Chapter 1: Proposal

Blake Dustin slapped me on the shoulder. “You are the man. Did you get her number?”

I shook my head. “No. She’s hot, but all we did was dance. About all I know is her name is Mindy; something like Mindy Marlow. The band is so fucking loud we were screaming at each other just to trade names.” I just about had to shout at my friends to be heard over the loud music blasting out from the live band and then the speakers that amplified everywhere in the in the popular honkey-tonk bar and lounge named Coyotes.

Blake put one of his muscular hands on my upper arm. All the hand felt was muscles and sinew – no flab. He yelled, “Luke, you’ve got to get her to dance a slow one. She’s a doll – almost the prettiest girl in this place. I bet if you played your cards right you could get her to go home with you.”

I shook my head again, “Nah. She seems too nice for that. Look at her and her friends. They’re nice girls ... not the usual trash that you hang out with.” I loved teasing Blake. He was fun to wind up.

“Hey, you’re talkin’ about all my chippies when you say that, including Margie.” Blake laughed.

“What I just said. She’s the leader of the pack. Where is she tonight anyway?”

“She had a date with another guy. You know I don’t want to be exclusive. Heck, none of us do, you most of all. All you want to do is the next big deal on a hundred million of real estate.”

Blake and I looked around the table at the three other men our age sitting there nursing their beers. All of us were in our early thirties, handsome to a fault, and for the most part still carrying the rough and tumble attitude and physique we’d had since high school. We’d all had some military experience and left that behind for civilian life.

We were all local boys from Northern California. My self-made money came from studiously buying and selling real estate in Silicon Valley – both residential and commercial. I was the big risk taker of the group, too. I’d started with a small cache of money I’d earned in the military and then construction, and made a few risky investments where I bet everything I had or would make for another twenty years on a couple of pieces of property in a prime location. Within months, thanks to my marketing abilities, I’d made a killing. I doubled-down and did it again on several more properties. I got my real estate license so I could be a little smarter about the deals and handle part of them myself, thereby keeping part of the commissions. Again, I profited. I had a knack and kept doing that. Now, my net worth was well into eight figures and growing by the week.

Blake and I had joined the military together out of high school and then been college roommates after we mustered out and before I branched out into real estate and construction. Blake had taken over part of his family’s furniture business and ran four large stores in the small chain; he came from money and yet had the keen business acumen to run a tight ship, even if he did carouse too much. I didn’t think he’d ever settle down. I teased him about Margie, but she was not a serious interest, only his latest fling. As soon as she found a better deal, Blake would be toast, which would be fine with him.

Doug Rafferty turned to the other us and said loudly, “I like that red head over there with your blonde. I’ve seen her in here before, all of them actually. I think they’re looking for our kind of trouble. Want me to see if they want to join us?” He grinned.

Doug was an oil baron of sorts. He had a small spread west of the bay area that happened to have a few oil wells on it. His great grandfather had accumulated the land when it could be had for mere pennies and then Doug’s father decided to have a geologist assess the land. Bingo. Oil. Today, the land was worth millions, and the cash flow the oil rigs generated each year kept the family and Doug happy.

I shook my head, “I don’t need to be fixed up with someone.”

Kyle Stokes yelled, “Yes, you do. You’re the oldest of our bunch. You should be thinkin’ of gettin’ married to some sweet thing like that blonde. She is the hottest looking woman in here tonight.”

Kyle was the only one of the group that was engaged. He was an investment banker, and was just hitting his stride. He’d taken over the trust accounts for the high rollers his firm managed. He was making well into six figures plus a bonus. Jessica, his fiancée, had encouraged him to keep up his friendship with his buddies on the boys’ nights out, but he had to promise her his fidelity. They were in the final countdown to his wedding – four weeks to go. If anything, that night was his bachelor party. He’d promised Jess he wouldn’t do strippers or lap dancers.

I laughed, “Yeah, older than you by two months. That barely counts. If I could find someone as nice as Jess I’d marry her in a flash. You chose well. She’s beautiful, hot, but really fucked up because she likes you.”

Kent Granger teased me, “Hey, Luke, you’re the one that always claims you could get along with anybody. If that’s true, then prove it. Pick somebody and get along with her.” All the guys laughed. They were right. In part because of my grounding in real estate sales, I’d become Mr. Congeniality. I could talk to anybody and get along with them. The guys had watched me prove that time and again in social situations such as our parties or in social bars and lounges like the one we were in.

I retorted, “By what, picking up one of the hags you’ve screwed into the ground and then being nice to her? No thanks.”

Blake teased, “What about Miss Mindy Marlow over there with her friends? God, she’s beautiful. She’s perfect and seems really put together.”

“And probably out of my league if that’s the case,” I postulated. “She dances well, however. I would have talked to her if we could have heard each other over the music.”

Blake said, “I’ll tip to band to play a slow number. You go ask her to dance again.”

Kyle pulled a twenty from his wallet and stood to head for the bandleader. “I’ll make sure you have some headroom to talk to her. Get moving. She looks worth it.”

I shrugged and got up from the rickety chair the large bar was known for. I wanted to dance with Mindy anyway. She was great eye-candy, probably just the way I was to some women. I strode around the edge of the dance floor to the table full of women and made eye contact with Mindy. “May I have the next dance, please?” I looked hopeful at her.

There was a burst of giggles from the other four of the women as Mindy stood. She said, “Just ignore them. They’re just jealous. Why don’t your friends come over and ask them to dance?” She waved at my four friends across the dance floor and even gestured in a grandiose sweep of her arms at her friends. The men and women dissolved into laughter.

I took Mindy’s hand and we wove around a couple of other tables to get to the dance floor. Just as we got there the band downshifted to a slow number. Mindy cuddled into my arms as we started to sway. I am not the most creative dancer, but slow-dances I can do. I had to admit Mindy was not only good looking, she was cuddly and probably six-inches shorter than me, even in the heels she wore.”

Mindy wasn’t shy, she asked, “What do you do when you’re not here at Coyotes?”

I looked down into her blue eyes and smiling face, “Real estate, mostly around here – Monterrey to Santa Rose, and east to Sacramento and Stockton. I have a lot of friends around the area, and I like the atmosphere and climate. Originally, I’m from Pleasanton. How about you?”

Mindy smiled, “Local girl, too. I run a small chain of six boutique shops for women in the valley – dress up stuff and western wear. I’m wearing my own stuff ... well, the stuff we sell. I put every cent I could find into the place to get it started. I think we just turned the corner and will make it.”

I questioned, “So, you’re a risk taker, too?”

“Yes. You sound as though you are, as well.”

“Real estate deals. I’ve always got a bunch brewing. I buy land and sell it at a profit. Buy low, sell high, that’s my motto.” I grinned and shifted gears, “What bout your friends? They all friendly?”

Mindy laughed, “Oh, yes. This is girls’ night out. They would probably dance with if your friends are up for it.”

I commented, “One of my friends is getting married in four weeks. He’s the ruddy looking blondish guy with his back to us. This is kind of Kyle’s bachelor’s party. Any excuse will do, actually. We’ve been here many times before.”

“You’re all handsome men. I’m surprised none of your are hitched yet.”

I laughed, “I think we’ve had a lot of wild oats to sow. Maybe we’re coming out of that phase of life. Blake, the tallest of the guys holding the beer mug did a tour in Afghanistan with me and we started college together. I put that on a backburner when I started to do my deals. We see each other all the time. He’s a player and a heartbreaker, I suppose.” I described the other guys as well.

We talked through many of the basic ‘get to know you’ questions as the less noisy song rolled out of the six-man band. Many other couples had also hit the dance floor to take advantage of the slower paced and quieter music. I liked Mindy and could see following up with her for a more serious date without all the noise.

I escorted Mindy back to her seat and thanked her when the long song ended. I did get the vibe that she wanted to talk more and to be together more. We promised each other at least one more dance before we left Coyotes.

When I got back to the table the guys were all watching me. I walked up, “What?”

Blake stepped forward. “We have a deal for you. You have told us for years that you’re a risk taker, a daring man, and can get along with anybody, right?”

I teased, “You left out handsome and congenial, along with trustworthy, loyal, brave, helpful, friendly, courteous, thrifty, and happy.”

Blake ignored me; “Well, while you were dancing the four of us put together a deal for you. We want to see you take it, make it happen, and accept the payoff.”

“Payoff?”

“The four of us have pledged $100,000 in a bit of a one-sided bet. You can only win. We want you to propose marriage to that girl you just met - Mindy Marlow over there – tonight. We want her acceptance tonight, too. We want you married within two months. Once you are married we will collectively give you a check for that money.” The other men were nodding.

I laughed, “You’re kidding, right? I don’t know anything about her other than her name and a few isolated facts, and I’m not sure I even got that right.”

Kent stood and put a hand on my shoulder, “Precisely the point. Once you’re engaged and better yet married, you have to adapt to each other. You keep telling us how great you are at that until we’re all sick of hearing about it. Prove it. I put up to see it happen.”

Doug said, “You’ve always said you never believed in soul mates. Think of all the millions of people who’ve been in arranged marriages where they never met their spouse until their wedding day. Well, at least we’ve picked a really hot looking chick for you and have given you two months to arrange the wedding.”

“You’re serious?” I kept asking. Each of the other men nodded. They each shook my hand and said they were serious and putting up a quarter of the money.

I said, “You want me to walk across the dance floor to her table, and ask her to marry me? Do you want me to do it in front of her friends, too?”

They all nodded. Blake laughed, “Exactly. Yes. That’d be perfect. We’ll come with you to hear your eloquent proposal of marriage.”

I laughed, “She’ll turn me down flat. She is a kind of risk taker, but you’re talking one of the ultimate risks a man and woman could take.”

I glanced over at the table the women were at. They were all looking at us and Mindy was smiling broadly. I turned back, “Wait! Is Mindy in on this crazy scheme in some way? Did some of you put her up to this?”

“No! No!” several protested. “Honestly, we just came up with this idea while you two were canoodling on the dance floor. You looked like you belonged together. We then started to talk about how to make it happen.”

Kyle elaborated, “We’ve seen her in here once before – but we think she’s the Ice Queen based on how she behaves. Get her on your radar. That’s part of what makes this proposition so interesting. Can you break through the ice, so to speak?”

Kent stated, “What’s the worst that can happen? She says, ‘No’, right? Minor embarrassment for you, and we all keep our money. You suffer nothing but a little embarrassment for two minutes.”

The size of the bet was not that much of an inducement, but it was enough to get everyone’s attention. We often bet crazy amounts of money on sports games. I’d recently lost $10,000 as the sure-thing Superbowl champs failed to live up to the challenge.

I loved challenges. I loved taking on jobs and deals that made me grow and stretch in some way; I thought marriage would sure do that, but I was somewhat distant from what that really meant. I loved the idea of taking such a large personal risk – marrying some girl I barely knew and trying to shape her into the kind of woman I wanted around all the time ... or maybe she’d shape me. Ha!

I looked back and studied Miss Mindy Marlow. She was about thirty, obviously a go-getter, also a risk taker, didn’t appear to be a gold digger although a pre-nup would take care of that, and certainly looked like someone I’d love to have in my bed on a regular basis. I was tired of searching for willing warm bodies all the time anyway.

Without taking my eyes from Mindy I said, “I’ll do it.”

The four guys gave a small cheer that attracted some attention. They all clinked their beer bottles together over the small table.

I strode back across the dance floor, this time cutting straight across and not around the other dancers. I stopped at the girls’ table and looked right at Mindy. I felt sure she thought I was going to ask her to dance again. I knelt down beside her chair; I wanted to do this the right way so adopted the stereotypical position.

My four buddies caught up and clustered behind me. Everyone knew something was up at that point.