Haunted by Him- Temptation

by lanie love

  He and I are sitting in his office after lunch going over which segments to do first.

  “You work too hard,” I say.

  “We can’t all be young and lively,” he says, making me laugh. “I'm sure you have plans tonight.”

  “Actually, I don't.”

  “But it’s Friday.”

  “And as pathetic as it sounds, it's just me and a bottle of wine tonight.”

  “Wow, that's depressing.”

  “Tell me about it,” I laugh. “All my friends have flown the coop.”

  “Well, we'll go out tonight, have some dinner. Maybe find a bar,” he says.

  “Oh no. Mr. Finch, really.”

  “Hey, I'm not letting you stay home all by yourself,” he says. My eyes shoot to the top of my head to think about it. “It's just dinner,” he adds.

  “Okay,” I say, after a minute. “As long as it's not my ex's restaurant, I'm game.”

  He laughs in agreement. I give him my address to pick me up there around eight. Call me crazy, but I'm actually looking forward to going.

  ****

  I wake up the next morning to an awful sound. I drag myself out of bed. I look down, realizing that I am still fully clothed. I don't even remember coming home. My head feels like it's about to explode when I hear that awful sound again. I follow to see where it's coming from. I make my way to the kitchen to see Finch at the counter trying to work my blender. What the hell?

  “Adrian?”

  “Ah, good, you're awake,” he says, starting the blender up once again.

  “No. Please, stop that,” I tell him. The sound is much closer now and it's killing my head. How the hell did I get hung over? I don't even remember drinking.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I figured you'd be hurting after last night. So, I thought I'd fix you this.” He pours the awful smelling red liquid in a glass. I take one whiff of it and almost puke.

  “What the hell is that,” I ask pushing it away.

  “It's a blend of tomato juice, ginger, and bananas,” he explains, but I shake my hand at him to please stop. “Guaranteed to cure a hangover.”

  “I don't remember drinking.”

  “You don't? You don't remember climbing on the bar? Taking your top off? Twirling it over your head singing Free Bird?” What? No way! He smiles, reliving the memory. “I just brought you home a few hours ago. I was going to leave this in your fridge, but since you're up…” He pushes it back towards me. “Drink up.”

  I take a sip and put it back on the counter as he turns to leave. He grabs his jacket and heads for the front door.

  “Um, thanks for everything, I guess,” I tell him.

  “No problem. It was fun. Now, get some sleep. I'll see you on Monday,” He says leaving.

  I dump the drink, take some Advil and go back to be

  Kent Wade

  Damn Trina for dragging me out to that damn restaurant. She wants to celebrate every fucking milestone Wade Works has, and cracking the Forbes list has her flying high? I'm glad we made it as well, but we have other business we need to attend to.

  Although, I do realize she is using it as an excuse to get me out. It's her attempt at getting me out of the “funk” she's convinced I've been in lately. I have no idea what she's referring to. I don't think I've suddenly become impossible to work with. I've always been demanding. It's not my fault that Janet runs to her in tears every damn minute. She needs to do her damn job right. I hate over-emotional women.

  And of course, someone gets a picture of us, and I swear they picked the most inappropriate time to take it. Looks like Trina is all over me. I wonder if she has to explain that to Keisha. Damn vultures will do anything to keep the rumor mill running. Why people have nothing better to do than to follow me around is beyond my comprehension. All I know is that I’m sick of this hot new who bullshit.

  I haven't reached out to Sage; the last I heard from Aaron, she was trying to make it work with the boyfriend. He swears up and down I should reach out to her, because there is no way that she's happy, but I won't interfere with her life again.

  I don't want to force her to choose me, only to have her wonder if she made the right choice later. As much as it kills me to let her go, I am determined to respect her choice. I admit, I've been very tempted to stop by her place, just to make sure she's okay, but ultimately, I decided against it. I would just be punishing myself by invading her life that way. So, I stay away. That doesn’t stop me from tuning in to her every night on the news. She is fucking phenomenal and the cameras love her. It’s like she was born to be in the spotlight.

  I’m keeping an eye on Strong Media, though. It’s a family owned business and I don’t know if they will allow me to infiltrate it, but it won’t hurt to offer when the time is right.

  Sage Turner

  So, Adrian and I have been hanging out together for the last few weekends. He's actually pretty fun to be around. Who knew?

  But now, it's Monday morning and I barely make it to work on time. I literally have to drag myself to my desk. And who do I see once I get there? Mr. Chipper himself, Adrian Finch. How the hell does he look so refreshed and rejuvenated when I feel like hammered shit? I used to party much harder than this with Allie and Laura and I've never felt anywhere near this bad.

  “Good morning, Adrian. I’m going to grab some coffee. You want some?”

  “No thanks, Doll. I already got some. Check your email when you get a chance. I inboxed you the latest on Judd McGraw. That idiot is up shit creek without a paddle for sure. I give him a week before he’s officially charged with insider trading. Read it over and tell me what you think.”.

  I nod and head to the lounge, cringing from the noise I’m making preparing my cup of coffee. I don’t even bother adding any cream or sugar to it. I leave it strong and black. I slide in my dressing room and plop down in the closest chair. I wish I could sleep a few more hours— or years.

  “Sage Turner,” I answer my ringing office phone.

  “Saytie,” Mags calls to me so hysterical, I can barely make out what she's saying.

  After I get her to calm down a little, she tells me Dad has been in an accident. The doctors need to speak to me because I am his next of kin. I need to make the medical decisions for him since he has no Advance Directive on file.

  I get off the phone with her and head for Adrian. Thoughts of my Aunt Janelle and her car accident invade my mind. It was the worst day of my life. Mom says it’s what killed Mamie Symone. It broke her heart. Adrian takes one look at me and insists on driving me to Santa Barbara, telling me I'm in no condition to drive that far alone. I don't waste time arguing with him because I know he's right.

  We race to the hospital and I rush to my Mag's side. I don't know how my legs are carrying me. I am in a tailspin, a free fall. The most important person in my life is fighting for his and I have no idea what to do or where to turn.

  Adrian left about an hour ago, after making sure I was okay and bringing in some food for Mags and me while we waited for word on dad. I can't thank him enough for all he's done. I never would have thought the man I couldn't get away from fast enough when we first met, would be someone who I've come to depend on.

  Dad was coming home from work when he was hit by a drunk driver. The friend he was with managed to call for help before succumbing to his own injuries. The paramedics said that dad was talking for a while on the ride to the hospital, but then he began to complain of severe pain in his chest and stomach. By the time they made it to the E.R. He was unconscious. We’re in the waiting room of the Intensive care unit. He was rushed into surgery. Now, I'm being bombarded with paperwork. I have to consent to treat for things I didn't even know existed.

  Does he have insurance? Does he want to be put on a Ventilator? Do you want us to resuscitate him if he stops breathing or goes into cardiac arrest?

  Yes, yes, and yes. Do whatever it takes to save him!

  Four hours
later, he is brought out of surgery and put into a small room in ICU. We are outside, being updated on his condition by the surgeon. His spleen ruptured. They were monitoring it at first, but when he showed signs of internal bleeding, they had to go in and repair it. He had a collapsed lung which they re-inflated before surgery. He is stable now, but the next few days will be the most critical.

  As the doctor talks about his condition, I look through the observation window at my dad. The man I always saw as larger than life now looks so small and helpless lying in that bed, pale with all of the tubes, wires, and monitors around him. I'm trying so hard to hold it together and to be strong for him, but it is taking everything in me not to ball up on the floor and cry.

  I called my mother to let her know. I was so hysterical over the phone, I scared myself. She and my step-father, Cedric, are coming in from New Orleans on the next flight out. They want to be here to support me.

  Mags is also a mess. I know she and Mom are not the best of friends, not by a long shot and I don't want to put any more stress on her than what she’s already under, but I really need my mom here to support me. I dare not call Allie. I know she would be on the first plane back from her getaway cruise with Aaron, he and the Wades be damned, and that's the last thing I want her to do right now. The same with Laura.

  ****

  “Sage, honey, how are you? How's Gil doing,” Mom and Cedric ask as they come into the waiting room hugging me and Mags.

  “He's still not out of the woods yet… we have to just wait and see,” I tell them. “Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.” I say to them while still hugging much too tightly.”

  “Oh, honey, I know how much you love your dad. I want to be here to support you through this. Now, we all know Gil Turner is as strong and mule-headed as they come. He'll be up grumbling around here soon enough,” Mom says more trying to convince herself than the rest of us. I know a big part of her still loves him and wishes things could have been different for them. Cedric takes Mags over to the cafeteria to get something to eat while my mom sits and waits with me. “So, how are things with you,” she asks, patting my hand. “Last we spoke, you were heartbroken over JR.”

  “I still am. I've made such a mess of everything. I loved JR. I still do, but he and I, we wouldn't have worked. We wanted different things. I just wish I could have figured that out sooner before I lost someone I really care about. Now, with Dad hurt and… I don't know,” I tell her. “I just miss him, I guess.”

  “You know I loved your dad, right?” I nod my head. “We tried. I really tried to be what he wanted me to be. For so long I felt guilty because I thought love should be enough, but it wasn't. After a while, your dad and I became resentful of each other and the mess of a marriage we were holding on to for so long. Before we divorced, our relationship was so very toxic. But now, he and I both realize that the best thing we did for each other was letting go so that we could find true happiness. And we both have. I think that's what you did with Jacob. Be proud that you had the strength to let go before it became too much and too ugly. There is life after lost love. Sometimes it's even a better one.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I know you're right. I just have so many regrets that I have to live with.”

  “Oh, child, let me tell you. I know all about those, trust me. It’s best to lay those burdens down. Leave them at the cross. Now, as far as this other someone is concerned, who says it can't be fixed? If he means something to you, then it's worth a shot, right?” She winks with a smile, getting up to hug me. “I better go and rescue Maggie. I'm sure Cedric is talking her ear off by now. Do you want anything to eat?”

  “I’m not hungry,” I say. She looks me up and down with a shake of her head.

  “I’ll bring you back some chicken. Chicken fixes everything,” she says, running her fingernails through her hair. “I forgot to pack my pressing comb. I wonder if they have frog legs,” she says, walking away, fretting about her hair and food.

  Chapter Twenty- Eight

  Downtown Los Angeles

  Sage Turner’s Loft

  Sage Turner

  It's been a month since Dad's accident. A day after his surgery, he suffered a stroke and now has partial paralysis on his left side. He’s awake, but he’s still kind of out of it. He’s not at all like himself anymore. He faces months of rehabilitation, that is, if he makes it that far. I know he’s strong, but how much can a body take? Mom and Cedric had to return to New Orleans last week. They wanted to stay longer, but couldn’t afford to take any more time off from work. I’ll have to start commuting back and forth from LA on the weekdays for work and back to here on the weekends.

  Adrian has agreed for me to leave right after airtime on Friday to make the drive. He constantly asks about how Dad is and even offers to do anything he can to help. I'm just grateful he is so understanding. Mags and I are worried now because Dad's insurance has run out. Mine hasn’t even kicked in yet from Strong Studios, not that I can include him on my plan anyway. We kept him in private care for as long as we could, but our funds have run out and he was transferred to a county hospital two days ago. He’s not getting the care he needs to recover from his stroke. I want to move him to a center in LA, but I can't handle the cost of the transfer, let alone the cost of the actual rehab.

  Mags has put the house on the market. Since Dad is no longer able to work, they’re going to lose it anyway. I told Mags to come and live with me, but of course, she doesn’t want to be that far from Dad. Mom and Cedric are giving us what they can, but it's nowhere near enough. My heart breaks at the fact that he is deteriorating right before my eyes. He is getting weaker and weaker and all we can do is watch. He’s been my rock all my life, but I’m useless to him when he needs me the most.

  ****

  “Sage,” Adrian calls me from his office. “Can you come in here for a minute, please?”

  I walk into his office and sit down.

  “The Langston Marathon is being held next week in DC. There’s always some big political brouhaha behind it, so you and I are scheduled to cover it. We’ll arrive early Sunday morning stay overnight and leave Monday evening. I know you’ll enjoy it, it's a way for you to get your on-assignment feet wet,” he says smiling at me.

  “That's great. I’ve heard of it. Last year, Congressman Maloney won.

  “You mean his mistress actually let him out of her sight long enough to compete?”

  “Seems so. I’ve always wanted to cover it. Shall I make the travel and hotel arrangements?”

  “No, it's already been taken care of. The information’s been emailed to us. Departure time is seven am.” I nod and leave the office to check my email.

  Washington, DC

  Langston Marathon

  The fanfare for the marathon is amazing. It's everything I thought it would be. I'm glad we arrived early because every news station and their mother are already here.

  “This is great,” I say, now looking around at the hotel restaurant.

  While we are waiting for our food to arrive, I call and check in with Mags. I’m sad to hear that there is still no improvement with my dad.

  “Sage,” he calls to me when he sees my mood changes after I hang up with her. “How’s your dad doing?”

  “Not good, I'm afraid. He needs extensive therapy, but it’s not possible right now,” I tell him, leaving out the part where I am too broke and useless to help my own father. It’s scary how an illness can wipe out an entire family’s finances.

  “Well, that's one of the things I've been meaning to talk to you about. I think I can help you out with your problem.”

  “You can? How? I didn’t realize you were a miracle worker as well as a great producer.”

  “I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve,” he says with a grin. “But for now, I have a simple proposition for you.”

  “What kind of proposition?” I’m all ears as he leans in closer to me.

  “I am a very busy man. Much too busy to even date, let alone find a girlfriend
,” he says as he takes a sip of wine. “It’s one of the reasons I frequent clubs.” My eyebrows lift. It’s the first time he’s ever mentioned the club. “What I'm proposing is that you be my companion, of sorts. You’ll be required to attend dinners, charity events, and functions such as this,” he says waving his hand around the room.

  “I don't understand. How is this helping my dad?”

  “Well, of course, I will pay you for your time. One thousand dollars per date,” he says.

  “One thousand dollars for every date,” I ask him.

  “I have money, Sage.”

  “And you want to pay it to me to spend time with you?” He nods. “To be your companion and accompany you on dates? Nothing more?”

  “Sage—”

  “I knew it. I’m not a whore. I may be desperate for money, but I’m not going to sell myself for it. If my father knew I was even considering such a thing he would be devastated, to say the least,” I say, grabbing for my bag. I think it’s time I go up to my room. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” I say getting up to leave.

  “I want you.” He takes hold of my hand as I pass him. “Don't make this more difficult than it has to be. Don't make this into something tawdry. The way I see it, it's a win-win for the both of us. I get you and you get to help your father. We've hung out before and we've had fun, right? It won't be any different than that, just a little spice thrown in. A little sage, if you will,” he laughs at his lame joke. “Why is it so wrong?”

  “I’m not going to sleep with you for money.”

  “It can be just straight sex. No BDSM. Well, unless you want it,” he whispers as he rubs my hand and I nearly throw up at the image. I snatch my hand away. “You don't have to decide anything now. The last thing I want to do is make this trip unpleasant for you. Let's put it on the back burner as something to consider and enjoy the rest of our trip.”

  “I'm going to my room. I'll see you tomorrow.”