“Connie,” Blake slid the plastic folder to the lady sitting across from him in his office. “You know, a lot has changed over the years. My father is not the only one who calls the shots in the business anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Connie pushed forward in her seat, placing an elbow on the edge of Blake’s desk. “So you will not help me? Is that what you are saying?”
He gave her a frustrated sigh.
“Are you saying I will get the contract?” Her eyes brightened up. “if I do that?”
“No, Connie, don’t misunderstand me,” he darted a hard look at her. “If you write your proposal properly, I will submit it to the board who will deliberate on it as they will do to the several proposals that others have submitted. And if they find your proposal good enough, they will give you the contract.”
“In other words, you are not going to at least put in a nice word for me?”
“No, I won’t,” he told her. “I hope you can still remember what happened when I stuck out my neck four years ago for you?”
She got a contract through him but refused to deliver then.
“I knew you would not help me,” Connie stood up angrily. “It was Marcus that forced me to come here, thinking you are a good friend.”
Blake sat there and watched her leave. He wasn’t ready to stick his neck out for her again. She was his friend’s little sister right, but she was also one little ball of trouble.
She had always wanted him. Blake had a go with her once but he would not let that happen now. He was now a married man.
He stood up and went to the large French window to look outside as he cast his mind back to the day she wore him out several years ago.
They were at the club for a friend’s birthday and she continued to pester him as usual for a dance. But he knew she was asking for much more than a dance. That was a few months before he got the job at Cleverwood. He wasn’t in any relationship then, so he decided the hell with it and said to her, “Let’s have the dance.”
His late friend, Cole clapped, across from them, where he was sitting.
Ellen’s eyes lit up, and she grasped his hands and led him to the dance floor.
They hadn’t even danced for up to five minutes when she said they should go to her apartment, which was nearby.
“So soon?” He smirked.
“Yes!” she declared with a sly grin. “Now, sugar. I’m in my safe period and I got tested just a few days ago.”
“Okay let’s go,” he said. “Just this once.” He rumbled into her ear.
“Yeah, just this once,” she purred,
tightening her grip on his hand as if he would change his mind if she didn’t do so as they navigated themselves away from the dance floor.
They hurriedly undressed each other the moment they walked into her living room.
There was no foreplay, no preambles of any sort. He rolled her over on the sofa and went ahead to give her what she wanted.
Ever since she had been pinning around him for a repeat.
Tasha pulled her rental car into the parking lot and killed the engine. She was at the Sandville Unity Park to meet with Phoebe, her long-time friend, for lunch. It was also her third day in town. Phoebe had driven down from Buffalo to see her. Being the current Sub-Dean in her faculty, she couldn’t take the summer off. Tasha picked up her bag from the passenger’s seat and got out of the car.
She walked towards the restaurant where they had agreed to meet up. “Over here, Tash,” Phoebe called, waving as soon as she sighted her friend from where she was sitting on the deck.
Tasha’s lips curved up in a smile and she waved back as she walked towards her. When she got to where her friend was, Phoebe stood up and wrapped her in a very warm embrace. Though they both talk almost every day, it has been over six months since they’ve seen each other last.
“It’s so good to see you, girl,” Phoebe drawled after they pulled apart. “It’s been ages.”
“It’s just six months and some days, girl,” Tasha swatted her friend playfully on the arm. “How are you doing? You look good.”
Both ladies sat down.
“I’m good. Thank you.”
“You look so different,” a very observant Phoebe commented, looking into her friend’s eyes with amusement. “Tell me who is responsible for this new you.”
“Come off it,” Tasha threw her head back and laughed happily. “Am still the same Tasha Harrison. Why should someone be responsible for how I look?”
“I know you are going to take your time before spitting it all out,” she told her friend knowingly. “I know you so well.”
Phoebe gestured for a waiter, and the two women made their orders. They both requested chicken salad with grapes and pecans sandwich, along with tall glasses of sparkling lemonade punch.
“So, how are Nat and the boys?” Tasha asked.
Phoebe now has two boys with her partner, who was a medical doctor.
“All my three boys are fine,” she paused a bit to allow the waiter to place their food on the table. When the waiter left, she looked over at her friend and said, “And my big boy and I are ready to make things official by the end of August. We are inviting close friends and family members only, we want something intimate.”
“Oh my goodness,” Tasha smiled and reached out over the table to squeeze her friend’s hands. “This is such great news. I’m so happy for you and Nat.”
Phoebe and Nat had been together for about twelve years, and everyone around them had been expecting this announcement.
“Thank you,” she squeezed her friend’s hands back. “I want you to be my chief bride’s maid, Tasha.”
“Wow,” Tasha’s eyes sparkled brightly at the news.
“Will you…? Will you do Nat and me the honor?”
“Of course,” Tasha nodded. She couldn’t refuse her best friend such an honor. “I will.”
“Yesss!” Phoebe giggled.
They both laughed and sipped from their drink.
“Now, it’s your turn, Tash.” Phoebe beamed at her friend. “Tell me all about you and the man that is making you so happy.”
They both burst into hearty laughter, and Tasha told her friend all about Grant.