The ‘Men for Hire’ anthology has now been
released.
Here is an excerpt from my story in the anthology Marital Duties which sets the scene…
“Men for Hire agency, Gemma speaking. How may I help you?”
“May I speak to Jennifer, please?”
“I’m afraid she is out on urgent business at the moment. Can I
assist in any way?”
He made a face. If her plan was to get him to talk to her, it
wasn’t working.
“Umm. My name is Mr. Fletcher. I’ve just seen your email.”
“What email is that?” There was a pause as Gemma clearly checked
her computer to ascertain which job he referred to. “Oh, yes. The one I sent
first thing this morning.” The assistant seemed to be struggling not to laugh
and Rob became even more convinced that he was the butt of their joke and
wasn’t best pleased after the day he’d had.
About to snap at the girl to tell his wife that he’d talk to her
when they got home, he didn’t get a chance to say anything when Gemma continued
with a giggle. “Your wife must be very lonely to have requested our services.”
Rob was taken aback.
Your wife … our services?
“It’s not often we get
requests of this sort and usually we turn them down.”
He was even more confused.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”
“She must have given the form to the owner of the firm directly.
I’m afraid I didn’t see or speak to your wife—Mrs. Fletcher. But I saw her job
request form on Jennifer’s desk this morning before she arrived and so I typed
it up and sent it to you.”
Comprehension dawned and Rob started to relax, sitting back in his
chair, a slight smile on his face. He guessed that Jennifer had completed the
form for her own satisfaction, not intending it to be seen by anyone else. It
now made perfect sense.
Rob started to chuckle, then something else occurred to him. Why
didn’t Jennifer phone me after she had discovered the form had been emailed? Or
maybe the ‘business’ she was attending to was more urgent than he thought.
“I was rather hoping Jennifer—Ms. Archer—would be in touch to give
me more details about what the job entails. Do you know when she’ll be back?”
“Oh, Mr. Fletcher. I’m afraid she’s been dealing with an emergency
at a client’s house.”
“Never mind. I’ll talk to her later.”
Gemma giggled. “But isn’t it obvious, Mr. Fletcher?”
Rob straightened up in his chair. “I beg your pardon?”
“What the job entails. Your wife clearly wants—oh, I’m not allowed
to say. Well, let’s call it ‘husbandly duties’—the sort that a man agrees to
when he gets married.”
“You mean, sex.” He wasn’t afraid to say.
He got a burst of loud girlish laughter in his ear, held the phone
away for a moment, and wondered how Jennifer could stand her.
“Yes, but I don’t know why we took this job. We’re not an escort
agency.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “For heaven’s sake, don’t tell
anyone.”
Rob raised his eyebrows. “So, Gemma, what do you suggest I do?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, someone has just come through the door. Do phone
again. I’m dying to know how this job turns out.”
Dropping the receiver back on the handset, Rob sighed. “I’ll bet
you’re curious, little madam.” He would have to have words with Jennifer about
her latest assistant. In the meantime, what was he going to do about the
ridiculous job his wife had requested he undertake? He was annoyed that her
silly little assistant was now party to the fact that they hardly ever had sex.
Not that she seemed to be aware that Jennifer was ‘Mrs. Fletcher.’
He rested his elbows on the desk as he considered this—and how to
get his own back on his wife. His eyes alighted on the remaining biscuits and
that gave him an idea.
Okay, my love. I’m going to play you at your own game. I’ll do
‘husbandly tasks’ for you—just not the sort you think.