“Hello.” “Good morning Lena” Tura sings through the earpiece causing Lena to laugh. “Sounds like someone enjoyed their evening.” “And morning” Tura admits, and Lena hears the happiness in her voice. “The reason I’m disturbing you is I need to know what time to be at your house to go shopping.” “Be here in an hour and we’ll leave to go get Tamisha and then head out to do what we do best – shop.” “Okay, girlfriend. I’ll see you in an hour if not before. I’m already dressed, but I don’t know how bad traffic is. Gerry has already left for work, and his housekeeper will be arriving soon. I don’t want to be in her way when she starts her chores.” “Sounds like a plan Tura” Lena states. “By the way did you attend the party last night?” Tura asks.
Lena looks over at Fahim who’s watching her hard as he listened to her end of the conversation. “Yes, and we will talk about it when I see you.” Tura noticed the short answers which is unusual for Lena and asks “Is someone there with you? I know you didn’t hook up with anyone last night. The only man on your mind has been Fahim.” “Yes and yes” is all Lena would say piqueing Tura’s curiosity further. “Lena you need to give me a better explanation that short words as your answer.” Lena only responds with “I’ll see you soon Tura” and ends the call which confuses Tura even more. “What the hell!!” she says loudly after laying her phone on the bed. “Why is Lena acting all vague with her responses?” she mumbles out loud. “Well, the only way she would know what’s going on is to get to Lena’s and find out. She checks herself out again in the mirror to make sure everything looks okay, heads downstairs to grab her coat, purse, and keys and heads to Lena’s house.
Lena sets the phone on the kitchen table and looks at Fahim who is watching her oddly. “So Tura is coming over now? Isn’t she the same person who hooked up with your ex-boyfriend Lena?” “Yes, Tura is on her way over, and you know Gerard and I were only friends and nothing more. I don’t want to have this discussion again. And anyway I will have to explain to you how they ended up together.” “So explain it all to me now while we are eating our breakfast.” “Okay but I only have time to tell you the short version. There is a five-year little girl waiting impatiently for me to arrive and get her. I’m sure she’s counting down the minutes since she’s learned how to tell time.”
Fahim wasn’t happy about the limited time left for them to be together. “Bebé bien” is all he answers while grabbing plates from the cabinet for them to eat on. Lena grabs the juice from the refrigerator since they got sidetracked and forgot to start the coffee percolating. If she made some now, she was definitely going to be later than she already was getting her daughter. Sitting down at the island table and taking a few bites of the delicious food Fahim had placed on her plate she begins telling him the short version of how her best friend and Gerard became a couple.
CHAPTER 30
Patrick and his sister, Alice Alcoa Atwater, sit in chairs in front of Gerry’s desk pleased with the outcome of their meeting with the management team from Wine Warehouse. A three-year contract was agreed upon with Hearst Trucking southern division to provide all their delivery needs from their wine and liquor distribution warehouses to their customers. Patrick let Gerry give the presentation of their proposal, and Stanley Liberty, the owner, and his associates were very impressed agreeing to the hefty rate calculated for services being provided. Carlton Petawang, Lovely’s uncle who was also a brilliant attorney, was also in attendance during the meeting along with Mr. Liberty’s attorney and the contracts were signed. At the beginning of the new year, Patrick’s successful company would be adding another large client to his growing business portfolio.
“Gerry, you did an outstand job presenting our proposal to Mr. Liberty and his team. I can rest assured I’m leaving my company in good hands to be managed while I’m in New York.” “Aw Patrick. I was just doing the job you pay me to do. We all did this together including Alice getting our new client to agree to our terms.” “I have to agree with Patty, Gerry” Alice chimes in. You explained to them what Hearst Trucking could provide as quality transportation services for their delivery needs. We had nothing to do with the way your excellent presentation was executed.”
Gerry smiles even broader at the high praise he was receiving. He was grateful Patrick trusted him enough to manage his company as if he was here doing it himself. Patrick notices Gerry’s embarrassment and changes the subject asking “You are still attending the family dinner next Saturday?” “Yes and I’m bringing Tura as my date if that’s okay.” “That’s perfect. So I take it everything has been ironed out between all parties involved?” “Yes we are all on the same page” Gerry admits cheerfully.
Alice was clueless to the conversation going on between her brother and Gerard. To keep from listening to their coded conversation, she says “Well, I’m going to check to see if we’ve but a dent in our goal of getting all the deliveries complete before Wednesday and everything is on schedule. If you gentlemen will excuse me.” “All right Lizzy” Patrick says with Gerry adding “I’ll check in with you Alice before I leave for the day to see how things are progressing and if our numbers match.” Alice frowns slightly but says nothing to his comment and instead walks out of his office closing the door behind her.
Patrick smirks once she is gone and Gerry notices the tension between the siblings. He asks “Is everything okay between you and Alice, Patrick? I noticed some uneasiness between the two of you.” “You’re perceptive Gerry. Yes, Alice and I are dealing with some problems. I was going to have a meeting with you after the festivities about what I need from you while I’m away in New York. I don’t want to spoil your holiday with the contentious details.” “Okay boss” is all Gerry says a bit intrigued by the cryptic dialogue. “Whatever you need from me I’m your man. You have my allegiance, and I will help you with anything you need to have done.” “Sounds good Gerry and just what I needed to hear. Let’s forget about business, and you tell me all the details of how you got yourself out of the predicament you were in.” Gerry leans back in his office chair cupping his hands behind his head and smiles. While telling the man, he now calls his friend, the details of the Lena/Tura situation.
An hour later, Patrick is sitting behind his desk shaking his head at what Gerry informed him of earlier. He thought his and Lovely’s love triangle was problematic but a quadruplicate conflict was a dilemma he’s glad he was never mixed up in especially when Fahim is one of the characters involved. Patrick didn’t mention to Gerry Fahim’s dislike for him. Hopefully, he and Lena have worked out the conflict between them, and everything that transpired before was now resolved.
Lovely walks into his office, and he smiles amazed with the fact the beautiful woman walking towards him as his wife. His love for her grows deeper every day and thanks cupid on a regular basis for recognizing they were meant to be together and fusing their hearts with his hypnotic potion of love. Lovely watches her husband stares at her with his beautiful blue eyes and as they darken with desire designed only for her. His sensuous gaze sends a surge of heat through her veins knowing how much Patrick loves her unconditionally. “Hey, handsome.” “Hey, beautiful. How did I get so lucky to receive a visit from you today? I thought you were helping Moma Maddy with whatever needs to be finished on her to do list for the Christmas dinner.”
Lovely plops down in his lap after setting her Givenchy satchel on his desk giving all her attention to his lips with a passionate kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck to deepen their sensual lip lock and smiles hearing her husband growl deep in his throat while feeling his shaft harden against her butt cheeks. After their addicting kiss, she answers breathlessly, “I’m out running errands for Mom now. You crossed my mind, so I made a detour to come see my lover and get my fix tasting your sweet lips before dealing with everything she’s given me to handle.” Nuzzling at her neck, he mumbles “Well I’m happy to see you too babe and I will do what I can to satisfy your craving.”
Lovely didn’t lock the door when she walked into hi
s office, her mind occupied with her husband and satisfying her hunger. Their passionate embrace is interrupted as Alice walks in without knocking. She clears her throat to get their attention but is ignored until they both get their fill of tasting each other lips. Patrick kisses Lovely on her forehead tenderly smiling at her lovingly before turning his attention to his sister. The smile he’d shown Lovely seconds before was gone replaced with a dark scowl. He growls loudly “Don’t you know how to knock before entering when a door is closed?”
Alice ignored his question seeming annoyed with brother’s attitude toward her. Patrick gets more upset and yells “Lizzy, you aren’t co-managing the company yet. It seems you keep forgetting who owns this company and who’s the boss. If you keep trying to dictate how we run things around here, I may have to put off moving back to New York and send you back home to deal with the fallout!” That threat got Alice’s attention. She clears her throat and finally answers “Your secretary said you wanted to meet this afternoon. I figured now was a good a time to have it.” “See that’s the problem you and I seem to keep having. You appear to want to forget you work for me and your schedule revolves around mine! Now if something changed I don’t have privy to, please explain so I can handle it and send you on your way. I knew this was a bad idea giving you a job in my company!”
Alice knew she had gone too far and tried to apologize. “Aww Patty. I’m sorry. It’s just you seem to depend on Gerry more to manage things around here than you do me. It should have been me doing the presentation to the Wine Warehouse management team this morning instead of him. You place way too much trust in someone who hasn’t been a part of the family company from the beginning!”
Lovely feels Patrick’s body tense; watches as his hands ball into fists and his hairline turns a dark shade of red, he’s so pissed. Needing to keep her husband from doing something he may later regret, Lovely turns and says to Alice “But this isn’t the family company remember? Patrick has every reason to trusts Gerard with his business than you or any other member of your family. You seem to want to forget how he’s been treated by the people who he shares the same last name with. Patrick felt sorry for you when Stephen divorced you. And I’ve noticed since Patrick let you have a position at his company, you’ve been trying to undermine all the decisions he’s made to put his business on the map and making it the success it is today.”
Lovely is very upset and continues her tirade. “My husband did all that on his own with no help from his so called family. Gerry was hired on to help the company become more profitable which he’s proven he has the skills to do. If I had a say as to who should be in charge while we are away, Gerard Conway would get my vote hands down. You better watch your step sister-in-law. We haven’t moved away yet, and nothing is set in stone either!”
Alice is livid Lovely is speaking to her that way and that her brother isn’t saying anything to stop it. But she knew not to quarrel with Lovely telling her how she really feels or screw up the plan she was sent to get done so her parents can gain control of Patrick’s company so it back where they feel it belongs. So she keeps her mouth shut and sits down in the chair in front of his desk and waits. What happens next isn’t what she expected.
Lovely kisses Patrick and moves from his lap and walks across the office to sit down on the sofa by the window and silently watch what was about to happen. Patrick had discussed with her several days ago what he suspected but was still undecided on how to handle the situation. Her instincts told her something was about to happen, and her husband would need her, so she sits quietly and will only interfere in case he needs her assistance.
There is a knock at Patrick’s office door, and his secretary walks inside followed by Carlton Petawang and Gerry. Alice’s panics inside not knowing what is going on but knows whatever it is wasn’t going to be pleasant. Patrick anger seems to have vanished, or so it seemed to her, but she’s never been able to read her brother’s body language. Once everyone is sitting down including his secretary, Amanda who had a notepad to takes notes of the impromptu meeting, Patrick nods at Mr. Petawang before speaking.
“I wasn’t going to handle the information I was informed of a few weeks ago until after the holidays hoping what I found out wasn’t true. But after several more instances occurring on the same issue, I now feel to my distress the situation has become critical and needs to be dealt with immediately.” He clears his throat, sets his eyes on his sister and continues speaking. “Alice since you’ve been here working for me, I’ve noticed several dire issues that should never have happened.”
“First, one of my valued client’s, who has been a long standing customer and a personal friend since I opened this branch, approached me stating my sister wasn’t going to renegotiate his contract when it comes up for renewal early next year unless he agrees to pay double what the fee is he’s paying now. I assured Mr. Morrison his contract would be renewed with a fair rate increase agreed by both parties on what he will be charged for services rendered. Thinking it was a mistake on Alice’s part and giving her the benefit of the doubt, I didn’t say anything. A couples weeks later several more clients notified me of having the same type of conversation with you as you had with Mr. Morrison. I was livid and the only thought that came to my mind was Mother and Father had sent you here to either ruin me or take over my business.”
Standing up from his chair and walking around to sit on his desk directly in front of his sister he continues. “What you all failed to realize is my clients trust me and would have spoken to me personally about what you’ve been doing behind my back Alice. This type of insubordination and deception is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave the management under any part of your control. I also had to figure out a way to stop all of you from ruining what I’ve made stable and prosperous without letting our parents, and I’m sure Henry Jr as well, know their plans failed.”
Looking away from his sister and at Gerry, Patrick smiles and says “Gerry, you have proven to be a loyal and well-qualified employee to Hearst Trucking.” Looking back at Alice the smiles leaves his face again, and he says “Alice I tried to give you a chance to prove you are your own person; that you don’t let our parents play you like a puppet on a string. You failed miserably and proved you will never change and will always do our parents bidding. My attorney has drawn up a confidential non-disclosure agreement for the two of you to sign stating as long as you work for me or if are terminated as an employee, you will not divulge any information about my company to anyone, especially our parents and our brother. If so your termination will be immediate followed by possible prosecution and /or civil suit filed with the courts. I’ve also had Mr. Petawang prepare documents signing over twenty-five percent of shares to Gerard Conway in this southern branch of Hearst Trucking. If anything happens to Lovely or me, he will still have a say within the company on how it’s managed.”
Alice is speechless and bows her head feeling defeated. How had their plan failed? She did everything exactly as her parents told her to do. They would definitely blame her for failing to get back what they feel belongs to them. Maybe she can salvage things. Patrick hadn’t said she was fired. She hears Patrick clears his throat and she looks up to see her brother once again sitting behind his desk and Lovely now standing by his side. She knew something else major was coming and waited to see what else was going to be said before opening her mouth.
Patrick squeezes Lovely’s hand and looks at Gerry and then back at Alice. “Alice, I fully intended on both you and Gerry co-management positions trusting you both would keep running my company successfully until Lovely, and I return from New York. Since you’ve proven you can’t be trusted, I’ve decided as of the beginning of the new year, Gerard Conway will be interim COO. He will make all decisions regarding the successful management of this company. I will be kept in the loop but Gerry will the man in charge. Alice if you decide to stay on, you will be assigned to whatever duties Gerry deems suitable to involve you with and
you will report directly to him. Lizzy, you will never stab me in the back again. Now sign the damn documents and leave my office before I decide to wash my hands of you all together!”
Alice is once again speechless and stunned. There is no way to explain her actions away. She’s been caught with no excuse as to why she keeps doing her family’s bidding. She looks at her brother and only says “I’m sorry Patty.” She signs the papers placed before her and watches Mr. Petawang paralegal notarize each document she signed and then is told she would receive her copies once they are filed with the court. Gerry is speechless as well. He had a feeling Alice wasn’t trustworthy, but he had no clue how low she would sink to ruin her brother and the company he’s made so successful.
Once Alice has left the office, Patrick looks at Gerry and says “I’m trusting you to keep my business secure and successful Gerry. I would love to send Lizzy packing, but she would eventually cave under my family’s intensive interrogation. They are ruthless, and it seems they want me back in New York to stay by any means necessary. You and I will remain in constant contact, and if you have any legal issues or any problems arise with Alice I can’t handle from my end, contact Carlton, and he will handle things. Congratulations on your new promotion.” “Thank you Patrick for having enough faith in me to manage your creation. You’ve put a lot of time and energy making it as profitable as it is and I will continue to follow your lead. I have a question to ask though. What position do you want me to place your sister in? She’s proven she can’t be trusted with our clients. I’m scared to put her over managing the drivers or maintenance of our equipment. And I damn sure not putting in charge of handling any the accounting? So I’m going to repeat this again what do I do with her?”
Hypnotic Magnetic Seduction Page 16