The call waiting tone sounded.
“Hang on, B,” I interrupted to check the caller I.D. “In fact, I gotta take that. I’ll hit you up later.”
“Okay. Call me tomorrow,” he issued emphatically, almost demanding it.
“Okay.” I chuckled before clicking over.
“Hello.”
“My dear, Elizabeth,” Jacques enunciated with his thick accent. “You sound just as delectable over the phone.”
“That must be some phone you’re holding,” I jeered. “What have I done to deserve this call, my friend?”
His laughter flooded the line. “Ahh…your sense of humor. It’s very attractive.” I rolled my eyes as I handed a spaghetti soiled Jordan over to Eligia for his bath so that I could retreat to the living room to study. “I’m just checking in on you since our lunch last week. How did everything go with your attorney?”
I knew immediately the conversation he referred to. Jacques and I had met nearly four times over the past few weeks since his proposal of mentoring me for my first business launch. He’d been hugely resourceful in guidance, almost to the point of making me forget his true intent: to get me into bed. He’d kept his hands to himself and even grew less insufferable by buffering his flirtation with talks of his personal life. Jacques shared minimally about his nieces and nephews back at home. As I aspired to be, he was a very well-traveled man. The switch in gears of his approach allowed me to lower my guard. Slightly. Jacques was a fairly attractive man and one who made an art of seducing women. That fact alone deterred my sexual interest in him.
“I did actually. Chesney and I have met with four of those potential investors I told you about and now we’re just playing the waiting game.”
“And the location?”
“The leasing papers have been signed. I pick up the keys tomorrow. I have a cleaning crew coming in on Monday to sanitize the place including the ovens and other appliances. Tonight, I plan to purchase a sign. So far so good, bud.”
“Ha! That’s excellente, Elizabeth. You are implementing your dream!”
I cracked an escaping smile, feeling my pride blossoming for the first time.
“I guess I am. I appreciate your guidance on this, Jacques.”
And I did. No matter his motives, the knowledge he provided had me opening my first cupcake house in less than six months since conception. Risky? Yes, but risk was in my blood. I had nothing to lose, only experience to gain.
“It’s been my pleasure,” he droned into the phone. “I won’t keep you. But since you’re expressing gratitude, I’d like to see you again although you’re pretty much off and running with your plans.”
Crap! I bit my bottom lip and suddenly Tynisha’s words of “Get like Stenton and get a new fuck partner!” popped in my overworked mind. I wasn’t necessarily ready for a new partner, but certainly ready for new. Stenton had moved on, and at some point I needed to as well.
“Sure. Let me know the next time you’re in town.” I rubbed my clammy palm against my thigh to wipe the nervous perspiration away.
“With pleasure.” I could hear the grin plastered to his face.
I gaited into the dining room that had easily become my favorite room of the house. Since Eligia had taken on the role of full time nanny, I moved Stenton’s things into the room I would have used as an office. The expansive tabletop provided the space I needed to fold clothes and use as a work station.
My phone chirped again, this time a text. It was Tynisha.
Ty: Go the fuck here! She tried to delete it but you can’t delete from the Internet!
As I rolled my eyes I clicked on the blog link. While the page loaded I felt myself grimace.