Hi. Thanks for everyone who voted and made this a winner in the Summer Lovin’ contest. I’ve re-worked it and expanded it slightly. Thanks to everyone who wanted more about Marcy and Bevvie. This is now the first story in a trilogy. Marcy’s Playground, Bevvie’s Playground, and Emily’s Playground. I’ve upped the humor, the romance, and the hot sex!
Copyright 2017 © M. J. Roberts. All rights reserved. This may not be reposted.
MARCY’S PLAYGROUND
Chapter 1
Even in my wildest fantasies, I never dreamed something like this could ever happen to me. Not that my fantasies were ever all that wild to begin with—but still—me, little, quiet, shy Marcy, in the midst of…
Well, I should back up.
It all started the week after high school graduation.
…
I hugged the box I was carrying to my chest. It contained a small plant, a framed picture of the Dallas Cowboys (with signatures, thank you), a toiletry case, and two books.
I couldn’t believe it! I was fired, after one week as a secretary for Armstrong, Wentworth, and Oglethorpe. I stood in the blinding hot Indiana summer sun and bit back tears.
This sucked. My first real job. My plans to save for college. Ruined.
I had the urge to dig a hole in the pavement and stick my head in it; a tiny human ostrich with head in the ground and butt in the air. But instead I forced my shoulders back. I wrenched open the door of my beat-up Honda and put the box on the passenger seat.
Jobs were scarce here. What if I had to spend most of my summer job-hunting instead of working, then where would I be? Ahh, crap.
I took my cell phone out of my purse and dialed my friend Bevvie.
“Hey, Marcy,” she said when she picked up.
“I’m having a triple chocolate Häagen-Dazs emergency,” I said.
“Come right over,” she said.
I was a few blocks from Bevvie’s house when I saw the hot guy with the wavy dark hair. As usual he was walking his two big dogs. He was always just far enough away that I could never get a really good look at him. Just as I strained to see him better, my air conditioner conked out. It was 100 degrees outside with a UV index of a thousand, and bang, no air conditioning. My long brown hair immediately plastered to my face and shoulders.
I arrived in one piece and knocked on Bevvie’s door.
“Whoa,” she said when she saw me. “Serious emergency, Marce. You look like you’ve been through a high-test washing machine on the super hot water setting.”
“Thanks.”
Bevvie stepped back and let me in. She had a pint of ice cream and a spoon in her hand and she handed them to me. I opened the container and dug right in.
“I was fired,” I said around a mouthful of heavenly goodness.
“Oh, poor baby,” she said. “I would hug you, but, ah…”
“That’s okay.”
She got an ice cream container for herself, and we stood in the kitchen near the sink enjoying the creaminess.
I caught a glance of the two of us in the reflection from the window.
Bevvie weighs about 300 pounds. Well okay, maybe not that much, but I’m tiny, how can I accurately guess? She’s really tall, has wavy blonde hair, and a mixture of an ‘I can hide in public’ and an kick-ass, talkative, and outgoing personality.
I’m just barely over four feet, ten inches tall. When people ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I say, “Five feet tall.” It always gets a laugh.
I used to be a competitive gymnast, but when I started sprouting serious major curves in all the right places I gave it up. I have bone straight dark brown hair that reaches down to my butt in the winter. As a concession to how hot this summer has been already, I cut it so that now it’s just barely halfway down my back.
My point is that Bevvie and I are as different looking as Laurel and Hardy, or whatever their names were. Bevvie’s my only good friend. Our personalities are different too. I’m a book person. I’m a little on the quiet and shy side. I’m friendly, but I love books so much I’d rather spend time with them than most people.
So the fact that Bevvie and I are best friends is weird. But we live on the same block. We’ve been BFFs since middle school.
I’m damn lucky to have her.
I mean, I don’t really spend a lot of time around people. I’m a book person. This job was at least going to get me out of the house, even if it was a sucky job, at least it was a job. I was fired for no reason at all.
I started crying. I put down the ice cream.
“Awwww, sweetie,” she said, and engulfed me in her big body, even though I was hot and sweaty. “It’s not a big deal. It was just a shitty job.”
“I know,” I said through sobs, “but—” hiccup— “I was hoping to have my weekends free to go down the lake and sit in the shade and read and be relaxed about it. I wanted to save up to buy a new car for college. My car is older than I am, literally.”
“You’ll get another job.”
“Yeah? Where?”
She pushed me away from her a little, and ate more ice cream with a thoughtful look on her face. Then she snapped her fingers.
“I know, the Jangensens, poker oyna next door. I overheard them talking a few days ago that they needed a receptionist. I didn’t ask about it because I know their business is somewhere out in the boonies, in Jasper county, like 45 minutes away. It probably doesn’t pay for shit.”
“Yeah, but if it’s not too busy a desk I could read on the job,” I said.
“Why don’t you ask them? But you better hurry up, that was a few days ago.”
“Thanks, Bev. You’re the best.”
I hurried home, took a quick shower, put on a pair of khakis and a pink polo shirt and walked over there.
I didn’t know the Jangensens at all, but I had seen them watering their lawn and coming and going. They were a nice looking couple, in their late 60s maybe, and looked like everybody’s slightly doughy grandparents.
I knocked on the door, and Mr. Jangensen answered.
I re-introduced myself, and told them Bevvie had overheard they might have a job opening, and I’d be interesting in applying.
He gave me a really weird look.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
He frowned slightly.
“I know that’s young, but I have a lot of experience from school doing business stuff, like working on the yearbook coordinating advertising. I’m very responsible.”
I wiped my forehead. It was the hottest summer on record, and I was starting to sweat.
He sighed. “Come in.”
Their house was nice, really nice. I didn’t know the name brands, but I could tell all the furniture and paintings and everything were expensive and classy.
Mrs. Jangensen came out, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
“We have a visitor,” Mr. Jangensen said.
“Marcy, right?” she said.
“Yes ma’am.”
“Marcy wants to apply for the job of front desk,” he said. Something about the way he said it was weird. Like he paused too long before the word apply and stretched it out too long.
“Oh!”
“I’m a really quick learner,” I said. “I’m great with phones and computers and, ah, people.”
I sensed that I needed to shut up.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen, Marcy,” she said.
We all sat down in the kitchen. I expected them to tell me about their business and make an appointment for me to go in and fill out an application but it appeared they were starting on an unofficial interview right here.
Mostly they seemed to want to get a sense of my personality. They asked me a lot of questions about myself, and of course, when talking about myself, the conversation naturally turned to the two things I love, reading books and watching football.
They were Dallas Cowboy fans, so obviously they were good peeps.
The only question they asked me that seemed related to work was how much experience did I have?
Basically none.
My Spidey sense started tingling. Was I missing something? There was some silent communication going on between them. That secret talk without words that adults do when they don’t want you to know something. Like when my parents say they’re bushed and they’re going to hit the hay but they seem pumped but they’re trying to hide it.
What the hell?
Maybe I’m imagining it.
They asked me to come back tomorrow.
Okay, whatever. I guess that went well.
I went right to Bevvie’s door and knocked. She was eating some Pepperidge Farm milanos right out of the bag. I snagged one as I walked in.
“Well?”
“I don’t know. They asked me a lot of questions about myself.”
“That’s good, right? They probably want to make sure you would get along with everyone else who works there.”
“What kind of business do they have anyway?”
“I don’t know. I think it’s some kind of exclusive country club or something.”
“That’s good, that’ll probably mean I’ll have time to read if I’m working the front desk.”
“I guess.”
“They want me to come back tomorrow,” I said.
“Good.”
“I really want this job,” I said. “I mean, now I need this job. Forget paying for a new car; I need a summer job so I can pay back the money I’m going to have to borrow from my parents to fix the busted air conditioner.”
“No shit,” Bevvie said. “Scorcher summer plus black Honda hot box equals super suck.”
“I just need to keep a positive attitude. They need a receptionist; I need a job. I’ll just smile and look eager, and hopefully it will be a piece of cake.”
“Marce, who can resist you? Everyone loves you on sight, obviously they’ll hire you.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re my best friend.” Only friend. “I doubt anyone loves me on sight. Hell, hardly anyone ever sees me. I spend all my time with my nose buried in a book, or my kindle, or reading really nerdy stuff on the computer.”
Bevvie shrugged. “I’d hire you.”
“Yeah? Then how come I got fired?”
She raised an eyebrow and then shrugged.
“Maybe it’s meant to be. Maybe you’ll meet a really hot guy at this place and he’ll fall madly in love with you and he’ll say all I ever wanted in my life is to have mad, hot sex with a petite brunette who looks like she could canlı poker oyna put Belle from Beauty and the Beast to shame.”
I snorted.
When I went back to the Jangensens’ house the next day I wore a fancy business suit. I hadn’t really expected to have an interview yesterday, so this time I thought I’d dress more like I would if I were working in a fancy place.
Mr. J. frowned when he saw my suit.
“Come on in, Marcy.”
Mrs. J. also frowned slightly when she saw my suit. But she recovered quickly. We went into the kitchen. She pulled some biscuits out of the oven and offered me one.
I accepted.
“Listen,” Mr. J. said. “I’m going to be straight up with you. Our place is a sex club.”
WHAT?
“It’s not a sex club,” Mrs. J. said, and gave him a slight slap on the arm.
He looked at her. His expression said, ‘What would you call it?’
Holy shit.
“I thought it was a country club,” I whispered.
“It’s a private club, and it’s in the country,” he said.
I began tapping my fingers on my leg. Nerves.
“It’s a very…” but then Mrs. J. trailed off and didn’t finish.
“Okay, perhaps it would be better to say it’s….” but then he trailed off, apparently unable to put it in words either.
Oh my God.
“It’s a very nice place,” Mrs. J. said. “With wonderful members. It’s not sleazy at all.”
“And you’d never have to go in the main rooms,” Mr. J. said. “You can stay in the front reception hall, you’d be completely separated from any action. You’d never be exposed to anything.”
Oh boy.
“But, if you’re… squeamish about this,” Mrs. J. said, “this is not the job for you.”
I really, really needed a job. I told myself this wouldn’t be a big deal.
“It’s a very simple receptionist job,” Mrs. J. said. “There’s nothing else too it but checking members in.”
I liked her. I trusted her. It would be okay. I was just happy at the possibility of a job.
“And loyalty and discretion are paramount,” Mr. J. said. “I mean ESSENTIAL.”
“Oh, I got it,” I said. “You can count on me. I’m the epitome of prudence and discretion. Bevvie told me a secret in the sixth grade, and I’ve never told a soul. I’ll take it to my grave before I tell anyone.”
They stared at me. They looked skeptical.
Fake it till you make it. Right? I pushed my shoulders back.
“I can do it.”
“So you want the job?”
“Yes, please.”
“So be it,” he said.
I left sort of in a daze. Of course I should go tell Bevvie the news right away, but instead I walked back to my house.
Holy gamoly. A sex club.
Wow.
A totally bookish virgin in a sex club. It sounded like a theme for a porno movie.
I was nervous but also kind of excited. A new job. The suspense of wondering what it would be like had me jumpy but in a good way.
I was alternating between pacing and bouncing on my toes and had to talk myself down a bit. Mr. and Mrs. J. were cool. Everything would be okay. I could do this. It would be an adventure. I was just working a front desk.
Still, the whole thing had an element of naughtiness and secrecy…a tinge of ‘bad boy’ and silence made the idea of the adventure shiny and exciting.
I tiny smile curled up, unbidden, at the very corner of my lips.
I couldn’t wait.
Chapter 2
I was supposed to report for my first day at 10 AM. I had no idea what to wear. I decided on a modest blue sundress.
I followed the directions up into to the mountains to an entranceway in a large hedge. There was an open iron gate, and a pretty black and gold plaque that said in fancy script ‘Melody’s’. That was it.
I had been expecting a cinder block building with darkened windows.
Not so.
It was a beautiful mansion like something out of a movie.
I parked in the parking lot on the side and went in.
Big reception hall with dark marble floors.
Mrs. J. met me.
“This will be your desk, honey.” She led me over to a big mahogany desk. “This is how you check people in.”
It looked pretty easy, scan their card under a scanner thing, let them go through the big double doors.
“If they want to check in a coat, or anything, take their card and run it under the other scanner, here.”
I nodded. Not that anybody in their right mind would have a coat in the middle of a boiling summer, but whatever.
“Here’s the tablet for new member forms. New members only come in to fill out applications by appointment, so you’ll know if someone’s coming.”
She went through the rest of the routine. It took less than ten minutes.
There was a huge sitting area to my front right. A coatroom to my direct right. A break room behind me with a bathroom, small table, and a kitchenette.
“Any questions so far?”
“Nope,” I said.
“Here’s your nametag. If someone addresses you by name, you can call them by name. Otherwise it’s sir or ma’am. Your job is to make everyone feel comfortable, so you need to be relaxed so they can be relaxed. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“If you aren’t comfortable, internet casino there’s no way they can be comfortable,” she said. She gave me a hard look.
“I can do it,” I said.
I hope.
She left me alone. I opened my book. I realized I was a little nervous when I started jonesing for some Chunky Monkey ice cream. Come on, Marcy, get lost in the novel.
About ten minutes later a woman came in. I smiled warmly at her. She handed me her card, I swiped it, and handed it back. She nodded and went in. The machine made the subtlest, quiet beep when the card passed under the scanner.
An old guy about seventy. Said hello. I swiped his card. Swipe.
Two maybe gayish looking guys, not much older than me, who could be brothers. They spent a few more minutes saying hi. Swipe, swipe.
A total of six people came in during my first two hours.
At noon more people started showing up. I think the thing that amazed me was how normal all these people looked. A few guys asked me to check in briefcases, two women asked me to check in large handbags. One woman had me check in a fancy scarf.
It was kind of fun. Say hello, smile a little bit, not too much. Swipe.
People came in, people came out. A few people had Styrofoam takeout to-go containers or to-go cups with them when the left, so there had to be a small café or restaurant in there.
Mrs. J. relieved me for lunch. I was glad for the break to stand up and stretch. I walked out into the blazing sunshine for a minute and then went into the break room to eat the salad and sandwich I brought with me.
It was hard to believe this place was more than a country club. And at the front desk during lunch the person swiping you in looked like central casting’s idea of a perfect grandmother.
When I thought Mrs. J. wasn’t looking I peeked through the large double doors behind me. Huge fancy room with pretty couches and a bar on one end. Nobody in it. Pretty similar to anybody’s living room except there were two stripper poles near the back wall. I wonder if this was a place where they had dances at night, or people sat before they went to other rooms.
Okay, none of my business.
At 6 p.m. my shift was over. I got in my car and started to review my day. Nobody creepy. Good pay. Easy job. Nice bosses. And most importantly, I had a ton of time to read. I couldn’t see anything bad about it. Yeah, I couldn’t tell anybody exactly where I worked or what kind of place it was, and it was a 45-minute drive away, but other than that, it was pretty sweet. I was damn lucky, and I knew it.
I had been slightly nervous the whole day. I hadn’t been able to hold down my first job, and that was in a regular office. How was I going to hold down a job in a sex club? I didn’t know the first thing about sex. Literally. But all I had to do was be friendly and swipe people in. It was actually really easy.
Still as I was driving home, I mulled over the weirdness of it all. I always thought that sex was something that couples did in the privacy of their own home. The thought of a sex club was something that was a little hard to wrap my head around.
Me? Working at a sex club? Talk about irony. But maybe it was fate. Maybe instead of some big cosmic joke, it was the Universe giving me a…chance.
At least I got to read.
The second day was even slower. I was able to read over a hundred pages in my novel before it was time to go home.
Getting paid to sit and read, what could be better than that?
The next day was the same. A few people introduced themselves when they came in; most people didn’t say anything. I spent most of my time reading.
The fourth day started out the same. I was so engrossed in reading that I didn’t hear anyone come up.
“Good book.”
I jumped.
And I was staring into a soulful pair of hazel green eyes. Oh my God. The guy.
“Sorry to startle you; I’ve read that one. She’s one of my favorite authors.”
I looked at the book cover. He read Jodi Picoult?
Then I looked back at him. I couldn’t believe it. He was THAT guy. From my neighborhood. He was the guy with the two big greyhounds. I had never gotten a close look at him before. Looking at his perfect high cheekbones, and the dark brown bangs falling into his eyes, and his strong chin was doing strange things to me.
I felt a sort of shimmering between us, but maybe I was imagining it. This was the first guy I sort of recognized, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Up close I could tell he was a lot older than I’d originally thought.
Gah.
“Hey, I’ve seen you walking around my neighborhood, haven’t I?” he asked.
“Mmn-hhm.”
“I’m Evan.” He stuck out his hand, and I shook it.
“Marcy,” I said.
He stared at the nametag pinned to my breast.
“I see that.”
“Well…” I was completely tongue-tied. He seemed so nice! “I…ah…” I remembered Mrs. J.’s warning about needing to be comfortable to make everyone feel comfortable. I decided on trying for professional.
I smiled warmly, held out my hand, palm up, and he handed me his card. I swiped it. When I handed it back, he raised one eyebrow and gave me a cheesy, wicked grin. I interpreted his Cheshire beam to mean ‘I know that you know what I’m here for’. Then he smiled even wider and went in.