Page 64 of Business Casual

Chapter 11

“You lost your whole damn mind,” I said as I burst out laughing. “I already told you what to do and you just don’t want to listen!”

“I’m listening. I just don’t think you know what you’re talking about,” Tre replied.

“And yet, you keep requesting my advice.”

“You called me,” he argued with a chuckle.

He was right. I did call him.

Between text messages and phone calls, Tre and I talked every day since he’d dropped me off at the shop. We didn’t talk for hours like we had that first weekend. We talked for forty-five-minute spurts that always began about work and then segued into other things.

“I called you because I wanted to know if you were okay,” I explained. “And once you told me about this opportunity with Hamilton University, I provided you with game changing advice. And this is how you thank me?”

“Okay, okay, okay,” he snickered. “I may not haverequestedyour advice, but I’m glad I got it. I appreciate you.”

“Mm hmm.”

“I do!”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I appreciate you, too,” I told him.

“You can just admit that you like me. That’s the real reason you called.”

I giggled. “I called you because your dad came back to work today, and you didn’t say anything. You talked about it all weekend and then here it is, Monday, and he comes back, and I get no updates.”

“I’m still at the office.” Amusement dripped from his tone. “What I texted you is all I’m able to say right now.”

“Wait, you’re still there?” I looked at the clock. “It’s after eight o’clock. I thought you said you were leaving the office an hour ago.”

“I was, but an email came in and I had to take care of some things before tomorrow. Speaking of, I don’t know if you’ve checked your email, but a meeting has been called for tomorrow.”

“I thought we already had a meeting scheduled for nine o’clock.”

It sounded like he was taking a drink before he replied. “Yeah. And another one has been squeezed in at three o’clock.”

“Hold on.” I pulled the phone away from my ear and clicked the email icon. When I saw the message, he was referring to I let out a light chuckle. “Oh, your dad wants two meetings tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t you have to prepare for that meeting on Wednesday morning in DC?”

“Yep.”

I could hear the exasperation in his voice and my heart went out to him.

“He came back to work with a vengeance, didn’t he?” I joked lightly. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s been a hell of a Monday,” he sighed. “But I’m okay. Busy, but okay.”

“You really love what you do, don’t you?”

“I do. And in order to make my project happen, I still have to keep up with the company’s agenda. But all this extra work will be worth it when more of our people are financially free.”

I smiled. “You have a lot on your plate. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“I appreciate you offering, but unless you can make more hours in the day…”

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