Baby, You're a Rich Man

"Now you're fishing for compliments," replied Ben just as Candice and Leona approached the table with their beaus.

"Where are Amber and Jason?" asked a puzzled Becky. "Are they running late?"

"They're in the middle of a tete-a-tete. I'd honestly be surprised if they joined us tonight," revealed Candice.

"I'd bet some of the money I won today on Jason not showing his face," stated Wes bluntly. "I'd say it's even money they won't be engaged after tonight."

"Oh, no! Did they have an argument?" asked a concerned Becky.

"You could say that. Jason argued he wasn't an asshole and Amber argued he was," summed up Leona. "Didn't Ben tell you what happened today?"

Becky quickly looked at Ben, but he was calmly sitting back in his chair with a curious expression. "He never mentioned anything. Please tell me what happened."

"I like the way Wes tells the story," stated Leona with an evil grin as she looked to Wes. "Tell Becky what happened at golf."

"Jason was trash talking like crazy before we teed off. He insisted that we all verbally admit we were playing for fifty bucks a hole and we wouldn't whine when it was over. He made sure we knew his comments were directed at Ben.

"Jason teed off first and hit a beauty right down the middle. Ben went next. His shot carried about thirty yards beyond Jason's. That was the beginning of a long day for Jason. To his credit, he played very well. He tied on two holes and won another on the front nine. Chuck and I didn't really figure into the competition very much. I think Jason used three of Chuck's shots and Ben used about four of mine, including a long thirty foot putt I sank," added Wes proudly.

"Anyway, Jason was down five holes net, or two hundred fifty bucks after the front nine. By this time he was bitching that it was Ben's home course and he knew it better. Therefore it wasn't an even match. Get this! Ben offered to give Jason a stroke on each hole on the back nine. I couldn't believe it when Jason accepted the offer."

"It was pretty embarrassing," agreed Chuck. "It's one thing to lose, but at least do it like a man. Jason's all about winning, not competing. He didn't have enough pride in himself or his game to refuse the offer."

"Anyway," continued Wes, "Jason tied on two holes and won two others on the back nine. For the math challenged, that means two holes were a wash while Jason won two of the remaining seven, giving Ben five holes. That makes a difference of 3 holes or another one hundred and fifty bucks. All told, he won four hundred today. "

"You would think Jason would have paid up after all the shit he gave us at the beginning about not whining if we lose, but he cried like a little bitch," related Wes as he shook his head at the memory. "Ben told him to keep the money. Friends shouldn't bet on things like golf anyway.

"Jason at least knew enough to be embarrassed by that. He got in Ben's face and called him a few choice names, thinking he's prove his dominance physically if he couldn't do it with his golf game."

"Jason was out of control," added Chuck. "He was yelling in Ben's face. I think he thought he'd get Ben to take a swing at him so he could pound Ben into the fairway."

"I thought that, too," agreed Wes. "Ben took it longer than most would before he told Jason, and I quote, 'fuck off, you little bitch'. That tripped Jason's last neuron. He took a swing at Ben.

"No! Did he hurt you?" questioned Becky as she began to exam Ben's face.

"You really should be looking at Ben's knuckles, not his face," wisecracked Chuck. "Jason never touched him."

"Ben casually ducked under Jason's roundhouse. Then he dropped him like a bad habit," added Wes with a chuckle. "I never saw a guy go down so fast. Jason didn't know what hit him until we explained it to him when he came around. He's not just an asshole, but he has a glass jaw to boot."

Ben watched Becky closely for her reaction. If she tried to blame him or defend Jason, he would know they didn't belong together. There are things a man cannot accept, and Jason had crossed that line.

"Ben, I'm sorry I placed you in that situation. I didn't know Jason was such an ass. I guess he didn't know you're a Marine," stated Becky with a grin. "The Ivy League is nice, but Marines build men."

"They build some damn good golfers, too," insisted Wes. "Ben was making shots I couldn't believe."

"I assume Amber is pissed at Jason for acting like such an ass. Do you really think they'll break up?" asked Becky.

"I think it's pretty much a done deal," replied Candice. "Amber was telling me she was having second thoughts before Jason played the fool last night and then fucked up so badly today."

"I dumped his ass and gave him his ring back," broke in Amber as she approached the table. "I really feel I have to apologize to Becky and Ben for his behavior. You both were nothing but gracious to Jason and me. He just got so jealous of Ben he melted down. He's used to being the big frog in the pond and he felt Ben was making him look bad by comparison. To be quite honest, Ben was. Jason's taking a room at a motel in town for the night. It's embarrassing, but I'm glad I found out about his personality disorder before we were married."

"You have nothing to apologize for," insisted Becky. "That's all on Jason. I'm just glad you learned this before the wedding. Ben isn't upset, are you, Ben?"

"As long as you're not angry at me, I'm as happy as a clam," answered Ben with an easy smile. "I think we should enjoy our meals and just have a good time tonight."

Becky felt bad for Amber, but was delighted Ben had accounted so well for himself over the weekend. She couldn't help but notice how the staff at Centerfield treated her far more warmly that weekend than in the past. It was apparent that Ben was very well liked by the employees and being seen out him caused her stock to go up.

After dinner, the group moved to a large game room with a panoramic view of the golf course and spent a few hours chatting. Becky learned more about Ben that evening than she had in the previous few months. It was obvious that her friends enjoyed his company by the way they laughed and joked with him. They all promised to meet for breakfast the next morning in order to have some more time together before her friends caught their flight.

Becky had been careful to not drink too much and was pleased to see Ben was careful about what he drank. As he walked her to his car, she made a decision.

"Would you like me to go home with you tonight?" she asked nervously.

She was afraid Ben was going to turn her down the way he studied her face. Perhaps she had misread his interest! This was embarrassing.

"If you're certain, I'd be delighted," admitted Ben. "You don't have to come home with me to keep my interest. You're a beautiful woman with a great deal going for you. I'm extremely attracted to you, but I'll wait as long as you want. I'm under your spell."

As they entered Ben's apartment, Becky mentioned her concerns. "I never do this, Ben. I've only been with two men in my life and they were a few years ago. If you think of me as a booty call, or a friend with benefits after tonight, please don't ask to see me again."

"I'd like for us to be exclusive. I really enjoy being with you, Becky. If you're willing, we could see where this takes us," replied Ben before he pulled her into his arms.

Becky only had a couple of drinks, but she felt higher than she ever had in her life. Ben was willing to commit to an exclusive relationship! She made up her mind she would be the best lover he ever had. She'd do her best to keep his interest, and she felt great sex was one of the main requirements for a guy like Ben.

When Ben and Becky joined their friends at breakfast the next morning, Candice looked at her and smiled broadly. "It seems someone had a very good night! Talk about having a glow."

Amber looked at Becky and joined in. "We know she's not talking about me, so I'm guessing it's you. I slept alone. At least I managed a good night's sleep."

"Is anyone having the French toast?" asked Becky as she blushed a bright red. "Our guests always rave about it."

"Is there anything else you want to rave about this morning?" teased Candice. "I'm so happy for you, Becky. This trip was quite educational. Amber saw Jason's true colors and Becky saw... pretty much everything!"

Becky joined her friends in laughter at Candice's comment. Ben squeezed her hand under the table and it felt perfect. She had some great friends. They seemed to like Ben and that meant a lot to Becky. She trusted her friends to tell her if they felt he wasn't right for her, although she might argue the point.

Monday brought a new challenge for Becky. The daughter of Centerfield's owner, Victoria Blake, was suddenly scheduled to drop in, and management was expected to be in their offices and available to meet with her.

Becky was quite surprised when Victoria strode into her office shortly after nine. Her office had to be one of the first stops of the day. She saw a shadow in the doorway and looked to see Beverly with a look of disbelief on her face.

"I'm Victoria Blake. My mom owns this complex. She asked me to stop in and see how the operation is going and to report back to her. You're Rebecca Carson, are you not?"

Becky stood to greet the young woman. Becky took in the expensive clothes, the perfect makeup and the undeniable beauty of the woman as she extended her hand. This was a poised and confident young woman.

"I prefer to be called Becky. I'm just the assistant marketing director. Beverly Wentworth is my immediate superior. Her office is across the hall."

"I saw that," replied Victoria, showing little interest in the information. "Please call me Vickie. Do you like working here? Do you feel it's being run efficiently? Are the employees treated well?"

Becky was surprised at the bluntness of the questions and wondered why they were directed at her when there were quite a few people above her in Centerfield's food chain. She looked at Beverly's office only to see her listening intently. Victoria caught her concern and moved to close the door.

"Feel free to speak candidly. I assure you anything you tell me will remain between us, unless I feel it is something Mother should know. Even then, your position here will be protected," promised Victoria.

"This is a very well run business," replied Becky. "I'd only suggest a few tweaks here and there. I'm ashamed to admit I have not been interacting with many of the other employees as much as I should. I only recently came to that realization."

"I appreciate your honesty, Becky. I'd like to hear any suggestions you have. Please give me a moment to get some coffee," responded Victoria as she opened the office door to find Beverly standing nearby.

"Good, you're right here. Please see that Becky and I have coffee and Danish delivered here as soon as possible?"

"Of course, Miss Blake. I'll see to it immediately," stuttered the surprised and obviously embarrassed woman.

Victoria was smiling as she again closed the door to Becky's office. "There are some people who just can't kiss your ass enough. Now explain what it is you do here and how you think things could be improved."

Except for being interrupted by Beverly delivering a tray with coffee and half dozen pastries, the two women spent an uninterrupted hour discussing the business and how to improve it.

Becky found herself enjoying the beautiful woman's sense of humor as well as her business acumen. It was quite apparent she had done her homework regarding Centerfield, even though it was not one of the larger investments the Blake family held.

"Could you take me on a tour of the facility and the property?" asked Vickie, as Becky now knew her.

Once again, Becky concealed her surprise at the request. How would her superiors feel about Becky spending so much time with the daughter of their boss? Shouldn't top tier management be the people with whom Vickie spoke? Now she would be seen by many of the employees escorting Victoria Blake. How would this play out?

Becky decided she had no choice, and her superiors could not blame her if Vickie showed an unusual interest in her. Becky told Vickie what she knew about each division as they visited it. She noticed that everyone watched her with great interest as she led Vickie around the complex.

"You seem to be rather popular here," observed Vickie. "Most of the staff greet you warmly and call you by name. I like that. Good managers build a rapport with other team members."

Becky had noticed the unusual friendliness of the staff as well. She wondered about it until she hit upon a possible explanation. "I had a couple of dates with the assistant golf pro here. He seems to know everyone and they all like him. I think it may be they are warm to me because they like him so much."

"A workplace romance?" asked Vickie with lifted eyebrows.

"It was only a couple of dates. I was told there are no regulations against dating staff or guests as long as it wasn't inappropriate. Am I in trouble?" worried Becky.

"Hardly!" replied Vickie with a laugh. "I'm just curious to see this guy. You're a very attractive woman, so I imagine he's a good looking guy."

"You got that right," gushed Becky as she thought about Ben's face and body. "He's probably out of my league, but I'm not complaining. The surprising thing is he isn't some pompous ass who thinks he's God's gift to women. He's a good guy. You'd like him."

"I'm sure I would," responded Vickie quickly enough to cause Becky to reconsider what she was telling the other woman. Vickie was beautiful, almost beyond belief, wealthy, intelligent and single. It may not have been the smartest thing to tell her about Ben. A woman like Vickie could have any man she wanted, and who wouldn't want Ben?

Vickie was extremely perceptive and noticed Becky's reaction to her words. She felt the need to allay Becky's concerns. "Don't worry about me trying to move in on your guy. I hate women who pull that type of shit. Besides, I've been seeing a guy, and I don't lie or cheat."

"I have to admit that's a relief," Becky replied with a smile. "I can't compete with you, and I admit Ben is pretty special to me.

A few minutes later, the women entered the pro shop only to find Ben showing a young woman the correct putting stance. He stood close behind her with his arms around her and on her hands as he adjusted her grip.

"That's Ben. He's with a customer at the moment. Maybe I can introduce you later," offered Becky and Ben finally looked away from woman he was helping and saw Becky with Vickie and noticeably flinched.

Vickie seemed not to notice as she whispered to Becky. "He sure is good looking. Is he a good lover?"

"That's a little personal," Becky replied hesitantly before her pleasant memories of her night with Ben came flooding back. "I'm not the most experienced girl in the world, but he certainly did everything right for me."

"I thought so," Vickie stated as she grinned at her new friend.

"That may have been too much information," Becky quickly admitted. "Please don't spread that around. No one knows we've been intimate. I don't want to have rumors about us spread at work."

"I can understand that, as well as your attraction to your Ben. He's quite a catch. Is he wealthy?"

"Ben? No, he doesn't make that much as an assistant golf pro. My salary is more than his, but he was in the Marines, so I think he'll do well. He's smart, good looking and hard working. That's a formula for success."

Becky spent most of the day with Vickie and greatly enjoyed her company. Near the end of the work day, Becky returned to her office after Vickie drove off in her BMW.

"You seem to be on very good terms with Miss Blake," observed Beverly from the doorway to Becky's office.

"Yes, we hit it off. Vickie's really nice and down to earth. She doesn't act like a spoiled rich girl at all," stated Becky.

"You think so? She was picking your brain all day long. She honed in on you for a reason. I suspect it was because she felt you would be easy to manipulate. Did you find yourself telling her personal information? Maybe make some suggestions about better ways to run the business?"

"A little bit, but she wasn't looking for anything to use against us," assured Becky. "She was just being friendly."

"Keep telling yourself that," retorted Beverly." One of the wealthiest young women in the state dropped in and suddenly realized you were a lot of fun to talk to and spent the day with you. Her mother happens to own the business where you are employed, but she had no agenda? Time will tell just how friendly that woman is."

Becky found herself thinking about Beverly's words all night. She was awake long before dawn, and she made an impulsive decision. She would drive over to Ben's place and talk it over with him. He was level-headed and would have some logical input. On the way over, she would pick up some doughnuts to share with him.

When Becky pulled into the condo complex where Ben rented, she immediately noticed Vickie's white BMW with the vanity plates "VIK TRIA". Becky suddenly had a bad feeling about Victoria Blake. She sat in her car for a few minutes and watched Ben's doorway.

Becky felt ill when Victoria Blake stepped out the door. It got worse when the beautiful woman gave Ben a firm hug and a kiss on the cheek. Ben was bare-chested and wearing pajama bottoms!

She waited for Vickie to drive away and Ben to close the door before she drove back home with tears falling into her lap. She vowed that she would never believe a man again and to be especially wary of good looking men trying to get into her pants. Men were pigs, pure and simple.

For his part, Ben noticed he hadn't been seeing Becky around like he usually did. After a few days, he had to accept that she was avoiding him. It was the middle of the next week before he finally managed to catch her alone in a hall way.

"Becky, why are you avoiding me," he demanded.

"Because I don't want to see you. That should be quite evident," snapped Becky. "I told you I'm not going to be your booty call. Just leave me alone!"

"We agreed to be exclusive," reasoned Ben. "I'm not looking for sex. I just want to spend time with you. Why are you angry at me?"

"Think about everything you've done since we were together and it should come to you. Please don't talk to me anymore or I'll report you for harassment. You'll forget about me, if you haven't already. I do not want to see you again. Please respect my decision."

Ben slowly turned and walked dejectedly back down the hall. He had done something to upset Becky and he had no idea what. His deadline was rapidly approaching and he didn't have much hope of meeting it.

Becky spent most of her time in her office after that. Others noticed it, but Becky always cut them short when asked about it. It was five weeks later when Olivia Blake presented her proposal to Becky.

Friday afternoon found Becky having lunch with her mother, two sisters and three best friends. They had all arrived late Thursday evening and were extremely curious about Becky's wedding plans and the identity of the groom.

"I have been asked to not reveal his name," responded Becky to a question from her mother. "I know it's unusual, but that's the way it's going to be. Rest assured he's a decent man and will be able to support me quite well."

"This is way out of character for you, Sis. You were always the romantic one. Now you're rushing into a marriage with some guy your family has never even met. When did you meet this guy? Where did you meet him?" asked Becky's older sister, Nancy.

"Do you mean it isn't Ben?" asked a surprised Candice. "I assumed he was the guy you were marrying after the way you two acted when we visited you a few weeks ago."