Memoirs of a Swinger Ep. 32

"He does love his little elf," Carly said sweetly.

"How long the store can continue is another matter though. We're only really breaking even," Sam added more seriously.

"When I couldn't dance any more I started to help in the shop but we're so broke," she laughed, "so I work at the coffee shop now. It's also why we did last night's party. They pay well but they're not really our thing."

"But with a double first from Cambridge you could get another job tomorrow if you wanted," I said.

"I don't really want another job," Sam replied. "I just want to run my store."

"We'll find a way," Carly told Sam squeezing his hand.

"Don't you wish you could use some of what you've learned though?" I asked.

"To be honest, yes, I do," he admitted. "But I'd be rubbish in the real world. I'm just not cut out for it."

Carly changed the subject and asked, "So what do you guys do?"

"I work in a hospital laboratory and Steven works for a venture capital company," Lesley told them.

"Which one?" Sam asked.

"It's called Durolitum."

"I know it," he acknowledged. "They're doing pretty well. They've just restructured to move into new technologies haven't they?"

"Sam reads the Financial Times when the shop's empty," Carly explained.

"Steven's in charge of the new technology investments division," Lesley said proudly.

"So that makes you Steven Carter then," he said "You just won a big deal with Obermann didn't you?"

"You're well informed."

"It's a blessing and a curse. Once I read something I can't forget it. How's the new job going?" he asked.

"It's challenging," I said. "Finding the right companies to invest in is hard but we also have this side project providing modernisation consultancy to Obermann. There's plenty to do there, automation, business systems, product design. Trying to find the right people to work on it is much more difficult than I thought it would be."

"You should employ Sam," Carly said in a voice that had both ridicule and desperation in it.

"Come back in six months," Sam joked. "If the shop has folded I might be biting your arm off by then."

Lunch was ok. It wasn't great, but it was ok. Afterwards we walked along the high street, going into the few shops that were open on a Sunday. Glastonbury has always had that slightly hippy feel to it and if you wanted incense burners or cheesecloth shirts and flowing dresses, this was the place to come to. There were also a few antique book sellers. We went into one of the shops and Carly asked the owner whether they had any books on elves.

"We've got Tolkien," he said. "Otherwise we've got two copies of Richard Doyle's 'In Fairyland'."

"Could I have just a look at 'In Fairyland' please?"

The bookseller was a nice guy and although he could see that Carly couldn't afford the book he wasn't busy so he fetched it out for her. Its full title was 'In Fairyland - A Series of Pictures from the Elf World' and it was a second edition from 1875. As far as I could see, it consisted of a series of colour plates made into a book, along with a poem. The pictures were pretty, if you liked elves and fairies that was.

Carly and Lesley delicately turned the pages of the book and cooed at the pictures.

"Thank you," Carly said when they'd finished. "It's beautiful. If I had the money, I'd buy it."

"You're welcome," the kindly bookseller told her.

"How much is it?" I asked.

"Eighty five pounds," he replied.

It seemed a lot for a book, even one that was over a hundred years old, but what did I know about books.

"And you have two?"

"Yes, they both came from the same family."

"Could we have a look at the other one?"

The bookseller eyed me up, not sure if I was having a joke at his expense but clearly not confident I was wasting his time either. He fetched the other book and laid it down on the counter.

"There's the same inscription in the front of both books but to different children," he told us.

It was strange to think that these books had been given as presents over a hundred years ago and that, however young they'd been, the recipients had now almost certainly passed.

"Would you take a hundred and sixty for the two?" I asked.

"I would."

"Then I'd like to buy them as gifts for a fairy and an elf."

Carly became a bit tearful. She could see the way the conversation had been going but when it was confirmed she couldn't help herself. Lesley hugged her and let Carly cry into her shoulder.

"You don't mind do you?" I asked Sam.

"No, not at all," he said, "It's very generous of you and I think you've made an elf very happy."

"And a fairy too," Lesley added as she comforted the emotional Carly.

Fortunately the bookseller accepted credit cards. He had to phone the card company for confirmation but, when it was given, the sale went through. He asked the girls who wanted which book but they decided to leave it to chance. So he wrapped both books securely in brown paper and handed each girl a package. Carly hugged me and buried her head in my chest then wouldn't let go for ages.

Afterwards we wandered around Glastonbury Abbey. Lesley was being very affectionate and it was nice to walk hand in hand with her. Carly and Sam did likewise, Carly clutching her book close to her chest.

The abbey had a tea shop, so we had a cream tea then we got back on our bikes and, after riding out past Glastonbury Tor, we headed for home.

When we got back, Sam and Carly came in for a drink before heading on to the 'Isle of Dogs'. Suzy and Uwe were lounging on the sofa when we got home and we all had a cup of tea together. I tried to catch Uwe on his own and when I did I had a word with him.

"How's it going?" I asked.

"I've had a great weekend," he said. "Thanks for letting me stay."

"You're very welcome," I told him. "So will we be seeing you again?"

"I'm not sure," he replied. "One moment Suzy says she's not looking for a boyfriend, the next she's getting moody about me going back to Germany. I think she's worried that if she went out with me she'd lose what she has with you guys. I've tried to tell her I'm ok with it, but I don't know."

"Do you like her?"

"I do."

"Leave it with me," I told him. "I can't guarantee anything though. In the meantime can I ask you a favour?"

"Sure."

"Could you try and have a quick chat with Sam, in German? If you could ask him about his Masters' in robotics then that would be even better."

"Ok."

Uwe had no problem engaging Sam in a chat about robotics and I could see that Sam had no problem communicating in German. Although I couldn't understand most of what they said I could see that they both talked enthusiastically.

Carly and Sam left at six thirty. Carly couldn't stop thanking me for her present. It was a nice feeling to be able treat her.

"When will we see you both again?" she asked.

"We're busy for the next couple of weekends," I said.

Carly pulled a long face and stuck her bottom lip out.

"But how about the weekend after?" Lesley suggested.

"I guess," she said.

"We're not usually this busy," Lesley added.

"You could come for the weekend," I offered.

"We've got the store to run on a Saturday," Sam said apologetically.

"Well come on Friday anyway and we'll cook for you. Then we'll all come and help in the store on Saturday," I suggested.

Carly smiled. "We'd like that."

"It's a date then."

Carly gave me a long lingering farewell kiss and as she did so she ground her body up against me. It was as deliberate as you like and although I knew she was teasing me, I still desperately wanted to fuck her...

It was almost eight by the time we got to Daniel and Kate's. Kate wanted to know all about the party and Lesley told her in intimate detail what had happened with Richard and Annabelle and then with Sam and Carly. Kate had been looking forward to getting the thumbs up from Lesley and all told the recommendation that Lesley gave was positive.

When Daniel and I went outside to smoke a cigar he thanked me for my part in convincing her.

"I think maybe we should let you go by yourselves next time," I told him. "It'll be more of an adventure for Kate and less of a competition with Lesley."

Daniel laughed. "I'd been thinking the same thing," he said, "but I didn't want to suggest it. Maybe we could all go to the one after."

"Lesley would like that," I said then changing the subject, "Can I ask you a work question?"

"Of course."

"This guy we met. Sam. I was thinking of hiring him as a contractor. Just for a couple of days a week. He's clearly a genius and we could use someone with his intelligence. Plus I was thinking of offering Uwe a job too. He's German, his parents are known to Ferdi and he'd make a great local contact for Obermann. I was hoping I could get him to split his time between here and Munich."

"I'm guessing Lesley's slept with both of them?" Daniel asked with perhaps a hint of jealousy.

"That's why I'm asking for your advice."

"You asked for complete discretion over who you hired, Steven. So in the end it's your decision. If you hire this Sam as a contractor then you can part company with him easily enough so I don't see that as a problem. Have Blackfinch check him out to be sure though. As for Uwe, well, he's already in Markus and Heike's inner circle so I've no doubt you can trust him."

"He's sweet on Suzy."

"I know," Daniel laughed. "She needs a boyfriend and I think Uwe ticks pretty much all of the boxes."

"So you wouldn't have a problem if Suzy brought him along on pizza night?"

"No, I wouldn't." he laughed.

"Is Suzy staying with you while Kate's away?" I asked.

"She is, why?"

"Expect to have deep conversations about Uwe followed by periods of moping then."

"Well you'd better get on and hire him quick."

Later that evening, in bed, I could tell that Kate was jealous of Carly. Not so much because I'd slept with her, but because I'd bought her a present. It was childish and she knew it, but it didn't stop her. When she saw the marks on my back where Carly had scraped her nails into me, it only made the situation worse. I tried to change the subject and eventually succeeded in talking about Poppy and her operation.

"You're still coming out next weekend aren't you?" she asked. "You're not seeing Carly again?"

"You know we're all coming out," I said.

"And the week after?"

"For our dirty weekend you mean?"

"Yes," she said trying to stifle a giggle.

"I'll check with Carly," I joked.

"It's not funny Steven. I can't just let these floozies walk in and steal you off me."

"Kate, you are possibly the most beautiful woman on the planet."

"I don't care about that. I just want to know that you love me."

"I love you very much," I told her. "And I've told you before. We're all going to grow old together. I promise."