Masters & Lovers Box Set One

Michael

The opening has been a roaring success. We're booked up in the restaurant for the next week. Memberships for the spa and fitness centre are coming in nicely, and it looks as though if Charlotte ever decides that she doesn't want to be an engineer, she'll have a blooming career as a self-defence trainer.

But there's a fly in every ointment.

Ben corners me. "Mike, can I have a word?" He looks concerned, embarrassed even.

"Sure. What's up?"

My brother paces up and down half a dozen steps. "Look, I know you and James are friends. I can't honestly say I can see why, but I know you are. But.... do you really think it's appropriate having him hanging around the place when you've only been married five minutes?"

Fuck....

Mind your own business, Ben....

"Ben, he's Charlotte's friend too...."

My brother is wearing his 'disapproval' face.

Christ, what do I say...?

"Look, Ben, I know you don't care for him, but as well as being my oldest friend, James means a lot to Charlotte. That wound in his leg he's recovering from.... He got it protecting her. She was attacked."

The expression doesn't change much; from disapproval to disparagement. "And he got in the way of the bullet? Careless of him." Did I just hear that?

"It wasn't carelessness. He did it deliberately, to protect her."

Ben huffs disbelief. "Really? You sure of that? He doesn't seem the chivalrous type."

"You don't know him, Ben. And don't decry what you're ignorant of. I was there. I saw it. I know exactly what happened."

His arms fold, that sour expression growing. "Okay, so some lunatic with a gun was trying to mug her for her purse and he got in the way. I realise you must feel obligated to him, but you can't expect your young wife to be happy forever to have him hanging around. I'm surprised she hasn't been bending your ear about it already."

My patience is flagging. "Ben, I know you don't like James, but it's up to us, isn't it? Just let it drop."

He paces, around and around in circles, scuffing at the ground, before speaking again. "I.... I'm not comfortable with him being around your wife, Mike. I've seen how he behaves." What?

"James? You've got to be kidding."

"He's got you fooled too. But I've seen it twice now, once with the girl at the wedding...."

"What girl?"

"Marie, blond girl. A friend of Charlotte's I think."

"Marie?" I burst out laughing. "You think James was chasing Marie? He can't stand the woman."

"Well, that's not what she says. He tried to get her to...." The silence draws out....

"To what?"

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"To.... I don't like to say."

I do a mental run on the set of likely tactics James might adopt to repel uninvited boarders and decide I don't want to pursue that line of thought. "Whatever Marie told you, I guarantee you that if James did or said something out of line, it was to shake her off."

"Yes, he said something like that himself, and I don't believe it for a minute. Marie's quite charming.... In fact...." "In fact, what?"

Ben doesn't reply, the silence drawing out until it dawns on me. "Oh God, you're not dating that airhead, are you?"

"Airhead?" He looks indignant. "She's a lovely girl. Very feminine. Always does as she's asked. Nothing's too much trouble for her. She reminds me a bit of that other one, your friend, Beth." "Beth? You think Beth is like Marie?"

"Sure. She's a lovely woman, isn't she? Does what's expected of her. I've seen her with her husband. Does everything he asks without so much as a murmur."

She's Richard's sub....

.... And she does behave like that....

But something in his tone grates on me.

"Elizabeth does as Richard asks because she chooses to and because he's the kind of man that draws respect. Not because she's a complete birdbrain like Marie." Ben shrugs.

And he wonders why his wife went playing away from home....

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 000005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! "So, you are dating Marie?"

"Yes, in fact, I am, not that I see it's any concern to you. But I didn't want to talk about her. It's James. Did you know he was trying it on with your cook as well?"

I boggle. "Our chef? Sally? She's a happily married woman. I don't believe...."

"I saw it, Mike. I went down to the kitchens, looking for him when you were trying to find him the other day and he was there with her."

"Doing what?"

"They were.... laughing.... and...."

"They were laughing?"

That's a crime?

"And he'd been holding her hand. She pulled away from him as I came in. It didn't look right. It was too.... chummy...."

Yeah.... right....

"You know that James enjoys cooking? Yes?"

He sniffs. "And what kind of hobby is that for a man?"

Oh, get real....

Time to walk away from this.....

"I'll have a word with Sally myself. If I find out that James has been bothering her, which I very much doubt, then I'll have a word with him." And I turn and leave, before I say something I shouldn't.