“Hey, bae. It was going okay until I got a call from Allen’s lawyer.”
“His lawyer? What the hell he want? You ain’t got no legal ties to that nigga,” I stated in confusion.
“That’s what I said. He said he was calling about the building. Apparently, Allen got hit with a rape charge. Some girl out in LA is accusing him of assault. I didn’t get very many details, but he’s trying to get Allen out on bond. I don’t know if he did it or not, but it’s not looking too good for him.”
I couldn’t believe the shit Celeste was saying. I had my opinion about Spinna, but that was heavily influenced by Celeste. Aside from that, he may have been a fuck nigga, but I never thought he was that lowdown. Mainly because I knew bitches threw themselves at him. Serenity was on top right now and carrying his baby. Either he was a stupid ass nigga or he was a stupid ass nigga. There was no way I’d be out here throwing my career away over one night of pussy.
“What does any of this have to do with you, Celeste? He’s callin’ you like you’re that nigga’s wife or something.”
“He’s called me about the building. According to Allen, it’s been sitting empty since I moved Luxe Addiction. He has no use for it and is gonna try to sell it if I don’t want it. With that, it would go in my name and I’d be responsible for the property taxes and maintenance,” she explained.
“Damn. What did you decide?”
“That’s why I’m calling you. Keeping my first location was all I ever wanted. The only reason I even rented the second space was because I knew Allen would use it to his advantage. If I could get my building back with no attachment to him, it’d truly be a dream come true.”
“Take it back then, baby. That was your shit anyway.”
“I know. My emotions are all over the place. I told him I’d call him back with a time for us to meet.”
“I think you should take it. If you can afford two locations, go for it.”
“Shane, this is crazy. Like this is too good to be true. With both locations and my online store, I’d be set. The next step would be locations in different cities. It’s fucked up that this is happening under these circumstances, but I’m so damn happy. I worked so hard to get that store up and running. Me and Jade were there from sunup to sundown most days,” she explained.
“That’s exactly why you should get it back, love. You’ve been doin’ business long enough to sniff out any bullshit. If you want me to come to the meeting, I’m cool with that, but you got this. We both know you got this.”
Once Celeste and I were finished with the topic at hand, she asked how my mother was doing now that my dad was home. I’d informed her of my dad getting out, but hadn’t told her the long ass back story. I’d save that for when I saw her in person. Judging by the way my parents were on each other, I was sure I’d be seeing her soon.
“Let me call you back, bae. This nigga getting’ a lil too close with my mom,” I joked.
Celeste let out a chuckle before ending the call.
“Pops. Let my momma breathe, man. You ain’t been a free man for five minutes and you already on her.”
“This my wife, lil nigga. I gave this woman my last name and she carried your big headed ass for almost ten months. If I wanna love on her, I’m gon’ do just that. I’m home now. You’ve officially been relieved of your duties of playing protector. I got this one,” he responded before kissing my mother on the neck.
“I’m leaving. I don’t wanna see that shit.”
Walking back to the kitchen, I wrapped my plate in aluminum foil before Tripp followed me to the front door. After letting my parents know I’d stop by later with Celeste, we headed to the studio.
CHAPTER 20
Celeste
“Okay… that was everything. The building is officially yours. Mr. Edmonds wanted to be here to meet with you, but he thought it best to stay out of the public eye as much as possible,” John, Allen’s lawyer, stated as he handed the keys over to me.
When he’d called a few days ago and told me Allen wanted to sign the building over to me, I thought it was a cruel joke. I had no hope that I’d ever see the inside of this building again, let alone finally have it to myself. I had half a mind to ask questions about Allen’s situation, but I truly didn’t care what he had going on. We were over long before I physically left. If he assaulted the woman, I hoped she got justice. If he didn’t, then I hoped he wouldn’t be charged with a crime he didn’t commit. If I were honest, I was glad Allen hadn’t come with John. Since I’d moved my mother out of the nursing facility, we didn’t have anything to discuss. His number had been blocked since the night he gave me the ultimatum. How Serenity still dealt with him after witnessing something like that was beyond me.
Aside from my mother’s illness, my life had truly taken a turn for the best. I officially had two locations of Luxe Addictionand we were getting more online orders by the day. Running a business was tiring and the hours were longer than a traditional nine to five, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was authentic and something I’d created. Whenever women, and even men, wore my items, they were wearing my stamp.
“Thank you, John. I appreciate you reaching out to me and making this a smooth process,” I responded.
“Of course. You’re a very bright young lady, Ms. Peterson. I wish you the best of luck and let me know if I missed anything. Have a good day,” he said as he closed his briefcase and left through the back door.
I locked the door behind him and walked to the front of the store. Letting out a deep breath, I did a walk-through of the space I’d occupied every day for the past few years. Part of me was irritated that once again, I’d be moving and setting things up. On the other hand, I was excited and had come up with different ideas to revamp the entire look. It had been months since I’d been in here, but the energy was still the same. Light and welcoming. It felt like home.
After picking up the folder with all the documents, I grabbed my keys and left. My next stop was the new store. I was in my zone vibing to the smooth sound of R&B when I decided to pull into the drive through of my favorite coffee spot. Once my order was placed, I pulled to the first window and dug in my purse to locate my wallet. When I didn’t feel it, I remembered I’d switched bags this morning and left my wallet on the dresser. Thankfully, I was still able to pay for the drink with my phone. I had half a mind to go into work and say forget the wallet, but I wouldn’t be at peace driving home later this evening.
I parked in my driveway and sent Jade a text to let her know I was still coming in but running a few minutes late. When I walked inside, my mother wasn’t in her normal spot on the living room couch. It was after ten-thirty and she’d normally be sittingin her chair watching soap operas. Today, the nurse on shift had to leave early so my mother was in the house alone until her replacement showed up. I’d called to check on her before my meeting and she was fine.
