13. Myheir
a few days later…
I had been looking at this text for the past few days.
Doll: Give me some time to think. I’m not saying no.
I’d been giving her some time, but that shit was running out today.
I didn’t want the trip to Tuscany to be awkward, and we were leaving in a few weeks.
The only reason she got away with it for this long was because I’d been working overtime on Jace and Simone’s wedding bands.
I didn’t want to half-step for their union.
Today was my first free day in a long time.
So I scrolled through Khaleya’s social media, needing any kind of contact with her.
It didn’t make it any better that my pops needed to see me.
So I planned to stop by their place first, then see what was up with Khaleya.
If she didn’t want things to change, I needed to know that.
I smirked as I watched a video of her showing her process of making body oils and the butters. She was so damn charismatic and passionate about anything she did. Her personality was the main reason I wanted to help her.
I locked my phone and slipped it into my jogger’s pocket. Then I grabbed my keys from the counter and made my way to the garage to drive my Mercedes-Benz S-Class. I didn’t get to drive it often; it was all black everything. On my off days, I took advantage of driving myself around.
I turned on the radio and drove the short drive to my parents’ place.
Once I made it, I parked and rang the doorbell so they knew I was coming in.
I didn’t need to walk into anything. My parents were sitting in the living room watching Living Single.
I knew without a doubt this was something my mother had chosen for them to watch.
The moment I stepped into the room, my mother glanced up with a big smile. I held my hand up to stop her from moving, since I was coming to her. I stooped low to kiss her cheek, then dapped my father up before taking the love seat by them.
“What was so important you needed me to rush over here, pops? I’m trying to pop up on Khaleya real quick, since I haven’t had many off days,” I told him.
He nodded, then kissed my mother’s cheek and slid off the couch to stand.
I followed suit, knowing this could only be some bullshit if he needed me to go to his office.
I steeled my nerves before we made it. I had no intent on allowing him to piss me off before I went by Khaleya’s place.
I was already going to need the patience of Job when I went there, especially since I hadn’t let her know I was coming.
The moment we stepped inside his office, I closed the door behind myself and followed him over towards the couch and coffee table.
The closer I got, I realized he had a few folders spread over the table with pictures.
I leaned in and noticed it was Khaleya’s grant paperwork.
I didn’t need to wonder what this call was about anymore.
“So when did we get a grant, Myheir?” he asked, pointing down at the packet in front of him.
I didn’t see the point in pretending. If he was asking me, he already knew the answer.
“You already know the answer to that, so there’s no need to play around. What do you want to know? Isn’t this what you wanted me to do? I’ve been showing initiative when it comes to the bank.”
My pops chuckled, then pointed in my direction.
“I told yo’ knucklehead ass that you better not hurt my wife’s feelings. She really likes that damn girl. Do you? Or was this all some ploy to look like you’re ready for something you’re not.”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. The steel I’d tried to have on my nerves was quickly dissolving.
“I’m getting tired of everyone telling me what I am or what I deserve. How do you know I’m not ready for her?” I asked.
He leaned forward and poked his finger into the stack of folders.
“By the way you handled this situation. You think this woman is going to believe you when you tell her you fucked around and forgot you had an agenda?”
I frowned. I hated how right he was, and he didn’t even know the details of the situation.
“You went about all of this all wrong. That woman deserves more than this. Does this have anything to do with that gold digger you wanted to marry before?”
I stood from the couch and paced before stopping to look in his direction.
“It started out that way, but it’s not that anymore.
When I met Khaleya, she was my flight attendant before my meeting with Jace.
She was so passionate about her business and had so many plans but no backing.
I thought about her constantly while I was in that meeting.
Initially, I just wanted to help her. But something else made me want to be around her for more.
Then Jace brought up the fact that Mia was coming with the dude she left me for to the wedding.
I didn’t want to look like a sorry case.
I didn’t want to be worth nothing, like she’d told me—”
I got choked up on that last sentence. It was a lot for me to come to terms with, and especially in front of my pops. He stayed silent, allowing me a moment to get my shit together and continue. I released a breath and continued.
“I figured she would benefit from this just as much as I would. When I initially thought of it, I’d talked myself out of it.
That was until she showed up at Blackwell Bank for the loan.
I happened to be there handling meetings, and that same hope in her eyes I’d seen on the plane was present.
Our agent was getting ready to send her on her way—”
“Rightfully so, she doesn’t have any capital or assets worth the amount she was wanting to get. But carry on,” my pops interrupted.
I shook my head and continued.
“Which I knew, and I told her the same thing. But I also wanted to help her while also helping the bank create a giving brand. It wasn’t just about me and what I needed. Granted, I’m not a complete saint. I wanted her, and I needed her to agree to my terms, so I sweetened it a little.”
“Clearly,” my pops said beneath his breath.
“But I don’t want this anymore. I want her, and I’ve made that clear to her.”
My pops turned and tilted his head to the side, then shook his head.
“I need a drink. I think we dropped you on your head too many damn times.”
I frowned and followed him over to the bar to listen.
“This is the one problem with the way you grew up, and shit, even how I’ve grown up.
We don’t realize the ins and outs of real people’s problems. That girl is probably fighting the hell out of herself over this.
She definitely feels the same as you, but fifty thousand isn’t easy to give up when it would take you years to make that. ”
I nodded. I hadn’t thought about that. I just wanted her, which is how all of this got started—because of what I wanted.
“You think I should tell her I don’t want to break the contract, so she doesn’t feel guilty about not wanting to turn down the money for me?” I asked.
My pops stopped moving with his glass almost to his lips. Then he groaned before throwing the drink back like it was a shot.
“I brought you in here to get in your ass about using the bank for your personal shenanigans, not to give you fucking dating advice. But I like Julia, and I really think she is good for you.”
I smirked and ran my hand over my face.
“You do know her name isn’t Julia, right? You got one more time to call my girl a prostitute,” I said in a flat tone, trying to hide my smirk because the shit was still hilarious.
He leaned against the bar top with a lift of his brow.
“Don’t let this gray hair fool you and get yo’ ass whooped. Me calling her Julia is a compliment of sorts. At first it definitely meant prostitute, but now it’s our thing. I never had a thing with that other busybody you brought around here.”
“I hear you, but what am I supposed to do?” I asked.
“First, don’t go taking the shit back. It’s too late for that, and if you do that, you’re going to piss her off.
You let her make that decision for herself.
Unbeknownst to her, I know you would help fund the expansion she wants without thinking about it.
But she doesn’t seem like the kind of woman who wants a handout.
This agreement allowed her to think of it as a transaction between two people.
Now it would just be you giving it to her.
But that’s relationship stuff, and right now, has she agreed to be with you, for real this time? ”
“Nah, she hasn’t. That’s why I’m going over there after I leave here.”
He nodded, then walked from around the bar towards the door to leave the office.
“Where you going?” I asked.
He stopped and glanced over his shoulder with a lift of his brow.
“Don’t you have a woman to show you’re a Blackwell? Blackwell men get what they want.”
I smirked and nodded.
“I thought you were calling me in here to tell me my time was up regarding you wanting me to choose between the bank and my jewelry business.”
“Oh, it is. But I realize you’re hardheaded, and if you think you can do both, who am I to tell you that you can’t?
But being a man is knowing when to ask for help.
I’m always here if you need me. Oh, and don’t ever let me hear you say you aren’t worth nothing.
That last one wasn’t worthy of you. You’re caring, charismatic—shit, you come from me.
You deserve to be loved, and I think Julia—I mean Khaleya—is the right one to do it.
Now stop allowing past hang-ups to hold you back. ”
My eyes widened.
I don’t remember the last time my pops had spoken to me this way, or cared about how I saw myself. Maybe I wasn’t truly paying attention to the way he really felt about me. My pops held his arms open, and I went into them without a second thought.
He kissed my temple and patted my back before releasing me. When I looked up, my mother was standing there, witnessing it all with glassy eyes and a smile.
“I’m going to assume he told you everything,” I mused aloud.