Chapter 4

2^nd August 2003

Geoff was in his element. He turned off the water from the hose and stood and looked at his pride and joy. He sniffed taking in the wonderful smell of Gunk. The Vincent Black Shadow gleamed in the sun light. Geoff took his chamois leather and started drying the paint and chrome work. He noticed the taxi pull up. Crouching down he picked up his tube of Solvol Autosol and started to polish the tappet covers. He heard the cab door close but didn't turn to look. He knew who it would be; he'd been told she was here. She'd been asking about him in Newquay. It was only a matter of time before she sought him out. She stopped on the other side of the bike and waited for him to get up. Geoff continued his polishing.

"It's been a long time Geoff. You're looking good."

He stood up and wiped his hands with his polishing rag. He looked her up and down. The past years hadn't treated her particularly well. She was about twenty pounds heavier mainly on her arse and tits but even her face looked fatter.

"You're not looking so bad yourself Jac."

"You don't need to flatter me. I know how I look"

"So what brings you to this part of the world? Was the divorce settlement not good enough? I gave you a quarter of a million from the house; you kept your company shares. Stuart McKenzie said you were happy with the lump sum for Ian's child support."

"No it's nothing like that. As a matter of fact you were very fair, all things considered. Look we can't really discuss things out here, can we go inside?"

For the first time since she arrived, he noticed she was carrying a brief case. That made him a bit curious so he invited her into the house. Once inside she looked around.

"This is nice Geoff. A good sized garden I see and you've got what, three bedrooms or is it four?"

"Only three at the moment, but you didn't come all the way down here to look at my house. What is it you want?"

Geoff set the coffee filter machine going and waited for her to answer.

"It's you I want; I've come to ask you to come back."

Geoff stopped in his tracks, his mouth fell open and his eyes widened. Jackie put her hand to her mouth and started laughing.

"No I didn't mean that, I'm not asking you to come back to me, though god knows I would if I believed it would work. I'd even beg if it would do any good but I know you better than that. I burned my bridges with those divorce papers. It wasn't until I was without you that I realised what I really wanted. You know how the song goes; you don't miss your water till you well runs dry"

"You lost me as soon as I guessed you'd had his dick in you. You acted like lovers on that sofa that was enough for me. How is Ian? I gather he's firmly hitched his team to Simon's wagon."

"I tried to stop him Geoff, really I did, but he's an adult now. If he wants to change his name I can't stop him. He still looks up to Simon. Give him time, he's still young."

"He's had seven years. I think that's long enough. What about you? I gather it didn't work out with Si?"

"Do you remember what you said to me as we went out of the door? I do and it came back to haunt me. When a man marries his mistress, it creates a vacancy. It only took him a year to fill that vacancy. It didn't help that I was still in love with you. You never asked me why I did it. I've asked myself several times and I still don't know. He was just so damned persuasive. The silver tongue doesn't cut it once you're spending all your time together. Once I caught him with his trousers down, so to speak, there was only one ending."

"So what's happening now? Have you found someone else?"

"There have been a couple over the last five years but they don't go anywhere. You're a hard act to follow, Geoff. You were always a good husband. There was just that one year when you were running around all over the place trying to get work for the company to change direction. I was a fool letting that bastard convince me that you were playing around."

"I never did. You were always all I wanted in a wife. I had no need for anyone else."

"I know that now, but it's too late isn't it."

"You got that right, way too late. So this visit isn't about us, what is it about?"

"We want you to come back, back to the company. We can offer you your old job back and you'll have a free hand. You can take the company in whatever direction you want."

"You keep saying we Jac, who is we?"

"The board, and the bank! It won't surprise you Geoff, because you predicted it. The company is in trouble. The bank won't lend any more money unless we can put together a credible diversification plan. We've tried but the clients don't believe we have the expertise to deliver. We need someone with credibility Geoff, we need you."

"What does Simon have to say about this?"

"He's OK with it but it wouldn't make much difference if he wasn't. He's still only got thirty percent, thanks to the divorce settlement I've got thirty five. The rest of the board and the bank support me. I've even brought a contract with me."

Geoff got up and poured the coffee and brought two cups back to the table. He sat down and took his cup in both hands. He took a sip from his coffee and addressed Jackie.

"What makes you think I want to come back? I'm happy here, I have friends here, and I have no need to come back."

"Oh come on Geoff you can't tell me that you're happy running a motorbike shop. I can see that it allows you to indulge the passion of your youth, but you can't tell me it stimulates your brain."

Jackie became aware that Geoff was no longer looking at her but over her shoulder. She turned to see a Toyota MPV pull up on the drive. A slim redhead got out, opened the back door and helped two copper haired children get out of the car. They walked towards the front door. Geoff got up and walked towards the door.

"Are you expecting visitors?" Jackie asked.

"No I'm not." he said as he opened the door. The two children came running in and grabbed hold of his legs

"Daddy why didn't you come swimming with us today?" said the little boy.

Geoff squatted down to talk to him. "Because little man, I was expecting a visitor who came all the way from London."

"Is she here now Daddy?" asked the little girl.

"Yes darling, she is sitting over there at the table." Geoff stood up and hugged the young woman and kissed her. Jackie felt a twinge of jealousy seeing them together.

"We missed you at the pool today." Helen said as she put her arm around his waist. "Are you going to introduce us?"

They all walked back towards the table. As Jackie offered her hand, Geoff made the introductions.

"Jackie this is Helen. Helen this is my ex-wife Jackie. And these two ankle biters are Daniel and Vanessa." He bent down to the children." This is the lady, daddy was married to before he met mummy."

Helen shook Jackie's hand then took her in a fond embrace. "It's nice to meet you, I owe you so much."

Jackie looked puzzled "What can you possibly owe me."

"Isn't it obvious? Him; these two: my life basically! If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened."

"Well Helen, if you're trying to make me feel like a stupid bitch, you're doing a hell of a good job. I didn't see a wedding ring."

"Well you know how it is Jackie, once bitten, twice shy"

"Geoff, were you expecting me today?" Jackie asked.

"Soon after you booked your taxi last night someone rang to say you'd be coming here. Like I said I have friends here, real friends, people who care about me. Now why don't you tell me the whole story?"

"So what is it that you don't already know?"

"I want to know the real reason you came."

"I told you I want you to come back."

"Well you can't have him back he's mine now." Helen called out from the laundry room.

"The company is in trouble Geoff. What I didn't tell you is that we've been made an offer. The thing is, it's an all or nothing deal. I only own 35% of the shares, Si still has 30% but the other 35% belongs to four other shareholders. They all want to sell, even Si is considering it. The bank wants us to sell so that we can settle our overdraft. I really did come to ask you to come back, If you come back I can swing the others behind me and the bank would give us more time."

"Sell Jac, just let it go. Get the best deal you can."

"I don't want to, that company is my last link with our old life Geoff. I don't want to let it go."

"Take the offer Jac. Let the past go."

"They won't take on our debts. I'll be left with less than a hundred thousand once we've settled with the bank. Si will be left with nothing. He remortgaged his house to buy some of your shares then lost them to me in the divorce settlement. Please Geoff come back and help us to rebuild the company. You've done it before and if we'd let you do it your way we wouldn't be in this mess. You can't be happy being a motorcycle dealer?; You're capable of so much more."

"Take the offer Jac. I'm happy here, I like doing what I do. Yes I am capable of more than selling motorbikes, that's why I have my finger in so many other pies. Just go home take the money and move on."

Helen came back into the room. "Jackie, I'm about to start lunch. Would you like to join us? I'm sure Geoff would be happy to drive you back to town later."

Jackie looked at Geoff and realised she was wasting her time. "No thank you very much, I must be going. Thank you for your time Geoff." She got out her phone and called for a taxi.

No sooner had Jackie left the house than Helen walked up to Geoff put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "You are a very naughty man Geoff Cockburn. She doesn't know does she? And you're not going to tell her are you?"

"Right on both counts," Geoff said as a broad grin spread across his face."

"The last time I found something that amusing was when my ex-husbands baby came out brown. Of course you getting me pregnant made it all the more enjoyable."

"Like you said, I'm a very naughty man."

29^th September 2003

As they filed into the lunch room some of the employees of Cockburn Software Solutions thought there was something familiar about the guy with the beard sitting at the back of the room. However the main focus of their attention was the slim shapely redhead standing beside him. She looked elegantly sexy in her two piece suit, white blouse and black stockings. Some of the men commented that they could make out the outline of her lacy white bra that was doing a good job of supporting what was an ample, not large, bosom.