Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes

"Nonsense," Oliver proclaimed. "Our family is huge, and there are plenty of young people like you that enjoy sports and activities we no longer do. Things like hiking, biking, snorkeling, swimming in the chilly waters of the Great Lakes, and cliff diving, if that's something you enjoy.

"I can call right now and add a room; they keep several extras for me, because sometimes more come than originally planned. You'll be on my dollar by then anyway, and I'm telling you to take a vacation with your new partner!"

"Then, Sir, we best get serious about finding a location for our office. That's only three weeks from now, and we haven't even spoken to a realtor."

"How much space do you need, and what are your other requirements?" Annika asked. "I happen to know someone who has a couple of offices available in his building."

He gave her the specifications; she nodded, and picked up her phone. "Hi, Daddy. Oh, I'm sitting here with your parents and their new business partners, who are looking for office space.

"Too many questions I don't have the answer for, Daddy; let me let you talk to one of them - his name is Erik."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Olsson. Yessir, that's us. ^ Thank you, we're looking forward to our association with your family, and your father has already taught us a lot. ^ Well, our beginning specs are modest, but will grow as we add staff and servers. For now we need around a thousand square feet of open space, with at least one conference room and decent proximity to restrooms. ^ Yessir, that sounds very doable. Is there any chance we could double that space in 6 months or so, assuming all goes as predicted? ^ Ahh, yes, that sounds very good; we have a deal, Mr. Olsson!

"One question, Sir; what is the finder's fee for such a transaction in Minneapolis? We owe it your daughter. ^ No, Sir, I'm not kidding, she's the one... ^ Oh, okay, I understand. Thank you again, and we will want to move in next week, if that works for you. ^ Thank you Sir, we'll be looking for that in our company email, and we'll see you next week."

Erik returned Annika's phone and solemnly expressed his thanks. "Thank you, Annika. You just saved us a bunch of wasted time looking for office space, setting up utilities and an ISP, and acquiring furnishings. Your father's staff is going to take care of all that for us as soon as we communicate our needs.

"I'm sincere in wanting to pay you a finder's fee, but your dad says you make more than that while you're getting made up for a photo shoot."

She laughed and her eyes sparkled. "Well, my girlfriends and I were just talking about the party we're invited to tomorrow night. Neither Hanna or I have an escort, so if you two are willing to serve in those roles, I'll call it even."

Erik's eyes flickered to Oliver, who disapproved. "Annika, I told you these young men are off limits."

"Please, grandfather! I promise we'll behave."

He sighed and shrugged, leaving Erik and Johnny to decide. Annika turned, waved her friends over, and introduced them all around. Rebekca, Hanna, and Sara all had that 'well-bred look' and sported evidence of their wealth. Hanna was the prettiest, and looked more natural than the other two, who appeared to have been sculpted on a table, or tables.

Having been ignored since she arrived, Johnny had given up his dreams of mating with Annika, but Hanna was certainly an excellent consolation prize. His pleading look almost caused Erik to laugh.

"So, ladies, tell me about this party," Erik said.

"Oh, it's going to be FABULOUS," Rebekca enthused. "JoJo is sending a plane to pick us up at six and return us after brunch the next morning. Everyone who is anyone will be there!"

"And where is this plane taking us?" Erick inquired.

"To JoJo's house on the Gold Coast!" Sara explained as if he were stupid. "We'll fly to an executive airport, and one of his limos will take us to the party. I heard Tina Fey and Steve Carell will be there, and that President Obama may make an appearance! Isn't that exciting?"

"So, the cost of a finder's fee is to dress to the nines, fly to Chicago, and spend the night at a celebrity-filled party hosted by someone named JoJo - do I have that right, Miss Olsson? I'm afraid the cost of the Tux will be greater than the fee I had in mind."

"Oh, no! JoJo hates tuxedos!" Rebeka interjected. "He's a tech billionaire, so he doesn't do formal! In fact, you can wear anything you want, including shorts or swimsuits! He has an Olympic-size pool, hot tubes, and a gigantic patio with a bandstand! There are ten bedrooms in his mansion, and he has a block of rooms reserved at the Sofitel!

"He absolutely LOVES Annika, so we'll get first choice of places to stay!"

"Okay, Rebekca, I think they get the gist," Hanna said. "I'm not sure Erik and Johnny are as celebrity conscious as you are. What do you think, gentlemen? Have we scared you off, or are you still willing to pay up?"

Johnny looked like an eager puppy; Erik looked like a dog being led to the groomer. He took a deep breath, looked at Annika, and said, "Okay, if those are the conditions you require, but please understand, introducing me to a bunch of rich and important people or celebrities... well, that's like telling me to taste some rare and expensive wine. I won't have any idea who they are, just as I have no idea what to look for in a wine, so expect to get embarrassed if I'm underwhelmed."

Annika crooked her head and gave him a knowing smile. "You've got me neatly cataloged, don't you? A shallow, insipid, celebrity obsessed, dingbat model, right? How about you suspend judgement for twenty-four hours, beginning when you pick Hanna and me up at three tomorrow?

"We'll have an early meal, make our way to the airport, and you can do anything you chose at the party: stay with me, or as far away as you want. You can even go to the room and stay there until we leave the next day.

"I'd like for you to give me a chance to show you I'm not as stupid and self-centered as you believe, but if you're only doing this as my finder's fee, just keep your money and head on back to Texas. I've been out of the country and didn't get my invitation until this morning, but, believe me; I won't have a problem finding another escort."

Properly chastened, Erik replied, "Jeans and boots okay? Take swimsuits and an overnight bag? Pick you up at three where?"

"Let me airdrop my contact info, and yes, Jeans and boots will be great. Same with the other things but include some shorts; we will return for brunch the next morning, wherever we spend the night, and then decide when to come home."

"How much trouble are we in?" Erick asked Oliver and Maja after the four girls left.

Maja laughed, looked at her husband, and then at Erik and John. "I don't think Johnny is in that much trouble, unless...

"Hanna is a sweet girl from a very good family. She's only available because she broke up with her cheating boyfriend over the weekend, but I think she was done with him before she caught him. He's a Peter Pan - he'll never grow up, and she figured that out a while back.

"She set her eyes on you right away, Johnny, and that's the 'unless'... unless you're commitment shy and don't want a relationship. She not a one-night-stand; she's a girlfriend, fiancé, wife, and mother. So if you're looking for a one night stand, she's trouble for you.

"You, on the other hand, are in deep caca, Erik. If you want I'll count the ways, but let me just say I've never seen her hone in on a man like she did you. Usually, she's all coy, cute, and reluctant while luring men into her web, and then she's brutal.

"You played that role today: slighting her, then ignoring her in favor of her grandmother... shame on you! If I hadn't known better, I'd say you turned the tables on her. Oh, but then she turned them back, didn't she?

"This is going to a most interesting clash of wills, don't you think, Oliver?"

"Unfortunately, my money is on my granddaughter. Erik is a red-blooded American boy who I can tell has had a lot of success with red-blooded American girls, but he's fighting out of his weight class here."

Erik lowered his head; he wanted to disagree, tell them that the nickname he earned his first two years in college was 'The Predator,' and it had nothing to do with being an alien warrior. But he feared the old man was right; he was fighting out of his class.

"I'll take that bet," Maja declared with a thoughtful expression. "I think my granddaughter has run up against a Swede as hard headed and forceful as herself. In fact, I think that's why she invited him to the party - she's fascinated by the possibility."

Johnny and Erik knew they couldn't hold up against the crowd they would be amongst if they tried to be something other than themselves, so they went back to their roots: Wrangler Cowboy Cut jeans with Lucchese dress boots; solid color, long sleeve, western-cut shirts, and Resistol hats.

Their exercise gear, swim trunks, pajamas, and tomorrow's clothing were in their leather duffle bags, with their shaving kits. They got a shocked look from the door attendant when they exited, and from the Lyft driver. The driver made it about a mile before he asked where they were from, which led to a question about why they were dressed cowboy, and then to questions about ranches, cattle, and everything someone born and raised in Minnesota always wondered about Texas.

It was amusing in a way, and interesting in another; obviously, the myths about Texas had spread at least this far north.

They arrived at the impressive condominium complex a few minutes early, but Sara and Annika came right down. As they approached the oversized SUV, the men opened the doors, stepped out, and invited the women to sit in the second row of captain's chairs in the Denali XL. They demurred and insisted on sitting on the third row, which afforded Erik, John, and the driver a glimpse of lovely legs below the short hem of their party dresses as they proceeded to the back.

Having seen numerous print and video spreads of Annika in various stages of undress, her long, shapely legs came as no surprise. Hanna, though - damn! She was shorter, a little curvier, but certainly no less enticing! It was easy to see that the camera would love Annika's lean length, but in person, Hanna's body appeared more swimsuit worthy.

The chairs swiveled, so the men especially enjoyed the drive to the distant airfield where the private jet was waiting. The women had decided that eating at a famous Chicago steakhouse would be a new experience for their unsophisticated and untraveled dates, and had made reservations. Erik and Johnny were definitely dressed for it, and they could imagine the stir when they entered in their glittery cocktail dresses on the arms of their tall, well-built, and very hunky Texans.

Annika had contacted the host's staff, and the limo would be waiting at the airfield to take them to the eatery, and then on a tour of the city before disembarking at the party. With all arrangements made, everyone could relax and get to know the strangers in the vehicle, and then in the plane.

"Where are your other two friends?" Erik asked. "Rebekca and Sara?"

"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you. Their boyfriends got front row tickets to the Harry Styles concert in LA, so they flew west early this morning." Erik sighed in relief; Hanna was okay, and Annika had been pleasant enough; the other two, however, were straight-running rich bitches, in his mind.

Interestingly, the women drank bottled water on the plane, rejecting the attendant's offer of alcoholic beverages. The men followed suit, but both wondered about Annika's reputation as a wild child, as featured in magazines and on entertainment TV. The elegantly dressed and made up young lady sipping a drink looked the part, but Perrier? They expected Sex on the Beach and Jello Shots, not water, even if it was imported French water.

They did create a stir entering the restaurant. Most of it was diners recognizing Annika, but the stir continued as they tried to place the other woman and the two men, who were dressed in jeans and boots! Who were these men, and why was the famous model holding the arm of a cowboy? She was always seen in the company of celebrities of her stature, so was this guy someone they should know?

Erik was uncomfortable with the stares and asides as they were escorted to their private table; Johnny reveled in their notoriety. Hanna was unaffected, having been friends with Annika for so long, and Annika kept talking to her date, seemingly neither seeing nor hearing anyone else.

The menu offered 32-ounce Tomahawks and 48-ounce Porterhouse steaks, but they opted for lighter fare: filets for the women, a slice of prime rib for the men, and the chilled green salad. Their beverage of choice was water with lemon.

Exiting created the same buzz as entering, but Erik was less uncomfortable this time... until they emerged into a storm of photographers, videographers, and cell phones, with a cacophony of screaming voices and shouted questions. Two very large men appeared, opened a path to the limo, and raised the wide batwing door. Hanna pointed Johnny to their previous seats, tugged at Erik and told him to get in, and then she got in and took her place beside Johnny.

Annika paused and posed at the door, turned to address her cheering fans and the jackals with cameras, and sweetly told them, "Thank you so much! I didn't expect to be recognized, much less have an opportunity to see all of you. As you can see, we're on our way to a party at a friend's house, so I'm going to kiss and run! Love you all!"

She blew kisses to the crowd, then dropped into her seat and let the door be closed. Once in the relative quiet of the luxurious vehicle, she shook her head, looked at Hanna and Johnny, and then glanced at Erik. "I meant what I told them - I had no idea something like that would happen! Crowds like that have only happened with I've been with someone truly famous!"

"You mean like pro athletes, movie stars, or politicians? I'm sure they didn't think I was any of those, so that must have been all about YOUR celebrity."

Annika looked at him, trying to discern whether he had meant to embarrass her with references to several of her most famous peccadilloes, or was affirming that it was her fame that drew crowds and paparazzi. She decided to accept his statement as a compliment and was about to respond when Hanna added, "He's right! Those SI photos of you in Tahiti garnered a lot of notoriety and comment in March and April, and then you got the Vogue cover in June! You're big time, Honey!"

Well, she had been out-of-country for a while, and tied into her commitments when in the US, so perhaps she was that well known, on her own. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, although the first 12 years of her career had been all about chasing fame. Had she arrived, just in time to outgrow it?

Their driver was also their tour guide. With the window between them down, he explained he would show them some of Chicago's most famous and interesting sights and sites, which he urged them to visit at the first opportunity. They would stop at one, see how much time they had before their expected arrival at Mr. Griffin's party, and move on. They were already downtown, so Bruce began their tour at Millennium Park and Cloud Gate, then on to Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain, before driving them along the Magnificent Mile, with its unusual architecture and myriad shopping options.

The girls had been adding interesting details along the way, but they were overly familiar with the shopping opportunities along the mile and shared far too much information.

A stop at Navy Pier was next, not for the family-friendly entertainment and rides, but because Hanna had booked a private speedboat tour along the lakefront. Bruce stayed with the limo while they spent 60 minutes leisurely learning about the history and architecture of Chicago, and 15 minutes skimming over the waves getting back. That was definitely leading to a makeup and hair repair, which they executed in the limo while the three men talked about the uniqueness of Chicago.

The hoopla of their arrival at JoJo's party far eclipsed that at the restaurant, mostly due to the colorful greeting by the flamboyant JoJo Griffin, their host. He fussed over Annika and Hanna for a good five minutes, complementing their everything and catching up on their most recent adventures.

Erik and Johnny stood to the side, watching the excess and wondering why they came, until JoJo turned on them. "I'm just sooo excited to meet you. The logistics algorithm you devised to pre-position, position, and coordinate transport is PURRREEE GENIUSSSS!

"And becoming partners with the Olssons? Oh My God! Soon you'll be as well known in the business world as you are in my world - the tech world! Imports, exports, transport - my goodness; you'll have the market covered!"

It's one thing to watch someone else be flattered by a consummate pro: it's something else to have the pro flatter you! And they were flattered, if slightly embarrassed. However, they reciprocated by mentioning some of his best-known programs, and whispering to him about a couple of his not-well- known exploits in the nether world. He rolled his eyes, put his forefinger against his lips, stepped between them, turned, placed an arm around each one's shoulder, and led them the three steps on Annika and Hanna.

"You guys have a great time tonight and make my house your own - pick any room, place this on the door and it's yours for the night, Annika and Hanna. All I ask is that these two strapping young men don't tell any stories in front the judges and lawmen that can get me in trouble.

He hugged their shoulders and scurried off to greet the newest arrivals.

"So... you two ARE famous," Annika proposed.

"Only to a very tiny percentage of the population, if that," Erik replied with a chuckle.

"Our host may have overstated our reputation and accomplishments a wee bit; or perhaps he's the intruder we had to fend off while we were developing our programs," Johnny speculated.

Hanna took his arm and said, "You're going to tell us all about it, but first we're going to get drinks and mingle; see and be seen! It's a star-studded crowd, and we just know you two are going to love at least some of them!"

Tina Fey and was as funny in person as on Saturday Night Live and movies, and even prettier. Jennifer Hudson was gorgeous and personable; Kayne West was an obnoxious, opinionated ass, and Erik felt that way before he tried unsuccessfully to cut Annika out of the herd.

They met Cubs, Bears, White Socks, and Black Hawks, the mayor, two congressional representatives, and a senator.

Even after all that, it was the deep resonance of another voice that caused Johnny and Erik's heads to whip around and their jaws to drop open. JoJo spoke something into the former president's ear, and introduced them. "Mr. President" was all either was able to choke out while shaking his hand, and only Erik was able to respond when he told them, "It's nice to meet you; I've heard good things, and I've told my advisor to invest when you complete the merger."

"Thank you, Sir. We're confident the new company will be successful due to the knowledge and experience our fathers and Mr. Olsson bring to the table."

"Don't be so modest, young man; I already own stock in both companies, but I'm adding more based on the added value you bring. I believe your logistics planning program will make a big difference and open many doors."

Nodding at them to show the conversation was over, he took two steps to Hanna and Annika. "Good evening, young ladies! As always, it's a pleasure to see you both!" He cheek-kissed Hanna, and then Annika, who asked, "And where are your lovely wife and daughters? Surely they didn't let you come to this party unescorted!"