Chapter 12

The long flight back home first class on a triple seven was tolerable. Matt used the time to type a report on his laptop computer for John Pope on what had happen during his trip. He asked John to have someone make the necessary contacts to insure that Carlos's children were interviewed and hired. He wrote that these hires weren't done to buy Carlos off but Matt thought they would become valued employees. Their school marks were excellent and being bi-lingual was a talent that companies needed. Matt wrote that he thought Scott Biell was doing a good job and in time with some more experience and maturity would become a fine project engineer. He thought Scott had good people skills and a nice style that should help him advance in the company. He enclosed the credit cards and the company identification card along with his report which he over night expressed marking it for John's eyes only.

The next day John called Matt and congratulated Matt on a job well done. The two hires presented no problem and if Matt thought they would make a contribution they would be welcome. John said they would fit right in as increasing the number of bi-lingual employees was a corporate goal this year. He has given that information to the Human Resources Vice-President for him to handle.

Getting the project back on track solved a big problem. He told Matt to remind him not to play poker with him. On a more serious note he asked if Matt would consider being on the Board of Directors. John said that he would be retiring in a few years and he wanted to make sure the Board of Directors would contribute to the company's success and not be a rubber stamp for the CEO and the President. Matt said he would consider it.

On a less serious note John asked if Matt had thought anymore about his developing some real estate. Matt said he had and was going to go forward with this project. He was going to call a realtor he knows and ask her to see if she can purchase the land he was interested in.

John said, "From what you have said I would seriously be interested in having a house built on one of those lots. My wife is from the area and she would like to get back there initially for the summers and maybe full time later on. I know my grandkids would love to spend the summers there. I mentioned your project in passing to Tony Morgan from Sullivan Consulting as well as two retiring Boeing executives at my club. All of them have asked me for more information as they would like to either move there or have a second home in that area. When you get further along send me your brochures and I will pass them around. You may have all the homes sold before you turn over your first shovel of dirt."

Later that day a courier delivered an envelope to Matt. In the envelope was a check for $50,000 from Walker Industries made out to Matt with a note from John Pope that said "Sorry you missed Christmas with the family. Thanks for solving a problem."

A phone call to Kyle and Katie resulted in both of them offering dinner dates to meet their fiancées. When they started talking about Matt and his ex-wife Lisa meeting with the fiancées and their parents Matt said to each of them he would like to meet their fiancées and their parents but he didn't want to do it with Lisa being there.

"I know I maybe being pig-headed about this and that could put you in a bind but that's the way I feel. I will skip this affair but maybe we can arrange something later."

Both of his children said they would work around that problem.

Matt thought of the dichotomy that he could give others advice on forgetting and forgiving but he couldn't do it himself. He still remembers the pictures he saw of Lisa with her lover that were burned in his mind. He could never forgive her that betrayal. That's just the way he was and he wouldn't change. The reverse of this is that if he ever cheated on his wife he would not expect to be forgiven either.

His not forgiving Lisa was somewhat of a moot point as Lisa was already remarried. She had moved on with her life.

Getting started on his land development project now gave Matt an excuse to call Shannon although he never thought he needed one. When he recognized her voice in answering the phone he said, "Hi, Remember me?"

"How could I forget? I still think about you saying goodbye to me and my knees get weak. How are you and how was your trip?"

He gave her an abbreviated version of what happened. When he told her of the bluff he pulled on the Minister she laughed at his brazenness. After a little more talk he told her the reason for his call. He wanted to know if the Owens had listed their property and she told him not yet. He asked her to approach them and discuss with them that he was interested in purchasing the land if they wanted to sell. If they did and she thought the price they were asking was in the ball park of the discussions he had with her as to value, to write up a contract. If they agreed to sell to him then she should also make an offer on the waterfront lot."

Shannon said she would and asked, "Any plans for coming back out here?"

"Not unless I purchase the land. Do you have any place for me to stay?"

"Well your three places are rented now but one will be available in a little while.

One week later Shannon phoned to tell him she was sending him contracts to sign on both properties. He told her to hold on to the contracts and he would catch a flight out there tomorrow and sign them when he was there. He asked her where he could stay. She said his original property was now available for eleven days. Matt said that was fine. He would email her his flight arrangements and would appreciate it if she could pick him up, Shannon said she would.

After making his plane reservations he checked his email. He noticed an email from an address that he didn't immediately recognize. He was going to delete it but the subject said, 'He's Back.' He opened the email and saw it was from Rita.

Rita started her note by thanking him for the Christmas gift and hoped he was in good health and doing well.

She continued, "Because of what you said I took your advice and invited Bill over for dinner. It wasn't that hard to convince Bill to have dinner with me. I wore one of those new outfits it was suggested that I wear. Bill seemed happy to see me and I will admit to you that I had missed him. In remembering the instructions I received about body language, I applied those principles at every opportunity. After dinner Bill and I had a long talk. The relationship I had with Kim was discussed. I told him about meeting her in college and her still being single and without a man was the impetus for continuing this close relationship I had with her. I told Bill that this relationship with her has now ended. I had been close friends with Kim for eighteen years but now she was planning to move because of this conflict she caused between Bill and me."

"Kim's not talking to me anymore and planning to move seemed to bother Bill. He said I had given him a lot to think about and I invited him to come back for another dinner."

"Bill came back for dinner and the clothes I wore were basically of the same style I had worn before. Bill was very complimentary to me in how I now was dressing. One thing led to another and we delved into our relationship. This was sort of a hands on approach and an eye opener for Bill. There were some new methods which I discussed and demonstrated. While Bill initially was hesitant to participate he did follow my lead. Some of this may have been initially 'unconventional' for him but he was quick to adapt. I can honestly say he has now changed and become very unconventional which makes me feel real good. He is amazed at what he can now accomplish if he sets his mind to it but I must confess I do give him some help. When he comes to see me the time just flies by and he comes very often now. We now have a very close relationship and some of it is like the relationship I had with Kim. He asked me to marry him again and I accepted. We flew last weekend to Vegas and were married."

"Bill really surprised me when he brought Kim over to my house and after a long talk we patched up our friendship. She has been dating someone pretty seriously so I don't foresee that we will ever be as close as we were before but I can understand that. With Bill being a quick learner things are coming along fine with us. I turned him on to that web page you mentioned and he learns from what he reads. Oh yes, he loves how I am now doing my hair and I have gotten him to use the words 'World Class.' It doesn't have the same effect on me but it's still nice to hear."

"Thanks for all and I do mean all you did. It has given me a second chance at happiness that I never would have had if it wasn't for you. I really do love Bill. He is my main man and I now know how enjoyable that my love of him can be. Please let us know if and when you are back in the area, both of us would like to see you again."

Matt thought it was cute what Rita was trying to say between the lines. He felt that her inferring the details of the intimate relations she was having with Bill to him had established a very personal and unusual friendship between him and her. It was rare that a woman would talk and confide those things especially to another man. That kind of a friendship he had with Rita is something he would guard and cherish.

He emailed her back congratulating her on her marriage and wished them all the happiness in the world.

In the email he said, "It's nice to hear that Bill is learning to support you in many ways. I am sure when he sees the greatness that I saw in you he will get behind you and give you his full support as well. Don't be surprised if he develops views on your greatness that have him thinking of other ways that he can give you his firm support."

Matt chuckled to himself as he clicked on the send message and wonder if his email words would have the same effect on Rita as his verbal words had.

Since the flight Matt had was at two in the afternoon he was able to stop at a store on his way to the airport. There was something he needed to buy and bring with him.

At the baggage claim area he spotted Shannon waiting for him. He walked to her and her to him. They met and had a nice but short kiss. Simultaneously when the kiss ended they each said, "Remember me," and laughed when they heard the other saying the same thing. Some of the people in the terminal gave them funny looks because of their laughter.

On the ride from the airport Shannon asked Matt what his plans were while he was here. He said he wanted to meet with Ted Butler. He needed advice from Ted on how to plan and lay out the land as well as having Ted represent him and handle the necessary legal work on the land that he just purchased. When any lots and houses were sold he wanted Ted to handle that as well.

Matt told her about Katie's and Kyle's engagements and said dates hadn't been set yet for the weddings nor has he met their future in-laws but he was told they were good people. He also said he missed being with her and was glad he had come back. He asked her to go to dinner tonight and she agreed.

After she dropped Matt off Shannon said she had to get back to the office. A lot of things were going on.

Dinner that night was nice. Shannon had dressed up and she was very pleasing to Matt's eyes. The conversation that they had was more about the same things they had discussed in the car with Matt giving her more specific details. Matt being asked to be member of the Board of Directors of one of the largest engineering companies in the States seemed to impress Shannon.

He asked her how her parents were doing. She said they were fine but Dad was a little bored since his retirement. Matt told her he had mentioned how good the fishing was here to John Pope and John said he would need a fishing guide for him and his grandkids if they bought out here. The problem was John didn't know the first thing about catching salmon.

"Do you think your dad would be interested in becoming a fishing guide?"

"Oh Matt, he would love to do something like that. When you told him about your boat and how you were outfitting it, Dad went over and saw it and spoke to Jimmy. Jimmy told Dad last week he was aware of an older used boat that was of a similar style as yours and Dad is considering buying it. I know he would enjoy being a fishing guide. Judy can make up some brochures about him and we can distribute them all over town. I can't wait to tell him. I forgot to tell you that when I told my parents you were coming in today they asked me to invite you over for Sunday dinner."

"I will be there on one condition, well maybe two."

"What's that?"

"That you go to dinner with me night Saturday, and you don't tell your father about the fishing guide suggestion till you and I see him and we can tell him together. There are some things about being a guide besides fishing that he needs to know and I need to discuss with him."

"Okay to both conditions, although I am going to burst holding this guide suggestion inside me."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I told John Pope that my fishing guide only guided for me."

"That's sweet of you to say something like that."

They talked about developing the land he had just purchased and she asked what his plans were for it. Matt told her what his current thinking was. He said that after the plat was made and approved by him he needed to get estimates on what putting in the roads and utilities would cost. He also needed estimates for what a boat dock or docks that could handle a boat for every house in this development would cost.

"After I know what the roads and the docks will cost I need to talk to some home builders that build quality homes. I want to see and visit what homes or models they have built to confirm their quality. Assuming I can find builders and models that I like, then I would need to talk turkey with them as to what they will charge me to build the various houses with me supplying the lot. Once I know the prices of the houses then I can tell them about the docks what if anything would they like to contribute to become the exclusive builder of homes. Maybe they would build the docks gratis in return for being the exclusive builder on this development. Some builders may not contribute even after I explain we will do the selling and advertising and they wouldn't incur those expenses. If a builder I like wants to do all the dock work he becomes our exclusive builder. If we will or won't have an exclusive builder I don't know, but if they want the monopoly on building 25 or so very nice houses they are going to need to make some sort of a substantial contribution for that designation. I will not let them just add the price of the dock to the price of the house. That doesn't make good business sense to me."

"After those prices are established and the issue of the boat docks resolved in some manner as well as what your commission on selling these homes will be, I can put the numbers together. Adding in my expenses and what this land cost me and attorney fees I can figure out what each of the models will sell for. My goal here after all is said and done is to wind up with a very nice house built on the nicest lot that didn't cost me anything. Is it possible, I don't know till I have all the figures, but that is my goal at this time although things can change from day to day."

The following day Matt met with Ted Butler and informed him of his land purchase and what his intentions were with this land. He told Ted that he wanted him to handle these purchases and the eventual sales of the individual lots and homes. When Matt asked for his advice on how to get the land surveyed and broken down into individual lots Ted referred to him to Stan Henderson whose office was just down the street and said he could do all that for him if Matt gave Stan an idea of what he was looking for.

Matt asked him if he knew of any contractors who could do the utilities and the roads and possibly accept some of the lots in payment in lieu of money. Ted said that Bob Rodgers was a reputable contractor who does that kind of work and has at times accepted lots in payment. He thought Matt should contact him and gave Matt the contact information.

Ted offered Matt coffee and while they were drinking it Ted told him that he would be interested in buying a home in Matt's development. Ted's wife had always wanted to have a brand new home that had some water views and access to water.

Ted told him some interesting things about Shannon that Matt didn't know. Ted said he had followed her career from when she was an all-state high school basketball player to her playing days at the University of Washington. She was first-team all Pac-10 for three years in a row. She could really shoot the ball through the hoop and set some school scoring records. He knew she would do well in being a realtor.

"She applied the tenaciousness she had displayed on the court to her business and that's why she is a successful realtor."

Matt thanked Ted for this information. He thought that there was something about Shannon in how she carried herself and now he knew what it was.

It was a quick drive to Stan Henderson's office and Matt was pleased to find how efficient Stan was. After hearing what Matt was planning to do, Stan said he would get the information from Ted, visit the property and draw up suggested plats. He would give Matt two recommendations on how the land should be divided into lots but said the size of the lots would probably have some slight size variations because of the land's layout.

Matt drove over to Bob Rodgers office and found him in. He introduced himself and told him what he was planning on doing. He asked him if he could give him a quote when Henderson's plat was approved on putting in the utilities and the road. He inquired if Bob would consider taking some of the lots in payment for his work. Bob said he wouldn't commit to that but he may when he had more information about the development. He said he and would give Matt a quote when he received the plat.

That night Matt slept like a baby somewhat proud of himself at what he thought he was accomplishing.

Since he was going over to Shannon's parent's home tomorrow Matt decided to stop by the store and purchase some wine and chocolates. As he was turning into an aisle he noticed there was a lady in tight black slacks bending over looking at some item on a lower shelf.

As Yogi Berra would say, "It was Deja Vu all over again." He would recognize that fine ass anywhere.

"Rita!"

She rose and turned to say, "Oh Matt, what a nice surprise." She gave him a hug and a very nice kiss on his cheek.

There was something about her that was different and then he noticed her hair was cut very short. Her long auburn tresses had been cut off. Matt asked her if she had time for coffee and she said to give her ten minutes to check out and she would meet him across the street. Matt checked out and had coffee and a piece of pie waiting for her when she walked into the restaurant. Every male eye watched her walk up to his table.

She was first to ask him what he had been doing. He told her about his trip to South America and his current land endeavor. She said he sounded happy to be doing this land developing project.

Matt noticed a happiness and glow to her that just enhanced her attractiveness.

When he asked how things were going with her, she said with a smile on her face, "It's like we are teenagers and are on a continuous honeymoon. Bill has pitched all of his hang ups and has really taken to this making love business. He asks that when I am at home I wear those mini skirts and I now have a very nice selection of those skirts. He has left it up to me if I do or don't were a bra but I make sure there aren't many buttons buttoned on my blouse. If the body language principle of touching another person means anything he must really have a strong attraction to me because he is constantly putting a hand up under my skirt. I love him more now than I ever have and I have you to thank for it. He makes me very happy and I try my best to make him happy. I think we must have made love in every room in our house now."