Chapter 14

It took every bit of self-control in my body to avoid tipping off Jim and Millie that I knew them better than almost anyone else on earth. My heart literally ached when I looked at them and saw the ravages of age written all over them both. Jim looked very svelte and healthy. His cardiologist was clearly on the right track with whatever treatment strategies he was employing. Millie looked like she was suffering from severe arthritis. It hurt to see her struggle to walk to their table and carefully sit down.

I wanted to hug them so badly.

Without tipping off my bride, or George as to what caused me to be so distracted, I watched them both, albeit surreptitiously. George handled the conversation at our table while I contributed as little as was polite, while studying my once-upon-a-time adopted family. Seeing Jim and Millie caused me to momentarily yearn for Colleen, but then I caught Abby’s eye and her smile reminded me of who I was and why that made me so happy.

George watched our brief interplay and couldn’t help but comment. “You two lovebirds are so damned cute that seeing you so utterly in love makes me want to try again, someday. If contrary Mary hadn’t soured me on marriage so badly, I would go find me an Abby and marry so fast that she wouldn’t even realize what happened before our first anniversary.

“Would you please quit tempting me so perfectly?” His smile said his words were – at least – partially in jest, but his eyes told a different story. George was lonely. Abby and I noticed it the first time we met. Part of our mutual desire to befriend him was the loneliness that was always in his eyes.

Making George feel even worse, I kissed Abby like I wanted to see if I could make her forget where we were. She positively glowed from the attention she was getting. Once more I was reminded that I would do about anything to keep seeing that look in her eyes.

We were almost finished with dessert, and I had finally managed to stop staring at the Bell’s when they walked over to our table. When I heard Jim’s voice I nearly hugged him. It was a close thing, but I maintained control over my emotions.

“George? Is that really you?” Jim was smiling as he stood beside our table with Millie on his arm.

I couldn’t help myself.

I stood and offered her my seat, holding it while she gently lowered herself down. “Thank you so much, young man. My old bones are acting up so much these days. You’re very kind to offer me your seat.”

George rose and embraced Jim. They obviously had history. “Jim Bell. I can’t believe you’re not at least a Governor by now.” He turned to us, and said, “This guy was my best friend in college. We used to have so much fun. The beautiful lady in your seat is his gorgeous and brilliant wife, Millicent. Millie, I’ve always regretted not seeing you first. By the time I even noticed you that big lunk-head already had his heart set on marriage.

“Jim and Millie Bell, please meet associates of mine. This lovely young woman is Abby Hancock. She is an amazing script fixer. We hand her needy scripts and she brings us back dialogue that will win Southern Sky our first Emmy this year. That scallywag beside is her husband, Mark Hancock. He is the best rookie Associate Producer I’ve ever seen.

“Kids, this man is the reason I finished college. I was a lowly freshman when Jim was graduating and he worked like a demon getting high marks and making damned sure I got them too. It was like he was personally offended if I got anything but an ‘A’. Jim, I heard you lived in Missouri. If I knew it was Branson I would have looked you up when I arrived in town.”

They talked non-stop and were having so much fun that Abby engaged Millie in conversation to pass the time. “We moved to Branson during the winter, just in time to get married. Have you lived here long?”

Millie was thrilled to have an opening to talk about her home. “I married Jim right out of high school. He was in the military and swears he fell in love before we were introduced. We couldn’t wait to get married and he brought me home to Branson as soon as he got out of the service.

“We both knew George way back when. We had no idea he was in the movie business until just now. He was always the one that everybody thought would make a big name for himself. I guess he really did.” She seemed to consider her words for a moment, and then continued. “George was the ultimate lady’s man. Jim used to claim that George could get a girl to give it up before the credits started, almost before the theater lights went down.” That got all three of us giggling at George’s expense, but and Jim were so busy catching up that they never noticed.

Abby and I let George and the Bells enjoy their conversation without interruption. We were George’s ride, so we waited patiently while they chattered. Abby kept me entertained by making eyes at me. By the time the Bells exchanged information after promising to schedule another get together Abby had me fully aroused. That was a very good thing because it kept my mind off of what was under Millie’s skirt.

Abby loved our new life. We spent hours wrapped around each other in the master bedroom, enjoying everything our bodies could do for each other. Over time Abby became very adept at oral sex. Such was her devotion to giving as good as she got from me, she could bring me to climax faster than any woman I’d ever slept with. We went home in a bit of a hurry, lost our clothes on the way to the bedroom and exhausted ourselves the old fashioned way, before Abby collapsed into sleep. That gave me time and privacy to wonder about running into Jim and Millie, and what that meant for the life I was currently living.