FINDING SOMEONE

His workout was finished and he sat to take a final reading of his heart rate on his small white machine. As he did, he noticed that one of the therapists, his favorite, came in. She made a face at a colleague and said: "Almost time!" Then she made a sad face.

He thought, to himself, that she looked absolutely beautiful. It was then that he made his decision. He simply believed that there were times in life, when you have to do something, as outrageous as it might seem at the time. But, if nothing else, John Atherton was a man who, once a decision was made, followed through. It was responsible, he thought, at least in part, for his great success in business.

Certainly, in that area of his life, his business or maybe we should say businesses, things were going well -- great guns, was the phrase that he said to himself. Then with a kind of grimace he added: "If only I can get things to go so well for me physically."

It was, after all, the reason that he was at the rehab facility in the first place. He'd had his 'heart dances', he liked to call them, stretching back for over fifteen years and was hoping that things were now under control.

To that end, he watched his diet; he took his medicines and worked out faithfully three times a week. It was at this great facility, a kind of adjunct to the hospital, that he did his workouts. It was also at this facility that now and again he saw Robin Massin.

That was one of the treats for him with his workout, seeing her. He thought she was just gorgeous, physically stunning.

Robin, of course, was totally unaware of John Atherton's regards. She was, just then, in a point of having her position phased out. As a matter of fact, she'd volunteered, since the other therapists were married with children and she didn't want it to be either of them that were laid off. She was in a 'counting down' kind of mood at the time, and working her way through the day but there weren't any real rays of sunshine for her that day. She didn't realize that she was, in fact, a ray of sunshine for Johnnie Atherton.

But he was determined now to at least say something. His mind was made up and, when that was the case, he never lacked courage.

He was getting ready to leave and noticed that Robin was back in the back doing her own workout. It was his opportunity. He walked back there and stood by the bench where she was doing a workout with some weights.

(Robin Massin had been married but he had turned out to be fairly a loser and she was now happily on her own for over a year. She was fit, certainly fit; she worked out at the facility during the day, and had enough time to do good workouts. At the age of 35 she was a dark haired beauty. She had relatively small breasts but her overall physical form was sensational. She also had a nicely rounded butt that was certainly helped by the kind of exercising that she did.)

At that precise time, she was finishing a workout and had a client in about 45 minutes later.

She was also planning to give herself some time off, once the job faded and then look around for another position. She knew that she could make the transition on what she had saved, as long as it were not a huge long time before something new came along, but she really didn't think that it would be.

It was then that the ray of sunshine came in her life that day. John Atherton, determined now, appeared at her side.

Robin looked up and said a soft: "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your workout," he said, "But I wanted to say something."

She was immediately impressed by his manner. He wasn't nervous; he was calm; he seemed in total control. He was older -- read for 'older' in his early to mid-50's -- and a very attractive man. She'd certainly seen him around the place for about a year or more, and was familiar with him.

"Yes?" she said, sitting up now.

"I wanted to tell you that I find you blindingly beautiful! Seeing you here always makes these workout sessions a treat for me. Please don't think that I'm coming on to you; I'm not, really! I'm not trying to make time or any such shallow thing. I just think that you need to have someone tell you how lovely you are!"

Robin was simply open mouthed in shock. She looked at him, taking it all in and fairly gaped, as he nodded and said: "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my opinion."

She nodded; she had, right then no words; she didn't know what to say, and by the time she had recovered, he was just gone. She looked around but in vain; he just wasn't there anymore.

She took a few minutes then to sit with her friend Louise in the therapist's room.

"I have to tell you what just happened," Robin said, still starry eyed from what John had said.

She went over it with Louise, who giggled.

"I bet he likes you," Louise said.

"He didn't indicate that at all," Robin countered, "As a matter of fact he went out of his way to say that he wasn't trying to make time with me."

"Don't think so!" Louise said, "And you know what?"

"What?" Robin asked, just shaking her head.

"He's rich! Owns the world!" Louise said with a grin.

"Get out!" Robin said.

"Really, it's what I've heard," Louise said.

"Well," Robin went on, "I can't believe that anything more will come of this but it certainly made my day; I mean, with the time closing in and all."

"Oh, yes," Louise said, "You are so wonderful to do that for me and Penny!"

She got up then and insisted on a hug for Robin, who clung to her for a few minutes, still processing the kind words that John Atherton had spoken.

He, as he walked away and finished his workout, felt particularly good about what he'd done. He was smiling with himself, and agreed with himself that he needn't take the issue any further.

"Yes, she's gorgeous but she's probably married and has a passel of children. John, you just don't need to get involved."

It was his determination. He let it lay there. He didn't see Robin every time that he went for his rehab workout, both weights and cardiac, and for the next few days, their schedules didn't match at all, and by then, she was done with the job, her redundancy time had come.

It was a Thursday about a week later. John had treated himself out to dinner to a small Italian place that he both owned and liked. He'd given his driver and his housekeeper/cook, Mrs Keats, the night off. They were a couple and were celebrating an anniversary, and so, that night he was on his own.

He was having a glass of wine, when someone was standing next to his table. He looked up and was totally shocked to see Robin Massin standing there, looking down at him and smiling broadly.

"No, Mr Atherton," she began, "I'm not stalking you."

"Too bad!" he quipped and she gave a short giggle kind of laugh. "In fact," she began her explanation, "I was supposed to meet my former colleagues from the rehab facility for dinner but they just called to cancel."

"Please, join me!" he said.

"It wasn't my idea to intrude," she said, "Just to say thank you for what you said the other day. It came with good timing for me."

"Ms Massin," he said, "I have a bottle of wine here and don't want to drink it all myself; won't you please join me?"

Robin smiled and followed her instincts, saying 'yes, thank you'. She sat. John just turned and made a gesture for the waiter, who arrived and said a very polite: "Yes, Mr Atherton?"

"Another wine glass please; the young lady and I will be dining together," he said.

"Certainly, Mr Atherton," the waiter replied.

"Very polite and they know your name here!" she said.

"They should," He said, "I own it; but don't tell anyone or they'll all be complaining to me!"

She put her hands up to her mouth and giggled again. "You get more and more interesting all the time," she said.

"And your beauty is still ravishing," he replied, "And I promise to not keep embarrassing you with statements like that."

"I'll try to suck up my courage and take such compliments in," she said with a grin. "You needn't stop making such statements altogether!"

"Good for me!" he said, matching her grin with his own.

"What would you like?" he said, "For dinner!"

"I knew what you meant!" she said matching his smile. "But what do you suggest? I've only been here a time or so."

He made a recommendation for their dinner and they agreed to share two separate entrees and each have some of them. Then they settled to talk. She didn't seem to be very ill at ease with him, and John Atherton certainly wasn't ill at ease with her.

"What exactly brought you to the rehab facility?" she asked.

"Gifts from my family!" he said with a rueful smile. "A heart attack fifteen years ago, accompanied by angioplasty, a quad by-pass five years ago, and recently heart surgery to correct atrial fibrillation."

"Oh," she said, "You really have gone through it!"

"Yes, but I'm in better shape now than I've been in such a long time!" he replied. "What about you? You said 'former'."

She told him about the downsizing then, and her determination to let it be her, since Louise and Penny each had families.

"How nice!" he said, smiling at her.

She liked the compliment: "Thank you..."

"John," he said, "Just call me John."

"Thank you, John," she said then.

They continued through the dinner with their small talk; he did tell her a bit about his company 'A-World Enterprises' and how busy it kept him.

"It keeps me out of town a bit more than I like," he said, "But my house here in town is so big, inherited it, along with the initial business from my Mom and Dad, that I'm more like a bug in a barn there."

She smiled at his words. "A bug in a barn, eh?"

"Exactly," he said.

She told him then of her own plans to take some time and live off of her savings. "I will begin to look around soon but for right now, with the position being phased out at the rehab facility, I'll just sit back for a week or so."

"Sounds lovely!" he said.

"Hope it will be," was her reply.

"I want to thank you for joining me for dinner," he said, "And I'd like your permission to pay for dinner."

"Oh, I didn't mean for you to have to do that, when I accosted you!" she said.

"Accosted?" he said, smiling, "It makes me think that I should have my defenses up!"

"I guess you should," she replied with a grin.

"You're certainly fun to be with," he commented.

"Why, thank you!" she answered then

"Dessert?" he asked.

"Goes to my hips quickly!" she said, "Too quickly!"

She held up a hand then and said: "Think it but don't say it!"

"Am I that transparent?" he wanted to know, laughing.

"Apparently!" was her answer.

"May I walk you to your car?" he asked.

"I'd be pleased, if you would," she replied.

He did walk her to her car, and on the way, she calmly put her hand in his arm, at his elbow. He smiled at her, when she did.

"This has been so unexpected and nice!" she said. "Thank you for dinner and for a lovely, lovely evening. I never expected it, when I went out."

"You're more than welcome," he said, "Dinner with a lovely lady is always a treat for me."

"Before going home to be a bug in a barn!" she said, laughing.

"I'll have to show it to you sometime, and you'll see what I mean!" he said, grinning back at her.

"You're on, John Atherton!" she said and then, turning to him, pulled him into a hug, which he totally enjoyed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before leaving him to get into her car.

He was smiling, as he went back to fetch his own car. He already made plans to search for her address and phone number. It was his next priority.

A BUSINESS PLAN:

It was a week later. Robin had spent the time reading books that had stacked up on her and doing whatever she wanted. She knew that she'd have to look for work soon but she thought that she'd give it a day or so yet, before the search would actually begin.

The phone rang.

"Hello," she said softly.

"I love the tone of your voice on the phone," the caller said.

Robin, from a correct intuition, said: "It's John Atherton or else it's a dirty phone call!"

He laughed, and said: "Robin, maybe it's both!"

"Oh, goodie!" she said, "I was getting bored!"

"I thought as much," he said, "And so I want to know if you had time to come to my office. I have something that I'd like to talk to you about."

"Love to!" she said, following her instincts. "Tell me where it is."

He gave her the address and directions.

"When you get there," he instructed, "Tell the person at reception who you are and that I'm expecting you. They'll send you right up."

"Dress code?" she asked, and quickly, following that with a wicked thought, said: "Don't you dare!"

"Almost did!" he said laughing. But then he went on: "Robin, it's a normal business kind of meeting."

"Okay," she said, "I'll be respectable!"

"I'm sure you're always that," he said, "Even when you're wearing..."

"Um, John," she said, cutting across her words, "The ice is so thin out there!"

He laughed and said: "Wonderful! Just wonderful!"

"I'll be there," she said to him, and hung up to get ready, and as she was rushing around and selecting the proper clothes to wear, Robin Massin had a broad smile on her face.

She went to the 'A Tower', as it was locally called, impressed all over again that she was going to see the chief 'A' that the tower represented. She was greeted at the reception desk and was expected.

"Please take the last elevator in the row," the lovely young woman said. "Here's the key for the elevator."

Robin took the key and grinned all the way to the private elevator. She was glad that she'd worn her business suit. It was blue with little white pin stripes and was tight across the butt. She wore a frilly white blouse under the suit jacket, and her highest heels, three inchers. She hoped that she looked as good as she wanted to, though she kept on giving herself mental notes about not acting like a fool in front of or for this man!

The office suite was lovely. There were a few offices there on the top floor. One of those office suites dominated the floor, it was his, she knew that. She went in and was greeted by a secretary, whose name plate said that she was Kerry.

"You must be Ms Massin," Kerry said, getting up from behind her desk and extending her hand.

"Yes," Robin said, smiling.

"It's so nice to welcome you to 'A-World Enterprises'," Kerry said, and Robin got the impression that she really meant what she was saying. "Mr Atherton is expecting you."

Kerry then went to the large double door that was behind her desk and to the left of her. She knocked softly and, opening the door just a little, said: "Mr. A, Ms Massin is here."

"Oh, good, Kerry, please show her in," he said.

Robin entered his large and lovely office and exchanged grins with him. She was really hard pressed to figure out why he and she seemed to hit it off so well and so quickly but both of them were aware of it.

"Robin," he said, "Welcome to my lair!"

"Should I have legal representation or a guard?" she asked trading broad grins again.

"Do you really think you need that?" he asked.

"I'll know in a few minutes!" she said.

"Yes, you will," he quipped.

"Something to drink?" he asked.

"You know I'd love coffee or something," she said. "It's that time in the afternoon."

"Kerry makes the world's best cappuccino," he boasted.

"Good!" she said, "Is it possible to have hazelnut?"

"Good as done!" he said, and went to the door. He opened it and asked Kerry to make cappuccinos for them.

"That intercom machine is too impersonal for my taste," he said, explaining why he went to the door to ask for the cappuccinos.

"Yes," she said, "It's part of your style."

They settled down then and she said, with a gleam in her eye: "Okay, do I take my clothes off now or wait for the cappuccinos?"

"You are such a bold one!" he said, smiling.

"You have that effect on me, Mr A," she said, and then: "Okay, I'll behave and you can tell me what you asked me here for."

"For you to take your clothes off here," he said with a grin, and then held up his hand in defense.

"You are courting so much trouble!" she said.

"I am, isn't it wonderful?" he quipped. Then he sighed and said: "Okay, business!"

"Yes, business!" she said, and sat down, still smiling at him.

"You look lovely," he said, earnestly. "And I will get down to business now."

"Feel free to..." she began.

"Feel free?" he said a hopeful grin crossing his face.

"To compliment me!" she finished.

"Rats!" he said and they both laughed, as Kerry came in with the cappuccinos.

"She's being bad, Kerry," he complained.

"What?" Robin said in a loud voice.

"I know who's being bad in here," Kerry said, "You just straighten up, mister or a note goes to Walter today."

"Oh no!" he said, "I promise to be good, no note to Walter."

Kerry grinned at Robin as she left.

"Walter?" Robin asked.

"My cat!" he said, "Conspires with Kerry to keep me in line!"

"Glad there is someone!" she said, as they sipped their cappuccinos.

Finally, he said: "Robin there's something that I do want to talk to you about. It's about a design that we've had plans for, for about a year now. We simply never staffed it and got it going but I want to."

She was paying attention to him now.

"You see, in the basement of our office buildings, and we have buildings in Vienna, and Hong Kong, as well as here, we have an area set aside for a full exercise program. We'd like to offer our people not only the equipment but staff too and have personal trainers ready to help. I've been looking for someone to implement our ideas and I think that you might be the person to do it."

Robin was now grinning at him. "What a great idea!" she said.

They talked about what he had in mind and she asked a number of questions that showed him right away that his feeling about her being the one to get the facilities off the ground was the right one.

As they came to the end of the decision, he asked: "Will you do it? How much time do you need to think about it?"

"Give me a minute," she said and then she said: "Yes, I'll do it! It's just what I've always wanted to do, create a whole program, making it flexible to serve people's needs and get them into it in a way that works for them."

"Great!" he said. "I was hoping that you'd do it. Here's what I have in mind."

He shoved a sheet of paper across the desk to her; it had the salary package on it. She looked at it briefly and her head bobbed up and she stared at him. The base figure was fully over twice what she'd made at the rehab facility.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really!" he said.

"Has Walter approved this?" she wanted to know.

"Walter dictated the terms!" he assured her.

"Do I have to take my clothes off now?" she asked.

"I wanted to include that but Walter said no; he tends to be a killjoy!"

"Good for Walter!" she said with a grin.

"My answer, by the way, is 'yes'! It's an exciting possibility, and I almost took my clothes off!" she finished, grinning at him.

He returned the grin. "We'll want to have the program set up here and if it works as well as I think it will," he went on, "Then we'll have it set up in Vienna and Hong Kong."

"By?" she asked softly.

"You of course!" he said. "You will be in charge of it for corporate."

"My what an opportunity," she said.

"You'll need to hire personnel for the centers and oversee!" he said.

She nodded.

"You'll also have to take your clothes off a few times in my office!" he said in the same tone of voice.

He caught her there. She was so wrapped up in the proposal at that point that she began to simply shake her head 'yes' again to his suggestion, until she came to her senses.

"Walter!" she said threateningly.

"Oh, don't tell on me," he said, his voice pleading, "I'm only having fun!"

"You get away with it this time, big boy!" she said.

"Goodie for me!" he said.

"Now," he switched to his business mode again, "This has already been approved for implementation by the board and what we'll need is a proposal from you detailing what equipment and personnel you'll need."

"By when?" she asked.

"Board meets in three weeks," he said. "Enough time?"

"Oh, yes," she said, "What about an assistant to help me get it shaped?"

"Yes, fine," he said. "Salary figure about 20K below yours."

"I have someone in mind," she said. "Louise Sharp from the rehab facility."

"Good," he said, "But your choice."

"And I can offer her what you're offering me but 20k less?" she asked.

"Yes, we'll do that package together," he replied. "Fine?"

"Fine!" she replied.

"Dinner with me tonight?" he asked. Then he stuck his hands in the air and said: "No seduction intended!"

She laughed and said: "I might not hold you to that!"

"Good for me!" he replied, "Just don't tell Walter!"

"I think that Walter is getting a bum rap!" she said.

"Oh, yes, he is!" he said, "And he's like you: such a beauty!"

She smiled at him and said: "You talk so nice!"

"But it's you I'm talking about," he explained.

DINNER AND LOUISE:

He took her to a popular steak house, 'Earl's'. As soon as they entered, the receptionist got a grin on her face and said: "Mr A, how are you tonight? And you brought a guest with you."

John smiled at her and greeted her and presented Robin to her. Then she took them to a table, which was off toward the back and a little more private that the others might have been. She went off then, and it was only a short time later that a man dressed as a chef made his way to their table, greeting diners as he went.

John stood and held out his hand.

"Earl!" he said with great cordiality.

"I had to see," Earl said.

"Now don't go on!" John said in a soft voice, and Robin was just wondering what he meant.

"Had to see who was the lovely woman that you've brought here tonight! I told Ella that she was just wrong. Johnnie A doesn't travel around with a woman or bring one to dinner," Earl said.

"Earl!" John said again.

"No, let me have my moment here," Earl said, and John just nodded and presented Robin to him.

"Robin is an associate of mine from work!" John said, and Earl kissed her hand, while grinning from ear to ear, as he did it.

"Earl is a business partner," John said to Robin, "And never minds his own business."

"You're mental health is my business," Earl said and outrageously planted a kiss on John's cheek. John just grinned, as Earl turned.

"No need to order," Earl said, "I'll take care of it." Then he walked away.

John turned to Robin, as Earl left and said: "Sorry for the hoopla! Earl tends to be dramatic but he's a first rate chef."

They sat and talked, as the dinner unfolded in front of them, beginning with a bottle of shiraz and stuffed mushrooms. The steaks that Earl sent out for them were absolutely first class. Their dinner was a huge success.

As the dinner ended, John spoke up: "I owe you an apology but I have some work at the office that I must do. I need to be off to Hong Kong soon and I need to get some things in order for that trip. Otherwise, I would invite you to my place for dessert and to meet Walter the great cat."

"Oh, that would be nice some time," she said.

He took her back to the parking garage, and walked her to her car.

"You will be okay?" he asked.

"Yes, fine!" she said, "Thank you for everything. I promise that I will have designs and equipment needs for you soon. I'll also take care of the assistant. As I said, I already have someone in mind."

"Good!" he said with a smile. "We'll plan to start you on salary and benefits tomorrow."

She smiled and nodded at him. Then, suddenly, the air was tense. She realized that, as adept at inter-personals as he was, he wasn't sure what to do just then. She did know, however, what she wanted and was determined to get part of that at least.

"Do you mind?" she asked softly and began to put her arms around him.

"Not at all!" he said, "Just didn't know quite how to launch myself at you!"

"No need," she said, hugging him now, "I'm right here!"

"I can feel that!" he said into her ear. "Walter would approve."

"Good," she said, "He told me to be sure to make my move!" She giggled as she ended the sentence.

"Conspiracy!" he said.

"Yes," she answered, and then the tension was back again, as they momentarily looked at each other.

It was mutual then, as their faces neared and they kissed. It was a kiss that curled Robin's toes. It began soft and then gained an insistence that both of them felt. Toward the end of the kiss, which seemed to have been coming along for a while with them, John slid his hand from the middle of his back to the edge of her butt, just above the line of her panties through her skirt. His hand hesitated, and she reached back then, took his hand and pushed it down onto her butt cheeks. She could hear his sigh, which was matched by her own, as he softly rubbed his hand across her butt.

"Ohhhh," she groaned, when the kiss was broken. "Now, I'm not fine any longer!"

He grinned at her and said: "What a lovely beginning!"

"Will this, uh, complicate our working together?" she asked.

"Nope!" he said, "Walter assured me that it was a great idea!"

"Oh, yes," she said, "Walter!"

She was fairly star struck, as she got into her car and, waving, drove away to go home and call Louise.

John was humming to himself, as he made his way to his office.

Robin got Louise on the phone right away.

"Hello," Louise answered.

"Louise, it's Robin," she said.

"Hey, girl! What are you up to?" Louise answered.

"I need to talk to you about a few things," Robin said, "Got time?"

"For you always!" was Louise's reply.

They made plans for Louise to come over and they'd have their talk. Robin fetched a bottle of white wine from the 'fridge and got some glasses out. They embraced at the door, when Louise arrived.

"Wine?" Robin asked.

"Lovely!" Louise said.

Once they'd sat down, Louise said: "Okay, tell me; it's that man!"

"Yes," Robin admitted, and she went into the way the relationship with John Atherton was progressing.

Louise ended up clapping her hands with glee and almost shouting: "Good for you! That's wonderful news!"

They talked about it a bit and then Robin went on:

"But, honey, there's something else that I want to talk to you about."

She explained to Louise then what John had in mind for the company, the space, the possible program.

"Oh," Louise said enthusiastically, "We've talked about that possibility and how we'd do it any number of times. Is there a job for me?"

"Yes," Robin said grinning. "Here's what he's offering."

She pushed a piece of paper across to Louise, who whooped, since it was fully 20k more than she was making at that point.

"Wait ''til I tell Lew," she crowed, "You're so nice to include me in this! When do we start?"

"Well, I think that we need to start as soon as possible," Robin said, "I'm on salary as of tomorrow. We can get together, during the time that your notice runs and begin planning and looking over machines and things like that. We'll want to have a proposal ready for his board in three weeks."

"Yes, we can do that, and we need to have in place a few options for guided plans for employees that might want to have that kind of help," Louise added, filled with enthusiasm.

Robin grinned at her and said: "Isn't this marvelous?"

"Marvelous!" Louise said.

"You don't mind that I'm going to be the boss?" Robin asked.

"Does that mean that you'll pat my fanny now and again?" Louise asked, laughing before she got to the end of the question.

"I will!" Robin said and they were giggling together.

"Honey," Louise said, "I have to go home and give this news to Lew; then I'm going to jump on his bones!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Robin said, and they embraced, as Louise left.

It left Robin in a terrific mood. She knew that their plan was going to work and would be an excellent one for the company.

A PACKAGE FOR MR ATHERTON:

It was later that evening. The doorbell rang at John's house and he went to answer it himself. He spoke into the intercom:

"Yes?"

Robin was there and said: "Delivery for Mr John Atherton; are you he?"

He laughed and said: "Who wants to know?"

"The package," Robin said. "I've just been delivered here. Can you open the door? It's cool, and I'm naked out here!"