by La Jill Hunt
“Oh, wow, did Sandy make that casserole that you love so much last night or something? Because you seem to be in a great mood!”
“No, she didn’t make the casserole yet, but I really wish she would. I am, however, in a great mood. Ask me why,” he said with a smile.
“I’m almost afraid to,” she teased. “But anything for you. Why?”
“We’re sealing the deal with Clout Enterprises on Friday. And in honor of that, we will be having a banquet downstairs in the dining hall on Saturday. I hope you can make it.”
“That’s amazing!” Teeka grinned. “I know you’ve been working on this deal for some time now. I’m so glad it’s finally coming through for you.”
“Yes, the contract is just for a year to see how things go, but I’m very confident in this business venture. Edward Clout will be flying in on Friday to have a look around and see firsthand how we do things around here.”
“Clout?” Teeka asked, trying to remember where she’d heard that name before. “That sounds so familiar, but I can’t seem to place why.”
“Probably because this whole place has been gushing over Keelan and his bride to be! Alecia Clout is Edward’s daughter. If it weren’t for him, this deal wouldn’t have even been made possible. He came to Chicago and made things shake, didn’t he? And have you seen Miss Clout? Beautiful young woman—not as beautiful as you, of course,” he said.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You’re only saying nice things because you know I’m typing this letter up to Candace over in finance.” Teeka giggled. “She wants to know where the charge for twenty thousand dollars on the company’s Master Card came from. What should I say?”
“Tell her that the charge came from me, and she needs to mind her damn business,” he answered with a twinkle in his eye.
“Well, all righty then.” Teeka raised her brow. “You want me to say it just like that, or spruce it up a bit?”
“Just work your magic like you always do, of course,” Mr. O’Brian said and turned to head back to his office. He paused and looked back at her. “Why are you still here, Teeka?”
“It’s only ten o’clock. My lunch isn’t for a few hours.”
“No, I mean why are you still my secretary? You have a business degree. Why not apply it? Shoot, I can create you a new position if you’d like. I just know Thomas would want you to be happy.”
Teeka smiled sadly at the mention of her father’s name, and she felt a rush of fondness go through her at the concern in Mr. O’Brian’s voice.
“I am still your secretary because you would lose your mind if I wasn’t here to help you find it,” she told him. “I am happy, and you pay me so well I don’t think I want for anything. Except maybe a new car, but that will come in due time.”
“Indeed it will.” He patted her on the shoulder.
“And Mr. Steve?” She stopped him right before he disappeared, calling him by the name that she used when she was just a kid. “What you did for my mama . . . thank you. My daddy would be so grateful to you for taking care of us the way you have all these years. You didn’t have to do any of the things that you’ve done for us. And . . .” Something dawned on her. “Is that where the twenty-thousand-dollar charge came from?”
He winked at her. “Never thank me for taking care of my family. It’s my pleasure.”
And with that, he was gone. Her dad had always said that Steve and Sandy took to her the way they would have their own child if they could have any. In that moment, she thanked God to have a man like Mr. O’Brian in their lives.
After their exchange, she figured that she would have a pretty good day, and she was right. She dived into her workload, and the time flew right on by. By the time she had made her last reminder call and put her last notes in the system, the clock read ten minutes to six.
“Oooh-wee, look at this fly girl!”
Teeka would recognize that voice anywhere.
“Girl, what are you doing here?” she said to Lynne.
“I wanted to surprise my best friend in the whole wide world. Duh!”
“Uh-huh.”
“And I wanted to check on you. I know this might have been a hard two weeks for you. Has he tried to say anything to you?” Lynne asked.
“Not anything that isn’t work related.” Teeka shrugged, knowing exactly who she was referring to. “I think I made myself pretty clear the last time we talked.”
“Girl, I still can’t believe you put the pussy on him and made him bounce. That was gangsta!”
“Well, I wasn’t trying to be gangsta. It was just something that had to be done. But, wait. Hold up.” Teeka looked Lynne up and down, finally noticing her outfit. “Lynne, why are you dressed like you’re about to be wined and dined by somebody fine and divine?”
She was wearing an off-the-shoulder black dress that stopped just above her knees and a pair of peep-toe sheer black booties suitable for the fall. Her hair had long, lustrous wand curls that bounced with each step that she took. Lynne was very pretty in the face, with hazel-colored eyes and lips so full they looked puffy. She was what men would call a slim-thick redbone. She didn’t have much in her chest area, but baby had back for days.
“I wanted to surprise you. Duh! And I’m dressed like this because I have a date with a tall chocolate dream named Tony,” Lynne told her.
“Tony? Oooooh, he must be new, because I haven’t heard about him.”
“He is new. I met him three days ago.”
“Three days ago?” Teeka’s eyebrows raised.
“Girl, yes. Three days ago. It’s 2017, girl. I don’t have time to be texting these men for weeks before I decide whether or not I’m going to go out with him. I need to know if he’s worth my time, and the only way to determine that is if he is in my face.”
“I feel you,” Teeka said, not noticing that Lynne had something in her hands. She shut down her computer system and began to gather her things. “Just be safe, girl.”
“Oh, I will,” Lynne said, giving her a devilish smile. “Because you’re coming with me. He said he’s bringing his friend Vic along since I’m bringing you.”
“Excuse me?” Teeka scrunched up her face. She pulled her phone from her purse and pretended to look for something in her text messages. “When did I say I was going on a double date with you, so that I can try and recall that conversation?”
“You didn’t, but I figured it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Lynne, you know I just got out of a situation.”
“Girl, boom. You act like he was your man or something. Plus, the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody neeeew.” She rocked her shoulders the way the rapper Lil Uzi Vert did in his videos, and Teeka couldn’t help but to crack a smile.
“You’re a damn fool, do you know that? And even if I did go on this date, you’re dressed like it’s almost time to go already.”
“Yeaaah, about that. They’re picking us up from my place in an hour, but I already stopped at your house and grabbed you some stuff.” Lynne held up the pink bag in her hands. “That sexy champagne-colored velvet dress and those nude ankle-strap open-toe shoes. You know the ones with the thicker heel that you like? And, of course, some panties and a strapless bra. So, what do you say?”
Teeka opened her mouth to tell Lynne that she really didn’t want to go, but the two women were interrupted when Keelan rounded the corner.
“Be nice,” Teeka warned her friend, knowing that her mouth could be like a cannon sometimes.
“Hello, ladies.” Keelan addressed them both with his award-winning smile when he got to the front desk.
“Hey, Keelan,” Lynne said so sweetly. You couldn’t even tell that she’d told Teeka she was going to smack him on sight. “That’s a nice suit you’re wearing. Blue is definitely your color.”
“Thank you,” he said, smoothing out his tie. “You look lovely yourself. What’s the occasion?”
“Oh, noth—” Suddenly her eyes flashedm and she shot Teeka a cunning grin. “I’m
actually about to go out on a date. That’s why I’m here, actually. Teeka asked me to stop at her house and grab her a few things because it’s actually a double. A double date, that is.”
The smile on Keelan’s face disappeared, and his shoulders slumped noticeably. “A date?” he asked as if he hadn’t heard her correctly, and then he turned to Teeka. “Is that right?”
“Umm . . .” The way he was staring at Teeka almost made her want to tell him that Lynne wasn’t telling the truth. But then again, the sadness in his eyes at that very moment didn’t change the fact that whatever was between the two of them was over. “Yes. I need to hurry up and run over to her house really quick to get dressed. What time were they picking us up again, Lynne?”
“At seven,” Lynne answered. “So, hurry up! I’ll pull the car up.”
When Lynne was gone, Teeka zipped up her Coach tote bag and stood to her feet, ignoring Keelan’s gaze.
“Who is he?” he mumbled.
“Huh?” she asked, pushing in her chair.
“The guy you’re going on a date with. Who is he?”
“His name is None of Your Business.” She began walking to the elevator, but he was right on her heels.
“Oh, really? Just a few weeks ago you were in my bed with my dick inside of you, telling me that you love me. Now you’re going on dates with guys?”
“What is it to you? Aren’t you getting married next month? The entire office is raving about this amazing wedding you’re supposed to be having,” she snapped.
When they got to the elevator, he grabbed her hand as she reached for the button. “You’re the one who left me alone, remember?” he said. “All you had to do was tell me not to go through with it.”
“Psssh! Boy, please. You don’t have a choice in that matter, do you?” She looked him square in the eye. “Edward Clout is merging with Etco, and a lot of that is riding on how happy you can keep his princess, isn’t it?” When he didn’t say anything, she shook her head. “Look, Keelan. I don’t want to cause you any trouble in your relationship. I’m moving on with my life, and it’s clear that you are too. Don’t make things more complicated than they have to be.”
She whipped her curls at him, turned to the elevator, and tried to press the button, but he stopped her again. That time, he pressed his body against her backside and placed his lips close to her ear.
“I don’t want things to be complicated. I love you, Teeka. In a perfect world, I would choose you ten times, but the merger—” He let out a frustrated breath. “It would be a good move for the company, and Steve is so happy about it. He’s talking about making me vice president. I’m just stuck right now. If you would just wait for me, just until I can get everything in order . . .”
His voice trailed off. Even though he was behind her, she could still smell the cologne on him. It was the same cologne he had been wearing the day they met. He’d never acted that way with her at work, and she could hear the desperation in his voice. She wanted to turn around and kiss him deeply, maybe even let him unbutton her blouse right then and there, but she couldn’t. It was over.
“Maybe . . . maybe you should fall out of love with me, Keelan,” she said, keeping her voice as even as possible as she lied through her teeth. “This time that we’ve been apart, I have had time to think about our arrangement. I just got lost in the moment, that’s all. I was dick-matized. I don’t love you, Keelan. I mean, you’re cool and we vibe, but I never really thought we would be together.”
She used his own words against him. Well, kind of. She felt him grow stiff behind her, and she stood still as well.
“Have a good time at your date, Teeka,” he said after a minute and released her hand.
She reached for the elevator button, but the elevator dinged before she could even press it. Keelan stepped back just in time as the elevator doors opened.
“All right, Daddy. I’ll let him kn—”
Alecia stopped mid-sentence when she saw Teeka standing in front of her and Keelan not even five inches behind her. Her brow furrowed instantly, and Teeka knew what it must have looked like to her. But Alecia’s suspicions were the last of Teeka’s concerns. All she wanted to do was get downstairs to her own car and follow Lynn back to her house. At first, she had just been trying to grind Keelan’s gears about her possibly going on a date, but now she really wanted to go. She needed to do something to occupy her mind, and maybe meeting a new face wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Have a good night, Mr. Metoy,” she said and stepped onto the elevator when Alecia stepped off.
“Daddy, I’m going to call you right back. I just found Keelan,” Teeka heard her say as the elevator doors began to close. Her last sight was of Keelan’s sad puppy-dog face turning away from the elevator.
They asked, “Where are you moving to?” She said, “Onto better things.”
Chapter 7
Teeka
Okay, breathe, Teeka. You act like this is the first date you’ve been on. She coached herself as the waitress led the foursome back to their table. The restaurant was an upscale soul food joint in downtown Chicago called Just Eat. It was a black family–owned business, and Teeka felt welcome from the moment she stepped inside. When they were seated, Teeka sat next to Lynne’s date, and Lynne sat next to hers. That way, she could be across from Vic, and Lynne could be across from Tony.
Vic was very handsome to say the least. He was tall and had an athletic build about himself. He kept his hair cut low and had a mustache that led into his well-managed beard. He had a caramel complexion with the eyes to match, and Teeka couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like with his shirt off.
“So, Teeka, tell me what you do,” Vic asked after they ordered their food.
“Oh, wow, you just jump right in, don’t you?” she teased.
“I’m a very forward guy,” he said with a smile. “I mean that is, unless you don’t like forward guys.”
Teeka laughed.
“No, you’re okay. Well, I’m a secretary at a company called Etco.”
“That’s located here downtown, isn’t it?”
“Yup, not too far from this restaurant, actually.”
“That’s cool, but”—he raised his eyebrow—“I thought Lynne told me that you have a business degree. I’m not tripping on where you work or anything, so don’t think that. I guess that I’m just wondering why someone with a business degree would want to be someone’s secretary.”
“No worries. I understand. After college it was hard to find work. The owner-slash-president of ETCO and my dad were best friends before he died, so he gave me a job making what I would make if I had found a job with my degree.”
“Word? That’s dope,” he said and smiled genuinely. “I’m happy that all worked out for you.”
“Yes, eventually I’ll branch out and find something else, but for now it works. What about you? What do you do for work?”
“I’m the manager of a construction company, but I’m in school to get my degree in computer science.”
“Nice!”
“Thank you. I know you probably can’t tell by how fly I am,” He played with the collar of his Ralph Lauren sweater for effect. “But I’m a closet nerd.”
“If you didn’t just pop your collar like that, I would have never been able to tell!” The two of them shared a laugh.
Lynne and Tony were lost in their own conversation, and that was just fine with Teeka. Throughout the date, Vic kept complimenting her on how beautiful she looked and telling her how happy he was that she had decided to come out. At the end of the night, Teeka could honestly say the same thing. Vic had been a perfect gentleman.
When they arrived back at Lynne’s house, she announced that Tony would be spending the night there. Vic offered to take Teeka home, and she kindly accepted his offer.
“I really appreciate you for the ride,” she told him from the passenger’s seat of his all-white Dodge Charger. “I would have hated to catch a Lyft ride this late.”
&nb
sp; “No problem, beautiful,” he said, taking his eyes off the road to glance at her briefly. “Dammit, girl, I know I keep saying it, but you sure are fine.”
“Thank you.”
“No, for real. I have never really been into big chicks like that, but you got it going on.”
There it was. Normally men weren’t as blunt as Vic about her size, but he did say that he was a forward guy. She was at a loss for words for a moment. She didn’t know what he had expected her to say, because his comment wasn’t a compliment. Suddenly, she was embarrassed for eating her ribs the way that she had. At the end of the night, everyone except her had taken home boxes. He didn’t even realize it, but he had just ruined the night, and she was no longer interested in his conversation.
“Big chicks?”
“I mean no disrespect, but you’re just bigger than the women I would normally go for. When Lynne told me at first, I was like nah, I’m cool. But now I’m really glad that I came out.”
By that time, Teeka was wishing she had caught the Lyft ride. Her head was turned toward the window, and her eyes were on the scenery that they were passing by. They were a few minutes away from her apartment complex, and she couldn’t wait to get there.
“Did I say something wrong?” Vic asked, noticing her sudden quietness.
“I’m just tired,” she said. “It’s this next right coming up . . . yup, right here. You can stop at the door to that first building right there. Thank you for the ride again, Vic.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, putting his car in PARK. “Hey, do you mind if I call you sometime?”
Teeka was already out of the car and shutting the door when he asked his question. She didn’t even give him the satisfaction of an answer. She just kept on walking to the door.
“Teeka! Did you hear me?”
She was unlocking the secured entry door when she turned around and saw that he’d rolled his window down. She sighed and rolled her eyes at him.
