“Good. Mahogany will be happy to hear.”
“She’s here?”
“No, she’s working remote. Would you like me to relay a message?”
Yeah. Tell her to stay out of my fuckin’ head.
“Nah. Just tell her I said hello.”
“Will do, Mr. Carter,” she said with a mischievous grin as we stepped on the elevator.
The ride up to Shardae’s office was spent quiet. Every now and then I caught her looking at me from the corner of her eye. I wondered if she knew some shit. I was good at reading people and there was something about her disposition that told me she did. Before I got off, I told her to have a good day and continued towards Shardae’s office with a whole ass attitude.
Shaking my head, I tapped Shardae’s door a couple of times before she told me I could come in.
When I walked in the scent of Patchouli hit my nostrils and I frowned. Fuck was that? Potpourri? With a deep breath, I shook my head and headed to the seat at her desk. I didn’t like this shit. I didn’t like it at all. I missed the scent of vanilla. That was what Mahogany’s office smelled like. And on the days she wore a sweet perfume, the scents intertwined, creating a unique aroma I missed.
Gripping the top of my slacks, I sat at the desk across from Shardae. “Morning.”
She looked away from her computer. “Good morning, Mr. Carter. Did you have a chance to go over the flooring concepts I sent over yesterday?”
I clenched down on my teeth and nodded. “Hell yeah. I ain’t fuckin’ with it though. The colors don’t compliment… not in my opinion they don’t.”
“The colors don’t compliment? Black goes well with everything.”
“Speaking of that,” I said. “Black is too harsh for a children's hotel. Why we swap the greens out? I told you I didn't want Mahogany’s concepts touched. Unless it was to elevate.”
“I went over your portfolio and black seems to be your signature color and–
“I get that,” I interrupted. “And I appreciate the accommodation, but this is a children's hotel and I’d like to steer clear of things associated with me.”
“I thought following the brand colors would be best.”
“This isn’t about my brand. The hotel is separate from Skylight Industries. It's its own entity.”
“We’re following the brand colors on the other–
“We’re not talking about the other projects, right now, Ms. Shardae. We're talking about The House of Nova Ray. I just told you…” I paused and took a deep breath. “No black. Keep the color scheme as it was, thank you. Bright. Welcoming. Shit like that. The green means something. I can’t remember. Whatever it means… I like it. So… don’t touch it. Add to it. The only thing I did like in your plan was the light fixtures. I fuck with it.”
I really didn’t want to go over why The House of Nova Ray was a separate entity. I didn’t want to go over what The House of Nova Ray meant to me. Once Mahogany convinced me to move away from the color black, I decided to make The House of Nova Ray a completely separate entity. She would stand alone. As an umbrella herself, housing other household names in the future. At first, I wanted the hotel chain to be under Skylight Industries. But after talking to her, that changed. I was going for completely different branding with this one. I shouldn’t havehad to explain that to Shardae since I’d already told her I didn’t want Mahogany’s design concepts touched. Only if it was to elevate. Did she think swapping the colors out was elevation?
“I understand,” Shardae said through clenched teeth. She looked away, back at her computer screen. “Well. I don’t know what we’re here for. I can’t just..” She paused and sighed. “It would have helped if you would have responded to the email yesterday, letting me know your concerns.”
I didn’t say anything. Partially because she was right. Mainly because I was frustrated. I looked up at the ceiling, took a deep breath, and shook my head. She was upstairs. Not too far away and I couldn’t do shit about that. We were in the same building together and I couldn’t see her. It was frustrating, having her so near, not being able to stare into her brown eyes. Or to smell the scent of her perfume. I had to settle for stank ass patchouli. Had to settle for this attitude instead of her fiery but fierce attitude. The conversation wasn’t the same. The vibe… completely thrown off. I didn't want Shardae. I wanted Mahogany fuckin’ Mills.
A nigga was trying not to be a brat. I didn’t want to complain. Didn’t want to make shit difficult but I also didn’t want to settle. Not for this. Not for her. Not for mediocre design. Or concepts. Or conversations.Or pussy.
I wanted the best. I wanted her. And while pussy wasn’t on the table anymore, it would be again. The minute I made her mine again. My designer. And I would. Right after this meeting. Fuck it. I was complaining. I had valid points. Shardae was incompetent. I wanted competence. I wanted attention to detail. I wanted to hear more about color theory. I wanted her to talk to me about imported flooring and shit like that. Shardae didn’t do anything for me.
7
MAHOGANY
“Ma? Did you hear me?”Asked Honesty, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Hm?” I responded, before stacking the shirt I was folding on top of another one.
“When is dad coming back?”
