Inhaling a deep breath, Melissa made her way through the throng of people, she had just about made it to the bar when Mr and Mrs Robins and their daughter Anita stopped her.
Mr and Mrs Robins owned a hardware business, they probably made enough each year that they were comfortable, Melissa hated and their horse faced daughter, she wasn’t really horse faced Melissa called her that because of her braying laugh and her ability to make people feel uncomfortable. They also behaved like they had money to burn, and that Anita was a debutante.“Melissa, darling.” Anita called out to her, Melissa fixed her business smile in place and walked two steps in their direction.“I was just telling mother and father, I said there’s Melissa, she’s alone, I wonder why? Then mother said that you hadn’t got a boyfriend and you’d remain a spinster you’re whole life. And I said that Melissa should find someone like my Kevin.” Taking a breath in to come out with the next part, Melissa politely said “Anita I’ve just arrived do you mind if I mingle and get a drink first please?”Anita looked a little shocked, but quickly recovered “Oh I’m so sorry, of course. Talk to you later. I’m going to find Kevin.”Melissa knew who Anita was talking about, Kevin Green, he was short, and fat, his suit always looked three sizes to small, and was always brightly coloured he always wore spats, he was a slimy, smarmy character, who thought that he could bed everything that moved, he had greasy hair that he slicked back with, god only knows what, he had a spotty face and was always overtly staring at a girls, arse, or boobs and made an excuse to touch girls inappropriately.He gave her the creeps to be honest and Melissa always went out of her way to avoid him.She was grateful to Anita that she’d given her the heads up he was here, she could be on her guard.Finally she got to the bar, after what seemed like an age, the bartenders were rushed off their feet. The young guy who served her had olive skin, deep blue eyes, and blonde hair, but with his bow tie and white shirt he looked nice.“What can I get for you?” The young guy asked“Bourbon neat please.” Melissa replied with a smile. Smiling back he bent down,“This is the good stuff. Don’t tell anyone else.” Giving her wink she handed over a hundred and said “Keep the change.”Staring at her he said “That’s nearly 90 dollars.” She just turned and walked away.With drink in hand, Melissa scanned the room for a table. When she was bumped into suddenly and her drink was spilt over her.She disappeared to the ladies to mop up the spill, as she pushed the door she heard a noise.“Mmmmm Kevin.” Well Kevin and Anita are getting busy Melissa said in a whisper to herself.She heard the noises they were making, as she dabbed at her dress with paper towels.That’s when she heard it “Oh Nancy baby I’m coming. Let me come inside you baby.” Melissa’s eyes locked on to the door the sound was coming from, she couldn’t believe that Nancy and Kevin were doing this, here.The door unlocked and Kevin said “Clean yourself up.” As he walked out he was putting his dick away when he caught Melissa’s reflection in the mirror, still rapping at the dress.“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Melissa.” He licked his thin lips, and sniffed hard.“I swear on any deity that’s listening you come near me and I will leave you a eunuch. You’re disgusting. What about poor Anita.”Melissa didn’t like Anita but she wouldn’t wish that on her. That’s when she heard the next voice.“Oh my god, you’re here?””Nancy Kettleman. I might have known. Your dad with you tonight? Because I’m sure he’d love to know what his daughter a Hartford employee is getting up to. Especially after he signed that he’d be responsible for your actions.”“You can’t say anything I do out of work.” Nancy screeched the hair she was desperately trying to tame flying everywhere.“Actually at a big event like this, where you will be telling people where you work and who you work for, in other words representing MY company. I can.”Nancy’s face was red now. Melissa had managed to get the spill out of her dress. She turned on her heel.Kevin grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall. “Maybe I should shut that pretty little mouth of yours.” He stunk of garlic, b.o. and sex.Melissa had been aware he might do this, he looked at her and made her feel sick. Trying to grab at her dress, when the door flew open. There stood the young bartender.“What are you doing to this lady?” He asked quietly.“We were just having a conversation that’s none of your business.” Kevin replied over his shoulder.Whiel he was distracted Melissa brought her knee up between his legs, hard and painfully. Kevin immediately dropped to the floor.“You bitch!” He screamed as he held onto his balls. Standing over him and Nancy cowered away.“If you ever come near me or any other woman aside from your girlfriend again I will embarrass you, that you will need to leave the country.” Melissa snarled “I dare you to call my bluff.”Looking him in the eye, so he knew she was serious, she then turned and walked away.The bartender followed “Listen thank you for coming when did.” Melissa said to the young guy. The bartender gave her a crooked smile a mock salute and ran off.Going back to the auditorium, she quickly found a table, and stood leaning against it. A bourbon was placed in front of her, looking up she saw the bartender, he gave her a quick wink and left.Sipping the mahogany coloured liquid she looked around the room.The awards would start in about an hour, slowly very slowly Melissa started to relax. Scanning the room she saw Jackson.Jackson White and his family were self-made like Melissa and her family, Melissa liked Jackson they did business regularly and he often accompanied her to business events as her plus one.Jackson White was the epitome of an underwear model, he had tanned skin, short spiky blonde hair and big brown eyes, Melissa had once been set up on a blind date with him by her loving father, a merge with Hartford Industries would be good for White and Co, there was one small snag to them getting together, Jackson is gay, and had a long term boyfriend called Julian who adored Melissa as much as she adored them.Jackson was a fair distance away from Melissa but she could see that he was deep in conversation with a guy. Looking around the auditorium she saw a man he was talking to Anita, Melissa almost spat her bourbon out, 'Holy Crap is that Blake?' Turning his back towa
EARLIER THAT EVENINGBrock pressed the button on the alarm with a satisfying click, letting him know that the car was now locked. Walking through the double doors and into the auditorium, he made his way to the bar, "Whisky on the rocks please." Pulling slightly at the black bowtie, he wasn't used to wearing a tux. He wore suits every day at work, but those were different. They were properly tailored, grabbing the whisky he headed to the table and placed his drink on the table with a satisfying thud.Looking around he could see various people who he knew, Kevin Green was bearing down on Brock and fast. Brock shuddered visibly, he didn't usually hate people usually he was quite personable, but Kevin had one of those faces, he knew Kevin from high school, he was a slimy little weasel, he remembers what Kevin did to his ex-girlfriend.He remembers Kevin asking Elle if she'd like to go to the prom knowing that Elle was with Brock, then he remembers her saying no and Brock and h
Brock woke up lying on the floor in front of the front door.A smirking Blake standing over him “Good Morning Sunshine.” He was wearing board shorts and a vest.Sitting up slowly, Brock put a hand to his head. “Ouch. Why am I on the floor?”Blake crouched next to his brother, “Well big bro, let me tell you a story. It starts about midnight last night. I hear the answering machine beeping, it woke me up by the way, and I hear a very garbled message from you, drunk as a skunk. My night off and I thought I could get an early night. I heard the message and so decided to wait up for you, to come in. This is what I saw and heard.”Blake grabbed his phone out of his shorts, opening the photos app and pressing the play button. Brock saw himself walk up three steps then slip and slide back down. Then he saw himself on his hands and knees, giggling, crawling up four flights of stairs. He saw Blake go back inside, the camera went dark but the audio was still capturing Brock’s voice
After getting in the car, Melissa turns on the radio, turning it down to a low volume Ryan turns to her and speaks “Who’s Blake?” Thankful of driving Melissa shrugs gently and says “Just a guy I had one date with.” Pulling up at the traffic lights waiting on them turning green, Ryan speaks again “You seeing him again?”“Yes” came the reply as Melissa pulled off from the lights grateful it was so early and the coffee shop was around the corner to try and deflect Ryan’s awkward questions.“Well I hope you know.....” Ryan began before being cut off by Melissa “Yes I know if he hurts me he will have you to answer to. Honestly you’re worse than dad. You act like my OLDER brother.” Melissa emphasised the older, grateful to be pulling into the empty car parking space.Getting out and locking the car, the Hartford siblings entered the coffee shop, Ryan grabbing a wrought iron table with two chairs while Melissa ordered drinks and food which is paid for after eating, if eaten in-hou
ONE WEEK LATER.The spring in Melissa’s step had quickly faded as she was back at work. Melissa had started to try to expand the company even more internationally.She’d been scouting for businesses and plots of land in other countries. Just an idea she was tossing around, doing research, land taxes, business taxes, and a whole load of red tape.On top of that Featherlite was going extremely well. Rick McAdam owner of McAdam Photography had been one of five businesses to “win” help from Melissa and the board of directors, after they had put all five contracts beside each other. Melissa had an uneasy feeling about Rick McAdam, she didn’t like him. He quickly had proved to be a chauvinistic and mysoginistic, working on a sixth sense, Melissa had written into his contract that if he was to make any comments about her being a woman finding would be withdrawn, although he didn’t know this, Melissa had had her lawyers draw up a watertight contract.She hated people who were se
THE NEXT DAYWaking up at 7:00am had given Melissa plenty of time. Today was going to be a busy one.First was her date with Blake, then she would move her clothes and work stuff back to her parents home.Grabbing the medium sized black and dark blue suitcase Melissa started to fold stuff that she needed. Just a few bits, business suits, clothes to relax in, her favourite oversized jumper that fell to just below her bum, several pairs of shoes to match her outfits, hairdryer, straighteners.Leaving the case open on the bed, she grabbed a dark blue towel from the cupboard and went for shower.After finishing her shower, with the towel wrapped around her body and her long her wet hair covered in a towel, she heard her phone ring.Grabbing it and hitting the answer button “Hello Jackson.” She said cheerily.“What do you want?” Jackson asked caution in his voice. Melissa rarely relied on anyone so for her to send a text message late at night and ask Jackson a favour
After deciding that they should start on a rollercoaster Blake and Melissa went to the front of the queue. Even at this time the park was busy.Flashing their wristbands they waited for the car to pull in. Sitting in the seat on the outside Melissa put the belt across her lap. Blake got in and sat next to her before the bar went down over their shoulders.This particular rollercoaster had two loop the loops and a vertical drop and was called Lava.After the loop the loop was the vertical drop, as the car reached the top Melissa waved her hands in the air screaming “Whoooooo” at the top of her lungs, sneaking a peek at Blake, his knuckles were turning white and he looked like he was about to throw up. The flash of the camera went off as the car plummeted into the fake volcano below. Getting off the ride Blake was still as white as a sheet. They looked at the photo of the ride, Melissa is smiling with her arms in the air, Blake looks terrified.“I’m going to buy that photo
Blake drove home, as he got out of the truck and locked it, he pulled out his phone.Melissa - Hi Blake, I had an amazing time today, thank you, my parents address is32245 West Park AveSee you tomorrow about 10 am M xA smile instantly came to Blake’s face as he read the message. Melissa had trusted him, trusted him with her parents address, that was something massive.Putting his key in the lock, he could hear Brock moving around inside.Blake loved Brock and there were times he was glad they lived together, he just wished right now that they lived apart. He’d love to bring Melissa back to his place and make her call his name all night long.Pulling up the name of his bar, Blake put the phone to his ear as he opened the front door to the apartment.“Hey Craig, it’s Blake. Listen I know you guys got the bonus from the IBA, I’m giving you all a bonus if you’ll shut the bar tomorrow for me. Thanks dude.”Ending the call Blake pocketed the phone.He foun