Chapter 10

Jason Clausen, our lawyer, wanted to go right back to the Mercedes' dealership with Paula and me. Paula really wanted to be with her mom, but both Aileen and Sydney said all they had to do was go down to the police station. All Aileen had to do was sign a complaint and get her butt photographed and Sydney insisted that she would take good care of her. There wasn't any way either Paula or I was about to disagree, we knew better. Besides, the woman lawyer was going along with them, just in case they needed her, but following in her car. The cops took down my name and contact information in case they needed it, then we were free to go. Our lawyer insisted that I join him in his car and with Paula following us in her mom's car, we were out of there. I think the whole Volvo dealership was glad to see us go, but I think we left some very worried people behind.

"That did not go well." I sighed when I was alone with the lawyer.

"Oh, it could have been worse. I was very pleased at the way you handled it." Jason smiled. "Somehow, I imagined I was going to be walking into the OK Corral with dead and dying bodies all over. Your mother warned me that you felt quite protective of Paula and her mother, so I had somehow envisioned your cleaning house. Instead I found a man in police custody and everyone looking at you and Sydney with complete awe. Was it actually that little smidgen of a woman who knocked the accused man down?"

"Yep, one blow. I think she packs a helluva punch."

"Yeah." He snorted, glancing at me. "You have the most interesting friends. I suppose that Sydney is Aileen's special friend?"

"For now." I grinned. "Why, are you interested?"

"Oh no. Not another woman, not right now. I'm still getting over my last mistake." He shook his head vehemently. "I sincerely hope you have better luck with women than I do."

I couldn't help but agree with him. He'd been involved with five women in the five years I'd known him. At least he'd been lucky enough that none of his relationships had lasted long enough for him to get anywhere near the altar.

"However, about this SUV, you're sure it's what you want?"

"It's what Paula wants and suits our needs."

"But, is Paula the one you want?" Jason asked quietly.

"Enough that I'm willing to invest fifty grand, that's for sure." I grinned. "Don't ask me if it's forever, but it's for now. You know I'm pragmatic about money. It doesn't do me a damn bit of good unless I'm willing to use it. I this case, Mom wants me to buy a car that I don't really want and she wants me to have a woman. I picked the woman and I want her to choose the car that suits her so she'll be happy with it. In this case, the cost isn't a factor. Does that make sense?"

"It makes the most sense I've heard in a long time." He smiled. "I'm just telling you that when she signs that lease, the car is hers for the duration of the lease. The company is then stuck with paying for the car, no matter what happens between you and Paula."

"Just buy the damn car." I growled. "Don't jinx my relationship by being a penny pincher. If you don't want to buy the car through the company, I have my personal cheque book in my pocket."

"That's all I wanted to hear." He laughed softly. "For the weekend, I'll register the car to the company and insure it through them. We'll straighten out the lease and everything else next week to get it all in Paula's name."

"Good." I nodded.

"I spoke to Paula about the vehicle to get the details of what you were interested in and it seems the one you test drove is suitable. After that, I called the Mercedes dealership. They should have the SUV detailed about the time we get there. If you and Paula want to leave her mother's car there, I'll have them detail that and deliver it to Aileen's home address as soon as it's done. That way Paula can drive off in her new car and you can ride with her."

"So why did you put up the argument about buying the dang SUV in the first place?" I asked quietly.

"Oh, just getting to know you better." He smiled. "I have to admit sometimes you show a side that takes me completely by surprise. I like to know what my clients think and I've never found any classification that completely matches you."

"Oh, I change." I grinned. "Life would be boring otherwise."

Jason was quiet for a moment as if he were thinking, then he sighed. "At the moment, I'm not sure if you're telling me the truth or just trying to confuse me. If you are, you've succeeded."

"It was a smart aleck answer to a serious question. I do know that I'm changing, but it's only because life is changing around me and I'm adapting to it." I sighed as well. "Remember, I'm barely out of my teens. I'm still in University and I'm dealing with my first real love affair. I think change should be something you'd expect."

"CJ, from the moment I met you, you've never acted your age. You've always acted older than your calendar age, sometimes slightly naive, but never young." He sighed. "Well, here we are. And, there's your SUV, all polished up and ready for you. Now if you get Paula to pull her mother's car up to those doors over there, I'll go take care of the paper work."

I waved Paula over to the doors of the detailing area. After she parked, I explained what the lawyer had done and told her that I'd like her to have the SUV in her name, but that it was a lease, not an outright gift. Of course she had to ask questions and I simply shrugged my shoulders and told her it was a tax thing. Then she wanted to know why I'd had her park the car where it was and I told her about the lawyer's idea of having her mom's car detailed, then delivered to the house. She liked that idea and she liked the idea of taking the SUV home as well.

As we walked over to the SUV, the salesman we had been talking to came over toward us, but held back slightly. I looked at him and grinned.

"No hard feelings?" I asked.

"Oh no." He looked surprised, then broke into a smile. "Actually, you've made my day and perhaps my week. Next time you come in, I'll know who you are. You two made me realise that I need to go over the tech sheets on these cars and SUV's. It was a rather humbling experience to have a lady customer know more about the vehicle I was trying to sell than I did."

"Sorry about that." Paula actually blushed. "Perhaps we got carried away."

"Oh, I'm just glad all of my customers aren't as tough to sell to." He managed another smile. "I have your keys for you. Mr. Clausen is making all the arrangements with the manager, but I still get the credit for making the sale. Thank you, very much. We'll have your license plates and insurance details all ready for you in moments. Then you'll be able to drive away and enjoy your new SUV."

"And you're going to get Mom's car all cleaned up and delivered to the house too?" Paula asked quietly.

"Oh certainly. Mr. Clausen was quite adamant about that. That should be done in an hour or two." He smiled again and gestured toward the car where two young guys were already washing it. "See. It's a rush job."

Paula looked at him, then the young guys, and finally at me.

"Wow!" She sighed softly as another young guy came bustling out of the office with a set of license plates and an envelope with the insurance papers in it. "Umm, CJ, if we ever go out together to get another car, lets just let the lawyer handle it."

"If you need another car, just call me." The salesman laughed, handing her his card. "I'll make sure you get the best deal I can, no matter what make or model you ask for. I guarantee the purchase will be hassle free."

There was more chitchat, but we were off the lot in about twenty minutes and Paula was happily piloting her new SUV down the street on her way back to her house.

I waited until we were at a stop light before I mentioned the idea of all of us going up to my cabin for the rest of the weekend. I'm glad I did. She just turned and stared at me as if she was shocked by the idea. The light turned green and she was ignoring it until the guy behind us began to lay on his horn. She jerked as if she'd suddenly awakened from a dream. She moved the SUV then, driving through the intersection and up the street, whipping into the first parking space we came to and shutting off the engine, then turning to face me.

"Look, the idea would be a great one, but after today, Mom is going to want to let off steam and I think Sydney will too. I was going to warn you that they're probably going to act a bit wild and crazy. Do you think you can handle that at your cabin?"

"Actually, that sounds like one of the very best reasons for going up to the cabin." I grinned at her. "They don't do drugs or anything do they?"

"Well, not drugs, but they do drink. And they do act wild, as well. Being the only guy there, you'll be the center of attention."

"I really don't mind if they get drunk tonight. I'm not into fancy or anything, so the furniture there is heavy, solid stuff that will handle darn near anything. The whole place is private and built to last. They won't be the first drunks that I've had spend the night there. They can have the one loft to themselves at night and we can have the other one to ourselves. Once we're up in the lofts, we'll have relative privacy from them and the same for them from us. We do have to share a bathroom up there, but other than that it'll be like we're almost in two different homes."

"I don't understand." She looked at me quizzically.

"You will, when you see it." I grinned. "It's not exactly a standard house."

"Somehow I can imagine that." She smiled at me. "I suppose you built it yourself with logs from the property."

"No, actually, I traced down someone who builds log homes at a site of his own. Then he numbers the logs as he takes them apart and puts them back together again on your site. He used my design though; I insisted on that." I laughed. "I've made almost as much from him selling the plans to other people as the log package cost delivered to the site. The design for Mom's cabin has paid for itself and for Mary's cabin as well."

"Jeez, do you make money on everything?" She laughed with me.

"I do my best, but we're off the topic." I chortled. " I was talking about a weekend up at the cabin. I was thinking of having a barbeque tonight, then an evening of relaxing, maybe popcorn by the fire, that sort of thing. All I have up there at the cabin is some beer and a bit of wine, so I thought if your Mom and Sydney felt like picking up anything they might like to drink for tonight, they could do that. The food is my treat, because I have something special in mind. Tomorrow, we could have brunch, perhaps a light snack or two during the day, then dinner at Mom's tomorrow evening."

"I could call and ask."

"Would you mind? We'll need to think about hurrying a bit. We haven't eaten lunch yet."

She called them and they wanted to have a quick lunch at a restaurant, so we met them there. Aileen was still seething, so she and Sydney weren't hard to convince into agreeing to a relaxing weekend away from the city. They wanted to know what they needed to bring, so I laid out my idea of a simple relaxed weekend, explaining that the place was very private. When they asked about nudity, I laughed and said it didn't bother me, although I admitted that I'd probably react to their bare flesh.

"Oh man, are you asking to get teased?" Paula giggled.

"Not really." I grinned. "But, I thought I'd give them an excuse. Then they could have fun doing it and get it out of their system where my blushing wouldn't be so embarrassing to me. Besides, it'll mean I have three beautiful models to sketch for a whole day at no major expense"

That broke them all up.

"Just for that, I'm wearing clothing all weekend." Aileen grinned and winked at Sydney.

"Great, I wanted to sketch faces anyway." I grinned again. "If you're in clothes, I won't be quite as distracted."

"Mom, I'm starting to realize that there's no sense in trying to one up this guy. He's bound to win no matter what we do. He's already weighted the dice." Paula crowed in delight. "It doesn't matter what we do; he'll benefit somehow. Do you realise that his cabin and his Mom's are both being paid for by the guy who built them for him? CJ is getting paid a commission every time the builder uses his designs."

"Is that true?" Sydney asked?

"Umm hmm." I admitted it was the truth. "People are strange. Simply because my design isn't a little square box, they seem to fall in love with it. Mom thinks I should become an architect, but that would mean taking more years to get another degree. I just don't want to be bothered with all that falderal. Anyway, is everyone done with lunch? I'd like to get going."

"Gee. You're in a rush." Paula teased.

"Of course I am. I'm going to get to show off my pride and joy to new people."

That seemed to tickle them all, and they began to ask questions. I decided they had all the information they needed and fell silent on them, stubbornly refusing to answer any more questions. Of course that got Paula giggling. Surprisingly, it didn't make Aileen go stubborn as well. Instead she realised what was happening and convinced Sydney that they'd get answers sooner if they got moving. It wasn't long before their curiosity got them moving.

Paula and I zipped back to the McCrae house to be there when Aileen's car was delivered. Meanwhile, Sydney and Aileen rushed to Sydney's house for clothing and then to a liquor store to pick up the drinks they would want for the weekend.

I let Paula out at the house and used the SUV to run down to my favourite butcher's where I planned to pick up steaks, scallops and prawns. While I was there, I bought some Scottish cheese, Scottish sausage patties and had him slice up a half pound of his cured back bacon as well. I remembered at the last minute to ask if he had any fresh eggs and a pound of fresh butter. At the bakery, two doors down from the butcher's, I bought a dozen bagels and a dozen English crumpets. As well as I bought a loaf of light rye bread and I even remembered to get a dozen of their 'special' twelve-grain, oversized, hamburger buns.

I had one more stop to make, but since it was on the way to the cabin, I simply ran back to the McCrae house. I actually beat the guy who was delivering Aileen's washed, waxed, and very thoroughly cleaned car. They'd done a marvellous job of it. I pulled out my wallet and handed the guy a hundred-dollar bill, telling him to split it with the detailing crew as a thank you tip from me. I laughingly told him I'd be there to have them do my truck next week.

His eyes got huge and he started to ask a question, then his ride, who was another guy from the detailing crew, pulled into the driveway. He ran to hop into the other car, thanking me over his shoulder and waving the hundred-dollar bill at his buddy like it was a thousand.

I just grinned to myself as they sped off, wondering what they'd think if I did pull onto the Mercedes lot in my old beater, Billy-Bob.

Still chuckling, I carried the meat inside, just in case Sydney and Aileen were a while getting back to the house. I didn't want that lot to be spoiled by the warm temperature. Paula took one look at the bags I was carrying and asked if I was stocking up for a month. I admitted that I was stocking up a bit, but that I expected us to eat most of it that weekend. I didn't tell her that by volume, this was only half of what I was planning on buying to take out to the cabin.

She asked if I needed to run back to the residence. I laughed aloud, telling her that as far as I was concerned, I was heading home. Anything I needed was already there. Then she asked me what she should take along for herself.

"As much or as little as you want." I snorted. "Just make sure it's something you'll be comfortable in. Neither Mom nor I are much on formality at home. We like people to relax so they'll be themselves. Just remember, we live in cabins in the bush. If you plan on going outside at night, bring along a jacket and some jeans. Oh, and be sure you have some comfortable shoes that will stand up to walking. I favour tennis shoes or athletic shoes of some sort for my evening strolls, something that it won't hurt to get damp. The dew can be quite heavy. You might want a camera, people seem to like to take pictures of our pets."