Love Me Now

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  He didn’t even recognize himself lately. For once, he was smiling and genuinely happy. She was the reason why. She changed him. Thankfully no one else noticed because he knew it wouldn’t last for long.

  Enough. Just as he reached over to call her, his computer conferencing monitor beeped. He hit the open key. Joshua sat with his back turned. He was feeding papers into the fax machine and pulling something from the printer on the credenza behind his desk. He turned, then looked up at his monitor. “Hey,” Trey said.

  “You called earlier,” Joshua said.

  “Yeah, I e-mailed you a few prospectuses. I need you to look them over and get back to me. I think we should put them back on the front burner.”

  Joshua hit a few keys on the keyboard then nodded. “Got ’em. Check your fax. You need to sign off on the agreement, but look it over first. There were unsanctioned changes made. I’m not exactly impressed. Also check out the new proposals I included. I think they’ll work to our advantage.”

  Trey grabbed the papers coming out of his fax machine. He quickly looked them over as Joshua reviewed each one with him. It took about ten minutes. “I’ll look them over in more detail and get them back to you.”

  Joshua nodded. “I’ll have a contract coming your way this evening. Regina is taking care of the formalities.”

  Trey nodded. Having his sister with him was better than he imagined. She was professional and talented. Her knowledge of international finance and market strategy was exceptional. Plus her naturally bossy nature made her perfectly suited for the position as project manager. “Okay, anything else?” Trey asked.

  Joshua leaned back in his chair. “New York’s a bit shaky today.” Trey looked up more intently. For an instant his focus shifted. “Chances are they’ll close further down than anticipated. On the flipside, London, Nikkei and Osaka closed well.”

  “Yeah, I got that. See if we need to do a short-range dump to correct the forecasted numbers.”

  Joshua grabbed his pen and wrote a note to himself. “Got it. One more thing, Cedric is panicking. He hasn’t seen nor heard from you in five days. He wants to know where you are and what you’re up to. The man actually sounds paranoid. He thinks you’re gonna bail on the deal.”

  “Interesting,” Trey said, tapping his pen on the desk.

  “You know, Trey, I’m still having second thoughts about this deal. I did another check and everything still looks good, but the last few days he’s been really shaky.”

  “It’s a huge deal, he should be stressing. When this goes through he’ll be sitting on a nice sum of cash plus a quarter interest with TE stock.”

  “Trey, again—”

  “Yeah, I know, you didn’t like that little incentive from the beginning. But it was my idea, not his. It’s not like he planned it. He had no idea I’d put that on the table.”

  “He wants to meet with you.”

  “I’m not coming in today.”

  “He said he’d go to wherever you are.”

  Trey chuckled. “He really is stressing, huh? Please relay my apologies and inform him that I do not entertain clients at my home.”

  “He’ll be disappointed,” Joshua said, chuckling.

  “I can’t help that. Anything else?” he asked.

  “Nope, we’re all set. How’s it going there?”

  Trey looked around his home office. “Extremely quiet.”

  “You’re lucky,” Joshua said just as his phone rang. “Catch you later.” He pressed the key and disconnected the link.

  Trey looked over the papers Joshua faxed over. He worked for about an hour, made corrections and additions, then finally signed off. He faxed them back to Joshua with additional notes to consider. Taking a break, he got up and went into the living room. There was no one around and the place was just too quiet. He continued to the dining room and then into the kitchen. He found the twins and Mrs. Thatcher out on the patio playing ball. They tossed and rolled it between them.

  Trey stood at the door and watched for a few minutes. He laughed seeing Johanna try to toss the ball then see it go backward. She laughed and ran to get it. Jonathan was much better. Trey eventually opened the sliding glass door and stepped out. “Hey, there, everybody having fun?” he asked.

  “We didn’t disturb you, did we?” Mrs. Thatcher asked.

  “No, not at all, I needed a break. This is perfect.” He picked up an extra ball, tossed it into the air and caught it. Jonathan took his ball and tried to mimic Trey’s toss. He tossed it so hard that it curved behind him. He ran as it rolled away.

  Johanna ran and grabbed Trey. He picked her up and gave her the ball. She hit it then tried to hold it with her little hands. As soon as she grabbed hold, she tried to toss it but it just dropped to the ground. Jonathan, with his ball, ran over and tried to pick it up. He dropped both, accidently kicking them in opposite directions. He immediately chased them.

  Trey sat Johanna down inside a miniature climbing toy. Jonathan hurried over and crawled inside one of the large openings also. He found his way to the top as Johanna slid down laughing. She sat there at the bottom as Jonathan came sliding right down behind her. Trey quickly whisked her up just as Jonathan landed and jumped up laughing. Johanna laughed at being picked up and Trey laughed at them both.

  “You’re gonna miss them, aren’t you?” Mrs. Thatcher said.

  Trey nodded. “I definitely will. When my cousins dropped them off six days ago I didn’t think I would survive.”

  “But look at you now,” Mrs. Thatcher said, smiling. “You’re turning into a professional, Mr. Mom. I think I might be out of a job soon,” she added.

  “I wouldn’t say all that,” he joked. “I guess I just learned that not everything stays perfect or is perfect. With toddlers, you have to loosen up.”

  “Just a bit, and that’s true of adults, as well,” she said. “We’re not perfect and I don’t know anybody who couldn’t use a second chance or two. Some of us need to have a bit more patience to get where we need to be.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” Trey said thoughtfully. He considered her words. Six days ago, after a few hours alone with the twins, he’d all but given up. Then Kenya showed up and calmed everything down. He had never professed to be a patient man. He was used to everything running smoothly.

  “Well, now, we’d better get cleaned up. We had a nice lunch earlier and a bit of playtime. Now I believe it’s time to take a nap,” Mrs. Thatcher said.

  “Sounds good, and while they’re doing that, I’m gonna grab something from the kitchen then get back to work,” Trey said. He grabbed Johanna before she ran for the slide again. Mrs. Thatcher took Jonathan’s hand and the four of them went back into the house. Trey went into the kitchen while Mrs. Thatcher and the twins headed up to the bedroom.

  He made a sandwich and grabbed a soda and took them into his office. He ate and watched the business report then afterward he opened the Caine Enterprises file on his computer and grabbed the leather folder he’d been reading over the past few days. Moments later he was deep into reviewing the files.

  There was a knock. He looked up. Mrs. Thatcher stood in the office doorway. “Hi, come on in, Mrs. Thatcher. Is everything all right?”

  “Oh, sure, of course. The twins are taking their afternoon nap. I just wanted to give this back to you. Johanna has been playing with it and it really isn’t good for her.”

  “What isn’t?” Trey asked, just as Mrs. Thatcher placed a working cell phone on his desk. “A cell phone. Whose is it?”

  “I don’t know. It was in the playpen with the toys,” she said.

  “Thank you. I’ll make sure to take care of it.”

  “Good. I’ll be out in the yard reading. I have the monitor if the twins wake up early.”

  “Okay, thanks, Mrs. Thatcher.”

  She walked out and Trey picked up the cell and looked at it. It certainly wasn’t his. He opened it. The screen was black. He pressed the on key but nothing happened. Assuming it belonged to Regina,
he plugged it into his phone charger and went back to work.

  He spent another few hours working on various projects. He had another computer conversation with Joshua and a few other associates. He was deep in concentration when he heard another knock on the door. “Hey, you busy?”

  Trey looked up and smiled. “Hey, no, come on in, grab a seat. I could use a break.” Regina walked in and sat in the chair opposite his desk. “How’s it going?” he said, glad to take a break. “What time is it?” he asked as he stretched his arms wide.

  “A little after six,” she said as she pulled a file out of her briefcase. “Joshua asked me to drop these off on my way home. They’re the final copies of the Caine proposal.”

  Trey took the files and glanced at them.

  “How was the business trip?” he asked without looking up at her.

  “Good, productive, I got everything accomplished. I still have to put a few things together, but you’ll see all that later in the report.” He nodded. “I see you’re going ahead with this merger.”

  “Yes, I think it’s a promising step,” Trey said.

  Regina shook her head slowly. “Trey, I still don’t like it. There’s something not right about it.”

  “Regina, we’ve gone through this a dozen times. Everything we know, everything detailed in the prospectus, is exactly as it should be. Cal, to his credit, was more than thorough. We couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. To walk away and pass it up would be ludicrous.”

  “Trey, to have this just fall in our lap, at this point, is too fortuitous.”

  “Fate, luck, fortuitousness, call it what you like. It’s what success is based on. Being in the right place at the right time has always benefited those with the foresight to see the possible outcome.”

  “Trey, this isn’t my first picnic, I know business,” Regina said firmly.

  He smiled and nodded. “I didn’t mean to sound condescending.”

  “Then don’t. You asked for my opinion, I gave it to you. I expect you to take it under consideration.”

  “I have. We did our homework thoroughly, you know that. We’ve checked, double-checked and triple-checked. Believe me, everything is exactly as it should be. We’ve noted your dissent and I have taken it under consideration. But, Regina, you yourself signed off on the original prospectus.”

  “Fine,” she said, tossing her hands up in surrender. “So what are you up to these days, other than the obvious?”

  “The obvious?” he questioned.

  “Experimentation with facial hair,” she said, then crinkled her nose. “What’s up with that?”

  Trey rubbed at his three-day beard growth. “Not me, huh?” he asked.

  She frowned and shook her head. “No, not particularly. Although you might want to try a platinum rinse if you just feel like you need a new look,” she joked.

  “Never mind, I think I’ll shave.”

  “Good idea,” Regina said, standing. “Okay, gotta go.”

  “Hey wait, you got a minute?” he asked.

  “Just. I have a date tonight.”

  “A date?” Trey questioned.

  “Yes, a date. Unlike some people I don’t let my drive for success overtake my private life.”

  “With whom?”

  “You don’t know him, so don’t start getting all big brotherly on me. I just got the same thing from Joshua. He’s a nice guy and I don’t want you or Joshua scaring him off.”

  “When have we ever scared off someone you were dating?” She looked at him and shook her head. “All right, all right, maybe there was that one time.” She opened her mouth, but he confessed to a few more times before she said a word.

  “So tell me about Kenya, what did you do to her?”

  “What do you mean, what did I do to her?”

  “Three days straight you and she were attached at the hip, no pun intended, and now for the next three days she’s MIA and you don’t even leave the house.”

  “I didn’t do anything to her,” he assured her. “Kenya’s in New York on business. Okay?”

  Regina nodded. “Okay, I’m just checking, don’t get all defensive. ’Cause you know how you can be when it comes to women.”

  “And how is that?” he asked, slightly insulted by the implication.

  “Never mind, all I’m saying is that I kind of liked her for you. I mean, I don’t really know her, but first instinct, I liked her. She was different from the other hangers.”

  “Hangers?” he asked.

  “The women that hang around you for one reason or the other,” Regina explained.

  “Maybe she’s a hanger, too. Everybody wants something.”

  “At least she’s chill about it. And, of course, since she’s been around, you’ve changed.”

  “You think I’ve changed?”

  “Yeah, usually with you it’s business, business and more business. Granted, on occasion the hangers are there as a temporary distraction. But they never seemed to mellow you.”

  “Mellow me?”

  “I think so. Or maybe it’s the twins. Either way you’re different, big brother. So is she gonna be around a while?”

  Trey frowned. “I’m glad you liked her, but I doubt she’s going to be around much. She’s very busy with work.”

  “See, that’s what I’m talking about. You go through women like a box of tissues on prom night. They keep popping up and you just keep tossing them away. Even the good ones.”

  “This tune sounds familiar. Apparently you’ve been hanging out on Crescent Island too much. But, I assure you, with Kenya, this is a very different case.”

  “Okay, whatever, I’m out,” she said, looking at her watch. She headed to the door then stopped and turned back around. “Oh, I just saw the twins and met Mrs. Thatcher. She’s nice and great with the twins. I can see Madi wanting to keep her on.”

  “It’s been good having them here this week,” Trey mused.

  “Are you ready to relinquish the Mr. Mom role? Everybody’s coming back in a couple of days.”

  “The house is going to be empty when those two little guys leave.”

  “I bet. Okay, I’m out.”

  “Wait, here, you left one of your phones here the other day. I already charged it for you,” Trey said as he grabbed the cell phone and disconnected the charger cord, then tossed it to her.

  Regina caught it, looked it over then shook her head. “Nope, this isn’t one of mine.”

  “It’s not?” he said.

  She shook her head. “Not mine. I gotta go, see you later.”

  “Have fun tonight, but not too much,” he called out as she waved her hand and left. Curiously, Trey opened the cell. The screen was black. Just as he moved to press the on key, his phone rang. Moments later he and Joshua were back to work.

  Chapter 16

  “Do you see her yet?” Asia asked.

  “No, but we still have a few more minutes before the train boards,” Kenya said as she looked around the upper platform for Shelly. She checked her watch. “But she should be here by now.”

  “She’s probably just running late. Traffic is always crazy this time of day,” Asia said, looking around. “I’m gonna run over and grab a cinnamon bun. Want one?”

  “Girl, I have no idea how you can eat like that and still not gain a pound or an inch.”

  “I gain. Are you kidding me, my butt is huge,” she said and walked away.

  “Oh, please.” Kenya laughed as she watched Asia. Then she saw two businessmen bump into each other as they nearly broke their necks checking her out. Another man stumbled and nearly fell. Kenya shook her head. Asia didn’t even notice. She never did. Her acting career always came first. Kenya admired her focus.

  She looked around for Shelly one last time, then grabbed a seat. She placed her suitcase and shopping bags on the empty seat beside her. At least she wasn’t as tired as she was the day she arrived. She remembered that she could barely think straight, even after her nap on the train. But it was her o
wn fault.

  She and Trey hadn’t slept all night. There was the occasional cat nap, but that was about it. She smiled, remembering. That was definitely a mistake knowing that she had an important meeting the following day. But it was well worth it, and unquestionably a night she’d never forget.

  Thankfully, she had regrouped and the meeting with the Youngin’s design team went extremely well. They loved everything she and Shelly showed them, including their new line. Afterward, they decided to stay in town a few extra days. Shelly visited her family in Brooklyn, and Kenya stayed with Asia in Manhattan. They met and shopped in the fashion district, then hung out on Fifth Avenue, checking out the store displays. They finished the day at Bergdorf Goodman.

  “Did you see her yet?” Asia asked as she sat eating her bun. She handed Kenya a bag. “Here, for the ride home.”

  “Thanks. No, not yet,” she said as she shifted her bags.

  “I can’t believe you’re leaving already,” Asia said, leaning her head on her sister’s shoulder. “You just got here yesterday.”

  “It was two days ago,” Kenya corrected. “I had to leave sometime.”

  “I know, but we barely got a chance to hang out, not to mention talk. I wish I knew you were coming in advance. I could have gotten out of my rehearsals.”

  “Are you kidding? No way. I loved seeing you onstage in rehearsals. You were absolutely brilliant. You had me laughing and crying at the same time. You are so talented.”

  “Thanks, sis, that really means a lot. Okay, have you heard from Mom or Dad lately? Last I talked to her she said they’d be out of touch for a while.”

  “She told me the same thing. I lost my cell phone the other day, so I’m still changing things over. I called and I left a message anyway but that was a few days ago.”

  “They must be back by now. You don’t think anything happened.”

  “Of course not, Asia, don’t even think that.”

  “Yeah, but for real, how long does it take to go on a safari?”

  “They’re fine, don’t worry.”

  “Did you find out anything new about the money thing? I’d hate for them to come back home to that drama.”