7. Lawton
Lawton
“Dating app?” I asked again for clarification as I moved around my house tossing clothes into my suitcase for my impending travel.
Since I couldn’t go into either office today because of this seminar, all of my meetings would be done via phone in between my breaks. My assistant had moved things around as much as she could.
“Yes. Much like Raya, my objective is to cater to celebrity clients,” the young woman expounded.
“With Raya existing already, what would set your app apart from theirs?”
“I’m a member of Raya and have been for a while. While their goal is exclusivity, I’ve found out that you can give a specific code to someone wanting to join. That opens it up for the public basically.
With the app I’m looking to develop there will be no invitation codes. Every celebrity that signs up for the app would go through a specific vetting process along with a lengthy background check.
I don’t care if you’re the top athlete in the world, if your background, values, and morals don’t align… you will not be granted access. I’m striving for complete anonymity.”
Pausing my packing, I took a seat on the bed. “I guess my question is how you plan on keeping the “groupies” from joining?”
“My celebrity clients will have to provide financials for one. While it will primarily serve as a dating site, I will also offer matchmaking.”
“Ahhh.” I nodded like she could see me. “I get what you’re saying now. Am I to assume that you have backers for this?”
“I do. I’ve secured enough and they want to remain silent.”
“In that case, forward everything over to my assistant, Chari. I will be out of town on business until Monday. Either Chari or I will reach out so we can set up an in-person meeting.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Harvey.”
“No thanks needed. As long as your business model aligns, we might have something on our hands. Be expecting to hear from my office mid next week.”
“Will do. You have a wonderful day.”
“You as well.” Ending the call, I tossed my phone on the bed and focused my attention back on the suitcase.
I was a day ahead of schedule but seeing as though I had another seminar to sit through today, I figured I would go ahead and get my packing out of the way.
I would find out whether or not Talitha would be able to accompany me this weekend when we met up. I hoped like hell she would. I had enjoyed chatting with her yesterday after we’d finished for the day.
The ringing of my phone had me groaning. When I picked it up and peeped who the caller was, I smiled.
“You’re up early.”
“Aren’t I always.” I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Not on my phone you aren’t. Good Morning Adele. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
“Are you available for dinner tomorrow? I’ll be in the city and wanted to sit down with you so we could further discuss what we talked about the other night.”
“I was under the assumption that we had come to a clear understanding.”
“We did. However, I have a few more concerning questions.”
“I see. Well, no I won’t be available tomorrow night. I’m going to a gala in New York.”
“Alone?”
“Are you being intrusive?”
“A little.” She giggled.
“If you must know it’s a business trip.”
“With a female companion?” she tossed out.
“In fact, Adele, it is.” I knew she was getting ready to pry.
“Someone you’re fucking.”
“Whoa. Such a potty mouth for a beautiful young lady,” I teased. “But to answer your question, no, I’m not fucking her. We’re doing business together and she’s in need of investors.”
“A business venture and you didn’t ask me for help.”
“Do I ever?” I probed.
“I guess not. Well darling, can’t blame an old lady for trying.”
“I should be back midday on Monday. We can sit down then.”
“That’s okay. I’ll reach out to Sincere since that’s who I’m supposed to be doing business with going forward.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what?” she snickered. “Like I’m losing my friend.”
“One thing about it Adele, you’ll never lose me as a friend.”
“Tuh,” she scoffed. “I lost you as a lover.” I knew she was pouting, and for what reason? She was the reason we ended, not me.
“At your insistence,” I rasped.
“Don’t take that tone with me, Harvey. You know I had reasons for ending things.”
“That’s neither here nor there. I was in the middle of doing something so if we’re done…”
“Understood Harvey. I’ll reach out Sunday to see if we’re still on for Monday.”
“You do that darling.”
“Goodbye Harvey.” Without giving me the opportunity to respond Adele ended the call.
And that right there my friend is the reason I couldn’t possibly see myself moving into something as serious as a marriage. Adele only wanted to be bothered with me when she felt like her place was being threatened.
With Dahlia, she didn’t have a care in the world because she knew our relationship was stagnant and wouldn’t progress. Typical shit. Dangling the possibility of forever in my face only to snatch it back. When she started that pouting and shit, I paid her dust.
Once my things were packed, I pushed my suitcase over to the corner of my room and called down for Baker to bring the truck around.
* * *
“Pancakes, sausage, eggs scrambled well, and that God awful coffee drink you brought yesterday,” I noted as I placed the food container down on the table.
“How’d you know what I liked to eat?”
Taking the seat next to her, I turned on my computer and got ready so I could pull up the link for the seminar. “One call to your mouthy assistant and I can find out just about anything.”
“Remind me to reprimand him for spreading any of my business in the future,” she laughed.
Like yesterday, Talitha was dressed down. The weather in Atlanta was bipolar, cool in the mornings and hot as hell by noon.
Instead of her hair being trapped under a ball cap, she had it tossed up in a curly ponytail. She wore a black long sleeved ribbed cotton one piece with a red and blank flannel tied around her waist.
On her feet were a pair of black and white Nike sneakers. I wanted to compliment her look again but the last time I did it, she asked if she should be offended.
I didn’t know how to take that so of course I said no. Well, I said I was a man, a warm-blooded man who appreciated a good-looking woman. I swear outside of business I didn’t want, nor did I expect anything from her.
Like I told Poppa, I had learned my fucking lesson. That didn’t mean I couldn’t and wouldn’t look. The girl was easy on the eyes.
“You ready for today?”
“The question is… are you ready? I wasn’t the one who kept falling asleep.”
“I told you I’ve been on the move. Besides that, I haven’t slept for more than a few hours a night.”
“Are you an insomniac?”
“I wouldn’t suppose. I slipped and allowed myself to get comfortable only for that comfortability to be snatched from under me.”
“Um. I can understand that. Anyway, Mrs. Jessie agreed to staying over at the house with Gema so I guess I can accompany you out of town.”
“Wonderful. Pack for extreme cold temperatures as we will be going to New York.”
Bucking her eyes, she shrieked, “New York?!”
“Yes ma’am. That’s where the gala is being held.”
“I don’t have winter clothes,” she groaned. “It never gets cold enough here for me to purchase any. Nor do I have anything to wear for a gala. Hell, I’ve never even been to New York.”
“Happy to be your first.”
“Huh?”
“The first person to take you to New York, Talitha. Also, it looks like you got some shopping to do.”
Talitha mugged me before opening her plasticware and dipping it into the plate of food. After forking a piece of pancake in her mouth, she pulled her MacBook out of her bag and turned it on.
“I really hope it doesn’t take eight hours today.”
“So do I. I still have a few things I need to do before we leave tomorrow.”
“And what time are we leaving?”
“I’ll be to get you around two.”
“Morning or afternoon?” she asked.
“Afternoon. The flight will take roughly around five hours. The gala isn’t until Saturday night so we can spend Friday resting up. I’ve gotta shop for a suit so that will take up most of my Saturday morning.”
“Will Baker be traveling with us?”
“No. But he did secure a car service to pick us up when we land. Why’d you ask?”
“I need something to occupy my time while you’re out shopping.”
“Or…” I drawled. “You’re welcomed to tag along.”
“Good to know. Didn’t want to just invite myself on your outing.”
“I pretty much figured you would be joining me anyway. I have no plans to bring you to New York and alienate you.”
“Also good to know.”
“Class is starting. Let’s get this over with so we can get up out of here.”
Pulling up the seminar, I pushed my chair up to the table and secured my AirPods in my ears. Talitha and I could discuss details once we were done for the day.
* * *
“Where are we staying?”
“Central Park at the Plaza. Chari reserved us a two-bedroom suite.”
“I heard Central Park was nice.”
“Shit,” I scoffed. “Nice in the eyes of tourist. Me on the other hand, I don’t really fancy it.”
“Is there a specific reason?” Talitha probed.
“Hell yeah. Too congested.”
“If you feel like that then why are we staying there?”
“It’s neutral to the location of the gala.”
“Oh okay. What’s this gala for?”
“Autism foundation. A buddy of mine has twin daughters that’s on the spectrum. He throws it annually to raise money for the cause.”
“I love that.”
“As do I.” I nodded.
Watching her pick at the food on her plate was agitating me. The only thing she ate from breakfast was her pancakes. Surely it wasn’t enough to hold her over.
She was sitting on the corner of the table with her plate in her lap, swinging her feet back and forth. “Less talking, more eating, Talitha.”
“You will soon learn that I don’t eat a lot.”
“Why is that?”
“Growing up being made to eat all of your food will have moving differently when you can control what you consume.”
My eyes dipped in confusing prompting her to add. “When I was younger, my egg donor was the type of person who made you sit at the table until you finished everything on your plate.”
“Your mother was one of those types?”
“Surely was.”