Hate at first sight, p.5
Hate At First Sight, page 5
Chapter 6:
Sheldon
I smiled as I watched Rasheeda dig into the steaming mac and cheese. She had ordered shrimp and I had the chicken. She had her little fingers sticking out at an angle as she ate voraciously.
“Good?”
“Mmmh.”
I chuckled as I took a swig of beer. When we had first pulled into the parking lot of Liquor Warehouse her eyebrows had gone up. We had barely been able to find a spot to squeeze in the truck. Luckily, they had expanded the dining room, so though the parking lot was full we were still able to get a table. We had shared a serving of their signature ‘smashed mashed spuds’ and I had watched as she began to relax. When the mac and cheese arrived, she picked up her fork. Now ten minutes later she was working her way through it. But I sensed that she was slowing down.
“If you can’t finish it they’ll box up the leftovers for you.”
“They will?” she looked at me with her big green eyes like a child being given the gift they had always wanted for Christmas.
“Yes, they will. Just pop it into the microwave and it’ll be as good as ever.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
I chuckled. “Guilty. Trust me, if they delivered to Hellshire, I’d have them on speed dial.”
She gave me a strange look before looking back at her plate. “Hellshire?”
“Yes. That’s where I live.”
“Oh. I have friends out there. It’s nice.”
“Yes, it is. Lovely homes. Good landscape for a garden.”
“Did you build your own house?”
“As a matter of fact, I didn’t. The development is pretty cookie-cutter. But I made some changes to the layout to something that would suit me better. Speaking of changes, let’s get those leftovers boxed up and go to that hotel I want you to see. It’s about twenty-five minutes from here.”
She nodded, “Okay.”
I settled the bill and got Rasheeda’s leftovers sorted out before we headed to the parking lot. She looked around at the still-full parking lot.
“They seem to do good business.”
“It’s like this all day as soon as they open at ten until they close.”
“And you say they deliver?”
“In the city and maybe a few communities within thirty minutes of the city limits.” I smiled. “Would you like their card and a copy of their menu?”
She sniffed and pursed her lips. “No thank you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Okay.”
“Besides, I’m sure I can find them in the phone book.”
I burst out laughing and was pleased to see a cheeky smile on her face. She had tiny dimples at the corners of her mouth and her eyes lit up. She was truly a beautiful woman when she was not being feisty.
“We should get going.”
I helped her into the truck, and we were soon on our way.
“Is this another of your projects?”
“Yes, it is.”
“How big is this one?”
“You’ll see when you get there.”
“Is it part of a chain?”
“Yes, it is.”
“What’s the name of it?”
“You’ll see when you get there.”
“There’s a lot I’m going to see when I get there I suppose.”
“Yup! Enjoy the scenery. Have you ever been to this part of the city before?”
“Maybe I have. I can’t really recall. It’s not like I go sightseeing deliberately or anything.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m running a business.”
“There should always be time to look around you. All work and no play makes life boring, you know.”
“Well, when you’re building hotels and running the family cash cow, there’s not much play time.”
“Make playtime. Everyone needs some relaxation in their life.”
“Well, for your information, I do go on vacation.”
“Once a year.”
“Whenever I feel so inclined.”
“If you say so.”
“So, I take it that you ‘play’?”
“I do have a few hobbies. Do you?”
“Yes. Building hotels. It’s sooooo relaxing.”
I laughed and she rolled her eyes.
“I tinker with my motorcycle.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You ride a bike?”
I shrugged, “Sometimes.”
“Wow.”
“Have you ever been on a bike?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“You should give it a try one day. Let that hair out and let it blow in the wind.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. It’ll take me forever to get my hair back in order.”
“Well, sometimes a little hair mussing is in order to relax. Here we are.”
I pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. Her mouth fell open as she looked at the gate.
“This is the hotel?”
“It is.”
“Do you know which hotel this is?”
“Riu Suites.”
“No. No no no. This is the Riu Suites. Fifty-five hotels nationwide, sixty-seven franchises worldwide, voted number one in customer service and satisfaction for the last five years, over five million visitors annually and-”
“My aunt and uncle own the brand. This one is my cousin Greg’s baby.”
“Your cousin owns this? This hotel is in your family?” she pointed a finger at the building.
I grinned, “This and all the others you spoke about.”
“Wow. I’ve always admired this hotel. I want Blake’s to be like it so badly.”
“How many hotels do you have?”
“Counting the one you’re building? Twelve.”
“How long have you been in business?”
“Twenty years.”
“Wow! That’s no easy feat,” I said, genuinely impressed.
“Says he whose family owns one of the leading brands in the industry worldwide.”
“That brand started over two centuries ago. I’m sure our ancestors felt the same way when they built the first one. And if they could see it now, they’d be very proud. You’ve done a pretty good job.”
“I’ve only been at the helm for six years.”
“How many have you built?”
“This is my third.”
“So let me get this straight. In fourteen years, your family built nine hotels. But you have built three in six years. You’re already ahead of the curve. And if you take my advice regarding this suite layout, it will be a game changer. How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Twenty-eight.”
I looked at her in surprise. “So, you’ve been in charge of the chain since you were twenty-two?” Many who were in this business tend to be old.
“Yes.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for one so young.”
She shrugged and I saw a cloud pass over her face. “I like what I do.”
“I’m sure you do. You’re passionate about what you do. Let’s go ignite that passion.”
I helped her out of the truck, and we walked into the complex. The building had been completed a month ago and had been turned over to the interior design team. All around I could see signs of activity in the rooms as drapes were being hung and furniture moved into the various rooms.
“Mr. Collins. Good to see you again sir. I thought you were done with us. Did you leave some screws behind or something?”
I chuckled at the guard’s good-natured jesting. “I just took a friend to admire my handiwork. What floor could I take a look at?”
“They haven’t gotten to twenty as yet.”
“Thanks. Right this way, ma’am.” I guided Rasheeda to the elevator, and we were soon ascending to the twentieth floor. As we stepped into the corridor, we were greeted with silence. I opened the first room I came to and we stepped inside. The small entryway had a closet on the left for outer coats and boots. The bathroom door was on the right. We stepped inside.
“Now, your suites have a sixty-foot square bathroom. Do they look anything like this?”
She looked around and shook her head. “No. This is so much bigger.”
“Nope. Same sixty square. It depends on how you lay everything out. If memory serves me correctly based on your plans, the shower is against that wall with the basin and toilet on the other side, correct?”
“Yes.”
“But look at what we have here with the shower against the short wall and the basin and toilet on one long wall, leaving this entire wall free for a floor-length mirror as well as extra storage. So rather than a galley style, it’s L-shaped. It won’t take too much adjustment for the plans. All we would need to move is the plumbing. So, will you consider that change?”
I looked at her as she looked around the space. She mumbled. “Maybe.”
“That’s better than a no. Now let me show you what I came to show you.”
We stepped back into the entryway and continued further into the suite. I waved my hand around the space.
“What do you notice?”
“Kitchenette is right beside the balcony. But I still don’t see what difference it makes with having it in the entryway versus down there.”
“Let’s take a look at one of the furnished suites and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
We headed out and back to the elevator. We came off on the second floor. It was fraught with activity. Rolls of fabric lines the corridor with persons moving to and fro.
“Excuse me. Sheldon Collins contractor and Rasheeda Blake of the Blake hotels. I’d like to show Miss Blake one of your furnished suites if that’s possible. And do you have any business cards for your interior designers?”
“You can take a look at two thirty-eight. I’ll hunt down some cards.”
“Thank you so much.”
We headed down the corridor and found the room with ease. The door was ajar, and we stepped inside. There was a smell of newness about the room. There was fresh paint on the walls and beyond I could see the beds and other furniture had been placed. Rasheeda stepped into the bathroom.
“Wow! I like this. I like it a lot. It indeed does have more space.”
“Let’s go further.”
We walked deeper into the suite, and I looked at her. There were two king-sized beds with closets along respective walls. The entertainment area was all set up with a stand for the television as well as a living room set at the foot of one bed. At the foot of the other was a four-piece dining room set. There was a mini fridge and bar as well as a small sink with cupboards above and below. There were boxes on the floor with what seemed to be a coffee maker and kettle plus other utensils.
“What’s the square footage here?”
“Four hundred.”
“Four hundred! Mine is four twenty-five and it still feels smaller than this. I think our dining set is for two and we use double beds.”
“Because it’s all about the layout.”
“I like the way the foot of the bed has this elevated footboard so that if I’m lying in bed I don’t have to see the living and dining area. I hate to say it, Collins. But this looks like something I would want to replicate.”
“And with your square footage per unit, you’ll have a bigger space to play with.”
She walked over to the balcony and stepped outside. I followed. She leaned on the rail and looked out over the garden where landscapers were hard at work.
“I would stay here.”
“I’ll let my cousin know he has the approval of a fellow hotelier.”
“I still can’t believe your family owns this.”
“Not my immediate family. My side is more into construction. Then there’s my other cousin Alisha who just took over her parents’ restaurant chain.”
“Is there anyone who is into interior design by any chance?”
“As a matter of fact-”
“You can’t be serious.” Her mouth dropped.
I laughed. “No.”
“Whew! That’s a relief. It sounds like the Collins clan is running some sort of monopoly fraught with nepotism.”
“Not at all. We’ve just had the luck of the draw where businesses are concerned. It didn’t hurt that we’ve had quite a bit handed down to us as well.”
“Yes. But handing down is one thing. Taking care of the inheritance is another matter altogether. There’s a reason my father gave me the hotel and not my older brother.”
“Oh?”
“Let’s just say that if Stephen was the one in charge, we’d be closing hotels instead of opening them.”
“Ouch!”
“Yup. He’s that bad. He got one of our supermarket branches instead. He’s not very happy about it and feels as though I usurped his birthright somehow.”
“Hotels? Supermarkets? It seems your family isn’t doing too badly either.”
“I guess. But enough about me. I find it hard to believe that you have all of this wealth. This project alone must have netted you a huge profit, and I know what I’m paying you. And that’s just two projects. You have all of this, and you still wear dirty jeans, and t-shirts and live in a cookie-cutter house.”
“Where do you live?”
“An apartment in the city.”
“Seems as though you are as much under the radar as I am.”
“No one needs to know who I am.”
“Same here, Rasheeda. I don’t need to flaunt what I have. I prefer to be accepted at face value, with dirty jeans and everything. And maybe even being mistaken for a common laborer and getting chewed out by a client.” I winked at her and she had the grace to blush.
Chapter 7:
Rasheeda
I ducked my head shyly. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and found him staring at me, a tiny, small smile on his face. I shrugged and looked up at him.
“I’m truly sorry about that. I’d had a shitty week and you just got the tail end of it. Insulting strangers is not my style. I’m genuinely a nice person.”
“I don’t doubt that. We all have bad days. But I was not entirely blameless. I did rile you up a bit. What I said was unforgivable and I’m sorry. And I was not the best at dinner that night either.”
“No, you were not. So, I guess we both need some forgiveness.”
“I’ll forgive you if you forgive me.”
“Done.”
“Great.” He smiled and I felt my stomach flip flop. Ever since we had left the site, I had been fighting the pull I was feeling. I kept reminding myself that this was a business meeting and nothing else. But it was so easy to get lost in conversation with him. I looked down at the gardens as persons moved back and forth.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
I looked up at him again and found that he had moved a step closer. Unbidden, images of the trailer and when he kissed me came rushing to the fore. It took every ounce of control not to react to his nearness or give away the train of my thoughts. I forced my face to go blank.
“I was just wondering how I would want the gardens to be laid out for the new project. This is the first one in the city, you know. We’ve usually had acres of space at our disposal and are able to ramble. Now we have only fifteen.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that. Remember those structures to the side you asked about earlier?”
“What about them?” I looked at him.
“How do you feel about gazebos with a small garden around them?”
“What about parking space?”
“I already thought of that. Those are a few more recommendations I’d like to make for the adjustment to the plan.”
“It sounds like you have quite a few ‘suggestions’.”
“I do. Perhaps we could discuss them further over dinner?”
Our eyes met and I felt my heart skip a beat once more. His eyes bored into mine and my mouth went dry. I was afraid to even breathe.
“Well? Will you have dinner with me Rasheeda? Strictly business of course.”
“Ummm. Okay. When?”
“You pick a date. I know I already got your panties in a wad when I insisted that you do the walkthrough today. I got you to agree to dinner and I don’t want to spoil it.”
“Okay. Is tomorrow night, okay?”
“Tomorrow night is perfect actually.”
“Great.”
“We should be getting back. I didn’t expect us to take this long.”
I looked at my watch and my mouth fell open. “Three o’clock!? Daphne must think I’ve been kidnapped or something.”
“Let’s go.”
“Must we? This is a beautiful hotel. I’ve never stayed in one, believe it or not.”
“Really now.”
“It’s just that whenever I travel I stay in one of ours. And when I’m overseas I find a little nondescript spot.”
“Well, we have to change that. Maybe when this one opens you can book a room for a night or two.”
“Maybe I will. I can always add it to my wealth of knowledge.”
“Sounds like a plan. Let’s go.”
We headed back to the truck and were soon heading into the heart of the city. I gave him directions to my office and with a quick smile and thanks for a lovely afternoon, I headed to my office with my leftovers. I put my architect on notice that I might have some revisions to be made to the drawings. I wanted Sheldon present so I would need to ask him to make himself available for a meeting. If the truth was to be told, not that I thought about it, our dinner the next evening was unnecessary. But I did not feel inclined to cancel.
I sat staring through the window as the sky changed to a deep orange hue as the evening grew longer. I replayed every second from the moment I had seen Sheldon approach from across the yard until the moment he had left me on the curb downstairs. I had to admit. He was a handsome man. And that laugh! One could not help but join in his mirth. That is unless one was the target of said mirth as I had been at our first meeting.
