Just an Average Romance

Mark arrived on time and found that Stacey had made reservations for supper. They went in and were soon seated. They ordered their before dinner drink, her a wine and he a whiskey and coke. They kept the conversation to a minimum until their entrée was ordered and the waiter had discretely left them.

Mark started the ball rolling. "Okay, I am a little curious. I fully felt that we had our conversation and now we could move on. I never heard an apology but I understand where you were coming from. You don't love me so you didn't want to marry me. I get it. I was just someone to pass the time with until the next man or Thad returned. I just wish we had been honest with each other as to what we wanted to get out of this relationship. Now that I have closure and I am assuming you have closure I may take up the corporate job offer and move back to the city."

This was news to Stacey. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Mark being back in their small city. They would have to run into each other now and then. Mark, though, thought the smile was for an entirely different reason. His face darkened and he grew quiet.

Stacey sobered as she saw his facial expression change. It was as though a cold wind had suddenly blown through the room. She shivered and extended her hand to his. She didn't touch him though.

"No, please don't misunderstand. I am smiling at the thought that we might be able to see each other now and then if you move back. As a matter of fact Jeff will be ecstatic. He and Mary want you to be the godfather of their baby, when it comes." She didn't tell him that she was to be the godmother.

Mark was pleased that Jeff wanted him to be godfather but he figured Mary was reluctant. The comment about seeing each other "now and then" made it apparent that Stacey was ready for a platonic relationship. He nodded. "I guess I need to call Jeff and catch up. We seldom actually speak, I only text him on occasion."

"Well, then you speak to him more than I do. Since I treated you so harshly Jeff will barely tolerate me in the same room. Mary comes to my apartment and we go shopping for the baby together and then have supper and a glass of wine as we discuss stuff. Then Mary goes home to Jeff. We get together about once a week. Otherwise Jeff gets a little antsy when Mary is gone. I swear he sometimes thinks I am getting her drunk and laid when we go out."

Mark looked at her closely. "Oh, no, Mary would never do that to Jeff. Even if I wanted to drag her to some pickup joint she would never do that. She adores the ground he walks on. As a matter of fact she is afraid that the weight she has put on during her pregnancy has made her ugly to him. We are both working on her to make her believe he still loves her. I have also gotten a personal trainer for her to help her get into better shape for the latter days of the pregnancy and labor and maybe beyond. I love her but she has such a poor self image. I know it is driving Jeff bananas and even though he won't talk to me I want her to be healthy for him and the baby."

Mark believed her. Unless something drastic had changed her Stacey would not do the bar pickup scene just for some sex. And he couldn't imagine Mary finding someone to take her home, not necessarily her weight but her attitude would keep most men at bay.

"Well, I only text Jeff. I rarely speak to anyone on the phone except my parents."

Stacey broached her other fear after chewing her lip for a bit. "Is there a new love of your life?"

"No, I have dated some but there never seems to be the spark I am looking for. The longest I have dated anyone has been ten dates. Of course, with the fact that I am not usually in any one place for more than six to eight months affects any budding relationship."

"Why haven't you settled in any one place since you left?"

"I am a problem solver now. I get sent to struggling or failing stores and try to find ways to improve the bottom line. Once the store looks better on the books then I am off to the next one. We have a lot of stores in the chain and some have problems. We don't wish to close any but it is just simple business. You don't perform up to expectations then something has to be done. Each store is expected to carry its own weight."

"I can see why they want you back at corporate. Have you been successful in all the stores?"

"So far. I took on the worse performing one first and turned it around in a couple of days. A lot of dead weight had to be let go and there was need for diversity training that corporate dealt with. With a new attitude and some extra advertising it was like a new store. The manager pledged to keep up the good work."

"I would think that with the good looking sales staff and the customer base you are shooting for that you would have your pick of good looking and hot women."

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose. There just hasn't been that much time or interest. I work twelve to fourteen hour days. I come in about eight and never seem to get out before ten. I am usually exhausted by the end of the day and have no gumption to go out and find companionship."

"That is sad. You shouldn't have to work so hard. Can't they provide some help?"

"Corporate does what it can but one person seems to make more of a difference than a team. That concept was tried. As a matter of fact, when I volunteered to go to the worst performing store in the chain most of the administration expected me to fail since their ideas had not worked."

He changed the subject as their food was being served. "Tell me how you are doing. How is your father?"

Stacey started to eat as she answered. Since she was always taught to not speak with her mouth full it took a few minutes. "Dad is fine. Actually he is better than fine. He met a woman down on her luck and needing some serious engine repairs. While he was working out a repayment plan he fell for her and asked her out. They have been exclusive since but don't seem to be ready to change anything right now. Dad asks about you all the time. Most of the conversations then become a condemnation of how I hurt you."

Mark just shrugged and kept eating his steak. Stacey noted that but didn't direct any comment to Mark except to continue. "As for me, I am taking more responsibility for marketing the business. We have been successful. That first year I suggested a beefcake calendar since so many of our customers are women. No nudes but some of the best looking mechanics had their shirts open and were oiled down to show sweat for the pictures. It was so popular that we repeated it the next year. Now we are opening more repair shops and are now part of a national tire chain. We can still get any brand any person wants but can pass on savings on our brand name tires."

Mark paused. "Any special person in your life? Did Thad ever come back?"

Stacey looked up in surprise. "Why would you think that I was pining for Thad?"

Mark shrugged. "I don't know. You knew him and dated him before me. It seemed that your relationship only ended because he decided to pursue his goals, not necessarily because you were done with him. One part of me decided I was just someone to hang out with until he returned."

Stacey stopped eating. Suddenly she had no appetite. "NO, No! That isn't true. You were never a replacement for Thad. I realized that we didn't have a future and was relieved that he decided to move on. I was dreading a proposal from him. Yes, I like him and I like him a lot but he wasn't my romantic future. If anything I used him to grow up a little. I love you and only you. I don't date. I haven't been made love to since I insulted you and drove you away. I have castigated myself for my lack of trust and faith ever since. When you started to talk about that very thing last night I was appalled at myself."

Tears were suddenly coming down her face. "That is it in a nutshell. It wasn't Mary's fault. She was sad and lonely and felt that no man wanted her. No, I didn't defend you and tell her to stop beating you up. I let it go on and started to have doubts on top of my own shortcomings. I didn't trust my feelings for you. I didn't trust you. You never gave me any indication that you were just after my money. I had no faith in you or us. I let my doubts destroy us and I would give all the money I have to rebuild us."

She abruptly got up and left the restaurant. Mark was dumbfounded. Here he had built up in his mind that she was in love with Thad and just waiting for him to return. All of the nightmares of them laughing were just figments of his imagination. Now who had the lack of trust and faith? The fact that he immediately had moved away after the debacle surrounding his marriage proposal might be that he had no faith in her or any trust that there might have been a misunderstanding. Jeff had tried to tell him a simple reason for the misunderstanding but he wouldn't listen in his depression and humiliation.

He ordered another drink and sent the rest of the uneaten food back with his compliments and regrets. He had no appetite but felt he needed the second drink. He slowly sipped the concoction and deliberated on what Stacey had said. He was a little ashamed of himself. He could blame her for her lack of faith and trust but he apparently was just as guilty. He had not treated any of his employees like he had treated Stacey. Even when he knew that someone had to go regardless of the reason he had called each into his office and discussed the reasons for dismissal. Even the ones that had been prosecuted had been given time to discuss their failures with him. Now he could see that his lack of respect for Stacey had caused him to just up and leave and not give her time to explain herself just as she had not allowed him a chance. Actually since she had tried to contact him in the next few days after the birthday party maybe she had wanted to discuss what had happened. He had cut her completely out of his life.

After his drink he left the restaurant. Of course the counter staff would not give him Stacey's room number so he left a message for her to call him.

Just as he was turning to leave Stacey came out of the elevator and was looking around. Mark had a little niggle of doubt that made him suspect her of looking for a lover, not necessarily him. But the look on her face when she spotted him by the outside door blew that doubt out of his mind. Her face lit up and her smile was both inviting and at the same time kind of tremulous as though she was afraid he would bolt. He felt himself starting to smile in return. They met in the middle of the large lobby and retired to some comfortable chairs there.

The conversation was now a lot less passion filled and a lot more like when they first had met, a soft and friendly attempt to get to know each other. They were a lot more comfortable with each other. There was no attempt to touch each other or make any kind of endearing remarks. That could wait for another time.

As they talked Mark was able to tell Stacey of his own shortcomings. He apologized for not giving her the opportunity to talk to him after the party. He admitted his own lack of maturity after the humiliation she had inadvertently heaped on him. She came out of her chair and got on her knees in front of him and begged for his forgiveness. If someone had been close and listening it might have seemed that they were getting into an argument about who should forgive whom.

Finally Mark grabbed Stacey and pulled her into his lap and kissed her into silence. When he looked up half of the staff (two people at the desk) were smiling at them and the other half were wishing they would get out of the public view. Mark suggested that they go for a walk. The streets were well lit and the hotel was located in an area with a large police presence so late evening walks were not discouraged.

They window shopped as they talked and walked. It was becoming more friendly and lively as they continued down the street.

Stacey finally broached the subject she wanted an answer to. "Have you decided about taking the corporate office job?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. This time of helping stores has presented me with a great opportunity to grow and learn. The short time at each store doesn't make my personal life easier and I don't have time to make new friends. But I believe I am actually making a difference, especially on the very poor performing stores and I take solace in that."

Stacey could see that this was the Mark that she first knew and probably had fallen in love with. His focus on the problem and then seeing to its successful conclusion was what helped make him successful.

"Can you not do the same thing at the home office?"

He shrugged his shoulders again. "I don't know. I was the assistant manager of the local store when we broke up. I had worked in various departments at the headquarters just to learn as much as possible but I didn't see my self there. Since I have made myself into a problem solver I don't know if there is that much work at headquarters that needs my kind of skill. It might be time to go free-lance, kind of like a systems analyst. I could market myself as the go-to problem solver for any company."

Stacey stopped walking and turned to face him. "Maybe that is your future. Why don't we try it out?"

Mark had to stop because she was in front of him. "What do you mean?"

She was silent for a few moments. "Take my dad's business for example. We are doing okay but not as well as I would like. I, and Dad, for that matter, don't expect to be Pep Boys but we want to be successful with every shop. Some of the new shops are testimonials to the industry, nice and new and shiny with the newest equipment but they are not as profitable as we would like them to be. The older shops are more profitable but don't look the newest and brightest."

Mark started to walk again but was quiet as he did so. Stacey grabbed his arm and put it around her waist, like she had always wanted to. When he moved slightly away she shook her head and snuggled closer. They just couldn't walk very fast doing this but she was feeling loved and treasured with his arm around her.

Mark asked a few questions. "The new stores, who made the decision about what they would look like?"

"The architect did."

"Does he or she know anything about auto mechanics and repair shops?"

"I suppose not. Dad has been more than one comment about how work doesn't flow well in the new buildings."

"When were the older buildings last updated and remodeled?"

"Actually I don't believe any have been remodeled since opening."

"I would have to study the business and how things are done for a while but I would think that the older buildings need remodeled for a new and attractive look to bring in new customers. All of the shops need the best and newest equipment to compete with any other in the chain along with any other repair shop in the region. The new buildings might just need a retooling to make work flow easier and reduce wasted time." He stopped talking for a moment.

"Where do you get your parts from?"

"A national chain mostly. We order and anything they don't keep on hand comes in the next day."

"Have you thought about becoming a franchise of the national chain and then have parts immediately available along with the repairs?"

"I believe dad thought about that once upon a time but not lately, why?"

"With the number of shops that need constant parts and supplies the cost per part might go down and you wouldn't have to rely on another company's delivery people to get parts to the shops as needed. If you had a store attached to the shop that had common parts right there then turn-around on repairs might go down. It would have to be studied at length as it would be a large capital outlay."

Stacey stopped him again and gave him a kiss. "See, you haven't even stepped foot in the shops in two years but have great ideas on how to improve repair times and maybe even the bottom line. Would you like a contract for your consultant work?"

Mark gave in and kissed her back. "I don't know yet but your offer is tempting. I suppose if I come back to the corporate offices I could work on your project in the evenings and weekends."

They smiled at each other and headed back to the hotel as it was getting quite late.

No, they didn't immediately get back to an intimate level. It took time and a lot of effort on their part to rebuild their relationship.

Mark did spend a couple of months on the next store before accepting the corporate job. When he returned to the city he had Stacey find a house to purchase. With the raises, bonuses and savings he was able to purchase the house with cash and make the upgrades that Stacey wanted to make it a more comfortable home.

They had not talked about any kind of permanent arrangement since starting to talk with each other again. They were taking it slow. Stacey's family welcomed Mark back as though he had never left. Stacey actually remarked that her family seemed to like Mark more than her then she smiled and giggled. She was maturing and not as shallow as she had been.

Stacey's dad had then approached Mark about the subject of his shops. Mark worked long hours on weekends and evenings to understand the needs of the technicians before making recommendations. Thomas had cringed at the cost of remodeling and upgrading but realized that it was necessary to compete. His oldest shop was the first to get completely renovated. This was his corporate headquarters as well and the new look was greatly appreciated by both customers and his employees.

The idea of becoming a franchise of a national parts chain was put aside as too complicated for the moment until the idea of creating a holding company was put forward. The holding company could become the owners of the parts stores and put one next to each shop for quick delivery of parts but also be available for the shade tree mechanic and other shops. Parts would be wholesaled to the repair shops, all of them, competitors and Thomas's alike.

It had been almost a year since Stacey and Mark had made peace with each other. They now were communicating better. They were telling each other their dreams and aspirations, something that had been missing before. They were also intimate again. Their sex life was better than before with their new communication level.

Finally Mark came over to Stacey's apartment one evening. For once Mary, the new baby girl, Stacie, and Jeff weren't visiting. Since Mark had come home Jeff had forgiven Stacey and had fully embraced the idea of her being godmother as long as Mark had agreed to be godfather. Mark had wholeheartedly agreed.

After giving her a kiss and a little fondling he had Stacey sit down at the table. "I have something important to discuss with you, if I may." She nodded.

Mark slid a paper over to her. "This is a pre-nuptial agreement. Basically it says that whatever assets we each have coming into a marriage remains that person's property and is exempt from any judgment if we should break up. It also lays out the way increases in assets, such as a house, cars, boats, campers, and other assets should we decide to quit the marriage. There are penalties in case of infidelity. My lawyer says this is pretty much a standard practice these days."

Stacey became a little upset and threw the paper back to Mark. "I don't want it."

Mark smiled at her. "Too bad. I do. I don't want you, any of your family, you dad, or Mary misunderstanding why I want to marry you. If you look on the back side of the paper you will see that I have already signed it and notarized it. It only needs your signature and notary signature and it will be filed with the court." He slid the paper back to her.

"No, no, no! I don't want that. I trust you and I have faith in you. I know you aren't after my money. Haven't we gotten past this yet? Is this going to be always between us?"