Falling for the Seal

by Mia Ford

  ‘Mr Furse,’ came Jefferson’s whiny voice, though at a volume as if he was addressing an audience, ‘it is my duty to inform you that your daughter is a slut.’

  ‘What’s this?’ Clive Furse asked, a frown on his brow as his ears sought to adjust to the peculiar spectacle being performed across his lawn. Darlene open-mouthed and desperate for the right words to say that might bring this nightmare to an end.

  ‘I said she is a whore,’ Jefferson went on, ‘I declare I have seen her with a man. She is a strumpet; she is a sinner and she brings disgrace upon your family name.’

  Oh, please say this isn’t happening, Darlene thought to herself, having no idea which way to turn for help.

  For a good half an hour, Kurt had been kicking himself for not thinking more firmly on his feet and protecting his girl there and then. He spent far too long delaying his chase because he did not wish to alarm his dad that there was anything serious going on which, potentially, there was. Then, when he finally set out he managed to hit every red light on the way out of town.

  Uncertainty breeds doubt and along the way he found himself asking all kinds of desperate questions as to whether Darlene was in trouble. Perhaps she had been chased off the road already and he had driven on by because, when clarity descended, he felt sure that this fruitcake Jefferson would have found a way to follow her. There is only one main freeway leading from Pacific City to Portland after all, so the guy would not have to be Einstein to relocate the girl he had called a ‘slut’.

  They both had a head start on him, but Kurt was the type to put the pedal to the metal and, providing nothing had forced Darlene into making an alternative plan, he was determined to reach the Furse’s residence.

  Maybe I should have bought a Porsche after all, he caught himself thinking, but fortunately he found that his vehicle served him well.

  It must have been about a mile from the Furse’s house when he caught sight of a familiar looking jeep and – if he wasn’t very much mistaken – a silver Fiesta it appeared to be tailing. Unless it was a very uncanny coincidence, that was his girlfriend’s inherited company car being tailed by a foul-mouthed religious extremist with whom he had a bone to pick.

  Kurt guessed a little what the swine must have been up to and held back a tad in order to assess what was his best move. If possible, he would have liked to ensure the gentle Furse family avoided any unhappy drama. That was not achievable, however, and Kurt arrived on the scene in time to hear Jefferson spouting out his self-righteous insults in the direction of Clive and his daughter.

  A week or so earlier, Kurt had been considering a means by which to sneak up to Darlene’s bedroom window and it was a peculiar twist of fate that such preparation would return to benefit him now. Had he approached via the drive then Jefferson would have seen him and had plenty of room to flee, but seafarer’s legs don’t often make for sprinter’s legs and he did not want that.

  Instead he took advantage of the line of finely pruned fir trees that Clive had been so kind to love and nurture to three times the height of a man. So, it was that he was able to approach a shouting and preaching Jefferson without being seen, until at the last minute when he came out of the shadows and challenged him.

  ‘What’s all this then?’ he asked, giving Jefferson the time to turn around and face him before planting a fist on the side of his temple.

  Jefferson went down like a sack of spuds, immediately trying to get back up, but then falling straight down again as if the brain had taken a few seconds to realize how hard it had been shaken. Kurt had seen boxers knocked out in such a way before; trying to get back up and then falling down again. It was unclear whether Jefferson wanted to get back up to fight him or to run away, though it might just have been the panic at being hit that took him a while to decide to lie still and let the effects wear off.

  Kurt felt slightly sorry for him then, in knowing he was the better built of the two – but not that much. Had he been prone to violence he could have hurt the man a lot worse and probably gotten away with it, considering Jefferson had been pursuing a young lady for over fifty kilometres.

  Understandably then there was something like chaos on the Furse’s front lawn. Beatrice and even one of the neighbors both ran out to find out what was going on and everyone seemed to have a dozen questions each, that were being directed at no one in particular because it was not obvious who might have all the answers.

  Most perturbed was Mr Clive Furse himself (unless you count Jefferson who remained sprawled on the ground), who was trying to take in his daughter’s assurances, deal with questions from Beatrice over what had happened, as well as figuring out why Kurt was there.

  At some point clarity reached Kurt through the cacophony and he realized that this was his moment. If anyone could set matters straight it was him and, as it so happened, the chance was exactly what he had wanted.

  You see, something unusual had been happening to Kurt over the last few weeks that, probably because he was unused to the notion, caused him a while to clue on to. For sure he was aware that Darlene was something special among his list of bedroom conquests, in that she was different and physically speaking the most desirable of anyone he had ever met. In a short time, he had grown attached to her to the point of not even asking himself the question of how long should this last. Usually he was in the habit of deciding that this or that girl should last for a night, a week or a month. That he had not come to address the question about Darlene had been explained away because it was such an enticing mission of discovery. There was so much more to accomplish and so why cut it short? Although it turned out there was a lot more to his feelings from which there was now no escaping.

  When peril had turned up outside his parents’ place, Kurt had first recalled his mermaid analogy. In doing so he had been tempted to kick himself for not considering that a man’s ultimate image of desire – the mythical mermaid – only appeared in order to lure a man into danger. Why had he overlooked such a fundamental aspect of that whole scenario?

  But then the realization hit.

  As Darlene disappeared into the distance and the haze of a weary day dissipated, fear helped Kurt to locate a piece of inner knowledge that had completely eluded him.

  First it struck him that he could not bear the thought of anything bad happening to Darlene. Why had he let her leave like that at such a time? Then he understood why he should feel so protective and afraid for her well-being? Because he was falling in love with her; that’s why.

  Heck, he almost certainly was in love with her, if all he had heard about it was true. That sick feeling in the stomach; that yearning to see her reaction all the time; the desire to share every aspect of his lifestyle with her as if in her company it all made so much more sense.

  OK, so he had been directing most of his efforts into organizing a seascape of sexual exploits. He was a horny young male and such an approach was true to his character, but he accepted in that moment that there was more to this girl. They made sense together; amazingly they had a similar spirit of adventure. It had just taken a bit longer to coax it out of Darlene.

  The wait was worth it though. Finally, he came to understand what that niggling feeling that something was missing from his life had come to represent. He did have a yearning for companionship after all; that was what was missing. Kurt wanted to settle down and share his life with a long-term partner who he loved and cherished.

  It was all so soppy and romantic. So much so that, if he wasn’t completely love struck he would have lurched and vomited at the idea.

  That didn’t happen, however.

  What did happen instead was a springing into action that only concluded when he walloped that dick Jefferson around the head – and now, with no sign of caution or inner conflict whatsoever, he was prepared to go one step further.

  ‘Mr Furse, I can explain everything,’ Kurt announced and everyone turned his way to listen to his words, Darlene clearly the most apprehensive right then in hoping that he had foun
d a convenient excuse for them both.

  ‘The truth is that this… Jefferson guy, did see me with your daughter and get the wrong impression.’

  ‘That’s right he got the wrong impression,’ Darlene butted in.

  ‘Yes, you see, I think he jumped to the conclusion that I’m something of a chancer who was trying to sweet-talk someone he once had eyes on – if you’ll forgive the terminology.’

  ‘Oh, I’m aware of how… of how young people talk,’ Clive responded, though looking like he was about to join his company’s co-owner with a visit to the emergency ward.

  ‘The truth is Mr Furse, that I have been dating your daughter.’

  ‘What?’ Darlene exclaimed, as Clive stared back blankly.

  ‘Yes, I have been dating her, but not for some wicked reason as this idiot is suggesting. No, I am in love with your daughter.’

  There was a pregnant pause as Darlene’s second attempt to interrupt then caught in her throat.

  ‘Yes, I am in love with Darlene,’ he then went on, ‘and, if you have no objection, I would like to ask for her hand in marriage?’

  Then it was over to Clive and, before replying, he had to look around at everyone present to see that this was really happening. Clearly the information was taking a while to sink in and, by that point, even the half comatose Jefferson was sitting up and listening to proceedings.

  ‘In… in love with her you say,’ Clive replied at last, uncertainty hanging in the air. ‘Well, I don’t possibly see how we can stand in the way of such a thing and so sincerely delivered.’

  Clive turned around to look at his wife, checking that there was nothing like disapproval on her face, before turning back and saying, ‘Kurt, I’ve known you since you were a delightful young boy and, though we still think of you like that in some ways, it’s clear you have since grown into a man. Please be assured that we have no objection.’

  Kurt managed a smile in hearing such favorable words, but he knew that the request was completely out of the blue and that was only the half of it.

  Turning around to look at Darlene then, Kurt saw that she was still in a state of shock. At best perhaps thinking this was some ploy to outwit Jefferson; at worse she was completely mortified that he was taking such a drastic step.

  ‘Darlene, I’m sorry this is unprepared and that I have no engagement ring as yet,’ he told her, ‘but, as your father says, I am sincere. I am in love with you and wish to ask for your hand in marriage.’

  The wait, between asking for Clive’s blessing and speaking to Darlene had made Kurt nervous. After he had gotten the words out he took a big gasp of air and then realized how scared he was in case it was all too weird and she said ‘no’.

  There was a wait… an insufferable wait, during which Kurt sensed Beatrice bristling and dying to cry out to her daughter to say something. Had he put her in an unworkable situation or was the penny just taking so long to drop that he actually meant it?

  It happened. The penny dropped.

  Darlene’s face softened into a smile and he could read on her features that she knew he meant it.

  ‘Kurt, I’d love to, you incurable romantic,’ she said and relief washed over him like tidal waters over the driest desert.

  There were cheers, hugs and congratulations all round. Clive must have shaken his hand a dozen times and all they could say was how beautiful it was that the two families had yet another reason to feel such close bonds.

  There was some comment about the fact that Earl and Brenda were not present, but they all agreed that, on the morrow, they would head to Pacific City and bring some joyous news to the poorly father and worried wife.

  At some point during the merriment (which the unintroduced neighbor insisted on hanging around for as if a part of) Kurt saw that Jefferson had risen and was skulking off back to his jeep. His walk had the air of a dejected person who had given up on something. If so that was best for him and everyone and, if not, he would be by Darlene’s side through whatever problems she faced.

  Before they went inside for refreshments his fiancée linked arms with him and whispered, ‘That was incredible; I had no idea you were in love, I just thought you wanted to sleep with me.’

  ‘Now what on earth gave you that impression?’ he asked.

  So, it was a happy end for the seaman who had found his mermaid after all. Although, as superstitious folk might say, the sea is a cruel mistress.

  Billionaire’s Nanny Romance Series

  PART 1: THE BILLIONAIRE’S NANNY

  Blurb

  Veronica Lawrence is a simple babysitter, who is content with her life with her boyfriend, Calvin. She has everything she could ever dream of and more- or so she thought. Without her knowledge Calvin sets her up with an interview for a job with the richest lawyer in the city, Frank Davenport, who Veronica discovers is incredibly attractive and alluring, almost to the point of distraction. She surprises both Calvin and herself by actually landing the job. There is a catch, though. If she wants to take the job, she must agree to move onto his large estate.

  While Calvin is reluctant, Veronica decides to take the job, and she finds herself surrounded by opulence and riches. Little did she know, though, that her employer would be quite so impossible to resist.

  CHAPTER 1

  Veronica heaved a sigh, readjusting the strap of her purse as she walked down the sidewalk. She had just finished up a babysitting job for one of the neighbors in her community. She had started doing as a quick way to make money in high school, and she had loved it so much then that she decided that was what she wanted to do for a living. Even as she earned her business degree, she had used babysitting as a way to get her through school.

  Even after she graduated, she had very little interest in picking up a job in the realm of business. Now that she was no longer in school, she had more time to devote to taking care of kids. In fact, in a way, that was sort of like a business in and of itself, and she ran it very efficiently. It didn’t bring in as much money as it could have, because often times the people she babysat for couldn’t pay as much as they had originally thought.

  While Veronica, too, needed the money, she couldn’t bring herself to demand money from people when she could clearly see they were just trying to get by and support their children. Veronica cut a lot people slack, and as a result she often had to live a lean life, but she didn’t mind it.

  That is, until she met her boyfriend, Calvin.

  Calvin was a young social climber, fresh out of law school. He frequented the same coffee shop that Veronica went to, and had taken a liking to her. Veronica had been interested in him as well, on account of his ambition and the fact that he was more than a little attractive. She could hardly resist flirting when he approached to talk with her one afternoon.

  It didn’t take long for them to start dating, and for a while Veronica was fairly happy with their relationship. They made plans for their future together, and Veronica could easily picture herself spending the rest of her life at his side, maybe even having some kids and buying a house. It only seemed natural when Calvin suggested that they get an apartment together and start making a life with each other.

  Veronica’s parents couldn’t; have been more thrilled for her. They loved Calvin, as he was a respectable young man who was steadily moving up in his career, and they knew he would provide stability in Veronica’s life. Veronica was glad they were both so supportive of her relationship with him, and she was eager to see where the future would take them.

  At some point, though, after they had spent about a year and a half together in, Calvin began to voice his true opinions about her line of work. Even now, as she headed home to their apartment, she felt a tension creep into her shoulders as she wondered what he would say when she told him she was short on money again.

  Calvin had a good job at a law firm, so money wasn’t an issue for him. Even so, she could tell it bothered him that she didn’t have what he considered a “real job”. He often tried to pressure her i
nto looking for a job somewhere at an office, or at least to collect the correct amount of money for her services.

  Veronica could only prepare her usual list of responses and pick the most appropriate one for whatever argument he chose to employ.

  Veronica finally made it to their apartment building, and she rode the elevator up to her floor. She then made her way to the door of her apartment and unlocked it. She stepped inside silently, looking around and carefully listening to see if Calvin was home.

  Veronica didn’t see or hear anything, so she heaved a small sigh of relief, turning to shut the door behind her. She placed her small bag on the hall tree just beside the door, and moved into the kitchen, taking a glass from out of the cabinet and filling it up with water from the sink.

  Calvin hated when she did this, as he said the water from the fridge was more filtered. Veronica had been drinking water from the time she could even drink water at all, and it was a force of habit that compelled her to do so even in adulthood. She sipped at it slowly, letting it refresh her.

  When she had consumed all the liquid, she washed the glass and put it back in the cabinet. Another thing that Calvin hated was leaving unwashed dishes in the sink, so she didn’t want to give him any more of an excuse to be irritated when he got home.

  With that done, Veronica decided to go ahead and start dinner. She knew Calvin would be wanting to eat at around seven, and she knew it would take a couple of hours to get it all ready. So, Veronica changed into a set of comfortable yoga pants and a tank top and began the process of making their dinner.

  As she expected, Calvin came home around six. The door unlocked, and Veronica looked up as he stepped through the frame and shut the door behind him, offering him a smile.