“Why?”

“I can’t say, Maria.”

“But, Tony, I ……”

I cut her off and walked out of the room. I didn’t trust her. I decided to hold fire. I’d keep an eye on developments.

Luckily Brady had come to the office and was checking some information on the Hartford job with Barry. They called me as I passed and asked me to sit in with them.

“Tony, Brady is looking for information on these,” Barry said pointing at his computer screen, “do you have a few minutes to spare?”

“Sure. Hi Brady,” I said and pulled up a chair beside them.

Brady had some sheets of paper in his hand. He placed the Program Schedule on the desk and asked us to explain it. I looked at him to see if he was joking. When it became obvious I leaned forward and pulled it up on the screen. Brady and Barry sat up straight to listen.

“Ok. This schedule is set up for a fourteen week project. If you notice, there are fourteen columns marked Week 1 to Week 14 in the header row across the top,” I began.

The two lads nodded their understanding.

“There are twenty rows in the column on the left under the cell marked ‘Item’.”

They nodded again.

“Each of the cells in that column lists an item of construction, trades, utility or delivery that apply to the contract. For example, Row 1 in this column is ‘Site Clearance and Preparation’. The rest, as you can see, are placed in the proposed order of installation.”

They got that too.

“The project manager, in this case our office, nominates the order but it has to be flexible to allow for weather conditions et al.”

They were clear on that too.

“So let’s take the first one here. You’ll notice that I’ve used a colour that fills the entire first cell and half of the second cell. This means you have a week and a half to complete that item.”

“But,” Brady jumped in. I squeezed his arm to make him stop.

“I know what you’re going to say, Brady. Just let me get through it and it’ll save a lot of time. You’ll notice that certain items begin several boxes in. For example, the first fix electrical work is scheduled for week five with a one week allowance to complete it. Further along in the same row you’ll see the schedule shows when the second fix should begin.”

Brady sat back, mollified.

“The same process is carried through the entire document from scheduled start to completion and handover. The scheduled inspection dates are marked so you’ll know what’s needed a few days beforehand to hit your target. I know it looks complicated but it really isn’t once you get used to it.”

“Why the different colours?” he asked.

“What?”

“The top line is yellow but so are the fifth and tenth lines.”

I looked straight at him. He was serious.

“Before we go any further, Brady. For clarity, you need to start calling each row by its title. Secondly, I only use four colours and you’ll notice they repeat in order down the page. The colours don’t represent anything, they are there to assist identification. There’s less confusion that way.”

He was nodding his head.

“Does that make sense?”

Barry spoke up then.

“I have to say that I was bit befuddled with it at first, Tony, but it’s perfectly fit for purpose as a timeline guidance reference. You use these in Ireland a lot?”

“Versions of it.”

“But does every job run to schedule?” Brady asked.

“No, but we know where we stand at the end. There’s always a percentage of fat built in to the calculation.”

“Where?” he asked, incredulously.

“Everywhere. See the electrical first fix? I’ve allowed a full week for that. No electrician worth his salt would take more than two days to first fix this place. Also you’ll see where you’re gaining time and can pull stuff forward in the schedule. As you get used to this you’ll find it’s a great little tool to have at your disposal.”

They both kept looking at it and I could see the realisation dawning on them.

“One more thing. You can break this down into daily segments and work the schedule to add layers of work product into it. You can even break it down to one hour segments to be more precise.”

“Can you get me one of those?” he asked.

“Yes. Sure, I have one here,” I said and handed him a pencil. “Know how to use one of these?”

We all laughed.

“Ok, gotta get out of here. Thanks guys, that was an education,” Brady said, and sauntered off.

I pointed at Jules and Barry nodded his head.

“Thanks for that, Tony,” he said. “Good job.”

I nodded back and went to Jules’ desk.

“You were looking for me, Jules.”

“Oh hi, Tony, yes. You said you’d give me some time today,” she said, and brushed her hair out of her eyes with the side of her hand.

“Yes, great. Did you do up what we chatted about yesterday?”

“I did,” she said with a smile.

She scooted over in her seat so I could sit beside her at her computer. We went through everything and I added stuff or subtracted stuff as needed.

“This one here, the Office Procedure Policy document, Jules,” I said.

“Yes.”

“It all looks great. But can we add something into it?”

“Yes, what do you suggest?”

“No more morning meetings. You can word it however you wish. You have more sensitivity than me for that.”

“They’re going to ask the reason for it,” she said with a concerned voice.

“They’re a waste of productive office time. They take anything up to an hour and a half and nobody takes anything in after the first fifteen minutes.”

“I agree.”

“Also, you have six staff sitting there for ninety minutes which is nine man hours lost. You can extrapolate that over a year and multiply it by the salary cost of an operative’s time to see the true cost of them.”

“I’ll prioritise that then,” she said and got to work.

“Can you write down the numbers and drop it into my room when you’re done? We’ll keep it off the email for now.”

“I’ll have it to you in thirty minutes.”

“Excellent! Thanks, Jules.”

I was heading back to my room and Sam called me over. She was having a problem with Charles Gray again.

“This guy is a nuisance, Sam,” I said. “What’s wrong with him now?”

“It’s a new contract we’re planning out and he wants to see the site before submitting a specification,” she said.

“Ok. Give me a second, please.”

I went to the inside pocket of my jacket and pulled out a business card. I returned to Sam’s desk and handed it to her.

“I got this card from a guy at the deli. He’s a chartered structural engineer. I think we should talk to him.”

“I have to ask Barry first,” she said.

I was too nice to ask why she didn’t do that initially.

“Fine, do it now and let me know. I’ll make the calls if you don’t want to.”

I returned to my room and sat down.

“Busy day?” Maria said, from the doorway.

“More annoying than busy, but what is a boy to do?”

“I’m going to a construction site with Barry, can we talk later?”

“Yes, of course,” I said, “text me if I’m not here.”

“Great. See you later.”

Five minutes later, Barry walked in.

“Hi Barry. What can I do for you?”

“Two things, actually.”

“Ok.”

“What are your thoughts on the morning meetings?”

“Where did this come out of?”

“I just happened to see it on Jules’ computer.”

“Ok. It’s just an idea at the moment. Can I finalise it before presenting it to you?”

“Yes. The other thing was this new engineer contact. Do you think it a wise move?”

“It’s wiser than being dicked around by Charles Gray, in my view. I’ve only been here three and a half days and he’s been an issue on two of those days already. Besides I think it’s wise to have at least two options for every professional we have to hire. Charles Gray is unprofessional and he makes us look bad with clients. When you have a stone in your shoe you get rid of the stone. Or the shoe.”

“Ok. Make the call. I’m heading out to Bristol and I won’t be back today, will you man the fort?”

“I will, it’s pretty quiet at the moment.”

He left and I sat back in my chair. It was close to lunchtime. but I had a call to make first. I went to Sam’s desk to retrieve the card. As she handed it to me, Maria walked by on her way out and blew me a kiss. She was being a little shit stirrer and she made me smile. I licked my top lip in reply and she giggled. I thanked Sam for the card and returned to my room.

I dialled the number and a lady’s voice answered. “Hi, my name is Tony Harris at Ellis Design, I’m looking to speak to Francis Doyle please.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Harris, I’m afraid he’s gone for lunch. Can I get him to call you later, please?”

“You can, of course. What’s your name?”

“Brittany, with two Ts.”

“Thank you, Brittany with two Ts.”

I hung up just as Jules walked in.

“I have those numbers for you,” she said.

“Barry was already in. He saw what was on your screen.”

“I honestly didn’t say anything to him, Tony.”

“I know that, Jules, it might be a battle but it’s worth fighting. The only good thing about those meetings is that I get to sit near you and smell that heavenly perfume you use.”

She blushed red, “Tony! Stop that, you’re an awful flirt.”

“I know, Jules, it’s the only enjoyment I get in life.”

“Will I type this up?”

“Yes, please.”

I read the bottom line, “$225,000 is a safe bet for us, I think, what about you?”

“I think so too.”

She turned to leave and then stopped. “Do you really like my perfume?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it, Jules.”

I hit the deli for lunch, I was hoping to see Francis Doyle there but there was no sign of him. I wandered up to the counter and Heather appeared before me.

“Hi again,” she said. “You came back. I thought we’d lost you forever.”

“I’m like a bad penny, Heather. I keep turning up.

“Do you want your usual?”

I had a quick glance along the line behind me and it felt like we had an audience. I winked at Heather and indicated the line with a slight movement of my head. She covered her mouth with her hands.

“Surprise me,” I said. “I’m not fastidious, once there’s no cheese in it.”

“Don’t you like cheese?”

“No. When they built the first dairy processing plant in Ireland they removed a fairy tree. A spell was cast on it that all who eat cheese from that dairy will suffer severe cardiac problems at some time in their lives.”

She leaned forward at the side of the counter and whispered, “ls that true?”

“No. We have an audience, just go with it,”

“That’s why I don’t have cheese in my fridge at home and very rarely eat at home,” I said.

“So you eat out a lot?”

“I do, but most girls seem to like it.”

She nodded her head slightly before it clicked. She burst out laughing when she copped on to what I said.

“Well, I certainly do,” she said as she batted her eyes and laughed again. “Go and sit down and I’ll bring you something good.”

I sat on my stool at the window and checked my phone for messages. Nothing. Out of sight out of mind.

Heather appeared beside me with a hot chicken sandwich stuffed with salad ingredients and a cup of vegetable soup with rice in it.

“That nearly looks as good as you, Heather, thank you so much.”

“Enjoy,” and she turned to leave.

“You forgot something.”

She was thrown off and looked confused, “what did I forget?”

“My kiss.”

“Oh you.”

She leaned in and kissed me on the lips. This one was for longer and our tongues touched for about five seconds. I felt a semi beginning to form as she ran behind the counter. I smiled and took a bite of my sandwich. I was nearly finished when my phone rang.

“Tony Harris,” I said copying the way Doug and Barry greet callers.

“Hi, Tony. It’s Frank Doyle returning your call.”

“Good man, Frank. Are you near our office today?”

“No, but I can do an early drop-in if that’s acceptable.”

“9:00?”

“See you then. Thanks, Tony.”

I finished eating, waved to Heather and Monica, her workmate, and went back to the office. My phone signalled a text and I called it up. The glare of the sun prevented me from reading it so I stepped into the deli doorway to avail of the shade. It was Maria telling me she was going to a friend’s bridal shower and not to worry if I didn’t hear from her.

I put the phone back in my pocket and adjusted my tie before turning around to leave the doorway, as I did so Barry’s car flew past with Maria in the front seat. They seemed to be having a good laugh.

When I got back I went to sit in my room for a bit. Jules came in drinking coffee. This was new. She was usually more reserved.

“How was lunch?” she asked.

“Great. That deli is a good spot.”

“I’ve never been. I might try it with you some day.”

“The deli?” I said with a grin.

“Yes …. Oh you! You’re bad.”

But she laughed.

“Can’t help it, Jules,” I said. “Am I imagining something going on between Barry and Maria?”

“What did you hear?”

I laughed this time.

“Nothing. There just seems to be something between them in the office. An atmosphere if you like.”

“Yes. There definitely is. They go to site visits together often and Maria gets a huge amount of training days.”

“That might be the imaginings of a bankrupt mind, Jules.”

“Then why does he need a hotel room for a trip to Bristol? It’s at most an hour and a bit of a drive.”

“Possibly. Maria’s just a trainee so she might feel an obligation.”

“I thought you were getting cosy with her?”

“No. We had lunch and she gave me a lift to work one of the days. Apart from that it’s just banter,” I said. “Besides I’d be in a superior work position, so it wouldn’t be a good look. You have to be careful these days.”

“It doesn’t seem to worry Barry,” she said. “Are you superior to me, Tony?”

“No, Jules. We’d be colleagues, a different circumstance entirely,” I said. “My boss back home is married to his ex receptionist. Although I think he was hoping the new workplace laws would grant him a divorce.”

“You’re bad.”

Sam appeared behind Jules outside the door. She was carrying a chair.

“What can I do you for, Sam” I said.

“I just thought I’d bring you a chair for your office as your the anointed boss man.”

Jules looked shocked.

“Are you serious?”

“Barry just told me on the phone.”

“Not me, Sam. You’re next in line. I have no interest in it.”

“So what do we do?”

“Whatever you tell us, right Jules?”

“Right on, Tony. Congratulations Sam.”

She left us and went back to man the phones. Sam sat in the chair she brought in.

“Are we ok, Tony?”

“We’re better than ok, Sam”

“You’re sure? I mean Maria was supposed to say something to you. I told her not to but she reckoned she could persuade you.”

“No. What are we talking about?”

“I told you about my fiancé’s fling. Maria thought it’d be a good idea to make him jealous if I hooked up with you for a night.“

“Hooked up?”

“Oh God. This is embarrassing. Look, forget I said anything.”

“You didn’t say anything really, Sam,”

Her face was beet red and she looked mortified. I guessed she was telling the truth. Maria was turning out to be a dangerous little cow.

“I’ll watch out for it, Sam. Thanks for the heads up. How are things with your fiancé anyway?”

“I really don’t know, Tony. He thinks it’s ok to carry on like that because all the men in his family do it.”

“That could be the case. It sounds like a mess. You need to clear your head I think. Maybe take a few days off and get away somewhere.”

“That’s a good idea, I might just do that, Tony.”

She left me to my thoughts. What was Maria’s game? This convoluted scheme had the hallmarks of someone who knew my story and was trying to drop me right in it. Cadden wouldn’t have told anyone here, would he? There was one way to find out. I grabbed my jacket and went outside the front door. I took out my phone and dialled his number.

“Mr. Cadden, it’s Tony here.”

“Tony, my boy. How are you? I hear they love you at Ellis,” he said.

“I’m keeping my head down as best I can. How are you?”

“You’re the only one who ever asks. I’m good. I’d be better if we were busier. What can I do for you, you need money?”

“No, I’m good thanks. I have a question for you.”

“Ask me anything.”

“Does anyone know why I’m working here?”

“Not a soul, son. No one, even in our office, knows and we’re hoping to bring you back sooner. As long as you keep that fucking extra phone switched off”

“Great. Thanks for that and I haven’t even charged that phone lately. Sorry for disturbing you.”

“Any time, kiddo. Mind yourself.”

They were trying to find out about me. That’s all it could be. Those bastards!

I retreated to my room and closed the door. Two hours later I was still there scheming but nothing was coming. I decided to let it play out a bit more. In the meantime I could make both their lives as miserable as possible.

Sam knocked on my door and pushed it open. I was engrossed in my computer, reading the football news from home.

“You don’t have to knock, Sam, what do you need?”

“We’re going home. As temporary lead, I order you to leave,” she sniggered.

“Thank you, master. This is like a holiday. I’m going to the pub, oh wait, there are no pubs.”

“Of course there are pubs. I’ll join you if you want company.”

“That’s be great, Sam, although you might not want to be seen with me. I look a mess. Where is this pub?”

“Just around the corner from my place,” she said.

“Ok. How does this sound? I’ll go home and clean myself up and I’ll meet you there in an hour.”

“Perfect, I could do with a change of clothes too.”

So I was sitting in the pub an hour later, halfway through a pint of the worst Guinness in history, all clean and better dressed when Sam walked in looking beautiful.

“Wow, you look fantastic, Sam. What do you drink?”

“I don’t know, Tony. How about a Titos with ice?”

I got the drinks in and sat beside her. We sat and had a chat and couple of drinks. The vodka warmed her up and she was in good humour.

“Can I ask a question?” she asked.

“You just did?”

“You’re too quick for me.”

“That’s caused by abstinence.”

She slapped my arm.

“Ask away, Sam,” I said.

“The time you walked me home and you kissed me.”

“I know and I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry. Did you kiss me because you liked me or because you felt sorry for me.”

“Because I like you and, by the way, you kissed me too.”

“Yes, and it was fantastic.”

“You also asked me to come in for a nightcap. What did that mean?”

“Whatever you want it to mean.”

“Ok. If I felt sorry for anyone, it was your dickhead fiancé who has no idea what he has.”

“Thanks. I needed to hear that. Do you want to come back for a nightcap tonight?”

“Do I get a kiss on the way there?”

“Yes.”

We left the pub and walked to Sam’s place. She held my hand and I put both of them into my jacket pocket. She snuggled her head against my arm.

“I like that,” she said. “We can’t have cold hands, can we?”

“Cold hands, warm hearts.”

“You have such lovely sayings in Ireland.”

“There’s another one that tells the tale of a brokenhearted man who was so sad that he turned to drink and didn’t leave his house for 25 years. His grandmother found him lying on the floor holding a picture of his true love and he was smiling in death. The say he saw her smiling face in the picture just as he expired.”

“Oh no,” she said. “Why was he so sad?”

“He was promised the love kiss of Caoimhe O’Maolrua and she forgot the promise. She lived a lonely life for the rest of her days and she filled a copper kettle with tears that had to be emptied every night at 8:15. To be forever known as ‘Am na póg más grá’. The time of the kiss of love.”

“Oh no. I promised you a kiss.”

I looked at my watch.

“It’s 8:10 now. There’s still time.”

She put her arms around me and kissed me. I was expecting a quick peck but her lips were taking prisoners and mine responded the same way. Our tongues touched quickly and withdrew before reconsidering and joining together to form a delicious bond in her beautiful mouth.

She sighed happily as she looked into my eyes. “Let’s go home and put the heat on,” she said.

“Is that a euphemism?”

“If you like, Poet of Ireland.”

We got inside her apartment. It was freezing and she disappeared to switch on the heat.

“Will you have a drink?”

“Do you have any tea?”

“Yes. I’ll make some.”

“I’ll help.”

We still had our coats on as she filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove. She lit the burner and we huddled over it to hijack the heat.

“That was some kiss, Sam. Best I’ve had for a long time.”

The kettle boiled as we were deep in another kiss. It was animated as though we never wanted it to end. I switched the burner off and filled two mugs with hot water, tea, sugar and milk. Sam had some cookies and we were set. The heat was beginning to conquer the cold and we sat in the dark on a soft couch in front of a ‘coal fire’ that was actually a lighting effect.

Sam was feeling the heat and she took off her overcoat and hung it on a hook on the door. She had been wearing it in the chilly pub and refused to take it off. I could see why. She wore a light summer dress that stopped just below her shoulders and a little above the knee. A kind of bra was formed at the top which accentuated her breasts. They weren’t small and they weren’t huge. The looked in perfect proportion. The dress had large turquoise flowers and it complemented her hair and skin colouring. It hung perfectly on her, and it hugged her feminine figure. She sat back down beside me and I took her in my arms. I gestured to the flickering light in the shadows as they danced and flickered in her eyes.

I whispered,

‘The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light’

“That’s beautiful, Tony.”

“You are breathtaking, Sam.”

We kissed again. I took my coat off and hung it up too. As I walked back to my seat she stood, took my hand to lead me to her bedroom.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes.”

I stroked her soft, beautiful red hair. I touched her face and watched my thumbs caress the few light coloured freckles on her face. Her mouth was perfect and her eyes closed as my thumbs reached her lips. I kissed her softly, eliciting a sigh, and a breathless ‘Oh,’ sound escaped her.

My tongue touched her lips and she opened them to accept it. Her tongue slid under mine and it fluttered deliciously into my mouth as I unzipped her dress and slipped it from her body. Under her dress she wore a pale green bra that prayed to be removed. She opened the clasp and it fell away from her beautiful breasts. I removed my shirt and shoes and luxuriated in the feel of her skin next to mine as we pulled each other close.

“Touch me, Tony,” she whispered and I felt for her breasts. They were like clouds in my hands with the contrast in hardness of her engorged nipples which were unbelievably pink and beautiful. I took one in my mouth.

“Tony. Don’t stop. Please.”

I felt her hands opening my trousers and letting them drop to the floor and I pulled her down on the bed and lowered my lips to her stomach. She slipped a matching lace thong over her hips and dropped them on the floor.

“I wanted to do that,” I said.

“Maybe next time. They’re soaking.”

She parted her legs as my lips sought her vulva. My hands found her feet which elicited another moan. My lips and tongue were greeted by her soaking wet vulva and when I slipped my tongue inside her it was all I could do to stay in place with her on the bed as she completely lost all self control and released a deluge of fluid all over my face as she screamed in ecstasy.

I kneeled between her legs and found the vestibule of her vulva. She mewled as the tip, followed slowly by the head, of my penis penetrated her glorious opening. She pulled me close as she allowed me deeper access until I was completely inside her where I paused and gloried in the snugness of her soft vagina as it embraced my shaft.

“Oh Jesus, Tony,” she moaned. “How are you doing this?”

I moved gently and slowly inside her taking the head back a fraction before edging it back in a rocking motion stimulating her G spot all the while. Her legs were splayed fully and I felt the walls of her vagina contracting intermittently around my penis. It was torture as I felt myself on the edge of something I knew would rock my body. She beat me to it as her vagina clamped me in and unleashed another wave of fluid as her hips rocked with mine before she screamed again.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.” she screamed.

That was enough to send me over the edge as her muscles released my penis enough for me to speed up my penetrative movements. I exploded inside her before collapsing together on the bed while still locked together.

We lay together for quite some time as the shaking sensation subsided. She hugged me close and she felt wonderful.

“Stay with me tonight, please.”

“I’m going nowhere, Sam.”

We drifted off to sleep and I woke the next morning to the vision of Sam fast asleep beside me. She was peaceful and the cast of a slight smile played on her lips. Her long red hair hugged the pillow in a kaleidoscopic maelstrom as it fell like a shadow across her perfect pale skin.

“Hey,” she croaked sleepily as her first word of the day struggled for clarity.

“Good morning, beautiful lady,” I whispered and touched her lips. “You look like a fairy princess in the morning light.”

She reached up and pulled me into a soft, intimate kiss, before turning on her back, speading her arms wide and seductively stretching like a cat, purring in pleasure as she slowly woke. I kissed under her arm and touched my tongue to her skin, tasting the saltiness of the dried perspiration on her skin.

“Oh don’t, Tony, I need a shower in the worst possible way.”

“You’re delicious.”

The clock beside the bed read 7:15. We were late. She panicked.

“Shit. We’re late!”

She jumped out of bed and grabbed a robe.

“I need a shower, Tony, sorry.”

As she ran the water to get it hot I got to the bathroom and had a quick surface wash, dressed and returned to the bathroom where Sam was under the shower head.

“I’m gonna get on over to work, Sam. Throw them off the trail. Just in case.”

She slid the shower screen open and stuck her head out.

“Good idea, but you need to kiss me first.”

I checked my phone as I walked to the office, there were a couple of texts from home, one from Francis Doyle, needing to reschedule, and three from Maria.

‘Miss ya!’ at 8:00, ‘N nite’ with a lips emoji at 10:30 and a smiley sun emoji fifteen minutes old. I opened the texts from home and read them. I was about to take my coat off when the phone rang. It was Jack McKnight, a childhood friend from our estate in Dublin.

“Jackie boy!” I said, happy to talk to someone I knew.

“Hey Anto,” Anto is another shortened version of my name, Anthony. I answer to all three and several others. “Where are you? I’ve been looking for you all week.”

“Give me a sec, Jack. I’ll take this outside.”

I sat on a fence at the corner of a patch of garden outside the office. At that very moment, Barry pulled up outside and was immediately followed by Maria. They both acknowledged me and Maria made to come over but I raised the phone and she retreated and waited by the door.

“She can wait,” I thought.

I returned to the call and dragged it out by asking stupid stuff about his family and general crap of no importance. He knew me as well as anyone and said,

“Is there someone beside you?”

“Near enough. It’s Baltic cold over here, Jack. How’s the weather there.

“I saw a brass monkey this morning looking for a welder.”

“Tee shirt weather then?”

“No, you prick. It’s freezing.”

“I got that. That’s for our friend.”

“Oh. Gotcha.”

“Will you ring me over the weekend? I’ve something to run by you.”

“Will do. Thanks for the call.”

I disconnected and returned the phone to my pocket. Maria was still waiting at the door.

“You didn’t answer my texts.”

“No. I’m not into that emoji stuff.”

“Oh, why?” she asked with a laugh.

“That’s only for illiterates. I know how to spell properly. I don’t even like them being in my phone so I usually delete them.”

Her face dropped a little, but she recovered quickly.

“Were you calling home?”

“They called me.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yes.”

Just then Sam appeared.

“Morning everyone,” she said. “Why are you standing out here in the cold?”

“Morning, Boss,” I saluted her with a hidden wink. “I got a call from home.”

“I see,” she said, “well I’d better get inside.”

“It’s a lot cosier inside, Boss.”

“Yes, well, yes it would be,” and she looked at me with daggers in her eyes.

“Boss?” Maria said when Sam was gone.

“Yes, Sam was in charge when Barry went off yesterday.”

“But he told you to look after the office, didn’t he?”

“Ah, that wouldn’t be fair. Sam is more senior, so she should take that spot. Besides I’ve no interest in it.”

With that I walked past her into the building, leaving her with a troubled look on her face.

“Morning, Barry,” I said as I headed to my room. I didn’t wait for a reply.

I hung my coat up and came back inside for the morning meeting. Doug had come in and everyone was present. I sat near Jules and playfully sniffed the air. She laughed and told me to shush. It didn’t go unnoticed. Barry and Doug went through some items of irrelevance. Barry then asked me if I had any comments. I didn’t answer him, just remained staring at the floor.

“Tony!”

“Oh, sorry, Barry. I was miles away. What do you need?”

“You have some updates?”

“Yes. Jules and I have uploaded a lot of new stuff to the server. You’ll find it in a folder marked Tender Blanks. Inside it, you’ll find all sorts of generic files that should be included in every future tender pack. They can be amended to suit every project and if you don’t understand them, just ask Jules or myself and we’ll guide you.”

Maria was at her computer. She stuck her hand in the air.

“Maria.”

“There’s something here called a Program Schedule. How do we complete that for a tender?”

“Do you usually have an input in scheduling a project?” I asked her.

“No.”

“So why would you need to know that now?”

“I just thought it might be useful to know how to use it.”

“It’s not,” I said. “Only one person in the office can compile a schedule. That person will liaise with project leads at all stages, before signing off on it with management.”

“Seems like a waste of time,” she said.

“It’s no more a waste of time than these morning meetings.”

“These morning meetings are important and necessary,” she argued.

I love a good argument and I was prepared.

“Jules will pass a copy of this to everyone. It’s fully researched and unambiguous. Morning meetings take up to an hour and a half out of the office day. There are too few employees here to warrant an official meeting every morning, it’s ludicrous. We’ve extrapolated out the cost of these meetings purely on the labour cost. You’ll see that these meetings cost the company nearly a quarter of a million dollars per year at an estimated cost of $100 per hour per person. This doesn’t include potential loss of business when the phones aren’t answered during those hours, much in the same way as that phone call flashing on the panel is being ignored right now. Answer that please, Jules.”

“What do you estimate those further losses at, Tony?” Barry asked.

“How long is a piece of string, Barry,” I said.

“Gotcha.”

“There is also the issue that site meetings are always set for noon to accommodate them. This leads to scheduling conflicts and overruns which also are expensive. I would suggest a ten o’clock start to meetings and inspections on site. This would streamline things greatly. We’ve mentioned this in the Tender Pack.”

“Well I think we all think these meetings are of vital importance.” Maria said.

“Do you? When you’re conducting a site meeting, how do you know what was been agreed and what actions have been completed since the previous meeting?”

“From the minutes of the meeting,” she said.

“So show me the minutes of yesterday’s morning meeting.”

“We don’t take minutes.”

“Exactly. So this is just ninety minutes of expensive gossip and chitchat.”

“I can’t believe this,” Doug said. “It’s staring me in the face and I still can’t believe it. Tony, thank you, but what do we replace them with?”

“Nothing, except more interaction between staff and management. Take this morning as a typical morning. Everyone came in, got coffee, scratched their arses and sat at their desk waiting. Barry spoke for ten minutes, everyone laughed and then I was called. This office is small enough to be able to handle that on a less formal basis and it will be smaller when we move the site meetings to ten o’clock. Furthermore, I’ve had to work late three nights this week. Some of you here can vouch for that. Curiously enough, it was an hour and a half each night. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

“Should we vote?” Maria said.

“There’s no vote. This isn’t a democracy. It’s Doug’s name over the door so it’s his call. What do you say, Doug?”

“I say well done, Tony and Julia, that’s great work. We’ll give it a go. Anything else up your sleeve?”

“Just an itch I need to scratch.”

Everyone in the room suddenly looked at me.

“You have the floor,” Barry said.

I walked over to Maria’s desk and pulled a plastic advertising banner away from in front of it. Behind it was a pile of rubbish, dust and other waste minutiae.

“Firstly, these ‘begging boards’ should be stored in their proper place. Secondly, all you should see on the floor is carpet. This area is the first thing anyone sees when they visit the office and, to me, it looks like what I imagine a drug den would look like.”

“That’s a bit harsh, Tony,” Barry said.

“It’s a pigsty, Barry. I’m not used to working in conditions like this. It doesn’t take much to clean as you go.”

“We’re all very busy, Tony. There isn’t time for that,” Maria said.

“I agree,” Barry said.

“Ok,” I said, “stick a stopwatch on this,”

I walked to Barry’s desk, picked up a sheet of paper, balled it up and threw it in the waste bin beside him.

“What’s hard about that? There’s a saying back home that a clean workplace is a safe workplace. That holds true everywhere.”

“Are you suggesting we bring the cleaners in every day?”

“I’m suggesting that we look after our own spaces. The cleaners have enough to do besides babysitting us.”

After the meeting, I stopped by Sam’s desk on my way to my room. I placed the Schedule in front of her and she took her hair into her hands and secured it in a ponytail before focusing on the page.

“This is the Schedule for Hartford, Sam. Will you take a look over it and see if you can find anything I’ve missed, please?”

“Sure thing, Tony,” she said.

Maria was looking at us as we interacted. I handed her a blank copy and asked if she’d give it to Doug. She grabbed it and moved away.

“I’ve pissed Maria off now, Sam. She’ll most likely confront me in my room. If you see her heading that way will you come over to discuss Hartford or anything at all, please?”

“I’d love to.”

“You smell wonderful, by the way.”

She blushed and I had to smile. I had to leave quickly because I was brewing a semi. I reached the relative safety of my office and had just started a Google search when Maria flounced in and closed the door behind her. She was fuming.

“What the fuck is going on, Tony?”

“Do me a favour and open that door, please, Maria.”

She stalled long enough for me to gather my wits.

“Are you having trouble with my accent? Open the fucking door or leave, please.”

“I want to know why you cut my legs out from underneath me,” she demanded.

“Open the door. I’ve asked you three times. I won’t ask again.”

She opened the door.

“Now take a breath and calm down.”

She looked at the ceiling.

“Ok. Now, what’s your problem.”

She went to speak but I held my finger in the air,

“Just one moment, I have to make a call.”

She was beginning to boil as I picked up the phone. It was then that Sam came in carrying two coffees on a tray made out of a file folder full of papers.

“Do you have time for a consult?” she asked,“or are you busy?”

“Yes, Maria’s just leaving.”

She stormed out of the room.

“Thanks, Sam. I think I upset her.”

“I’m sure she’ll be back.”

“So how are you?”

“You know how I am. I’ve never been better.”

“Same here. It was a magical evening.”

She started to blush.

“I’m sorry, Tony, but I’ve never done anything like that ever.”

“You were fantastic. I can’t get you out of my mind but I want to ask you something.”

“Ask anything.”

"Well, I don’t want you to think I take anything for granted, I care about you a lot and I don’t want to put our relationship in jeopardy. Nor do I want to come between you and your fiancé so if you tell me that it was a one time thing, I’ll understand completely and step out of the picture.”

“Thank you. You care about me?”

“Of course, Sam. Last night should have showed you that.”

“It was amazing,” she said. “I spoke with Jason, my fiancé, on the way to work. We were seen by someone in the pub and he wants the weekend to think about things.”

“Does he suspect anything?”

“He asked a lot of questions about you, so he must. I’m just surprised he cared enough to call me about it.”

“So how do we handle it?”

“Can we cool it and let things settle down? I’m really sorry, Tony.”

She was letting me down gently.

“I completely understand, Sam. I’m just happy to have had last night with you. I’ll never forget it.”

“Oh God. This is probably the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”

“Ok then. You go back to work and see how you feel after the weekend. Love is a rocky road that never runs true but it’s worse to never have walked that path, Sam.”

“Oh God. You have a beautiful soul, Tony.”

“Before you go, have you any idea why Maria is so wound up about these infernal meetings?”

“Probably because she started them with Barry.”

She left and it was fifteen minutes before lunch. I grabbed my coat and left for the deli.

Heather greeted me at the door. She had been cleaning the windows and spotted me walking over.

“Hey there, Irishman,” she said.

“Chonas a tá tú inniu, Heather?”

“Ooh, why does that mean?”

“How are you today?”

“How do I answer?”

“If you’re well you say ‘tá mé go maith’. If you’re very well, you say ‘tá mé go hanmhaith’. If you’re not well, don’t bother, because no one likes a complainer.”

We both laughed. She placed her chin on the brush handle.

“Are you expecting another kiss today?”

“What are my chances?”

“As we’ve just opened and there’s nobody here yet, I’d say they were quite good,” she blushed as she said it.

"Well, if there’s nobody here we can have a proper kiss, can’t we?”

“Whatever a proper kiss is, I suppose.”

There’s a small condiments nook just off the counter area so she pulled me in there by the hand. Her head reached my shoulder so she pulled me to her and let her lips rest on mine as her tongue slipped past our lips and floated on my tongue before she brought pressure to her lips and pulled me right inside her heart.

“Heather. Jesus you know how to kiss.”

“You’re no slouch either. Hey, I don’t know your name.”

“Tony,” I said, and she smiled.

She noticed a customer heading for the door, stepped away and continued sweeping.

“Any plans for the weekend, Tony? Will you be eating out?”

“Would love to, but probably not. I’ll probably just go to a restaurant or something.”

She burst out laughing but I made her blush.

“Only boring plans, Heather, I’ll probably lounge around the house. Might go for a walk or a beer, stuff like that. You?”

“Not much different. My daughter goes to her dad’s place this evening, so I’ll just use the time to tidy up around the house, watch a little tv and just space out a bit. Boring.”

“How old is your daughter?”

“Seven going on forty.”

“That’s fantastic. What’s her name?”

“Colleen.”

“No wonder you’re interested in Irish words,”

“Yes, I know that Colleen isn’t a proper Irish name but it suits her.”

“I’m sure it does. It’s a lovely name. Colleen, or Cailín is the Irish word for girl.”

“Really?” she squealed, “someone told me that before and I didn’t believe her.”

“So. What’s on the menu today?”

“You take a seat and I’ll get you something nice.”

I took my seat and watched the world for a bit. I was coming to terms with the town. My head was a bit of a broken jigsaw with everything going down at the office. I was a little sad to have lost Sam, it could have been a good weekend. I wasn’t too upset about Maria, she turned out to be a foe. Heather interrupted my train of thought as she brought the food.

“Thank you, love,” I said and turned to smile at her.

“You’re very welcome, darling,” she said and kissed me. “Lunch is on me today. I’ve had such fun this week.”

“Me too, you’re a star.”

She left to return behind the counter and Brady sat beside me.

“What are you having?” he asked.

“I don’t know yet, Heather chooses for me.”

“Does she now? Is that where you were last night?”

“No.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“No.”

“Let’s see what you got, Tony. If it’s good I’ll ask for one too.”

The food was covered by a yellow paper napkin. I picked it up with my left hand and we both stared at it. It looked good but I couldn’t figure out what it was.”

“It’s some kind of chicken, I think,” he said. “What’s that written on the napkin?”

I turned it around to see. It was a phone number and the words ‘Call me after five’ written underneath.

“What’s it say?” Brady said, excited.

“It just says, it’s called surprise chicken with chicken and wild rice soup.”

“Sounds nice. Is it written in code?”

“Something like that,” I said, as I opened the soup.

I caught Heather’s eye and mimed 5:01 with my fingers. She smiled and winked back.

I lolly gagged back to work and found the place to be flat and drained of energy. Maria tapped me on the shoulder and pointed at my room. She had a determined set to her face and her eyes darted across towards Barry’s desk as she took off. She was holding the door open as I got there.

“Leave that open,” I said, as I passed her.

“What’s wrong with you today?”

“Not a thing. Why?”

“You made me look bad this morning. What did you do that for?”

“You did that to yourself.”

“There was no need to shut me down, though.”

“I didn’t.”

“Those meetings are …” I cut her off.

“Barry asked to improve the efficiency of the company and I’m in the process of doing that. Whoever thought that morning meetings were a good idea is a moron and we proved that irrefutably.”

“A moron?”

“Either that, or someone who believes in Santa Clause.”

“Look, they’re gone now, so build a bridge and get over it.”

“How dare you talk to me like that.”

“I’m just doing my job. When somebody tries to undermine me, I strike back if I have to. Next time you want to make a point, make sure you have something to back it up, otherwise no one will take you seriously.”

“Fuck you!” she screamed and stormed out.

“A reasoned, well researched point of view there, Maria,” I said to nobody in particular.

I picked up the phone and called Barry.

“Tony. What do you need?”

“I need to know how to handle a bullying in the workplace complaint.”

“Against who?”

“I’m not prepared say at this time.”

“I’ll email you the paperwork you need.”

I spent the afternoon filling it in and mailed it on the way home. When I got home I went to my room and called Heather.

“Hi. I’d like to report the presence of a curious note in my food at your establishment this lunch time.”

“I’m sorry you seem to be through to the wrong department. Can you email info@wedontgiveafuck.com with your complaint, please?”

“Touché. Hi Heather, you requested a call?”

“I did. I was thinking, if you had no real plans, I could make you dinner this evening.”

“That sounds perfect. Tell me when and where and what to bring with me.”

“I’ll text you with it but I was thinking 8 o’clock, is that too late for you to eat out?”

“I’ve eaten out much later than that, my dear.”

“You’re so bad,” she said and hung up.

I arrived on time at Heather’s place. It was in the same development as Sam’s so it was easy for me to find. I’d brought a couple of small gifts that I picked up on the way so I wouldn’t arrive empty handed.

When she opened the door, it took me a minute to recognise her properly.

I’d only ever seen her at work where she wore a cap and was dressed for substance and not for style. Her light brown hair was her crowning glory. It hung to her shoulders and bounced when she moved. She hugged me when I handed her the gifts and her hair smelled of limes and bergamot. It was a heady mixture. I followed her into a large living space that held the TV and was lit by candles she had arranged around the room.

Her hair almost floated above her beautiful face. Free of make up, she shone as she smiled self consciously. Her eyes sparkled in the candlelight, and her silver earrings collected any light that escaped those beautiful brown eyes. It was almost hypnotic.

She was dressed simply. Dressed for a relaxed night-in watching TV or some such. I finally saw that she had an actual neck which was elongated by her bare shoulders which held a thin pink top held to them by two thin string straps. Khaki denim shorts accompanied this simple look which suited her slim figure and her personality perfectly.

Her bare legs retained a semblance of a light tan and they were smooth and beautifully crafted. They shone as though lotion had been applied recently. Her arms were slim and strong and her hands told the story of her life as I took them in mine and held them softly as we chatted inanely. Her breasts were perfectly in proportion and were crowned by two nipples that the thin material of her top failed to conceal, but it was her smile that made me choke up.

It was worldly yet curious and playful. She had beautiful lips which framed her mouth and I prayed they never had to bear much pain. My lips were drawn to them from the day I met her and I found myself easing my arms around her to fall into her lips. She reached for me and we kissed gently, as though taking each other's temperature. My tongue found hers as we both reacted together as though we had read each other's mind.

The kiss was deep and full of longing. Two kindred souls sharing something that they’d had lifetimes previously. We were no longer in the room, we were floating above ourselves as the kiss deepened and we gave ourselves permission to lose ourselves in the moment. She tasted of peppermint and strawberry and her skin was of rosehip. Needing to breathe, we surfaced for air and smiled the smile of two people who were exactly where they longed to be.

“Do you like spaghetti?” she whispered.

“I’m so hungry I’d eat the leg of the Lamb of God.”

“Where do you get this stuff? It’s almost a different language.”

The table was set and a bowl of spaghetti with her own sauce and meatballs was placed in the centre.

“Dinner is served,” she said and sat down beside me at the table.

I reached for the food and she placed her hand on my wrist.

“You always want a kiss when you get food,” she said.

“Rules are rules,” I said, and I held her hand as we kissed again.

Sharing a meal with her was beautiful, as I experienced every emotion and nuance of her personality. I loved how her eyes narrowed infinitesimally when she was saying something she truly believed and how they opened with laughter when she was amused. I loved how her nostrils flared when she found something annoying or ridiculous and how she talked with her hands, even when they held mine.

After dinner, we had an espresso and held hands on the couch. The stress of the day had lifted and I let my head rest on the cushion at the top of the backrest. She placed her hand on my stomach and rested her head on my chest. I guessed she had experienced the same stress preparing everything for my visit.

She wanted to show me the rest of the place. It was quite big. She had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, the living room, and a separate kitchen. It was well appointed and she was rightly proud of it. As we returned to the couch, she yawned briefly.

“You must be tired, love. It’s been a long day for you.

“Yes, but I’m enjoying this. Why do you call me love?”

“It’s a term of endearment back home. Better than being called something worse.”

“I like it,” she said.

The clock on the mantle read 10:30. I nodded at it.

“It’s getting late. I’ll leave you to rest.”

“No. Please stay.”

“Ok, another half hour then?”

“You can stay over, if you want.”

She climbed on my lap and kissed me as she slid her hand along the side of my face. My hands were on her bare shoulders and she sighed as my fingers massaged the skin of her throat and mouth as we kissed.

I accidentally brushed a nipple as I tried to pull her closer and there was a sharp intake of breath as she returned my hand to her breast. My thumb rubbed along the outside of her nipple and I felt it grow in arousal.

“Let’s take this into the bedroom,” she said, and we blew the candles out before leaving the room.

Her bedroom was warm and dimly lit. She removed her top as I sat on the edge of the bed and took one of her nipples in my mouth. I used my other hand to knead her other breast and saw her beautiful pink fully erect nipples harden to my touch like crystals forming in water.

As my tongue lingered in the valley of her breasts, I opened the button on her shorts and unzipped them while pulling them away simultaneously. She took my head in her hands as she looked down at me.

“I’m ready,” she whispered and kissed me again.

She pulled me to my feet and helped undress me. I stood before her naked. She had the flimsiest black lace thong I’d ever seen. She laid on the bed and took me in her hands. She let them wander from the head to the base of my shaft before removing some leakage from the tip with her thumb. She sat up, wiped her thumb on the tip and licked it off before slipping her lips around it and drawing me between her lips. She focused on the tender head and used her hand to squeeze and pull the shaft. I had to stop her because I was so close.

“You can have it back in a while,” I smiled.

She laid back and I massaged her inner thighs. I could see her state of readiness in her thong as it glistened where it caressed her body. I slipped it off and watched as she moved her hips in a circle. Seeking release, needing connection, wanting sensory fulfilment. Her legs were wide apart as she invited my lips to meet her outer lips. Her vulva flowered as her inner labia swelled in anticipation. Her musky scent was overpowering and arousing and I needed to taste her, kiss her, caress her. I kissed just to the side of where her outer lips met her thigh. She rolled her hips to try and intercept its path. My fingertips found her hairless mound. A moan escaped her. I realised she was in need of release when I saw a stream of fluid flow down onto the bed. I stemmed it somewhat with my tongue but a cry of “Please. Please.” encouraged my lips to encircle her there and slowly enter her with my tongue as she pulled me into her and rocked her hips in time to the ministrations of my tongue and lips. I withdrew and tasted her inner lips with my tongue as I found her clitoris with my thumb. I stroked it softly and took it into my mouth, letting my tongue just slide slowly along and around it. I inserted two fingers between the lips of her labia and stroked the walls of her vagina searching for the spot that she needed me to find. I was unsure if I’d find it until her hips raised high in the air and she covered my face with a fluid that was made in heaven.

I rested on my elbows and slid my body up to watch her face in the throes of orgasm. It was a picture.

“Please,” she said as she reached for me. “I need you now,” as she placed the head of my penis inside her.

Slowly, I penetrated her until I was all the way inside her. She couldn’t rest. She was constantly moving her hips, stimulating her sensitive spot all the while. I heard her breath become irregular as another orgasm built.

I felt the pulsing of her vaginal walls as they squeezed at my shaft until they finally fully gripped me as she crashed to the biggest one of the evening. I couldn’t move inside her until she released me.

When I finally could, our pace belied the peaceful bubble we inhabited as she followed me to further ecstasy as a furious climax tore through me. It was a mind blowing denouement as I released a long, turbulent, voluminous stream that filled her to overflowing, joining hers as she joined me in a world inhabited by only two. A world where nothing existed but wonder, clarity and beauty.

TBC