Chapter Four
Alex
One Week Later
Last week, I gave Tomi my personal phone number. Since then, we’ve been texting back and forth. There was no way I was putting her number anywhere near my business phone. I don’t need her number showing up on the records, or worse for her to dig and find out where I work or who I truly am.
But through our texts, I’ve been finding out more and more about her history and what she likes. We’ve even talked on the phone after work when I’ve gotten home at a reasonable hour.
The thing is, though, she’s eager to learn about ‘Xander,’ but because it’s so hard to open up to her about me, I have to always turn the conversation around. I know she’s curious about who I am, about where I come from, about what I do, but if I give her any hints, she could run with it, and Tomi finding out now isn’t a possibility.
She needs to find out the right way.
But in saying that, without the truth, how can we truly be anything?
How can we go any further?
When she finds out about the real me, she’s going to be devastated. I want to see her again, but my father’s pushing deadlines. I need to get the designers to build mockups of how the new megacomplex will look when we start to build. The thing is, I don’t want any-fucking-thing to do with the design process. But my father’s adamant that if I am to head the company one day, something this huge on my resume will only be good for me.
So, I have to be involved.
Like I’m not already in deep enough with this fucking project.
Right now, I’m stuck in a boring-ass meeting about zoning. I know I should be listening. I need to be on the ball with all this shit, but my head just isn’t in the game. I worry about how it’s going to affect Tomi and Levi. She believes that I’m unaware of her family home still under mortgage or her income from Hope & Faith. Without the steady income from her tattoo studio, the house and Levi’s schooling are going to have to change. She doesn’t realize how deep my knowledge about her situation goes. This is why I’m so damn torn about all this. I realize this megacomplex is a great thing for the area, but the rent on a new shop for her is too high, and it will cut into the funds she needs to repay the mortgage and pay for Levi’s school.
But what if there were some way to help her?
I sit taller in my seat as some man named Greg stands with his shirt buttons done up on the wrong holes, talking about inflation as he scribbles on the smartboard.
My mind ticks. What if, in the new megacomplex, I purposely built a tattoo studio?
Regarding what Tomi would want, I could design it all and then make it more affordable for her.
Surely, I can work on that?
Loving my idea, I sit forward and rest my hands on the desk. Then I turn to my father. “The megacomplex is such a diverse area,” I call, grabbing everyone’s attention. Greg, the speaker at the front, stops mid-speech. I’d be sorry for interrupting him, but no one’s listening to his bullshit anyway.
Father raises his brow. “Say what you have to say.”
I sit taller, stiffening my shoulders. “There’s going to be a cinema, shopping, food, a health spa… why not have a tattoo studio as well? Not a dive, a sleek modern one. I know the studio that’s going to be demolished runs a profitable business and has a good clientele base. It’s a great idea. I don’t know why we haven’t thought of this before?”
Dad’s face scrunches. He’s going to say something, but before he can, Dave, the design engineer, steps forward, rolling the plans out on the long wooden table in front of us. “We do have space for another medium shop right here.” He points to a spot on the plans close to where Hope & Faith Ink is already located. “We don’t have plans for it as yet. Something a little different, like a tattoo studio, could be quite the drawcard.”
This could change everything for Tomi.
I still have a few hurdles to jump through, but at least I’m nearly over step one. “It’s settled then. We’ll set this one up in the art area of the megacomplex along with the photography shop, art shop, day spa, and now a tattoo studio, and then the design work can actually be put into the planning. The whole area should be decked out in art deco with its bold geometric forms and bright colors. It could be incredibly pleasing to the eye and a major drawcard to the megacomplex.”
Dad sits forward, a stern look crossing his face, totally ignoring what I’ve just said. “We need to remove the tenants first and rapidly. We have a start demolition date and need to move forward as soon as possible so we can begin putting up the framework. The quicker this is built, Alex, the faster the jobs will be filled. Get it done! Then we will discuss how that part of the megacomplex should be built. I have to agree, though, it’s a damn good idea.”
I can’t help feeling uncomfortable about having Tomi’s current shop with all her memories demolished, but at least I’m putting in a contingency plan for her and Levi.
She will have a studio in the megacomplex.
I will find a way.
Somehow, I have to come up with a plan to make my father see the rent should be lower for her.
It’s a work in progress, but at least it’s a start.
For now, I’ll take the wins as I get them.
“I know… I’m working on it, trust me.”
He grits his teeth, standing from his chair. “Well, work damn harder. Faster. More assiduous. We need them gone. Yesterday !” He turns, storming out of the boardroom as the rest of the table stand from their seats. I huff and slowly stand. How the hell am I going to wrangle all of this? I have to play it smart. I’m taking a lot on, but I need to do it for Tomi’s sake. I care about her, and I want to make sure she and Levi are okay.
Grabbing my things, I walk toward the door, leaving my co-workers behind, mulling over the megacomplex finite details. With Tomi deep on my mind, I make my way to my office, shutting the door behind me, and stride over to my chair. Plonking down, I exhale and pull out my personal phone. I shouldn’t make this call here, but right now, I honestly don’t care as I swipe my cell and dial her number.
I slouch back into my chair, spinning it round to take in the view over the city. It’s so calm and peaceful out there today, nothing like the thunder clouds rolling through my soul right now.
“Hey, you,” Tomi chimes brightly down the line.
She instantly settles the storm. “It’s nice to hear you so happy.”
She snickers. “Levi did so well at school today. He’s just arrived and is drawing his mockups of your lion tattoo .” The intonation of her voice lets me know she’s still not excited about the idea.
“I want a huge mane.”
She scoffs. “Don’t even. I’m not telling him that. It will resemble an eighties, Tina Turner.”
“Well, then, we know my lion will rock, won’t we?”
She groans. “Jesus, you’re lame. Wait… aren’t you at work?”
Smiling, I glance to the side, taking in my office. “Yeah, just having a moment.”
She’s quiet for a pass. “I’m glad you called. It’s nice to talk to you between the visits.”
Suddenly, I hear a loud “oomph” as the phone muffles. Is she wrestling? Furrowing my brows, I listen harder. What if she’s being mugged? “Tomi? Tomi! Are you okay?”
“Levi, you little…” I hear her mumble in the distance.
“Do you remember me?” Levi cries—he’s obviously tackled Tomi for the phone.
“Hey, man, yeah, of course. You been drawing my lion for me?”
He chuckles. He might be sixteen, a boy growing into a man, but he’s still so young in his mannerisms. The way he talks, the way he sounds, it’s hard to keep in mind that he’s sixteen. “Yes. I made him in a black outline. It will match.”
Tilting my head, I’m impressed at how smart this kid is. Even though he loves art, he loves colors and expressing himself through his artwork, he knew my tattoos are all black and gray, so he’s stuck with the line art for the lion.
He might have autism, but it doesn’t hold him back—the kid’s fucking smart.
“Thanks, buddy. I’m excited to see it.”
“Come for dinner tonight?” he asks out of nowhere. My chest squeezes. The last thing I want to do is upset Levi or make a promise I probably can’t keep.
“I’m sorry, Levi, I have to work late—”
Suddenly, the phone muffles, cutting me off. I hear Levi grumbling while Tomi mutters something to him, but then the phone clears. “Sorry about that… he likes you,” Tomi gushes down the line.
The uncertainty in her voice is evident as I sink back into my chair. “It’s all good. He’s pretty fucking cool.”
“Well, then, I guess I can’t go back on his offer. You wanna come over for dinner?”
I glance at the clock on the wall, noticing it’s almost six. I still have a shitload of work to do. My stomach rolls with tension— I want to go. “I have to work late, so you guys have dinner, but I can come over after and pick up some dessert on the way?”
“As long as it has something to do with ice cream and peanut butter, I’m happy.”
Humor rattles through me at the combination. “Done!”
“Later, gator.”
I snort out a laugh. “You’re so weird.”
“Using my own words against me. Now you’re playing my game, Just Xander,” she bellows. “See you soon.”
I end the call, my muscles feeling more relaxed merely from talking to her. She makes life easier and fucking harder all at the same time. Her voice banishes every little problem I have. At the moment, it’s just her and me in our comfortable bubble, like there isn’t this fucking sword of doom hanging over our heads. The problem is the sword is swinging, but when I’m back to reality, it cuts the foundation of everything I’m building with Tomi. When she finds out about all the lies, about this deception, the sword is going to cut me off at the neck.
It’s coming.
Huffing as I spin my chair, I get back to work. The sooner I get this shit done, the quicker I can get out of here and over to Tomi and Levi. Back to a happy place. It might all be under a shroud of darkness, but there I’m safe.
It’s here in this office—as Alex, as the real me—that everything crumbles.
Now to send an email, one I absolutely do not want to send.