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ChapterFive
Joseph
It’s been a couple of weeks and I haven’t heard anything from Joyce. Once I calmed down and thought about the contract, she wanted me to sign, I get pissed all over again. No matter how I think about it, it is still utterly ridiculous. Even though I understood what she was saying concerning why she had it created, I couldn’t bring myself to desire to sign it at all. So, I threw myself into work, since Joyce was no longer an option. And it looks like I have a new sister to boot. True is perfect for Atlas, although I sense she has the same level of crazy as he has. We need to get a better lawyer on retainer. Hell, we might want to start our own law firm.
We’re finishing our part on this house so that tomorrow the next team will go in and do what they need to do and get the house finished. I have already sent most of the team to the next one while Scott, Marcus, Randall and I stay finishing here. It’s hot as hell today and I make sure to keep coolers and snacks to keep us hydrated. I grab a bottle of water and drink it all in one swallow and reach for a second one when my phone chirps alerting me to a message notification.
I pull my phone out and frown at the message. It’s from Joyce, and she is letting me know she will be in town soon. She wants to get together to talk.
“You alright, boss?” Marcus asks.
“Yeah, sorry. Got an unexpected message, that's all. Let’s get this house done so we can move on.”
“You got it, boss,” Randall says, and we get back to work. Am I going to see her again? I am not sure and until I am, I’m not going to respond to her text. We get back to work moving like a well-oiled machine. Before long, our part is done. We wrap up our equipment, clean up the work area and head home. My phone rings again. This time it’s Anson, not Joyce, and he is asking me if I want to meet them all at the bowling alley. Apparently, Atlas and True went bowling but my brother refused to wear the rentable bowling shoes and asked Anson to buy them some. Of course, that meant we all had to go, but I declined, telling Anson I have a date. Honestly, I just want to be alone. I head home, shower, and head out to a new jazz club downtown. I’m seated at a table in the corner, order a drink and dinner, and enjoy the mellow music.
This is exactly what I needed, and I am thoroughly enjoying my time at this club tonight. I am going to have to come here more often.
“I didn’t order that,” I tell the server when she comes over.
“She bought it for you,” she says pointing towards a gorgeous woman who is sitting at the bar.
“Thank you,” I tell the server and raise my glass at the woman who sent me the drink. I stand and gesture for her to join me. I hold the chair out for her as she sits.
“Thank you for the drink….”
“Sabrina, but everyone else calls me Bree. I have never seen you in here before, and I would remember you….” she says as she twirls the dark liquid in her wine glass.
“Joseph. This is my first time here, but it will not be my last. I take it you come here often to know who’s new here.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be a good business owner if I didn’t.”
“Aww, I see. This is a wonderful establishment.”
“Thank you. It was a lot of work but anything worth having is worth working for.”
“Very true.”
Before I know it, the band is on their last set, and it is time to go. Bree and I have talked until it is time for her to close her bar. She is a beautiful woman, with a warm, welcoming personality, a good trait for a club owner.
“Well, I better get going, Bree. I had a wonderful night and truly enjoyed our conversation.”
“Me too, Joseph. If you ever want to take the conversation out of my club, give me a call.” She hands me a card. “But either way, I look forward to seeing you here again, hopefully soon. Have a good night,” she says as she walks away from the table. Once I get to my car, I check my phone to see I have several missed calls and a couple of text messages. I check the one from Anson and burst out laughing at the video he sent me from their bowling night and the bumper rails up as Atlas throws the ball down the lane and still only knocks down one pin. I almost regret not going but I really needed time to think and just chill. When I check the other text, it is from Joyce again letting me know she will be touching down tomorrow and wanting to talk. It’s super late but I sent a reply that I will see her tomorrow evening. The car roars to life and I pull out of the parking lot and head home.
Joyce
As expected, T almost beat me when I got back home. I told her I tried giving him the contract and his reaction. Once she googled him, she really cussed me out.
“I told you, J, just let things be. Not to try giving him that contract!”
“I know you did, and you also know why that contract is important, T!
“Yes, it has served you well in the past, but you had to know that it wasn’t going to work on every man you tried it with.”
“It has so far! Once they realize they can’t get my money, usually knowing they can fuck me without any responsibility on their part is enough for them to sign.”
“J, you are usually worth more than the men you deal with but this time you might as well be a pauper compared to him. Why still bother with the contract? At least amend it for him or something. You are different with him, J. You almost snapped my head off when I called him a toy the last time we talked about him. You zone out and break out smiling for no reason at all. And if that is from a few encounters, I can only imagine what would happen if you opened yourself to actually getting to know him and allowing him to get to know you. You deserve that, J. You have poured into this business for fourteen years and it has grown more and more over the years. The only thing missing in your life is love.”
“I am not missing love. I have you and Angela and as soon as you stop dragging your feet, I’ll have a niece or nephew to spoil too.”
