Tai's Story Ch. 08

Talia chimed in. "Well Mum I promise it was all Dad. He is an amazing cook."

Luce hugged her. "Hey love I never doubted it, that was Mum is the dubious one." She peeked over at me. "Tai she was absolutely stunned, in a good way though."

Just at that moment Alex decided to make an entrance wrapped in not much more than a blanket. "God that coffee smells great, where's mine!"

The look on Luce's face was a picture. She was flabbergasted. "I will get you some." I replied.

Alex stared down at Luce. "Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt but the coffee smelt so good. That's another talent he has you know, he makes a mean coffee... I am Alex by the way."

Luce looked like she had been slapped with a wet fish. Her face was as red as could be. She turned and glared angrily. "Tai you could have said you had company." She stood up quickly and griped. "I will come and see you later if you can make some time."

Alex interrupted her. "You don't have to leave, once I have my coffee I am going back to bed."

Luce snarled. "I will see you later Tai." She snatched her handbag and headed quickly for the door. Talia gave me a worried look and her and Tane ran after her. I could see them just outside the door as they all hugged as she disappeared.

I shook my head smiling at Alex. "That was bloody mean."

She giggled. "Sorry I didn't realise she was so thin skinned." Tane came back in and he ogled her lasciviously. She was only just covering all her bits. She sniggered. "I am going back to bed." She turned carrying her cup of coffee and headed back into the bedroom.

Tane couldn't wipe the look of astonishment off his face. Talia gave him a playful slap. "Hey bro wipe that look off your face."

He stepped back and looked sheepishly at me. "Sorry Dad.

I patted him on the back. "It's Ok mate it's not me you need to apologise to is it?"

He hunched his shoulders. "No Dad I will say sorry when I see her."

I went back into the bedroom and she was snuggled up on the bed. When she saw me walk in she had a devilish smirk painted on her face. "Well I see that put the cat among the Pidgeon's. She didn't look happy."

I shook my head in mock anger. "That was mean Alex. You did that on purpose."

"Tai baby you have been too easy on her she has acted like a real bitch to you and I wanted to make her see what it feels like." It's not like she didn't know you were dating me."

"I was more worried about the kids." I mumbled.

She giggled. "You don't have to worry about Talia she is cool and we get along great. She loves you. You don't have to hide from her."

"Yeah I was more worried about Tane. He is at a very impressionable age."

As I climbed out of the shower and she was getting ready to climb in I grabbed her. "Alex if you and Ben aren't getting together is there maybe a chance for us?"

Her face dropped and she suddenly looked serious. "Tai I love Ben, I still hope that he will go off and sow some wild oats, but I also hold out hope that he realises that he still loves and wants me, and of course come back to me. I still love him. This whole thing has been just as difficult for him."

"What you will take him back?"

"In a heartbeat babe. When I said I love him I meant it."

"But he is having sex with other guys."

She laughed. "I don't care about that. I mean I wish I was with him but I don't care. "Tai I know you have struggled with this but it is just sex. It is not love. If he falls in love with some guy then so be it. But the rest of this is just sex, nothing more than harmless fun."

"So there's no chance for us?"

She stood close to me running her fingers through my wet hair. "Tai I like you a lot, in fact its more than that, I love you. Not like I love Ben but I have strong feelings for you I just don't think you could handle being married to me."

I was confused. "Maybe I could."

She giggled that stupid mischievous little titter. "Would you let me fuck other guys?"

That was like a punch in the guts. I couldn't answer. She kissed my cheek and said it again except more forcefully this time. "Would you let me go out and fuck other guys and then come home and tell you all about it. Would you lick their cum out of my pussy? Would you let me blindfold you and have sex with another man on the bed beside you?"

I was totally shocked. She just stared into my eyes stoically. "That's what I thought." She patted my cheek. "Tai, that's what Ben and I shared and it was wonderful. I don't think you could handle it though could you?"

I shook my head. "No I don't think so. Every time you walked out the door would rip my heart out. Fuck it was hard enough letting you go back to Ben."

She grinned. "What about if we found a couple of cute guys would you share them with me? Just like when we were all together."

No that was too much for me. I pulled back and she let me go. "Tai I want to keep seeing you but it's only going to be casual, I don't want to give false hope. I am waiting hopefully for Ben to come back to me."

I left her finishing her shower and went down the kids were sitting talking. I said come on pack up your stuff we are going to the beach. On the way we chatted and Tane asked me about Alex. I explained we were just friends nothing more.

The morning or what was left of it vanished quickly. Tane seemed to have a different opinion of me since he saw Alex this morning. It was like his confidence in me was replenished. He saw me as a man again.

When we were driving home Luce called and asked if we could talk. We met back at the restaurant. The kids gave us some space. What she wanted to talk about was. Her and Mark wanted to get married. She wanted to tell me herself. I guess I should have expected it. We talked about Talia and how she was going. Luce was nervous about her relationship with Samantha and how far it had gone. I was honest and said that they had sleep overs and I wasn't sure about whether they had sex.

She seemed far more at ease about it this time. There were no recriminations... No aspersions were cast at me for letting it happen and Luce seemed to at least be at peace with Talia's sexuality.

Luce and Mark were going up to the gold coast for a few days before flying home. Tane was staying with us and flying home with his grandparents. So over the next few days Tane went to work in the kitchen and he worked really hard especially when Ginger was around. He was smitten with her and she at least seemed mildly interested in him. I didn't understand it but I wasn't going to get in the way. It certainly motivated him.

When the weekend rolled around Tane wanted to go out to watch some motocross. I searched through the paper and found a race was being held just out of town so we decided to go for a look. As soon as Talia found out she wanted to come as well. That meant that Sam was coming as well. We loaded up the car and off we went. Wow it was definitely a step up from what the kids were used to and Tane was blown away by the class. It was pretty impressive. We found a dealer who had some test bikes there and there was a test track set up out the back. Talia talked her way into getting a ride and I am sure it was just to show off in front of Samantha. She was pretty good and soon she had the bike flying and she was showing off. The look on Samantha's face was shock. She was transfixed as she watched Talia pulling wheelies and doing stunts. A couple of the mechanics and dealer reps were pretty impressed as well. One of them came to talk to me as she was racing around. He asked if she was interested in trying out for their team. When Talia came in from her test ride the dealer caught her and we chatted. Talia shook her head as much as she had enjoyed it she was committed to school and helping me at the restaurant.

That amazed me. She was turning down a ride on a dealers supplied bike... Meanwhile Tane was out having his ride and he really turned it on. He had improved hugely since I had seen him ride last time. He was really burning up the track and he attracted some attention from the dealer as well. I explained that he was only on holiday at the moment. The dealer still went to talk to him after the ride. He was happy to talk and I could see his mind going flat out as he thought things through.

Later as we were driving back to town he asked what would happen if he wanted to come and live with me as well? I explained that before we talked about it he would need his mother's consent but he always had a place with me.

Over the next few days we talked about it a lot but in the end he decided to stay with his Mum. It was a bit of a sad day when he left. Talia was really distraught. She had loved having her brother there with us.

The next month or so was absolutely crazy. The restaurant was sold out night after night. Alex was staying with us a lot and she and Talia became closer than ever.

The thing that was killing me was there was no time to dress up. I still felt way to subconscious around Talia and I certainly wasn't putting myself out there in front of Sam and she was virtually living at our place.

As each day passed I was becoming more and more irritable it was having a negative effect on me and I didn't like it.

Talia picked up on it as well and commented. "Dad what is wrong with you lately? Is work getting to you? You seem so grumpy lately. You snap at everyone including me."

I sighed. "I'm sorry hon I guess things are sort of getting to me. I don't mean to be like that."

"Is something worrying you dad? Is it Alex?"

"No baby it's just everything I guess. The restaurant is going so well I can't believe it."

She smiled. "Dad the restaurant is incredible so what is it. Something is bothering you." She picked up my hand and held it. "Dad you can talk to me, you can tell me anything I am not going to judge you. I just want to help. Just tell me, get it off your chest, you know you want to."

"No I don't hon its personal. Just give me some time and I will get over it."

"No sorry Dad is it me and Sam? Is it something we have done? Is it because we are around too much?"

"No hon it's nothing to do with you it's just things."

I saw the look on her face change. "Is it because Amy isn't around much?" I never give her enough credit she is very insightful. "It is isn't it Dad? That's what this is all about. You miss Amy."

"Yes I guess things have changed and... Oh I don't know hon. Things have just got on top of me."

We fell into a hug. "Dad I have told you that it's OK I would love for Amy to be around more."

I snapped quickly and vociferously. "No, no, no... that is not happening. I am not comfortable or confident enough for that."

She started crying. "I'm sorry I have ruined your life haven't I. We have taken all your space." She sobbed softly. "Maybe it would be best if I leave."

I gave her a shake. "Don't be ridiculous you aren't going anywhere. I love having you in my life It is what I always wanted. I adore you. No I need you here with me."

"But it's making you sad and miserable."

"I just feel a little down at the moment. It's not just Amy, there are lots of things and that's just a tiny part of it." I gave her a peck on the forehead. "Never for one minute think you aren't welcome here. I would give my life to have you close." As we hugged her I pulled her hand and dragged her with me. "Come on I need to start getting ready for tonight. Let's go and have some lunch. You can give me a hand."

After the doors were closed at the end of the night and we were all sitting around having a few drinks and patting ourselves on the back I noticed Evie and Talia spent a lot of time sitting together talking and every time I went over they both shut up. It was very unnerving.

Alex turned up a little later out of the blue and before she was even in the door Talia had cornered her as well.

Since Ginger and Alex had drifted apart. Things had been pretty tense between them recently. The pair hardly talked and there was now a rift between them. The fact that Alex and I were seeing each other at first drove a wedge between Ginger and I but recently that had changed day by day we talked a little more and she started to open up to me and we had become maybe not friends but more than boss and employee. She explained that she was angry at Alex. She wanted a loving relationship not something that revolved entirely around sex. The more we talked the more open she became.

That night as I watched Alex getting grilled by Talia and Evie Ginger came and sat beside me. "What's that all about?" She asked gesturing towards the three of them.

"I don't know but it doesn't auger well for me that is for sure."

As we talked I got brave enough to broach a subject that had been bubbling inside of me and I asked. "Have you always been interested in girls?"

She sighed looking at me sheepishly, almost apologetically, her eyes dropped and she couldn't look at me. "No Alex is actually the only woman I have ever been with." She fidgeted as she looked at the floor. "It was so passionate and intense completely different to any of the guys I have dated." She sighed deeply. "It was so incredible, she swept me away and I had such high expectations. She seemed so incredible, god I miss her."

"So what happened?"

"She lost interest or something, I don't know really. She wasn't interested in a relationship, well not a long lasting one. All she wanted was sex." She sighed again. "Well at least she was honest I mean she didn't try to trick me. She said outright she wasn't looking for anything permanent."

I could see how effected she was so I gave her a hug. "I am sorry Ginger she can be cruel."

She changed the subject. "What about you? How are you guys getting on?"

I laughed. "Same deal as you actually really. I am just her booty call."

She looked quizzically at me. "So is that all you are looking for? Is that all you want from life?"

I shook my head. "No not really. I mean she has always been upfront with me. But after Ben and her split up I was hoping that maybe there was something there."

Her face screwed up into a tight grimace. "So you knew Ben? Did you three have something?"

I had let the conversation drift to a place I didn't want but I was trapped. "Yes when I first met Alex I didn't know about Ben but after a few dates she introduced us and we sort of had a thing for a while."

"Wow I didn't know you were gay. Guess it should have been obvious seeing as how you are a chef."

I laughed out loud. "Jeez not all chefs are gay you know."

She laughed along with me. "Yes sorry that's a bit of a stereotype I suppose." She played with her hair. "So are you Bi or something?"

I cringed at her words which struck me more like an accusation. "It's a little more difficult than that. I guess I am Bi in some way. Ben is the only guy I have ever been with so it was new to me and I never really understood why. It's the reason Alex and I broke up. She wanted it to remain a threesome and when I told her I didn't want to see Ben sexually it got a bit twisted. She pushed me away and we lost touch. We only reconnected after Ben walked out."

She nodded. "Oh I see, so you like girls more?"

"I was never attracted to men before and I have never looked at any other guys. I can't explain it. Alex has a way of getting me to stretch myself. This restaurant was her and Ben pushing me. It wouldn't have happened otherwise. So I am extremely grateful for that."

Just then Alex walked up and interrupted my train of thought. "What are you two little pervs talking about? It better not have been about me."

I grinned. "Well what else do we share in common? Of course we were talking about you."

She leaned down and kissed Ginger and not in a friendly greeting sort of way this was passionate and Ginger was lost in the moment unable to fend her off. I sat there staring enviously. Alex had her under a spell Ginger was swimming in a sea of sensuous head spinning desire and I couldn't blame her.

Alex had been spending a few nights a week with me and staying over but tonight she stared me in the eye as she pulled Ginger up into a hug and led her wordlessly out the door. Ginger looked back over her shoulder apologetically as they were closing the door. Her face was a mask, she looked confused but her cheeks were a fiery red. This was Alex being her demonic worst. She was proving who the real boss was. She had told me she was bored with Ginger and had lost interest. This was her tormenting me, it was cruel because she was using Ginger, as sad as I was for myself, I felt worse for Ginger she was just going to be collateral damage..

As the crowd thinned Talia came and sat with me. I mumbled. "Hon you shouldn't be up this late. You have school tomorrow."

She nodded. "Sorry Dad I got carried away, goodnight." She kissed me and disappeared.

Evie came and stood beside me as I locked up. "Tai you need to let Amy out to play. What do you say we have a girl's day tomorrow? We could make a day of it."

"I can't, I have Talia to consider and I don't want to embarrass her."

"Idiot." She smirked. "Talia doesn't care in fact she likes Amy to be around. This was her idea she thinks that is the reason you are so down at the moment and I agree with her you need to let the reins go and let Amy out. You can't convince me you don't want to."

I did want to it was exactly what I wanted to do and every day the urge grew stronger and stronger. "Yes OK but we have to be back before Talia gets home from school, plus I have heaps to do."

She kissed me. "OK tomorrow as soon as Talia leaves call me and we will go to a spa and get pampered."

The deal was done. That night all I could think of was the look on Ginger's face as she kissed Alex. God the pair of them were so sexy.

The next morning Talia was up early as she raced around getting ready for school. She looked to be in a very jubilant mood as she scoffed her breakfast down and headed for the door. She gave me a kiss goodbye and called out as she headed to catch the bus. "Um Dad I am going to Sam's place after school if that's OK?"

I smiled knowing she had worked that out with Evie. "Yeah no worries hon, see you tonight."

I quickly dived into the bedroom and worked on my makeup. I was just about done when Evie turned up. She kissed me. "Wow babe you look delicious."

"Thanks." I muttered as I rummaged through the wardrobe looking for the right dress.

Evie pushed me aside. "Here get out of the way. I will find something for you." She chose a simple light blue cotton dress that showed plenty of leg. "Here put this on." She mumbled as she pulled out all my shoes. She settled on my three inch silver sandals.

I was just pulling up my pantyhose as she handed them to me with my silver sequined clutch purse.

With a final touch up Evie led the way out to the car.

We went straight to the salon she had chosen where we had our hair done and facials. The stylist giggled. "Do you girls have hot dates tonight?"

"No we are just having a girl's day." Evie replied.

The stylist Kate whispered in my ear. "Baby if you need a date later then give me a call."

I blushed at her obvious advance. I was struck for something to say so I just bit my tongue as she slid her card into the top of my bra. Evie just laughed.

As we walked out of the salon Evie said. "Right lets go and sample some of the opposition's wares."

I was still unsure about going out in public but my mood was so bright and I felt pretty.

As we were about to walk into a restaurant not two blocks from the Red door we bumped into Ginger. I didn't see her at first, it wasn't until Evie called out loudly. "Hey babe over here." As I looked to where she was shouting and waving there was Ginger walking across the road towards us. I was aghast what the fuck. There was nowhere to hide, I was trapped.