Silver City Girl

by Yvonne Beattie

  He smiles and pulls away from me but grabs my hand and pulls me over to the sofa where he sits and pulls me down onto his knee. I love how easy it is between us again. I feel protected by him.

  "I need to ask you something, Jennifer," he looks down at me. "I realise this is not very professional, but we both know this is mutual, right?"

  I nod. Very mutual. Very unprofessional.

  "You made a big find this morning. I've just clarified everything and we are now lead in this shale which gives us way more power to influence what is going on over there. We've never been in this situation before, but this is what we have been working towards with our land acquisitions. How the hell this has gone uncovered I do not know, but it will be investigated. However, I now need to go back to Houston this week to straighten everything out. This is going to make press and I need to be there to give a press release and what not. I think as part of your internship and the fact this is all because of you, you should come with me."

  "You want me to come to Houston?" I think I shouted that a little too loud.

  He smiles, "Yes. I do. It makes sense with everything, and also it means we get to have more time together, and I would really like that."

  "But we can't tell anyone about us," I point between us.

  "No, no, I realise that, but we can get to know each other better outside of the office, and I just think it all makes sense. Don't you? This is an amazing opportunity for you career wise sweetie. You'll get to meet the Houston office, and it’s not unheard of for our interns to visit our other offices. I’ve just personally got a bit more vested in you," he grins devilishly at me.

  "Well, that all sounds amazing! I can't thank you enough for the opportunity," I feel overwhelmed, but everything between Jack and I has happened in four days. I can't even comprehend this. I nearly had sex with him, in his office for God sakes. I've only ever been with one other guy, and look how that turned out.

  "Don't thank me, thank that pretty little head of yours," he hugs me and kisses the top of my head. I love it so much when he does things like that.

  "When will we leave?" I ask.

  "Either tomorrow or Wednesday. I’ll get it organised. So let's head home and you can think about packing."

  "Ok!" I can’t believe I’m going to Houston.

  Chapter 14

  I am actually going to America. How in a million years, did this happen? I can’t freakin’ wait! Though I still can't get my head fully around it all. Five days ago I barely knew who Jack was, I was chugging along at work learning the ropes just fine, and all too quickly I have the feeling I am falling head over heels for him. This acreage I found has everyone giving me pats on the back and congratulating me, it’s kind of embarrassing to be honest. I feel like a celebrity and I still don't really know why. It feels like I've entered the twilight zone. I’m so excited and overwhelmed at the same time though, I've barely been able to eat anything for the last couple of days.

  It's now Wednesday evening and I’m looking out of the car window watching the field’s whiz by as I'm chauffeur driven to Aberdeen International Airport for my flight to Houston. Norman picked me up and he informed me Jack is meeting me there. Jack told me over the phone earlier that he has all our flight details. He told me to pack enough for a couple of weeks. I've not seen him since Monday's steamy session in his office. I now know first-hand just what an extremely busy man he is, but I've missed his smiley face. I haven't seen Susie either as she has been away on her final uni field trip with her class. I presume she must have heard from Mike by now, she surely would have told me otherwise, but I still worry about her. I quickly drop her another message from my phone and hope to hear back from her before I take off. I know she gets sporadic mobile signals when they are away in the hills doing whatever geography students do. I seldom hear from her when she is gone, but I still worry about her.

  When we arrive at the airport, we don't go to the main drop off point but to another area I never knew existed. Aberdeen Airport is not very big, but it is always bustling. There are cars and taxis backed up and people rushing and milling about with luggage and children in tow.

  Norman parks up and gets out to open my door for me. I climb out while he grabs my luggage and then he tells me to follow him over to what appears to be a private security check. I go through it, leaving my bottle of water behind as instructed, then Norman says goodbye and I'm told to go with another man who looks like a pilot, going on his attire.

  "Hello Ms. Steen," he says, shaking my hand. He is an attractive man and looks to be in his mid thirties, he is very tall and has short blonde hair. "My name is Scott Klein and I will be your co-pilot today. Captain Marc, is already onboard awaiting our arrival."

  "Oh, umm, hi," I stutter, almost star struck. "Sorry, I've never actually met the pilot who is flying the aircraft I'm going on before." I sound like an idiot.

  "That's ok," he smiles warmly. "We are all just human!" He jokes. "But I guess most people don't get to fly this way."

  This way?

  He holds his arm out gesturing to a smaller obviously private jet with SER decorated across it.

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  I am going on the company's corporate plane?

  I had no idea. I didn't even know there was a corporate plane.

  I have stopped and I know I have a look of utter disbelief on my face, but I can’t hide my shock.

  "Ms. Steen, if you would like to follow me up the stairs we must be taxiing within the next few minutes," Scott coaxes me.

  "Umm, ok," I mutter in response.

  I follow him up the stairs and into the aircraft which actually seems bigger inside than I imagined it would be. I look around and cannot believe how nice it is. The decor reminds me a bit on the limo. All black and cream interior, reclining chairs with little tables strategically placed, and even a couple of sofas. A large dining table with ten seats around it. There is a bar and a huge flat screen television, and as I look past the curtains which are all drawn, I see a door ajar and a bed. This is unbelievable. Like, un-be-liev-able.

  "Hey Jen," I jump and turn to see Jack beaming at me. He comes over and wraps his arms around me, gently picking me up and slowly turning me around in the not so spacious cabin. "I've missed you!"

  "Oh, ah, hi!" I blurt out, as my eyes dart around the cabin in case someone has seen us, but I am excited he has missed me too.

  "Don't worry sweetie, no one will see us. These guys are cool, it's not within their interests to report back to anyone." He read my mind.

  I look around and everyone is busy, and when I say everyone, I can hear the two pilots chatting, and I can see the back of an air hostess busy sorting food or something.

  "This is not what I expected," I look up at Jack who has now placed me back on my feet but is lightly holding onto my waist grinning at me. Gosh, I love that grin.

  "Oh? What did you expect?"

  "Umm, well, maybe cattle class on a jumbo jet?!" I laugh and hug myself into his chest. He always feels so warm and cuddly, well, in the few times I've actually hugged him. I really love hugging him.

  He strokes my hair, "Maybe I should have told you. I don't normally take employees on here with me, but I played it off as a reward for your due diligence. You may have a few envious work mates, but they'll get over it, I'm sure."

  "Excuse me, Mr. Samson?" It's the air hostess. She has brunette hair which is tied into an elegant bun and a very form fitting uniform. She is young, and pretty, and once again, I feel that pang of jealousy.

  "Sorry to interrupt, Sir. May I ask you both to please be seated for take-off." She smiles at us both and seems genuinely nice. I can’t help but take an instant dislike to her. “Would either of you like a refreshment?” she asks.

  "I'll just have an iced-water with lemon for now, thank you, Nancy. Jennifer, what would you like? We have most everything, and please feel free to have something stronger," Jack offers.

  "Oh, no, thank you, I'll just hav
e some water too, please," I smile politely at Nancy.

  Nancy thanks us and goes to fetch our drinks. She appears back promptly with them just as the pilot’s cheery American voice fills the cabin to say he is preparing for takeoff. Nancy quickly goes through the emergency routine with us and then disappears again.

  We both sit in huge reclining leather seats across from one another and fasten our seat belts. There is a table between us where Nancy has placed our waters along with some mixed nuts. I quickly get my mobile phone out to see if Susie has replied, but there is nothing, so I switch it off trying not to worry about her.

  "So....." I say, I don't like the silence.

  "So....Ms. Steen," he imitates me with a cheeky smile.

  "I think I have a whole bunch of questions I need to ask you, Jack."

  "Sure, fire," he looks at me expectantly.

  "Well, I have done a bit of research but I can't find the answer to what I am looking for. I know I am going to sound stupid asking this, but what exactly are you at SER? I mean...I know you are Tim's boss, but after seeing all this, and you buying out our whole apartment block, the limo ride on Sunday, it just all seems, so extravagant," I look up at him. "Should I be worried?!"

  He laughs, "Worried?! Hell no!" He leans forward and puts his elbows on the table. "Why should you be worried?” he asks me.

  “Well, it’s just,” I don’t know how to broach this without sounding rude. “This isn’t normal, Jack,” I sweep my arm around gesturing to the aircraft. “Normal people, do NOT fly on private jets, nor get chauffeured around, and buy out whole apartment blocks on a whim. Who are you Jack Samson?”

  He looks down and taps the table with his fingers, then looks back up at me. “Jen, I own the company. Well, the majority of it."

  "What?" My shock is evident and I know my voice is raised, but I can't help it. "How can you own it? I mean..."

  What the hell? The entire company?

  “I mean, I thought you were maybe head of the Geology department, but I couldn’t find your name anywhere...”

  "Do you know the company changed hands around five years ago? Just a couple years before you did your placement with us actually," he asks me, and I nod. “We opened the Aberdeen office not long before we hired you for your placement.”

  "Yes, of course, I know that much because it changed name, but I thought it was three older men that bought it. Smyth, Emery and Ronwyn? Hence, SER. I've seen pictures of them on the company intranet and internet, along with the company story."

  "That's correct, almost. They are all Chairmen and each own a very small portion of the company. I own ninety-five percent of the company and am the joint CEO. I'm kind of the silent side of that joint effort for the moment. When I bought the company, I knew I didn't have the knowledge base, skill set and experience that I needed, so I honed in some guys I knew and we decided to split the weight of it all between them. They all proffer different talents, so it made sense. We marketed the company based on them as I didn’t want to be in the spotlight."

  "So who is the other CEO? I know his name is Walter Smyth, but who is he?" I ask. “I’m sorry, I feel like I should know all of this, but nothing is making sense to me.”

  "It's fine, don't worry, most people in the company couldn't tell you any of this, I assure you. We have the company marketed as you see it on the Intranet or internet, and that is how the world knows us. For now, anyways. The other CEO is my father. His name is Walter Smyth Samson, but for the sake of business, he goes by Walter Smyth. We chose to keep Samson out of it in the hope we afford ourselves some form of privacy. So far it's worked pretty well, it's more confusing than anything to most, but it works well for us. And before you ask why I didn't put my own name anywhere in the company’s title, my full name is Jack Smyth Samson."

  "Oh, I see. But I still just don't get how you can own it. I'm so sorry, I don't mean to pry, and I don't mean to basically interview you, I just can't get my head around this. You're not even very old. Actually, I don't even know how old you are?" I realise.

  "I'm twenty eight."

  "So at the grand old age of, what, twenty three? You bought this massive company?"

  He smiles at me.

  "By trade I am a Geophysicist, I graduated early from College. I guess I was deemed 'smart'. When I left, I wanted some time out, so for fun, I decided to work in stocks and shares. I made a lot of money in a short time frame. A LOT. I got lucky when I bought over SER, they were going down quickly, so we transitioned quickly, renamed the company, restructured and redefined our goals. I guess we got really lucky as things have been going our way a lot. I needed time to throw myself into my discipline, hence putting a lot of trust into my father, and really his colleagues to turn it all around. They are getting a great deal out of it, and soon I will be taking over as the named CEO as my father would like to retire, and it's about time I stepped up publically."

  "Wow," just, WOW. I feel the colour draining from my cheeks, never in a million years did I expect this shocker.

  He laughs. "But it's all cool, Jen. I'm still the same guy I was at the weekend, so please don't think of me differently."

  "How can I not?! You're like, really important...you’re like, really high up..." I say in amazement while trying to digest it all.

  "Yeah, in the air!" He laughs and undoes his seatbelt.

  "No, I mean in the company," I correct him.

  "Duh, lighten up, Jennifer. I knew what you meant. Here, come with me," he motions for me to undo my seat belt and takes my hand. He guides me over to a lovely big sofa and we sit down. I feel the sway of the plane slightly and am glad to sit down again. It hadn't even dawned on me that we were up in the air, I got so caught up chatting I never noticed we had taken off, it has been such a smooth flight so far. Long may it last.

  "I like you Jennifer. I like you a lot. Please stop thinking of me as your boss, or whatever, it's immaterial, it doesn't matter. You've proven yourself at work without any help from anyone. I just want us to have some fun, no strings if you don't want any."

  "Ok," I'd love some strings, I've already fallen for him and it's only been a few days. We've not even been fully intimate, but I am just so drawn to him. It must be lust.

  He pulls me to him and kisses me tenderly.

  "It's all going to be fine. I promise," he kisses the tip of my nose.

  Nancy appears through and makes a little cough alerting us to her presence. I instantly pull away from Jack and straighten myself on the sofa.

  "Here is tonight's menu. Please have a read through and I will be back in a few moments to take your order. Thank you," she smiles and walks away back to her cubby hole.

  It’s early evening and considering I've barely eaten anything all week, hunger has suddenly struck. I'm reading through the menu and could devour half of it, it all sounds so good.

  "What's your favourite food, Jen?" Jack asks.

  "Pasta, I could eat it every day of the week. What's yours?"

  "Fish. I could eat fish every day of the week," he smiles. "Have you ever been fishing?"

  "No, never. I don't think I could deal with those slippery, smelly little suckers. Different when they're on your plate though."

  Jack laughs, "Yeah, I guess they are slippery and can be smelly, but I bet you would enjoy fishing with me. I go fishing in the lakes when I just want to get away from it all, it's so relaxing."

  "I'll take your word on that one."

  "What do you want to eat?" he asks.

  "I'm not sure, it's between the curried chicken, the lemon fish and the lasagna. It all sounds so good. It all sounds like home cooked food to be honest."

  "That's because it is," Jack studies his menu. "I can't stand those horrible micro meals you get with standard airlines. So when I hired an air hostess it had to be someone that could cook. Nancy is an awesome chef. We can order a few things if you like. She will be happy as it gives her something to do, and we can have ourselves a little feast."

  "Oh, we don't hav
e to do that."

  Actually, I am so hungry I could eat a scabby horse right about now.

  Jack is already speaking to Nancy and ordering a bunch of things. Nancy is nodding and writing everything down at top speed then hurries off looking quite happy with herself.

  "Right, why don't we chill out and watch a movie while we wait for dinner? We will be landing very early in the morning Houston time, so we should try and get some sleep after we eat. I have to go straight into the office when we land. You are welcome to come with me, or if you'd prefer to wait until later that is also fine."

  "I think I would like to come into the office if that is ok?" I enthuse hoping I do manage to get some sleep on here. I feel the plane dip slightly and my stomach go with it.

  "Of course. I have someone lined up to take care of you, my assistant, Cathy. She's great and she will show you the ropes, and what not."

  "Ok, thanks. Umm, am I booked into a hotel? Sorry, I've kind of just gone with everything, I have absolutely no details about my travel arrangements."

  "I guess that would be my fault. I should have emailed everything to you. I'll bet Cathy will have emailed you everything by the time we land. Anyway, you're staying in the Double Tree Hotel which is connected to the Allen Centre."

  "What's the Allen centre?" I ask.

  "It’s a skyscraper complex in Downtown Houston, it's where our offices are. It just means you can walk to work. It will make life easier for you while you're there. One thing you'll learn fast about Houston is that the traffic is pretty bad, so at least you won't have to tackle that. You are welcome to a rental car if you'd like to get out and about, though I'm hoping to be your tour guide come the weekend!" He winks at me.

  "Let's just see how I get on, I don't drive much at home so I don't know how I would get on in Houston. You drive on the opposite side from us too and I've never tried that, I think it would be a bit scary," I assure myself I am taking one day at a time as I have no idea what to expect.

  "Nah, it's easy, but it is up to you, sweetie," he pats my knee reassuringly.