Turning Point

by Georgia Hamilton

  I nod mutely not sure what I am leaving to them.

  “And no discussing this with Trent, I don’t think he knows we’re involved and that’s the way we need to keep it for now”

  “Sure” I shrug.

  “Right then Barros, we’ve got to be leaving in an hour, go grab a bag and I will pick you up”

  “Pack a bag? How long are we going for?”

  “A couple of days, I’ve got an apartment booked for us, so we can work and meet in private. No roaming eyes or ears”

  Leilani stands up, this goodbye is going to be awkward. She kisses my cheeks “Chica, I want to know all the details on Mr Lover Lover, don’t even think about keeping me out of the loop, I live vicariously through your love life at the moment, you’re my only guarantee of an orgasm”

  Guy laughs out loud at our exchange.

  “I don’t know what you’re laughing at Pearce- Morgan, at least she can give me an orgasm”

  With that Leilani leaves the room – “Ciao Chica”

  Guy has gone bright red, or perhaps beetroot. He loosens his tie and takes his jacket off. For not the first time in a week, I notice how built Guy is, his navy shirt is straining over his arms and shoulders, you can see every flex in his body. The blue makes his grey eyes look darker, and his blonde hair brighter.

  “why is she such a bitch?” He’s not asking me directly, more to the open door that Leilani has just walked through.

  “She doesn’t mean to, it just comes naturally.”

  He gives me a quick hug

  “I will find out what the hell is going on, and tell you what I can when I can ok?”

  “Ok – go do your worst Guy”

  He gives me a very gentle, almost brotherly kiss on my head. That’s when it hits me that we are more like brother and sister than anything else, that’s probably why nothing ever happened with us romantically. It makes me feel warm knowing we have that relationship. I don’t feel as alone as I did 20 minutes ago.

  With them both gone, I peer through my diary for the rest of the day. Its been cleared by Paige, I guess she thought I would be tied up with those two all day.

  I grab my laptop and handbag, I need to get out of here for the day.

  “hey Paige, can you do me a favour? Block out the rest of my day I am going to work from home”

  “No problem, Rayne, anything I can do to help”

  I think about it for no more than 20 seconds – “no, you’re ok Paige, just let me know if anything important comes up”

  I flick open the Uber app on my phone, initially I toy with going to see Connor but just because I am having a bad day doesn’t mean he has time for me. Its only been two dates, a few phone calls and a sprinkle of O’s I should not be thinking about going to him, but I am. I haven’t been in a relationship since Adrian a year ago. It was relationship of convenience, habit in fact. He is not someone I would ever go for, he quite literally wore me down. We have a few mutual friends on social media, he persisted with messages for about 6 months, I gave in, we dated, it became easy, see each other once every 2 days or so, the sex was consistent but he never actually gave me butterflies. Not the butterflies that I get when I am around Connor. He has had me under a spell since that first day I bumped into him at Trent’s party. I feel like we’ve known each other for months not days. I think about texting him, I just want someone to talk to, someone who won’t judge me or think I am being silly. My other friends are non- existent. It’s Leilani and Me, Me and Leilani. Boyfriends have come and gone but we’ve always been there for each other. Without having her to call I feel alone, I could call Connor, I know he would be happy to hear from me. Would he be happy to see me though? We’re a couple of days away from our date but I want to see him. I get excited at the thought of surprising him at work, it’s not like I don’t know Aaron or Shaan if either of them are there. I do need to think about getting a car so it’s killing two birds with one stone. It doesn’t look desperate at all. Does it??

  I cancel my Uber and head to the underground. There’s no changing my mind when I jump off the central line at Oxford Circus and get the tube straight to Vauxhall – I just hope he’s working to day

  Connor

  Shaan is sitting with me in the board room, we’ve just had a meeting with a film company who want us to source 5 specific cars for them. They are beginning filming in a month. I am buzzing from the conversation. I learned very quickly that to be successful in this business its not about what you know, its who you know. Michael is incredibly well respected in his community, when he started the business 30 years ago, all his customers were friends or family. Prestige was the only place to buy. His very first car lot was in Golders Green, he then expanded into Finchley and has never looked back. The film director has been here on holiday before, he happens to go to the same synagogue as Michael, one conversation and £1m later, here we are.

  “That is how it’s done Connor – good man”

  He fist pumps me as I crash into the chair next to him.

  “That was surreal” I run my hand across the back of my neck as the reality of the meeting hits me.

  “I’ve already got a couple of leads on two of the cars, especially the mustang – that dealer in Manchester emailed me a few days back to say he’s offloading one if I had anyone interested.”

  I talk away to Shaan, us brainstorming a plan of action when the intercom goes.

  “Hey James”

  “Hi Connor, sorry to interrupt but there’s someone here to see you, I know they’ve not got an appointment but thought you might be free”

  As much as I haven’t got a second spare, I want to hit the ground running with this deal, however with Shaan listening in, I can’t be seen to be slacking off.

  “that’s fine, I will be down to my office in 5 minutes. Did they say what they wanted?”

  “nope, just asked to see you, I can bring them up if you like, save you coming down” James laughs as he says it, I feel like I am missing something.

  “Yeah ok”

  I put the receiver down, completely baffled by the whole encounter, I spin round to chat with Shaan, but something has caught his attention through the office glass. Following his gaze, I nearly fall of my chair.

  “Rayne” I whisper it because I am frightened if I say it out loud she’ll vanish. She looks like a bloody dream. I watch her walk across the showroom floor, she’s got on another pair of killer heels, these are black with a strap around her ankle. Her suit is cream, a pencil skirt that hugs her right down to her knees and a jacket to match. I can’t see what she’s got under it but I can’t wait to find out. She’s carrying a small laptop bag with a large handbag slung over her shoulder. Sunglasses perched on her head. Her hair neatly pulled back into a twist. She’s smiling at something James is saying as he leads her over, I want to break his face.

  Gathering myself quickly as I must look like a puppy at a window waiting for his owner, tongue hanging out and all sorts. I spin my chair back round to face the table only to remember Shaan is right there. He starts laughing as he gathers his things – “you my brother are in deep trouble” I half expect the same lecture I got from Aaron but instead he says “that look on your face? That’s a man who’s falling my brother! Can’t say I blame you though. She is seriously hot”

  Now I not only want to break James’s face but also Shaan’s. I grunt as anything I say is likely to get me fired.

  Shaan is up and opening the door to Rayne before I know it.

  “hey Shaan – “she gets up on tiptoes, kissing his cheeks. Unlike Aaron, Shaan is not built like a gladiator, he’s a fraction shorter than me, with very short spikey brown hair, brown eyes that are a little sunken, making him look perpetually tired. His skin is a pale contrast to his dark features, he always looks like he needs a holiday but the poor sod burns like a flame if you so much as say sun to him. I remember when he went to Las Vegas for a stag do, we didn’t see him for a week when he got back because he couldn’t walk through the pain
of his sunburn. Fell asleep by the pool on his last day, had to lay on his stomach all the way home as he was in agony. He is such a rookie. Got absolutely slatted for days over it.

  “you look hot Rayne! And it’s got nothing to do with the heatwave. Damn girl!”

  Rayne playfully slaps him on the arm, I need to remember that these guys are friends and we’re friends long before I came in the scene.

  “what do we owe the pleasure?” Shaan has got her in a light hug, the mother fucker winks at me over her head, he’s such a wind up.

  I stalk over to them, a little caveman style to be honest but who gives a shit? James is hanging around the door entrance, Shaan’s got his hand on her arm and I’m shuffling from foot to foot anxious to get her in my arms. She turns around to face me and I am sucker punched all over again. I bend down to kiss her on her cheek, I am frightened that if I get too close I might get carried away. Pulling back from me slightly she swings her head round to Shaan,

  “I came to see if this one” She points at me

  “is free for a test drive this afternoon or lunch, or anything really had a shitty day”

  My heart swells that she thought of me, came to me.

  I reach for her hand, pulling her a little closer to me, my arm instinctively goes around her shoulder allowing me to roll her into my chest.

  “I’m sure we can work something out” it comes out barely as a whisper, probably because I am choked that she came to me, more likely its because she’s got me by the balls and I’ll be damned if I will ever let her let go.

  She looks up at me, the most dazzling smile erupts on her face “thank you”

  Yep, another proverbial squeeze of my balls

  Shaan clears his throat as if to remind me that he’s there, James is still hanging around by the door

  “come on, lets go down to my office then we can grab some lunch” I take her laptop bag and handbag from her as I walk us out of the office.

  Letting her walk in front of me isn’t me being chivalrous, it is purely so I can cut down any jackass that so much as looks in her direction.

  “Shaan, I’ll speak to the guy in Manchester and let you know how the search is going. James, can you take care of the appointments this afternoon, I’m going to be tied up” I shout it over my shoulder not daring to take my eyes off her.

  I cannot help but hear the little laugh from Rayne as I say it, I nudge her bum with my knee helping her on her way down the stairs

  Watching her strut, yes strut, down the stairs, I wonder how I am going to keep it PG whilst we’re in this office. Every swing of her hips is melodic, she’s singing straight to my groin.

  I lean in front of her to open my office door, I catch a whiff of her scent, it clouds my brain, the smell of citrus and musk take me back to having her in my arms either falling apart or about to fall apart. I want to wake up to that every damn morning, she is addictive.

  She takes off her jacket as we get to my office. You had better believe me, when I say that I am grateful she kept in on until now but frustrated she’s flaunting it in the privacy of my office. She looks sinful, her skirt is skimming her hips, flipping and flirting with her curves. She looks so good I want to take a bite.

  “Good job you didn’t take that jacket off upstairs, James would have been knocked unconscious if he had seen you without your jacket”

  She’s wearing a fitted black vest, with a deep v that has her cracking cleavage winking at me, making me weak at the knees.

  “Ahh, he is such a cutie, I would have given him the kiss of life if that had happened, you wouldn’t want to lose a valued member of staff now would you”

  I know she’s winding me up but that does not make it any easier.

  “over my dead body, if anybody gets those lips it is me and me alone”

  As if to prove my point I gently graze my lips over hers, the slightest of touches but enough. Her mouth parts, I know she wants more, I will give it her, just not yet.

  “If I keep going beautiful, I will not stop”

  “maybe I don’t want you to stop” she breathes the words into my mouth, I have a mental word with myself and reluctantly I ease her onto the chair and sit on the edge of my desk.

  As much as I want to keep going, I know that she came here because of her “shitty day” I want to find out what happened, I need to know who has upset her, so help me god I will tear them apart if someone has touched her.

  “Tell me what made your day so crap” I reach for her hand, giving it a squeeze, for no reason other than to reassure her that I am here for her, come hell or high water.

  She puffs out anther breath and her eyes glaze, it looks like she is about to cry. I stroke her face with the back of my free hand, she’s so soft beneath it I am frightened to hurt her.

  “Hey, hey. Tell me what’s happened” my heart is pumping, if she doesn’t say something soon it might fly straight out of my chest.

  I know she’s being brave, but she doesn’t need to be.

  I keep stroking her face, taking in the curve of her cheeks, tracing her soft lips, she leans in to me, like a cat. I need her closer. I pull her up to her feet and in between my legs, my arms curl around her waist keeping her flush against me.

  She holds onto the lapels of my jacket “I am being ridiculous Connor, just sulking because things didn’t go my way.” I tighten my hold on her waist, rubbing gentle circles on her back wanting to both soothe her and keep her talking.

  “That client I was telling you about?”

  “The high profile one?”

  “yes, the very same. Well we discovered a conflict today, a conflict that involves me. Leilani and Guy shut me out straight away, they didn’t sugar coat it. I expected Leilani to, I don’t know think about me for a minute, I didn’t even ask for the client, she dropped him on me, she brought me in because, I am the best apparently but as soon as its not smooth sailing she dumps me. She practically ignored me. Its like she cares more about the money than me. That sounds selfish I know, I just always thought if it came between me and anything else she would choose me. She’s got so cosy with Guy on this. Its like they are the team and I am just on the outside. It was like they did not trust me. I wish I could tell you everything but I can’t and it probably doesn’t make sense as its just bits of the story but I am hurt you know?”

  I wish she’d trust me enough to let me in. I want to be able to take the pain away from her, to give her the comfort that she needs. I understand why she can’t tell me everything but I feel like it would make her feel better if she could. One thing I do know is that Leilani would not take any decision to break away from Rayne lightly. Since my confession to Aaron, he has been filling me in on Rayne. Giving me some intel. One thing that is for sure is Leilani would lay down for Rayne, which makes me wonder what this is all about.

  “Now don’t go biting my head off, as you said I only know a little but Leilani doesn’t strike me as someone who makes a flippant decision, especially when it comes to you. Maybe you need to trust her and her judgment on this. I’m not saying you should not be disappointed but have some faith that it will all come right in the end, it has to”

  “and why does it have to come right in the end? Because you said so?” her voice is breaking as she throws her sarcasm at me. I tell myself it is because she is hurting, she’s lashing out because I am here. She’s here. Having her need me makes me feel like a king. I rest my head on hers, conjoining us, running my hand up and down her back, helping her even out her breaths.

  “My philosophy on life, is take each day as it comes, tomorrow is guaranteed for no man or woman.” I do not even know if she is listening to me. There is a warning voice in my head telling me that I am opening myself up, Mr original closed book is about to read aloud the glossary but I am not about to stop.

  My life has kicked me on my arse a few times, and each time it was when I relaxed and started to plan my future, with Bea, with every new family I went to, with prison. I had a plan yet someone had oth
er ideas.

  “I am grateful for every day, and if I am lucky enough that tomorrow is better than today then have at it, that is good enough for me”

  “you really don’t plan?” she’s eased away from me, her face riddled with confusion. Smoothing out her frown I kiss her between her eyes.

  “I do not make plans generally no. I deal with situations when they arise. The only thing I can see in my future is moving out of where I am and finally owning my own home. If it does not happen, it will not be the end of the world. It’s a target not a plan”

  “what about kids and marriage?”

  “Are you asking me to marry you beautiful”

  Her face is a picture, she’s flushed from her chest up to her temples. I did not plan on embarrassing her but she’s cute as anything.

  “Oh no, when I get engaged, I will not be doing the proposal, just so you know”

  Its too obvious to leave it there. I pull her back in for another cuddle

  “ahhh! So, I have to do the proposing?” I talk into her hair. Mainly because I can’t get enough of her scent but also because I don’t want her to see me cheesing like a loon.

  I’ve never even joked about marriage before, but its fun with Rayne. Its not like we’re being serious though? Right?

  “You are too much Connor!” I kiss her head and let her sit back down.

  I miss the intimacy and closeness of her immediately.

  Her phone chimes with what I suspect is an incoming text message. There’s a flash of excitement that crosses her face. She fishes into her sack trying to locate her phone, she has instantly perked up. For some unknown reason jealousy rages through me, I want to know who it is, is she seeing someone else? Are we even seeing each other exclusively? Do I have a right to be jealous? Would she be jealous if some random chick was texting me? Dear god I am so turning into a chick.

  “Oh, for god sake”

  “What’s up?”

  “My sperm donor is trying to get me to meet him. I can’t even with it right now. I need to speak to Ma and they’re away for another week or so. I am not having this conversation with her over the phone... aarrghh! why now? Why is this all going on at the same time, I need Ma here or Leilani”