Cheyenne was listening, but looked doubtful. Jason continued, hoping to get her interested. “One of the parts about this whole program that I really like are the good friends I make. I’ve worked with nine ladies now, and all nine finished the program successfully. I’m good friends with all nine of them. One of them is engaged, and her fiancé and I have become good friends. I’m going to be the best man at their wedding in a few months. My favorite part of this, though, is watching the young women change. They become so much happier. That’s fantastic to see.”
“They’re happier? Are they sadists?”
“No, not at all, Cheyenne. They just realized they needed a little help with their lives, and once they were in control again, rather than their anger or their temper or their tongue controlling them, they were happier.”
Dan could tell Cheyenne was thinking, but not convinced. He made a suggestion. “Cheyenne, this is a lot to think about, and a big decision to make. I’ve arranged for you to take the day off so you can think it through. Go home, or to the park, or wherever you think best, but please think about it. If you decide you don’t want to try it, I’ll understand, but I’ll have to terminate your employment. So please give it some thought.”
“When do you have to know my decision?”
“Nine o’clock tomorrow morning. I want to see both of you in here again then.”
“If I decide to try it, when will it start?”
Dan looked at Jason, who answered, “Right away. If you say yes tomorrow morning, we’ll start right then. The first thing we’ll do is go to your apartment and go over the program in detail, so you know exactly what to expect.”
Cheyenne sighed. “Okay, I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”
Dan told her, “Okay, nine o’clock. Good luck, Cheyenne.”
She nodded and turned to leave. Jason stood and gently took her arm, turning her to look at him. He handed her his card and said, “Cheyenne, this is a lot to think about. If you have any questions, any concerns you want to talk about, or if you just want to get to know me a little better before making your decision, I understand. Give me a call and we can meet wherever you want. Just please don’t think of me as the enemy. I really am here to help and encourage you.” She looked at him intently, then took his card, turned and left without saying anything.
Dan looked at Jason after she left. “Well, what do you think? Will she do it?”
Jason shook his head a little. “Boy, I don’t know. She’ll be a challenge if she does, because I can’t read her at all yet. Your guess?”
Dan laughed and shook his head. “I’ve known her long enough to know better than to guess what she’ll do. Right now I don’t think she has any idea herself. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow morning. Now, how about lunch? We’ve got some catching up to do. I understand you've expanded your business?”
“I have. When I started this business I didn't really know how it would be received, or if I'd have much interest at all. Now, I've had to turn so many people down, or they've had to wait so long, that I hired three men and trained them. It wasn't long before all four of us were busy most of the time, so I hired three more.”
“Interesting. I can't really say I'm surprised, though, seeing how good your system works. How hard is it to train your employees?”
“It's pretty intensive,” Jason admitted.
“Let's go eat. I'd love to hear more about how you train these guys, and what's going on in your life. Any lady yet?”
“Not yet,” Jason said with a bit of a chuckle. “How about you; what's new in your life?” The two men were catching up as they left for lunch.
After lunch, Dan walked Jason over to a car and handed him a set of keys. “Here's your car. The keys to the company condo are on it, as well. Do you remember how to get there?”
“Sure do,” Jason assured his friend. “I made enough trips from your house, to your office, and to the condo when I was working with your sister that I don’t think I’ll ever forget the route.”
Dan smiled. “I imagine you're probably right about that. I’ll see you tomorrow morning in my office.”
Jason went to the condo and sat down to relax. Normally he’d spend this first evening unpacking, getting groceries, and making up a schedule for the upcoming session. This time he really didn’t know what to expect. He figured he had as good a chance of staying as going home tomorrow, which is exactly what he'd be doing if Cheyenne refused the program.
He took a moment to consider Cheyenne. If she agreed, he would certainly have his work cut out for him. What he’d seen today made it look like a daunting task. However, he’d read her personnel file, which was provided before he agreed to take on the case. She had some very impressive credentials and had won several awards for her work. The only thing negative anyone had to say about her was indeed about her, and not her work. He had some theories as to what may be causing the problems, but he wouldn’t know until, and unless, he got to talk to her.
He hoped she would accept his help. It was always a very satisfying feeling for him to see young ladies who were struggling for one reason or another, when they're able to change their lives around. It was like watching a butterfly come out of its cocoon and spread its wings. Moreover, in this particular case, he had a special reason for hoping she agreed to the program. He’d felt an attraction to her the first time he touched her arm and looked into her eyes. That was something that had never happened to him before, but he wanted to explore those feelings. This could be difficult, though, because he’d have to be very careful not to get too personally involved, or at least not until this intervention was over. Then he’d be free to pursue his personal interest in her, assuming he was still interested.
Jason decided to unpack only the things he’d need tonight and tomorrow morning until he found out if he was staying or leaving. After doing that, he sat down at the desk. He wanted to have a preliminary plan written up in case she accepted the program. He got out the paperwork she would have to sign, then began working on his plan, when the phone rang. “Hello, this is Jason,” he answered.
After a pause, he heard a faint, unsure, “Umm.”
Jason waited another second before trying again. “Hello, is someone there?” After another few seconds of silence, he reacted to a hunch he had. “Cheyenne?”
“How did you know it was me?”
“I didn’t. I’m not sure what made me think it might be you. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine. I just—”
Jason waited another several moments, and when she didn't say anything else, he tried to help. “Cheyenne, would you like to get together and talk a little bit?”
It was a good thing he was listening carefully, or he would have missed her response. “Yes.”
Jason thought she sounded like a little lost child, and his heart went out to her. “We can do that. Where would you like to meet?”
“Would you be able to come over here?” What a change from the rude, outspoken Cheyenne he’d seen not so long ago.
“Sure, no problem. Where do you live?”
Jason was at her apartment ten minutes later. Cheyenne opened the door and motioned him in, pointing in the direction of her living room. He was pleasantly surprised when she asked, “Can I get you some coffee or iced tea?”
“Some iced tea would be great. Thank you.”
She came in the room a couple minutes later and handed him a glass. She sat down in the chair across from where he sat on the couch, and set a glass down on the table beside her.
Jason wanted to put her at ease if possible, so he started an easy conversation. “Thanks for the tea. This is really good. You should share your secret with the lounge at the airport. It wasn’t nearly this good.” He smiled at her as he took another sip.
“Thanks. It’s actually my grandma’s secret, not mine.”
“Whoever came up with it, it’s delicious. Did you see your grandmother a lot growing up?”
“More than I wanted to.”
&nbs
p; Jason looked at her quizzically. “You didn’t care much for your grandmother?”
“No, I did, it’s just that whenever my mom got too drunk, she’d send me to Grandma’s house. It’s not that I minded seeing Grandma, because she was great, she really was, but I just hated that Mom was drunk again.”
“I understand. I’m glad you did like your grandmother, at least.”
“Yeah, she was terrific. She raised me from when I was ten on.”
“Did something happen to your parents?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Mom got drunk one night when I was at Grandma’s, and she forgot to come home, or call and check on me ever again.” Jason saw the sadness in her eyes, but she continued. “Dad forgot to ever show up in the first place. I got a card and a teddy bear from him on my twelfth birthday. I always wondered how he knew I was living with Grandma. Anyway,” she said, visibly regaining her strength, “I survived just fine.”
“Dan says you’re a terrific artist,” Jason said, changing the subject. “Have you always liked art?”
“Always,” she said, her eyes brightening. “It’s something I’ve always loved, and I’ve always been pretty decent at it.”
He asked her about school, and they discovered she went to college in his hometown, while he was finishing school and starting to work in another state. They soon found people he’d gone to high school with that she knew, as well. Before long they’d both relaxed and were talking like old friends. Jason was delighted to see the easy, casual way they were interacting. He was also happy to note an improvement in her language. There were far fewer four-letter words in her verbiage tonight.
He watched her stiffen noticeably and she sighed. “So, can we talk a little bit about this program?”
“We can talk about any part of it you want, Cheyenne. I promise you, I will answer any question you ask, and I’ll be honest with you; no holding back. You may not like all the answers I give, but you can count on them being honest. I don’t want to misrepresent anything, and I don’t want you to have any surprises.”
She studied him carefully for several moments, and nodded her head. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Jason smiled and tried to reassure her. “That's one thing you can count on from me for sure. I believe honesty is very important, in everything.”
Again she nodded. “Can you tell me more about this? How long does it last, how often will I be—you know.”
Jason smiled. “Spanked?” When Cheyenne nodded, he answered, “The program lasts a minimum of six weeks, and the longest I’ve had one last has been thirty-six weeks. As far as how often you’ll be spanked, that’s up to you and how quickly you learn. We’ll go over what things we’ll be working on and what things you’ll get spanked for, and you’ll catch on real fast, trust me. I don’t look for reasons to spank you, honestly. I’d rather guide you toward decisions and actions that will earn you praise rather than a spanking.”
“Will they—”
After a few silent seconds, Jason again tried to help. “Hurt? Yes, they will hurt, and you won’t like them. I told you I’d answer you honestly, and I am. I’m sorry, but the truth is yes, they will hurt. Some will hurt more than others, as the punishment will fit the crime. And they will be more frequent at first, but as you start changing, they will occur less and less, until we’ve accomplished our goals. Your job will be secure again, and you’ll be smiling a lot more.” He smiled at her and caught a small smile of her own.
Cheyenne sighed, looking down at her hands in her lap. Jason gave her all the time she needed. Finally she seemed satisfied. “Okay, thank you for your honesty. I don’t like all the answers, but I appreciate knowing the truth. I don’t think I have any more questions.”
Jason reached over and gently put one finger under her chin, pulling it up to look in her eyes. “You’re welcome, Cheyenne. I’ll always be honest with you, I promise. You know now pretty much what to expect, so you have some thinking to do. I think it comes down to how much you want your job, or possibly your career. And how happy you are with your life as it is. Dan said you have a reputation around town with other companies, and he’s not sure you’d get another job offer in this field. According to him that's a shame, because you have entirely too much talent to let it go to waste.”
Cheyenne looked at him seriously for a long moment. “He could be right.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to your thinking now, but if you think of any other questions, call me. I don’t care what time it is; just call me.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Be sure and lock the door when I leave, and I’ll see you at nine o'clock in the morning. Good night.” Cheyenne did lock the door after he left and went to the kitchen to fix a pot of coffee. It was going to be a long night.
Chapter 2
Tuesday morning at 8:45, Jason was in Dan’s office. They were reminiscing about Dan’s sister and how she acted when Jason first met her. Both men agreed Cheyenne would benefit greatly from the same type of change, as she had so much talent in her chosen profession.
Dan looked at his watch and sighed. “Well, it’s nine o’clock and she’s not here. That’s not that unusual for her, punctuality is not her strong suit, but I was hoping she would take this situation seriously enough to be on time today. What do you make of it, Jason?”
Jason was frowning as he looked at his watch. “I don’t know what to think of it because I couldn’t get a read on what she’s thinking. She may just be running late. She may have decided she couldn’t do the program and couldn’t come in and tell us personally.”
Dan nodded, but had another thought. “Or she could be upset about the ultimatum and is purposely late in a show of anger.”
Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “Why would you think that?”
“It wouldn’t be unlike her. She doesn’t respond well to authority or being backed into a corner. That’s basically what I’m doing to her. I know that’s a problem for her, but I honestly did not know what else to do. I really don’t want to fire her, but I don’t see any alternative left if she turns down this opportunity.”
“I understand. I really hope she opts to do the program now because I feel a strong need to have a discussion with her on punctuality.”
Both men laughed. “And she really could use such a discussion,” Dan said. They were both grinning when Jenna called Dan to tell him Cheyenne was here. “Send her on in,” he told her.
Cheyenne entered the office, looking down toward the floor. She just nodded when both men greeted her, and went and sat down in the same chair she was in yesterday. Jason and Dan glanced at each other and sat down. Dan started the conversation. “Cheyenne, you don’t seem interested in small talk, and I can appreciate that, so we’ll get started. First, is there a reason you were fifteen minutes late?”
Cheyenne looked truly surprised as she glanced at her watch. Both men watched her pale, and she sighed. “I guess not. I didn’t sleep worth shit last night. I wanted to do some thinking before I got here, so I walked to work. It’s a forty-five-minute walk.” Jason was stunned, but didn’t interrupt. “I got here at 8:15 and have been sitting in the courtyard out back. I didn’t realize it was that freaking late.”
Dan wasn’t sure what to make of that, so he chose to ignore it for the time being, at least. “Well, I guess the all-important question—have you made your decision?”
Cheyenne sighed, and Jason noticed she was shaking. He wanted to reach out and hold her, tell her everything would be all right, but he controlled himself. It was hard for him to watch her suffering, but he knew she needed to do this herself. Finally, she looked up at Dan with sad eyes. “You’re sure there’s no other choice? It’s your way or the highway?”
Dan shook his head sadly. “Sorry, Cheyenne, but you’ve left me no other options. Something has to change. If it’s not your attitude that changes, it will be your employment.”
She sighed again, then looked at Jason for the first time. “You told me you would
always be honest with me, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then I want to ask you a question. Do you think I can do this?”
Jason saw tears come to her eyes and saw her blinking to control them. He looked deep into her eyes. “I need to ask you one question before I can answer that, and I need an honest answer from you. If you do this program, will it be to keep your job?” He watched her face and could almost see her trying to come up with a good answer. “I need the truth, Cheyenne, for me to be honest with you.”
She looked up at him, and he saw her resign herself before answering. “Not really. I want to keep my job, but some of the things you told me last night made me think. I have been a real bitch to work with at times, and I think you’re right. If I want to do good in this business I have to change. Hell, if I were the boss I wouldn’t hire someone that’s a real prick to work with. You told me I need to decide how badly I want not only this job, but my profession. Well, I really want both.” Jason saw tears in her eyes, but she wasn't finished. “And I’m not very happy with my life lately.”
Jason smiled broadly at her last words. “Now, Cheyenne, I can honestly say I do feel very strongly that you can do this.” Her eyes were searching his, and he expounded on his thoughts. “Like I told you, it won’t be a piece of cake, and there will be things you won’t like, and times you won’t like me very much, but last night and this morning I’ve seen a strong-willed person, and I know you’ve given it a lot of thought and are taking it seriously. Now, I also know you’re doing it for the right reason, so yes, I think you can do it.”
Cheyenne and Jason (Last Chance Program Book 1) Page 2