I shook his hand with a smile, “my man. Thanks a lot, Ed.”
“You got it.” As I walked in, he barked out directions to a handful of men that were waiting to go inside. “Hey, hey, stop harassing the ladies! Leave them alone!”
The music drowned him out when I stepped in. Strobe lights lit up the dancefloor as women moved sensually to the beat, lowering their heads, then whipping it back, snapping their hair around like a whip. The base thumped, vibrating my chest as I looked at the second floor of the building. The VIP section overlooked the dancefloor, and from there, I saw Alex with a drink in his hand, dancing with a woman.
I laughed, then parted my way through a crowd of people. I slipped past women as they licked their lips and brushed against me. “I’m sorry,” I said as I bumped into one of them.
“The pleasure is all mine,” she said, her eyes low as she wrapped her lips around a slim straw. I wanted to dance with her, but I had just arrived. I wanted a chance to check out the place before I sunk my teeth into anyone. I made my way up the glass steps, and when I got to the top, Alex looked in my direction.
“Jordan! The Michael fuckin Jordan of business!” he said, the liquor clearly embedded in his bloodstream as he stumbled towards me. “Man, this place is live!” The lights bounced off the walls as the waiters perused the VIP section, picking up discarded glasses and small plates. He put his arm around me, then called the waiter over in a drunken slur. “Hey, hey! Buddy! Come,” he lost his balance but squeezed his arm tighter around my neck to keep himself up. “Give… give my man a shot of fuckin’ um, Patron. Hell yeah, Patron! That shit will… that shit will get you started!”
The waiter took the order with a smile, then walked away. “Damn, Alex. How many have you had?”
He looked at the glass in his hand for what seemed like forever, then locked eyes with me again, “shit man, I’ve fuckin’ lost count!” He laughed out loud and smacked me on the back much harder than what I was prepared for. Minutes later, the waiter came back with the small glass in his hand.
“Thank you,” I said as I held it to my lips. I could smell the strong stench of the drink as soon as I brought it to my nose.
“Bottoms up!” Alex said, urging me to swallow it. I put the glass to my mouth and threw the drink down my throat. It burned like lava on its way down, causing me to whence. “Yeah! Fuck yeah, man! It is time to fuckin’ party!”
I didn’t feel the buzz until I had my fourth drink and from there, everything was a blur. Next thing I knew, I was in the back seat of my vehicle, laid out on the seat with my head facing the roof of the car.
“What the fuck? Am I being kidnapped? Open… open the fuckin’ door. Do you know who I am?!”
Kurt’s voice was barely recognizable through my drunken haze. “Sir, calm down. I am taking you home and there; you will be safe until you have sobered up.”
“Kurt? Damn. Shit. When did you get here, buddy?”
“Just relax, sir. All will be well in no time.”
I slowly leaned back on my seat and closed my eyes. The next time I opened them, I was inside my loft, laying face up on my bed in my clothes. Am I dreaming?
As soon as I tried to get up, I realized that my room was spinning much faster than I was prepared to handle, so I fell back down onto my bed. I searched my pockets for my cellphone, and as I felt around, I realized that I didn’t have it. Fuck. Where the fuck is it?
After a few minutes of searching my pockets and everything nearby, I helplessly fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache. I scooted to the edge of the bed and reached beneath my nightstand where I kept my spare phone. I scrolled through the contacts with one eye open, trying to shield my eyes from the bright rays of sun that were shooting through my window. When I found my number, I started the call.
It rang twice before someone answered. The voice on the other end was soft and inviting. “Hello?” I said with a raspy morning voice, devoid of life. “My phone. You have my phone.”
“And who is this?”
I slumped back onto my mattress. “Jordan. Jordan Hilton. I lost my phone last night at the Glass Cactus, and I would like to retrieve it from you, please. I’ll give you reward money.”
“Jordan Hilton? That Jordan Hilton?”
“Yes. Look, ma’am, I just want my phone back. That’s it. Please.”
“Well, Jordan. How about you meet me at the Henson Community Center. When you get there, just ask for Harper. I have your phone.”
***
I drank cups of coffee by what seemed like gallons. The room spun like a Ferris wheel as I struggled to get a hold of myself. I looked down at my shirt. Wrinkles decorated it as if it was the latest fashion. I knew better than to go out with Alex if I didn’t want to party hard, but I felt like I needed it. I had closed three tough business deals earlier that week, and I felt I could use some time to unwind.
When I sobered up a couple of hours later, I had Kurt drive me to the community center. It was a Saturday when I headed up there, and the center was usually the busiest during the week, so I didn’t expect many people to be there. Kurt parked in the same spot he did when I had my meeting here a few days ago. I called my cell phone, and she answered again, her voice was as soft as butterfly kisses.
“It’s me, Jordan. I am outside the building.”
“Alright. Come on in. I’ll be at the front door.”
Kurt let me out of the vehicle, and I made my way up the winding path to the front door. A small pack of birds flapped their wings as they flew above my head, chirping as if they were in the middle of a heated argument with one another. My reflection bounced off the glass door as I headed to the building. I was dressed down; a white t-shirt and shorts with white sneakers. I wasn’t there to impress; I was just there to claim what was mine.
The sweltering heat was sucked away from me as soon as I stepped into the building. I glanced to the left, and as soon as I looked right, I saw her descending the steps. I squinted my eyes as she walked closer to me. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and dipped down to the middle of her back. Her eyebrows were freshly arched on her brown skin, and her jeans hugged her hips as if they were painted on. Her heels clicked against the steps as she held onto the banister.
She stood in front of me with a crescent smile. “So, I see that somebody likes to party hard,” she said, removing my phone from her pocket and extending it towards me.
I smiled. “Yeah, um, sometimes. Sometimes I like to just kick back and relax. Unfortunately, my friend had a lot to do with that, though. I rarely ever party hard enough to lose myself,” I took the phone from her hand, “and my phone.”
She took a step back and shoved her hands into her pockets. My eyes drifted down to her legs, but I quickly averted my attention upward before she caught me staring. “You… you were standing right up there,” I pointed to the balcony, “when I was speaking with Travis a few days ago. You and your friend, right?”
She looked in the direction I was pointing, then hung her head. “Yes,” she said, “that was me. Well, that was us, rather.” She fidgeted with her cellphone for a few seconds, giving me enough time to gloss over the rest of her body. Her stomach was flat like the walls that held this building up. Her breasts were just enough for a mouthful, and her lips were fluffed like a brand new pillow. She shook her head, then slid her phone back into her pocket.
“So, are the rumors true?”
“I’m sorry?”
She sighed. “Are you going to tear down the building?”
A couple opened the front door and a beam of sunlight shined onto us as we stood front and center. They smiled and spoke to Harper as they walked past us to the right, and into the computer room. She continued, “I mean, a lot of good people come here. A lot of people that use these services because they aren’t fortunate enough to own certain things. This community center is a staple here, and it has been for years now. I just… I just think that it needs to sta
y put.”
I slid my phone into my pocket. “Well, Ms,” I paused, “can I call you Ms?”
“For now,” she said as a subtle smile escaped her countenance.
“Ms. Harper, I know that this center has been up for years. I understand that completely, but, this is just the business side of it. I have to do what is best for the community, and although you may believe it is keeping this center up and running, I know that there are other ways that this neighborhood can benefit.”
“Do you mean other ways that you can benefit?”
“Listen, I would be lying if I said one of my goals was not to make money.” I looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “But, that is definitely one of the goals. I am sorry that it has to be this way, but it is the best thing.”
“For who? You? Because it is not the best thing for this community. Not one bit.”
She folded her arms across her chest as I exhaled. A part of me wanted to tell her that I didn’t owe her an explanation for what I wanted to do with my business, but another side of me appreciated her boldness. The way she approached me, not worried about who I was or the stature that I carried with me. None of that mattered to her. She was passionate about what she believed and regardless of what could happen, she was going to tell me how she felt. That was something that drew me to her even more than her beauty.
“In the long run, Ms. Harper, you will see it. Once this area is filled with businesses and money is pumped into this community, you will see what happens. It will be like a renaissance here in north Dallas.”
“A renaissance?” she said as she huffed. “Whatever you say, Mr. Hilton. Listen, I have some things to do, you know? A job to look for. People to worry about. You have a nice day.” She turned around and headed back towards the stairs as my eyes glued to her behind.
“Oh, Ms. Harper,” I said, causing her to turn back around. “Thank you for my phone. I owe you.”
She walked up the steps as she spoke, “no, you don’t owe me a thing.”
Chapter 4
HARPER
Half of my things were packed in boxes when Monday strolled around. Travis’s final day was on last Friday, and until everything was official, I was the community director. It was very bittersweet for me, though. Packing up my things just so I could move a few offices down for a couple more weeks. It was all pointless, but when I thought of the people we helped here, I felt as though I owed it to them.
There was a quick knock on my door. Gloria didn’t give time for me to answer before she barged in with a giddy smile on her face. “Guess, guess, guess what!?”
I exhaled as I unloaded picture frames out of the box on my desk. “Why are you coming in here with all of that energy? The kids aren’t even coming today.” She snatched the picture frame out of my hand and tossed it into my box, nearly cracking the glass. “Gloria!” I snapped, “what is wrong with you?!”
“Oh, hush! Zip, zip, zip it up! Guess who is downstairs requesting to speak to you?”
“Who?”
She folded her arms over her chest, “I said guess, girl!”
“Gloria, if you don’t tell me who it is, the only guess I will make is how many times I am going to punch you in the face!” I balled my fist and tried to look tough. I had held the facial expression for four seconds before I folded into laughter. “Girl, what is it?!”
“That tough girl routine doesn’t work on me, Harper. You already know that. Buuuuuut, Mr. Hilton is downstairs right now wanting to speak with you.”
“What?” Travis had a large window that overlooked the first floor of the building. I walked towards it and peeked from behind the blinds. Jordan stood on the ground floor, dressed in a gray, tight cut Italian suit. I could see his chest bulging from beneath the suit coat before I closed the blinds. “Ugh, what does he want? I don’t have anything to say to him.”
Gloria walked towards me. “Are you serious? Look, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this man has a thing for you. He must be down with the swirl!” I shook my head as she kept talking. “What? That wasn’t funny?” I lowered my eyes, unimpressed with her attempt at a joke. “Anyway,” she picked up again, “go down there and see what he wants.”
I huffed, then headed to the door. “Fine. I’ll see what he wants.”
“Go, girl. I’ll be up here watching.”
As I walked down the stairs, Jordan stood in the same spot he did when he came to retrieve his phone a couple of days ago. I dreaded every step I took closer to him. To me, he was nothing more than a money hungry jerk who didn’t care who or what he had to do to make his dollar. I didn’t care how attractive he was because he would always be the scum of the earth to me.
I forced a manufactured smile onto my face when I made it down the stairs. “Mr. Hilton, it is a surprise to see you here again. Did you come to start knocking the building down a little earlier?” The sarcasm was thick with each word I spoke.
He chuckled. “Ha, that is ummm, that is funny, but no. I came here to speak to you.” He checked his watch. The diamonds sparkled under the lights in the hallway, but I was unimpressed. “What time do you take your lunch?”
“I am free to go whenever I please.”
He smiled. “Well, how about I accompany you to lunch today?”
I looked to my right and shifted my eyes just high enough to look inside my old office. I could see the corner of the blinds pulled back, and I knew Gloria was up there watching with a hawk eye. I turned back to Jordan. “Hmmm, no. I mean, I’ve got a lot of things to do today, Mr. Hilton. Looking for a job, making sure the residents around here have other options to turn to since this building won’t be here for long.” I smiled out of annoyance.
“Yeah, see, that is what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Well, if you come up to my office, we can–”
“Harper, it is a beautiful day outside, and I know a place that you would enjoy. Seafood, right?”
My eyebrows slid together in the middle of my forehead, “how did you know I liked seafood?”
“I have my ways.”
There was a brief silence between us before he spoke up again, “Please? Remember, I owe you for returning my phone and, being a man of my word, I want to pay what I owe.”
“Jordan, I–”
He looked at his watc., “So, I’ll be in the car waiting for you. My driver is parked right out front, and as soon as we are done, I will have him escort you right back here so you can finish your work. No harm, no foul.” I watched him as he stood in front of me. His boyish smile sent me back to the feelings I had for my high school crush. It was innocent. Harmless. “Ten minutes. I’ll be waiting.”
“But Jordan, I–” he walked out of the building and closed the door on my sentence before I could finish. I made it back to my office as Gloria waited by the door anxiously like a puppy waiting for its master to return home.
“So, what did he say? What did he say?”
“This fool asked me for a date.”
“A date?!” she said with a smile. “Alright! Yes! What did you tell him?”
“I told him no, but it was like he didn’t care. He said he was outside waiting for me and that I had ten minutes, but I told him no. I am not going.”
Her eyes lowered. “What? Why? Why would you tell him no?”
“Because. I don’t want to go anywhere with him. Why should I?”
Gloria walked to me as I stood behind my desk, aggressively moving items into the box. Her arm slid around my shoulders. “Do you not see what I see? I mean, seriously?” She exhaled. “Listen, all you have to do is go out with him–”
“Gloria–”
“–No, just hear me out. Go out with him. Flirt with him a little bit, you know? Show him a little thigh. A little boob. Brush your leg against his under the table. You know, girl, like you used to do before you turned into this old 27-year-old geezer.”
“Whatever.”
“No, seriously. Maybe you can be the one to get him to change his mind about tearing the center down. You know that the queen controls the heart of the king, and I am not saying you are his queen or anything like that, but I’m saying that a woman when she uses her powers for good, can have a positive effect on men.” She removed her arm from my shoulder, and suddenly, the normal easy-going behavior she usually exhibited was gone. Her tone was sincere. “I mean, just try, you know? I don’t want this center to come tumbling down like the London bridge. Just do what you can, alright? Talk to him and see what happens. That is all I am asking.”
I tapped my foot against the ground as she stood in front of me, silently pleading with her sad, puppy dog eyes. “Fine,” I said. “Fine. I’ll go. I’ll see what I can do.”
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