Risking It All

by Ambrielle Kirk

  “No. I have dinner downstairs. I thought you wanted to eat early tonight.”

  “I’ve been home since three, Julissa.”

  “What happened to getting off at five?”

  “So, I got off early. I’m going on a business trip. My flight leaves early tomorrow morning.”

  “What! For how long? Why so sudden?” Julissa was surprised. Usually, Michael told her weeks ahead of time that he would be going out of town on business. That way, she would be prepared to be left home alone.

  “Sometimes, it’s just like that with this job.”

  Julissa watched him as he went back into the closet to grab his garment bag.

  “Do you mind packing a few suits in this bag for me?” he asked.

  “Sure. Where are you going?”

  “New York City.”

  “Again? You just returned from New York only a few weeks ago. When—”

  Before she could finish, he answered. “I should be back Friday afternoon. Also, the clients didn’t seal the deal that week. The bid they accepted fell through. They’re interested now and we need to make another trip there to seal the deal.”

  Maybe she could finally catch up on work and her me-time. The last couple weeks had been really exhausting. “I have dinner ready downstairs, if you’re hungry.”

  “I’ve been hungry since earlier this afternoon. That’s why I was a bit angry that no lunch or dinner was ready for me when I got here this afternoon. Go and set the table, and I’ll be down in a sec.”

  Julissa didn’t know if she was happy or disappointed that Michael was going out of town for several days, leaving her alone, yet again, in this big empty house. She remembered in the past when he would invite her along on his business trips. That was when their relationship had just gotten started.

  Now, as she ate across the table from him, she could see the wrinkles and worries on his forehead. Did the anxiety have something to do with the business trip ahead or the fact that she’d serve him Mexican take-out?

  Chapter Four

  After taking Michael to the airport in the wee hours of the morning, Julissa was now sitting at her desk at work preparing to interview Jenna Barnes for the new position of realtor. She carefully reviewed the girl’s resume and application to get an idea of what kind of candidate she was and why Martha had chosen her to interview for the position. As if on cue, the phone on her desk rang. She pressed the button for speakerphone. “This is Julissa.”

  “Julissa. Jenna is here to see you. She’s waiting in the reception. Should I send her back?” Bertha, the receptionist, asked.

  “Thank you, Bertha. I’m reviewing her resume. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  Julissa printed the interview questions that Martha had emailed to her late last night, grabbed her portfolio, and was on her way out the door when her cell phone rang. She stopped and removed the cell phone from the clip on her belt. “Julissa Lorenzo.”

  “Hello, Beautiful.” It was Quinton.

  “Hey, Q.” She smiled into the cell phone.

  “How’s your morning going?”

  “So far, so good. I had a few things to do at the office, but I should be headed out here pretty soon.” She walked back over to her desk and thumbed through her notes. “Q, I would like to email you some information on that property that you liked so much. Maybe that will help you make your decision.”

  “Okay, great. Can you send it by this afternoon? I have a phone conference with some people down in Florida at three and I wanted to make sure I can fill them in correctly.”

  “Sure, I have to interview someone in a few minutes, but I should have that to you in an hour or so. What’s your email address?” Julissa grabbed a pen.

  Quinton rattled off his email address as she wrote.

  “So, what are you doing tonight?” he asked.

  Julissa was taken off guard by his questions. How many ways could she say nothing at all. Doodling on the paper, she said, “Depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On what I feel like doing?”

  “How do you feel like being invited to dinner? I have some ideas about what direction I want my business to go in, but I wanted to get your take on it. You’ve been in real estate longer than I have and I wanted an expert opinion.”

  “Q, I don’t know.” Michael was out of town. Christina was out on honeymoon. Shanice was dating a guy that she met at the wedding. And she didn’t have a thing to do but sit in front of the television and watch Lifetime movies and eat Chinese takeout and ice cream.

  “You don’t know if you feel like being invited to dinner? What about drinks and a little music? There’s this place a few blocks from the hotel that someone recommended as a good place to unwind.”

  “Sounds nice, but I don’t think it would be right.” It was one thing to be accepting Quinton as a client without telling Michael, but it was another thing to go out alone with Quinton while Michael was away on business.

  “What wouldn’t be right about it?” Quinton seemed confused.

  “Well, you know that I’m involved…”

  “Yeah, I know.” Quinton was silent on the other end for a little while, and then he said, “We can meet to talk business, can’t we? I want to work with you, Julissa. I like your style and you are very successful at what you do.”

  Julissa sighed. “Okay, Q.” She wondered if she was only agreeing because she knew that she wouldn’t have to answer to Michael about why she was going out.

  “Great! So, shall we do light dinner, drinks, and a little music or would you like a formal dinner?”

  “A light dinner sounds nice.”

  “I’ll make a reservation. Where should I pick you up and what time?”

  “We’ll meet at the hotel. Will eight work for you?”

  “Sure, I’ll see you at eight.”

  When they hung up, Julissa looked down at the pad that she was doodling on. She stared at the little hearts around his email address. She dropped the pen instantly. She hadn’t drawn such foolishness since she was in high school.

  Quickly dismissing any ideas, she scratched through the hearts, stuck the post it on the LCD screen of her laptop and once again headed toward the receptionist area to interview Jenna.

  **

  Julissa also couldn’t remember the last time she had taken more than hour to get ready for anything. From the moment she arrived home, which was five that evening, was the moment she started getting herself ready for the date—no— meeting with Quinton. The short, black, balloon dress she wore was form-fitting, simple, but elegant. A party dress. The heels and handbag she chose as an accessory to her outfit were a shiny gold. The gold earrings and necklace were a gift from her mother. Ironically, she wore her hair in Michael’s favorite way. Flat-ironed, bone straight down her back, with blunt cut bangs. Too bad he was too busy in New York to see it. When she called him after she arrived home, they talked for about five minutes before he rushed her off the phone, claiming he was still extremely busy with the proposal they were working on.

  Julissa parked in the same section as yesterday and dialed Quinton’s cell phone.

  “Hey, baby, you here already?”

  “Yes, directly in front of valet.”

  “I’ll be down in a second to come get you. I’ll be the driver tonight.”

  Quinton looked stunning, as always, in casual dress pants and dress shirt that looked like they were just recently bought from the department store or just picked up from the dry cleaners. Hands in his pockets, he strutted towards her Lexus.

  She exited her vehicle and waited for him to fall in step beside her.

  “You look lovely.” His eyes wandered slowly, taking in her appearance.

  “You look good yourself.” Julissa grabbed her handbag and Quinton led her further through the parking lot to his car. They stopped in front of a Range Rover and he opened the door for her. Julissa was kind of surprised at the type of vehicle he drove. She expected something like a Mercedes or Lexus, some
thing sporty or classy to fit his lifestyle as a business and career man.

  “Nice,” Julissa commented when he was inside the car. Everything was black from the outside to the black leather seats and interior.

  “Thanks. I bought this baby brand new. Had her for over a year now. She’s a gas guzzler, but I wouldn’t trade her in for the world.”

  “I agree SUVs feel much more roomier despite the low gas mileage. Plus, I can see with you in real estate, how you would need more room to carry stuff around. Speaking from a realtor whose trunk is considered a third office.”

  He chuckled. She loved the way he laughed.

  As they headed to their destination, they made small talk about how he’d been coping in Atlanta by himself.

  The upscale restaurant was in the heart of downtown Atlanta and near all the excitement of the night life. Even on a Tuesday night, the sidewalks, restaurants, and bars were still well-occupied. Not as occupied as they would be on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, but the nightlife was existent in Atlanta always 365 days a year.

  When they arrived, the server confirmed their reservations and seated them at a booth table near the back of the restaurant. The atmosphere was calm and the lights were dimly lit with light R&B and Jazz music playing in the background. As they were taking their seats, Quinton did the weirdest thing…or at least she thought it was weird. Instead of sitting in the booth seat facing her, Quinton sat on the same side with her. In all her twenty seven years and many dates with other men including Michael, none had ever been as unique as Quinton was now proving to be.

  The waitress gave them menus and left.

  “This place has an impressive drink menu. I was here last Sunday and had a hard time making up my mind.” Quinton held the menu up in front of him and looked as if he was contemplating hard about what he wanted to drink.

  “So, you seem to be making it around Atlanta on your own just fine.”

  “Well, Ed, Tracey, and Leroy invited me out for a drink. Ed and Tracey are my cousins. Leroy is one of Richard’s friends. Besides out for drinks every now and then, we haven’t really been anywhere.”

  “How is it that you are the only one out of your cousins who don’t live in Georgia?”

  “I did live in Atlanta with my mother and father when I was younger. We went to the same middle school together until it was time for my family to relocate to Florida. We visited often for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the family reunions, but it was always back to Florida after that. I think I’m beginning to fall in love with Atlanta all over again.” He stole a glance at her.

  “But you have your business and career back in Florida. That’s why I don’t understand why you want to purchase property here.” Julissa shook her head.

  “You sound just like Jake, my banker. Actually, that’s part of what I wanted to share with you tonight. I’m thinking about moving back to Atlanta. Permanently.” Quinton paused, maybe waiting for her to comment. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about some things while here over the past few weeks.”

  “But, what about your properties there? What about your job?”

  “Those properties are well managed by the company that I hire to do that job. I make most major decisions, yes, but those decisions never required me to live in Florida for the long term. Also, there are some tempting job positions here in Atlanta that will be willing to hire me at much more than what I’m being paid now as a computer programmer.”

  Julissa wondered what actually made up his mind about moving to Atlanta indefinitely. Was it really the real estate market? Was it really the higher paying positions?

  “But how are you so sure that you will get a position?”

  “I’ve been on three interviews so far. I’ve already been offered one. The benefits are a bit lacking, so if I accept I’ll have to negotiate a bit on the suggested salary.”

  “I see. I guess you understand that you’re taking a big risk.”

  “I do.” He nodded. “I still have my rental income to fall back on in Florida if the job offers don’t go well here. I also plan on taking a different approach to my current hobby. Instead of managing so many properties at once, I plan on doing something a little different.”

  Quinton was smiling, so she figured he must have already thought this through and the odds were in his favor.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Have you ever heard of investors buying properties that are in need of major repairs or renovations? These investors buy properties well below market value, flip these properties, and sell them for a hefty profit. That is the direction that I plan on going with my business.”

  Julissa smiled. Quinton was a smart man. She liked that. Smart, successful, obviously financially stable, and a true entrepreneur. “I think you have a good idea going there. Have you ever done anything like that before?”

  Quinton nodded. “I assisted a colleague of mine on a project before about eight months ago in Florida. With the right people on my crew, I think I can fair pretty well. Basically, I can either flip and sell a home or flip and generate rental income from that home. There’s no going wrong with either.”

  “May I start you guys off with some drinks or appetizers?” The waitress had interrupted their conversation.

  Quinton looked at her.

  She smiled. “I’ll have a White Russian.”

  “Hennessey and Coke, please.” Quinton said. “What about a sushi sampler for an appetizer?”

  “Sure.”

  When the waitress was gone, they were quiet for a while. Julissa was looking at the lighted candles in front of them and listening to the music, which had suddenly gone from hip hop to slow romantic jazz.

  “Julissa, my business plan includes you.”

  “Q, you hardly know me. We only met for the first time this past Thursday and by the end of this week, you’ll be on your way back to Florida.”

  “I want to get to know you, Julissa. I know that our circumstances may not allow us to…well, for me to get to know you in the context that I’m thinking about, but…”

  “In what context were you thinking about, Q?” She dared herself not to make eye contact with him.

  “In the context of a relationship. I would like to go out on a couple of dates with you, like now, and we can get to know each other.”

  Julissa looked him in the eyes. “This is not a date.” What was she thinking when she agreed to come here with him? She should not be here right now.

  “Quinton, I don’t think we should…I mean, I—.” Julissa shook her head. She was at a loss for words. What did she mean? What did she think? There was no way that she could date Quinton while in a relationship with Michael. She was far from a player. She was not Shanice, who played men like a game of chess.

  Quinton reached out and grabbed her hands which had been folded tightly on her lap. He rubbed her palm with his fingers until the tension and tightness there were no more.

  Julissa didn’t pull away. It felt too good.

  “I’m going to cut to the chase. I’m not going to pretend that I’m not feeling you. I am extremely attracted to you. In a way that I have never been attracted to any woman and I barely know you. I know you think that I’m trying to pull a fast one, but believe it or not I want you more than you know.”

  “You’re just ignoring the fact that I’m already involved,” Julissa whispered.

  Quinton’s face was merely inches from hers. “I’m not ignoring anything. Right now, I could care less about your relationship and I know it’s selfish. But, I want you so bad that I will be with you however I can.” He interlaced his fingers with hers.

  “Are you suggesting that I be unfaithful to my boyfriend?” How could he blatantly suggest that she cheat on her boyfriend to be with him?

  “Julissa, I think you would have turned me down from the beginning if you were not interested in me. The fact that I needed your help looking for a property only made it okay for you to see me. Would you have seen me if I had just asked you
outright?”

  Julissa was a little embarrassed that Quinton had just figured her out. His words were the truth. Of all the guys who had pursued her while she was still with Michael, she turned them down without hesitation. No one could measure up to Michael. And that’s what she thought until Quinton came along. That’s what made the whole thing so scary. She barely knew this man and the feelings—sexual and emotional—she felt was a first for her.

  “Yes, I would have. If you had asked me outright…I would have.” Julissa couldn’t believe she had just said that.

  Quinton breathed a sigh of relief. It was a happy sigh of relief. “So, what do we do now?”

  She swallowed.

  “Look, I would never intentionally come in between what you have going with Michael. Not now, at least. But, I think we should be able to get to know each other more and…and…if it is meant to be then…”

  “Then what?”

  Quinton lifted his free hand and ran it through her hair. “Then I would want you for myself.”

  Julissa closed her eyes when his hands rested on the back of her neck, sending shivers up and down her spine.

  “You are so tempting, Julissa, and I want you right now to myself.”

  “I want—”

  The waitress interrupted their intimate moment by clearing her throat to announce her presence, and then placed both drinks down on the table. Another waiter came over and placed a plate of sushi, bowls, and chopsticks in front of them. They both managed small talk while enjoying the sushi, but Julissa couldn’t help but replay the entire confession that Quinton made in her head over and over again.

  After dinner and dessert, Quinton drove them back to the hotel and walked her back to her car. She wanted it and there was nothing she could do to make her body ignore the feelings inside. How much was she willing to risk to find out if she and Quinton were meant to be? How much of her current relationship would she put on the line? How much trouble could she stay out of with Michael before possibly being exposed?

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.” Quinton was still in the doorway, as if not wanting her to leave.