Chapter 9

Back at his condo, Bret checked his e-mail and found a number of messages. Katie's e-mail was very warm. She told him of the nice time she had with him this weekend and hoped she would continue to see him. She said that she still remembers when he applied that sun tan lotion to her.

There was an e-mail from Maria in which she bragged about being selected the homecoming queen at the university. He knew that she had a straight 'A' average so far in the classroom and that she was taking a theater course and would take a minor in that area. She said she was leaning toward a major in communications. Bret made a mental note to tell Jeannie about the arrangement he had with Maria.

Jeannie showed up for work at his townhome and immediately commandeered the computer. Bret told her he was going to the store to purchase another computer and asked her what he should get in the way of software. She told him and said to also purchase a backup hard drive, a laser printer, copier, fax and to make sure he brought her a receipt because this was a business expense.

After returning from the store with his purchases he discussed a number of things with Jeanie, ranging from his three brokerage accounts, the arrangement with Maria, the property across the street, Abby being his real estate attorney, the property manager with the plan for summer jobs, his recent real estate purchases, the property inspector and what his future plans were. Jeanie took notes and asked some questions for clarification. He knew he would have to tell her about winning the lotto at some time, but he would wait on that for now.

It felt good to be busy again. Bret called his attorney and made an appointment to see him as he needed some changes made to his will and living trust. The attorney he said he was free this afternoon and invited Bret to come to his office then.

Bret saw the attorney and told him about some changes in his life and how this would affect his trust, and possibly his will.

He told the attorney about wanting to provide for Jessica and if she has any, her children. He wanted her to receive a good portion of his estate free of taxes. The remainder of his estate he wanted to be invested and a portion of it given annually and equally to fund his high school and various college tuition grants to military veterans and their dependants on a non-need basis. Bret mentioned that preferential treatment was to be given to those vets and their dependants who had been awarded the Purple Heart. He needed a mechanism established to do that as well as one of the trust banks to handle an invest those funds and be the successor trustee. Bret also wanted to give Jessica the power to change the successor trustee if the need arose. It went without saying that all of the techniques to avoid or reduce the death taxes should be used.

The attorney asked Bret a few questions, but said he would put something together for his review.

Having now covered all the bases, Bret just wanted to relax. He phoned Claudia at school and asked her if she was free this evening. When she informed him that she was, he asked her if he could take her to dinner. She accepted his invitation and said she would be ready at six. If she was as smart as he thought she was, he didn't need to say anything to her about her wearing her hair down.

Yes, she was as smart as he thought she was. Besides the hair being down, she wore a dress that showed the fine figure she had.

He took one look, and instead of some wise remark he said, "Claudia, you are one beautiful woman."

She blushed profusely at his remark as no man had ever said those words to her. She was on cloud nine all evening.

Bret had a very nice time with Claudia that evening. Oh, the meal was good, but it was the company that made it a great evening. Bret had some problems looking into her eyes when he spoke as his eyes kept drifting lower to her nice décolleté. They had an after dinner drink after the meal and then he drove her back to her townhome.

He walked her to her door and said, "I never thought I would say this to a high school principal, but may I kiss you?'

She smiled at his request and said, "I never thought I would say this to a former student of my school, but yes, you may."

It was a very nice long kiss with her pressing her body against him. Bret was a little sorry when the kiss ended. She didn't invite him to come in, which caused him to say his goodnight at her door and he was on his way. He would let her dictate the development pace of this relationship.

Bret was no longer dating Sally and he wondered if he should talk to her about it. If he did have a talk with her, he wasn't sure what he could say that would explain the reason why he wasn't dating her. It was just that they drifted apart from each other. Bret's worry was solved when, while taking Claudia out to dinner, he noticed Sally at the same restaurant with a good looking fellow who appeared to be about Sally's age. They didn't notice Bret as they seemed to only have eyes for each other. She deserved to find some happiness in her life and it looked like she had. Bret wondered how good the guy was with a shaving razor and chuckled at that thought.