My name is Ava and the story I'm about to tell you is true, except I changed the names and tweaked a couple of the details just enough to keep myself, and the others involved, from being identified. It all took place in a small Midwest town about 4 years ago.
A bit about me. I am happily married for almost 20 years, average height, 130 pounds, dark hair, brown eyes, and now closer to 50 than 40. I'm no model but I've had enough compliments on my looks and my figure over the years to be confident about myself in that department. My husband, Matt, says I have the kind of curves that make every man want sex, but most of the time I dress conservatively and wear just a touch of makeup. I was raised in a traditional, fairly religious household with two older brothers. Old-fashioned morals were impressed upon us from birth. I wasn't ever a church-mouse or a prude, but let's just say I tried to be a good girl and I was always clear on what kinds of things a good girl does and doesn't do.
I am a human resources manager for a mid-size company and I work from home about half the week. Matt is a finance professional and works out of an office in the city about forty minutes from where we live.
That summer we had two bathrooms remodeled at our house. We chose the contractor based on online reviews and, of course, their quotes and how they presented themselves in meeting with us. The crew consisted of three guys, Josh, Stan, and Tom, who was their boss. They were all nice guys and professional enough. All were presentable too -- none of them were dirty or scruffy or scary-looking, and in fact they were all pretty decent-looking guys.
Actually Tom was more than decent, he was definitely handsome, in a contractor sort of way. Josh and Stan looked to be around 30 or so, and Tom was older, probably around my age. Stan was just a few inches taller than me, with a muscular build. Josh was taller and more of a lanky build, and Tom was bigger than both of them at somewhere over 6 feet and broad-shouldered.
They worked on our project over a span of about two weeks, mostly, but not always, on days I was working from home. They were polite and seemed to be all business, so I was comfortable with them being there. Josh and Stan were always on the job, and Tom was around maybe a third of the time. He was supervising multiple projects. I had some small talk with each of them from time to time and I felt we all had a good rapport.
.
One Thursday they had the work pretty much wrapped up. I was looking forward to getting my house back to normal. Tom had only been around for an hour or so in the morning that day, so he wasn't there when Josh and Stan got to the finish line. Tom texted me that evening saying he would come by with his guys the next day to do a walk-through and get a check for the balance if all was in order. He knew I worked from home on Fridays from our small-talk conversations over the past couple of weeks. I said sure, come any time.
That next morning I worked in our home office for several hours. Along the way my husband called and said he was invited to go to a baseball game by a client and would I mind if he went to the game after work. I replied of course not honey, have a good time and be careful driving home. That was my way of saying don't drink too much before you drive. Matt liked to have a good time and it usually involved cocktails. In fact he'd gotten me into whiskies and tequilas and I had a pretty good knowledge of them, and a pretty good alcohol tolerance we well. Both of which were points of pride to him I think -- he liked that I could be a fun wife and hold my own with the guys on the occasional night out or at a party.
In the afternoon I knocked off work early and decided to have a nice soak in our hot tub out on the back patio. I had put on a black bikini which I had not worn in public in many years, but it was good for the hot tub as long as no one but Matt and me were around. Usually with Matt I would go in nude if it was after dark.
After 20 minutes or so I went back inside with a towel over my shoulders. As soon as I stepped in the house I heard a booming voice" "Hello!? Ava! We're here!" It was Tom and his guys. I'd forgotten they were coming! Apparently they had knocked at the front door while I was out back and, when I didn't answer, they came in and started calling out for me. Probably called my cell too, but I hadn't taken it outside with me. Anyway there I was dripping wet in a bikini I didn't want to be seen in! I ducked into the laundry room and shut the door to hide myself as I heard them coming my way.
Tom called out again, closer. The dryer was running with a load of Matt's dress shirts I had washed that morning, and I realized Tom was heading toward the sound, looking for me! I got panicky and looked around for something to cover up with. I had nothing but the towel, which was now at my feet, so I quickly grabbed one of my husband's shirts out of the dryer and threw it on. I was still working on buttoning it up when Tom called out again from the other side of the door. It seemed better to open the door myself than have Tom walk in on me trying to get the last two buttons done. "Well hi, there you are" he said with a big grin. What a nice smile Tom had. "We saw your car and when you didn't answer I thought we better come and find you." "Yeah sorry, I said, I was just um, out in the hot tub," I stammered. I'm sure I looked totally flustered. "Not a problem," he said, "are you sure this is a good time?"
I said "Sure." In hindsight I should have said let me go change clothes first.
Tom led the way into the kitchen where the other two guys were waiting. We did a quick walk-through of the two bathrooms, but I already knew they were complete and working because I had checked everything out the night before. We all went back to the kitchen so I could look over the final invoice and write a check.
I asked the guys if I could get them anything to drink, coffee, water? I always offer, that's just good manners. Josh said jokingly, "Fridays are made for tequila!" I laughed and played along. "Better stick with water, you guys couldn't keep up with me when it comes to tequila." There had been a brief conversation about tequila with the guys a week or so into the job and they knew I liked it. "Oh really now," Tom said. He got a bit of wicked smile on his face. "Tell you what Ava," he said, holding up his invoice, "if you can do two tequila shots faster than me I would knock 5 percent off this invoice."
Is he serious, I thought -- 5 percent would be at least a thousand dollars! That seemed crazy but I decided to see if he was bluffing. "Okay, you're on," I said, which brought cheers from Josh and Stan. My husband had a bar in the den with a set of 6 shot glasses in a wire rack. I brought out a bottle of 1800 silver and the shot glasses and set then on the kitchen table. "Okay, Tom, here we go," I said with a cocky grin. I expected him to back out, but he didn't. I hadn't realized it yet, but my wet bikini had soaked my husband's white shirt, which was clinging to my breasts and butt. The guys were getting an eyeful. Looking back, I think that's what gave Tom the idea to get me drinking.