Chapter 3

My elder brother was away on business and his wife Michelle had asked me to take her on her regular Friday shopping trip. Knowing that she could not drive and as I had done so on many previous occasions I had readily agreed. I had nothing else planned for the day so Michelle would walk the half mile to my house whenever she was ready. Michelle and my brother were obviously aware of my situation and no doubt she intended to add her advice, or more likely my brother's advice in her words. Knowing they both meant well it didn't concern me too much.

It was mid afternoon when I heard the doorbell. I waited for my sister-in-law to walk in before realising that I hadn't remembered to unlock the door yet. I opened the door wide and stood back to let Michelle in, only it wasn't Michelle it was Amanda. There was a definite nervousness about the young woman and once more I spent too long just staring at her beauty before remembering my manners and inviting her in.

I wasn't certain just how I felt about her. The physical attraction was obvious but was the Amanda of that first week the real one, or the façade she wanted me to see. Understandably there was quite a bit of hesitation on both sides before she managed to start her explanation for the visit.

"David. First of all I'd like to apologise for not making my position clear. As I told you, I have just finished a degree in Business Studies and Dad thought that doing this job would add a bit of work experience to my CV and help you out at the same time. I only took it on the understanding that it was temporary and it was in a department that had little or no contact with my brother. My father has told me your opinion of Mark and let me reassure you that, because I know him a lot better, it is considerably higher than mine. Dad has always been reluctant to discipline his only son and Mark has always taken full advantage. Dad now recognises his own part in Mark's flawed character but still hopes that it will change as he grows older. That is one reason why he gave Mark more responsibility, hoping that it would help him acquire some maturity. You and me know the real outcome.

When I started working with you I never even considered that you might assume that I was like my brother, because apart from family no-one knows both of us, we never mix socially.

I smiled, though I doubt it reached my eyes. "Apology accepted." I said simply.

She smiled and it most certainly reached her eyes for they suddenly shone like two stars in an otherwise empty night sky.

"Thank you. Now for a personal appeal. I have promised my father, who by the way does not know I'm here and I would prefer to keep it that way, that I would stay long enough for him to sort out the damage my brother has caused. Until you spoke up he really had no idea of the resentment that Mark had stirred up. He had taken a step back and was relying on Mark to keep him updated, which of course he did but with his usual biased slant. To be brutally honest, my brother is dumb and so insular that he probably didn't even realise how the workers viewed him. That has already changed, Dad has reviewed Mark's role and isolated him from areas where he could cause too much harm. One of the areas that he has kept is Sales, as many of our customers like the idea that it is the owner's son that they deal with, though I'm sure that will change when they get to know him.

Anyway yesterday he came to see me with a list of changes he wants to make to the bid we just finished. Most are petty changes that will show that it is now his bid. These will make little real difference to the final outcome. The rest are worrying though, as he has changed some of the specifications in order to be allow cheaper materials and components to be used. He has also lowered the overall margin to try and guarantee that we win the tender.

I know I've only known you for a couple of weeks and that you don't really like me, but I think I know you well enough to believe that you still have the company's best interests at heart; so I have brought the revised bid in the hope that you will check it to ensure that it still viable."

She reached into her huge handbag and handed me the document.

I grinned ruefully at my guest. "You seem to know me too well, apart from the not liking you bit. I'll admit that once I knew who you were I wasn't sure of your motives but even then I found you very difficult not to like."

She looked at me and flicked her hair. "Even with this carrot top and a face full of freckles?" She said teasingly.

"Especially with your hair and beauty spots. In fact if you'd been someone else..." I paused, realising that I'd said too much already. "However, let's not go there."

Before either of us could say anything more the doorbell rang, swiftly followed by Michelle entering the room.

The two women looked at one another appraisingly and simultaneously said.

"Have you been hiding something from me?"

The only difference was that Michelle added my name at the end of the question.

Once again the pair looked at each other and both burst out laughing at the same time.

Before they could say anything else I introduced them.

Again, simultaneously they started to apologise and say that they should be elsewhere. At least this time they used totally different words.

It took me about ten minutes to work out what we should do. It was decided that I would take Michelle shopping, as promised, and Amanda would return this evening, by which time I agreed to have read the new document.

Whatever questions Michelle and Brian had for me went by the wayside. Michelle was only interested in Amanda and my interest in my boss's daughter. I explained on numerous occasions and in many different ways that like any red-blooded male I fancied Amanda but that was as far as it went or was likely to go. Michelle was under the impression that 'something' was going on between us and wouldn't believe my denials.