Fate and More

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The chairman's visit was a little black cloud in the blue sky of the opening of the Motor Show, but it couldn't take the sun away! When the PA system announced that the Motor Show was closing its doors for that day, I left the guys doing their job and went home with Kyle. We were exhausted, not so much from a physical effort, but more because we had been on the edge the previous week. We reached home and had a bite thanks to Elizabeth who had left a few of her specialties in the fridge. Kyle didn't like to use the microwave and warmed it up in a more traditional way. We ate and had a glass of wine. When the kitchen was tidied up, we went to bed. I thought we would be asleep before our heads hit the pillows, but Kyle was in a very romantic mood. When he pressed his body against mine and nibbled at my earlobes, I knew I was in for some tender lovemaking. We fell asleep about two hours later, content and fulfilled.

The week of the Motor Show was a busy week! There were a lot of people to attend to. The press had been more than good to me. We reached headlines in more than one local newspaper and even in a few national ones. One of them had even used a very daring headline: "Rolls Royce, look out!". When I reached the office before going to the Motor Show, I saw Jessie with a huge pile of newspapers, cutting out the articles about our cars and pasting them into a big album. I didn't know she was doing that! She showed me what she had done over the years and I was stunned at the album she had made. I really had to give her a bonus or a raise because she was more than worth it.

I thought of calling my lawyer to inform him about what had happened with the chairman. I wanted to be prepared if anything came out of it. Just as George, my lawyer told me not to worry. He said he would go over the latest contract and see if there was anything there that could be used against me, but he thought there wasn't because if he had seen it at the moment of the signature, he would have warned me.

On the stand at the Motor Show, the sales team was doing one hell of a job! They collected a lot of business cards and details of private people who were interested in buying one of our cars. James had his hands full on the stand of the Alberta I and the Jacqueline. Charles was of great help and didn't stop for a minute between the opening and the closing of the show every day, but he seemed to love it. I had the occasion to meet his lovely wife. She came every day around noon, brining him something to eat because she knew that otherwise he wouldn't. She was so proud of her husband! You could almost feel the love that they had for each other. I apologized to her for taking him away from home so often and so much. She said, laughing, that at home he was useless and in her way, so there was no reason to apologize, but I could see in her eyes that she would love to have him home more often.

As we had had no time to test the limousine before the Motor Show, it was something that was still pending. I thought of hiring the private circuit again, but felt that the test was too much in the best conditions. We needed to test the car in rougher conditions. We had to be prepared for all kind of situations. Dirt roads and unpaved streets were also possible (although in lesser ways). I tried to find such a test circuit, but wasn't able to find one in the nearby vicinity. I found one but it was quite far away. Of course, I didn't need it every day. It would have to do, but it was inevitable to have an overnight stay or maybe two. I needed Charles to come along, but felt guilty to take him away from home once more. As Kyle found us a very nice hotel, it occurred to me to ask Charles if his wife wanted to come along and enjoy a weekend in a nice hotel, all costs paid. If she was not interested in the test drives, she could enjoy the complete spa that was available at the hotel. You should have seen his face when I suggested it! It was obvious he liked the idea and the following morning he told me I just had to say when and that his wife and himself would be happy to go along.

We had to invest as well in a new trailer. The one we had was ok for the Alberta I but was far too small for the Jacqueline. We were fortunate enough to find one that was on stock so we didn't lose time for that. The test pilot we had for the Alberta I agreed to test the Jacqueline although he admitted it was the first time he would have to test a town car. We left on a Friday. Charles and his wife followed us in their own car. I was driving the van towing the trailer with the Jacqueline. We arrived and checked-in the hotel Kyle had found. It was very nice and the rooms were spacious with en-suite bathrooms. We had agreed to meet in the lobby to go for dinner and when Charles and his wife came back from their room, Julie was over the moon about the accommodation. We had a delicious meal and enjoyed our evening a lot. We didn't make it too late as we had a hard day waiting for us. Around ten we were back in our room. Although we had a nice sized bathroom at home, this one was just huge. The bathtub was big enough for us two and we didn't hesitate to fill it and soak in the warm water together. As Kyle was the first in the water, I climbed in and rested my back against his chest. The hotel provided natural sponges and Kyle did a wonderful job with them. It was erotic without being obviously sexual. We just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company till the water got colder. After adding warm water twice, our skins were like dried prunes although well hydrated. We fell asleep in each other's arms as soon as we hit the pillows.

A healthy breakfast gave our day a good start. We met our test pilot on the circuit. Charles and I set up our computers and soon the car was making rounds. The stability and safety of the car was once again our primal worry, but the car glided smoothly and securely over the road. The pilot pushed the accelerator and the car followed like a faithful dog follows its master. In the straight lines he pushed the engine to full force and even though I expected it, I was nonetheless impressed with the speed and silence the Jacqueline showed. Charles' wife had disregarded the spa and had come with us. She was a total outsider and her almost na•ve comments were great to listen to. Once the pilot had given us the ok for the road test, Kyle drove the limousine and was amazed at how easy it was to drive, even at high speed. I then let Charles drive it and invited his wife to join him. It was funny how she took great care to keep the car clean. If she had dared she would have brought a towel to put on the seat before climbing in. Charles didn't go to the high speeds the pilot and Kyle had driven. He made me think about the movie of "Driving Mrs. Daisy".

In the afternoon we repeated the tests but on the rough circuit. I told the pilot to drive as if a police car followed him after a robbery. He understood perfectly well what I meant and it was worth most of the action films you saw on TV. When he was finished he said it was the absolute best car he had ever driven, except for the Alberta I that had stolen his heart when he drove it. He was a sports car fan and limousines were not his cup of tea. Nonetheless he said that, just like the Alberta I, the Jacqueline deserved a ten in his books.

The weekend had been, once again, a total success. We could now start the official registration and have the necessary papers to bring the limousine on the road. We drove back to the dealership on the Sunday after a fantastic brunch. We left the car in the workshop to be cleaned and filled up. Once those two things were done, the Jacqueline would receive a well-deserved space in the showroom.

The biggest problem we faced after that was the lack of space. We had the workshops for the regular cars we were selling. We had managed to augment the space and install the workshop an assembling of the Alberta I. But it was impossible to squeeze in the limousine assembly line. We had used up all the available outside space as well. I had a serious dilemma. Or I separated the regular cars and my own brand in two different buildings, or I had to find a bigger space that would allow us to go on like now, but with extra space for the Jacqueline. In both cases we were talking about a new and huge investment. I had the means to do it, but I had to calculate the risks as well. What Kyle mentioned, and had its importance, too, was the fact that I would probably not stop with my creative mood. The chances there would be a third creation and even more was something I had to take into account. But, as it is often the case, even though you buy big, after a certain amount of time, it gets to small again. The sales of the Jacqueline went a bit slower than the Alberta I, but the orders came in in a steady flow. Once again I decided to limit the production to a maximum of fifty cars. If I wanted to keep the car exclusive, I couldn't afford to have more on the roads.

A new aspect for the Jacqueline came up. A few customers were asking for it, but in armored version. This changed the complete technical concept of the car because the total weight was suddenly augmented drastically. Steel plates had to be introduced in the doors. Bulletproof glass had to be used for the windows. The security system for the passengers was totally different. Even the tires had to be changed. With the new supplement of weight, the clutch and the gearbox had to be changed as well, as the car almost doubled in weight. The engine had more than enough power, fortunately. I was faced again with a new dilemma. Were we going to provide the armoring of the car ourselves, or deliver the car to a specialized company to perform the changes? I was not so keen in leaving my "babies" in foreign hands, but to be cost effective I would probably have to. In one of the latest issues of the magazine, he had covered that kind of transformation of cars. He gave me the names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mails of the companies that did that kind of work. There were three companies that had the license to perform those changes. I decided to go and visit them one by one and see which one would appear to be the best. I only wanted the best for our cars.

Kyle had launched the new magazine! It was no surprise there was an article about the Jacqueline in it. I really had to do something to thank him about it all, because most of the articles had been published for free or for a cost that was way below the usual rates. Publishing with Kyle had bee the trigger to a success story as well for Alberta I as for Jacqueline. And in the end, the biggest beneficiary was me! As the designer of the car I received royalties on each car that went out of the door. On the other hand, Kyle was successful thanks to the various reports he had been able to publish thanks to my work. It was a win-win situation.

At home, we limited the time to talk about work to a maximum of one hour a night. If we didn't, we were talking about work till we went to bed and decided it was not really healthy. We had neglected our social life a little because we were exhausted most of the time. Now that the two magazines were selling well, Kyle could at last rest a bit more. I could as well as the dealership ran smoothly. We both were fortunate to have loyal co-workers and well-selected professionals surrounding us. For the first time in years, we realized we could take some time off. Kyle joked about the fact we would probably feel lost without our work and would need some time to adapt in doing nothing work-related, except making love.

We didn't fancy any organized trip, but we needed to get out of our daily routine, even if it was only for a long weekend or a week. We had both been under quite some stress and deadlines and so on. It was essential we had some quality time, thinking just about the two of us and forgetting the pressure of being at the top of the ladder in our jobs. As we couldn't find anything appropriate, we decided to have a tour in the country, by car, and stopping at nice hotels and even better restaurants. Although Kyle turned out to be a better cook every day, I wanted him to enjoy good meals without having to spend considerable amounts of time in the kitchen. For once, I wanted us to be able to sit down and have people waiting on us. We went onto the Net and searched for restaurants with good fame and reputation. We wanted to find five of them and leave two more days to the hazard of what we could find along the way.

We packed some clothes, including a suit and tie outfit in case it was a requirement in some of the more up-scaled places. We threw everything in the back of the car and hit the road. We were lucky with the weather as a bright sunshine and blue sky accompanied us the whole time. Although we were not so far from home, we marveled at the scenery. The countryside was so peaceful. We had driven on those roads before, but always in a hurry to reach or come back from a business meeting. For once, we had the time to look around and discover things we had never seen although they were there for centuries. The first ay we actually had some difficulty in adapting to the fact we were not in a hurry. More than once, when I looked at the speedometer, I realized I was going fast without any need to do so. Ok, we both liked speed, but this time there was really no reason at all.

The first night we stopped at a nice hotel that was a family business. Although the woman at the reception desk was frowning when she saw we had reserved only one room and that we were both men. She was commercial enough to say nothing about it, but we could sense she was judgmental and not approving. We were not going to spoil our only week together with her behavior. We had a room and that was the only thing that mattered to us. We went up and showered and dressed to go to the first restaurant Kyle had selected and reserved.

It was a marvelous experience in that first restaurant. The personnel were very friendly and really professional. The food was excellent to say the least. We enjoyed the "Nouvelle Cuisine" and had a degustation menu of eight courses. Each dish was small but very nice. We thought we would still be hungry when leaving the restaurant, but we were wrong. Except for one course with one (yes one) Brussels sprout, we loved it all. Neither Kyle nor me fancied Brussels sprout! Back at the hotel we went to bed but didn't make love. We still had to disconnect from our daily routine and we didn't felt comfortable with the general atmosphere and the woman's look at the reception desk. We were a little deceived by breakfast because it was just coffee (at least) and rolls. That reminded us far too much about our daily routine.

We were soon on the road again, not letting the hotel experience bother us. We had slept well and the room was clean and the bathroom spacious and that's what we were asking for. On the road to our next destination there were a few points of interest that the GPS indicated us. We stopped at a castle of wonderful architecture. We didn't know if we could visit it, but even then, the sight was worth stopping. We were appreciating the view and making quite some comments and pointing at various things that were worth noticing when a young woman came out of the big double front door. She was nice and really beautiful and didn't appear to be older than twenty. She came over to us and said she saw us looking at the castle and wondered if we were interested in seeing it closer by. We accepted and she gave us the grand tour of the place. It was precious! The furniture and the paintings were of exquisite taste. The back gardens were a perfect example of landscaping according to the nicest castles around the world. That young woman knew all about the castle, his architecture and its history. It was so interesting to listen to her soft and gentle voice. At the end of the tour she invited us to try a port wine they were elaborating in the castle's dependences. It was delicious. We didn't want to impose too long and when we bid our goodbyes, she handed us a business card, saying that the castle was available for corporative events and weddings. I put the card in my wallet after reading her name: Anne-Marie Knightsbridge. I didn't know why, but I had the feeling we would see her again.

We stopped at the nearby village to have a light lunch. We found a little pub with a nice backyard and enjoyed our lunch under a big apple tree. We were served a local rose wine that was unknown to us, but very good. In the afternoon we drove on to our destination and found the hotel without any problem, thanks to the GPS. If we hadn't had that modern tool, I wondered if we would have found it, as it was really secluded. At the reception desk a very good-looking guy attended us. In the corner of my eye I saw a little rainbow flag, discreet although obvious. The receptionist was professional except that he didn't hide the fact he was checking us out. When he handed us our key, he insisted that we'd call him if we needed anything, focusing on the word "anything". I was sure that if he had dared, he would have winked when saying that. Kyle checked on our reservation in the restaurant, as it was in the hotel itself. The receptionist confirmed it and said we could come down at any hour between seven and ten. It was only five o'clock as we went up to the room. Once again we were happy to see it was clean and the decoration was simple and of good taste. The en-suite bathroom was ample and well equipped. Faithful to the little rainbow flag at the reception, we found condoms and lube in the nightstand drawer. As we had time, we took a leisurely shower, enjoying washing each other and working up the sleeping hormones in our bodies. It didn't take us long to sporting ragging hard-ons. Kyle rinsed my nether regions before dropping on his knees under the cascading water and engulfing my manhood deep in his throat. I had to hold on to his shoulders, as my knees got weak. Over the years I had gotten used to the miracles he performed with his lips, tongue and mouth, but each and every time he brought me to new heights. Almost since the beginning, I had learned to enjoy it and not even warning him I was coming. He just loved to swallow my load. I rested my back against the shower wall and moaned out loud while he was servicing me with passionate fever. Knowing Kyle like I did, I knew he was going to swallow my load so that I would be more relaxed for round two. It had been some time since my last orgasm and it showed. I deposited a huge load between his lips and for once Kyle couldn't swallow fast enough. Some of my juice escaped from the corner of his lips. He came up and kissed me, sharing my own taste. As he had not climaxed yet, he was fiery, reaching my throat with his tongue and letting his hands roam over my body, caressing every square inch of skin he could reach. He soon turned off the water, took a towel and started to dry me off. I took the other fluffy towel and dried him off as well. Without releasing me, embracing me in his strong arms, he led me to the king-sized bed. We fell on it and our arms and legs were entwined and our cocks pressed together between our stomachs. There was no doubt Kyle was horny and excited. He straddled my chest and presented his rock-hard manhood just inches from my mouth. I would never refuse such a nice invitation and opened my mouth wide to let him in. A slight movement of his hips made his shaft enter my mouth slowly. I wrapped my lips around it and my tongue went to work. I was immediately rewarded by strong and load moans. I knew how to please my man.

Each time Kyle penetrated my mouth with his cock, I was amazed at how hard it was, covered by a velvety soft skin. His cock was always irradiating heat and it seemed my spit was literally evaporating on it. Fortunately he produced a lot of pre-cum that helped the lubrication and allowed an easy in- and-out movement. When I sensed that his cock was getting even harder and bigger and announcing an upcoming climax, Kyle withdrew. He had clearly other ideas as where to deposit his load as he crawled backwards and kneeled between my spread legs. He put his hands in the bend of my knees and lifted my legs up in the air. He spread his pre-cum on my puckered hole and then dove in to lick up his sweet nectar. His expert tongue drove me crazy, swirling and pushing at my entrance. I squirmed under his ministrations and grabbed the sheets as if I needed to hold on to something. He licked my ass-crack, going over my taint, sucking in my balls to finally take my cock back into his mouth. He repeated that various time and I begged him to penetrate me and to fill me. I had an urgent need to feel him inside of me. Even though I had ejaculate a few minutes earlier, Kyle knew the art of getting me aroused in no time. He knew which buttons to push to make me beg. He knew what it did to me to have him invade my hole. I was panting and gasping for air. The anticipation of him going in was almost more pleasurable than my orgasm. It was not the actual lovemaking that got me all worked up. No, it was more the anticipation and the way to get there.

He finally got straight up on his knees, holding my ankles so that my legs were spread wide. He got closer and he was so hard that he didn't need his hand to guide his shaft right on target. When his cock-head touched my rosebud, I braced myself and he waited till I breathed again and relaxed. He knew the signs. When I could relax my muscles, he pushed forward and even though we didn't need any artificial lubrication, he passed my sphincter-muscle easily. A short and soft pain, almost pleasurable, sent jolts through my whole body. I pushed out and that was his sign for pushing in. He entered doing small in-and-out movements. With each thrust he entered me more, till I felt his pubes tickling my ass-cheeks. Knowing he was in up to the hilt and feeling the pleasure taking over, I relaxed even more and the initial soft pain faded away completely. I felt full and satisfied. Kyle looked at me with intensity and full of love. I hoped my look towards him translated at least a part of the love I had for him. His hips started to move slowly, withdrawing his cock almost completely and then pushing back in. I knew his speed would increase and the gentle pumping would change into furious pounding. It looked like eternity before his speed changed, but I loved it and didn't want it to stop. I squeezed my ass-muscles to increase his pleasure. I could feel his heartbeat in his cock and it was going at a very high rate. All the sensations made me feel happy to have a man like him.

Kyle was sweating profusely and I drank every drop that fell from his forehead and face. He was still holding my ankles, but leaned forward nonetheless. I didn't know how we did it, but our lips managed to meet and the passion was undeniable. Our tongues were dancing together while Kyle's hips moved faster and harder. He brushed my prostate with each thrust. His lower-abdomen rubbed my hard cock and leading me slowly but determinedly to a second orgasm. I hold on to his neck as to prevent breaking the kiss. His feverish and furious pumping told me he was about to unload his juice in my bowels. I squeezed his cock with my ass, knowing it was the trigger to a massive ejaculation. He let go of my ankles and I locked them on his lower back. He pushed himself up on his arms and a very powerful thrust pushed him deep inside of me where he stood still. The spasms in his cock told me he was unloading. The sole idea of his seed in me sent me over the edge and I unloaded on my chest and belly. Kyle was spent and collapsed on top of me, pushing his arms under my back and holding me for dear life. We kissed tenderly and enjoyed the afterglow of post-orgasmic bliss.

• I think we will have to shower again, Kyle said.

• I think so, too. And in the shower we will be kissing and grabbing each other and before we are really clean we will be here again. Then we will come again and we will have to shower again. If that goes on for enough time, we will miss dinner and be here for the longest time. Or friends and co- workers will have the police searching for us and when they find us we will be going at it and give a show!

• You have the most wicked mind I have ever encountered in my life, Kyle said laughing.

• And that's why you love me, isn't it?

• For that and a whole lot more, he said kissing me softly.

We managed to get out of bed, although the idea of going on making love was really appealing. We showered and dressed to go down to the restaurant. It was clear that most of the personnel were chosen, not only for their professionalism, but also for their good looks. The ma"tre d was a gorgeous man of about our age with a very nice and inviting smile. He eyed Kyle over and over, but Kyle made him clear that he was with me. Professional as he was, he didn't insist. The special of the evening was fresh fish with steamed potatoes and a variety of vegetables. We didn't hesitate to order it and had some king shrimps as a starter. The ma"tre d assumed the job of sommelier and advised a very good and chilled white wine. His suggestion was just perfect for the food we had. After coffee and liquors we went back to our room and the eyes of the ma"tre d and most of the waiters followed us when we left the restaurant.

The breakfast of the following morning was worth the ones served in five star hotels. It was in buffet form and we actually didn't know what to chose first. We took our time and thought that if we had a good breakfast we wouldn't need lunch. We checked out after that and were on the road again.

In the early afternoon the GPS indicated there was a local distillery. We had never heard about it! We were discovering things so close to home and which were treasures of our county. We realized that there were a lot of things close by and we had not the slightest clue. It was amazing that most of the people go on holiday to far away countries, but they don't even know their immediate neighborhood. We were happy to discover those treasures and followed the indications of the GPS. It was strange to find a building that looked like an old factory in the middle of nowhere. If the GPS had not indicated the small road we had to take, we would never have found the distillery. The building really looked like it was from the beginning of the previous century. Red brick walls made the main structure and a slate roof accentuated that feeling. Even though we didn't see anybody at first, it was obvious the building and surrounding gardens were well kept. The front door was open and we went in. An old lady was sitting at a desk and welcomed us. She explained that next to the distillery, which was still in perfect working order and producing a local spirit, there was a museum about the distillation through the years, starting in the late 1800's. She handed us each a MP3 device and said to just follow the instructions. We did and discovered quite a few interesting things that had happened so close by. The time of the Prohibition explained why the building was in the middle of nowhere. Once we reached the end of the tour of the museum, a guy approached us and led us through the distillery itself. The technical aspect of the distillation was most interesting. He really took his time and the stop here was really instructive. Once back at the reception desk we were invited to try a few of the spirits, in small quantities of course. It was quite strong and we could understand why the French called those spirits "Digestives". It really made our stomachs work and helped digest the copious breakfast we had. Of course, we ended up buying a few bottles to take home.

I got aware that we depended a lot on the GPS. In earlier times, we would have used a paper map, but wouldn't have received the information the GPS gave us if we hadn't a kind of local guide. The GPS indicated everything, from gas stations to hotels, from restaurants to museums and even sites worth seeing or to be photographed. It was a useful tool in the car and I was glad it became a standard feature in all the cars we had in the showroom.

Looking on the screen of the GPS we saw there was a little lake not far from the road we were on. We wanted to check it out. It was more of a big pond than a lake but its surroundings were picturesque. We were surprised to be the only ones out there. Such beautiful surroundings should attract more people. Ok, it was in the middle of the week and not really holiday season, but nonetheless. We got closer to the water and Kyle put his hand in it, telling me the temperature was divine. We looked around and as we didn't see a single soul, our minds were in harmony and we were both thinking the same: skinny-dipping.

• Should we? I asked.

• Why not, there is nobody around!

• But, it's the middle of the afternoon...

• All the more reason to enjoy the sun and the fresh water!

We were out of our clothes in no time and Kyle was the first to dive into the water. I followed straight. The water was divine and we enjoyed the freedom of swimming without any restrain. As usual when we wee naked, the hormones woke up and we were kissing and grabbing in that pond. After quite a while, we got out and lay down on the grass to let the sun dry us before we dressed. While laid in the sun, Kyle played with the little hair I have on my chest, his head rested on my shoulder.

• Do you have any idea how happy I am with you? Kyle asked.

• If you are at least as happy as I am with you, we are both in heaven, I said.

• Knowing me, knowing what you know now, would you start it again?

• Knowing what I know now, I would have started it a lot sooner! I have had a happy life with my father and now I have a happy life with you. I feel fortunate and lucky.

• I would do the same, that's for sure! Just like you, if I had known, I wouldn't have hesitated so long before telling you. How long have we been together? Three years? Four years?

• If we count the famous night it was raining and you actually undressed at my front door, it is four years, seven month and fourteen days!

• Wow! That is precise!

• Yes, because I will never forget that day. It was the first day of a whole new beginning. How can I forget that? You made me so happy that day and it was not only because I saw you almost naked at my door.

Kyle leaned over and kissed me. His hands caressed me and we got aroused, laying on the grass under the bright sunshine and refreshed by the cool water of the pond. Both our cocks started swelling and the inevitable happened. We made love, unhurriedly but with passion and determination. It was a whole new experience to make love in the open air, in a public place and surrounded by a beautiful nature. We enjoyed each other's body to the fullest. The small conversation we had, confirming our love for each other increased our passion. The surroundings and the fact we could be caught added to the excitement. We went at it for the longest time before climaxing. Kyle entered me and I entered him. We came twice and each time almost simultaneously and enjoyed the afterglow of sexual bliss. It was obvious we had to go back into the water if we didn't want to stain our clothes. I went naked to the car to retrieve some towels. There was a man on a bicycle, fortunately still quite far away, which gave me time to return to Kyle and give us time to dry and dress. We just went back to the car when the man on the bicycle was at our height. He nodded a good day of some kind and winked. I guessed he was not that far away when I went for the towels.

This was the first night Kyle had reserved a hotel but had made no restaurant reservation. Kyle's choice of hotels was very good and once again we had a nice room with a balcony and precious views. We wanted to eat early and walk around a bit, but not going to bed too late. We found a local pub that advertised that it was serving homemade meals. There was a little board where suggestions were written with come chalk. We would take a chance on what was offered. It was a change to the gourmet meals we had in the past days, but it was very good. No fancy decoration, no nice set-up tables: just a paper mat. Even the plates were all different as well as the cutlery and when we looked with more attention not even the chairs were all the same. It was a strange mix as if they had gathered the furniture and the china and the glasses form different places. But the food was excellent. It was clearly homemade and nothing upscale: just basic good food. The wine list was simple and easy: red house wine or white house wine. We opted for beer. The surprise came with the bill: it was the cheapest meal we had had.

Our trip shortened so fast. Why is it that when you enjoy yourself, or on holiday, time goes so much faster? This trip had been so satisfactory that we knew we had to do something similar more often. We had discovered so many hidden treasures in our won county. It seemed that there were so many unknown places and things to see. I was sure the castle we had visited didn't get as many events as it should. The distillery was worth a lot more visitors. The gay hotel was giving such good service that it should be known, certainly in the appropriate circles. The beauty of the countryside was such that a lot of walking and hiking paths should be mentioned in tour guides. When mentioning to Kyle, it seemed we were agreeing wholeheartedly.

• You are right Junior. This county has so much more to offer than we would think. I was actually thinking of creating a new magazine about it. I am sure that with the proper publicity it could be a huge success. If all these places are part of the GPS's software, I am sure that local people would be as stunned as we are.

I laughed at his sudden interest.

• Don't you think you have already enough work with editing the two magazines? Are you tired of seeing me or is it that you keep someone on the side in your office and that you want to spend more time there?

• Don't be silly, Kyle said. I just think in a business way. Don't you agree it is a fantastic opportunity? Besides, the two existing magazine run almost by themselves. I just have to check the reporter's sources and see that all the published information is correct and trustworthy...

• And that is already taking more than a hundred percent of your time, I interrupted him. Or is it that you need yet another challenge?

• That as well! I won't say I am bored in my job, but something new is always welcome. You know me. I just love the idea of being useful and doing something special. The job I am doing now can be done by anybody. There is no secret about it. It is just checking, nothing else. The creativity I had at the start is gone. I enjoyed my job to the fullest, but I achieved what was expected from me.

• Ok, I can understand that, I said. But if you want a new challenge, there is something that you should know. You remember the chairman that came to the Motor Show?

• Yes, why?

• Well, George fired him after all, but now he needs to replace the guy. I think that if you don't feel useful anymore with what you are doing, George would be delighted to give you a chance. He's been looking for someone for a while now, but hasn't found anybody yet.

Kyle was suddenly in thinking mode. That meant that he stopped talking, concentrated on the information he had just received and was making a mental balance of the pros and the cons. It was obvious I had to shut up for a while. Even if I didn't, it had no importance as Kyle had locked himself up in his mind and switched on his business side of his brains. What I had done was just planting a seed in his mind and it was now his turn to make that seed grow into a nice plant.

We reached yet another small village and enjoyed a refreshment on a sunny terrace. Kyle was still in his thinking mode, but suddenly came out of it with some questions.

• What is a chairman supposed to do?

• Well, first of all the chairman is the leading force behind the good functioning of the day-to-day business. He is the motivating source for the sales department. He is the bad guy who sees that contracts are respected. He is the diplomat that straightens the things that go wrong and probably a lot more things that I don't even know of. If you seriously think about applying for the job, the best thing to do, as soon as we are back home, is to call George and ask for a meeting. If you prefer to keep it less formal, we can invite him with his wife to the hose for a dinner and take the time to discuss it.

• Would they expect me to travel and go to meetings and so on?

• I guess that would indeed be part of the job, but I don't know for sure. That's another question you should ask George. If you can't wait till we are back home, we can call him and arrange a meeting.

• That wouldn't be such a bad idea! The restaurant we have reservation at tonight is one of the finest in the county. We could Invite Emily and George tonight, if they are available.

• Let me give him a call, and we will know for sure.

I gave George a call and, although I didn't know it, he had a second residence quite nearby. He knew the restaurant well and he was sure Emily would be delighted to accept the invitation. Kyle called the restaurant and asked if there was a problem that we would be four people instead of two. They were hesitating, but when Kyle mentioned that the other two would be George and his wife, the sole fact to mention their names, he received a positive confirmation.

We reached our hotel in the late afternoon and Kyle said he wanted to take a nap as to be in top form for tonight's meeting, but he was far too nervous t sleep. He couldn't relax, even with the backrub I gave him. I tried to initiate making love, but he was not in the mood. Our restaurant reservation was for eight o'clock and at seven he was ready to go, although we just had to cross the street. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had never seen him so nervous! Kyle was, by nature, a quiet man and self- confident. I couldn't understand his nervousness and certainly not for meeting George who was a friend. At a quarter to eight, I couldn't keep him in the room anymore. We crossed the street and entered the restaurant. We were led to the bar, as our table was not ready yet. A few minutes later Emily and George came in and we all had a drink. We talked about our mini holidays in the county and about what we had all discovered. Emily volunteered us some more information about things to see and a few nice places to discover.

When we sat down and ordered our food, I wanted to release Kyle from his nervousness and opened the conversation.

• George, first of all I apologize for talking about work when the office hours are over, but there is a subject that I wanted to talk to you about.

• Don't tell me the delivery of my Alberta is delayed, he said.

• No! Not at all! In fact I think that it is almost ready! I'll have Jessie call you to give you the exact delivery date. What I wanted to talk to you about is the fact that the chairman has been fired after my call to you.

• Yes, indeed. It was already on my list of "To Do" things.

• Have you already found a replacement? I asked.

• No, we haven't found the ideal candidate yet. You would be surprised at the amount of rŽsumŽs we received. We have studied them one by one, but without any result. Some had the necessary university degree but no experience. Some had the experience, but didn't agree to the conditions we were offering. It has been a grueling frustration. Why do you ask?

• Well, I think I have the perfect candidate for you! But before I introduce that person, could you give me a job description? And, as well, what you are offering.

George gave us an extended job description and a complete list of what they were offering, including the salary and the benefits that came with the job. Kyle was listening very carefully and nodded all the time. With that he silently told me that it would fit in his requirements. When George was finished he asked me who I had in mind. I didn't say anything but pointed to Kyle.

• I didn't know you were looking for a job! George said. I was convinced you were chief editor of two wonderful magazines and happy with what you were doing.

• I am indeed the chief editor of those magazines, but I am also ready for a new professional challenge. The job description you gave coincides with my abilities. If you want I will send you a rŽsumŽ, but I definitely want to apply for the job.

• And I will definitely consider it seriously. You have a very good reputation and I think you have what it takes to do this job as we expect our candidate to do it. Could you drop by at my office on Monday, let's say around eleven?

• No problem, Kyle said.

And they shook hands over the table! Knowing George and knowing Kyle, I knew the deal was sealed and that they would both be happy with this new beginning. The rest of the evening was very pleasant. The food was excellent and the company was even better. It was Emily who said that now that the business was talked over, we should leave it to the offices. She was right, of course. When we left the restaurant George said he was counting on Kyle and they once more shook hands as if it was a sealed deal. Kyle finally relaxed.

To be continuedÉ

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