“And what is it that you want?”
“I want to run again. In fact, I’m putting my campaign together for the next election.”
“I never understood why you just didn’t go into law enforcement, a meaningful career, like the rest of us.”
“It’s the same reason I didn’t play football or basketball in high school, Pop. I have to do what makes me happy.”
The server walked up, pad in hand, interrupting whatever Cecil was about to say.
“Are you gentlemen ready to order?” she asked.
Samson hadn’t even taken a look at the menu. He didn’t need to. Big Jones had always been one of his favorite restaurants, with its southern New Orleans cooking. He knew the menu like the back of his hand.
“I’ll start with the crab cakes and a bowl of gumbo,” Samson said. “And for my entrée I’ll have the Carolina shrimp burger.”
His father peered at him. “Hungry?”
“Famished,” said Samson. He turned to the server. “Whatever the old man is having, put it on my tab.”
“No. No. Young lady, I’ll have my own tab, thank you,” Cecil insisted.
Samson found pleasure in getting his father worked up. “And bring him a big fat order of the boudin rouge.”
Samson laughed. He knew that his father would never order something that sounded so wicked. Although it was only Cajun sausage, Cecil Steel never veered outside his comfort zone. He’d either order the fried chicken or the fried catfish. Nothing that he couldn’t pronounce.
“I don’t even know what the hell that is, but I’m going to pass. I’ll just have the fried chicken.”
“Yes, sir.” She smiled and grabbed both menus.
Samson snickered.
“Oh, you find that amusing, do you?” Cecil asked. “I don’t know why we couldn’t just go on over to the soul food place in our neighborhood. Why we have to go to this overpriced fancy-ass spot is beyond me.”
“Because I want you to understand who I am.”
“I know who you are! I raised you.” His father took a sip of his iced water. “I gave your ass life.”
“My mother gave me life,” Samson said. “And you didn’t quite raise me. You were never there. You were working all the time.”
“A cop’s job is never done. And I had to work to take care of my family,” said Cecil. “You’re not going to blame me for that, are you?”
“I blame you for not loving me unconditionally.”
Cecil was unsettled in his seat. He adjusted his posture. “I love you in spite of your bad decisions. I’m hopeful that you’ll figure things out one day. Before it’s too late. You’re getting too old for these shenanigans, Sammy.”
Samson ignored his father’s last comments. Getting through to him was a lost cause. And he knew that dinner had been a bad decision. His father would never respect anything he attempted in life, simply because he wasn’t a cop. He could become the president of the United States, and Cecil Steel would find fault with it. It was just his way, and Samson had already made peace with that. His goal was to get through dinner with his father, and return to his loft. He wanted to be alone while brooding over missing Alyson.
Chapter 23
Alyson met Dustin at an unfinished condominium development in Coral Gables. It was one that she was quite familiar with. She’d done market research in the area and already had a potential buyer in mind.
“There’s quite a bit of buzz about this property,” she told him.
“It’s beautiful, with lots of amenities,” he agreed. “Of course there’s buzz!”
“Perfectly located,” she said. “But the price is a little on the high side for the area.”
“Madison properties are highly desirable, and they’re priced accordingly.”
“They are indeed, but we want to make sure our pricing is competitive, don’t we?”
“If you check the comparables, we’re not that far off,” he said, and then changed the subject. “Sorry to pull you from your visit in the Caribbean, but Jonathan insisted that I show you around, bring you up to speed on our inventory.”
“So you’re more than just the finance guy,” she said thoughtfully. “You show the properties, too?”
“I wear many hats,” he said as he moved closer to her, and his hand slid to the small of her back. “Today, I’m your tour guide.”
“As soon as I come on board, you won’t have to show clients the inventory. I’ll do that.” She eased away from his touch. “Maybe we should move on to the next property.”
She spent an uncomfortable remainder of the afternoon perusing Madison properties with Dustin. Some she’d already visited on her own, and most she’d researched online. A private tour wasn’t necessary, in her opinion, but she obliged anyway. Particularly since Jonathan felt it was necessary. As the sun began to set, she could think of nothing more than retiring to her condo. She would order Chinese takeout and open a bottle of Riesling, try to drown the pain of missing Samson.
“Can I buy you dinner?” asked Dustin as he drove her to pick up her car at the office.
“Actually, I’m not hungry and I have plans. But thank you,” she said.
“You have plans? With a boyfriend?” he asked.
“I think that’s an inappropriate question, and I’m going to pretend that you didn’t ask it,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just trying to figure you out. See if you’re a good fit for the team.”
She was grateful when he pulled into the parking lot next to her car.
She opened the passenger’s door. “You have a good evening, Mr. Rose.”
“I intend to,” he said.
The moment she stepped into her car, she dialed Jonathan Madison.
“Hello, Mr. Madison. I’m sorry to bother you.”
“No bother, Alyson. It’s good to hear from you. I was going to ask you to drop by my office sometime this week so we can take a look at some properties. When will you be returning to Miami from the Caribbean?”
“I’m here now,” she said. “I just met with Dustin at your request.”
“At my request?”
“Yes. He flew me back here this afternoon. He said that you asked him to take me to a few sites,” she said.
“That’s strange. I haven’t spoken with Dustin since the three of us had lunch together. But I’ll give him a call and see what’s going on. I’d like to have a sit-down with you and go over our inventory, whenever you have a moment.”
“I can stop by in the morning.”
“That sounds great. I’ll meet you at my office at eight.”
Her heart pounded rapidly. Her head began to spin. Dustin had lured her to Miami and had used Jonathan as an excuse. The thought of it gave her the creeps.
She tried to rid her thoughts of him as she entered her condo, flipped on the lights and removed her pumps. She collapsed onto the leather sofa and rested her head against the back of it. She couldn’t quite put her finger on the source of the uneasiness she felt in her gut. She didn’t know if it was her new relationship with Madison Development that was causing her the most angst, or Dustin Rose himself.
She pulled her cell phone from her purse, dialed the number for her favorite Asian spot and ordered dinner. She opened a bottle of Riesling and poured herself a glass. After changing into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, she pulled her laptop out of its bag and spread paperwork all over the sofa, then got lost in her work.
* * *
Phones were constantly ringing, and conversations permeated the office of Madison Development Company. She’d dressed carefully in one of her most conservative pantsuits. If she bumped into Dustin, she didn’t want him to misunderstand their interaction again. Not like the last time they’d met. He’d thought it fitting to say inappropriate things to her in their last meeting, and to touch the small of her back without her permission.
“I’m here to see Jonathan Madison,” she told the receptionist.
“He was expec
ting you, Miss Talbot, but he got called to one of our sites. He asked me to apologize profusely and to reschedule with you.”
“It’s okay, Carol. I’ll take over for Jonathan,” said Dustin, who appeared out of nowhere. “You can step into my office, Miss Talbot.”
She reluctantly followed Dustin down the hallway and into his office. He motioned for her to have a seat. She slid into the leather seat across from his desk.
“I think Jonathan just wanted to bring you up to speed on the inventory. He wanted us to go ahead and sign a listing agreement—document your relationship with us as our agent.” He pulled a contract from his file cabinet.
“I spoke with Jonathan yesterday about our little housing tour. He didn’t ask you to fly me back here and take me on a tour yesterday. In fact, he didn’t even know anything about it.”
“Of course he did.” Dustin laughed nervously.
“No, he didn’t. He thought I was still in the Bahamas.”
“The old man is starting to forget things,” said Dustin. “Which is why I’ve suggested that he seriously think about retiring. He’s been doing this for a long time, and he’s starting to slip. I think he should go enjoy his family and his wealth and leave the hard work to us young folk.”
“So you’re telling me that he asked you to fly me back here to Miami to visit properties, and then he forgot about it?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Dustin said. “Jonathan is a great man, but he’s forgetful. Just like he forgot that he had another commitment before scheduling a meeting with you this morning.”
She had thought that odd. Had something really come up, or had Jonathan Madison forgotten about their conversation?
“I don’t know what games you’re playing, Mr. Rose, but I’m not the one to play with,” she warned.
“I don’t have time for games, Alyson,” he said. “Can I call you Alyson?”
“Call me Miss Talbot.”
“I’m a busy man, Miss Talbot. And this is a busy office. Jonathan Madison doesn’t have time to worry about the little details of running this company. Which is why I’m here. I free him to handle other things.”
“You can just give me the listing contract. I’ll take a look at it and bring it back over later.” Alyson stood.
“It’s just your standard listing agreement, Miss Talbot.”
“As I said, I’ll take a look and bring it back when I meet with Jonathan.”
“That’s fine,” said Dustin. “No worries.”
“And by the way, I have a potential buyer for the Coral Gables property. I’d like to see if we could get him prequalified through your preferred lender as soon as possible.”
“We’ll take a look at it, just as soon as we get a signed copy of that listing agreement.” He came around and sat on the edge of his desk right in front of her.
“Fine.” She walked toward the door.
“Welcome to the team, Alyson.” He failed to use her professional name.
She left without another word.
She slipped into her car and relaxed into the seat. Alyson was a strong person. She didn’t back down to anyone, and she didn’t allow people to get under her skin. But Dustin Rose was under her skin. She didn’t like him, and she was uneasy about working with him. She thought that she’d be happy about Madison Development, but so far she’d been everything but. She carefully backed the car out of the parking space and simultaneously answered her ringing phone with the push of a button.
“Jules, what’s up?”
“I did some research on that Dustin Rose fellow like you asked,” she said. “He has quite the history.”
“Does he now?”
“He’s connected to a laundry list of scandals, from unethical real estate deals to bribery.”
“Are you kidding?”
“Not in the least,” said Jules. “It pays to have private detectives as friends. Especially friends who owe you favors. This guy Dustin is a piece of work, to say the least. He went before a judge in Illinois and somehow managed to get probation for the bribery charge. Left the company that he worked for in Chicago and moved here. Turns out, he knew some people. He was able to land a job at Madison Development without so much as a background check. He’s been here for less than a year now.”
“What was the name of the company he worked for in Chicago?” She already knew the answer, but needed to hear it anyway.
“Let me see,” Jules said as she riffled through some pages. “Blue Island Properties.”
An unsettling feeling rested in the pit of Alyson’s stomach. At that moment, she knew that Samson’s suspicions were correct.
“That’s not all,” said Jules.
“There’s more?” She was afraid to hear the rest.
“They’re using straw buyers to get these deals pushed through the lender,” she said. “You’re not under a listing agreement with them, are you?”
“I haven’t signed one yet.”
“Don’t sign anything with them. My advice is to cut all ties.”
“Samson was right.”
“Who’s Samson?” Jules asked. “The mystery man you haven’t told me anything about?”
“Yes. He probably hates me now. I’ve messed up everything,” said Alyson. “And now he’s gone back to Chicago, and I’ll probably never see him again.”
“Do you need me to find him, too?”
“No. I just need to put on my big girl panties and call him.”
“Go get your man, girl!” Jules said.
Alyson was beginning to rethink everything she thought Madison Development was or wasn’t. She’d come from a good Bahamian family with strong values, and she knew that a company built on unethical behavior would never last. Good companies were built on strong foundations, and Alyson Talbot and Associates wouldn’t be the exception. As much as she needed the hefty commissions and the exposure, she knew what she had to do. Besides that, she needed her man. However, she’d already dismissed him. To win him back meant admitting that she was wrong, which was something that wasn’t easy for her. But she was willing to do it. She wasn’t sure if he’d welcome her with open arms, but she needed to try. She needed to make amends with the man she loved.
Yes, loved.
Before it was too late.
Chapter 24
Nat King Cole crooned about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. The house smelled of gingerbread. Garland and scented candles rested upon the mantel. Samson opened the door as wide as he could get it and held on to the trunk of the tree, while his father pushed the branches inside from the other end.
“Oh, my, what a beautiful tree! Y’all picked a good one,” his mother raved. She pointed toward the corner of the room, near the fireplace, where Christmas trees had always been set up for most of Samson’s life. “Set it up right over here, baby. You know the spot.”
Samson steadied the tree on its stand, while his father tightened the screws. The smell of pine filled his nose. Needles from the tree bounced against the polished hardwoods. He let go of the tree and then stood back, marveling at how beautiful it was. He and his father had picked a good one. It was the one thing they’d agreed on that day, that the eastern white pine was the perfect tree.
“Cecil, come with me to the basement to grab the skirt and decorations,” Toni said.
Cecil groaned but followed his wife.
“I’ll come, too, Grandmother!” Samson’s ten-year-old niece, Natalie, followed her grandparents.
“Good to see you, Sammy.” Samson’s older brother, Jessie, reached for a handshake. “I was wondering if you’d be home for Christmas.”
“Are you growing a beard, or you just too lazy to shave?” Samson asked Jessie.
Jessie grinned widely and rubbed the hair on his face. “You like it?”
“Makes you look old.”
“Makes me look distinguished,” Jessie said. “What about your beard?”
“Mine isn’t nearly as rustic.”
“My wife like
s it. Right, babe?” Jessie asked Patricia as she entered the room from the kitchen.
“The beard has got to go! Please talk to your brother, Samson. Please tell him to cut it. Yours is perfect. But this right here, a hot mess,” said Patricia. She gave Samson a strong embrace. “Good to see you.”
Samson’s younger brother burst through the front door, his daughter in tow. Calvin stomped the snow from his boots on the rug, and Olivia followed suit. She removed her wool hat and rushed toward Samson.
“Uncle Sammy!” the six-year-old exclaimed before jumping into his arms.
He held his niece tightly in his arms and kissed her plump cheek. “Who’s your favorite uncle in the world?” he asked.
“You are!” she shouted.
“What?” Jessie asked Olivia. “Then what am I?”
“You’re my favorite, too, Uncle Jessie,” said Olivia, who rested her head on Samson’s shoulder.
“Well, if it isn’t Sammy Steel!” Calvin embraced his brother. “Nice tree, chump. Glad she didn’t ask me to go with the old man to pick it out. I bet it was a horrible experience.”
“I went last year,” said Jessie. “It was a painful process. He’s anal.”
“Actually, it wasn’t all that bad,” said Samson. “But you’re right, he’s anal about everything. I took him to dinner, and all he did was complain.”
“Here we go!” Toni placed a box filled with decorations in the center of the floor. “Let’s get to decorating. You know this is my favorite Christmas tradition, decorating the tree with you guys.”
Cecil plopped down in his easy chair in the corner of the room. He never helped decorate, only watched. He’d done his due diligence by picking out the tree and bringing it home. It was his philosophy for everything. I’ll bring it home—you deal with it from there.
Toni began to decorate with bulbs, lights and garland. The children placed their handmade ornaments onto the branches. Samson and his brothers drank beers and tried talking louder than the music, until it was time to place the star at the top of the tree. It was a tradition for the youngest member of the Steel clan to do the honors of situating the star in its rightful place.
A Yuletide Affair Page 15