Sweet Awakening (Complete Story) by Andrea O'Hanlon

Sweet Awakening Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Thank you, Betty for switching weekends this month." I connect my phone to my car. I can hear Betty's laughter ring out thought the speaker in my car. "No problem, Mr. Jennings. I am happy to help straighten up before your guest arrives. By working this weekend. I have next weekend off for trick or treating with my grand-kids." "I am happy this works out for you too. I just arrived at Christine we will arrive at 5 pm tonight. Can you have prep the steak, vegetable, and potatoes please?" I can hear the smile in Betty voice when she answers me. "Yes, Mr. Jennings I can. Do you want the usual marinate for the steak?" "I do, thank you again for doing all this." "You are very welcome Paul. Now go see your lady and behave yourself." Betty hangs up on me. I am smile at her scolding. It has been a long time since she has used my first name. She only does it when she is being motherly.

"I told you, we could handle the media." I roll my eyes at Lisa as I pack my bags for the weekend. "I know, your plan worked out perfectly. It wasn't so bad with you standing next to me for support. I am glad we prepared what I would say the night before. Business has been booming with the media's attention on the shop this week." I hear Paul's car pull up front. I send him a quick text saying come on in. We are upstairs. I hear the door open downstairs. Lisa turns towards the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. "It is just Paul. Relax will you? Be nice please. Don't play fifty questions with him yet ok. Let him get to know you first." Lisa smiles at me mischievously. Before I can say anything Paul walks in. Lisa walks right up to him and stares him down. Paul is taken back by her boldness. Lisa sticks her hand out for a handshake. Paul takes her hand and kiss the top it. "You must be Lisa. Christine has told me about you. It is nice to meet you." Lisa is taken back by his gallantry action. "Nice to meet you too. Christine has told me about you too. I did sign your don't gossip about me confidentiality contract you wanted." Lisa narrows her eyes at him. "Now I expect you to treat my best friend with the respect that she deserves. If you don't you and I will have a problem."

I look up at Christine to see if this woman in front of me was serious. Christine is shaking her head in disappointment. I look back at the petite, auburn hair women. She has the deepest green eyes I have ever seen. I can see that she is serious and passionate. That she would hurt me if I hurt her best friend. I take a step back and bow a little. "I give you my word that I will treat Christine with the upmost respect and care for her to the best of my abilities." I satisfy Lisa with my response because she smiles at me and turns back to Christine. "Now back to I told you so." Christine sighs at her friend and returns to packing her clothes into the suitcase. I move closer to Christine. I kiss her cheek. "What are you ladies talking about?"

I can feel my cheek burn as Paul kisses me. "Lisa is just reveling in our victory over the media this week." Paul wraps his arms around me. "I see that, good job reciting what on our website by the way. I like how you promoted your new sweets too." I lean back against him and point at Lisa. "That was her idea." "Yep, I had a hunch they want to know about you and her and about your company current project. So I looked up your website and assume it be ok to repeat what is on there. Once they realize she wasn't giving in. They stopped showing up at the shop." Paul hugs me from behind. "I am sorry about the media showing up. I was hoping we fly under the radar for a few more events." Lisa look pleading at me. I know she wanted to ask a thousand questions. I blow out a long breath before asking Paul. "Lisa want to ask you about a thousand questions. If you are ok with it? Can she ask you five of them before we leave for Georgia? I am just about done packing and we can leave."

I hug Christine one more time and let her go. "Yes, that is fine." Christine points at Lisa. "Lisa think hard what you want your five questions to be. I will be right back." Christine walks in to the bathroom. Lisa sits down on the bed. I lean back against the window seal waiting for her first question. "The media portrays you as a player. You are seen with a different woman. Is there any truth that you are a player?" I should have expected this question from her. "No, there is no truth to that. The women at the charities and fundraisers are clients or employee that help sponsor the events. I have not dated since my wife died. Next question?" A small smile crept onto Lisa's face. "How come you are so private about who your client are and what you do for them? Are you doing something illegal?" I smile back at her and cross my arms. "That is easy. Would you go to an IT company if they were going to tell people that you fried your computer system because you accidentally download your porn collection on to your works server and can't get it removed? Or go to a lawyer who would tell people about your messy divorce. I keep what my client information secret. So my client can trust us. For your third question. No, my operation is not illegal. Two more questions. Go ahead and ask the personal ones." Lisa face brighten at the thought of asking a personal question. "Ok, last two what are your intention with Christine and ..." "Don't even ask about our sex life!" Christine walks back in with an arm full of bath room products that she set in her suit case. Lisa helps her shut the case while pouting. I walk over and wrap my arms around Christine waist. "My intentions are to court her and maybe in a year convince her to move in with me and marry me. As for our sex life. It is currently nonexistent. The more we get to know each other though I believe it will become very active soon." Lisa burst out in laughter. I can feel Christine duck her head in embarrassment. I whisper in her ear. "This time it won't be a dream and I will stay all night." Christine's face turns a bright shade of red and her breath catches in anticipation.