Page 103 of Business Casual

Chapter 17

Imani Jones:I’m going home. I’m sorry about earlier.

Tre Franklin:Where are you?

Imani Jones:About to leave the parking deck.

Tre Franklin:Damn.

Imani Jones:Did you still want me to come over this morning?

Tre Franklin:Yeah. We should talk.

We should talk?

My fingers itched with the urge to call Keisha, but I refrained because she was on a romantic night out with her husband. Instead, I turned the music up loudly and peeled out of the parking deck. But no matter how fast I drove or how high I turned up the music, all I kept repeating was that final text.

I barely slept.

When I woke up, I immediately called Keisha.

“…and he just texted that we should talk,” I concluded after catching her up on everything that happened at the gala.

“We should talk? Men never really hit us with the ‘we need to talk.’ That’s our move! He must mean business.”

“I know right?” I threw my free hand up and let it fall to my side. “But I guess when you’re ending things with the person who is partly responsible for ruining your career ‘we should talk’ is appropriate.”

“Youbothare responsible for ruining your careers.”

“I just feel like there has to be another way than to tell Mr. Franklin. God, Keisha, you should’ve seen me at that event. I had Mr. and Mrs. Franklin eating out of the palm of my hand. They loved me. The whole executive team did.”

“You’re in this situation because one of the executive team members loved you a little more than he was supposed to,” she joked.

“It’s not funny,” I whined, shaking my body dramatically.

“You’re right,” she agreed. “It’s not funny. But you have to admit that it’s ironic.”

“Keishaaaaaaaaa!”

“Okay, I’ll quit,” she giggled. “But girl, it boils down to two things. What is it between you two? And is he worth losing the bag over?”

“I want both.”

“Does he?”

I stood in the middle of my bedroom with my phone pressed to my ear. Thinking about the last conversation we had, I wasn’t as sure as I had been. “I-I think so. Before Avery, I would say yes. Now… I don’t know.”

“You think he’s threatened by Avery?”

“No. But I think everything Avery said got under his skin.” I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“So, what are you wearing over there?” she asked. “What’s your ‘we should talk’ outfit?”

“That green dress with the black flowers.”

“I thought you said that one was too low cut for daytime events?”

“It is,” I laughed. “But just in case it’s the last time we see each other, I want to leave a lasting impression.”

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