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Hotsprings
All stories on this web site are purely FICTIONAL. The people depicted within these stories only exist in someone's IMAGINATION. Any resemblence between anyone depicted in these stories and any real person, living or dead, is an incredible COINCIDENCE too bizarre to be believed. If you think that you or someone you know is depicted in one of these stories it's only because you're a twisted perverted little fucker who sees conspiracies and plots where none exist. You probably suspect that your own MOTHER had sex with ALIENS and COWS and stuff. Well, she didn't. It's all in your head. Now take your tranquilizers and RELAX.
HOTSPRINGS
Chapter 1
Jake Saunders glanced again into the rear-view mirror at
the red Mercedes following them, smiled to himself, then glanced
again at his wife, Jennie, beside him. His inner smile faded.
Why was it so hard to explain things to women?
"You know that I have to go in to the Capital, babe. You
know it may be for as long as three weeks." Jake Saunders
could be patient when he wished and, when it was his wife who
was concerned, he so wished. Big Jake, as he was known about
the area, stood six feet tall in his socks, a muscular man of
some two hundred pounds who backed down before no man or
beast, wondered why Jennie couldn't see things logically - like
a man. He ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair,
contemplating how he was going to get through to her without
upsetting her.
"And if we get the backing we need for the development,
I'll be away more often than not for the next few months. You
can't look after everything by yourself." His expression
softened, "You know that, babe." He looked at her, almost
willing her to understand, then returned his eyes to the road.
The development. Big Jake had purchased the land which
now comprised Hotsprings Campsite some years ago. He had had
a dream. A fool's dream, he had been told, but no one was
telling him that now. With water from the hotspring piped
into the large pool, his parcel of land now attracted many
tourists and campers. Easy access to the neighboring National
park, showers, a laundry, a place to eat, and the hiking trails
simply made Hotsprings Campsite more attractive and more
lucrative. It was a money maker and Big Jake loved it. He
loved it for making him money, but more for being the fruit
of his labors, his dream fulfilled. Now he had a new, enlarged
"We just can't do it on our own, Jennie." His soft
brown eyes asked that she understand. "If we want to make
this dream a reality we will need investors. In the end it
will make a lot of money for us all."
Jennie simply looked stolidly out the window. His dream
to expand was not hers. Didn't he realize that they would
lose the control, the freedom which they so enjoyed? She
wished she could change his mind but, when Big Jake made up
his mind about something, it was unlikely that she would be
successful. She could handle that. She always had and she
would again.
What disturbed her was his insistence in doing it all
himself. Hell, what it boiled down to was that he didn't
think she had any business sense. It was one of his blind
areas. She was the little woman, the wife. The wife, not
the partner.
If she hadn't loved the big lug so much, hadn't so
desperately tried to keep from hurting him, things might be
different, better now. She had, however, supported him
unobtrusively, seeding him with ideas which he took to be
his own. Once implemented there was no way he would ever
believe they had originally come from her.
Like the lunch counter. Big Jake had originally laughed
when she first idly brought up the idea that campers tired of
their own cooking, that visitors to the area, to the National
park, and even travelers on the highway would enjoy a place
to stop and get a meal. He scoffed at the profitability of
such a venture. She had simply gone with him on his rounds
and brought up cooking with various of their guests. After
enough of the campers had suggested that they open a restaurant,
Big Jake began to consider the idea. One day he had announced
that he had an idea: a lunch counter. She had supported 'his'
idea fully, had been proud that he had thought of it.
The lunch counter was profitable. Not exceptionally so,
yet it did bring in a small profit. It also brought in more
customers who wouldn't have stopped otherwise.
Jennie wondered, again, how wise she had been in
subordinating herself to Big Jake in the way she had. Her
education surpassed his, her mind was lively and fertile.
Of course it wasn't as though Big Jake were stupid. No
indeed. She would never have married him, were that the case.
Big Jake knew good ideas when he saw them, knew how to profit
from them, how to put them into practice. He was a good man.
It was just that irritating blind spot where her ideas were
concerned.
That wasn't what was annoying her now, however. She saw
him look once more into the rearview mirror. Yes, there it was.
That was the bugbear. The new help. Yes, with him gone she
would need help, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, she wasn't
sure whether the help she was getting would be more a strain
than not getting the help at all. Did he really think she
couldn't see through to what he would expect - well maybe not
expect, but desire - from the 'help'?
"Why her?" These were the first words she'd spoken since
Big Jake smiled to himself. So that was it. He should
have guessed. It wasn't his absence which bothered her so much.
Women were so predictable - in an unpredictable way, he amended.
Now that she was talking he would be able to smooth things over.
It would just take a little patience.
"Why not her? She's bright and intelligent. She knows her
stuff, she's not asking for an outrageous wage, and she's . . ."
"Built like there's no tomorrow." Jennie finished for him.
"Come on Jennie," he allowed a little exasperation to creep
into his voice, "you can't hold that against her. So she's got
nice tits. I didn't hire her for what's in her bra, I hired her
for what's in her head."
Yeah, right, Jennie thought. And that's why every woman
you hire just seems to have that common feature. She returned
her attention to Big Jake as he continued.
"I admit that I like to look. You know that." Indeed she
did. "There's no crime in looking, and hell, I'd never do
anything - you know that."
Did she? She had often wondered. As long as he was in
sight she could trust him - no doubt about it. However, she
wasn't so sure about it when he was on one of his trips. That
doubt had led her to considering measures which she would never
before have considered. He was still talking; she brought her
mind back to the present moment.
"And I never will. Besides, why would I? Hell, babe,
you're about the best looking woman I've ever seen, I'd be
crazy to give up all I've got for some stupid fling with a
filly. There's nothing any one of those I've looked at have
had that you don't have better." A little flattery went a
long way, especially if it was damn near the truth.
Jennie smiled and gave a little nod. It was true. She'd
been gifted with a body men would die for. Sensuously rounded
hips smoothing into a trim waist - not narrow, but trim - topped
shapely legs and a very memorable derriere and led to her
glorious breasts, large and upturned with those beautiful
nipples, long and hard when aroused. Her graceful neck led up
to a face that was beautiful; she wasn't being vain, she simply
recognized herself for what she was. Her gray eyes and long
black hair, parted in the middle, topped a truly splendid
package. Yes, Big Jake could have done a lot worse than her.
She knew it and he knew it and that knowledge more than anything
else, she figured, kept him in line.
Still, it was annoying that he kept hiring big breasted
women, as if hers weren't enough to attract all his attention,
all the time. She realized she wasn't being fair - everyone
likes a bit of variety - but he was so blatantly open about it.
She really didn't mind him looking, but did he have to look
so openly? It annoyed her especially when he did double-takes
when he was walking with her on his arm. That was insulting.
Jake was talking again and Jennie returned from her reverie
to catch the last of his words.
". . . and just thinking of your body, babe, has me all hot.
You know how you do it to me. We're almost back and, when we get
there, it's straight up to our room. Okay, babe?"
realized. He had talent - which, along with the equipment he
possessed, didn't hurt at all, at all. The things he could do
to her, the places he could take her, made the fact that he
wouldn't do certain things she craved bearable. She began to
feel the heat, and it wasn't from the sun, either.
"Okay, Jake." She smiled as she saw the grin light up his
face. At least it wasn't hard to keep her man happy. And with
him happy, she usually received the benefit of it, too.
Jennie began to hum as the pick-up drew ever closer to the
Hot-Springs. Jake listened to her hum and knew that once again
he'd smoothed things over. He smiled at that and at the thought
of what was to come. His eyes flicked up to the rear-view
mirror, catching sight of the red Mercedes traveling behind
them, and his smile widened - just a bit.
The sign read "HOTSPRINGS CAMPSITE" and listed the
amenities. Big Jake turned the pick-up down the tree-lined
road and up the 200 yards to the Campsite Complex.
The Complex was a two story L shaped building. On the
lower floor one wing of the complex contained the lunch counter,
the other wing held, proceeding from the end to the middle, the
laundry, the change rooms, the showers and a store room. The
central portion contained the office, while the upper floor
consisted of rooms for the staff: six small bedrooms, a communal
kitchen and living room. As well as the staff rooms there was
the owner's apartment, where Jake and Jennie lived.
Situated in the open side of the L was the pool, filled
with water piped in from the mineral hot springs. Campsites
for both tents and RV's were situated throughout the treed
grounds.
Jake pulled up next to the complex and the red Mercedes 300
pulled up next to them. Jake looked down and admired the woman
as she exited the sports car.
Kathryn O'Grady was a few inches shorter than his Jennie,
and slimmer also. That made her breasts, though smaller than
Jennie's appear quite large. The small waist flared out into
nicely rounded hips and buttocks. Kathy, as she'd asked them
to call her, turned towards him as he exited the pick-up and he
noted, again, that fiery red hair, curling down from under her
straw hat. Her green eyes locked on his and he was struck by
how self assured she was. Her mouth curved up into a smile.
"So this is Hotsprings Campsite. It looks lovely. You
must love it here," she spoke to Jennie who had come around
the back of the pick-up to stand by her husband.
"Sometimes more than others," Jennie replied, cold and
unsmiling. Kathy let it pass as if she didn't notice the lack
of warmth in Jennie's voice.
"Let me show you to your room," Jake was a little
uncomfortable and wanted to get things moving. After all, he
was looking forward to what he had promised Jennie and didn't
want her to get out of sorts. "You can relax and after supper
we'll get everything settled. How's that sound."
"Just fine, Mr. Saunders." Kathy opened the trunk of her
car and pulled out a suitcase.
"I can manage," Kathy replied.
Jake shrugged and opened the truck's rear gate. He picked
up a box of their personal supplies and Jennie picked up the
other. He'd get one of the employees to unload the rest, which
were for the Campsite. Together the three went in the door,
up the stairs, and to the living quarters.
"This is our apartment," Jake explained as they reached
the top of the stairs and nodded to the door on the right. He
unlocked it and set the box inside. Jennie followed suit.
They then turned left and walked down the hall to the next door.
Jake opened it and stepped aside to allow Kathy in.
"This room will be yours." He followed her in and opened
the balcony door to allow some fresh air into the room. "There
is a small washroom there," he pointed to a door. "Set down
your suitcase and I'll show you the rest of the amenities."
They walked further down the hall to a room with a
bookcase, several soft chairs and sofa. An open doorway led
into the communal kitchen/dining room. A young man in his
middle to late twenties hunched over the table reading a book.
An empty plate sat in front of him.
"This is Fred - the second cook. He's spending the summer
with us, maybe longer. Fred, this is Kathy. She'll be keeping
the books, and helping out in general."
Fred had been shading his eyes with his hand, elbow on the
table, as he read. He looked up to see the wild unruly red hair
framing the face on his vision of a goddess and his jaw dropped
open. Kathy favored him with amused smile and held out her hand.
"Hi, I'm Kathy. Pleased to meet you Fred." She looked him
up and down as he jumped to his feet and took her hand. Fred
had the feeling she was appraising him and he flushed, feeling
vaguely uncomfortable.
"Fred," he blurted out. "Great to have you here."
"Fred, pack in the rest of the supplies then show Kathy
around, okay? Jennie and I are rather tired and we're going
to take a short nap before supper."
"Sure thing, Big Jake." Fred was all smiles. "Have a
nice trip, Jennie?"
Fred was Jennie's favorite of all the employees. He was
nice, polite, and very sharp. She had wondered what an
intelligent young man like him was doing playing at being a
short-order cook, but he'd never said and she allowed him his
privacy. It had been their luck to get him when they did and
she had no intention of doing anything to lose him. Sure,
she'd made a few conversational openings which would have let
him come forth if he'd desired. He hadn't, so she didn't push.
Jennie watched, amused, as Fred pushed an errant black
lock off his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair.
His brown eyes were fixed on the new employee. Maybe that was
good. If Fred got something going with her then Jake would be
left out in the cold. She turned and allowed Jake to lead her
back to their rooms. As she closed the door behind her she
heard Fred telling Kathy what a great place it was and how much
she'd like it.
roaming over her body. She pushed back into him, feeling his
hardness, as he reached under her arms and cupped her breasts.
She raised her hands, clasped, towards the ceiling, feeling
shivers run through her. Then his fingers were undoing the
buttons on her blouse as she stretched to free all the little
tensions. Her hands came down and she reached behind her to
grapple with his belt while he undid the catch at the front of
her bra and allowed her breasts to spill free.
Jennie moaned as his fingers paid close attention to her
nipples, caressing and cajoling them into a hardness that
matched that which she felt pressing against the top of her
buttocks and her lower back. Her eyes were closed as she felt
him release her to pull the bra and blouse from her shoulders
and down her arms to fall, unheeded, upon the floor. Then he
was back pushing against her, pressing her into the door, one
of his legs between hers, forcing her legs to part. He held
her there like that for several seconds and then, when his arms
came back to pull her into him once more, it was flesh against
flesh. He had removed his shirt.
She felt herself being turned around and his hands came
under her arms. She gave a small jump off the floor as he
lifted and her legs came up and around his waist. His arms
locked around her back, holding her there, secure, as his mouth
found her breast. He began to suck on her nipple, his tongue
teasing it, flicking back and forth.
"Oh, yes, darling," she murmured in his ear as she tried
to force more of her breast into his mouth. They were moving
now, as he made his way to the bedroom. How he could tell
where they were going, what with his mouth fastened to her
breast, she would never know. She ducked her head to avoid
being bonked as they made their way through the bedroom door.
His mouth had found her other nipple and electric currents
were running through her body, focused mainly on that direct
path between her nipples and her clit. It felt oh, so good.
She could feel herself beginning to lubricate. Her arms held
his head to her breasts, enjoying the feel of his tongue
flicking and, occasionally, his teeth gently nipping.
He released her breast and she allowed herself to drop
until her mouth was opposite his. He kissed her full on the
lips, taking pleasure in the rubbing of her hard nipples
against his chest. His tongue began to probe against her lips,
her teeth, until she opened her mouth to allow him in. Their
tongues battled furiously and their breathing quickened.
Suddenly he released her and she fell back onto the bed.
Her eyes opened. "Brat!"
He was already peeling her jeans off of her. They were
deposited on the floor. He reached for the panties then
stopped.
"I can see you're hot, babe," he murmured appreciatively
at the sight of the wet spot between her legs. "Let's just
get those off of you. I know something that we can use to
plug up that leak!" He patted his bulge.
She was naked and squirmed around on the bed for his
benefit, clasping her hands together in front of her and
squeezing with her arms to push her breasts up. She smiled
at the intense concentration he lavished on her breasts. She
knew what he liked!
"Come on, babe," he said finally, "help me get out of
these boots."
Why men had to wear those damned cowboy boots, when they
weren't going anywhere near a saddle, she'd never know. Still,
he did look good in them. She got up as he seated himself on
the bed. He brought one leg up and she straddled it, pulling
his foot up until the boot rested against her pussy. Jake
planted his other foot square against her ass and pushed. She
gave a grunt as the boot came off.
He had pulled off his sock by the time she had his other
boot lodged firmly between her thighs and up against her pussy.
His bare foot was now on her ass, but he wasn't pushing. His
toes squeezed and pressed her flesh, rocking her back and forth
on her boot, occasionally trying to burrow down between her
cheeks.
"Hey, cowboy, let's concentrate on business. I can think
of a better way to give my ass a workout than this." He loved
it when she talked like that.
"Okay, babe," he replied and shoved, hard. The boot came
off. He was standing by the time she had recovered her balance
and turned around. "Go ahead, babe, do the honors."
She grinned at him and popped his snap, dragged down the
zipper and peeled his jeans down his legs until they lay in
a puddle on the floor. His bulge was there in front of his
face, his aroma in her nostrils. She knew what he liked, but
decided to make him wait a bit. She blew through the material
of his shorts and tickled his balls. Her hands reached behind
him and her nails dragged down the back of his legs. He
shivered. She grabbed his ass cheeks and kneaded them.
"Come on, babe," his voice was husky.
"Say, 'please'." She laughed into his crotch, tracing the
line of his confined cock.
"*Please*." His legs were trembling now.
Jennie reached up and gripped the waist-band of his shorts
and hauled them down. His cock sprang free from its confinement,
straight and proud. She pushed him back gently and he sat on the
edge of the bed, spreading his legs, allowing her access.
"Oh, yes, babe." Warm moistness surrounded him as her mouth
came down over his cockhead. He shivered again as she began to
flick her tongue rapidly against the underside of his hardness.
Then her head was bobbing up and down, taking more and more of
him into her mouth with each stroke. He looked down on the
black veil which covered his manhood and smiled. It felt so
good, and he felt in control, seeing his wife's head bobbing up
and down. He placed his hand on her head and allowed it to rise
and fall with her movements then, taking control, guiding and
directing the speed at which she moved. He felt the joy well
up within him.
Joy wasn't all that was welling up. With every stroke his
excitement rose. Soon he would be at a peak. Too soon. He
slowed her and then stopped her altogether.
Jennie grinned lasciviously up at him and ran her tongue
along the tips of her teeth. With her head up he could see her
breasts again, those beautiful globes resting against his thighs,
nipples erect and begging to be sucked.
Jake pulled her up and swung her onto the bed which bounced
under the impact. She squealed in delight, throwing her arms
and legs wide, welcoming him. With a growl he threw himself
between her legs, kissing her roughly, then sliding back down
to feast on the mounds of her breasts. While he nibbled and
sucked on one teat, flicking the nipple with his tongue, he
rolled the other nipple between his fingers. Jennie was moaning
now, moving her head from side to side as the twin assaults on
her breasts lifted her ever higher. Her fingers entwined
themselves in his hair, pulling his head firmly into her breast.
Jake switched breasts, his free hand running up and down
Jennie's side, feeling her rounded buttock, caressing her thigh.
Jennie's legs were raised and brought back, opening her
pussy to him. Soon, soon, he thought, but first there was one
more thing. He moved up until he was kissing her once more, his
cockhead now at her portals.
"Yes, yes," she moaned, "come in me now."
"In a minute, babe, in a minute," he replied, reaching out
with his left hand for the strap which was tied to the bedpost.
He slipped it around her right wrist and pulled it tight, pulling
her arm above her head. Her eyes snapped open.
"Do we have to do it this way, Jake? I want so much to hold
you." Her eyes were pleading, but he was having none of it.
"You know you love it, babe." He was already fastening the
other strap about her left wrist and pulling it taut.
He was right, she did, but sometimes she liked to be able to
hold him as he made love to her. "Okay, Jake, for you." He
smiled down at her. "Then, would you go down on me - for me?"
"Aw, babe, you know I don't like to do that. Don't ruin it.
Just lie back, I promise you'll like this."
Jennie gasped as he thrust into her suddenly. She had
barely time to take a breath before he was driving into her
again, hard and fast. Now the only way she could breathe was
in gasps, his relentless pounding leaving her no other option.
Liquid fire began to spread outwards from her clit in waves,
warming her, sending her into paroxysms of moans, leaving her
legs trembling. Her nipples were rubbing against his chest,
sending out their own shockwaves which sent her head whipping
from side to side. She struggled against the straps which held
her wrists, wanting to hold him, surround him with her arms.
The straps held fast, preventing her this grace, leaving her
wide open and vulnerable.
It was too much, too fast. She locked her legs around him,
pushing her heels into his butt, trying to slow him down, slow
the pounding which was driving her wild.
Jake reached back and pulled her legs up, one at a time,
to rest on his shoulders. His weight trapped her. All she
could manage were some small gyrations and bouncing movements.
Other than that she was open to him, at his mercy. He grinned
down into her unfocused eyes. There would be no mercy. He
stepped up his pace, loving the jolts as he met her after
driving deep, loving the way her breasts were crushed by her
legs and his chest, reveling in her cries as she went out of
control, spiraling up in a huge orgasm.
She would be super sensitive now, he knew, yet still he did
not stop. He was too close himself. His balls tightened. She
was so warm and wet, so pliant and helpless under him. She could
do nothing but take it. Her cries became louder as she fought to
escape the pounding, yet could not.
With a shout of his own he came, his body jerking as he
drove into her that final time before collapsing, driving the
air out of her lungs.
Jake released her legs and they fell limply to the mattress,
no strength left in them. Now he was sensitive and he lay there,
on top of her without moving. Slowly, together, their breathing
slowed and became regular.
"How about next time I tie you up?" Jennie lifted her head
and kissed his cheek. "It could be fun."
Jake looked down on her with a hurt expression. "Aw, babe,
you know I don't like that idea. Why do you want me to do things
I don't want to do? I don't ask you to do what you don't like."
She had been bringing it up a lot, recently, and it was beginning
to trouble him. What was she after? What did she really want?
Jennie sighed. It was true, he didn't. On the other hand
she hadn't always liked the idea of being tied, herself. Yet she
had allowed it and learned to like it. Why couldn't he at least
try? "Sorry, honey, I just think you might find it fun. It can
be nice to give up control, honest, honey."
"It's okay, babe." He rose up on his elbows then pulled
out. She gasped as he came free. "I gotta take a shower.
Babe, you were terrific." He leaned down and gave her a tender
kiss on the lips. Then he gave each nipple a kiss before
getting up and walking to the bathroom.
"Hey, what about me. Untie me you big lug!"
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Don't go away now." He
chuckled at his little joke.
"Damn you, Jake Saunders," she whispered as she heard the
shower come on. She tried to reach the straps with her teeth,
but was unable. There was nothing she could do except wait.
"It's a good thing their bedroom window is on this side of
the building," chuckled Fred as he picked up the last box of the
supplies from the pick-up. "Otherwise the guests in the pool
would get an earful."
Kathy was standing with her back to the building, watching
Fred as he moved the goods into the storeroom. She had already
begun to like him. He didn't leer at her the way most men did,
and he treated her with respect and the friendly ease of long
time friends.
"Are they always that loud?" she asked.
"Hard to say," he grinned. "I only know when they are. For
all I know they could be at it all the time - quietly."
Kathy smiled at him. He paused a moment then, taking the
smile for encouragement he continued.
"I wonder if he has her tied up."
Kathy's brows shot up. She gave him a wicked smile. "My,
but aren't you kinky." He blushed. "What would give you that
idea?" He hesitated. "Come on Fred, out with it." It was an
order, but an order made softer by her smile.
"Well, Jennie had me move a new night table up to their
room one day and I saw that they had straps attached to the
bedposts." He grinned. "I don't think that she saw that I
noticed. Say, you won't tell anyone what I said, will you?" He
lifted up a box of frozen ground beef to take in to the kitchen.
Kathy considered him seriously for a moment. "If I don't,
then you'll owe me one. That okay by you?"
"Sure thing, Kathy." He didn't even stop to consider it.
Kathy smiled again.
"Oh, and call me Kat. I prefer it." She moved out from
the wall to walk with him to the kitchen.
"You got it, Kat. Fits you, too. You have a feline sort
of grace, very becoming. I guess that makes us even." She
stopped short.
"Pardon?" She was still smiling, but her smile was a
little strained.
"I owed you one. You asked me to call you Kat instead of
Kathy - I'm doing that, so we're even, right?" He smiled
brightly and turned to continue to the kitchen.
'Right.' The word was said silently.
Tom Calder leaned on the counter, reading the newspaper.
Movement outside the window caught his attention and he looked
up. It was Fred and he was walking with a short but lovely
looking woman. Way to go, Fred. He was proud of the boy. That
was some woman he'd picked up. About time, too.
Tom's thoughts went back several weeks to the first time
they'd met. It had been a hectic day - one of those days you
can never quite prepare for - when everyone and his brother
had come from out of nowhere, and they all wanted to eat.
Bill, the second cook and dishwasher, had a burr up his ass.
For two days something had been bothering him, eating away
at him. Tom had put up with it, put up with his ill tempered
comments and his complaints.
The lunch rush was finally about over, and Tom decided to
let Bill go early when suddenly another wave of customers had
come through the door.
"Shit. That's it, I quit," had come the startling comment
from Bill. He was joking, of course, and Tom had turned to
make light of it when he realized that Bill had taken off his
apron and was, indeed, leaving. He had quit.
If Tom had still been in the Forces and Bill had been his
subordinate, Bill would have been in so much trouble he'd never
have seen his way clear. As it was there was nothing Tom could
do but watch, in shock, as Bill left.
There was no way he could handle it alone. He'd run out
of clean dishes before half this new wave were served. And he
had no time to do any. Everyone else was busy and there was
no one he could call to for help. He looked in dismay as the
door opened and another four people walked in. What the hell
was going on today?
Then the distant looking black-haired youngster - anyone
under thirty was considered a youngster by Tom - had pushed
back from the counter and moved around towards the till. Tom
had gone to collect for the meal, but the man continued around
the counter, picked up Bill's apron, put it on and headed for
the dishwasher.
"Use a hand?" was all he asked.
"Hell, yes," Tom had replied. He was much too busy to
inquire further, much too smart to look a gift horse in the
mouth, and he said no more.
The youngster caught on quickly and began helping with
things other than the dishes. Once, when Tom had made to ask
for something, stopping as he realized he didn't even know
the stranger's name, the stranger had spoken. "Fred," he
introduced himself, then said no more.
After the rush was over and things were cleaned up, Fred
presented his check.
"To hell with that. It's us who owe you. Sit down and
have a piece of pie."
While Fred was eating, Jennie came in and Tom explained
the situation. She also thanked him. Fred didn't say much,
then he left.
At suppertime, Jennie had come in to give him a hand when
Fred showed up once more.
"That's my apron, I believe," he said to Jennie as she
was about to put it on. Wordlessly she handed it over to him.
The next day he'd filled out an application form and he'd been
there ever since.
It had been several weeks, and still Tom knew little about
Fred Nelson. He didn't talk much about himself. He was running
from something, but not the law, Tom knew. He enjoyed talking
to the highway patrol too much for that to be the case.
Whatever he had been, it had been something better than a
short order cook. His clothes and car were too expensive for
that to have been the case. Well, whatever he had been, Tom
was happy enough to have him. He was very friendly and
helpful and didn't try to upset Tom's applecart.
Tom had his own little empire going. He was king of
the lunch counter and probably most important employee of
Hotsprings Campsite. Mel, the laborer, looked up to him,
and Stacy, well Stacy was leery of him, but no threat at all.
Sooner or later she'd come around and he'd have her.
The door opened and Fred and his woman came into the
lunch counter. Fred set the ground beef down on the counter.
"Tom Calder, this is Kat O'Grady. Kat'll be looking after
the books, stock and whatever else Big Jake can foist on her."
He said it with a grin. "Kat, this is Tom, our cook. Taught
me everything I know about cooking. Whether or not he's a
good teacher, you'll have ample opportunity to decide later."
Tom's eyes narrowed. Suddenly he was no longer quite so
happy about Fred's conquest.
End of Chapter 1, Hotsprings by Delta.
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