I felt a lingering sense of hostility toward the old man, but I gradually relaxed as the girls posed for Carter. Something about a pair of nude and sexy models put me in a different frame of mind.
Gee, ya think? the little head said.
Oh, shut up! No one asked you.
Carter scooted a couple of old patio chairs into place on either side of the girls. Kim knew what to do without being told. She raised one foot to the seat of the chair, and Christy followed her lead after a moment.
“Let’s see it, hon,” Carter said. “Spread your cookie.”
For a moment I was afraid she’d do the “two-finger spread,” the thing I hated most about Hustler and magazines like it. Fortunately, she was too classy for that. She rested her hand on her thigh and used her fingers to discreetly spread herself open. Christy followed suit, and Carter took several pictures, including close-ups of their pussies.
We took pictures in several more spots around camp, and Carter always managed to find someplace with enough cover so the girls could pose for a beaver shot or two. In the last one, he asked Christy to kneel at Kim’s side and touch her pussy, which she was more than happy to do. Kim was nervous about it, but she managed to smile for the camera.
“Thank you, ladies,” Carter said. “You were beautiful.” He unloaded the exposed roll and sealed it in its canister. “Same agreement as before?” he asked me.
“Oh, Carter,” Kim said, “don’t be such a lawyer all the time.”
Sandy blond eyebrows rose in surprise. Then he looked at me with a bemused expression.
“I guess she told you,” I said.
“I don’t mind,” he said. “From time to time. Are you ready to talk to Susan? Then we’ll move our things.”
“Sounds good.”
* * *
Susan didn’t have a problem with them moving or the insurance, but Carter wrote out an agreement anyway.
“I need a real business manager for this place,” she grumbled to herself. “I have them for everything else. Why not here?”
“The camp is home,” I told her simply.
“You’re right, but things are changing. I need to keep up with the times.”
“I could put you in touch with a few people,” Carter suggested. “I don’t know anyone local, but I can ask around.”
“No, but thank you,” she said. “I know everyone in the area. I’ll find someone.”
“Speaking of people in the area…,” I said. “Trip found us an architect to work with. Christy and I met him on Monday. Granville Blair.”
“G.B.,” Susan said with a nod. “He’s quite a character, isn’t he?”
“That’s a polite way to put it.”
“Yes, well. He and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but I’ve never had trouble with him. He’s still around, after all.”
My eyebrows shot up with amusement and no small amount of surprise. Susan didn’t make idle threats.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she laughed. “I haven’t run anyone out of the county in years.”
It was Carter’s turn to look surprised, especially at the matter-of-fact way she’d said it.
Susan glanced at her watch and sighed. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”
“Today?” I said. “It’s a holiday.”
“But the camp doesn’t stop running. We have the barbecue tonight, the fireworks, and a thousand other details I need to see to.” She sighed. “I miss Jeremiah.”
“Anything we can help with?” Carter asked.
“No, but thank you.” She summoned a smile. “Relax and enjoy your vacation. I think you’ll be much happier with… shall we say, the ‘hospitality’ at the Retreat.”
“Right,” he chuckled. “I think we will.”
We said goodbye and walked back toward the clubhouse.
“I see why you like her,” Carter said. “She’s the heart of the whole operation, isn’t she?”
“She’s more than that,” I said. “She’s the brains of a small empire.”
He glanced my way, so I told him about her business savvy.
“I don’t know how much she’s worth,” I finished, “but it’s well into the millions. Probably tens of millions, if I had to guess.”
“Sounds like my father,” he agreed. Then he glanced at me sideways. “You probably figured it out already, but my family has money. Not Sam Walton money, but we aren’t hoi polloi.”
My eyebrows twitched at his choice of words, but I nodded.
“Kim’s father too, although his money’s tied to the country club. We don’t have trust funds or anything like that,” he added quickly. “We have to live on my salary.”
“Kim’s helps, I’m sure.”
“No, hers is for fun. Clothes and jewelry, hair and nails, things like that. She likes working, though, and I want her to keep doing it until she starts having kids. After I make partner.” He thought of something and laughed. “I don’t want to admit we’re yuppies, but I guess we are.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” I said.
He shrugged. “Money can’t buy happiness.”
“Very true.”
We walked the rest of the way in thoughtful silence. I’d grown to like Carter a lot, and in only two days. We were different in some ways but alike in the ones that mattered.
* * *
We helped Carter and Kim move into an empty bungalow, and they combined their food with ours in the fridge and cupboards. Then we spent a couple of hours by the pool.
Christy and Kim relaxed and soaked up the late afternoon sun. Then they painted their toenails, coral for Christy and another coat of red for Kim. After that, Kim offered to give Christy a manicure.
“My nails are a mess,” Christy demurred. “I used to chew them. And I can’t do anything with them now.”
“I’m sure we can make them look nice,” Kim said. “Come on, let me see.”
Carter watched with an indulgent smile and then returned his attention to the documents he was reviewing. He and I were working. He’d brought case files with him, and I had my designs.
Some part of me was disappointed that we’d naturally decided to do “girl things” and “guy things.” I didn’t like to think of myself as old-fashioned, especially when it came to men and women, but I’d been raised in that environment. Breaking the mold wasn’t so easy. Like Carter, I was probably more of a chauvinist than I wanted to admit, but at least I tried to be aware of it.
The girls decided to distract us when Christy’s nails had dried.
“Come swim with us,” Kim begged. “It’s almost dinnertime, and you’ve been working all afternoon.”
“I have to get this done,” Carter said. “I have to file a brief, and I’m in court on Monday.”
Christy simply arched an eyebrow and then glanced with disapproval at my drawing board.
“They’re right,” I told Carter. “All work and no play…”
“Right. But this ‘dull boy’ has clients who don’t care, plus a senior partner who only cares about billable hours.”
“But we’re on vacation,” Kim wheedled. “Come play with us. Please.”
He glanced at me. “We could open a bottle of wine,” he suggested. “I hate to drink more of yours, but I promise we’ll go to town tomorrow and restock your cellar.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Red or white?” he asked. “Never mind, I’ll decide.”
“Grab two,” I said.
“Good idea. Be right back. C’mon, hon,” he said to Kim. “You can help me carry everything.”
I set my drafting board aside, stood, and stretched the kinks from my back. Christy waited before she slid into my arms.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
“I know.”
“I like Kim. We have a lot in common. Clothes and makeup and hair. Girl things,” she added wryly. “I could see you thinking about it. I know you.”
“You do,” I chuckled.
“Only, I like girl things.”