Zoey's Place

by E M Bannock

  Three down. The plan was coming together.

  Chapter 20

  The date was April 1, 2005. Zoey looked around her living room at her crew. She cleared her throat and called the meeting to order.

  “Okay, everyone,” she said with authority. “We’ve made a lot of progress in the last couple of months and, although I’ve meet with everyone individually, we’ve pretty much been working solo. I thought I’d call an official meeting so we can get a good picture of where we are.” Nods of agreement and excited faces filled the room.

  “Let’s start with our new place of business. Annette and I have been looking all over Storey County since that’s the closest legal county to here. The damn county has so many restrictions on where we can locate it almost cuts out half the town. And where it is permitted, all we’ve seen is a lot of shit.” Annette chortled, and shook her head. “But I think we finally might have hit pay dirt.”

  Fen and James looked up with enthusiasm. “There’s an old estate with easy access from I-80. It’s north of the Virginia City limit line so it’s away from the town. It was converted to a bed and breakfast years ago and has everything we need: a large main home with about a dozen guest rooms, all suites, a fully equipped kitchen and good sized dining room, large exercise room, a couple of common areas, and a full size pool and hot tub. There are three little cabana-type buildings on the property, too. It’s on a large piece of land and not visible from the road, but that will work in our favor; no nosey neighbors. By law we’ll have to fence the entire lot. That will be expensive. Add to that the fact that it’s worn down and needs some cosmetic repairs but nothing we can’t handle or afford. I think we can still make our target opening date of October 1.”

  “Fen,” Zoey said, getting everyone’s attention. “How’s the client list coming along?”

  Fen had come a long way since the first phone call from Zoey inviting her to be a partner in her brothel. Right away she had agreed in principle that the need was genuine, but she wanted to keep at arm’s length from the activities. After a few more heart to heart talks, Zoey discovered that Fen and Allen had had a very satisfying sex life. And although she wasn’t interested in getting married again, she did miss not having the physical contact of sex. Fen confessed that she recently had been fanaticizing about a tall dark stranger who would satisfy her sexual needs without the emotional bond. Zoey had told her that her dream could become a reality and that every woman deserved to be sexually satisfied. Reluctantly Fen had accepted an invitation to visit Zoey at the Incline Village house and have a ‘session’ with James, who was wearing a brunette wig. He was more than happy to show off his sexual prowess. His expert skill and knowledge of a woman’s body was all it took. From that point on, Fen was on board and couldn’t wait to share her experience with her wealthy acquaintances.

  Fen shuffled the papers she was holding. She glanced down and then up at her cohorts. “Well, I must say that October 1st is perfect for our opening. That’s opening day for hunting in a lot of places, and a lot of my lady friends will be alone. I’ve got three confirmed for October 1st to the 3rd. I’ve got two for the next three days. There are some others who want to book around the holidays, you know, widows who have a hard time with Christmas and New Year’s Eve. I got some others who will probably come around but are still grappling with the idea of sleeping with a prostitute.” She looked at James. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” James said without concern. “I won’t be fuckin’ ‘em. My guys will.”

  Fen smiled at James and continued, “They see the benefit of no-strings-attached sex, but it goes against the moral code they were raised with.”

  “Most of those women have unfaithful husbands, if I recall,” Zoey chimed in.

  “Yes,” Fen explained, “But they always held themselves on higher ground.”

  “Fuck that shit!” Zoey exclaimed.

  “Don’t worry,” Fen broke in, “I know they’ll get on board once they see what kind of operation we run. I mean, even without the sex, it’s going to be a high-class spa. Who could refuse that? I’m getting calls every day from interested parties.”

  “Good,” Zoey said. She looked at Annette. “You want to tell them what we found out on the legal end?”

  Annette didn’t look thrilled, but opened the folder she had on her lap and pulled out a few papers. She slipped on a pair of readers and said. “Prostitution is only legal in cities where the population is less than 400,000. Since Storey County has less than 5,000 we’re in the clear. Each county has unique licensing requirements and licensing fees. In Storey County the annual fee is $100,000.” Fen and James’ collective gasp was audible.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll make that in a few weeks once we’re in operation,” Zoey reassured.

  “There’re tons of laws about medical testing; some are done weekly, others monthly, and must be done on every prostitute who works here. And by the way, we’re lucky in that the legal age for a prostitute in Storey County is 18, not 21 like most others.”

  A collective “Oh!” went through the room.

  “The prostitutes must work as independent contractors so, technically, they’re not employees, although we’ll have a written work agreement with them and are legally responsible for anything that happens in our establishment. There are lots of laws about mandatory condom use, cleaning the sheets, how and where we can advertise, how many signs we can have out. By law our sign out front must have the word ‘Brothel’ on it. I’m putting together a little handbook for our guys with things that pertain to them.” She looked at James. “I’ll need to discuss a few things with you, James.” He nodded. “As long as we stick to the rules religiously, pay the fees and taxes, and jump through all their hoops we should be fine,” Annette concluded.

  “James,” Zoey looked directly at him. “I’m counting on you to keep your men in line and make sure they know and follow these rules to the letter.” She emphasized the last three words with a pointing finger.

  “No problem,” he said. “I’ve already contacted a doctor in town who will do the weekly and monthly testing and exams and submit them to the state.”

  “This is very important, James,” Annette said. “If they don’t get examined and tested and maintain a current work card, we could lose our license. Oh, and they’re responsible for paying the doctor, not us.”

  “Got it,” James replied.

  “Annette,” Zoey turned to look at her, “what about the other part of our establishment, the spa end? Where do we stand on that?”

  “Well,” Annette spoke carefully, “I didn’t find any laws that say we can’t be a spa, too. And believe it or not, a lot of the health rules for spas are similar to those of the brothel. We’ll need a license for the spa end, too. Lots of inspections, rules, and regulations here, too. The masseuse will be an independent contractor much like the prostitutes. They’re required to keep their licenses up to date.

  “Oh, and all of the independent contractors are responsible for their own income tax. We don’t have to withhold anything. Just give them a 1099 at the end of the year.

  “We’ll need to get a liquor license and a permit to serve food and alcohol in the dining room. The Health Department is going to spend a lot of time here inspecting everything and everyone. And on a final note, as soon as we get a location nailed down, we can start the pleasant task of actually getting the all the licenses. That’s going to involve interviews, meetings, tons of paperwork, background checks, and money.”

  “All right,” Zoey said, and turned her attention to James. “And now to the meat of our business.” Her bad pun was met with a round of groans. “How many man-whores do we have now?” The women laughed.

  James smirked, cleared his throat, and took a sip from the glass of Scotch he was holding. “I’ve interviewed about a half-dozen guys, four of whom seem promising. I’ve got three more interviews scheduled in the next two weeks. I think we need to have at least six for starters. Eventually I’d like to get nine or
ten if the concept goes over.”

  “Just make sure they know what and who they have to do. The clients will be mature women. They must be treated as welcome guests. Your men will be expected to role-play the character of the clients’ choosing,” Zoey stated.

  “They will know everything and they’ll roll with it.”

  “Have you set up the training program? I want them to know as much about fucking and pleasing a woman as you do. They’ve got to be the best.”

  “They’ll be ready,” he assured her.

  Zoey smiled. “You’ll be happy to know that Fen and I have decided to audition the men before we turn them loose on the customers. So just let us know when those four have finished their training. We’ll let you know if they’re ready or not.” She looked over at Fen and met her smile. Annette looked at the two of them and rolled her eyes.

  “Oh,” Annette said, “I think I’ve found a masseuse for the spa. The only problem is that it’s a woman. Is that okay?”

  “Depends,” Zoey answered. “Does she know that it’s also a brothel for mature women?”

  “Yes,” Annette said hesitantly.

  Zoey could tell there was more she wasn’t sharing. “What it is, Annette? There’s something you’re not telling us.”

  “Well,” Annette confessed, “it’s just that Michelle, that’s her name, she’s a lesbian.” She could see the concern on Zoey’s face. “Don’t worry. She’s not my type, but she gives a hell of a massage. She can do the body wraps, facials, and hot stone massages, too.”

  “In that case,” Zoey said, “who gives a fuck? As long as she doesn’t try to finger the clients I don’t see why not.”

  “Unless they want her to,” Fen added.

  “Not really,” Annette said matter-of-factly. “We can lose our license if an unlicensed employee has sex with a guest.”

  “Then we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” Zoey said. She turned to Annette again. “Why don’t you tell them about the kitchen and housekeeping staff?

  Annette told them that she and Zoey did some research and most of the kitchen and housekeeping employees could be found locally. The partners agreed to pay $2.00 an hour above the average pay as extra incentive. That would bring in employees as far as Reno, especially since they planned on providing housing for the staff.

  “They’ll be all male, right?” Fen asked.

  “Yes,” Annette and Zoey said at the same time.

  Zoey turned her attention to Fen. “Why don’t you tell everyone about the score you made,” she requested with excitement.

  Fen smiled. “Perhaps you’ve heard of the famous Chef Marguerite and her lover/sous chef, Malcolm?” Fen explained how she had stolen the gourmet chef from one of the big Reno casinos. Chef Marguerite and sous chef Malcolm specialized in making nutritious food look and taste gourmet, and were quite successful at it.

  They were also the most unlikely couple you could ever imagine. Their relationship had spanned over 20 years. They weren’t married, but the two couldn’t be more in love. They were caring, sensitive, and attentive to each other’s feelings and needs. Chef Marguerite was about 10 years older than Malcolm, outweighed him by at least 40 pounds, and towered over him by six inches.

  She was boisterous and confident. Her sous chef was shy and unassuming, but always at her side, anticipating her next request. The perfect assistant. The two worked in tandem like a well-oiled machine, to create and present the most exquisite culinary delights you could imagine. They loved what they did, and worked with a positive attitude and a smile on their faces.

  The two were under contract at the Reno casino until September 1st. Since the plan was to open the brothel on October 1st, the timing was perfect. Fen had assured the chef that the kitchen would be stocked to her specifications. Fen, Zoey, and Chef Marguerite had already worked out an epicurean menu for the guests befitting the high price they were going to be charged. Annette and James were impressed.

  “Anyone else have anything to say?” Zoey asked.

  “Yes,” said Annette. Everyone turned to look at her. “What are we going to call this place anyway?”

  Zoey looked surprised. It was then that she realized that she hadn’t even given it a thought. “That’s a good question. I don’t know. Any suggestions?” She looked around the room.

  “The Fuck Factory,” James blurted out.

  The women groaned and looked at him in dismay. “Good thing you fuck so well,” Zoey said. “That’s about the worst idea for a name I’ve ever heard.” All the women agreed.

  After a minute of looking at blank faces she said, “Come on. If we can’t even come up with a good name, how are we going to run this high-class joint?”

  Annette spoke up. “I think we should keep it low-key and discreet. How about Zoey’s Place? That’s what it will be, after all. It’s all your idea.”

  Zoey let it sink in and roll around in her brain for a while. “I think it might fly. Any other ideas? Fen? James?”

  “I like it,” James said with enthusiasm. “I just had a great marketing slogan.” He extended his arms and framed each word with his hands. “Zoey’s Place, where the customer always comes first.”

  After the chuckles died down Zoey spoke. “Actually, that’s not a bad catch phrase. Damn, James, looks like that college degree is paying off.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Fen agreed. “I kind of like it.”

  “Descriptive and seductive,” Annette said. “I like it, too.”

  “Good,” Zoey said firmly. “Our brothel will be known as Zoey’s Place, where the customer always comes first. Oh, one more thing— I want you all to see the old mansion we want to buy so we can put an offer in on it. I’m planning a field trip for everyone tomorrow, so clear your calendars. It’s about a two and a half hour ride.” A mixture of moans and laughter filled the room. Zoey smiled at them and said, “And with that, let’s order take-out. I’m starving.”

  The next day they all piled into the new company Suburban Zoey bought and drove to Storey County to check out the estate. It was run-down, but had a good foundation and great possibilities just like Zoey had said. Everyone approved and they put in an offer to purchase at $40,000 less than the asking price. As it turned out, the owner was motivated to sell and accepted her offer. Now the real work could begin.

  During the next months every building and room was renovated. The pool and hot tub were resurfaced and a pool maintenance company was hired to keep it looking pristine. The first four suites closest to the entrance were assigned to the partners and redecorated to their own individual tastes. The remaining eight suites were modernized and furnished with high-end décor befitting its high class clients. Chef Marguerite was granted every request for her kitchen. The new dining room design was elegant, regal, and included a giant crystal chandelier as the centerpiece. The old exercise room was converted into two relaxing, personal massage rooms. There was still enough room for a small workout room equipped with weights, a treadmill, and an elliptical bike. Not a lot of time and effort went into this part since it was agreed by all that most of the physical activity would be conducted in the converted cabanas serving as the sex rooms.

  The three existing cabanas were constructed in a single file line next to each other. Zoey’s team decided to expand on the theme and added three more cabanas across from them. All six looked the same from the outside; like a row of little clapboard homes, whitewashed but trimmed in a different color. It almost looked like a rainbow. There was a unique address posted to the right of the door. Each cabana was furnished so that they could be used for multiple types of sex fantasy scenarios with quick and minor decorating changes.

  A large garage/shop was converted into an apartment building for employee housing. It was separate and fenced off from the rest of the operations. This area was off-limits to guests. It would be where Chef Marguerite and Malcolm, the prostitutes, and any other staff members would have the option to live.

  Michelle, the masseuse, also opted t
o live in the employee apartment complex. She’d moved there from California and had no other home. Annette was right. Both Zoey and Fen sampled various types of massages and facials, to their delight. Michelle’s magic fingers could find the built-up tension and knead, rub, and massage the knots away. Her hot rock massages were so relaxing Zoey fell asleep during the first one. She had several types of facials that left the customer’s face feeling clean and tingly fresh. Michelle’s smooth, melodic voice and gentle way of speaking combined with just the right music and scented oil created the perfect atmosphere to help you relax. The ladies were going to love her.

  Fen and Zoey had auditioned over a dozen men but eventually had hired only six. They were mostly college guys wanting to make a little extra money on the side. A few were just looking to make a career change. Being that it was Nevada, a career in prostitution was a perfectly normal profession. It still made Zoey shake her head in amazement every once in a while. She was proud of the professional way she and Fen had conducted the evaluations. They put together a checklist of traits and qualities that the men were to be graded on. They always discussed the evaluations at the weekly staff meeting with the four partners.

  James had trained them well on the mechanics of making love to a woman, and the session with Zoey or Fen was to assess their skill and personality. They were evaluated to see if they felt comfortable with a more mature woman; more importantly to confirm that they could make the client feel relaxed, beautiful, and special. Fen and Zoey relied on their intuition for this scoring, each trusting the other’s instincts to determine whether or not the men were fit to represent Zoey’s Place.

  At first Zoey thought that a younger man having sex with an older woman for money would seem bizarre, but after thinking about it she compared it to a young woman having sex with an older man for money, as most female prostitutes do. When it came right down to it, it was the same thing.