He Used To Be My Idol

"Okay, Brad, let's talk. You've seen the product. Before we take another step, I need to know, who are you representing?"

He sucked in a deep breath. "All right, look, I would like to tell you, but I'm sworn to secrecy. I need to take back my findings to my clients and then I will set up a meeting. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like shit. There are certain parties that I refuse to deal with. If you're trying to wedge a way in for Morse or any of his allied companies, then I can tell you right now, any deal will be off the table."

"Now listen, boy, don't get high and mighty with me, okay?" He paced around the tiny office. "Look, Luke, I don't know the history, or what went down between you and Morse, but do you mind me asking, why in the hell wouldn't you want the biggest organisation in the world making and selling your product?"

"That is my business, but I warn you. If I get any inkling that you are conning me it will be the last time, you have any dealings with me or my company."

He snorted. "Luke, you are delusional, my man. I have to say, you're doing yourself a disservice."

"Sounds like I know who you are working for. You wasted my time."

"Oh god damn, boy, don't be a fool. Morse is the force in the market. He has his fingers in everything man. You can't keep him out. You need to pull your god damned head out of your ass."

"Go back and tell him, from me. "No way, Jose."

The shit hit the fan over the next few days. Morse really turned the blowtorch on. It got so bad I stopped going into the office because Morse's agents just kept barging in without notification or invitation.

Wednesday, I was working from home when there was a knock on the door. When I opened it. Candice and Kayla greeted me with a bottle of champagne and big smiles. "Can we come in?"

I waved them in and we ended up out on the deck. It was a beautiful afternoon. "So, what brings you girls around?"

"Do we need a reason?" Kayla replied. "The store was quiet, so we thought we would come around for a visit."

"Do you want something to eat?" I asked. They were non-committal, so I made up some crackers with cheese, onion and tomato.

As they munched away on the crackers, the conversation drifted to work. "What mischief have you been up to?" Candice asked. "Anything interesting?"

"Nah, just the usual."

There were a couple of furtive glances exchanged between the pair. "Oh, nothing, huh? What have you got on the agenda for tomorrow?"

I chuckled. "I'm going surfing with some friends. Might make it an overnighter. Hell, might even stretch it out over the weekend."

"Sounds wonderful, the shop's pretty quiet, could a girl get an invite?" Kayla asked.

"Hey, what about me?" Candice interjected. "I would love to go, as well."

"You surf then?" I asked.

She giggled, "No, but I like to laze around on the beach in a bikini. Catch some rays."

Something was up, this was so out of character and unusual. I decided to cut it short. "Sorry, girls, it's going to be a guy's trip. Maybe next time."

Candice put on a sad sulky face. "Don't be like that. We can be good company."

"I'm sure, but it's a guys trip. No girls."

The conversation stalled after that. We drank the champers and relaxed. Candice tried a couple of times to turn the conversation back to what I was doing.

I put up the shutters and just deflected everything back to their shop. In the end, Candice sighed deeply and said, "Luke, there's a reason for our visit. We should have been honest. Rogan says you have designed some new gadget that he wants to buy and you refuse to deal with him."

I nodded. "Yeah, that's true."

"Luke, don't you think that's a bit childish? I mean he told me he was prepared to offer you well above what you have been offered by anyone else. His company is the market leader. Doesn't it make sense to deal with the best?"

"No, not if they can't be trusted, not if they have the morals of an alley cat."

Silence sort of embraced us, until Candice broke it. "Luke, surely this childish grudge has dragged on long enough? I like to think we are friends, but you are making it difficult. I can't believe how petty you are behaving."

"You can insult me as much as you like, Candice. I find it impossible to comprehend how you think it's okay to walk into my house, enjoy my hospitality then insult me. Maybe you should leave."

"Luke, I didn't mean to insult you. I just wanted to make you open your eyes. Rogan wants to work with you. He thinks you are amazing. He has tried for the last year to get close to you."

"Yeah, well, I told him the last time. There's no way. He needs to focus on his business."

"He is, Luke, he is. Honey, he thinks you are selling yourself short. Working with Digi is not going to work for you. He thinks you are going to lose millions of dollars."

"Maybe I will, I don't care. I am happy with what they offered. I can live with my decision. I can look at myself in the mirror and like what I see. The man looking back at me is honest and has principles. Bet Morse can't say the same."

Luke," Kayla whispered, "I think you are letting one moment in time affect your future. I don't know much about what it is you have designed, but if Rogan is interested, doesn't it make sense to at least listen to his proposal?"

Nope, what's the point in wasting his time? I'm not working with a man who cannot be trusted."

Candice tried to cut in, but I cut her off. "Candice, I thought we were friends. You mentioned before you wanted to be friends. If that's the case, either we find something else to talk about, or I think we're done."

"God you frustrate me, Luke. I know Rogan will look after you. He isn't going to screw you over."

"History tells me different. All he has ever done is screw me over. The man's an asshole."

Kayla grimaced and stood up quickly, she spoke with a wavering voice. "Candice, maybe we should leave. I don't want to let this get out of hand." She turned to me and the words were unsteady. "Luke, I didn't come here to insult or offend you. I hoped we might be able to convince you to at least give Rogan a chance. Obviously, you are not in that place yet. I'm sorry we all hurt you so much."

"It's okay, Kayla. If we are going to remain friends, you have to respect my views. I am entitled to run my business my way."

She nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry if we offended you. It is difficult for us. We are stuck in the middle. We hoped we might be able to broker a deal that worked for everybody."

They both came in for hugs and I walked them to the door. As they were leaving, Kayla asked. "Could I come back later? I could cook us a nice dinner?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice. You have to make me one promise though."

"Yes?"

"There will be no mention of Rogan's name."

She leaned in for a kiss. "Deal, see you later, babe."

They walked off and I watched as Candice lifted her phone and began talking animatedly.

That little get together really bugged me. The man had no scruples; he would use any weapon in his arsenal to get what he wanted. He would happily burn friendships just to satisfy his unquenchable desire. I suppose that's what made him so successful, but it irked me.

Kayla arrived back about seven, and she did bring food. She set about cooking us a wonderful dinner. It was awkward, though. We tip-toed around the elephant in the room. In the end, as we sat down to eat she blurted out, "Luke, I'm sorry about today. We shouldn't have berated you the way we did. We had no right to do that. Especially in your own home."

"Honestly, Kayla, it annoyed me. You knew how I felt about him. It annoys me that he can twist you around his finger, and it annoys me that he doesn't care. He must know that we are friends again. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to use you. Don't you see, that's the sort of person he is."

"Luke, I don't want to get into this. I just wanted to say sorry."

"No, I think we need to get into it. Why did you come this afternoon?"

"Because he asked us to. He explained what happened. He acknowledged that you had designed some world class product, he was worried that you were going to go with Diji and he thought they would screw you over. He wanted to help you.

"Candice and I both listened to what he had to say, and thought we should try to get you two back together. Luke, I remember when you and I first met. Rogan was your idol. You had his poster on your wall. You went to anything he was involved in. You once told me it was your biggest dream to work with him."

"Yeah, that was before I found out what sort of man he really was. What I can't understand is, why can't you see it?" What is blocking your vision?"

"Luke, babe, I think you have let that one night totally control your whole life. Rogan is the best at what he does. You told me that yourself. His company is the biggest in the world. I think if it wasn't for that dreadful night, you would love to work with him."

"I probably would, but that night showed me what he's like. Kayla, I hate the guy. I will never talk to him again. I won't work with him, and I'm certainly not going to earn him money."

"I get it. I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk about us."

"Us... Go on."

She swallowed as she pushed her food around her plate. "Luke, since you came back into my life, I have been so happy. I have tried to express how much I love you. Today scared me. I don't want to lose you. I have been harbouring a desperate hope that you might be able to forgive me and we might get back together. Today showed me how deep your resentment actually goes.."

"Kayla, I know this is hard. It's hard for me, too. I do love you, and I have been trying to convince myself that what happened doesn't matter. That we can get past it."

She said with trembling lips. "And?"

"Well, today made me wonder if that can happen. You and Rogan remain friends, and while that is the case, I don't see how we can rebuild."

"Luke, if it's just Rogan, I will never speak to him again. I'II will cut him out of my life, I'll do anything. I want you back, not just as a friend, I want my husband back."

She stood and glided around the table. Her lips collided with mine and the garlic infused beans tasted sweet. Her tongue stretched into my open gasping mouth. The rest of the world stopped spinning and everything stood still. I felt her heart pounding against my chest. I felt mine matching her rhythm, our bodies falling into a synch.

That burning scintillating kiss led us into the bedroom and we made love. It was fierce, brutal, then later, slow and gentle. Throughout it all I felt her love, and I felt my soul falling. I was standing on the edge of a steep abyss, i felt the pull of her love as she dragged me over and I plunged headlong back in love with her.

The morning was wonderful, waking with her in my arms, her breath mingling with mine, her body warm and comfortable.

As we ate breakfast together, she asked, "Could I go with you?"

"Surfing, you mean?"

"Yes, I really would love to go with you."

"Then come. You'll need fresh clothes, do you still have your boogie board?"

She giggled. "Yes, I still have it, although I haven't used it since the last time we went out together."

We went via her house and she picked up a few things. As she jumped back in the Blazer, I asked, "Is Candice looking after the shop?"

"No, Amelia is in charge."

"Do you need to talk to her over the next few days?"

Frowning, she murmured, "No, why do you ask?"

"Pass me your phone."

I sensed the reluctance, but she handed it over. I pulled mine out of my pocket and turned them both off. "Kayla, I want us to enjoy the next couple of days without the interference of the outside world."

She smiled warmly, held out her hand, took them both and shut them in the glovebox.

I can't explain how amazing the next few days were. The planned three days turned into a week. I surfed, she played on her boogie board and lazed in the sun. We sat around bonfires, listened to music, swam, and late at night, we made love, oh god did we make love. It was the complete reconnection.

We laughed, we sat on the beach, watched sunsets, although, we didn't see many sunrises. With late nights, we slept late.

It wasn't until we were on our way home that Kayla dragged the phones out of the glovebox. It was a bit of a sad moment, it meant going back, re-emerging into the mayhem of the real world.

Kayla turned her phone on and started laughing as it blew up in her hand. She started going through her messages. Listening to one she moved the phone away from her ear and she grimaced painfully. She glanced at me and whispered, "Candice, wow. She's mad."

As she listened to the last of her massages she sighed. "I have to call Candice, she was worried."

"Hah, more like she's pissed because she hasn't been able to use you to help Morse screw me over."

She screwed up her face. 'Luke, let's not spoil it. She was worried because we are close, and I never go anywhere without telling her where I am going. Sweets, she saved me when I was at my lowest. Please, just be kind to her. I don't care about Rogan, but don't take it out on Candice."

"I'm sorry, Kayla, but if she keeps pushing his wheelbarrow, I'm not going to be able to hold it in. That pisses me off."

She nodded. "Don't worry, I will tell her. This has been a wonderful few day's I don't want to spoil it fighting about him. I made you a promise, I will cut him out of my life, but I won't cast off the one person who helped me. She is my best friend and business partner. What I have now, I have because of her."

"I understand that, and I don't want you to lose your best friend. As long as she respects my choices, we will get on great. I like her, too."

Once back in the offices, the chaos returned. After such an idyllic few days, returning to this really brought me down. I made the decision immediately. I called Diji and told them I accepted their offer. It was probably the right thing to do. I had fallen into the trap of greed. Sheesh, we were talking millions. If I never made another cent, I could live comfortably for the rest of my life.

Diji moved quickly, announcing to the world that I had signed with them and they would be releasing the new format as soon as manufacturing could begin.

It was big news everywhere. The headlines streamed all over the world, screaming how Diji had managed to secure the rights in the face of a huge battle with Morse. Digi now stood on the precipice of usurping Morse, in becoming the world leaders.

It gave me a lot of pleasure seeing him hurting. I did see a couple of interviews with him, and when questioned on why they didn't secure the rights, he said they were working on their own systems, and the world shouldn't buy into Diji's propaganda. Their products wouldn't stand up against his.

It was a media battle royal.

My relationship with Kayla soared, it moved at such a furious pace, it was after only a month she moved in with me. Her place was rented out and life for us seemed perfect.

The one thing I learned was how close Kayla and Candice were. Candice was at our place more than her own. At first, she did try to lecture me on not going with Morse's offer, but after Kayla shot her down she stopped. It was the start of a new relationship with her, also, in fact we became fast friends.

After a particularly flirty night where Candice and Kayla were all over each other, kissing and cuddling, my inquisitive nature took over.

Kayla and I were snuggled up in bed. "All right, Kayla, how close are you and Candice? That night of my house warming, you slept with her. Has it ever been intimate?"

I think she sensed my anxiety behind the question. "Okay, Luke, before I answer. Would it change anything if I said yes?"

"Do you mean between you and me?" I asked.

"Yes, if I told you that Candice and I have been intimate, would that change your opinion of me? Would you think less of me?" I could see her anxiety.

"Oh, hell no. I see how close you guys are, and if anything, I am envious. Not jealous, but envious. I get the feeling you talk with her about things we don't talk about. You have a connection with her that in some ways transcends ours."

She swallowed, and it was a big lump of something, because I could see how nervous she was. "Okay, yes. Candice and I have been intimate."

"How intimate?"

"Completely, we have made love, slept together. Shared our dreams and fears."

"Wow, you continue to amaze me. The old Kayla, the one I married, would never have done that."

"No, Luke, you're wrong. I would have, but I had this feeling that you wouldn't be accepting of it. The truth is, I was always curious. I never tried it because I never met anybody I was really comfortable enough with to try."

"You don't have a very high opinion of me, do you?" I replied ruefully.

"Luke, that's not what I meant. We, you and I, never talked about this because you always seemed a bit uptight. I don't mean that in a bad way, I just didn't think you would be accepting, you can be vert rigid."

Sighing softly, I murmured, "You're probably right."

"What happens now, are you going to hate Candice because we got together?"

"No, it happened while we were apart. I have no issues with that."

"She is still my friend, Luke."

"Yes, I understand that. I can see why you would be attracted to her."

Giggling, Kayla replied, "Yeah, she is something else. It feels weird that we have both slept with her."

"That night of my party, did you do it? When I walked past in the morning, you were locked in a pretty steamy embrace."

She swallowed again and I saw her searching for what to say. After a few minutes of consideration, she said, "We didn't have sex, not full on sex. We kissed and cuddled. Honestly, we might have, but we were both too drunk."

"So you're saying you were going to?"

"Luke, we didn't plan to. Sometimes with us, it just happens."

"What about now, do you still have expectations?"

"No!" she snapped. "Luke you have to believe me. I would never cheat. Candice and I have talked about it. We do love each other, but she understands your principles don't allow for that."

Giving her a biting glare, I said, "But you would like to have a sexual relationship with her?"

"I don't know, Luke. I don't want anything in the world to get in the way of our relationship. I never again want to put that at risk."

"Be honest with me, Kayla, I asked if you would like to be able to have an ongoing sexual relationship with Candice."

"Luke, all I want is for you and me to have a happy life."

"So you have no desire to continue to be with Candice?"

"Luke, can we please leave this? Shit, I wish I hadn't told you now."

"Kayla, this is important, how can we have a fulfilling relationship if you aren't being completely content, or even satisfied?"

"Luke, Candice offered me something that I needed at the time. Now, I have you back in my life. I don't need that. I am perfectly happy, and totally satisfied with my life."

It didn't answer my question, but we were just going round in circles. Since we reconnected, this was the first time I sensed she was lying.

People like, Rogan don't lose. It didn't take long after Diji released the information to the world about their new upcoming launch, that rumours of a big buyout started to circulate. I suppose it was bound to happen. He was so determined to maintain his position, he wasn't going to let Diji shade him. He wanted to control the market. Within two months the deal was done, Morse merged with Digi and they now fell under his growing umbrella.

It pissed me off, but it wasn't something I could change. What I could do was pull my support. I sold them the technology, the designs and patents. What I didn't sell was my knowledge. I was already working on the next stage. This was something that would continue to develop, and I already had ideas.