Kenya laughed. “Well, you can’t say that you don’t have options.”
“Nope, just drowning in options that I have never met, nor do I care to meet. Like, if you can’t come and visit your relative, how are you even a good person?” She sighed. “But despite all his matchmaking schemes, Mr. Edelman is the sweetest man.”
“He definitely sounds like it.” Kenya eyed the dumbbell, wondering if she should pick it up with her other hand, at least work that arm out while she talked.
“I was calling because I got a message from Adanne now that they are back from their honeymoon and have spent several days in obscurity.”
“Right.” Kenya smirked.
“She wanted to see when it would work out to have a girls’ night.”
“Yes.”
“The question waswhen.”
“With the way my schedule is right now, I don’t need to know when, it’s just yes for me because I have nothing to do.”
“Don’t forget your therapy with Hot Doc.”
“Salome! Such language.”
“It’s true!”
“But he’s not my doctor.”
“So, you know of whom I speak! And you think he’s hot.”
“I am invoking my firstborn rights and not answering that question.”
16
HOW ARE THINGSin the office?” Kenya waited for Dedra to answer and caught the bouncy ball she had just thrown against the wall. That made bounce number one hundred and ten. Sure, these were balls that Solomon had given her for at-home ankle exercises, but they also made for helpful ways to survive boredom. At least until her daddy got back home. Her sister had picked her up and dropped her off at their parents’ house for a Friday evening dinner and movie.
It was one week since Evelyn’s ultimatum and at least one more week and some change for Solomon to get her in touch with Robert Bluestone. She could do it on her own, but going through Solomon gave her more leverage.
“Work is not the same without you.”
“That’s good to hear.” In one way it was, but then again, her not being there meant that there were projects she couldn’t finish fleshing out, people she couldn’t talk to, concepts she couldn’t dream up. A promotion that was slipping farther and farther away.
“I’m sure no one is missing a beat without me.”
Dedra paused before answering. “No, not at all, but...”
“Don’t hold anything back. I need to live violently through you.”
“I think you meanvicariously.”
Kenya groaned and tossed the ball again. Number one hundred and eleven. “Yes, that.”
“Well, maybe this doesn’t matter, but you know how you tried to squeeze in smaller events here and there? Not only are they not taking on clients with less than a five-thousand-dollar budget, but they are also scrapping some of the ones that were already on the calendar to meet with.”
“But,” Kenya sputtered, “I booked those.”
“I know.” Dedra’s tone simmered with frustration. But there was only so much she could do in her role.
“How can they do that without me there?”
“I think that’s why. Because you’re not here, and they conflict with other events on Vance and Evelyn’s schedule.”
