“Once I have these I will be ordering more. How soon can you get these?” Garth smiled.
“By Wednesday.”
“No sooner?” Garth smiled.
“I could try.” Joy nodded.
“Try. And once they have arrived give me a call and tell me how much it is and I will come to pay and collect.” Garth nodded. This was going to be a huge sale. Nothing like he was used to. Joy smiled and walked out.
Joy walked to the bank. She walked up to the information counter. She waited for the customer to finish and walked up to the teller. She looked at her name.
“Gretchen.” Gretchen nodded.
“Gretchen I am new in town. Now. I would like to give you a copy of my I.D. so that if someone needs to verify something on my account then you know I am in town. And if anyone asks, you have seen me.” Gretchen nodded. Joy gave her I.D. and Gretchen made the copy. Joy wrote her cell phone number on the copy. Gretchen smiled and nodded.
“Do you have an account with us then?”
“Not with this branch. But I need you to arrange for this to be my branch.” She wrote her banking details on the copy and handed it to Gretchen.
“Could you arrange that for me?” Gretchen nodded and looked at the photocopy.
“Certainly Miss Sheridan.” Joy smiled.
“Thank you. The minute I have a permanent address I will let you know. For the time being I am at the motel.” Gretchen nodded and smiled.
“I will do this for you. Right away.” Joy nodded and smiled.
Joy made her way to the motel. She wondered how long it would take to walk over to the dealership to collect her van. She thought about half an hour. She had no one to ask to drive her over. She walked in and walked out again. She rode back in to town and walked into the local little restaurant. She ordered herself a plate of chips and a toasted sandwich. She sat and quietly ate. She soon got up and paid for her lunch and headed out.
Joy rode back to the motel and took the huge envelope and opened it up. She looked at her watch and walked down to her bike. She smiled and drove to the pub and parked at the back where her bike would be safe. She spotted what she thought was probably Jordan’s four by four. She hopped off of the bike. Craig walked out of the pub and looked. Joy smiled.
“Craig can someone keep an eye out on her?” Craig nodded.
“Sure Ma’am.” Joy nodded and started walking. She walked and walked. She eventually walked in to the dealership. She smiled at William.
“And?” He smiled proudly. He pointed at her new van.
“There she is. Cleaned. Polished. Registered. The works.” Joy smiled and nodded.
“Now for the final detail.”
“Yes Ma’am.” They walked over to the table and Joy took out her cheque book and looked at William.
“And the final figure is?” William gave her the figure and she filled it in.
“Nice discount William.” He nodded and smiled.
“Ma’am I hope you don’t mind. But I had to have you verified. So that I could accept your cheque.” Joy smiled.
“I like a man who is thorough. It is nice to do business with someone like that. I hope you have earned a good commission!” William smiled and nodded.
“Yes Ma’am.” Joy smiled and handed him the cheque. He walked her over to the van and Joy smiled. The key was in the ignition and there was a huge bouquet of flowers on the passenger seat and a bottle of a lovely liqueur.
“Thank you!” William smiled. She started the van and drove out slowly.
Joy drove over to the motel. She parked her van and took her flowers. She left the liqueur on the seat for later. She walked through to her room and sat down again. She went through the details in her envelope with a fine tooth comb. She sat and made a few notes of the changes she would be making.
She gasped as she looked at her watch. She ran out of the motel and hopped in her van. She started up and drove to the back of the pub. Jordan stood at the back door and opened up. He smiled as he watched the vehicle driving up. He walked down the stairs and smiled. Joy hopped out and chuckled. She took the bottle of liqueur and her bag.
“I think I like this a whole lot!” Joy chuckled.
“A better image maybe? First impressions and all that.” Jordan grinned and nodded.
“I think it is a beauty! Let’s take a look.” He walked over to the van. He looked at Joy.
“Hello my sweetheart.” He leaned forward and kissed Joy on the lips.
“Thank you for my new van.” Joy roared with laughter. She looked at Jordan.
“Sorry sweetheart.” She kissed him. She held up the liqueur.
“This is for you.” Jordan chuckled. He climbed in the van.
“Fancy a test drive?” Joy nodded and hopped in at the passenger side. Jordan drove a little way and turned back. He parked beneath the pub where no one would see the van. He looked at Joy.
“I am not hiding you. But it is safer. I moved your bike. I hope you don’t mind.” Joy smiled and nodded.
“Everyone is always moving her.” Jordan chuckled and nodded.
“This way it is out of sight and I don’t think you want the gossips to get going.” Joy nodded.
“Thank you.” Jordan smiled.
They walked up the back stairs of the pub and he let Joy walk inside. She handed him the bottle.
“This is for you. I don’t know what it is like. I was given it as a gift today. They gave it to me with a lovely bunch of flowers when I bought the van.” Jordan smiled.
“Thank you. I don’t know what it is like either.” Joy chuckled. The pub was empty and everyone had already left for home. The doors were locked. Jordan smiled.
“I live upstairs. Would you mind going up there?” Joy stood and looked at Jordan. He took her hand in his.
“I did invite you for coffee.” Joy smiled and looked at Jordan.
“Come on. I won’t bite.” Joy looked at Jordan. He smiled.
“Let’s sit at the bar.”
“No. Jordan. We can go upstairs.” Jordan smiled. He took her hand and led her down the passage to his office. They walked through and walked up a staircase. Joy smiled.
“You really live here?” Jordan nodded.
“Much easier. I just can’t entertain. Not quite the place to have the family for lunch on a Sunday.” Joy stared as they stepped in to his lounge.
“Oh wow this is lovely!” Jordan smiled and looked around.
“I like it. This was the attic. Had a little renovation done so that I could live on the premises. Kind of a cost cutting exercise. I didn’t want to pay rent for the pub and then have to pay rent for home as well. I spend a lot of time here so it kind of made sense.”
Joy nodded.
“I just sold everything off. My car. My house. Everything. So that I could come out here. I could have rented the house out but it was never home. So I am going to start again.” Jordan nodded.
“And all your stuff?” Joy smiled.
“Is in storage for a little while. At the folk’s house. I sold all the furniture. I can replace that. There wasn’t anything that I really wanted to keep. The car. It was time to sell.” Jordan smiled.
“So you bought the Harley.” Joy shook her head.
“No that I have had for quite a while. I built her up slowly.” Jordan smiled.
“You built her up?” Joy nodded.
“Amazing what you learn when you do it yourself.” Jordan chuckled.
“Do you want to take a look?” Joy nodded.
“Sure.” He walked her to all three bedrooms.
“This is home. The three bedrooms, bathroom, and the main with an en-suite. And then the lounge. I don’t have a dining room. And then the kitchen.”
Jordan waved at the kitchen and Joy chuckled.
“Where is it?” Jordan roared with laughter.
“You are standing in it.” Joy hopped.
“Kitchen. Lounge. Kitchen. Lounge.” Jordan roared with laughter.
“I like t
he open plan option.” Joy grinned and looked at the kitchen area.
“Very nice. Well at least you have a proper oven and a microwave. Okay. I do like your fridge. Very pretty.” Jordan roared with laughter.
“Sometimes we get a bargain.”
“Oh I can see that fridge was dirt cheap. You scaley bugger! You took a bar fridge and converted it!” Jordan chuckled and nodded.
“And how can you tell?” Joy leaned over and looked through the glass door.
“Darn where did you get all that cheese!” Jordan roared with laughter.
“One thing. You have to keep it real tidy.” Joy nodded.
“Could it be any bigger?” Jordan smiled.
“Oh you took two! Clever boy! Have you got a freezer?” Jordan nodded.
“Now that is in the kitchen downstairs. I have my own.” Joy nodded.
“Good. Because I have nowhere to store my frozen goods. You better make space!” Jordan grinned.
“Now would you like to sit in the kitchen or the lounge for your coffee?” Joy grinned.
“Bar stools?”
“Can be arranged.” Jordan ran down the stairs and fetched two bar stools. He put them in the kitchen area. Joy hopped on.
“Right. So where is the table?” Jordan grinned and ran down the stairs and fetched a little round table. He ran up the stairs and put the table in front of the two bar stools. Joy nodded.
“Now we are talking.” Jordan chuckled and poured two cups of coffee. He took out some whipped cream and added the cream.
“Now I am impressed. Can you reach the Brie?” Jordan grinned.
“Are you hungry?” Joy shook her head.
“No. But I think it would be nice on a cracker.” Jordan roared with laughter. He took out a pack of crackers and took the cheese out and put it on the table. He took out two plates.
“We don’t need those. Let me have a knife and a board.” Joy smiled as she took the crackers and put the cheese on top. They sat and ate from the board. Joy did cracker after cracker.
“So how did you manage today?” Joy nodded.
“Got the van which you saw. William gave me a good discount.” Jordan nodded.
“I went to the bank and met with a lady named Gretchen.” Jordan smiled.
“And then to the post office and I met Jill. Had a good giggle when I met with Alfonso. Garth’s store was rather interesting. And that was about all. I think. And then I sat and went through the details which I requested about the school.” Jordan nodded.
“You get around.” Joy sighed.
“I wanted to come last week. But then we had the tour. So I put it off. Now for the mad rush.” Jordan smiled.
“What more would you like to do?” Joy smiled as she got another cracker ready.
“I would have liked to have bought a house.” Jordan smiled.
“So you are staying?” Joy nodded her head.
“Get used to me. I have intentions of being here for a very long time.” Jordan smiled.
“I am glad.” Joy nodded.
Jordan looked at the cracker in his hand. He took a while before he asked.
“Joy are you dating?” Joy smiled and looked at Jordan.
“No. But I think you will be. Being the owner of the local pub. And all those women that are at your beck and call.” Jordan roared with laughter. He shook his head.
“And those sexy sultry eyes. Not to mention that all amazing voice you have.” Jordan grinned and shook his head.
“No. I am not dating. I have not dated a single person. I stepped out of school and started working here. Then I put the plan in motion and bought out the owner. Then I built the business. And I haven’t had time for any of that. Joy I am not into that. I see so much in the pub. Men picking women up. Women picking men up. I am not social in that sense. I don’t entertain women. It is just not me.” Joy smiled.
“Jordan I am sitting here in your kitchen.”
“Yes but you aren’t one of those.” Joy smiled.
“And what am I?”
“To me. A lady. A proper lady who doesn’t do things like that. Someone with class.” Joy smiled.
“Thank you.” Jordan nodded.
“There is something about you. I don’t know. Maybe I have had too much coffee. You just. You get to me Joy. I can relate to you.” Joy smiled.
“Coffee? So where is the refill?” Jordan grinned as he got up and made another cup of coffee. He put the cups down.
“I can’t explain it. When we sang together. Before then. I looked at you and. I don’t know how to explain it to you.” Joy smiled. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. She felt exactly the same.
“This isn’t a come on or a pick up line?” Jordan smiled.
“No. Because if it was you are a very expensive date. You have eaten almost all the crackers. And not to mention the cheese. And what about the coffee?” Joy roared with laughter. She looked at the block of cheese.
“I didn’t mean to.” Jordan roared with laughter.
“Oh I know you like cheese.”
“You do?” Jordan nodded.
“I heard Graham talking about the Feta.” Joy chuckled.
“The eldest of the boys. Then you get Michael and then Shane.” Jordan smiled.
“Three brothers?” Joy nodded.
“And I am the oldest. The big sister. But they all treat me like the kid sister. Size matters I guess.” Jordan smiled.
“The oldest? Oh no Joy this will not do! I thought I was dating a young lady.” Joy gasped.
“How young do you want them?” Jordan grinned.
“I am the oldest. Then you get Dalton my brother and then Tanya. You will get to know Tanya.”
“I know Tanya. The pretty young lady that was sitting with Zeba and Lloyd, your folks. And not to mention Anne, Dalton’s wife.”
“You know them already?” Joy roared with laughter.
“I listen to all the different conversations that happen. I heard them chatting. So now I know they are your family.” Jordan smiled.
“And your folks are?”
“Roland and Quartz.”
“Strange name.” Joy nodded.
“I am glad they named me Joy. I could have been Onyx or Ruby.” Jordan grinned.
“I got lucky. I don’t know where the name Dalton comes from!”
Joy smiled.
“Dalton originates from an English surname originally from a place name meaning ‘valley town’. The English Chemist and Physicist who theorized about the existence of atoms. John Dalton. And the funny thing is it is a very popular American name.”
“Really?” Joy nodded.
“But I have no idea where that came from.” Jordan chuckled and shook his head.
“Year?”
“Eighteen something.”
“And the name Joy?” Joy chuckled.
“Simply from the English word joy. But ultimately derived from Norman French joie or Latin gaudia. And has been regularly used as a given name since the late nineteenth century. Very popular in the United States and funnily enough quite popular in Netherlands.” Joy chuckled.
“Go Google!” Jordan roared with laughter and shook his head. He looked at the fridge.
“What else would we like?”
“A little Camembert. Haven’t you eaten?” Jordan shook his head. Joy got up.
“Allow me. What do you fancy?”
“Anything housed in the fridge.” Joy chuckled as she took a few eggs out of the fridge. She took a few ingredients and put them on the counter.
“Do you have anything in the cupboard like Macaroni. Sort of a long thing with a hollow in the middle. Kind of a creamy white color.” Jordan grinned and pointed at the cupboard. Joy took the box out and found a pot. She soon had the macaroni on the stove. She found the grater and grated a little cheese that she took out of the fridge. She took another pan and fried up a mushroom and a few other ingredients. She found another pan and started making a sauce.
“What on earth are
we making?”
“We. I don’t see your little feet on the ground.” Jordan grinned.
“We. As in the royal we. We feel like a little Alfredo. But I used Macaroni so it is going to taste a little different.” Jordan smiled.
“You didn’t have to.”
“But you haven’t eaten.”
“And have you?” Joy giggled and shook her head.
“You little nonsense! You are eating me out of house and home.”
“Yes well. You might need to buy another box of macaroni. I am not very good with working out quantities.” Jordan grinned. She put the mushrooms and the ham in to the sauce and stirred. She put the pan into the basin and added water. She soon had the macaroni in the colander.
Jordan got up and took two plates as Joy put some of the macaroni in to the sauce. Joy dished up and put the plates on their little table.
“Pepper. Black pepper. In a pepper grinder.” Jordan reached for the pepper grinder and put it on the table. They both sat down and Jordan started eating his supper. He nodded.
“I hope there is a lot of this.” Joy grinned and looked at the pot.
“You cooked Macaroni for an army.” Jordan chuckled.
“Well tomorrow night we can have a nice noodle and Salmon salad. Fancy that?”
“Could we add Feta?”
“I don’t think they normally do but I am sure we can bend the rules.” Joy grinned and nodded.
“What day are we?”
“Saturday. What about a little of your liqueur?” Joy smiled.
“We could sample it.” Jordan nodded.
“This is very tasty Joy.” Joy smiled. He got up and poured two little glasses. Joy took hers and took a little sip.
“Oh this is nice.” Jordan got up and put a CD on.
“I hope you don’t mind.” Joy smiled.
“Not at all.” He sat and ate his supper and they sipped at their liqueur. Joy finished her supper. She got off the chair and took another two bowls. She dished up two more meals. She looked in the cupboard for some Glad Wrap and wrapped it over the bowls and put them in the fridge. She looked at the macaroni. She found a bowl and scraped it in to the bowl. Jordan smiled.
“Definitely a salad. And two meals. Joy this was divine.” Joy smiled.
“I enjoyed doing that.” Jordan kept filling up their glasses. Joy smiled.
Taking Charge Page 3
