CHAPTER 1
Going fishing at the retreat was a relief for the new mayor on her honeymoon as Jefferson, a little bored with the solitude and no cows to chase or whatever they did to them, had been at her to ride cowgirl for much of the day and night. She even had to promise fellatio out in the boat to coax him from their cabin.
Another four days of honeymoon to go! Andrea groaned and pledged never to go on a second honeymoon with him. They'd not told anyone where they were going and had left their cell phones behind, so with the closest cabins at least 100 yards away she really had been able to shout 'Oh yes, oh yes, oh god yes' as Jefferson attempted to drive her through the headboard. She thought hopefully that all the sweat she was losing would equate for over-eating in the lead-up to the wedding.
"Let's row out in the nude."
"Jefferson Robbins, where are your core values?"
He leered, "Left them at home with my cell phone."
God what was the male equivalent of bimbo? Asshole seemed a little strong although she could be tempted to review that opinion.
He looked pathetic big-eyeing her like a mother cow so she stupidly agreed, warning him that if he hooked her when casting there would be no sex for him for a week but he looked so crestfallen she modified that to eight hours and he looked so cute as relief spilled over his face.
Jefferson was casting out at least two miles, or something like that.
"No, no. Little wonder you don't catch big fish. Just flip your lure out twenty feet. You have to understand the bigger fish are older fish and age and experience provide wisdom and they think of our boat as being the mother ship and come close to establish brotherhood or sisterhood."
"Who told you that crap?"
"No one. It just seems logical to me."
"Well it's just damn nonsense. Fuck Andrea, you are supposed to be mayor of our town, not a bimbo."
"That's hurtful."
Catching the tone that could mean tears Jefferson looked back at her and his thumb dropped on to the spinning reel and stopped it dead.
"Fuck, look what you made me do."
"That's a perfect cast, about 21 feet out; if only you were a believer asshole."
"Fucking dumb blondes," Jefferson muttered unaware his new bride was shaping up to cry.
"Christ!"
His reel screamed and he yelled, "What's this. Have we fouled?"
"We're not moving, stupid. It's a fish. You catch such assholes of little fish you don't recognize a big one."
"No fish can be this big."
"Believe me Jefferson, you're in the big league now. Your time to land your fishing dream has come."
The reel screamed and the fight was on.
After 20 minutes Andrea sai conversationally, "We don't have a gaff or a landing net aboard."
"Andrea, don't do this to me."
"Sorry."
"What can we do?"
"Let me think. I know, you stand behind me and I'll lean over, dig both hands into its gills and flip it into the boat, but if it's an eel I'm out of here."
There was a murderous feeling of tension in the air. No doubt she was being identified as the person who didn't think of loading a net or gaff. But who was captain of their boat with responsibility for checking what had been loaded? 'Bambo' of course!
There was a stir on the placid lake just to her left.
"It's a brown trout," she said excitedly, "and tiring."
"Andrea, don't fail me," Jefferson pleaded, sounding boyish and knowing the chat to pals that would be lost if the fish was not landed.
She didn't reply. Instead she waited until Brown Trout came alongside Mother ship, closed her eyes after taking aim, slid the outer hand into the gill but missed with the other hand, opened her eyes and slid the free hand under the belly and tossed the fish into the boat.
"Andrea, you fucking beauty. Ohmigod, look at it. Thirty pounds if it's an ounce."
"You're dreaming. A shade under twenty but still your largest fish by far. Want me to suck you off now?"
"Andrea, we have far more important things to do. We have to take this monster to the lodge and get it weighed."
"Ah yes, and I have to clean up," Andrea said, looking at the blood on her hand from brutally ripping through the gills of the fish. It had dripped over her right tit and down her belly.
They landed and Andrea had to scamper nude to the cabin to get towels and clothes. Jefferson made it quite clear she couldn't be fully trusted to stay with his fish and guard it.
The trout weighed in at 19lbs 2oz. The manager consulted her book and said, "It's short of the state record but it's the biggest brown trout caught in this lake by just over five pounds and is also the heaviest fish caught in this lake by a pound and a half. Congratulations."
Puffed up in pride Jefferson asked, "How many people are resident here tonight?"
"Seven couples including yourselves."
"Could you please have my record size fish smoked and served cold this evening and invite everyone to be here to partake?"
"Very good Mr Robbins. What a lovely gesture. I'll get my husband to take your photograph with your monster now."
"Oh could you and Roland also join us for the entrΓ©e?"
"Thank you. We'll provide the wine for the entrΓ©e."
Thereafter their time at the retreat became full on with returned hospitality, tennis and beach ball tournaments, tramping around the lake and fishing contests. The guys and two women big into fishing listened in disbelief as Jefferson pontificated on 'his' mother ship theory but when he was seen to hook a 12lb striped bass just two rod lengths from the boat everyone turned believer.
Rejuvenated by their action-packed holiday, the pair returned home and stayed the night at the Robbins' ranch house.
Over breakfast next morning Tim Robbins said, "Andrea, I hope you don't mind but Priscilla and the boys and I shifted you into Jefferson's and your new abode. We took great care with the wedding presents. I have a five-acre property in the rural part of the town, purchased to help out a buddy who's now left the area after his divorce.
"What? Why? Where?"
"It's only two miles from the town center dear and is a lovely home with three youngish women and their families living very close," Priscilla said. "With your induction on Friday morning we wanted you secure in your new home, all worries removed."
"Oh you darling people, thank you Priscilla and Tim."
"There's no rent to pay, I've signed the property over to you son."
"Thanks dad."
"Oh I'm so happy and life is going to be a breeze," Andrea laughed.
"Um, not so fast Andrea," Tim cautioned. "As you know Wide James also stood for election as a councilor in case his bid for the mayoralty went sour and he also missed out, but only just in winning a seat on the council. On the day of your wedding the James' attorney lodged an application for a recount of voting. Judge Rowland disallowed almost 200 votes and in the recount Wide James slipped in as the 7th councilor, displacing Mr Mason."
"Fuck."
"Andrea," Priscilla said, frowning.
"That's not all. On our reckoning that gives pro-James supporters four of the seven seats, so you will by a hamstrung mayor unless you can win support from at least one person in that James' faction and you'll have your vote to break any deadlock."
Priscilla said, "Resign as mayor darling; don't bother taking on an uphill fight."
"No, the town voted for change and they damn well deserve to get it. Who is the attorney with the sharpest mind in this town?"
"Ask your confidant, Geoff Perkins. He may say Mrs Reeves, the town attorney," Tim said. "Any advice you take from her the council pays; use an outside attorney without authority of the council and you pay."