Page 16 of Finesse
“Happy to see my favorite guy.” I sit down as my Daddy takes his seat behind his desk. Gabe brings my coffee and pie, along with another for Daddy. He closes the door behind him as he leaves. “So, what was that about?”
Daddy shrugs as he digs into his pie. “Same usual. Someone is interested in the property and makes promises to change my life, knowing the offer is shit.” He points to the closed door. “That was one different, though. She wanted the property and the business.”
My eyebrows rose. “That’s new. Usually they just want your property.”
“Usually. There was something not quite right about that lady. Something sinister about her offer.” He pauses and sighs. “I have a feeling I’ll see her again.”
My daddy’s voice is calm but I’m anything but. “What do you mean sinister?”
“Just a vibe.” My daddy could always read people well. He knew if someone liked him or couldn’t stand him based on how they interacted with him within seconds. I inherited a sixth sense from him because I can pick up the vibe as well. “Is she evil? I don’t know but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was.”
East Atlanta property has become a hot commodity and the rich white folks are going all out in their offers. Daddy had been offered numerous times and he’s shot down all of them. Some of the figures have even reached the seven figures and I had to second-guess what the hell my Daddy was on to turn down those offers.
“What about the other offers?” I ask before I take a bite of my favorite pie. “There were some good offers, Daddy.”
“Baby girl, you need to understand if someone is offering you something in a business transaction be it a purchase or settlement, they’re giving you a lowball offer. They know what you have is worth much more. They hope you’re dumb enough to take the first offer.” He gives me a nod. “If they’re offering me two million, I know what I have is worth ten million.”
I briefly look up to see the various pictures of us on the walls. Every moment from my wee soccer days to my high school graduation to me getting ready for various school dances were on the walls. No wonder the woman knew me.
Knew might be too generous of a word. Scoping would be a better definition. There was an innate feeling she was trying to size me up and I’m not quite sure why.
“Anyway, enough about that mess. How are you doing?” Daddy asks. “What’s going on in the world of Taylor?”
I’ve never lied to my father about anything but I don’t know how much I want to share about Cameron. At this point, I guess there’s nothing to lose. “I went on a date the other night. His name is Cameron Page. His father is Senator Eric Page.”
Daddy takes another bite of his pie and nods. He wipes his mouth and now it’s his turn to raise an eyebrow at me. “Is that so?”
“He’s a nice guy, Daddy.” I try to sell Cameron but even I’m not sure how much I believe that. He never did explain the confrontation at the golf course. “I’ll be seeing him again this weekend.”
“Oh.” Daddy doesn’t approve but it’s not a race thing. I know how Daddy feels about politicians in general. He feels they’re one and the same no matter what side of the political coin they’re on. “As long as he doesn’t interrupt the school work.”
“He won’t.” I promise. “We’re only seeing each other during the weekends for now.”
“As it should be.” Daddy gives a warning.
I smile at my Daddy as we continue our coffee date. The conversation becomes light and fun as Daddy talks about his disastrous dating adventures. I push back what I heard earlier and the weird vibe I got from the other lady.
I have a sneaky suspicion it won’t be the last time I would hear from her again.
Six
“Girl, I just love dating a baller.” Hayley talks to me as she tries on yet another fit at Bloomingdale’s. “Que told me to take his black card and run up the tab. He didn’t have to tell me twice!”
I should be in class pretending to listen to my professor talk about economics but Hayley convinced me to go shopping with her. Now I’m in the sitting area of the women’s section as Hayley tries on what appears to be the fifteenth outfit of the day. Now I see why all those men stay home.
“I’m glad he’s treating you well,” I reply as I flip through Instagram. Since Hayley and Que hit it off, Hayley hasn’t been around that much. I don’t hate because I get it. She’s got new dick and for the time being, I take a backseat.
I would complain but it’s not like Cameron hasn’t been occupying my time. We call each other every night and we’ve become a fan of FaceTiming each other. We’ve regulated our dates to the weekend so I can concentrate on school and Fresh Espresso.
Our conversations range from the serious like systemic racism and Cameron surprised me on how woke he was, to the silly and mundane on which Lil’ Kim face we liked the best. Cameron makes slick jokes about how he can’t get over white people’s obsession with La Croix (“It’s just water!”)
I’m not in love with Cameron, but I can’t say I’m not at least smitten. He makes a sista feel a certain kind of way, like I’m the only girl in the world and honestly, I got used to that real quick.
We’re not at the ‘take my card and shut down the store’ level of our relationship (we’re not even in one, honestly) but I wouldn’t mind if it went that route. What woman doesn’t want to be spoiled by Prince Charming?
“Girl, anytime a man with good dick and a bigger bank account tells me to go have fun, you know I’m all over that!” Hayley admires a yellow number that might be a little too short and too tight but somehow she doesn’t look like she’s squeezed into it. “How are things going with you and Cameron?”
“Good. We went on a date last weekend and he’s going to take me out again this weekend.” I stare down at Cameron’s IG page and wonder if I should start following him. It’s a public page and he already has about 100,000 followers.
