Hi and thanks for reading. This is a work of fiction and all characters are made up (although based on people I know.) You might want to read the first two chapters first or you might be lost. Or not. Your prerogative. Thanks again to my editor, Tangentjoker. If you aren't reading his stuff you should, right after you read this and leave a nice comment. It doesn't have to even be a positive comment, just let me know someone is reading. Else wise there seems little point in writing, ya know? Anyway, our story begins where Amber's Tale II ended.
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Job hunting with the warm tingling of our earlier sexual escapades meant we didn't really go a lot of places, nor did we care to. We were perfectly happy slinging résumés at jobs we knew we didn't want, and wouldn't get, so long as we got to hang out together all day. Other than driving around, most of our day was spent kissing at every red light and stop sign we came to. I could barely keep my hands off Michael and he was much the same with me.
As promised, a few minutes before one, I was at my mother's real estate brokerage, or more accurately the one she worked as an agent at. The main broker, Don Roberson, was looking for a part time receptionist and my mother had agreed to put in a good word for me. I didn't really want a job. I didn't feel I had any need for one and it would only cut into the time I would have to spend my last summer before college hanging out by the pool and smoking blunts with Michael and the rest of the condo gangstas. But Mom insisted that I do something and if I were to lose this battle of wills I certainly didn't want to be standing at a fast food counter 8 hours a day while some loser assistant manager checked out my ass.
I guess I was being cynical, but I had never had to work before. My dates were obliged to take care of me and Mom got enough child support from my father so that any needs I had were met.
Still, some extra cash in the fall would be nice and Roberson paid better for part time than flipping burgers did for full. At one o'clock, I found myself waiting outside his office for an interview. Michael went to a local computer networking shop to sling a résumé and nerd out for a while until I called him for a pick up.
One o'clock came and went, and it wasn't until one-thirty that Mr. Roberson finally saw me. He was dark skinned, like perpetually tanned, and I would later find out his mother was Hispanic. He had startling dark eyes, just a touch of gray over his ears, was impeccably dressed, and had a million dollar smile. He was the exact sort of guy any woman in her thirties or forties would go for and I wondered if he and mom had ever gone out. He looked to be maybe late forties or early fifties, it was hard to tell, but was quite handsome and had a reserved way of talking so that you couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Now, I wasn't attracted to him. Don't get me wrong.
Sure, he was fit and took care of himself and was certainly an attractive man but way out of my age appropriate group. On the other hand, I could not see how Mom could work around him all day and not notice him.
We spoke for several minutes, mostly about my lack of experience and what a great agent my mother was. Then he turned to real estate. I told him I hoped to follow my mom into the business but that I wanted to get a degree and brokerage license and focus on commercial properties and development. This was true. I had long thought this would be a great business to be in, and since I didn't want to go into a medical field, business - in particular real estate - made sense to me.
Finally, after a half hour or so, he announced that I had the job and could start on Monday. Even though I hadn't been looking for a job, really, this made me quite happy. He said I would answer the phones in the afternoons three to four days a week but since I had an interest in development I could do open houses at one of the several projects he had going. I could not sell without a license but you don't need a license to stand there, answer questions and "be nice to people."
I left his office and went straight to my mom's to tell her but she was out showing a property. I could have swore Mr. Roberson was checking me out as I stood to leave but I was used to that from my cheer days. Men just like to look and, as long as they don't touch, I might as well accept it for the compliment it is; provided they aren't total perverts.
Once outside, I was going to walk to coffee shop two buildings down and call Michael but he was there waiting for me.
"Well, I got the job!" I announced.
"So did I!" he replied with a smile.
"That's awesome! Doing what?" I asked.
"Oh, just boring stuff. Planning networks and installing them, fixing computers, setting up servers and keeping them running. They do tech support for most of the small businesses in town. I may even get to write some code every now and then. What about you?"
"Just answering the phone, occasionally showing houses at one of Mr. Roberson's developments, and looking pretty," I smiled.
"You'll be awesome!"
"Yeah, well, it's not like it's a hard job, but the money is good. And we should still be able to spend the summer together until you leave for school."
Michael smiled at this. I think it was more than I had ever seen him smile.
"Let's go celebrate!" I suggested.
"Sure, where to?" he asked.
"What do you want to do?"
"Uh, I don't know," he laughed. "This morning's 'celebration' has left me without the ability to think about much else." He made air quotes with his fingers as he said "celebration" as if I couldn't figure out his innuendo.
"Well..." I said, only to be interrupted by my phone. It was my mother calling.
"Hey, Mom! I got the job!"
"So I hear. Are you going back to school now?"
"Ugh. Really? By the time I changed and got there it would be almost..."
"Relax," she interrupted. "I was teasing. Take the day off and have fun. Oh! I have to work late, so do you mind cooking?"
