Chapter 29: Friends

I skipped dinner again and slept through the night. Looking in the mirror my eyes were red and puffy from crying. Cleo came into the bathroom and sat down on the toilet to pee.

"Damn you look rough."

"Thanks." I said sarcastically.

"Wanna hang out with me today?" She said wiping and standing.

"I've got work to do." I said over the flushing of the toilet.

"No you don't." She nudged me aside and washed her hands. "It's Sunday. Besides, it is Summer." She said like that explained everything.

"Yeah well." I really wasn't going to be great company, that I knew.

"You're only supposed to work here and there. Jake knows all work and no play ... get your suit, we'll hang out by the pool." Cleo sashayed out.

I looked in the mirror. Why the hell was I upset about? Billy? I'd just spent a great couple of days with Eddie, laughing and playing having great sex. He was helpful around here and we got a lot done besides sex. Why am I upset over Billy? I repeated to myself in the mirror. Bah. Cleo was right. I was going to hang out at the pool. With a nod to myself in the mirror I went and put on my suit. I even applied mascara and eye liner to brighten the eyes.

I skipped down to breakfast with a cover up on feeling much better.

Later at the pool we were laid out on the lounge chairs. Flo had joined us. Flo was wearing a string bikini of course, hot pink. I couldn't help but wonder if water would bead on her hair if she were to get it wet, she had so much hair spray on I couldn't stop the unkind thought. On her ankle she wore a thick anklet with many keys in every color. I was beginning to think the keys were just a joke and I wasn't getting the punch line.

It was a quiet relaxing morning. None of us really wanted to chat. We merely watched handsome guys walk by as the pool got more crowded. I was starting to put names with faces now.

"Cleo, is that Scott?" I asked.

Cleo turned to where I was looking and smiled. "Yeah. That's Scott." I was puzzled when she didn't go to greet him.

"What?" Cleo asked me.

"You're not going to go say hi?" I asked.

"No. He's a great lay, give him a try." She suggested and sat back with a contented sigh.

"I don't know how you do it. Sunscreen?" I asked holding up a bottle.

The three of us took turns applying more sunscreen. It was a hot day.

"That's it. I'm not going to be the only one with tan lines for the party." Flo exclaimed, untieing her top and letting fall. There were several women around the pool already topless.

"Party?" I asked.

Cleo pulled her strings and hers fall too. "1860 party, the gowns?" Cleo answered.

Oh. Some of the gowns were off the shoulder. I don't think many of the women in 1860 had tan lines either. Or even a tan, but I didn't bother to point that out.

"You don't want to burn." Flo said and leaned over. She drizzled sunscreen over Cleo's breasts a lot like Eddie had with chocolate on mine the other night. She cupped and cradled Cleo's handful while rubbing the lotion in. Cleo's nipples hardened and they too were protected from the sun. Cleo sat up now, and gave the same attention to Flo's more generous breasts. Flo's fat nipples were already a darker brown more than a shade of pink.

I was quietly reading when Eddie sat on by my waist on my chair.

"Hello Baby." He leaned in for a kiss. "Ladies." He nodded to Cleo and Flo.

"Hello Handsome." Cleo purred.

Indeed he was handsome. The last time I'd seen him his hair was a mess and a beard was growing and he was so tired he was looking like a zombie. I smiled.

"I think I want a better greeting." I demanded, and tugged on his shirt. I'd been mildly turned on with all the lotion applications and was more than happy to receive some tongue from Eddie.

He leaned in for a much longer, deeper kiss. I licked my lips when he sat up. "Much better."

"Oh now I'm jealous." Cleo pouted.

Flo sat up and gave her a kiss which had Eddies complete attention. Both women being topless naturally were nipple to nipple. Their tongues met in mid air, swirling and dancing with one another, before Flo finally sat back down.

I coughed.

"Man it sure just got hotter out here." Eddie took off his shirt and laid it in his lap. "Molly said you two were here." He explained turning back to me. "You ladies look hot, err no pun intended, really, want some drinks?"

"Would love em. Water for me." Cleo never one to be shy spoke right up.

"Tea please" Flo added.

"Tea is fine, sweet please." I added to the order. "Thank you Hon."

I was treated to another kiss before the left to get the order.

"It's getting crowded." Cleo claimed looking around. "Good thing we got our seats early or..." Cleo stopped speaking.

I looked at her. " ... or?" I prompted.

Flo sat up, looking at Cleo. I watched, something was wrong. I looked in the direction Cleo was staring. Just people. Scott was putting the moves on some girl I didn't know. That wouldn't upset her. Behind him was a guy leaning on the fence, staring right at Cleo.

"Cleo?" I sat up, putting my feet on the concrete. "Cleo is that..." I was afraid to finish the sentence.

"Oh God." Cleo whispered. "It's Micheal."

I looked quickly again from Cleo to Micheal. I looked for Eddie.

"Flo, stay with Cleo."

She didn't need to be told. Flo was reaching for Cleo. Cleo was reaching for a towel, suddenly wanting to cover herself. I stood and headed for the bar on the other side of the pool, Eddie had to be there. I looked back to Micheal. He was gone! I ran now, pushing by people carelessly.

I grabbed Eddie, spilling the drink he'd only just picked up.

"Hey!" Eddie looked up from the spilt tea on his foot to my face. "What? What's wrong?" Instantly alert.

"Micheal, Cleo's Micheal is here, he was just here."

"Where?" Eddie put the drinks down and pulled me in front of him. "Relax and point him out."

"No, you don't understand." I was trying to get Eddie to move, but Eddie was putting me in front of him, facing the pool. "He was just here."

"Shhh relax. I understand. I want you to point him out so I can see him and not raise an alarm. Ok?"

"Oh." Ok that makes sense. My mind was in overdrive thinking of only alerting Eddie, it hadn't given a second of just what I expected Eddie to do with the information.

"He moved. He was there, behind Scott." I had no idea if Eddie remembered who Scott was. "He's gone."

"Ok. shh. Keep looking."

Eddie whispered and kissed my shoulder. Both trying to relax me, and appear natural in case this guy was watching me leave Cleo. My eyes darted to Cleo. Flo was there, and Cleo had the towel wrapped around her. She was a bit pale but looked ok. I looked over the pool. No sign of him. He couldn't have disappeared. He would have had to leave through the gate. I looked towards the gate.

"Eddie ... maybe." I started, unsure.

"Where Baby, don't point." Eddie's chin was on my shoulder looking where I was looking.

"The gate. He's leaving. Maybe. I can't tell from the back. Red shirt. See?"

"I see. Take these drinks to the girls, stay here. I mean it. Stay here. I'll be back."

"What are you going to do?" I asked in a near panic.

"Shh. Kiss me." He spun me around and kissed me. Somehow taking his time for a shot quick kiss, how he did it I don't know. It felt unhurried, complete yet fast.

"Go on. Keep Cleo and Flo here. You too." He added sternly. "I'll be back." He left me at a quick pace. He kept his hands in his pockets but his stride was long and fast.

I took the drinks and went back to Cleo and Flo. I sat back down on the lounge chair.

"Take your drinks." I instructed calmer than I felt. "Relax. Eddie is on it."

Flo looked from me to Cleo, uncertain. I nodded at her. Slowly she sat back. I wasn't sure how much Flo knew and didn't know, but right now she was concerned for Cleo.

"Sit back Cleo." I picked up her sun hat. "Here, put on your silly sun hat and wait." Cleo almost never used the hat, but always brought it. She said it was in fashion. This time however, she put it on.

"That's a girl. Sip your tea." I suggested.

"Water." She corrected. I smiled.

"Whatever."

She picked up her magazine and flipped through it absently. From a far it looked perfectly normal. From up close..."Cleo love, turn it right side up." I suggested. I received a scowl and she flipped the magazine over.

Eddie approached us from behind. He slid onto my chair just like before and I was awarded another kiss, just like before.

"All's well ladies."

"You shoot him already?" Cleo asked sarcastically. "I didn't hear the shot."

I noticed he was sweating and flushed. Whatever he'd done had overheated him.

"Take a sip." I handed him my tea, as yet, untouched. He gulped half of it down.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take a quick dip and then escort you ladies home." Eddie wasn't wearing trunks but was hot enough not to care, his shorts would do. He dove in and dunked himself a few times before climbing back out. Dripping in front of us he offered me and Cleo a hand up. He walked around and helped Flo. "I'd suggest putting the tops on to save me undue pain." He added with drama, a hand over his heart another over his groin.

Cleo and Flo tied one another back into their suits, and added their cover-ups. Eddie, wet, shrugged into his own shirt. All three of us left, walking Flo home first.

Once back at our cabin we all sat at the kitchen island. I got up to pour some of Molly's tea while Eddie spoke.

"Well ok. I followed him. Billy was right. He came back. He was in a trailer, that matched what you told us." He nodded at Cleo. "And had it parked right out in the open. I did as Billy suggested and went to get him. Nick said he had been gone all day and would send Gus from him right away. I expect he'll be here shortly."

I sat the glass on the counter with a bit more force the necessary. I climbed up on my stool.

"You two stay here at least till we hear from Billy. We didn't expect him back so soon." Eddie said, meaning Micheal. "Dean thought not till late August at least. I guess they figured with camp being over late September they would have more fun if..."

"Yeah we'd pretty much taken to going where we wanted again, alone." I looked at Cleo.

She nodded. "Yeah, I have. I mean I have and I haven't. I don't wonder at night. I stay close to the path unless some one's with me. I'm more cautious. But yeah, I have gotten more relaxed already. It amazes me that I have. I'm going to go change and shower." Cleo headed up stairs.

"Damn." I said when she was out of ear shot. "Only this week had she returned to her old self."

"Yeah. I've been trying to stay by you more. I figured yesterday you'd stay here. I heard you went out with Billy hey?"

I paused, a bit peeved by this. "Yeah. Billy and I went to the Big House. I've got a lot of work over there. We had a fight and I came home alone."

"Yeah I heard. Well, not about the fight." He said when he saw me getting angry. "Nick said today when I went looking for Billy that you came back alone yesterday. And Billy hadn't been around the stables much since." Eddie shrugged.

"It was only yesterday afternoon. Evening really." I said rolling my eyes. "Sandwich?" I asked pulling food from the fridge.

"Followed by desert?" He asked with a grin.

"Oh hush you, make your own sandwich, we've got to finish off this lunch meat before it goes bad."

"Yeah, that sounds appetizing." Eddie complained while he smeared mayo on his bread.

We ate and as we were finishing up Cleo came downstairs. She had dressed cheerfully in bright colors to help her mood. Yet she wore a bra, and I was betting the panties were back on. It was a simple t-shirt and mini skirt.

"Great!" I said. "Made you something to eat but you get to clean the kitchen."

I ran upstairs for my own shower. Suntan lotion only feels good when it's applied by a lover, and removed by a shower. Wow what a tan I'm getting. I thought looking into the mirror. Billy is coming. I thought standing there nude. The bastard. I flipped on Cleo's blow dryer and dried my hair. It looked thick and wavy. I applied makeup to highlight the tan, adding a tad of shimmer on my eye lids. I didn't even forget the lip gloss. Back in my room I slipped on a white sundress with daisy's around the hem. I made sure the panties and bra stayed off. I added a touch of gold with a thin chain around my throat. I nodded to the mirror. A perfect summer outfit. It showed off my tan, my tightening body. The elastic top gave very little support to my breasts. Being white it showed off the darker pink areola around my nipples, while hinting at the dark pubic hair, now shaved to a perfect arrow head. Let Billy eat his heart out!

I skipped down stairs with a smile on my face. Eddie whistled and I blushed, delighted. I hadn't dressed with Eddie in mind, but I'd take admiration where I could get it. Eddie swooped in and enclosed me in his arms. I leaned my head back and welcomed the kiss.

"Damn girl." Eddie looked into my face and kissed me again.

I pushed him back laughing. "Behave you." I loved it.

We all sat in the living room talking about what had to be done with my new project. Cleo even went so far as to get paper and pen and make notes.

"Alright. I'll see if Earl is willing to do yet more work this summer. Hmmm Maybe we'll get Jake to leave Earl here, have him become the jack of all trades sorta guy. It sounds like we need one now." Cleo said. "Anyway, I'll find some climate controlled large storage place, a warehouse I guess, and put the house contents in."

"But at the same time, Cleo, would you really want to do that? I mean moving junk from one place to another so it sits for another 50 years? Shouldn't it be gone through and divided, trash from treasure?"

"I'll tell you right now, there is no way Jake is going to oversee that." Eddie leaned back on the sofa.

"I'll double check. I'd guess Jake would say you decide. You can tell a ratty bit of cloth from a designer's dress even if it is 100 years old right?" Cleo asked.

"Well, some of it. We may loose some good items from his childhood. What may be a broken down bike could be the one he got when he turned 11. You know what I mean?"

"I'll double check." Cleo scribbled more on her pad.

"Damn. Sure wish we could order Pizza here." Eddie said.

The hours had flown by, it was dinner time!

"How did that happen?" I said out loud.

Cleo and Eddie both laughed at me.

"When you get into this stuff you forget all time don't you?" Cleo dropped the pad on the table and stood up to stretch.

Eddie, ever the watchful playboy took advantage and gave her small thin body a once over with his eyes.

"Maybe Molly has some frozen, I'll check." I popped up from the sofa, eager to get away. I wasn't jealous, exactly. I just couldn't watch him watching her. Was I just craving all the attention for myself? "Hmm I see frozen crust, but looks like we have to add our own toppings. Let me see what she has down here."

I bent, opening the fridge. I pulled open a drawer. "She does have cheese!" I said surprised.