At 18, I was 6'2", 230 pounds of pure muscle. Much of it was genetic, but a lot of exercise in the gym and being a linebacker on our football team also had something to do with it. While I was never tested, everybody knew I was the strongest guy around.
One day, when I was leaving school, I noticed a group of 6 people surrounding a girl from my class, Rebecca, shouting at her. I approached the crowd and asked what it was about. The biggest guy, Joe, seemed angry, "She stole my beautiful pen."
I looked at her, "Did you take his pen?"
"Of course not!"
I turned to him, "How do you know she stole it? Did you or anybody else see her doing it?"
"No, but I am sure she was the one."
"What proof do you have?"
"After the last break, I noticed the pen was missing. She was the only one around. When I asked her if she knew where my pen was, she never responded but smiled. I bet you it is in her purse."
"Rebecca, is his pen in your purse?"
"No."
"Guys, it looks like an impasse. There is no proof for these allegations. So either you are willing to let her go, or I'll search her purse myself. However, if I perform this demeaning search and find nothing, I am going to punch Joe's nose and make him bleed. Joe, do you agree to the terms?"
He hesitated, "I... am not sure..."
"So better leave her alone. I plan to go home now. If I hear that any of you laid a hand on her or her belongings, he will have to deal with me. Clear?"
Slowly, everybody moved away.
Rebecca looked at me with teary eyes, "Sam, thank you for saving me."
"Girl, I have one question - Why did you giggle if you didn't steal the pen?"
She grinned, "Because I saw the guy who stole it. It was his friend Lenny."
"So why didn't you tell Joe instead of risking your health?"
"I am not a snitch. Lenny was there among the group who attacked me. I stared at him, but he ignored it."
I smiled at her, "Rebecca, I am not sure how smart a move it was, but you have guts. Well, I need to go home. Take care, and if any of these students try to harass you again, let me know."
The next day, I almost forgot about the incident. However, Rebecca approached me and asked if she could talk to me. Thinking that one of the guys tried again to pester her, I was more than ready to listen.
She gazed at me shyly, "Sam, nobody badgered me. Everybody was scared of you. I told my mother what you did, and she insisted that your good deed deserved a reward. She wants you to come for dinner at our house this weekend."
I laughed, "Rebecca, that's OK. I didn't do anything in particular. Thank your mother on my behalf and tell her that there is no need to make a big fuss about a minor incident."
"Sam, she is stubborn and very curious to meet the gentleman who saved her daughter."
"Tell her a cookie with a thank you note will suffice."
Rebecca chuckled, "Mom said that if you refuse, she'd come to school and beat you up until you give in..."
I sighed, "OK. How about Saturday at 7 pm?"
Rebecca smiled, "Thank you." She gave me the address, verified that I liked steaks, and disappeared.
...
Saturday evening, I shaved, showered, and dressed nicely. I was at her house at 7:05 pm. Rebecca opened the door. She looked better than usual. She wasn't what one would call a beauty, but with makeup, mascara, light red lipstick, shoulder-high curly hair, a tight dress, and 3" heels shoes, she was worth a second look...
I whistled. She blushed and let me in. Her mother was busy in the kitchen, and Rebecca led me to sit in the living room, "The meal will be ready soon."
I sat listening to soft rock music. A short time later, both mother and daughter entered the living room. The mother extended her hand to me, "Hi, I am Eva. I heard you saved my daughter from the school wolves and had to meet you."
I smiled, "Ma'am, your daughter exaggerates. I just talked to them. I am no knight in shining armor."
Eva's eyes inspected me up and down, "You are big and strong. I think my idea of spanking you if you refused to have dinner with us was not a good one..."
I glanced at her. She looked about 40 years old, 5'7", 150 lbs, and well-proportioned in all the right places, if you know what I mean... Her tight, short black dress emphasized her massive chest and wide hips with a much smaller waistline. Her body reminded me of Dolly Parton's.
She watched me ogling her body and grinned, "Did I pass the test?"
I blushed, "I had to check you out. If you were planning to hit me, I needed to assess my chances..."
She laughed, "Trust me, you have no chance, but let's leave it for now and eat. I made medium-rare fillet mignon, baked potatoes, green beans, and pickled beets. If you also wish to have minestrone, I have fresh soup in the fridge."
"Eva, I love steaks. I won't need anything else if the size is not too small."
"Rebecca told me you are a big boy, so I prepared a 16 oz fillet and twice the usual amount of the other stuff. Don't forget that you'll have dessert later on."
"Ma'am, it sounds perfect, but please, after such a filling dinner, I become weak, so promise not to take advantage of it and hit me..."
"Young boy, I didn't know you have such a great sense of humor. I like you."
I looked at Rebecca, who was quiet the whole time, "Rebecca, are you the silent type? Tell me about yourself. By the way, where is your father?"
"Mom and Dad divorced ten years ago. He lives in California, and we rarely hear much from him except during birthdays and anniversaries."
"Sorry to hear that. And how are you girls managing financially?"
Eva grinned, "It took me years to have the courage to divorce the jerk, but we are doing much better now. Touch wood, money is no issue and never was."
The dinner was fantastic. The steak was soft and delicious, covered in hickory dressing with mushrooms and perfectly baked potatoes. The tasty meal went well with the red wine. We talked about school, my role in football, the weather, and TV programs we liked. Both were unassuming ladies, and the conversation was easy without needing to be cautious, avoiding sensitive subjects.
The next time I looked at my watch, it was nearly 10 pm. I stood up, "Ladies, I took too much of your time. Thank you for the perfect company and fantastic food. Good night."
Rebecca stayed in her seat and grabbed more wine.
Eva accompanied me to the door, and as I was on my way out, she blurted, "Sam, you are my type. I want you!" I stared at her quizzingly.
She smiled, "Sam, I am dead serious. One day, you'll be mine."
"Eva, you saw me once and already know it?"
"Big boy, I know everything I need to know. You are a good person, look great, funny and Rebecca likes you. Everything else is a bonus. Call me if you want me. If I do not hear from you soon, one day, I'll make my move!..."
I grinned, "Eva, I like you. You are funny, too. Good night."
...
Two years have passed. I was a sophomore in college. Our family's income and my scores did not qualify me to get a scholarship or a grant. I needed to be independent financially, so I placed an ad: "A college student is available on weekends to perform any needed work around the house." I mentioned my name and phone number and waited.
I got a text a few hours later, 'I am interested. Name your price and come see me at my address this Friday at 5:30 pm."
Until Friday afternoon, two other people called, but they put conditions on the number of hours and the actual work times. The money offer was less than I expected too.
Friday, I arrived at the mentioned address at the right time and recognized it immediately - it was Rebecca and Eva's house. I smiled to myself and knocked on the door.
Eva opened it. She wore a simple robe, but her face was done, and she looked great, "Eva, I haven't heard from you in years. You look good. Is your offer a joke or a real one? And where is Rebecca?"
"Rebecca studies Arts in New York and comes home about once every 2-3 weekends. The work offer is serious. My property was neglected for too long. Your ad reminded me that I needed major landscaping improvements. Sam, I have no clue how much I should pay you per hour, so name your price, tell me your preferred hours, and I'll accept whatever you say."
"Eva, you trust me that much?"
"My gut feeling was and still is that you are honest, so go ahead. I do not have money issues, and giving it to a deserving person for needed work around the house sounds like a good idea."
Next, she guided me around her large yard. It was clear that many improvements were required - The trail to the house had potholes, the trees and bushes needed trimming, and multiple weeds invaded the tall grass. The outdoor pool had dirty water and was filled with leaves. I knew I had enough work for many weekends.
I smiled at Eva, "I'll start tomorrow at 8 am. First, I'll clean the pool so that you can use it as soon as possible. The temperatures are expected to rise above 80 degrees in the upcoming week. Later, I'll take care of the trail to your house, so people and cars won't have to worry about injuries or damage. Lastly, I'll concentrate on the other issues."
She grinned, "Good plan. When you work outside, it may get too hot. You can take off your top, come to the house to rest in the shade, and grab a cold drink. You can also shower in my house. I'll show you where I keep a spare key so you can enter If I am out."
"Eva, it sounds like working for an ideal Boss."
She smirked, "Sam, I am a great employer. And if you do a good job, other bonuses and benefits will follow."