Kismet, page 10
The smells of food and fresh conditioned air filled my lungs as we stepped inside.
Gloria gave me a long hug and a kiss as she ushered me into the living room. “Where is your brother?”
“Making a phone call or something,” I replied as Collin headed for the kitchen to speak to Tom.
I sat down on the couch beside Kristen and rested my head on her shoulder.
“You look just like your mother in that dress.”
Gloria’s words touched my spirit, making me feel proud. “You think so?”
She nodded, her brown eyes glistening with moisture. “It seems like yesterday that I was that fourteen-year-old exchange student from Savannah, Georgia.”
I watched as her memories seized her in that moment of time.
“I was so nervous when I landed at the Rennes-Saint-Jacques Airport; I had never been that far from home before. Then I saw Marcella standing with her mom and dad holding a sign that said ‘HAAS’ and I knew my worries were over. By the time we had made the drive to Dinard, we were already inseparable.”
She looked at Kristen and me from across the room. “Thirty-six years is a long time to love someone, but really it’s just a blink of an eye when you don’t have them anymore.”
“I will try to make this short and to the point,” Tom began. “Your mother was very organized with her will, and she faithfully updated it. Marcella invested heavily in Paxx+Steele when the company was in its infancy, resulting in the acquirement of eighteen percent of its holdings. If I’m not mistaken, Taj, you currently hold a nine percent stake?”
“That is correct.”
“Your mother left you twelve percent, bringing you to a twenty-one percent ownership of the company. Congratulations.”
“Wow,” he stammered in shock, “thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, thank your mother. She was a sage woman with her money, and she selected excellent financial advisors to help her manage it,” Tom replied, turning a page over.
“Granger, along with your mother’s remaining six shares of Paxx+Steele, you are entitled to thirty-eight percent of any royalties gained from the ongoing sales of her books. The other sixty-two percent will be distributed evenly to her three charities she has founded over the years.”
“Taj, you are to remain custodian of your sister’s capitals until she reaches the age of twenty-three. To which at that time full control will pass to Granger.” Tom paused, looking at me over his glasses.
Mildly irritated that I would be under the financial thumb of my brother, I asked him what exactly her stipulations entailed.
“Your monetary situation has not changed. You still have your spending accounts that you’ve always had. Rather, now the trust will be depositing money into them instead of Marcella. If you need access to more funds, the approval must come from your brother until you turn twenty-three.”
“I see.”
Tom picked up on my surly tone. “Granger, your mother has left you a lot of money—millions. She wanted to make sure that you were responsible before giving you full access to your money.”
I gave him a reassuring smile. “I understand.” Not really, but I wasn’t going to argue that now.
“Your mother’s family home in France, Maison du Rivage, is to be divided equally between the two of you. If either decides that they want to sell their share, they must buy the other out. If both should choose to sell outright, it could not be done until Granger turns twenty-three.”
“Collin,” Tom redirected.
“Yes, sir.”
“The shares Marcella bought in your company will come back to you. She also has a trust set aside for you.”
He raised his brow. “A trust?”
Collin didn’t need any money. He was well off for the rest of his life. His grandparents left him all the stocks that they had purchased with Apple years ago. Not to mention his business was thriving.
“Whatever profit your company makes, the trust will match it up to twenty percent for a period of ten years.
His eyes widened and he looked down at his hands. “I can’t believe she would do that for me.”
“It’s not a fortune, but in owning your own business, you know every penny counts. However, with you now controlling more than half of your capital, your gains will be substantially higher than before.”
We all sat in quiet absorption for a few moments. A wonderful woman left her financial legacy in black and white today. She ensured each of us would leave this room wealthier than when we entered. But every dollar would serve as a reminder of what it cost to gain it.
“Are there any questions?” Tom asked looking at each of us.
No one said anything as we looked back and forth between each other.
Finally, Taj stood and shook hands with him. “I am grateful that you put this together on such a short notice.”
“Don’t mention it. It was the very least I could do.”
Before I could stand, Tom spoke. “Granger, would you mind staying behind a moment?”
I watched Collin and my brother leave the room. “Certainly.”
Once the door to his office closed, he opened my mom’s file back up and removed a small envelope. “This is a letter for you, from your mother.” He reached across the desk and handed it to me.
I looked at the off-white envelope that had my name written on it. “What does it say?”
Sighing, he scratched his blond head. “I don’t know what the contents are, but it’s obviously something that is reserved for you, my dear.”
I wanted to open it and see what was inside, yet at the same time, I didn’t. Instead, I folded the paper and tucked it away in my clutch for a different day.
“Thank you.”
“You are a young lady now, and you have a wealth of opportunities ahead of you. But Gloria and I want you to know that no matter where you go in life or where you choose to make your home, you always have one here with us.” He stood and embraced me. “We love you very much, and our door is always open to you.”
Grateful, I placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Tom.”
He looked a little choked up but recovered quickly and changed the subject. “All right, let’s go eat, I’m starving,” he said, holding his arm out for me.
A little while later I found myself seeking a moment of solitude as I sat on the bathroom counter in the Koynak’s powder room.
There were messages galore on my phone, but I was only interested in one sender. I ignored all the others until I found his.
Mikkel: May I ask how you are?
Me: You can.
Mikkel: How are you then?
Me: I’m okay, I think. Better if I don’t talk about it. What have you been up to today?
Mikkel: I just finished up a shoot with a client. I’m going through the pictures now. I would love for you to see them. You should come by my studio sometime.
Did I want to?
I did.
Me: Maybe we can do lunch tomorrow and then I could see them? After all, I believe that I am on the hook for a meal.
There were a few moments of silence, then at last my phone dinged.
Mikkel: Tomorrow it is then. But I’m only in it for the food. ☺
I bit my lip in quixotic excitement. Oh, Mikkel, out of nowhere you crashed into my life. If you keep on, I’ll be a little bird eating out of your hand oblivious to my surroundings.
Hopping off the counter, I checked my appearance in the mirror. Satisfied with my reflection, I opened the bathroom door. To my surprise, I ran smack into Collin and instantaneously he reached his arms out to steady me.
“I’m sorry,” we both said at the same time. Exchanging awkward smiles, we stepped away from one another.
Bringing my eyes up to meet his, I spoke before the silence had time to grow between us. “I’m glad you came today.”
“I wouldn’t have been anywhere else.” He reached out and took my hand, his touch searing my skin like I was being branded. “How are you holding up?”
All I could do was nod as I fixated on him with rapt attention.
“You looked beautiful today.”
“Thank you.” My voice was barely above a whisper as I moved my fingers between his, in awe that I once knew their touch so well. “Col?”
He took a step closer to me. “Cariou?”
I swallowed hard. “What I said to you in the hospital, you didn’t deserve that.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me, Granger.” I could faintly feel his breath on my face.
Then slowly—with much uncertainty—he moved his hands up my arms, coming to a stop at my elbows. My body automatically moved to be closer to his.
Over the past two years, my feelings for Collin had become so muted; I didn’t even think they were relevant anymore. I could not have been more wrong. His mere touch turned me up, leaving me full stereo. I felt like a bubble—delicate and iridescent. Floating enchantedly across the air, waiting for gravity to pop me at any moment.
Still holding my arms, he gently backed me into the bathroom door jamb. His face was just inches above mine, yet our bodies refused to touch. My chest rose and fell with his. The depth of intensity between us was cresting beyond my self-control. My heart hammered so hard in my chest that I wanted to vomit.
With a trembling hand, I brought it up to touch the side of his face, and he closed his eyes, turning into my palm, kissing it.
Gasping, I looked up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears threatening to fall.
I was desperate, and I was ready to fall on my knees and beg God or Satan to either take me or gratify me. My blood, my marrow, even my cells—the smallest unit of life—were screaming in agony for him to gather me in his arms.
But neither of us moved. Rather, we stood tirelessly waiting the other out. It’s like we were two carnivores, circling until exhaustion because our starvation for each other was carnal.
“Collin, I—” But the ring of his phone interrupted my bravado.
Without breaking our gaze, he reached into his pocket and answered it. “Hello?”
I stared into his eyes allowing my longing to be conveyed through them. But as I did, his demeanor quickly changed, and he took a step back from me. “Hey, baby,” he said, turning his face away from mine.
Heidi.
And at that second, the moment was shattered.
I brought my hand to my mouth in shock. I almost shed a tear for this man, and I had yet to cry one for my mother. What is wrong with me?
I silently laughed at myself. I’m such a fucking idiot.
“Yeah, I’m still at Tom and Gloria’s, let me call you back.”
I quickly turned heel and headed down the hallway as he said something else to her before hanging up. Collin called out my name as I rounded the corner into the kitchen, but I didn’t look back.
I decided to stay the night with the Koynak’s, which left Taj catching a ride home with Collin.
We stood in the entryway as the headlights of Collin’s truck shone on us.
“I’m leaving at six in the morning, and I will call you as soon as I land,” Taj assured me.
I was glad that he was going back to Manhattan for the week. No doubt work and Noa would be waiting in line for him when he got there. Plus, I could use some me time to mope around.
He took my face in his hands. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yaaas.”
“I’m going to have Collin stop by the house a couple of nights to check on you.”
I frowned. “You don’t need to do that. I’m sure he has other things to do. Besides, I’m sure Tom and Gloria will have no objection to me staying there if I get lonely.”
“Granger, I’ve got a lot going on, and this would lighten my load just a little, and he volunteered.”
Sighing, I gave in. “Fine.” I brushed the tips of our noses together. “I love you. Now go.” With that, he walked out to Collin’s waiting truck.
Turning out the porch light, I headed upstairs and flopped down on the bed like a fish beside Kristen.
My brain was completely fried.
“What were you and Collin talking about earlier?”
I dramatically fluffed my pillows before letting my head crash into them. “Nothing.”
“Funny how nothing always looks like something with you two, it’s so toxic.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s like whatever pulls you two together, pushes you apart. I feel like you and Collin need to address the elephant in the room and move on.”
“There is no elephant,” I grumbled.
“We both know that’s a lie. A blind person could see the tension between you two.”
“Kristen, you know after everything happened, I tried, and he ignored me. Hell, I had to find out through a tabloid that diamond heiress, Heidi Fortenberry,” I mocked the headline, “had a new love in her life.” I didn’t even bother to bite back the bitterness in my tone. “And it was my boyfriend!”
“I know, but that was then. It’s been two years, and you need closure from him, or else this is going to continue,” she implored.
“How can I when he told me in the hospital that he’s still in love with me?”
“He said that to you?”
“Yes!”
“Well, what did you tell him?”
“I told him to go home and fuck Heidi.”
Kristen rolled her eyes. “See, this is what I’m talking about; you two go around and around like a damn carousel. Both of you are tired of this ride, but neither of you thinks to get off.”
“What was I supposed to say, Kristen? My mother had just died. Then out of the blue, he finally decides that this is the perfect time to tell me he still loves me. I deserve more than some half-assed bedside manner from him. We were more than that to each other.”
“Just come with me, please?” I pleaded with Kristen as I dug through her closet for something to put on.
“Why? Are you afraid if Mikkel gets you alone your clothes are going to fall off?” she taunted, laughing at her joke.
Well, it’s certainly an option that I’m willing to put on the table. “I don’t know. We all have our moments of weakness.”
“Fine, but I’m only going to make sure that you keep your clothes on.”
After we stopped and picked up our takeout order, my GPS led us to the old industrial part of downtown. When I pulled up in front of an ancient ten-story building, it informed me that I had reached my destination. Not quite what I had envisioned when Mikkel said to come by his studio.
Kristen turned and looked at me. “Where on God’s green earth have you taken us?”
That is a good question, I thought to myself looking around the parking lot. Mikkel’s Corvette and his baby blue motorcycle along with a few other nice cars were parked outside the building.
“Maybe it looks better on the inside?” I suggested trying to sound optimistic.
“Yeah, we are totally bringing your mace.”
I laughed at her paranoia. “Why?”
“Why? Because I’m not about to walk into this slum with no protection.”
“Kristen, you’re being dramatic. It’s not a slum. It’s…just…a really old looking building,” I sputtered.
Undeterred, she took my mace out of the glove compartment. “You’ll thank me later.”
I shook my head and grabbed the bag of food as we climbed out of my car.
When we got to the door, I used the access panel to call floor nine, and after a few moments, I heard the buzz of the door unlocking. We went in and there was just a hallway leading to a freight style elevator.
Great.
I handed the food to Kristen and pulled the handle up. It took most of my strength, but the old wooden doors finally parted horizontally. Then I pulled the iron gate back and stepped on.
She made one final protest before following suit. “Fuck it. What floor?”
“Nine,” I answered taking the bag from her.
She pressed the number, and the elevator roared to life.
When we finally came to a stop, it was quiet for a few moments, and then we heard a loud noise. Startled, we both turned around to see Mikkel opening a set of doors behind us.
“Ladies,” he greeted, stepping aside for us to come in.
Remember the comment I made earlier, “Maybe it looks better on the inside?”
Well, yes, fuck it does.
It was a gorgeous gallery. Framed black and white canvases hung on the unfinished brick walls. The dark hardwood floors were so shiny they reflected like mirrors. An oversized drop chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a clean, stoic glow.
His backdrops were neatly hung on a hanger of sorts near a staging area. In the corner was a floating glass desk secured into the brick, his computer screen alight with photos of a client.
“You look surprised.”
“I am. It’s not quite what I was expecting.”
He laughed at my awestruck demeanor. “You mean for someone in my line of work.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“All right, implied then?” he countered, taking the bag of food from me.
I gave him a sheepish grin. “Possibly.”
Taking my hand in his, he kissed it. “No worries, I’m just glad you came.”
Me too, I thought to myself as I felt my face flush with giddy excitement.
He turned to Kristen kissing both her cheeks. “It’s becoming more of a pleasure each time I see you.”
She gave him a dazzled smile. “Aren’t you a charmer?”
“I better be. I have to get people to take their clothes off for a living.”
Encouraging us to look around, Mikkel left us to ourselves while he took lunch upstairs to his loft.
This man was as full of talent as he was beautiful. He captured so much more than a nude body; their emotions were perfectly preserved in the moment. No matter how their bodies would change, these images would not.
