“So when are they going to announce your new position?” Harvey Gray asked Laura's brother, Sean, on Sunday night during dinner. Sean had just been promoted at work, and everyone was happy for him. The reason their mom had cooked a celebratory dinner and invited everyone over. “That will be after the board meeting,” Sean smiled into their father's eyes. “And it's in two weeks.”“That's fine,” their mother beamed. “It doesn't matter when they make the announcement. You've gotten your letter of confirmation already.”“Yes, that's true,” Olivia, Sean's wife, remarked and sipped from her wine. Their mother gave Laura a long glare, trying to urge her to join in the conversation, but Laura just looked away. Her eyes fixed on her plate as the clinking of silverware and the sound of her family's voices vibrated around her as they tried to make light conversation with their estranged father. “Princess,” Laura's father, Harvey, called out to his daughter after they'd all finished dinner and
Tasha returned home late afternoon after a long day of running errands and grocery shopping in the scorching heat of summer on Monday. She didn't go to the campus, deciding to take a break from writing for a few days. She could feel the beads of sweat clinging to her skin as she unlocked her front door and stepped inside her cozy apartment. She carried the grocery bags into the kitchen, and kicked off her flip-flops, sighing in relief, and grateful to be back in her cool, air-conditioned home. She was sorting out her purchases into their designated spaces when Maggie walked in. “Hi, Miss. Tasha,” the younger lady greeted as she walked into the kitchen. “How was your outing?”“Fine,” Tasha smiled and closed up the refrigerator door. “I only went grocery shopping and ran some errands.”“Yeah.” Maggie perched on the high stool. “I can see.”“You look worried,” Tasha covered up the flour canister, which she just emptied a new batch of flour into. “Is everything alright?”“I dunno.” she
"My mom and my brother have been asking about you every day.” Trevor told Laura Tuesday night when their dessert arrived. “In fact, not only them, but my cousins, too. They all like you.” Trevor took a chance with her and see how she would react to his family liking her. “You don't mean it,” Laura's eyes widened in surprise. “I thought you said you were going to tell your mom the truth.” She took the first bite from her apple crumble pie.He shrugged. “I will, but I don't want to tell her over the phone.” He took a spoonful of his tiramisu and nodded in satisfaction at the taste. So far, the upscale restaurant had proved everything his brother said about it. It was his older brother that suggested the place to him. “I enjoyed their company too,” she smiled. “On Saturday. Never had so much fun at family gatherings.”His heart sank, hearing that from her. “Are you serious?” He cocked his head. “Yes,” she said, scooping up a piece of apple and caramel with her spoon. “You know, it's
Grant stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel off the towel bar, and started drying off Tasha.“No, honey,” she took the towel from him. “Let me. I want to pamper you tonight.” She started drying off his body. “You need to relax from work stress, honey.”Grant had returned home very stressed in late evening and complained that he wasn't getting any headway with the design he was working on. She had made them soak up in a relaxing bath soak after dinner. “Thank you,” he kissed her lightly when she finished. She took Grant by the hand and led him back to the bed. The bedroom which was already engulfed in lavender essential oil which was dispersing from the diffuser on the dressing table. Grant felt relaxed completely and climbed into bed. Tasha joined him in bed with a sultry grin. “Relax,” she said soothingly. “Let me take care of you, honey.”“Hmmm,” he moaned gently and readjusted himself against the pillows. Tasha crawled up his body and put a blindfold on his face.“Tas
Sitting before the mirror, Stacy dropped the highlight brush she just used on her face back on the nightstand. She looked at her face in the mirror. Satisfied with her work, she applied a coat of red lipstick and admired the effect in the mirror. “Is Norma on the team?” Blake, who was standing beside her and looking into his own dressing mirror, asked as he Knott his tie. Norma was another senior marketing manager. “No,” she put on her earrings, one after the other.” It's only me and Cameron and our assistants.”“That's good.” Blake brushed his hair.It was Monday morning, and they were both getting ready for work. Her phone rang on the bed. She walked to the bed, and it was her dad calling. She picked the phone off the bed, swiping across the screen.“Good morning dad,” she walked back to the dressing table and covered up the compact face powder and the concealer jar while listening to her father on the phone.“Yes sir,” she rolled her eyes. “I am about to leave the house now.”
Tasha bit her lip, her eyes darting to the long road ahead of them. "I hope your brother will like me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.They were on their way to Treasure Bay, where his brother, William, and his wife, Annie, lived with their two kids. It was a twenty-five minute drive from Berkeley. Grant's elder brother and his wife had invited them over to an evening of barbeque in order to meet Tasha. She was so nervous, her stomach had been twisting into knots since they started the journey five minutes ago. Her mind was racing with questions: What if they don't like me? What if I say something stupid? What if they think I'm not good enough for Grant because I'm a single mother?“Why not?” Grant took her hand and intertwined their fingers. “My brother cannot dislike any woman I love.” He brought their linked hands up and kissed the back of her hand. Besides, you are a loveable. William and Annie are going to like you. Just relax.” He smiled into her eyes, squeezing her h
“So when are you bringing Tasha over to Ashwood?” Florence, Grant's mom’s voice, boomed out of the phone. “Mom?” Wide eyed, Grant plopped down on the nearest couch. “Are you serious? You want me to bring her now?”He and Tasha returned from Treasure Bay almost an hour ago and she went straight to see Maggie. He was pottering around, waiting for Tasha to return, when his mom's call came in. “Yes,” Florence sighed. “I want you to bring her home. William called me. He said you just left their house.”“Yes mom,” he replied. “That's true.” “Your brother and his wife said good things to say about your Tasha,” Grant's mom said from the other end. “You don't know how happy I am, mom; that you have finally accepted her.” He laughed out happily. “Mom, thank you.”“You are welcome, darling.”“I know your wish for me is that I marry Camilla…” He stood up and started pacing around the kitchen. “I'm glad you can now see things in my way.”“It's okay, Grant,” she breathed deeply. “But you will st
Blake put the phone down with a grin on his face after talking with Stacy's brother on Tuesday. He looked up at the wall clock on the wall in front of him and stifled a yawn. It was one hour after the closing hour and he was unusually tired. It was understandable though, he'd been having back-to-back meetings for two days. “I think I need to head home and take some rest this evening,” he leaned back in his leather chair and swirled around for a few seconds before sitting upright again.“Oh dear,” he stifled another yawn and was in the process of logging out of the company's database when there was a knock on the door and Vanessa walked in."Derek Lawson is on the line,” the older woman said, a hint of curiosity in her voice. “He insisted he had to speak with you now. Do you have any deal with him?”Blake was curious too. "The same Derek Lawson?" Blake asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. Though they had known each other for years, their paths hadn't crossed in a while. Blake couldn