“H-Hello…” I cleared my throat, trying to steady my breathing. “May I ask who’s calling?”
Holding the phone to my ear, like always, nothing could be heard outside of the person’s breathing. Goosebumps formed as I sat there, listening, hoping they would finally reveal themselves.
“Who was that?” Stacy’s nosey ass looked over my shoulder as I finally ended the call. “I was hoping that was TJ so I could curse his ass out!”
“Girl, no.” I chuckled nervously, placing the phone on the table. “Tyreek is on duty until later tonight. That was someone with the wrong number.”
Zoning out as she continued to talk, I searched my mind for who could be stalking me. I didn’t have any enemies, not even in the real estate business. If it were a woman calling me because of some stuff with TJ, he was a dead man.
“Done!” Stacy clapped her hands as she finished molding me down. “How about we let it air dry and head over to Savory Oasis? I want some shrimp and grits real bad.”
Agreeing to leave for a midday brunch in thirty minutes, I cleaned up the mess on the kitchen counters and the island. I made a mental note to call my cleaning company to get a deep clean next week because it was well overdue. I wasn’t a high-maintenance person, but owning a realty company had incorporated certain routines into my personal life that I didn’t think I’d ever want to live without.
“Alright! Let’s roll,” Stacy sang as she came back into the sitting room. We had both taken quick showers and were now ready to go eat. We were both starving, and brunch food was the only answer. “Who’s driving?”
Grabbing my Marc Jacobs tote bag and keys, I went to place my cell phone inside when I noticed a text from an unknown number. Heart thumping, I opened the message and damn near dropped it when pictures of me showed on my phone screen with the text.
“The best part is you're just as pretty up close.”
The faraway pictures of me grocery shopping and the one of me heading into my job completely unnerved me. The calls were one thing, and the letter on my car earlier was another, butpictures of me confirmed that I indeed had a stalker, and he was constantly following me. Tears sprang to my eyes, but when I felt Stacy’s eyes on me, I straightened up immediately.
“TJ, as usual.” I chuckled, keeping my tone as even as possible. Stuffing the cell phone into the bottom of my tote bag, I took a deep breath before attempting to appear as if everything was normal. Locking eyes with her, I could tell she was skeptical. “He wanted to make sure I had everything I needed for the gala.”
“Lame-ass nigga,” she murmured, snatching her keys from the end table. “I’ll drive because I need you to drink away the bullshit. Between him and your brother, I don’t know who I’m boxing first.”
Giving her a small smile, I blew out a sigh of relief when she didn’t press the issue further. I didn’t know what was going on, but now I was beyond worried. My feelings were now confirmed, and I knew I couldn’t keep this a secret. I was going to have to tell TJ about this. My hope was that the one time I needed him, he would actually come through for me.
“Blossom, you should really think about growing your hair back out. I think a bob would suit you better.”
Giving my mother a soft smile, I kissed her cheek as TJ and I approached the table. Tonight was the third annual Governor’s Gala, and it was nothing but smiles all around as we entered the well-decorated space. There had been so many scandals and rumors surrounding the city and state over the past few years that it was nice to see things returning to normal.
“Clarice, leave my daughter alone.” My father winked before standing from our assigned table and kissing my temple. “I think my baby girl is perfect.”
Turning to face my fiancé, he extended his hand for TJ to shake. My father has never been particularly fond of TJ, but since we became engaged, he has been making an effort to get to know him better. “Good afternoon, Tyreek. It’s nice to see you.”
“Likewise, sir.” TJ shook my father’s hand before kissing the back of my mother’s waiting one. Pulling my chair from the table, he gave his attention back to my father. “We missed you on the course last week.”
My father nodded in response to TJ before going into a rant about his last visit to the country club we held memberships at. Carlton Reid was a very busy man and had been since before I was born. Any time away from work and the office was a miracle, and I cherished the days when he could be my father instead of the state’s governor. My father did his best to keep up with everything in our family’s day-to-day, but his duty to the state came first. Over the years, I’d learned to understand that.
Getting comfortable in my seat, I zoned out of the boring conversation about golf and continued to marvel over the event’s decor. Tonight’s theme was black tie, and I was blown away by how beautiful and well-put-together everything was. The ballroom was elegantly decorated in layers of black and silver. From the crystal chandeliers to the custom centerpieces on the tables, it looked like a lot of effort was put into making sure the space was perfect for the many photo ops that would occur. As the best of the best in the state rubbed elbows, many hoped the night would be one to remember. Every single guest looked as if they broke the bank to find the perfect attire for the night. I decided to keep it simple with a strapless mermaid-style gown, while TJ chose a custom Tom Ford suit. As much as he annoyed me, he cleaned up well, and I couldn’t deny how handsome he was this evening.
As I turned back toward the table, I listened as my father discussed the possible changes being made to multiple districtsto rezone for House seats. Although he spoke passionately, I could hear the weariness in his voice from the constant scrutiny he received from the constituents over the years. For as long as I could remember, my family had been in the public eye because of my father’s political ties. From being mayor of Willow Springs for years to becoming governor a few years ago, his lifestyle and decisions had been under a microscope. Because of the position he held, my father carried the weight of every incident, even when they were beyond his control.
The most recent situation involving his former lieutenant governor, Byron, and his wife rocked us all when we learned they had been abusing and trafficking women and children for years. While Byron was burning in the hottest parts of hell, his wife was serving a life sentence in prison. Knowing someone that close to me could do something so horrible was terrifying. It often made me wonder what if that had been me he’d kidnapped and sold. While the scandal rocked Milly Grove, the state, and the country, my father did his best to handle it with dignity and truth.
“And once we resolve the rezoning for January without causing a riot, I have engagements set up to visit the cities out west. I’m still doing damage control from Byron’s illegal activities, attempting to rebuild trust amongst the people.” He reached over, grabbing my mother’s hand before kissing it. “Plus, I still have a family that needs my love and attention. All my free time has been spent at home. When you’re married, Tyreek, you’ll understand the importance of balancing home and work. Actually, I hope it happens before then.”
“You’re doing a great job, Daddy,” I assured him, squeezing his hand. Looking around, I frowned. “Where is Rowan?”
Before my parents could answer, the waitress came to the table with various bread baskets and entrees. Tonight’s gala had an Italian food menu, and I was a little more inclined to come because of it. One thing I loved about eating with my parentswhen it was time for these dinners was that they would never skimp on the food. If there was one thing everyone knew about Blossom Reid, it was that I loved to eat.
“Your brother claimed he had other obligations,” my mother stated, trying to hide her sour tone, as she plated some of the shrimp pasta. “I want to think the best of Rowan, but he hasn’t shown us any improvement. I’m sure he’s somewhere laid up with his new woman of the week. I hope he’ll get it together soon.”
I nodded and sighed at my mother’s words because she wasn’t lying. I loved my brother, and I assumed he loved me, but sometimes we couldn’t be in the same room without arguing. With him being eight years older than me at thirty-four, I felt like he should’ve made a better effort to get his life together. Partying and sleeping with different women every night wasn’t a life for him to be living anymore.
“I’m more interested in you right now, baby.” My father patted my hand, bringing my attention to him. “How’s work going? Have you found any more homes you want to flip?”
Digging into the pasta for another bite, I hummed in delight and was thankful for the soft jazz playing around us that muted my utterances. Wiping the corners of my mouth, I sipped my water as I beamed at my father. “Business is going well! I’m thinking about purchasing one of the older apartment buildings near Grove Heights and turning it into a shelter of sorts. That side of town has so much potential. I have a meeting with Mayor Mills to discuss it. Not only that, but I have a couple of houses in Mills Manor that I will be showing and possibly selling soon.”
