by BWWM Club
“Don’t you have signed copies there?” she asked impatiently.
“He wants it personalized darling and we are talking about Julian Robinson whose company happens to own a piece of Pearl Publishing House so anything to please that man.”
“Okay fine.”
“You made quite an impression it seems.” Sylvia told her.
“I am sure I did,” Kymonia said dryly.
“Okay girl I am not going to keep you any longer. Talk to you.”
*****
He pursued her. She had received the copy of her book and had hesitated awhile not knowing what to write in it until she had just written: ‘To Julian Robinson with my regard’; and had sent it off. She knew it was probably not what he wanted to see written there but that had been the point.
He called her as soon as he received it and she did not even bother to ask how he had gotten her number.
“That was a pretty impersonal note,” he said in a slow drawl.
“I don’t know you at all Mr. Robinson,” she answered not pretending that she did not know who it was.
“And I want to change that,” he murmured. “Have dinner with me later,”
“The answer is no,” she told him firmly. “It might come as a shock to you but not all women find you irresistible.”
“It is a shock to me Kymonia,” he told her in amusement. “Tell me what I can do to become more attractive to you.”
“Nothing. I am not interested and I really need to get back to work now.” She told him.
“I need to write you a check for the book and I want to deliver it myself.” He persisted.
“Write the check to the publishing house.”
“I have been thinking about you a lot since I saw you that night and I really need to see you.” He said seriously.
“Mr. Robinson you have your pick of women and I am sure if you search through you will find more than a few who are quite ready to fall at your feet.”
“I can but I want to go out with you.” He told her softly.
“I don’t go out with men who treat women like possessions to discard as they see fit. You have quite a reputation and I would be a fool to want to join the harem you have going on.” She said coolly. “I am not desperate.”
“You don’t think very much of me do you?” he asked her wryly.
“No, I don’t but my opinion should not matter. There are plenty of others who I am sure think the world of you.”
“What if I am a changed person?” he asked her half jokingly.
“A leopard cannot change its spots Mr. Robinson, now I really have to go.” She hung up on him.
*****
Julian sat back against the chair in contemplation. He had been talking to himself and wondering if it was the fact that she had rejected him as to why he was so interested but he had an idea it was not that. He had not been able to stop thinking about her and picturing how she had looked at the bar and when she was leaving.
He had started reading the book and had found out that she was a very good writer who paid attention to detail and had you gripped from the very first page. His buzzer sounded just then and he realized that it was his father’s private number. “Yes Dad?”
“The former owners of the pharmaceutical company are planning to sue us for what they claimed to be coercion by our acquisition team so we need to be prepared.” James Robinson told him briefly.
“This does not need to go to court Dad, we have the papers here that they signed off on the deal and they willingly collected the money we paid them which was more than generous considering.” Julian said a little impatiently.
“I know that son but the old man is saying that he was quite intimidated by you and you ran roughshod over him so he was in fear of his life.”
“Are you kidding me?” Julian’s voice was incredulous. “I spoke to the man in front of his two sons and told him that we had no intention of doing away with the company we just wanted to make it better and more viable and he sat right there and agreed.”
“I know,” James’ voice was soothing. “To be on the safe side, I want you to get ready and arm yourself with every documentation and have our lawyers look them over to make sure we did not miss anything.”
“Will do Dad,” Julian said with a shake of his head.
“And son,” his father continued. “Your mother and I are expecting you home for dinner tonight. She has not seen you properly since we came back from Europe on Sunday.”
“I have been working late Dad, you know that, but of course I will be there for dinner.” Julian paused a little bit. “Dad how did you know that mom was the right one for you when you met her?”
There was silence on the other end and he could just see the expression on his father’s face.
“You have met someone significant?”
“I think so but she won’t give me the time of day.” He said ruefully.
“Ah finally a woman who puts up some resistance, that’s great and it will do you a world of good. I knew your mother was the one because I fell in love with her the first time I saw her in the hallway in college. The only thing was I was too timid to approach her until I almost lost her to someone else.”
“So you worked up the courage to ask her out?” Julian said in amusement.
“My palms were sweating,” he said with a laugh. “Who is this young lady who has caught your attention?”
“Her name is Kymonia Blake and she is a novelist.”
“Your mother is a fan of hers, quite a beautiful and talented young woman.” His father mused. “Have you asked her out?”
“She wants nothing to do with me I am afraid.”
“You will find a way son, you always do.”
*****
He sent her flowers, lots of them which included petunias, gardenias and roses in different colors. The card read: “I am going to change and be worthy of your attention.” She started to tear up the card but changed her mind and placed it inside her desk drawer and put the flowers into a huge vase and placed it on her desk, no use wasting perfectly good floral arrangements.
He called her again but this time he had changed his tactics. He spoke to her about the book he was reading and asked her about the main characters and she found herself talking to him about it. At the end of the conversation she realized that he had not mentioned going out with him.
His next gift was a beautifully embossed personal diary with the note: ‘For you to write down your personal feelings when you don’t feel like writing.’
*****
“He keeps sending me gifts and has been hounding me to go out with him at first but now he just calls and talk about my book and ask about my day and how my writing is progressing like he wants to be my friend.” Kymonia put the tray of hot chocolate on the table in front of the circular settee and sat beside her friends.
It was a Saturday and they had come over for refreshment and conversation and to drag their friend away from her writing for a little bit. She still had not made it over to her mom’s house and she was starting to feel bad about it. It had been two weeks since she had met Julian and he had been in constant touch with her.
“So go out with him,” Gabrielle said sensibly. She had kicked off her sneakers and made herself comfortable by curling her feet under her. Marla as usual was in flaming red hot pants and a billowing purple blouse and this time she was wearing a red wig.
“I will not!” Kymonia retorted. “He has more women than I have shoes and you know how many shoes I have.”
“Maybe he has changed his wicked ways,” Marla said with a grin.
“I strongly doubt that,” Kymonia said dryly nibbling on the cookies Mrs. Willows had made for her. “I find that strangely enough I am getting to like his conversation. Apart from his being a womanizer, he is quite a good conversationalist.”
“That’s where it starts,” Gabrielle warned her.
“Where what starts?”
“Good conversation often leads to incred
ible sex and before you know it you end up doing it every day.” She said with confidence.
“The guy you met at the restaurant opening?” Kymonia asked shrewdly.
“Yes,” Gabrielle threw up her hands in disgust. “We started talking about the environment, he is an environmentalist lawyer and then courtroom maneuvers and before you know it we were naked in bed together and going at it like rabbits.”
“Sounds like you had a good time so what’s the problem?” Marla asked her.
“I don’t know if I want to see him again and he keeps calling me.” She admitted.
“What’s wrong with him?” Kymonia asked her curiously.
“He still lives with his mother.”
“Ouch,” Marla said with a delicate shudder. “Run far away from him honey, he clearly has difficulties cutting the umbilical cord.”
“I tried telling myself that but then I weaken when he calls. I am resolute that I would tell him I don’t want to see him until he comes over and we start going at it again. He is huge and he knows how to handle himself.” She said with a sigh.
“Do you know we are sounding more and more like brothers every day?” Kymonia asked them looking at both girls.
“Oh Lord you are right!” Gabrielle exclaimed. “Time to tune in to some Lifetime movies, which will put us back on track.”
Chapter 3
Her fingers flew over the keyboard as the inspiration flew through her mind. She had woken up at five a.m. this morning with the chapter drumming inside her head. She had to forgo her usual run, had grabbed a cup of steaming black coffee and started writing. She was still at it and it was a little past ten. She finally ran out of steam at some minutes past eleven and she took up her coffee cup to find that the coffee had gotten ice cold. She had not bothered to take a shower but had dragged on old sweat bottoms and an even older T-Shirt and her hair was piled on top of her head haphazardly. She had vaguely heard her phone ringing but had not answered any of them and now she realized that she had received calls from her mother, Gabrielle and Marla and Julian had been the last call.
She was just about to take a shower and get herself something to eat when the front doorbell pealed causing her to jump. She hurried to see who it was and to her surprise she realized it was Julian. What was he doing here? He had stopped asking her out even though he called her everyday. She had started to think his interests had waned. She was certainly not dressed for company and by the looks of him he looked as handsome as usual in a dark green sweater over a white shirt with a red tie and his dark hair was tousled by the breeze.
“Julian what are you doing here?” she asked through the door.
“I come bearing breakfast. It tried calling you and I know you have probably been writing and forgot to eat.” His deep voice called out to her.
“What’s for breakfast?” she asked him.
“Impossibly delicate croissants, scrambled eggs and bacon and piping hot coffee from the best café in town and some fruits as well.” He told her.
“Okay I am convinced.” She slid back the lock and let him in. He took in her attire and realized that even though she was not wearing a stitch of make-up and her clothes were old and shabby she still managed to look beautiful.
“Where do you want me to set it up?” he asked coming inside and taking a quick sweeping view of the elegant place.
“Follow me,” she led him into the kitchen and he put the package on the counter. “I take it you have invited yourself for breakfast as well?” she asked reaching into the cupboard for some plates.
“I ate something very early and I am feeling a little hungry,” he gave her a winning smile.
“How did you know I have not eaten?” she asked him sitting on the stool opposite to him.
“You told me in one of our conversations that when the creative juice was flowing you forget to eat.” He accepted a plate from her and started eating.
“Thanks I really appreciate this.” She bit into the delicate flaky croissant and her eyes widened. “This is delicious!”
“I told you,” he said with a boyish grin. “Our chef at home makes the best ones.”
“You brought these from home?” she looked at him curiously. “So you left the office and went back home to get these?”
“Not quite I am afraid,” he told her. “I had one of the drivers go for them and carried them to the office.”
“I see,” she said quietly and even though she did not elaborate he knew what she was thinking.
“I don’t take advantage of the employees Kym,” he told her seriously. “He happened to be going to the house to pick up some files there as well.” He told her feeling that he had to explain things to her.
“It’s not my place to criticize, I am sorry,” she had polished off the delicious pastry and was eating her eggs and bacon. “I wish I knew how to make eggs this good.” She added.
“Clyde, our chef makes the best of everything; maybe you could ask him to teach you someday.” He told her.
“What are you doing Julian?” she asked him suddenly. “You are wealthy and totally hot and I am sure you are not used to this, so why are you doing it?”
“Because I want to show you that I am changing,” he said with a little quirk of his lips.
“Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” he had stopped eating and his eyes met hers, their meaning clear. “You want a man who does not treat women like possessions and treats her with respect and I am showing you that I can be that man.”
“I am not interested in a relationship Julian,” she told him honestly. “I don’t want you to change because of me.”
“I want to be your friend,” he reached out to take the hand on the counter and Kymonia felt a jolt go through her at his touch. “Let’s be friends for now.”
“And you are satisfied with that?” she asked him looking at him doubtfully.
“For now,” he turned her hand around and opened it to look at her palm. “I have not been with anyone since I have met you and I am willing to let you set the pace.”
Kymonia felt her heart shift inside her breasts at his words and she could not speak for a little bit. “You can’t put that on me Julian,” she whispered wanting to take her hand away from his.
“I am not putting anything on you, I just want to be around you as a friend until you tell me otherwise, can you give me that?” he asked her huskily, taking her hand to his lips and kissing the palm, sending a tingle through her.
She nodded and he put her hand down. “Good now I have to go, I have a meeting in twenty minutes.”
“Oh!” she could not believe how disappointed she felt.
“Don’t worry just say the word and I will bring dinner over later.” He said hopefully watching her face.
“No,” she shook her head. “I have to go and see my parents later for a long overdue visit.”
“Okay maybe tomorrow then.” He kissed her softly on the cheek before striding towards the door. He tilted her chin to look at her. “Go back and write,” he told her softly before leaving.
Kymonia stood there staring after him and he turned back and gave her a wave before driving off. She closed the door and wandered over to her desk but for a long time she just sat there and did not write anything.
*****
“This is very good Mom,” Kymonia said sincerely as she bit into the tasty meatloaf. She had not exactly lied to Julian about her coming over to visit her mother and stepfather but she had not done so when she told him she would. She had gotten caught up in her writing and by the time she looked at the clock it was some minutes to nine and she had just gotten something to eat and then gone to bed. So she had put away writing from early in the afternoon and made a conscious decision to make time and here she was.
“Thanks dear,” Gloria Rollins said with a smile as she reached for the vegetable platter. Her husband Daniel was sitting at the head of the table with one eye glued to the large screen television in the living room.
“
Pops I see you are otherwise occupied,” Kymonia said with a teasing smile.
“I just want to see who is winning,” he said with a sheepish smile, glancing at his wife. “We miss you coming around honey; don’t take so long to visit.”
“I know and I promise to do better. You know me when I get caught up with my writing how time slips away from me.”
“So you are back on track?” her mother asked her.
“I am,” she said with a nod. “I have a few chapters left and I am playing around with the ending.”
“My daughter the famous author,” her mother said with a shake of her head. “Who would have thought it.”
*****
“How was the visit with your parents?” Julian called her as soon as she got home and was having a cup of tea. The wind had picked up in the evening and for mid September it had gotten quite cold.
“It was okay, thanks.” She had been looking forward to him calling and maybe if he had not she would have called. “How are you?”
“I am still at the office trying to sort out some things for court.” He had told her about the lawsuit that the company was up against.
“I thought you did not have to go to court,” Kymonia settled down behind her desk with the intention of doing some writing before going to bed.
“We thought so as well but no amount of talking to the persons involved has budged them so far,” he told her with a sigh and she could just imagine him running his fingers through his dark hair. She had started revising her opinion about him and looked forward each day to their conversations.
“I am sorry Julian but I am sure your very efficient lawyers know what they are doing.” She told him soothingly.
“So how are you really?” he asked her softly. It was a strange experience for him being friends with her and even stranger for him being without a woman for a whole month.
“I am okay and I am getting somewhere with my book now. Do you still want to go out to dinner?” she asked him suddenly.
“Of course,” he forced himself to remain calm. He had decided that he was not going to ask her again for awhile. “What do you have in mind?”