Gina's Education Read Online Free PDF Page B

dinner.”
    Rose thought, “That only gives me about an hour, and there is so much to put away!” She nodded at Robert and left.
    When she got to her room she was flabbergasted! It looked like she had lived there for a long time.
    All of her purchases had been carefully hung in her closet, and all of her old clothing in both her suitcase and her laundry bag had been cleaned and pressed. Those, too, were all hung neatly in the closet. Her box of memorabilia was opened and papers had been placed carefully in the writing desk in her room, and her family pictures were dusted and placed on the bureau and desk Overwhelmed at being treated so well, tears started to flow down her cheeks.
     
    *****
     
    Robert went to his study and heard a knock on the door almost immediately. “Come in, Drew.”
    The two men hadn’t had much time to talk and Drew wanted to tease his old friend. “A little break in the usual routine, lately,” he started.
    Robert grinned. He knew he had to expect some ribbing from Drew. They had been together since their training as young men. They’d trained with a Master in New York before deciding to move south and open their own club. After a few years, Robert had bought the Manor and moved his operation here. Drew knew Robert’s appetites as well as his own, and this special interest in Rose was out of character.
    The tall sandy-haired man continued to taunt his friend, “I never even got to taste this one! Where is your sense of fair play and sharing, old man?”
    Robert threw his head back and laughed out loud, but his only verbal response was an admission in itself. “Shut up!” Both men laughed and turned their talk to business.
    They were essentially business partners, but never made it official. Drew ran the video side of the business and both serviced clients.
     
    *****
     
    That evening, Mayor Potter, his wife, and Selectwoman Ellen Parsons joined them for dinner. Rose’s choice of the black wool dress and pearl necklace, with the black high heels and black stockings, met with Robert’s approval.
    Dinner was stuffed quail with butternut squash and green beans. Rose noticed Robert’s glances of disapproval at her when no one was looking his way. She was puzzled at first, but the second time he did it, he pointedly put his fork down. Rose put her fork down, also, and Master Robert nodded slightly. Still puzzled, Rose waited for him to indicate what she should do next.
    After a minute, Robert picked up the fork and took another bite of food, giving her another glance. Rose did the same, then put the fork down realizing she was almost finished eating and everyone else still had nearly full plates. Robert smiled in appreciation when she realized why he wanted her to do that. “She really is easy to train,” he thought.
    After a delicious dessert of peach cobbler, they all retired to the living room where politics became the subject for the evening. There was some activity in the foyer from time to time, but no one took any notice of who came or went downstairs.
    Drew was charming and Ms. Parsons appreciated his easy banter. Rose noticed Drew made several suggestions about changing the way Ms. Parsons voted, but he did it in such a way she appeared to have thought it was her own idea! He did the same thing with the Mayor about a traffic light, and he too seemed to think it was his own idea when they left.
    After the politicians left, Rose asked Drew, “What was your major in college?”
    Drew laughed and asked, “Why do you ask?”
    “I wondered if it was politics.”
    “Nope,” he laughed. “I took Psychology. I did my dissertation on atypical sexual practices.”
    Rose smiled and said, “That explains so much!”
    “It does, doesn’t it? I bid you both a goodnight.” He was still chuckling when he left.
    Robert was finishing his brandy, smiling at his friend and Rose and feeling content tonight. He seldom felt content. He enjoyed it.
    With the last swallow of his drink, he said,