Love is in the Cards

by K. L. Brady

  "You suppose." The viciousness of the side-eye she delivered could've crippled him for life.

  "I apologize for ruining things between you and Kyle. Furthermore, I promise heretofore to butt out, mind my own business, and try hard to be the best boss in the world."

  "Anything else?" she asked.

  "That's not enough?"

  She expelled a long breath tempered by a groan of concession. Then she leaned back in her seat, and weaved her fingers together.

  "You caught me off-guard with the acquisition, okay? If I had the slightest inkling that anyone had an interest in buying my company—and I could choose from any name in the world—I'd list the last name...and yours would fall beneath that one."

  "I understand what you're saying, but that's not exactly how it—"

  "Cody, you didn't want this when it belonged to us. You abandoned me, the dream, which is your prerogative."

  "I didn't exactly—"

  "Through a lot of hard work and a small side of nepotism, you achieved every goal you wanted to reach. You got the girl—Chandra; the position— CEO of Hart Enterprises. You got the money, the status, the notoriety. You got everything."

  "I didn't exactly get every—"

  "And everything wasn't enough to satisfy your ambitions. Did you really need this little thing of mine, too?"

  For all his effort to bridge the gap, there couldn't be more distance between them. Now silence filled it.

  His eyes froze on hers as they lingered in a hush. A million thoughts flooded his mind, all versions of the same truth, none of which he could speak. Not right now. Before he had a chance to piece his reasons together, she broke the stalemate.

  "I guess the truth is what's done is done. We can't go back. We're in the here and now, and the acquisition is a fait accompli. We're in the thick of it, at least for a little while longer."

  "A little while longer? What does that mean? You're not resigning, are you?"

  "Wasn't that your strategy all along?" Her head tilted to the side. "I mean, if not making me quit, what exactly did you expect of me?"

  "I can't change your perception. All I can tell you, promise you, is that no matter what you believe, I'm Cody. You know me, maybe better than anyone on this planet. You don't have to believe in me, all I ask is for you to trust your own mind. If you do that, you'll know what I want you to do."

  She shrugged. "Well, if what you need is mind reading, I foresee an epic failure on the horizon."

  "Fine. You want me to be more explicit?" He glanced down to check the time and pointed toward the door. "What I expect you to do...is come with me. Now."

  "Now...as in now now?"

  "No, the 5th of Nevuary. Yes, now. And hustle or we'll be late."

  In a refreshing twist, Tessa didn't argue. She didn't balk. She trusted herself and followed him. He gave her time to grab her jacket and purse and whisked her downstairs to an awaiting car. Then he took her on the ride he wished would change...everything.

  * * *

  Cody studied Tessa's expression as they trekked through the renovated Hart creative studios. As he always hoped, she moved in wonder and awe, her mouth gaped open as wide as her eyes.

  He'd evolved and modernized the area, to the point it barely resembled the building of their childhood.

  She remained suspended in disbelief as they wandered through the transformed workspace largely based on her early drawings for Sweet-Hart studios. He had the resources to elevate her original vision. "Whoa! You've made a few changes," Tessa said.

  "The leading edge is where success lives, right? Isn't that what you always said?" He led her into a large room that anchored a conference suite. There, more awaited her than she ever expected.

  Tessa

  Inside the soul of Hart's new division, Tessa's lips curled into a smile genuine and wide as she greeted the eager group of youngsters. Cody outpaced her to the chair, but this time was different from that summer so long ago. Instead of competing against her, he pulled it out for her to take a seat. Then he found a seat beside her. Tessa took note.

  Cody had strolled in like a boss and transformed, like Clark Kent stripping down to his super onesie. Tessa sat in awe of his authoritative vibe, one-part commanding, two parts sexy. Something about crossing the threshold from the outside world into Hart Enterprises altered him. An air of positivity oozed through the threads weaved into his million-dollar outfit. He wore power like his suit. It was tailored to fit him like a glove. He emanated a kind of glow. He was something new, a different man from the one she fought the night before. This version of him reminded her of the man she fell in love with.

  From that point forward, the universe shifted. Something changed. She was impressed by the man he'd become.

  "Hey, team! Welcome to the kick-off. Our new project begins today," Cody began before explaining Tessa's presence. He commanded his audience in the best way with every word spoken and every moment that passed. She respected his leadership, didn't recoil at the thought of him leading her. Perhaps Mr. Hart had seen a quality in him that she missed. Clearly the acorn did not roll far from the oak.

  "As promised, Tessa Sweet, the creator and CEO of Keep It Real Cards joins us, today. She has graciously agreed to serve as your consulting manager, at least during project initiation." He glanced at her. "But I'm truly hoping we can all convince her to stay longer."

  A wave of hellos and excited mumbles rippled across the room. Tessa avoided acknowledging his last statement, the one about supporting the team longer. She embraced the apparent delightfulness of the crew but made no promises about staying on full-time. Despite her revelations about Cody and his intentions, her eyes remained fixed on a single prize, wresting her company away from Hart Enterprises as quickly as possible. Now that he'd offered her a path to arrive at her desired destination, she'd do it.

  "My invitation to this meeting was a little last minute, so I'm afraid I'm not fully prepared. Maybe we can start with portfolios? If you all have them, I'd love to take a quick peek, see how deep the talent runs in the Hart organization." She gave a thumbs-up.

  A choir of yesses followed.

  "Perfect. Then I'll start with a very brief introduction of—me. Very brief. After that, I'd like to go around the room, learn a little bit more about you, and flip through each of your portfolios. Everyone good with that?"

  Tessa practically smelled the Enfamil dripping from the groups' cherub cheeks. Generation Z. Her first inclination was to blame the youth factor, but she soon realized that none of them seemed to take for granted the opportunity to work for Hart or be graced with the audience of its CEO.

  Tessa stuck to the basics when discussing herself—a BA in Communications from North Carolina A&T, Aggie Pride, and the schools of all Sweets and Harts. Then she, with the thinnest layer of detail possible, and under Cody's watchful gaze, described what inspired her to create Keep It Real Cards. "I would describe my life as a series of setbacks, signs, and decision points. Unexpected life events have a way of sending you into a tailspin. But I truly believe that in the space between the rocks and the hard places is where you find out not only who you are, but who you're meant to be.

  "Signs. You have to believe in them and watch for them. Then you have to be brave enough to choose the direction in which the signs point. Courage and persistence will be the difference between reaching your next goal or languishing in a plateau. I discovered Keep It Real in the space between the rock and the hard place, and I had the courage to follow the signs. I received a spark of inspiration which led me to design my first card. It hangs on my wall today."

  Cody released a sigh of relief that was barely audible. He knew enough of her honesty to appreciate her ability to speak it without saying the words.

  "I've never desired to walk in someone else's path, not that there's anything wrong with following a trail someone has left for you. You can go as far as you want to make it your own. For me, I needed something of my own. Keep It Real took off because I achieved what
most successful start-ups do—tapped an underserved niche market of consumers and served them."

  Tessa deserved a pat on the back for deftly navigating the high road when she could've gone low. With her part over, she proceeded around the table, greeted each new face with a smile, and welcomed each attendant to offer their own introduction.

  First in the line-up was Calvin, the cute kid if one liked the Pharrell type—artsy, nerdy. He wore a hat with a weird zigzag and seemed a little stiff with his dark-rimmed glasses and bowtie. Tessa couldn't help but think he'd be highly suited for two jobs in this world—greeting card writing and playing Urkel when Family Matters rebooted.

  "Graduated in May," he began after a quick hello. "Majored in music with a minor in computer science. I guess you could call me an undercover poet. I participated in some spoken word events in school."

  Her head jerked back at the thought of him having the nerve to speak on stage in front of an audience. There was more to him than she'd given him credit for.

  "I've been writing verses and lyrics, practically since I was old enough to hold a pencil. The master plan was to become a rapper. Don't ask me my rap name. My mother, who is my biggest fan, told me I can't wrap a gift." Everyone laughed. "She suggested I find another outlet for my art. Hey, she's like you. She believes in 'keeping it real'." He used air quotes and faced Tessa dead on, and a wave of chuckles filled the silence. "I got into music because I like to make people happy. Unfortunately, it seems making people happy and rapping are mutually exclusive in my world," he said to another round of chuckles. "So, I figured I'd give greeting cards a try. Turns out I'm good at it. But I'm a copy guy. I don't do art."

  "You're preaching to the choir, brother," Tessa said, flipping the pages of his portfolio and then glancing at Cody. "I like your stuff. Very upbeat cards. These don't contain a lot of verse, but I like your themes. Not cheesy. Really good work. Next."

  Everyone, especially Calvin, turned to the lone mousy girl in the group, Joya. In fact, the starry-eyed Calvin couldn't take his eyes off of the pre-ball Cinderella.

  A brief trip to the MAC counter and junior's dress section at Lord & Taylor would expose her as a fraud.

  Beyond Joya's striking features, Tessa sensed a humbleness with a quiet strength; she'd probably be the last person to ever speak of herself that way.

  He crushed on her big time.

  "You look like you'd rather skin a snake than speak today," Tessa commented.

  "Is that an option?" Joya asked in a voice somewhere between dead serious and joking. Everybody laughed which seemed to loosen her up a bit. "Yeah, I'm not much of a speaker. Writing is my jam."

  Whatever her present "before" state, Calvin only saw the "after." She seemed more introverted than shy. She wore glasses and a long ponytail as a cloak, a failed effort to hide an outer beauty that couldn't be hidden.

  Tessa sensed that Joya was Tessa before Cody, and Calvin was Cody before Tessa. Cody dragged Tessa kicking and screaming out of her shell. They brought the best out in each other, at least they did once upon a time.

  "I so can relate." Tessa wanted to say more, assure Joya that the more successful she became, the more she would evolve, but Joya was just fine as she was. "Can I take a peek at your portfolio?"

  Intentionally or unintentionally, Joya had rested it under her elbow to keep it at close guard. Hesitantly, Joya lifted her arm so Tessa could slide the leather binder from the table. One look inside and Tessa's eyes bulged. She jerked her head backward in shock. "This artwork is...amazing. Who's the artist?"

  Joya raised her hand weakly and tightened her lips.

  "You?" Tessa's eyebrows arched.

  "That would be me. Turns out between dodging the paparazzi and escaping crazed fans, I've got a lot of free time."

  Everyone laughed again. Her sense of humor, driven by a dry, self-deprecating wit, struck everyone's funny bone.

  "Oh, this one is very Keep It Real." Tessa read aloud. "This is weird. I'm thinking of you, again."—she flipped to the inside copy—"I'd rather be doing yoga. I hate yoga."

  Tessa laughed...hard. Maybe too much so. She related to that message. Heck, she used to be that message. "Very relatable message here. I like this a lot."

  Joya's "voice" aligned perfectly with the Keep It Real vision. Despite the brave front, Tessa detected something else behind the glasses. A melancholy vibe, perhaps. She couldn't put her finger on it.

  Next up—Max. A Notre Dame graduate, she looked like the Addams' family's lost sister. She was goth and tatted. From the outside, she seemed dark, like the spirit of a serial killer dwelled within her, but her portfolio nearly stunned Tessa silent.

  "Cody, you would love these," she said holding them up for him to review. "That's funny. I never would've pegged you as the hearts and bunnies member of this group."

  "Excellent stuff, Max," Cody said.

  "What can I say? I'm complex," she said, without breaking a grin. Everyone else glanced at each other unsure of whether it was safe to laugh, so remained silent, until she cracked up. Then they all followed her lead.

  There were only two girls left. The next to last looked like a twenty-something Diana Ross if she knitted and baked banana bread.

  "Guess I'll go next. I'm Denesha, the middle daughter of a thrifty mother. We made everything, especially around the holidays. Our own soaps and bath salts; every gift for all occasions, lots of baked goods and quilts. So, I guess it stands to reason that we created every greeting card. I was one of four children who went to Howard."

  "Awww, I'm so sorry about the school. Are you still angry with your parents?" Tessa teased. "Aggie pride." They both laughed.

  "My parents said that we may have appeared cheap and broke, but that's how they saved enough money to send all of us to school."

  "Wow. Looking at your portfolio, I can see the evolution of your style. You've been writing cards for every occasion since you were a kid."

  She nodded. "We didn't get store-bought gifts until we graduated high school—even then we each got a business suit, a set of suitcases, and a watch. Mom wasn't one for subtle messages: Get out of my house, get a job, and wherever you're going, be on time."

  Another round of laughs. The more they introduced themselves, the more Tessa forgot about the acquisition and remembered what made her love the business and building her team. They sparked in her a nostalgic bliss.

  The longer they spoke, the more Tessa began to embrace the idea of serving as a consultant for the new line. With everything she'd gained in building her company, her brand, she realized she'd lost one thing—her joy.

  Finally, TiTi spoke. With her blonde wig, voluptuous boobs (tastefully covered), strong square, jaw line and Adam's apple, she wasn't hiding any secrets, not that she was attempting. The beautiful thing about the room is nobody cared, including Cody. She didn't even wait for Tessa to reach out for her portfolio, just jammed it in her face.

  Tessa flipped it open and smiled. "Wow. These are fantastic. Lots of women's empowerment. Uplifting. They'd make for a great addition to an any-occasion line."

  "Honey, black girl magic is real. Humph, got all of my melanin, poppin'!" She flipped her waist-length weave over her shoulder and snapped, startling Max out of her daze.

  Tessa wished she could bottle TiTi's energy and drink it before struggle yoga.

  "Girl power is not only the theme of my art. It's my life. All women, but especially women of color, need to be reminded of how exquisite we are every day. I think spreading some of this love around the world would make this a better place. Oh, I could write these cards for days!"

  "I bet you could. And the universe could use more of them."

  After introductions concluded, Tessa spent another half hour discussing the specially abled line, ensuring everyone understood their assignments. Then she glanced at her watch. Two hours had passed, and, to her disappointment, the time had come to leave.

  "I'm going to wrap this up, but we'll meet in three weeks. I should be finishe
d with my integration duties by then. Based on your portfolios, I've got a lot of faith in this group. I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with. Now, go get to work."

  They rewarded her presence with an applause she wasn't sure she deserved.

  After everyone dispersed, Tessa and Cody stood alone. "So, what did you think?" he asked.

  "Oh, my gosh. They're better than amazing," she said. "And Joya. She’s got to remind you of me, right?"

  "How'd you guess?"

  "The snark was strong with that one," she said with a loud chuckle. "I hate to admit it, but I couldn't have selected a more perfect group. It's almost as if you know me or something." She flashed a wide smile, which he returned.

  "So, you're in?"

  She nodded. "All in."

  "Perfect." He glanced at his iWatch. "Now before I return to work, you're treating me to lunch."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Boss's orders."

  "Um, I believe that's illegal." She chuckled and capitulated quickly. "Okay, I'll meet you in an hour."

  "Oh, no. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This time, you're coming with me."

  Chapter Eighteen

  Cody

  * * *

  Watching Tessa interact with the team reminded Cody of the moment he abandoned the woman he loved, a time he tried to forget. She had a way with people, a way with life, that never manifested in the way he lived without her. And now, here it was, in front of him once more, just beyond his reach.

  He departed the Enterprises impervious to the chill in the air, warmed by the remnants of the days, hours, minutes spent with her. He couldn't stop time, but he wasn't ready to let their time together end. The impromptu lunch invitation escaped his heart and his mouth before his head had a chance to stop it. It was an unexpected gesture on his part given she'd ditched him for a lunch date only days ago.