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“ I don’ t think she is that generous,” he said, putting on his poker face and taking back the picture. She stared at him for a moment, sure he caught the last comment. She could not believe what she had said, it just slipped out, knowing it was one of most men’ s fantasies. Her own husband had made the comment once. Sam said“ No” to that particular indulgence, but teased often.“ Good luck on the mystery project,” she said, opening the car door.“ Thanks,” he said, returning the picture to its place. Walking around the front of his vehicle, she blew him a kiss and slid behind the wheel of her sports car. She waved and drove off. Eddie sighed and his phone rang.“ Hey Rodney.”“ You sound down. What gives?” Rodney asked.“ Sam just left the job site.”“ Let me guess. You already called your wife and told her you would not be home, when Sam arrived. Probably dressed to kill.”“ Correct.”“ You’ re crashing at my place. You are going to have to give me more than that.”“ She showed up in red high heels, painted on jeans and red silk blouse. No bra.”“ I bet those puppies stand up on their own,” Rodney laughed.“ Definitely. I’ m taking pictures of the clean space, when she walks in, strikes a pose and tells me she photographs beautifully in the nude,” Eddie explained, as Rodney’ s laughter increased.“ I’ m not laughing at you. I’ m laughing at your pain.”“ That’ s cold,” Eddie said.“ Maybe you should just do her and she’ ll leave you alone.”“ What if she doesn’ t?”“ Then I just gave you some really bad advice. What are friends for?” Rodney asked.“ She said she had never done it with a woman when she saw a picture of my family.”“ She offered to do Tanya too? I don’ t think a three-way counts as cheating.”“ Rodney! She is taking my head out of the game. I really want this to be my Superbowl.”
The exasperation in Eddies’ voice came through and Rodney was already contemplating a plan. Frank had sent a memo to every one of the associates and required a response, stating the Center at Golden Estates was off limits until he said otherwise. There was no reason for anyone to check on a project which they wanted no part, and was nowhere near or on the way to any of their properties.“ Were the cleaning guys there when Sam arrived?”“ Yes. Please tell me your degree is in psychology and talk to her.”“ I have some leverage if Barry remembers Sam,” Rodney said.“ I’ m sure he will remember. He got a great view down her blouse when he dropped the receipt and Sam bent over to pick it up.”“ Cool. Maybe I can chill her out until September.”“ I would really appreciate that,” Eddie said.“ By the way, what I was calling about was the maid comes Monday and Friday, ten to noon. You can set your watch by her. I have a thing about clean sheets. If you sleep in the bed Sunday or Thursday night don’ t bother sticking fresh sheets on the bed. Clean sheets are in the closet.”“ No problem. I can understand where you are coming from,” Eddie said.“ Probably not. Unless you’ ve allowed someone to crash at your place who had body lice. I’ ve since become very particular about who stays.”“ Is it my turn to laugh at your pain?”“ Fair is fair,” Rodney said and ended the call.
Night had settled. The bright lights and music of the masons came to a close. Eddie watched them pile into the truck and drive away. Eddie locked up and set the alarm. It was after nine o’ clock when he made his way up the stairs to the apartment. He tossed a pizza in the oven, grabbed a beer and headed for the shower. After hanging the bath towel on the curved shower curtain rod to dry, he grabbed the Heineken bottle, that stood out like an emerald on a deserted white beach, from the bathroom counter. Dressed in gray sweats he emerged from the steamy bathroom. The tiny bell from the oven timer announced dinner was ready. He turned off the oven, found a plate and set the food on the coffee table. He was about to turn on the television when he spied a stereo receiver. The room filled with the crystal clear sound of soft jazz. Music was delivered by four small white cubes in the upper corners of the room. Eddie could pick out each instrument’ s role in the complex equation. The notes of the tenor sax taking the lead, giving way to fingers dancing on a piano’ s keys. Bass, guitar and drums kept the