by S M Mala
Finlay went to the bar and ordered a pint before walking to the small balcony and stood in the sunshine then realised someone was standing behind him.
‘Do you still love me?’ he heard Toby say and grinned, then put on his serious face as he turned around. ‘I didn’t lead her on. She sexually harassed me!’
‘Oh god Toby what do you expect me to say?’
‘That you still love me and I’m forgiven for a moment’s weakness and that’s why I hate her as she’s a slapper and… and…’
Finlay grabbed him and gave him a big hug before kissing his cheek.
‘I might fire you,’ he whispered into Toby’s ear. ‘But Sylvie will never forgive me so nothing will change.’
Toby stepped back and smiled at his brother for a moment.
‘How are you going to work for mumsy and run this? Surely you know this is really a full time operation and you can’t go flitting around left, right and centre,’ he asked seriously. ‘We need a hundred and ten per cent commitment and I know, under all her lovely gorgeous fluffiness, Sylvie needs someone to help her, not hinder like daddio.’
Examining Toby’s handsome face, he smiled and nodded before taking him back into the room.
‘I agree Toby and things will change including how I work. I’ve not told mum but I’m going to step back and concentrate on this business and my son… that’s after I’ve thrashed out the divorce settlement and got equal custody. Then there’s ‘Le Font’ which I intend to close down.’ He checked to make sure Sylvie was out of earshot. ‘You see that woman, who you told me you were in love with? Well, she was willing to make a big sacrifice for me and I won’t forget that in a hurry. I’ll do her, Piers and you proud. I promise.’
‘So is it really true? You’re our new boss, innit?’ asked Pria, stepping closer before she laughed out loudly. ‘You sure you know what you’re doing?’
‘I’m totally sure,’ he said, looking at the petite woman, noticing part of a tattoo on her protruding breast. ‘Sylvie’s worried that some of you might want to get paid off and leave.’
‘When she said she was going to sell her shares, well I knew something was wrong,’ added Gillian, shaking her head. ‘I know she’s had a hard time but she loves the place, not for the thing we sell but for the people. It must have been bad for her to even contemplate it. What would have happened if you didn’t get back in time? She’d have lost everything and for what?’
‘For the love of my brother,’ Toby proudly announced before putting a protective arm around him.
‘She take you back after you left?’ Elizbieta said, in utter belief. ‘Why not anyone tell me?’
‘Are you and her together, aye Finlay?’ Marianne asked and he noticed he was surrounded by women. ‘But you’re wed!’
‘Hang on ladies! My bro is the new boss, sort of, so ease back a bit. He can’t be asked personal questions!’ Toby said with full authority. ‘Anyway, who told you they were together before? I certainly didn’t!’
‘But you just say!’ gasped Elizbieta. ‘I not know he with her again after he…’
Finlay watched them look uncomfortable for a moment as he realised it wasn’t a normal situation.
‘It didn’t work out as we wanted it but then it did,’ he said shyly, looking down at his feet. ‘And she doesn’t like talking about it so don’t ask her, please?’
‘Sure we won’t,’ said Gillian cheerfully. ‘Now let’s get as much free drinks as we can as you’re paying!’
The women laughed and Finlay nodded towards the men, who seemed to be talking heatedly about something, before he noticed Andy Simmonds walk in. They headed towards each other and shook hands.
‘What happened? I was shocked when you called me about her selling her shares,’ he said and Finlay noticed he was searching the room for her, until they both spotted Sylvie being cornered by Samina and Rosalind. ‘I never thought she’d consider it. It’s all nipped in the bud now?’
‘Yes it is and I told her about the consortium and that I’ll be running it. She’s not too pleased but it’s been a full on couple of weeks so it will sort itself out,’ replied Finlay smiling at the handsome man. ‘And everything is alright at your end?’
‘All the money is there and, to be honest, I am the consortium so that makes it ménage de trois!’ he laughed as Finlay was momentarily stumped by the news. ‘And as I know you two are together, I won’t get paranoid because I know what Sylvie’s like when it comes to business and she won’t let anyone walk over her. And if you manage to get the money for the extra twenty per cent, then I will back down, as promised.’
‘I’m so grateful for your help. I really will make it worth your while.’
‘You!’ shouted Samina stomping towards them. ‘You Andy Simmonds are other boss? Finlay and you and Sylvie.’ Then she smiled. ‘That costly little set up all you three.’
‘Cosy,’ said Finlay feeling a little unnerved about the new information.
‘Finlay, I get proper job presenting. With international fame I can make company success. We can have own adult channel and-.’
‘Give me a break!’ he laughed for a moment before looking over at Sylvie who was laughing and he closed his eyes for a moment, hearing her voice in the background.
‘What wrong with you?’ persisted Samina. ‘You smoke funny cigarette like Piers. Smiling like Cheshire cheese!’
And he realised why he was smiling.
He was very happy.
Sixty nine
She knew she had to get up but wanted to lie there for a moment longer as she touched his back. Finlay was sleeping on his side as she sighed, before looking around the room and out through the window into the clear blue sky with palm trees swaying in the wind.
It was nearly time to pick up Daisy as she slowly got up and looked down at him. He was lightly bronzed and, as she predicted, he burnt easily but still he looked incredibly handsome with his tanned face and freckles, his hair going a light auburn in the sun.
Bending over, she kissed him on the nose before opening the door to the balcony and walked onto the sandy beach towards where the kids were congregating. She saw her daughter, sporting a deep tan and realised she was beginning to look like her dad, with her long lithe limbs.
For a moment she stopped and admired her beautiful child. She waved to Daisy, who waved back, as she sat down on the sand and watched them. Then her eyes travelled down to her sandy feet and she smiled at her congenital deformity before sighing.
The date was 27th August and it was four years since her husband died and at last she was slowly coming to terms with her loss and grief.
And she had fallen desperately in love with the man who was helping her.
Finlay Chambers.
As he woke, he realised Sylvie wasn’t there. The late afternoon summer sun was streaming through the patio where she’d left the curtains open. Slowly he got up and stretched before putting on his shorts and a shirt to cover up his shoulders before putting on his straw panama hat.
They had been there four days and already he didn’t want to think about anything else other than her.
Grabbing his phone, he walked towards the beach and noticed the footprints in the sand before seeing her sitting, smiling at nothing before looking up into the sky as she had always done. He realised she instinctively buried her feet in the sand, to hide the toes she hated and Finlay loved her more for doing this, knowing she was still self-conscious, still unsure though he loved her imperfection.
The wind was gently ruffling her hair as she started to smile before noticing him.
It was a year ago his wife told him about being pregnant and his life felt like it had ended but somehow he would never have expected to have been this happy.
It was totally unexpected.
No-one could have predicted how he was feeling and it was down to one person and one person alone.
Sylvie Mather.
‘That’s how you did it?’ she asked surprised with what he said. ‘You t
hreatened to show his wife?’
Even Sylvie hadn’t thought he’d do that.
‘The guy was very sorry for screwing Juliette but, at the end of the day, he didn’t want to lose his family and he would have done. So that obviously made a difference and the money gets returned,’ he replied, while lounging back in the chair on the balcony, his white shirt open, exposing his smooth body. She noticed his red nose from too much sun and smiled thinking he looked cute. ‘And here’s another twist I was going to save until we got back, my mother has decided to gift me ten per cent and the other ten to Piers so I only had to buy forty per cent.’
She shook her head and started to laugh knowing that piece of information as Andy had text her.
‘And you don’t mind Andy not being part of the deal now?’ Sylvie gently asked while sipping her cocktail. ‘That also means you’re the majority shareholder so I might be a little bit pissed off.’ His expression spoke volumes as he stared out at the dark aqua sea. ‘Finlay!’
‘He’s a nice guy, I admit it but I did apologise, thank him for his help and we’ve cut a good deal on what we buy from him. So it’s all turned out perfectly,’ he grinned sheepishly. ‘Just because I have fifty per cent doesn’t mean anything as Piers will always side with you.’
‘Are you sure about this?’
‘Yes I am sure about working for the sex industry and with you. Mum realises I’m deadly serious and I won’t be flitting around for her. I’m firmly placed in London.’
She knew what she had to ask next as she moved closer and stroked his arm.
‘And Juliette?’
The Finlay glare spread across his face as she ran her fingers through his hair.
‘We had words. She knows the score and will receive a fair settlement. She also knows I have the footage. You know the night she and I quarrelled when she figured out about someone called ‘Sylvie’ and I had to seek refuge in James’s nursery? She deleted the film but little did she know I’d downloaded it, just in case.’
‘I saw the footage,’ she said, as he did a double take. ‘Toby accidentally showed me and… you are okay about him? Your brother’s been very good since it all came out, even helping Samina with the presenting. They’re quite a funny couple. You know I had an email from a television company spotting him already and it’s only been a few weeks.’
‘I love him and what’s done is done,’ he said, leaning forward and resting his hands on his legs. ‘Now we move forward and as Daisy’s in bed…’
‘You want to go to bed?’ she sighed, before examining his gorgeous face and smiling.
‘First things first,’ he says grabbing her. ‘If I’m running the company, I insist you have to try the products.’
‘I agree,’ she said, seeing the surprise on his face. ‘And I didn’t come along alone on this trip.’ Sylvie pushed her tongue out and ran it along his lips. ‘Now take your clothes off and get ready.’
‘Really?’ he said, getting excited. ‘Handcuffs and things like that?’
‘Yes dearest,’ she said, shaking her head in dismay at his animated puppy dog expression. ‘You slip in between the sheets before something else is slipped-.’
Sylvie hadn’t managed to finish her sentence as he stood up, knocking back his drink and tearing off his clothes as he went back into the room. Slowly, she finished her cocktail and went back into the room, taking out a small case before walking into the bathroom.
Freshening up she prepared herself for him.
To add to the surprise, she put on a dressing gown as she turned down the lights so he would appreciate all her efforts.
Opening the bathroom door slowly, she wanted to laugh but walked in as he sat on the bed, legs apart, naked in anticipation.
‘Hope you like it. Samina told me this was the best thing to use.’
Sylvie dropped the dressing gown and smiled at the full horror on his face as she started to laugh.
‘You’re joking?’ he said, closing his legs immediately.
‘You said you wanted to use the product and what better way than this, to enjoy a hard and fast return on your investment,’ she grinned patting the large black studded strap-on that the mad Indian liked to wear at work. ‘And Samina did say it will bring tears to your eyes….’ Finlay’s face was still in shock as she switched it on. ‘… and you’ll really get to understand ‘Good Vibration’ once and for all.’
Epilogue
Samina Shah and Rosalind Chambers’ overnight success enabled them to present two shows on a very popular adult channel. ‘Low down on love’ is where they spoke about new adult toys and products. ‘Keep it moist’ was aimed at the older viewers giving tips on geriatric sex.
They recorded a cover of ‘Good Vibrations’ donating the profits to a HIV charity as well as making a video featuring the rest of their team.
‘Chambers Caplin’ in the meantime had to foot the bill for misuse of the original song and paid out a phenomenal amount as way of an apology.
Published by S M Mala
Copyright © S M Mala 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication is to be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any forms or by any means, including photocopying, recording or any other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher/author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
All characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
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