Thursday morning was another session listening to Herman Grouse—grouse, as he checked out.

"Grapefruit okay?" Gordon jumped into an opening.

"Great. Wonderful. It's why I come here."

"Nice. Well, come again soon, Mr. Grouse and thanks." He jumped up and opened the office door, a hint that even Herman couldn't miss.

"So what's on today?" Deborah shuffled into the office in her pyjamma top.

"More than that I hope, if somebody pops in."

"Might improve business."

"Not the kind we really want, my dear."

"Hmmm. If nothing's happening I thought I might go—"

"Hold it. Hold it. You were gone all day Tuesday; I think it's my turn to get out."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know, but that's not the point."

"It certainly is. I do have someplace to go."

"Where?"

"I want to go the mall. I saw a gorgeous little outfit that will be perfect for the next lunch with the girls."

"At the stud barn?"

"El Greco is not a stud barn. Besides, we don't do lunch there."

"I can imagine why." She started to morph into deadly Deborah and he held up a hand. "Go. Go and get your outfit, I'll mind the fort."

"Well you didn't know what you were going to do anyway."

"I said I'd stay here, so go."

"I promise I'll be home before dinner."

"Hell, I hope so. It's only nine o-clock now!"

The morning dragged. Gordon changed the tape for the patio music, checked the skimmer, straightened the pocket books in the little library outside the office, swept some more flagstone bits and generally slothed about. The sisters came down in tandem to inform him that the light was still working well. He thanked them and shook his head at the sky as they waddled back to the lounge swing outside their suite.

The Kotsuris couple came to check out and he readied himself for an unpleasant talking-to. The other couple Deborah had booked had prepaid and was already gone. Mark and his wife, who turned out to be, Luanda Kotsuris, entered the office and Gordon greeted them.

"All set to check out?"

"We are. I just want to say—"

"Look, I know it was upsetting and I can't tell you how sorry I am that it happened. As it turned out, a screw from the vacuum cleaner fell into the track preventing the door from sliding. What can I say?" he posed his hands in the image of an Egyptian dancer.

"I wanted to say that we really enjoyed our stay—the incident aside—and wondered if you had room this time next year for say a month?"

Gordon gaped and looked to Luanda for confirmation. Her large eyes sparkled at him and he pictured the skimpy bikini.

"The uh- the same time?"

"Yeah, except we'd come in at the first of the month."

Gordon explained the discounts and the room tax rules and then entered them into the book as requested. He helped them to the car with the bags and held the door for Luanda who gave him a more than saucy smile as she slowly drew her leg into the car. He shut the door and backed off as they pulled out and tooted a goodbye.

Mentally clicking his heels he returned to the office in time to get the phone and felt his mouth dry as Jeannette asked if he'd received his invitation.

"I did, and thank you."

"My pleasure." The word dragged out about two feet and his entire throat became parched. "It starts at six but there's always a bunch that come early. Would you come early?" The connotation left him breathless as well as dry and he spent several seconds clearing his throat. "Are you all right?"

"Dust. Dust in the throat." He coughed again and apologized. "What was the question again?"

"I was wondering if you could come early to the cocktail party."

"Why?" Silence on the line. "Uhmm- I guess it wouldn't matter too much. What time?"

"Maybe half an hour earlier?"

"So five-thirty?"

"Thereabouts."

"Okay-y-y. See you then. Thanks again."

"Thank you. Bye."

Gordon sat in the office, visions of Luanda's leg and skimpy bikini and the perfect Jeannette dancing in his head. Deborah would go on a slash and burn rampage if she was here right now, he thought. He went to the kitchen, dug out a couple of leftover wings, some milk and a chunk of bread, and flopped down in front of the TV.

As promised, Deborah blew in at five o-clock with an armload of shopping bags.

"I thought it was just one outfit."

"Well you need accessories, Gordon. God, no wonder men always look so uncoordinated."

"What are you talking about?" He looked at his grey shorts and the purple and green sweatshirt. They looked fine to him. The black running shoes didn't hurt either. Women were just too goddamn fussy.

"Anything new?"

"Oh yeah. Lua- the Kotsuris couple booked a full month next year at this time."

"You're joking."

He crossed his heart. "She must have performed admirably calming his tattered disposition, Nothing else though, oh- and I didn't have to discount them either."

She emptied the bags and showed him a dress, a couple of blouses, a skirt and a tank top, a pair of shoes, a scarfy type thing that was for around her neck, and earrings.

"Any money left in your account?"

"Not much, but I won't need anything else for a while."

"One would hope. Listen uh- I'm going to go a little earlier tomorrow night so can you cover off the office over the dinner hour?"

"Why?"

"Well so someone is available if—"

"I mean why go early?"

He knew that. "Uh- I just- if I can get in early I can get home early."

"You said it was only an hour."

"I know but it's a twenty minute drive there and back."

"I don't care. Do what you want."

"Hey, I sat here all day again while you plundered the town, gimme a break."

"I said go, didn't I?"

"Fine. Thank you."

"You want dinner?"

"Don't you?"

"I uhmm- I ate with Gretchen. We met at the mall and had a big lunch, I'm not very hungry."

He stared at her. "I waited until you got home and now you don't want to eat."

"I'll fix you something if you like."

"I'll just have the chicken fingers and some salad."

"Okay." She gathered her stuff and left the room.

Gordon ran another viewing of Jeannette, and Luanda's leg.

Friday morning and Nita banged on the kitchen door bringing Gordon stumbling into the kitchen in his t-shirt and shorts to answer.

"Nita, for God's sake it's only seven-thirty. What are you doing here so early?"

"I cain't work today I hast go to my grandmamas. My cousin, Puela's gonna fill in for me."

"Who? Pulea?"

"Puela."

"Has she got any experience? We have three couples coming in today for just the on night, when will you be back?"

"Sunday."

"Sunday!" he rubbed a hand through his hair. "Where is she now?"

"She's still in bed but I tole her to be here at nine-thirty."

"Is she trustworthy, Nita? I mean she will show up, right?"

"I s'pose. She said she'd do it for me." She backed away. "I hafta get now or I'll miss the bus."

Gordon closed the door and groaned as he made his way back to the bedroom. Deborah was up and in the bathroom and he sat on the edge of the bed, needing the bathroom like crazy.