The Love Shack Pt. 02

Jen hesitated for a second. "I might as well tell you. You'd find out sooner or later anyway. Bonny is into that lifestyle in a big way now. She partners up with Booger to attend the events and isn't particularly discreet about it. She says now that she's single it shouldn't matter what anyone thinks. Your kids aren't particularly happy with her right now."

I'd tried to shield the kids from the fallout of our divorce, but they were adults and pretty sharp, so it didn't take long for them to find the truth. They still had a relationship with their mother, but it was strained right now. Our baby, July, took it hardest and hasn't really spoken to her in months. Bonny blames me, even though I've refused to discuss our breakup with them.

We spent the last couple of days together mostly talking and cuddling. I was leaving with her, breaking my self-imposed exile. Time to rejoin the living. We had a pretty frank talk just before we left.

"I don't know about you, but I'd like to continue seeing you when we get home. Maybe we're just rebound lovers, but I'd like to see if there's more."

I kissed her. "I'll be seeing you until you find someone else or tell me to stop." I groped her a little to make my point, pinching a nipple lightly. She jumped, grinned, and locked down on my crotch.

"I'm not looking for anyone else."

*****

So, if I was in a committed relationship, why was I in bed with Vickie?

Jen and I were pretty much an established couple after a few months. She wanted to move in and I was seriously considering it. We both agreed we didn't want a marriage right now, but we did want a partner. Jen and I were at a restaurant when Vickie and Rhonda came in. They saw us and looked uncertain until I waved them over. By now it had been over a year since the infamous island trip.

We stood, hugging and insisting they join us. We made a little small talk and then Vickie grinned. "So, you and Jen? I figured that might happen. Jen's had the hots for you for a long time."

Jen flamed red and the grins got wider. "I knew if you got to him first, we were out of luck. I ought to be pissed but I'm happy for you both. Still, it doesn't mean we regret not hooking up with both of you."

Curiosity got the better of me. "Have you taken more little vacations since the islands?"

Rhonda chimed in. "You mean have we tried swinging again? No. The last time wasn't exactly memorable, except for Jason and Annette."

She hadn't gotten it out of her mouth before the happy couple walked in. They were looking around for a table, saw us, had a quick discussion, and walked back out the door.

"Jason! Wait! I'd like to talk to you for a minute, if you would. Annette too. Will you come back in and join us? I promise there will be no fireworks."

He looked at her and she nodded slightly. Annette had dyed her hair and let it grow out. The almost platinum tresses contrasted nicely with the creamy tone of her skin. "Nice do, girl. You're going to show Beyonce up if you're not careful. Do the carpets match the drapes now?"

She stiffened and then giggled. "I thought you would remember, Grunt. The carpet is gone."

"How could I forget? Then again, that was a year ago and things could have changed by now."

By now we were back inside and three anxious women watched us approach. Annette pulled Jen up and hugged her, then she looked at Vickie. "Damn girl, help me out here. I don't think I'm strong enough to pull those big ol' titties up. Give me a hug."

Vickie bounced up; Rhonda right behind. Annette hugged both, and all the girls hugged Jason. We pushed two tables together and it was just like old times, as long as no one brought up the recent past.

Jason was uneasy so I brought it up to clear the air. "Jason, I just want you and 'Nette to know I bear you no ill will. I don't think either of you fooled around with Bonny but if you did, well, that's what we were there for. Everybody that stayed after Jen and I left had to follow their own conscience."

Jason said he would be more comfortable talking in private, and no more was spoken of it. We'd been there an hour when I realized how much I had missed this. Finally, the wait staff was giving us pointed looks, so we paid the bill and left a big tip. We all stood outside, not wanting to lose the feelings of rekindled friendship. I had an inspiration.

I grabbed Jen's hand and called over my shoulder. "You guys follow us!"

I wondered if they would do it but every car fell into line. I'm sure they were shocked when I pulled into the parking lot of our old Love Shack. Even though I didn't renew the lease, I let Bonny and Jules use it until their last customer was gone. That had been two weeks ago. I changed the locks and video surveillance and no one got in without keys. I called the security office on the way over, telling them it was me about to go in and I was going to cut the cameras on the inside off for a while, and would notify them when I switched them back on.

I had my own selection of spirits in a lock box, so I pulled it out and set the bottles on the bar. Jen would want a cosmo, so I fixed her one, then doing mine, three fingers of bourbon and two ice cubes with water on the side. I proposed a toast when everyone had their choice of drink in their hand. "Here's to the two people who haven't had sex in this room. To you, Jason and Jen."

Everybody laughed. We relaxed and talked for two hours before we called it a night, just enjoying the company. I'd only had the one drink and Annette had only two, so she drove Jason home while I piled Vickie and Rhonda in ours and took them home with us. Vickie could walk, barely, but I had to carry Rhonda in. I took their shoes off and Jen loosened their clothes and we left them. We had just settled down when we heard the giggles that rapidly turned to grunts and squeals. Jen thought it was an excellent idea for us of make our own noise, so we did.

Working construction for thirty years makes you an early riser whether you want it or not, so I was up fixing everyone breakfast at eight. Thirty minutes later Vickie stumbled out completely naked, those glorious breasts wobbling enticingly. I grinned. "Vic, don't get close to the stove. I don't want bacon grease to splatter on you."

She looked down; saw she was nude. Coloring a little she started back towards the bedroom, then turned around. "It's nothing you haven't seen before, and I'm dying for a cup of coffee." She fixed a cup, then sat down while I finished breakfast like it was the most normal thing in the world to be sitting at my kitchen table naked. Rhonda walked in twenty minutes later, took one look at Vickie and grinned, sliding the tee shirt she'd borrowed from Jen off. Then she got a cup of coffee, slid in besides Vickie, and asked if her head hurt. They were both a little hung over, but not as much as they thought they would be.

Jen came out last, in a gown. She stopped for a minute and stared, then whipped it off, and I had the pleasure of serving breakfast to three naked women.

They stayed most of the morning, then left with hugs and kisses. I grinned at Jen as she loaded the dishwasher. "I believe we're all friends again."

She gave a quiet little laugh. "They'd like to be even more friendly. They told me the worst thing about the island trip was missing their chance at you. And me."

I was a little surprised. Jen had never expressed any interest in women. "Would you have done it?"

She paused, thinking. "I think I would have, given the time and place. I've always been curious and that would have been a safe place to explore it. I still have a vision of all of us rolling around and wrecking a bed together."

Something to think about.

*****

Jason called me the next day, asking me to come out to the studio. "I may have to expand. I've added more staff, a couple of really good producers and engineers. Gerry is trying to talk me in to forming my own label to maximize profits. I'm thinking about it. I'd like your opinion on a remodel."

His business must be booming. The building was not quite two years old. I know he used Jules to house the artists there to record. They only stayed two to four weeks, usually, and she had set a couple of houses aside just for Jason. If anything was damaged beyond normal wear and tear, it was in the contract that they were responsible for repairs. One rock group got wild and trashed a house, but the management paid for repairs with no complaint. They wouldn't be housed by us again.

I agreed to come over late the next afternoon. I was surprised to see the place packed. Jason grinned at me. "Musicians aren't exactly early risers. Some, if the juices are flowing, record until dawn. We make adjustments, and if the producer and engineer are agreeable, they stay. Got some pretty good product out of those midnight sessions." He pointed to a gold record on his wall. It was from the first country artist he'd worked with, and the title was Midnight Sessions.

He led me to his office, and I stopped for a second in front of Earl's bass. "I just left it there. I figured sooner or later you'd want it back; all you have to do is say the word."

"I think it's happier here, among the music."

Jason nodded, the understanding between one musician and another. "Still play?"

I did. My equipment was currently being stored at the Love Shack, but I kept an old Martin with me, and sometimes, especially right after the island, I played, trying to fill the hole in my heart. It didn't of course, but it still made me feel better.

Jason grabbed a couple of guitars. "Let me play you something. Tell me what you think."

He played in a finger picking, easy jazz style, the notes soaring up and dropping down. I thought it was one of the most impressive things I'd ever heard and told him so when he finished. He laughed.

"It is pretty good, even if I wrote it. Now I have to find words for it. Earl was the lyricist in our partnership and I struggle with it. It took me four months to finish 'Daughter'. Earl always told me you were the best lyric writer he'd ever seen."

That surprised me no end. Earl and I had tried writing a few times, when no one else showed up for practice. I thought the shit was pretty juvenile even back then, and told Jason so.

He just laughed and handed me the other guitar. "Think about it." Then we played for almost an hour, old Out Cold songs, a couple of Tom Petty including 'Wildflowers", and a Bob Segar song I'd always liked. Jason had a good if not strong voice, and I thought it all sounded great.

We put the guitars away and talked about his expansion. "You'll have to go vertical, Jason; you don't have enough property to go out."

You could tell that had not occurred to him. "A second story?"

"You're zoned multilevel. I'd go three at least, to leave room for expansion if it becomes necessary in the future. If you don't need it, you can always rent it out and generate a little income, to help defray the cost of the expansion."

Jason was really excited about the idea. "Will you do it? I was going to ask you a couple of months ago, but we haven't spoken since the trip, and I thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. Man, you were my best friend since back before Earl died. It hurt to not talk to you for so long."

I was surprised but then I thought about it. He was right. Maybe because of the connection through Earl, I had bonded with Jason. More so than my old friends. I missed his wit and Annette's razor-sharp sarcasm more than I cared to admit. "Wanna talk about it now?"

"I knew you were against it at first. I told 'Nette that I didn't think you could do it. Bonny kept insisting you were fine with it, and when you agreed I figured you were. I gotta tell you, 'Nette and I laughed our butts off when you put the no Will proviso in the plans. We watched you on the plane down, and we both agreed you didn't look happy. She told me when it came down to it, she didn't think you could handle it, and she was right."

"So, what happened after Jen and I left?"

Jason grinned. "Well, Will and Grace showed up. It coupled with you leaving gave me a bad feeling. He was out of action, though, his balls were swollen to the size of baseballs and he sat around with an ice pack on it for two days."

"Booger and Bonny kept insisting everything was fine but we weren't buying it. Vickie and Rhonda had decided they weren't going to fuck Booger. Man, he was really pissed when they told him. Insisted they were breaking the rules."

Vick laughed. "What fuckin' rules? The agreement was to have sex with anyone you felt comfortable with, and Rhonda and I have decided you creep us out a little, so no pussy for you."

He stopped, remembering, a small smile on his face. They locked their doors after Annette and I got there. We had our own little party. It's a good thing all the girls were bi or they would have been disappointed. It was still a good time and I did manage at least once with all of them. It wore me out."

Then he frowned. "Before we go any farther, I need to tell you this. The girls left me sleeping and went out to get breakfast. I woke up with someone riding my cock and wailing. By the time I realized it was Bonny I was already halfway there so I let it happen. When we got ourselves off, I got out of bed and ranted a little, but she just smirked and suggested we do it again. About that time the girls got back and they sent her away."

"This is the hard part. Later on, we decided to go to the beach one last time before we left. We went around the bay and found Bonny with Booger and two strangers. They were really into it and didn't even see us. We went back, packed up, and left. I think it took Bonny two days before she returned."

Curiosity got the best of me. "I wonder what made her do that? Go from a faithful loving wife to a dick seeking missile in less than a year? She never explained it in our sessions other than saying she was feeling old and unattractive and wanted to try other men before she got too old."

"Shallow as it sounds, Jim, that's probably true. She had to have been thinking about it before Will came back into your lives. He found the spark and threw gas on it, until she had stopped thinking with her logical brain and started using her lizard brain. On some level she had to know doing it might cost her you, but whether it was a conscious decision or not, she made it. I think everything that's happened afterwards was because she knew she never had a real shot at getting you back. A love the one you're with mentality. You should talk to Annette; she has probably got more insight into it than I do. Most of what I'm telling you came from her."

He was probably right. Annette was a high school guidance counselor, with appropriate degrees. I made a note to take her to lunch. Jason changed the subject. "So, you and Jen? Cradle robber!"

He was grinning as he said it and I grinned back. "Yeah. Me and Jen. I don't know for how long, the age gap is pretty big, but for right now I think we both need this. We make each other happy and more importantly we trust each other."

We made plans to bring the architect we used for the original building in for a consult, to see if upper stories were viable and I left, feeling a lot better.

*****

I did take Annette to lunch to talk about what happened. "Believe it or not, she did what many women do when they start feeling old and undesirable. It doesn't matter if their spouses still love them and find them attractive, they feel like they need outside validation. Most don't take it to the extreme Bonny did, but it happens. Plus, the atmosphere of these times is a lot about women empowerment. Read any major women's magazine and there will be at least one article on it. Many, while not actually condoning it, hint that affairs can be good things and enrich their relationships. Look at Ashley Madison and the scores of others that are out there promoting extramarital sex. It's big business right now."

"Shouldn't they have realized at some level how dangerous this could be?"

"Most do, but they minimize it. Most situations weren't like ours, usually it's one spouse going behind the back of the other and trying to keep it secret. A lot, of course, get caught. Many more don't. The latest data show that women who cheat, even if they do it for years, rarely get caught. More than three quarters get away with it and take their secrets to the grave. It's the same for men. The numbers are a little lower, but not by a lot. It's estimated that in 70% of all marriages, at least one of the partners strays."

"Those are pretty depressing numbers, 'Nette."

She sighed. "Depressing but true. Say your child starts kindergarten today. By the time they graduate high school, 54% of their classmates will be children of divorces. I can't tell you how many times I've had a crying teen in my office trying to figure it out."

"I couldn't do your job."

"That's because you're more or less a black and white world type of man. My job has me behaving like I'm colorblind. It's all shades of gray, but every once in a while, I help a kid out, and that's what keeps me going."

We ended lunch with a sincere promise to reconnect.

And we did. I started playing golf with Jason and Rhonda again, even though she kicked both our asses on a regular basis. Jen and Vickie would lounge around the pool and then meet us at the nineteenth hole, for a few drinks and a light meal. Jason brought one of his new engineers into our group so we would have a foursome and we disliked him immediately because he beats us all without even trying. Other than golf, he was a hell of a guy, and his wife was a sweetie.

I'd been wrestling with what to do with the Love Shack. I didn't want it so much as I didn't want Bonny to have it, especially when I saw what she was using it for. The alarm had gone off one Saturday just after we had played a round, so we jumped in the cars and went to look. It was nothing, a dead branch on one of the oaks that surrounded the place had finally let go, landing on the deck and up against a glass, triggering the alarm.

The cops came by and satisfied themselves that we should be there, told me I needed a tree service to check those old oaks, and left. Ed and Sandy had never been inside of it, never knew it existed. They were enchanted with the place, and Sandy demanded to know why it wasn't in use any more. Jason shut her down pretty fast, telling her there was a lot of history to the place and he would fill her in later.

Three days later she chased me down to the construction site I was on. I was surprised to see her and she told me it wasn't a social call. She insisted on taking me to lunch while she made her pitch. She had a degree in hospitality management and hadn't found anything she liked since they moved. "I'd like you to reopen the Hall and let me run it. We'll go 50/50 on costs and profits Let's sign a contract for six months, just to see if we can make it."

The idea appealed to me. I wasn't losing anything on the building, but I wasn't making anything either. This would be a good way of keeping the building from falling into disrepair or becoming a vandal magnet. I agreed on the spot, telling her I'd get Gerry to draw up the papers. Sandy expressed concern that since she wasn't local it may be harder to get business. I laughed and told her until we had closed, we basically had a monopoly on the market.

Fate must have had a sense of humor, because at that exact moment Jules walked into the diner. She saw me and started to turn around. We hadn't talked much since the split. I'm guessing she thought her loyalty should be with her sister, and to be honest there was a little resentment on my part. I felt she should have known me well enough to talk Bonny out of bringing up swapping. Water under the bridge now.