Free Those Angstrom Men!. by Edwina J White Page B

some thought. “Well, Maggie’s quite right, you need to take up all her free time. Think of an activity you can get her involved with, one where she won’t bump into too many good looking single types.”
    “Suggestions?”
    “Does she like sailing? You‘ve got that thirty two foot sloop you haven‘t used much the last couple of years.”
    “Yes, she does. I could get her and her friend Annie to crew for me on some of the long distance races our sailing club has organized for the next few months, I could monopolize every weekend for the next four months… and she’s so busy at work just now, she doesn’t go out during the week.“
    “By then she should be ready for some romance, Alec .”
    Maggie thought for a moment. “I know, you need to get her away somewhere romantic, and woo her with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.“
    “Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries ?”
    “Best seduction tools I know ,“ smirked Ian. “They worked on you, didn’t they Maggie mine?”
    Maggie gazed adoringly at her husband. “They worked so well that I married you, and had your baby, darling…in spite of the fact you l ied to me…”
    Alec raised an eyebrow. “Lied to you, Maggie?”
    “Yes, lan told me his name was Armstrong, not Angstrom. He wanted to try and have a normal relationship with me.”
    “How did you tell her, Ian?”
    “Dad actually spilled the beans, and boy, was she mad. Spitting fire! But I kissed her silly and she forgave me.”
    “And he plied me with Cristal and chocolate covered strawberries,” smiled Maggie. “Cristal and chocolate covered strawberries work every time, Alec.”
    When Alec got home, he telephoned his wine merchant and ordered a case of Cristal which he laid down in his wine cellar for future use. Then he went online and learned how to make chocolate covered strawberries. He found some of the best chocolate, stashed it in his pantry and made sure he always had fresh strawberries in the fridge.
    A week later, the weather forecast said the weekend would be perfect for sailing. He called Susan and Annie and invited them out for the weekend on the sailboat.
    He brought along the strawberries and the chocolate, but not the champagne. He brought Pinot Gris instead.
    The three of them had a marvellous time, sailing all day and drinking wine and eating the strawberries when they moored Saturday evening.
    “So, girls,” said Alec when he judged they were mellow,
    “I see the sailing club is organizing a series of six long distance races over the next four months. I thought I might enter, if you two would be my crew.”
    “I’ll sign on if you promise these strawberries every race,” laughed Susan.
    “Me, too,” agreed Annie, licking her fingers.

Alec smiled. Problem Number One solved. Susan would be too busy to meet anyone but him…
    Now, on to Problem Number Two.
    The solution to Problem Number Two flashed up during their third weekend race. They sailed past a gleaming cruise ship headed out of Southampton, off no doubt to the Mediterranean.
    “Wouldn’t that be a great holiday?” sighed Annie.
    “What’s stopping you?”
    “Somebody to go with, it’s too expensive on a teacher’s salary to go on my own…and Susan thinks she’d be bored.”
    “But you love being out on the sailboat, Susan,” said Alec. “You’re never bored while we’re sailing.”
    “That’s different. I’m always busy.”
    “Oh, no you’re not. You laze in the sun working on your tan at least two or three hours every afternoon…”
    “Well, maybe…”
    “Go with her, Susan. Would you deprive your best friend of her dream holiday because she can’t afford to go alone?”
    Susan sighed. With both Annie and Alec on at her, she supposed she’d better give in. Her eyes narrowed.
    If she was going to suffer the boredom of a large cruise ship filled with either older couples or legions of young women looking for a romantic interlude, she’d make sure Alec shared her