THE STORY SO FAR: Twice divorced, unemployed computer technician Victor Haig is searching for a real soul mate when he rescues Nina Raymond from two louts who mistaking her for a hooker or an easy opportunity. The previous night Nina was thrown out of home by her mentally unbalanced and recently widowed father. Nina (20) admits to 37-year old Vic she's sexually inexperienced. He learns the young woman has been abused sexually by the few men in her life including her father. They leave town, taking to the road in Nina's SUV with no destination in mind. The morning after they begin their adventure into the unknown, Nina returns to check on her father, to find he's dying and she and Vic temporarily lose contact. They are reunited and spend a year on a cattle and horse ranch which takes paying guests as ranch dudes. They move on to a small coastal town where they befriend a computer and video store owner who offers them jobs. The owner's wife has walked out on him and he's taken up with his accounts clerk. Vic makes a casual but insulting remark about that woman just as she walks in behind him.
* * *
Vic became aware at store owner David Bell's embarrassment that the woman indicating outrage behind him was the same women he'd just described as David's 'Piece of skirt'.
"I beg your pardon β once a brat with a tendency to insult ladies grows into a man unable to throw such a despicable tendency. I've said something nasty without reason and once again apologize."
"It hurts being called something cruel like that, especially in David's presence. Who are you?"
Vic looked into the dark eyes of an attractive woman quite similar to Nina in age and stature. "I'm Victor Haig, newly recruited as David's computer technician. But if you feel you cannot work with me hurtful comment I'm out of here, never to return."
The woman swallowed. "No, no β you cannot do that. The store is in greater need of a computer technician than me. Shake my hand Mr Haig and that indiscretion is behind us."
"Thank you miss," Vic said, still in a bit of a sweat.
"Call me Cilla β I'm Cilla Maple. Are you attached to this pretty young woman?"
"Yes, he is. I'm his piece of skirt, Nina Raymond. I am very pleased to meet you Cilla.
The two men held their breath until Cilla smiled. "We have that in common."
"Yes and we have a closer link than that; I've been engaged to work here in sales."
"You look too upmarket to work in this old-fashion outfit," Cilla said. "I hope David has warned you we have lost quite a slab of our regular customers."
"Yes, I indicated that without being too specific," David said. "I didn't want to frighten them off. They are leaving now and start on Friday to help pull this place apart. We're going upmarket β I'll fill you after they leave," David said, taking Cilla's arm. "My impression is we'll make a great team."
"I'll look forward working with someone my own age," Cilla said. "But you sir, the jury is out on you for the moment."
"Normally he's very well house-trained, I assure you," Nina said. They all laughed and said their goodbyes.
Nina began to scold Vic as they walked along the one long shopping street. "I really don't know how you could be so careless with your tongue."
"I'm sorry. Please accept my apology for embarrassing you. I'm feeling better because I saw in her eyes Cilla has decided she likes me."
Nina sniffed. "I saw that also and think she more than likes you. I would prefer that you didn't dirty the nest."
"What does that mean?"
"Seducing her could harm our relationship with David."
"Of course, but what about our relationship; we haven't discussed either of us succumbing to outside temptation?"
"I really haven't thought about it but I know I wouldn't like finding out you'd been with another woman."
"But it's okay if you don't find out?" Vic asked, cocking his head and looking almost comical at that angle.
"I suppose so but it disappoints me that you should think like that."
"Well, I really was asking for educational purposes. Our relationship is becoming much closer and I anticipate there will come a time when I wouldn't dream of being with another woman."
Nina showed every sign of being testy, fluffing up the back of her hair and pulling at the shoulders of her top. "And when do you anticipate reaching that point?"
"If you don't mind, could I leave that question unanswered? I haven't really thought about it."
"No, that's fine. You haven't asked about my likelihood of breaching fidelity."
"I didn't think it was my place to ask you that; there's been no sign of anyone coming on to you, other than me."
"Hasn't there?"
"Who? I want to know?"
"If you don't mind could I leave that question unanswered," Nina said coldly.
"TouchΓ©," he muttered and missed her wry smile. He suspected for the first time since they had been having sex, apart when Nina was having a period and also when they became separated, he'd miss out on sex that night.
They walked along the street, an unusually wide gap between them.
"We should inspect the premises of David's competitors."
"Good idea β he told me there are only two outfits scaled up enough to be direct competitors."
They found nothing about the two competitors that dismayed them, Vic describing them as also lazy operations.
"Meaning?" Nina asked, still showing no signs of a thaw.
"David could make his business fly after the upgrade by paying greater attention to marketing strategies."
"I share that thought. So what do we recommend?"
"What are the two key components to his business?"