood up and slapped me. The rest you know."

She had tears in her eyes as she finished talking. I took her hands in mine and I held them gently. I wanted to cheer her up before our main course arrived so I told her I had good news. I turned her resume into the bosses that afternoon and she had an interview with them Friday.

She asked me how good her chances were since she was considered unemployed as of last Friday. I smiled and said, "Yours is the only recommendation I turned in."

She smiled at me as our dinners arrived.

I really enjoyed her company. I decided to take it easy and let life take its course. I didn't want to jump into any relationships. After dinner I took her home. She thanked me for a nice dinner and good conversation. I watched as she entered her home and then left for my own.

I didn't see her again till Friday. She was right on time and I greeted her and asked her to follow me. We went into the conference room with the three members of management and myself. There were two men and one lady doing the interview. They looked over her resume and asked a number of questions. I sat back and listened to her answers, all of which were precise and excellent. They asked me to escort her to the lounge and for me to return for our discussion.

As I entered they smiled at me and said she was a brilliant choice and commended me on finding the qualified people needed in our business. They told me I could tell her that she could start Monday and that it was my job to see she got whatever she needed, since she would be my assistant and working closely with me. I thanked them and then went to talk to Jenny.

I walked into the lounge with my head down like there was a problem. I could see the questionable look on her face. I looked up and smiled and said, "Congratulations on your new position as assistant manager of Human Resources. That's what they called us now - Human Resources.

Jenny looked so happy as she stood up and started to give me a hug, then said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just so happy I wasn't thinking."

I smiled and said, "Maybe another time then." We both laughed.

I introduced her to Rose who is my secretary and would also be hers. I explained that Rose was one of our most respected and long time employees, being with us for over thirty-seven years. Rose would answer any questions she had for now and take care of the needed paperwork and I would see her on Monday. I told her we would be spending a lot of time together and if she had any questions, she should not hesitate to ask. I tried to be businesslike but it was hard because this was one exceptional woman.

I found myself thinking of Jenny all weekend. Starting Monday we would be working closely since contract negotiations were coming up and the company was also going to expand.

I was almost glad to go to work on Monday because I knew I would see Jenny. I tried to look extra nice and put on probably too much cologne but I wanted to look good. You would have thought it was my first day. I arrived before Jenny. I was seated at my desk when she arrived. I asked her to be seated and we started with a little small talk. Her office was next to mine with Rose's desk just outside of our doors.

I explained what we would be doing over this next couple of months for negotiations. It looked pretty good for us this year. Profits were up and we would be able to give the employees a raise. Of course we would have to barter back and forth but we already knew what the end result would be.

Time flew working with Jenny. I asked her if she made plans for lunch or if she wanted to eat lunch with me. She chose me. Over the next two months we had lunch together at least three times a week. She was growing on me and I knew it. I would have to ask her out but was waiting for the right time. Then as luck would have it she asked me out.

Her son was going to be home from college and she was having a get-together at the house for his twenty-first birthday. She mentioned that it was all couples but her. Shelly and her boyfriend, her son and his girlfriend and a few other friends and their husbands and wives. I gladly accepted. She said it was Shelly's idea, that she worked so much right now she hadn't been dating much and seeing she spent all that time with me that I was the proper choice as her date. We both laughed and I told her I had to remember to thank Shelly, that I wanted to ask her out but just wasn't sure how to go about it.

Jenny looked at me, waited a few seconds and the softly said, "Next time just ask me."

The get-together was nice. I met Brian for the first time. He was a big strapping man now who was studying engineering. I told him if he kept his grades up we might have a position for him when he graduated. That put a big smile on his face and I received a big thank you and handshake. I met Jenny's brother and two sisters and their families. Jenny didn't tell me the truth about only couples being at the party. There were a lot of kids and single people there also. When I mentioned it she smiled at me and said, "I waited two months and you weren't asking me out so I took matters into my own hands."

There must have been near fifty people at the house. When someone started playing some music I looked around for Jen. I wanted to dance with her. I needed to get close. She came up behind me and said, "Okay boss, time for that hug," as we started dancing. She remembered the time in the office when she almost hugged me.

I held her close and it just happened. I kissed her, right there in front of her kids, her friends and her family. I don't know what made me do it. Probably two months of pent-up passion. It wasn't a peck, it was a lover's kiss. At the end of the kiss, I felt embarrassed. I apologized and she told me to shut up and she kissed me again. God, how I wanted her.

We continued dancing and of course went back to acting normally but we both knew it would never be the same. Her relatives even started to treat me differently. I don't know, it was just a feeling in the air. It was like I was falling in love and everyone could see it.

As the party was ending, I said my goodbyes to everyone. I was getting ready to go to my car when Jen stopped me.

"Jack, if you have a minute, there is something I want to show you."

Then she excused herself from her remaining guests and I followed her into the house and into her bedroom. As I walked in, she turned around and she kissed me again. I mean really kissed me. "Jack, I'm falling for you and I need to know if you feel the same. I'm not a slut or a whore but I am a woman, Jack."

"I've fallen for you too Jen. It's been so long since I've felt this way about a woman that it's awkward for me. I've wanted you since the day we met - well, the second day we met at the office. Do you want to be my girl?"

"Yes, Jack I do." We kissed one more time and went back outside to join the remaining guests. I asked Jen if she was free the next day and she said she was. I told her I had something to show her and would pick her up around noon. I gave her a light peck on the lips and went home.

The next day was Sunday and I picked her up at her house around noon and she asked me what I wanted to show her.

"My apartment,"I answered. "Jen, I want to make love to you. If we do this, nothing will ever be the same. Are you alright with this? I promise you dinner afterwards, if you like." I smiled.

"I'm alright with it, Jack, but what about our relationship at work?"

"You will still be my assistant, I don't care who knows about us. Hell, they probably all know my feelings about you anyway. I think I have been wearing my feelings on my sleeves ever since you started working there."

I pulled into my parking space at the apartment and we went in. It was cleaner than usual. I spent the whole morning straightening up the place. Jen came in and looked around. I first kissed her in the living room. Then she walked into the kitchen and I backed her up against the counter and started kissing her again. Only this time I didn't stop. I unbuttoned her blouse and started kissing her neck and shoulders. I put by hands on the sides of her breast and kissed the valley between them.

I was in heat and Jen was arriving at the same spot quickly, as I reached behind her and unfastened the clasp on her bra. I pulled her blouse and bra off her shoulders and kept kissing her breasts. I heard Jen say, "God, it's been so long since a man has made love to me like this. God, I love it, Jack."

She freed the buttons on my shirt. As she opened it, I pulled her against my somewhat hairy chest and felt the nipples of her breasts pressing against me. I quickly unbuttoned her pants and let them fall to the floor. She reached over and unbuckled my belt and I let my pants fall also. We both stepped out of them and I asked Jen where she wanted to do it for the first time.

She replied, "Anywhere, Jack, just make love to me."

I pulled down her panties and took off my briefs also and sat in the nearest chair. After kicking her panties to the side, she straddled me, took my rock hard cock in her hand, put it to the opening of her pussy and ever so slowly lowered herself down on me. She didn't even have to move. I felt her pussy pulsating the minute she lowered herself all the way down. I reached behind her and squeezed her ass as we both climaxed. It was unbelievable. It all happened in a matter of minutes.

After we both settled down, we went into the bedroom and started all over with sensuous sex. The licking, eating, sucking and total loving kind of sex. This time we stayed in the bed for hours, resting and making love. When we were finished we were too tired to go out to eat.

About seven that evening I took her home. The next day was another work day. After dropping her off I went home and went back to bed totally exhausted.

As Jen and I entered work on Monday, our bosses called us in to talk with us. They told us that the company was going to add a new division to our present plant. They wanted Jen and I to head the hiring process. There would be over sixty jobs to fill and they were going to let us make all the final decisions. They said they trusted my judgement in the past and saw no reason to double-check our choices. There would be approximately five salaried positions and the rest hourly. The rest of the salaried jobs would be promoted from within our present work force. We had to make it all happen in the next three months.

We were both to receive a bonus when the job was done. We didn't have to worry about the wage scale since everyone started on the same level. Most of the jobs were of a production nature and they would be union members since it was a closed shop, meaning all hourly workers had to join the union within thirty days. So Jen and I had our work cut out for us.

Jen had a great suggestion. She could go through her employee list of the department store where she was the personnel person. Many of her old friends would be looking for work. She said she knew the good from the not so good, as she put it. It could save us a lot of time and the company money on the hiring process. Jen designed a letter for all former employees of her department store, and we posted it in the paper under the help wanted section. We got permission to give first priority from our union and the company since this was a unionized department store. That way everyone was happy.

When we started our interviews we decided to both interview different potential employees separately making a yes, no and a possible pile. Then there would be a second interview of our yes pile until all positions were filled. We had to interview everyone who applied because we were an equal opportunity employer. The only exception was of the department store employees.

The union provided us with a list of the store's former employees and Jen went through making check marks for me on all the ones she had an opinion on.

By the end of the week we started interviewing applicants. We allowed twenty minutes per applicant. It went well with Jen's list making it much easier. After a couple of weeks we found we were way ahead of schedule and decided to slow up a bit to give us time to be together.

We had a night out and another great night of making love. Jen was a wonderful lover and we started talking about possibly a future marriage. I remember Jen saying other than work she knew nothing about my past. Since I was forty-four and such a good lover she wanted to hear about it.

I told her not that night, because right then I just wanted to make love to her. I promised that I would sit down and tell her about my past. I told her it might make her change her mind about me. She said outside of my having killed someone she doubted that would ever happen.

I asked her about the shady part of her past and whether I was going to hear about it. She laughed and told me I knew about her past and she wasn't about to tell me about her dull sex life. There wasn't a man alive that could make her feel the way I did.

I asked her about crazy Joe and she replied, "Yes, Jack, I had sex with him. I was at a low point and he happened to be there. It happened and I'm not proud of it but I was single. Now the only man I want is you."

A couple of days later Jen said she wanted to introduce me to one of her old girlfriends that was a department manager at the store. She was divorced, good looking, and I was to keep my hands off her.

In walked my ex-wife Bree. We were both surprised to see each other. Jen had no idea that Bree and I were once married. After the divorce Bree took back her maiden name.

I was dumbfounded and had no idea what to say. I hadn't seen Bree since the divorce and here she comes in with my girlfriend and possibly my future wife. Jen looked at both of us and said, "What is it? Do you two know each other?"

Bree looked at Jen with tears in her eyes and said, "Jen, Jack and I were married. There was a big misunderstanding and Jack walked out on me."

"Misunderstanding? You were fucking a strange man in our bed. You call that a misunderstanding?"

"It was a mistake, Jack, you know that. I thought you were cheating on me."

"Mistake? You call picking up a stranger and fucking him a mistake? Picking up the wrong steak, misspelling a word. Those are mistakes. What you did was tear my heart out and give it to the dogs. I'm sorry, Jen, I'll talk to you later. I can't stay here right now. Please cancel or take my appointments for the rest of the day. I'm sorry."

I had to leave. I couldn't handle it. My girlfriend and ex-wife were old friends. I had no idea what to do then. Jen was probably going to offer her a job. I don't think I can handle this.

I wasn't much for drinking in public so I stopped by the liquor store and picked up a bottle of whiskey. I took it to my apartment and started drinking it. I called Rose at the office before I was drunk and told her I wouldn't be in the next day which was Friday. She asked me if I wanted to talk to Jen and I told her no, just tell Jen I would be in Monday.

I started drinking until I had passed out. I could hear my phone ringing in the background over and over but was too far gone to answer it. Much later I heard a knocking at the door. It sounded so far away. Then there was someone there. I was passed out on the couch and a woman was applying a cold towel to my forehead. Who was it? I couldn't focus. I passed out again.

I woke up and it was dark in the room except for a lamp in the corner. I was still lying on the couch with my head on a woman's lap. Who was it Bree or Jen?

I finally was able to focus and there was Jen putting another cold compress on my forehead. She had tears in her eyes and said, "I'm so sorry, Jack, I had no idea."

I got up and staggered to the bathroom and threw-up. I was in there for about ten minutes. After washing my face I came out and Jen had made us some coffee. I really didn't have a taste for it right then but knew I ought to drink it. Jen looked at me and said, "Jack, we need to talk about it. Bree told me her side but I need to hear it from you and where we stand now."

I proceeded to tell Jen about my marriage. I told her how it was a nearly perfect marriage till my friends pulled the prank on Bree and how it backfired. I told her how I found Bree fucking the stranger in our bed. I just couldn't live with it and never returned to the house other than to pick up my belongings. The marriage was over.

"Do you still love her, Jack?"

"Yes, in a sense I do. You don't just fall out of love. It's kind of like you and your boyfriend who was killed. You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do, Jack, but that was different. He was killed."

"Yes, Jen, it was different but similar. When I saw Bree with that stranger, she killed our marriage. At that point it was over. I still carried feelings for her in my heart but I could never love her outwardly again."

"What about us, Jack. How do you feel about me now since you've seen Bree again. She is a beautiful woman, Jack."

"Jen, I have a special place for you in my heart. It's a place only for you and no one else. I love you as much as any man can love a woman. I would marry you tomorrow if you wanted to marry me. You made me feel like a total man again. You've shown me that I was able to love again. I thought those days were gone but I have them with you. You mean the world to me."

"What about Bree, Jack?"

It's over between me and her, Jen. I don't care if the two of you want to be friends but I can't be friends with her. Not right now. I know she's smart and you want to offer her a position. I'm okay with that as long as all dealings with her are through you. At least for now."

"Jack, I can handle that and I love you so much. I can handle all the excess baggage you have as long as you love me and make love to only me."

"For the record, Jen, if you have any problems with anything I do, please come to me before taking any action against me."

"I promise, Jack."

Well, that's how we handled the situation. Jen did offer Bree a job but if she had any problems she had to take them to Jen. Off the record Jen told me that Bree still had feelings for me and Jen said she wasn't going to tempt fate. Bree wasn't allowed near me.

We filled all the positions in record time. We also closed the union negotiations without a hitch. The managers were so impressed that they promoted me to unit manager in charge of the new section with a hefty raise. They promoted Jen to human resource manager.

We were so happy that we were going to go out and celebrate. I was on my way to Jen's when my cell phone rang. It was Jen. She said she was home alone and psycho Joe was banging on her front door trying to get it. I told her not to worry because I was on my way over. I was about five minutes away. When I got there the front door jamb was broken open and I heard screaming from the bedroom. I rushed in and saw Jen's blouse was ripped open and Joe was holding her down trying to rip her panties off.