Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2021 14:13:06 +0000 (UTC) From: Mike Simmons Subject: It was always about the bets 232 I woke well rested and in a great mood and dressed for the run. Cole was up and waiting and outside Ray was there and we were quickly joined by JJ and it was a great pace. After the run Ray said dude, it time to end this how it started, Mike suck my cock. I smiled and put my arm around him and we walked to the apartment. Inside there was a small pile of things and a few boxes and I was sad that it was all he had. He put his arm around me and gave me a hug and said thanks for a great summer. I knew you were there for me and that you would let me find my own way. Mike I have done that. I smiled pulled his running shorts down and pushed him on the sofa and started sucking his cock. He laughed and said damn you have gotten better at that. He put his hands on my head and gently pulled it forward till he was all the way in my mouth. He held me like that and shot a load. I swallowed looked up and smiled. We talked for a bit and he said, Mike, the boys and I will be at the state finials, make sure your ass is there as well. We hugged for a long time, shook hands and I started to the house. At the door, I stopped and said and I'll be seeing you at the academy. I went straight to my room and called JJ. He immediately asked so how did it go with Ray? I said you can't ever do that to me. He asked do what? I said leave me and I hung up. I sat on my bed and buried my face in my hands and composed myself. Then it was a quick shower and off to work. In khakis and a golf shirt. There was a quick stop for coffee and when I got there Ruth said good morning Mr. Simmons. I laughed and said don't start. I opened the door to my office and just stood there as dad was busy working. I said dad what the fuck? Mike, I stepped back and am enjoying the shit out of this, Kyle, Dillon and I made this move while your were away. It's temporary as we both have corner offices at 1 MJS Place. I smiled and said well we are definitely talking about that street address. Oh dad, I said good bye to Ray and I'm shopping for new furniture for the apartment and I'll be having movers as soon as the place is cleaned and painted. Oh, I'll keep it reasonable but your are paying and I'm buying the crib for my new brother. I'll help Megan pick it out. That room will need work as well, so you better sell something. Dad laughed and said well the pay cut won't be that big, trust me. Dad, actually I have decided there will be no pay cut, EOD. Mike hold on what is EOD? I shrugged and said End of Discussion, get used to that. Would you like to buy me lunch? Dad, laughed and said nope, busy turning down an offer for the startup. I went into my new office and at least my chair was there. Everything else was going and I called Bruce at the furniture dealership and told him I needed a desk to match the one that I had ordered for my room but it needed to be bigger. As we talked I found the drawings for the new building and told him I would call him right back. I went ga k to dad, showed him the plan and pointed to a corner office on the 4th floor and asked if that would work? He shrugged and said sure. It was the one with the best view. Shit, dad deserved that and I picked it for him. Back at the office I asked Bruce for a 84" desk and a 48" diam glass conference table and side chairs to match the table and I told him I would be in this afternoon to select the chairs and the fabrics. Then I called Mary Ann and said we are going shopping and I would picker her up at 2:00. She asked what are we buying and I said a ton of furniture. I was moving things around when the phone rang and Ruth said Mr. Simmons, Jace is here and would like a few minutes. Ruth, please ask Jace to wait and I need you to come in here for a minute. She appeared a few seconds later, looking pale. I said Ruth, things might have changed, I have not. I'm Mike and dad is Mr. Simmons, please cooperate, I'm looking for an assistant and really don't want to be looking for an executive secretary, I need you. Please ask Jace to come in.Jace came in and asked Mike, first thing, is the job interview over and can I please manage the Winery? Jace, I was convinced after we spent those two days together, so yes. Are you sure? Mike, I am and will get a degree, it will just take longer. Jace please get that done. Mike, in two weeks I want to schedule a grand opening and have a big sale. We have a substantial inventory and wine tasting party would be a big deal. We can send fliers all over the place and advertise in the local weekly. Jace, see if some investors will help that weekend and I'll clear the Palace, if I can. If not we will rent motel rooms. Also look for some "family" entertainment. Then at night an adult group. Jace laughed and said some of that is underway already. I found an apartment up there and will be there a lot. Can I keep the apartment here or do you have other plans since Ray is leaving. Well Jace, I'm moving in there and am getting new furniture and I was expecting to have you as a roommate. Jace, there were changes at work and with the baby coming, I gave up my room so they could set up a room for the kid. Jace, I'll be moving my furniture into Ray's old room and you should get what you need and dad is paying. Mike a new queen mattress would be great. I said deal, I will be replacing the other furniture. As for the Winery a pre-harvest event sounds like a great idea. Then Jace asked if he could use the plane to get back and forth? I replied as long as you are making enough money to cover that and I guess you need the apartment so you can hook up with the chick from the association? He laughed and said well, YEAH. Oh MJ, then there is Cole, good old Charlie won't be ready for that and he need the room I am using for the grandson. Then I said Jace, one trip back and forth a week. He smiled and said sure. I knew he would push that but it will be what it becomes. I continued to work on settling in when dad appeared and I looked at him and ask, please tell me you want this disaster back? He laughed and said, so when does the furniture shopping start? I said desk and conference table on order and I'm shopping for chairs this afternoon. Dad, it all goes to the new building? Dad, is there a reason for the visit? He smiled and said well actually, I need a signature. He handed me a couple of pages and it was like 5 signatures. A final sales agreement for the beach house, deed transfer, closing cost estimate, a mortgage payoff and finally the transfer of the remaining money. Dad said Mike, I was going to ask if you were sure but you have never signed something that fast. I laughed and said well Enterprises is having a good year and I'm looking for property as this slowdown has driven commercial property prices down. I smiled and looked at dad and said well now there is a cool 500k sitting around, fuck the trees as I'm starting to see the forest again. Dad just shook his head and went to do whatever it is he does. Then I left Alex, my commercial real estate guy, and asked for a meeting on Monday morning. I went looking for Riley, hoping to find her and then located Kyle and Dillon. Damn, I found them all together and showed them the 4th floor drawings. I said, Senior has this office and hat left 6 smaller offices and the other corner office. I took a pencil and turned them into 3 large offices. Then in the middle of the row of 3 I wrote ME. I smiled and said, I just ordered new furniture for my office and the big rectangular office works for the furniture. You two get to fight over the other three. Kyle said it not a fight as I'm taking the corner office. It's not that I give a fuck but it's one of those statement we need to make. I said well there are corner offices on the other site of the building. Dillon said well CFO and HR get those, I actually want to see the fucking river. Riley said that she was good as it was 3 times bigger than her current office and show respect. Then she said Mike, I have interviews with 9 people for you assistant. How many do you want to see? I shrugged and said the usual 3. I said Riley, when you are ready give be a days notice and schedule them for an hour each. Then I smiled and said just find a mini-me. All three of them laughed and Dillon said please don't do that to us. Back at my office I called J&J Architects and Carrie answered and I asked to speak with Jodie. Carrie said, hi Mike she is out can I help you with something? Well Carrie, I would like the finish boards for the 4th floor and I'll pick them up. Just leave them with the receptionist. She asked Mike, are you making changes? I said no just looking at colors and have Jodie give me a call and I hung up. I hung up thinking just get the boards and move on. This office was bigger and I had a conference table, all of which would be replaced. I asked Ruth to come in for a minute and told her I would be getting all new furniture and it would then be moved into the new building. I told her it would give everyone a chance to see what the new interiors would look like. She asked Mike, what happens to this stuff? I said use it somewhere else or donate it, just make sure I have a place to park my ass. She replied, well I'll look around. Then she got serious and asked, Mike are we ok? I smiled and said as long as I remain Mike. Then she asked Mike, how is the search going for you next assistant? I thought, here we go again but said, please ask Riley. I'm simply not involved yet. The rest of the day was spent on setting up the office. At 1:00 I said Ruth, call me if something comes up and have a great weekend. Then I went to the Architects to get the color boards and naturally Carrie was leaving as I got there. We exchanged simple hello's and I went inside and got what I needed. Outside I saw Carrie leaning against my car and I said isn't that a marvelous ride? I got in the car, started the motor and she had not moved. I said Carrie move you fucking ass or I'll simply call the ambulance and pull away. She leaned in and blew in my ear and asked did that make you hard? I laughed out loud and said well as marvelous as you are there is nothing about you that will ever have me erect again and I drove off. I was fucking furious and was getting more and more pissed off so I called Jodie on her private line and when she answered I asked Jodie, what do we owe you to complete building 1? She asked why? Jodie, I'm not discussing it and she said well a little under 25k. I said great send me an invoice and on Monday I'll have all the drawing and other things picked up. She asked Mike, are we being fired? I said nope, I'm simply wrapping things up. She was quiet for a minute and asked, so you ran into Carrie? I said that marvelous assistant of your? Yes, I almost ran into her. Look Jodie just send the invoice and have the documents ready on Monday and I'll see you and your partner at the grand opening, thanks for everything. I simply hung up. The phone immediately rang and without looking I said what? It was coach Weston and he said, another good day? I laughed and said well, I guess. What's up? Mike will you be at your players only thing tomorrow? I said yes and he said well I need a favor. I said sure if I can. Mike I know it's been pretty much a walk through. Coach it has been half speed. How about full speed tomorrow? I said fine and he said, oh I forgot, Jim is cleared for light workouts and limited full throwing. Let's see how the two QBs do. I laughed and said perfect. Feeling better about things it was off to get Mary Ann and when she opened the door I said, perfect outfit. She smiled and said, I've never shopped for furniture before. I said well we are starting easy as it is chairs for my new office and there will be a designer to help. I called Bruce and told him we were on our way and I was told things and suggestions were ready. Then he said Mike, with your choice of a desk chair this is actually a easy thing as they now have matching side chairs. Mary Ann laughed and asked, so why am I here? Babe to help me pick stuff for the apartment. Ray is going back to salute and then the Air Force Academy and Jace will be mostly in New York growing grapes and making wine. She smile and and I said well that doesn't mean you are moving in and we are not having sex multiple times a week. Oh and when you want something just ask. I left it at that and parked at the furniture dealership. Inside, it was introductions and we were shown a rendering and Mary Ann asked is that a bigger version of the desk in your room Mike? Well the base looks different. I laughed and said damn, I thought we were too busy fighting for you to notice? She looked at me, shook her head and said dude, I notice everything. Bruce explained that the new base was steel from the project and would be the same for the table. We will treat them so they weather like the building. I said well that covers glass and steel, what about Aluminum? He smiled and said the end and coffee table when the new office is ready. Mary Ann asked about the floors and were told carpet tiles and a blue with grey, red and silver specs. I asked about the sofa and club chairs and Mary Ann said, well obviously dark grey leather and the designer said yup. I was told that the base was being welded and the glass was being cut so Wednesday or Thursday. I said Awesome and Mary Ann and I left. In the car she asked about the ceilings? I said there are none just raw space. She shook her head and asked so who designed this perfect space and I said I did with some help? With help from who? Babe I picked the desk, the table evolved today and the only thing Carrie picked are the two chairs in my current room. They won't be moved to my new room. Actually, I might give them to Sam. We were both quiet for a while and then she put her hand on the back of my neck and asked, so she hurt you that bad? We we were stopped at a traffic light and I leaned over and kissed here and said, yes she did. Babe, the sad part is that it changed me and I rarely let my guard down. Mike, do you still think about her? Babe, actually I don't but I needed the color boards for today, well I thought I did, and try as I might we ran into each other. The result is that I paid off the firm and told them that we were done and I would see the partners at the grand opening. Then you picked exactly the same leather for my sofa and chairs. I laughed and said fuck, I never thought about that, but it's you. I said yes and it matters to me me that you knew that. It actually matters a lot. I pulled into the first large furniture store I saw and went inside. We were immediately met by an older guy and he said, I'm Glen can I help you with something? I said I'm Mike and this is Mary Ann and we need a number of things, as comfortable sofa, high table with 4 bar stools, two club chairs and a firm queen mattress. So Glen while we look around could you get me the price on the mattress. We started to look around and Glen was never more that 15 feet away. After about 10 minutes, I turned and asked, so how much is the mattress and we have to have that it will determine what we have left to spend. Well Mike the price depends on how much you choose to buy with us. Well Glen how about you look up the price of the mattress and ask you manager to chat with us. A couple of minutes later Glen reappeared with a guy slightly older than me and Glen handed me the estimate and I handed it to Mary Ann and she looked at it and asked, is this for two? I introduced myself as Mike and was told the manager was Robert. He patiently informed me of the business plan of the store and added young lady that is indeed for one mattress. I handed him my card which read Michael J. Simmons, Jr. Chairman. He said holy shit, we are so sorry. I looked at him as said so as you treat the least of us so you treat me. Have a great rest of the day and we left. In the car Mary Ann said, that almost as awful as you almost scripture quote. Babe, that's as close as I'll ever get to a scripture quote. Mom's funeral was the last time I was in church. We went to another store and once inside I asked for George Meiner. George appeared and he said Mike, didn't expect to see you back so soon. I gave him the list of things we were looking for and he said yell if you need anything. I looked at Mary Ann and said he is the owner and just eliminated the drama. She was on a roll and the sofa and club chairs were quickly selected and she said for you and Jace earth tones and I quickly agreed. I selected the table and stools and George had a mattress selection and he said actually the same one you bought last time. Mary Ann looked at the estimate and laughed. I asked if it was good and she said well she was sure the mattress was a very good price. I handed George the credit card and asked for delivery Thursday and he agreed. In the car I asked babe are you hungry? She said sure and I said, well I have another special place. It's in Greentree and my dad has been going there forever. Oh babe, the drinks are the same as the Tavern the only difference is the food, whatever you want order half or it's dinner for your brothers. As usual with the roof up she had current tunes on and I was adjusting to that. Once we went inside I was given a big hug and Mike, the owner, said I see more of you than your dad. I said well he is having a kid and it is messing with his head. He laughed so hard he had to sit down. I asked for an iced tea and she asked for a Sprite. Then she asked what's good? I said well everything is good but a Ruben. We were told that I spit of the rush today we still have fried fish sandwiches. Mary Ann said well that sounds good and can I have fries as well. I laughed and said well we will split one and make it a basket of fries. Mary Ann said, I am hungry. Mike laughed and said well trust Mike and if you want more I'll make you another half. She smile and said thank you. Mike, back to Carrie I know here and I watched you two together and now knowing you like I do you were much more into her than she was into you. Babe, please stop talking about her. It's over and I mean that. Mike, it isn't over till you can let your arm down and be relaxed around the people who care for you. So Mary Ann is that you? She said you jerk, after last night you ask that? Mike, I won't use you for your money or to get off on that ripped sculpture body. Oh, things are never marvelous to me. I laughed and asked, how the fuck do you know about that. Mike, half the schools knows about that as Carrie is telling everyone how marvelous Nemacolin was. Thankfully the food came and she said damn, that's a half? I just shrugged and started eating. We finished the half sandwiches and about half the fries. It was then a real iced tea and real Sprit and we continued the conversation. Mike, I have no illusions about this, if it works out and we have babies great and if at the 5 year reunion, we have a drink and recall the great senior year we had, I'm good. Mary Ann, what if I need or want more? Mike it's there but you need to fucking earn that by letting down your hard and be Mike, whoever the fuck that is. Babe, I am who I am. She laughed and said isn't that a quote from Exodus? The burning Bush said that to Moses. I laughed and she said Bible School and I said Catechism and Nuns. Again there was no bill and when we got outside she asked will you put the roof down. I lowered the roof and she turned the car stereo up and we drove home entertaining every one near us. At her place we made out some in the car and I drove home. At home I found dad and Megan and Cole in the game room talking. I grabbed a beer and joined them. I told them about the shopping trip and what I bought and Cole said well MJ, I'm taking your room so order a bed, it's newer than mine and bigger. Megan said well actually I would rather you have a smaller bed and I laughed. So Megan, I'm buying my new brother a crib. When you free to shop? She said well what if it's a sister? I asked if there was a trade-in policy. I excused myself and went to my room and called JJ. I told him that the coach said Jim was cleared to throw and he wanted plays run at full speed but to limit Jim's throwing and equal time for Sam and Jim. Wow, are you sure you are talking to our coach? I said yup, notice he is having us do this. JJ laughed and said, I'll see you in the morning and we can get coffee on the way. I said deal and hung up. Cole must have been waiting for me to get off the phone as he came in and sat in a chair. I said so you selected this room? Yup and it will be mine, I just want the bed. Cole that works and I'll simply add it to the order, dad's paying so I don't give a fuck. How is the hunt for the next ex? Mike, I'm not looking that hard. I said, so you experimenting with your gay side? MJ, well the thing on the trip was us showing how much we appreciate you. Liam and I haven't done much and he went nuts over you. Most likely it won't happen again. So you going to NY with Jace? He smiled and said yes but next week as he needs help with the festival. Well Cole, I should be in the apartment next weekend and I'll order the bed and mattress tomorrow. I asked what he was doing? He said summer reading and to get the golf deal with mom about golf, I agreed to AP English and History. I laughed and said enjoy. It was a quick shower and I jumped into bed and Carrie and Mary Ann were in my head, fighting for space. I did my best to move Carrie out and I was not opening another box for her to move into. PLEASE CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONTRIBUTION TO NIFTY AND KEEP THESE STORIES COME. THANKS FOR READING AND THE COMMENTS.