“It is but not in the way you’re thinking. Remember when you said it was fate that brought us back into each other’s lives?”
“I do. I whole-heartily believe it to be true.”
“I’m grateful you’ve been with me through most of my trying times. Now and in the past. I feel like we’re sisters again like we used to be.”
“I feel the same,” smiled Amber.
“I need people around me who I can trust and understand me. Someone who isn’t afraid to tell me what I need to hear.” Ramona waved her hand up and down in front of her eyes to calm her watery eyes. The day was emotional for several reasons and having one of her closest childhood friends with her helps. “You mentioned recently that you were in between jobs.”
“I did,” she replied, cautiously.
“I would like to offer you a job as my assistant, adviser, right hand, or whatever title you want.”
“Your assistant? You know I’m a certified CPA?”
“I know and I was not trying to insult you. I’m not asking you to be the fetch me a cup-of-coffee assistant. I want someone who I can trust to help me make wise and sound decisions with the foundation or with investments. Someone to double check my finances. I need someone to be my second pair of eyes and ears. I guess what I’m asking is I need someone not only to be an adviser but also my right hand.”
“I don’t know…”
“I can’t do this venture alone. The people I have around me were close to my aunt, and that’s wonderful. However, I want someone who’s loyal to me. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have known about Cynthia’s embezzlement and Kelsey’s involvement.”
“Ramona, you’re giving me too much credit for that.”
“No, I’m not. You spotted it right away and knew what paper trail to follow. That’s why I need you. So, whatever your last salary was I’ll double it.”
Amber smiled. “For you to have this much faith in me blows my mind. Yes, I’ll accept your offer.”
“Thank you! It’ll be such a relief to have someone I can trust through this new phase of my life.” The ladies smiled and simultaneously hugged each other.
“Am I interrupting?” Ramona looked up and saw Nick. She jumped up and ran over to him. “Nick, I would like for you to meet my best friend and newest employee, Amber Porter. I’m sorry, Porter is her maiden name. It’s Simmons now. She accepted my offer as my assistant or adviser. We’re still working on a title.”
Nick held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Same here,” said Amber.
“Hang up your clothes in my room. I’ll be in there soon.”
After Nick stepped out with his garment bag, Amber turned to Ramona. “I got the model good looks. He doesn’t have a deep voice. So, I assume he has the abs.”
Ramona responded with a grin on her face.
“He’s very handsome. I see why you’re smitten with him.”
“I’m beyond smitten,” she beamed. “What I feel for him, I’ve never felt for anyone. Our relationship has not been easy. I ran into his ex-wife recently and she tried her hardest to shake my faith in him.”
“What did she say?”
“What a bitter ex would say. She told me he will cheat on me just like he did her. What she doesn’t realize is I’m not her. What Nick and I share is different.”
“Well, you know what they say,” said Amber with her doe eyes slightly widen.
“And what is that?”
“If he cheats with you, he’ll cheat on you.”
Ramona jaw dropped. She didn’t know if she should be laugh or be offended.
“BUT…,” continued Amber, “it’s clear that man loves you.”
Ramona closed her mouth and couldn’t help but smile. “He does, Amber.”
“The reason I believe it is because of what you've told me. Any other man who walked in on someone he cared for stabbing another person would have ran for the hills, the mountains, and swam across an ocean trying to get away. But, he didn’t. Not only did he not run, he waited for you. He is the epitome of unconditional love.”
The two friends hugged. “Thank you for being such a great friend,” said Ramona, “and I’m sorry about the name thing.”
“Not a big deal. You’ve known me longer as Porter.” Amber looked at her watch. “It’s time for me to go.” She retrieved her purse and hugged Ramona once more. “I’ll see you this afternoon and we’ll talk more about your generous offer.”
Ramona waved bye and walked to her bedroom. Nick was on a call but hung up when he saw her enter the room. “Who’s on the phone?”
“Just business,” he said placing his phone face down on the nightstand.
“There’s been a lot of that lately.” She frowned. “I hope you’re not leaving again.”
“I’ve taken care of all my out-of-town business. Unless there’s an emergency I won’t leave your side.”
“Good.” Ramona wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. “I don’t like it when we’re apart.”
“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “So, what’s this about Amber as your assistant.”
Ramona pulled away and sat on the bed. “I know you don’t trust her.”
“I don’t know her to have an opinion. You said she’s been a good friend to you that’s enough for me.”
“She has, and she’s someone I need to help with both my personal and professional matters. You understand that, right?”
“I do. How long is the ceremony?”
“The ceremony including the luncheon afterward. I’ll say four hours tops.”
“That’s perfect. I have something planned for tonight.”
“You do? What is it?”
“Can’t tell you.”
“Not even a hint?”
“Nope.”
“Fine, you win. Now, we both need to get ready.”
“Can you pull yourself together in an hour? Preferably, no more than two.”
“Maybe, why?”
“You mentioned that you wanted to drive yourself but I hired a car service to take us there, instead.”
“That’s fine. But, why leave so early?” she asked.
“This is your ceremony, sweetheart. You should be the first one there.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she shrugged. “I was relying on Dave to take care of everything.”
“You’re the boss and must see yourself as one. Start by making your presence known and be there to greet everyone.”
“Okay, as the boss I’m ordering you to get dress down the hall. My hairdresser will be here soon and you can only see the finish product.” Ramona motioned him out of the room. “I’ll meet you downstairs on time.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Ramona sashayed down the stairs where Nick was waiting for her in the foyer. “Hello, beautiful,” he said, with a gentle smile. “I love the dress.”
She twirled around in a circle in front of him. “You like it? Someone told me the color royal blue represents power.”
“All I see is how it hugs your curves in all the right places.”
Ramona placed her hands on her hips and shot him a disapproving look. “Men! Always have sex on the brain.”
“Who said anything about sex? I was complimenting your assets.”
“Has the car arrived?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
Ramona walked out to the waiting black SUV and entered the back seat. She thought of how her life had changed, and the many doors that were now opened. Those thoughts caused her to be both grateful and terrified. Grateful she welcomed Lisa in her life and became close with her before she died. Then there’s Nick, her heart has had a continuous overflow of happiness since they’ve reconciled. She never again want to be without him. He has a way of turning her negative thoughts into a positive when she doubts herself. Such as her terrifying fear of failure or not living up to the Pennington name. Both her father and aunt were great forces in their own l
ife. Now, she must carry on the legacy.
“You’re quiet. What’s on your mind?” asked Nick, caressing her hand.
“Thinking about my speech.” She glanced out the tinted window. “We’re going the wrong way. More like the opposite direction.”
“I have a stop to make first.”
“Nick, I can’t be late!”
“You won’t. I promise. I understand how big of a day this is.”
Twenty minutes later the driver turned into a business park with beautiful glass front buildings. Each with their own intricate design. “Where are we?”
“You’ll see in exactly two minutes.” The driver continued down a long road bordered with palm trees. Which she viewed with a skeptical eye because she’s never known for palm trees to grow in Texas. At the end of the road stood a multi-story office building. He bypassed the unmanned security booth and opened parking gate. “What is this place?”
“Be patient.” He tapped her arm and pointed ahead. Bringing her attention to the three-tier water fountain that had small spotlights on its circular base. As they drove past it, her eyes became fixated on it. For some odd reason, it had a cool, calming effect on her. It briefly helped take her mind off the jitters she felt inside. Within moments the driver parked in front of the tallest of the three buildings. “Are you meeting someone here about work?” she asked.
Nick shook his head no and exit the vehicle. The driver opened the door for her as she remained completely confused about why they were there. Nick took her hand, and they walked inside through the revolving glass doors. The first person she saw was Dave. A huge smile spread across her face. The decor of the lobby was everything they discussed. From the oversize red ribbon across the interior door, the chairs set up in the lobby, and the podium. The one problem was the ceremony’s location, no one knows it had changed. Putting that problem aside, Ramona took in the surroundings of the exquisite building. The floors were a smooth black tile with specks of sparkling silver integrated throughout. The walls had coordinating off-white tiles accented with chrome. The elaborate theme continued with the light fixtures, hand railings, and potted plants. The entire room was light and airy thanks to the floor to ceiling glass windows. “This place is breathtaking. But, why are we holding the ceremony here?”
Nick and Dave looked at each other. “This is your building,” said Dave.
“What do you mean?” she asked, still confused.
“Why not have a new address if you're beginning a new venture?” asked Nick.
Ramona turned to Dave. “I didn’t authorize leasing a new building.”
“Dave, gives us a moment,” said Nick. He led Ramona off to the side out of earshot of Dave. “Your current location is fine but we both know it could be better. It’s outdated and Lisa never wanted to put money into a new building. She thought if the furnace worked, the lights were on, and there’s running water it was suitable.”
“You act like we’re operating in a dump.”
“I never said that.”
“Nick, I can only imagine the lease on a place like this.”
“It’s my gift to you,” he blurted.
“Say what?” Her jaw dropped slightly.
“I’m giving you this building.”
“I don’t understand.”
“This is one of my early developments from years ago. The recent occupant chose not to renew their lease so, I took it off the market and now it’s yours.”
“The entire building?”
“It’s yours free and clear. I already paid the loan off.”
Once again Nick had surprised her beyond belief. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you seem so inadequate.”
“It’s enough for me.”
Ramona wrapped her arms around him and placed a kiss on his lips. “You’re too good to me.”
“You deserve it and much more. We have plenty of time before the ceremony begins. I can give you a tour if you like.”
Ramona couldn’t remove the smile from her face, but then she remembered no one knows where they are. “The ceremony! No one knows we’re here. They think…”
“It’s all taken care off. Dave informed everyone concerning the new location. Everybody knew but you.”
“Even the staff?”
“The staff included. Come on, I can’t wait to show you the rest of the building.” Nick led her to the mirror front elevator bay. He moved the gigantic red ribbon attached to the two metal floor post to the side. “There are five floors,” he said, pressing the up button on the wall. “We’ll go to the third floor because both the second and third floor are identical.”
Ramona exited the elevator and entered an open floor lined with four offices on each side all with glass walls and doors. The glass had a half frosted effect from the bottom up for privacy. “I see your main theme was glass,” said Ramona. “Did you design all this by yourself?”
“No,” he chuckled. “I worked with an architect. He had several plans, and I chose the one that best fit my vision.”
“I love it, Nick. It’s gorgeous.”
“You’ve seen nothing yet. I want to take you to the top floor.”
“What’s on the fourth?”
“An executive boardroom and a few offices. Now, to get to the fifth floor you need a key card. It’s deactivated so we can go up, but when you move-in, we’ll reactivate it. There’s always an override in case of an emergency.” Nick pressed the number five on the elevator’s panel. Ramona excitedly reached for his hand. She didn’t know what to expect, but the way he was building it up it had to be spectacular.
The doors to the elevator open, slowly revealing the space. First, she saw white floors and tall windows like the ones in the lobby, and what she saw next made her wobble on her feet. “Are you okay?” Nick asked, helping her off the elevator.
“Yes.” She held on to his hand tighter. “This is all mines?”
“It’s all yours,” he smiled. “Unlike the rest of the building, this was my project, and I designed it myself.”
It was beyond magnificent. The elevator led only to her office, like a penthouse. Beneath her feet were white marble tile, two white built-in bookshelves accented the wall behind the desk. The desk itself was an art piece. All glass with an angular base, a white plush chair sat behind it. Underneath, was a contemporary white rug with a black design. Two of the three walls were glass windows. The office was grand, lavish, and opulent. Which completely described Nick’s style. “I can’t believe you did this for me!” she exclaimed with tears in her eyes.
“Some of my secret meetings were about this renovation. Originally, there were two offices on this floor. We knocked out a wall and made it one office.”
She retrieved a napkin from her purse to dab her eyes. “You know we’re downsizing? As much as I love it, this office is too big for my needs.”
“It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to occupy all the floors. It’s too soon to predict what you’ll need. It’s my gift to you because I wanted to do something special for you and there’s more to come tonight.”
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I love it and I love you.”
He placed her hand in his. “We better get back to the lobby.”
Ramona continued to shed tears of joy. She wiped her eyes one last time. She had a speech to deliver in less than an hour.
When they arrived in the lobby a small crowd had already gathered. She could hear everyone chattering about the new building. “I can’t believe this day had finally arrived,” Ramona said to Dave.
“Are you excited?” he asked, adjusting the microphone on the podium.
“More nervous than anything.”
“You’ll do fine.” She took notice of the lobby’s set up. Six rows of twelve chairs faced the podium. They reserved the front row for the press. Behind the podium was an eight-foot-wide ceremonial ribbon. As more people arrived, Ramona stepped to a side corridor to go over her speaking points. She wasn’t much of a public speaker,as a matter of
fact she has never spoken in front of an audience before. She closed her eyes for a quick moment hoping to rid the butterflies that had settled in the pit of her stomach. She began mentally counting to ten in her mind, quickly becoming transfixed to another place. In her mind, she felt a calmness and the knots in her stomach slowly melted away. A tap on her shoulder caused her to jump, disturbing her peaceful thoughts. “Shit!” She turned around with her hand on her chest. “Amber, you scared the crap out of me.”
“Sorry, honey. You’re nervous?”
“Yeah, more than I expected.”
“Relax, everyone is rooting for you. I would like to introduce you to Lee.”
“Great, where is he?”
“We ran into Nick, so I introduced the guys. They’re right over there.” Amber pointed towards the revolving doors.
Lee was exactly what Ramona imagined in her mind. Tall, slender, black-rimmed glasses, a banker-type. Amber always liked skinny men, and it wasn’t a surprise she would be with someone on the nerdy side. “Lee, I would like for you meet my wonderful friend, Ramona.”
She placed her hand forward to shake his but abruptly pulled away. “I’m sorry. My hands are clammy from nerves.”
Amber reached into her purse and pulled out two white tissues. “Here ya go.”
Ramona wiped her hands and then extended her hand out to Lee. “It’s very nice to meet you, Lee.”
“Same here,” he said. “Amber told me about your aunt. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you guys are here to support. I think you should take your seats, we’re about to begin.”
“Where would you like for me to sit?” asked Nick.
“With Dave in the front.” Ramona notice Irma with Ashley in the crowd. “I have to say hi to someone.” She gave Nick a quick kiss before walking off. Irma and Ashley were sitting together in the back row close to the door. “Why are you guys all the way in the back?”
They both turned around simultaneously. “You look gorgeous,” said Ashley.
“Thanks. I chose my outfit with Lisa in mind.”
“Just remember you’re not here to replace her,” said Irma, “you’re here to continue the legacy.”
Shattered Hearts (Shattered Series Book 2) Page 18