Chapter Twelve – Happy Endings
Several weeks passed and late one afternoon, Walt called Joe into his office.
‘Shut the door,’ he said. ‘I’ve got wonderful news.’ Joe closed the door and sat on a chair to the side of Walt’s desk. Despite the privacy of the office they had continued to maintain an ‘employee and boss’ appearance and so far as they were aware, the staff was not any the wiser about their relationship. Joe had kept on his own apartment and would from time to time stay over with Walt or Walt would stop at the apartment for the night.
‘At last we can let the world know we are a couple!’ Walt exclaimed. ‘I have just had a phone call from my layer to say that my divorce is now final and that the papers are on their way to my house by courier even as I speak.’
Joe smiled, ‘That is good news maybe we can have a drink to celebrate.’
‘Better than that,’ Walt said, ‘I have booked us into a five star hotel for the night with a celebratory dinner for two as well complete with some vintage champagne.’
‘That’s great but a quiet night in wouldn’t go amiss,’ Joe replied.
‘No more quiet night in – we can let the world know that we are mister and mister from now on and I mean to do it with a splash starting tonight!’ Walt said grinning like a Cheshire cat that had caught a fine fat juicy mouse. ‘That is alright with you, Joe?’ he asked.
‘Yes, sure… fine… it was just a bit unexpected that’s all. I thought the divorce would take longer.’
‘Gladly no; Linda has money of her own – her father and an uncle left her a considerable sum between them; so she is not seeking any kind of a settlement from me. Probably as well as she was the one who walked out of our marriage in favor of her toy-boy. So, are you on for tonight?’
‘Yes of course I am and I suppose I should congratulate you on your freedom and newly found single status,’ Joe said.
‘Free yes but single no – I hope that from now on we shall be a couple and like all good fairy tales, live happily ever after,’ Walt said with a smile.
‘Folks may regard us as a couple of fairies, so why not let’s at least make a darn good try at the “ever after” bit!’ Joe said enthusiastically having finally come round to the idea that all was going well for them. Walt came round from behind his desk and pulling Joe to him by his silk necktie kissed him. There was a knock at the door and without waiting Joan, Walt’s secretary walked in. They sprang apart blushing to the roots of their hair.
‘Sorry,’ Joan said. ‘But don’t mind me. I gather some good news is in the offing – e have heard on the grape vine how things are between you and I gather your lawyer has recently been on the phone. Perhaps congratulations are in order?’
‘Yes, Joan. Thanks you,’ Walt said. ‘Joe has consented to be my… My what exactly..? Husband..? Partner… No that sounds too formal. Joe has consented to be my lover… there I’ve said it!’ Walt exclaimed.
‘Well, we all guessed that something like that was on the cards,’ Joan said. ‘You may have tried to look like a pair of innocents but you cannot hide the kind of looks that two people who are in love with one another exchange for everyone to see. I can say on behalf of all the staff, without exception that we are pleased for you both and if I say you deserve each other, I mean that in the nicest possible way.’ Joan put the letters she was holding on Walt’s desk and backed out the door smiling as though she was mother of the bride. As the door closed a loud cheer could be heard coming from the office staff.
‘Well, we’ve done it now,’ Walt said. ‘We may just as well call it a day and hot tail it over to that hotel and the plush bedroom I have booked for us.’
‘You’re the boss – so long as you don’t dock my pay as I am leaving off early!’ Joe joked.
‘What’s that? Dick instead of pay – my hearings not so good at this time of the afternoon,’ Walt laughed.
‘I was thinking it was a good thing we didn’t get beyond kissing as Joan walked in unannounced,‘ Joe remarked.
‘Oh I don’t know, Joan is pretty unshockable but you’re probably right, we shall have to learn to behave ourselves during office hours, it wouldn’t do to frighten the horses!’
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Joe was concerned when they arrived at the hotel that they had not got fresh clothes to wear when they went down to the dining room for their meal.
‘No problem,’ Walt said. ‘Everything has been taken care of. When they arrived in the bedroom Joe saw that there were two large boxes on the bed. ‘Go ahead, open that one, it’s yours,’ Walt said smiling as Joe lifted the lid. Inside there was a new set of underwear, socks, some smart chinos and a dress shirt. To complete the outfit there was a sports jacket.
‘Walt, these are great and I have always wanted a jacket like this, what can I say? Thanks, you are too kind.’
‘Rubbish, that’s how things are going to be from now on. We share and share alike and at home we shall be a loving couple. Here let me show you my new clothes.’ Walt opened his box and brought out a similar outfit but in different colors and a blazer in place of the sports jacket. ‘Now we have time for a little bit of loving before we take a shower and go down for dinner.’
Meanwhile in another room further along the hallway a second couple was engaged in much the same kind of thing, admiring new outfits and enjoying one another’s horny bodies before taking the plunge in the Jacuzzi in the magnificent bathroom attached to their bedroom.
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Walt and Joe took the elevator down to the ground floor and walked through the lobby to the dining room where they were greeted by the Maitre d’.
‘Good evening gentlemen, do you have a reservation?’
‘Yes, Walt answered. You have a table reserved in my name – Armstrong. Ah, I see my other guests are already seated.’ Joe looked in the direction Walt indicated and to his surprise he saw Mitch and Alan at a table set for four. ‘We can make our own way over,’ Walt said to the Maitre d’, ‘Perhaps you can send the wine waiter over so we can have some drinks while we are choosing from the menu.’
‘Certainly, sir,’ the MD replied as he placed menus in front of each of the four men now seated at the table. The sommelier appeared with a wine list that he handed to Walt. ‘Would you care to order some aperitifs?’ the sommelier asked. Each man in turn said what they would like to drink and Walt smiled as Joe said, ‘This is a surprise, I never expected to see you guys here tonight!’
‘Walt phoned and here we are,’ Mitch said. ‘It is as much a surprise to us as it is to you.’ The drinks arrived and Walt said to the sommelier, ‘I think a bottle of your best champagne would not go amiss and he then indicated his selection of both red and white wines to go with their meal. A waiter appeared to take their orders from the menu and the four colleagues sat back to enjoy their evening together.
‘Your very good health,’ Walt said as he held his glass aloft and toasted his three guests. The meal wet well, good food, good company and fine wine. It was as they were relaxing in the hotel lounge over coffee that Walt said, ‘I want to keep this occasion informal but I do have to say a few words. I am pleased that the branch office is in safe hands with you Mitch and Alan and I am happy that you are together. You may have guessed already that Joe and I are together now as a couple and I wanted to celebrate that as well as your promotions. Thank you for being here with us!’
It was the next morning that Joe woke and looked down at the still sleeping Walt that his mind went back to the time when he observed Alan in much the same manner. He realized that his brief affair with Alan was nothing more than that and that in time they would have drifted apart even if Mitch had not appeared on the scene. Joe knew in his heart that he now had a soul mate for life in Walt and he could not have been happier!
The End
I wonder when Alan and Mitch will find out about that twosome. Great update, Auto.