Lorna heard her alarm go off at five in the morning. Reaching over, she shut it off and rubbed her eyes. In her satin bonnet, she turned into a pair of strong, warm arms.
“It’s morning,” she whispered.
“It’s the crack of dawn,” Jamal answered.
Lorna smiled. “I’m so happy.”
He slid her closer and kissed her cheek. “I know, I got skills.”
She looked at him. “Although, I agree…that’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Why are you so happy, then?” he asked, kissing her neck.
“Ding Dong! The wicked witch is leaving today!” she sang happily.
Jamal laughed, then sighed. “Yes, we made it without killing her ass.”
Lorna caressed his face. “It’s a big day at the Inn.”
“I know, congratulations.”
“The other guests have had nothing but complimentary things to say about our facility and service. Some of them have even made arrangements to come back,” Lorna told him.
“I guess you found some openings,” he teased.
“My sisters and I agreed that Cassidee will never check into the Sable Inn again. We even started a No Reservations List.” Lorna smiled. “She’s currently the only name on it.”
Jamal placed her on top of him. “I’m sorry, Beauty.”
“Jamal, you didn’t know she was coming back to steal you off into the night, away from wretched Grayling.” Lorna said staring down at him in the semi-dark room.
He watched her. “You know that I love you,”
“Uh, huh…and I love how you show it,” she said, kissing him.
Jamal held her tightly against his body, thanking their stars for having her in his life.
“I’m spending the rest of the weekend in town with you,” Lorna told him.
“I don’t mind coming out here,”
She shook her head. “I need a reprieve from the Sable Inn. Plus, I want to be with you at your place.”
“You know it’s small,” he told her.
“Is anybody else going to be there besides us?”
He sighed. “I’m just saying, you know I’ve been saving, so I haven’t really done a lot.”
Lorna paused. “Jamal?”
He gently moved her aside. “I need to get to the gardens.”
She grabbed hold of him. “Jamal…what’s going on? You don’t want me to come to your place?”
“I gotta get on my shit, Lorna. I need to work on a house for you to come home to…a real nice one.”
“Baby, you said that you’ve been saving to grow your business, and I’m not coming to inspect your spot, I’m coming to be with you,” Lorna said softly.
He looked at her, then said, “My place is clean though,”
She smiled. “If it wasn’t, then I’d just help you clean it.”
Jamal gathered her into his arms. “I get you for the whole weekend?” he asked softly.
“Yes, and I want to visit Winston Gardens.” Lorna held him close.
Jamal rested his face in her neck. “You don’t know what you mean to me, Lorna Sable.”
She rubbed the waves of his dark hair. “I love you, baby.”
Lifting his head, he kissed her again. “Let me go to work, Beauty, before I get lost in your hot body underneath these warm covers.”
Lorna returned his kiss, stroking his warm skin. “I’ll let you go for now, but this weekend, no one will be able to find us.”
******
Jamal arrived at the Inn to a flurry of activity. Reporters, cameras, and all types of staff were hurrying around the grounds of the facility. He opened the back door to the van and was joined by the extra staff he’d hired for today.
He gave instructions to his help and began setting up for the event. The Sable Inn had spared no expense to decorate the place today and it looked amazing. Jamal had gone the extra mile on all of his arrangements for this occasion.
Walking into the lobby, he saw the Sable family being interviewed and stopped to greet Derek, who was standing off to the side watching his wife with pride.
“Good morning, Derek,”
Derek turned to him with a smile. “Jamal, my man. How’s it going?”
The two men shook hands.
“Good, I see this place is on fire,” Jamal commented.
“Yeah, the Sables did their thing. The camp was a huge success and they’re going to get a lot of positive marketing out of this.”
Jamal looked over at Lorna speaking with the reporter. She glanced up and smiled at him, before turning her attention back to the questions, she was being asked.
Derek caught the gesture and looked at Jamal. “You’ve finally caught her?”
Jamal nodded. “And I wasn’t going to stop until I did…”
“Congratulations, the Sable sisters are special women.”
Jamal agreed. “And I’d better get to work before Mr. Sable is on my ass.”
“Yes, Mr. Sable is like a silent assassin in his dealings. He can shoot you down and you don’t even realize you’ve been wounded,” Derek said, shaking his head.
“I know, I don’t understand how he does that,”
Jamal headed off to complete his job, setting up in the large dining room, where the closing lunch would be held in the afternoon. The tables and chairs were all covered in white with blue accents all around the room.
Jamal had his team finish quickly to get out of the way. On his way out, he saw Lana and smiled at her, before handing her his clipboard.
“Good morning, Lana.”
“Hey, Jamal! The flowers look great, thank you so much.” Lana signed his receipt.
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you like them.”
She handed him back the board, and said, “Lorna wants to see you before you leave.”
Jamal looked around. “Where is she?”
“She’s being interviewed in her office. You can go in there,” Lana instructed.
He frowned. “I’ll just catch her later,”
Lana shook her head. “No, she wants you there.”
Jamal looked confused. “Okay,”
Slowly, he headed to Lorna’s office at the end of the hall. He knocked on the door and heard her sweet voice. Walking inside, he saw her sitting at her desk across from one of the media personnel.
Getting to her feet, Lorna smiled. “Here he is now,” she announced and went to meet Jamal. “This is Jamal Winston, he’s the owner of Winston Gardens and responsible for all the beautiful flowers, plants and arrangements we have here at the Inn.”
Lorna took Jamal’s hand and led him around her desk. She sat in her seat while he looked at her in confusion.
“Hi Jamal, I’m Casey. I freelance for a Black Business magazine. Lorna was just telling me that you do all the arrangements here and that you have your own gardens.”
Jamal glanced at Lorna then at the woman in the seat. “Yes, I do.”
“I came to photograph the Inn after I got the press release. A black-owned Inn hosting a health camp for some of the most popular black stars right now was something that stood out,” Casey explained. “Now I find a black man that owns and grows his own gardens.”
Lorna smiled at Jamal with pride. “Jamal can grow the most beautiful things,”
“I’d love to come and photograph them while I’m here?” Casey asked Jamal.
“Sure,” Jamal agreed.
Casey smiled. “I can add you into my story on the Sable Inn.”
He glanced at Lorna. “This event is really to promote the Inn, I don’t want to infringe on their spotlight.”
Lorna took his hand. “That’s why I called you in here. We’re family at the Sable Inn and we want our success to spread to everyone.”
Jamal squeezed her hand. “Thank you,”
Casey looked at the couple. “I’m going to take some pictures of the Inn and I’ll set a time to visit your gardens?” she asked Jamal.
“That sounds like a plan,” Jamal said, smiling down at Lorna.
Casey left the office and Lorna got to her feet. “Are you coming back for the luncheon?” she asked Jamal.
He nodded. “I’m going home to change out of my uniform, then I’ll be back.”
She smiled. “Okay, I’ll see you.”
Jamal kissed her slowly, wrapping his arms around her.
“Thank you for thinking about my business,” Jamal whispered to her.
“I’m always thinking about you, baby.”
He kissed her again. “I’ll see you soon.”
******
Lorna watched as the participants entered the elaborately decorated dining room. She, along with her family and staff greeted them all, as they came through the doors. One by one, the beautiful stars took their seats.
The instructor, Lisa, moved off to the side with Lana to discuss the agenda while Lorna checked on the lunch. The kitchen was bustling inside with extra staff and volunteers for the event. The town adored Lloyd Sable and would do just about anything he asked to support the Inn. In return, he fed them well and was always a helpful hand when needed.
Mrs. Langston was directing everyone, including her husband, on what to do to make this final meal a successful one. Lorna jumped in and began to help. A short while later, she heard Lisa over the microphone in the dining room, as she began the ceremony.
Jamal entered through the back door and was also put to work immediately. As the group proceeded with their awards ceremony and speakers, the waiters and waitresses were being assembled.
“Okay everybody, this is the last meal. Thank you all for being here.” Lorna addressed them with a smile. “The Sable Inn is so very grateful for your help today. If anyone has questions or concerns, I’ll be right here.”
When everyone agreed, Lorna sent them out to begin serving the salad. By the time the luncheon was over, Lorna was both exhausted and exhilarated. She watched as the media swooped in for photo ops and questions to the attendees.
When the room began to finally empty, Jamal joined her at her side, with a smile. “Great job, Lorna.”
She looked up at him. “I’m so glad it’s over.”
He touched his lips to her cheek. “You killed it. The Sable Inn is on the map now.”
“Thank you for all of your help this week,”
“You know that I will do anything for the Sables, especially Lorna Sable.”
Lorna smiled and held his gaze. “I’m so ready for our weekend.”
“Me too, Beauty…”
“Jamal…”
Jamal and Lorna looked over at the voice, then Jamal moved in front of Lorna.
“What do you want Cass?”
“Can’t I say my goodbyes?”
He lifted a brow. “Goodbye.”
She went to lift her arms to hug him, and he shook his head as he moved away, taking Lorna’s hand. With Lorna in tow, he began walking away. “Have a nice life, Cass. Get out of Grayling.”
Lorna glanced back at the startled woman, then smiled as she was pulled along. “Bye Cassidee! Hope you enjoyed your stay at the Sable Inn!”
Jamal led Lorna out to the lobby, then turned to her. “What else do we need to do here?”
“Nothing, my family is handling everything.”
“So we can go?” he asked.
Lorna nodded. “I have a suitcase in my office.”
He turned and walked with her down to her office, where she pointed to the case in the corner and Jamal grabbed it. The two headed out to his truck where he sat the case inside and settled Lorna into her seat. She looked out at all the private cars waiting to take the attendees away.
Behind the wheel, Jamal looked at her. “Ready?”
“Look at all these people. I’ve never seen the Inn like this,” Lorna commented in awe.
“Yeah, it was incredible.”
“They were actually really nice people, too.” Lorna said, as he drove off. “Except for the guest from hell,”
Jamal shook his head. “I know your family is about to run her ass out of there.
Lorna laughed. “Lena volunteered for the job.”
He joined her in laughter. “Cass better get some act right, because I don’t ever want Lena mad at me.”
“She loves you,” Lorna said touching his arm. “We all do…”
Jamal glanced over at her while he drove to town. “So, I get to see you sleeping in your little bonnet?”
Lorna touched her hair. “You sure do.”
“And I can put my doo-rag on?”
She smiled. “We have to care for this beautiful black hair.”
Jamal reached out and touched her soft afro. “You’re such a beauty.”
“You’ve always called me that,”
“You’ve always been beautiful,” he said, removing his hand.
Lorna sat back in her seat and Jamal asked quietly, “Does your father know that you’re staying the weekend?”
“Why do you sound nervous?” she asked with a smile.
“I don’t want him showing up at my place with his shotgun.”
She chuckled. “You know Daddy so well.”
“Man, when he caught me in your room that night. I thought he was going to kill me.” Jamal remembered.
“He was…”
Jamal shook his head. “I hauled ass out of there so fast.”
Lorna frowned at a thought that came to her. “That night, you said you were leaving Grayling. Were you running away with Cassandra?”
“Nah, I was tired of doing the wrong things, but I didn’t know how to change. I had decided to just leave everything behind, but then you asked me to talk to my father, and you were crying…” Jamal sighed. “I’d never wanted to make you that upset. I decided to stay and do what you’d asked. I didn’t see my father that night, because he was working and the next day, Cass picked me up and you know the rest from there.”
Lorna looked at him. “You were going to stay?”
He nodded. “And I was going to do everything I could to be with you,”
“But your father arrested you and sent you away…”
“It was too little, too late for me. I’d burned too many bridges, so I lost all those years with you,” Jamal said regretfully. “And I lost your trust…”
She turned and looked out of the window until they arrived at his house. Lorna looked at the neat landscaping around the home.
“Your lawn is perfect,” she told him with a smile.
“I’m particular about that,”
Jamal exited the car then came around to open the door for her. Lorna climbed out of the truck and Jamal grabbed her case from the back. Taking her hand, he led her to the front door, then allowed her inside.
Lorna looked around at the living room, then turned to him. “This looks nice, I don’t know what you were talking about.”
Jamal sat her bag down and hugged her. “I don’t plan to be here, too much longer.” He kissed her gently.
“Where are you going to be?” Lorna asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“In a big ass house with you.”
She laughed. “You do know that I have a house on Sable land.”
“I know, but we’re going to need a bigger spot for the kids.”
“We’re already at kids?”
He smiled down at her. “I dream of my Beauty with my babies.”
“More Sable babies,” Lorna said, then grinned.
Jamal frowned. “You know y’all tripping with that.”
“What?”
“My babies are Winston babies,” he told her.
“Okay, my babies are Sable babies,” she rebutted.
He shook his head. “We’ll see about that, because your name will be Lorna Winston.”
“Lorna Sable-Winston, if I decide to marry you, after you propose,” she pointed out.
Jamal kissed her face. “So you want me to be like Derek and have all the town there?”
Lorna cradled his jaw. “No, I want you to be Jamal.”
“You know I can’t do it until I get myself all the way straight,” he said softly.
“I can wait,”
Jamal smiled. “I’m going to do you right, though.”
“I know, I’m not worried,”
He embraced her tightly, then picked her up and carried her to the small bedroom. Lorna looked at the arrangement next to the bed, then turned to him.
“Your arrangements are getting more spectacular by the day,” she told him, as he laid her on the bed.
“I have a new muse,” Jamal said, removing her shoes. “She’s around five-five, a little pretty country girl with a killer right hook.”
Lorna laughed as he kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed with her. She laid her head on his chest after he’d laid back against the pillows.
“How is this muse inspiring you?”
Jamal rubbed her back slowly. “She gave me life, when she let me into hers…”
Lorna lifted her face to look at him. “In the truck you said that you’d lost my trust…but I want you to know that I do trust you again, Jamal. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here with you, especially like this.”
Jamal touched his lips to hers and pulled her into his arms. Lorna returned the kiss and wrapped herself around his body.
“I’m ready for you to start counting…” she whispered, licking his lips.
******
Later, Lorna sat on the bed, legs crossed, with Jamal’s computer on her lap, while he laid next to her, kissing her bare thigh.
“Jamal, we’re supposed to be going over your application,” she said looking down at him.
“Go ahead, I’m listening…” he said, tasting her skin.
She smiled. “But we’re supposed to be looking at this together.”
“I’ve looked at it, you wanted to see it,”
“Boy, if you don’t stop. Now come on…”
Reluctantly, he sat up next to her and she stared at his bare chest. Both were in their underwear after napping, then making some dinner in his kitchen, and eating it on the sofa. Now they were in bed and Lorna was anxious to see what his new venture was all about.
Turning her attention back to the screen, she said, “So there are three types of licenses for growers…Class A, up to 500 plants; Class B, up to 1000 plants and Class C, up to 1,500 plants. Which Class are you thinking about?”
Jamal shared his thoughts. “Well the more plants, the more inventory, and the more bank.”
“True, can you handle that many plants?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I measured it out the other day and prepped all the soil.”
“Okay, so the application fees range between $4,000 and $8,000, but there’s a regulatory assessment that can range from $10,000 to $57,000?” Her eyes widened.
“Yeah, and I need to not only have the capital for the operation, but also enough to cover insurance and security,” he added.
She looked at him. “This is going to be costly,”
“I know,” he said quietly.
Lorna bit her lip. “This is what you want?”
Jamal held her gaze and nodded again. “I do…”
“Okay,” she said, and smiled at him. “Let’s figure this out.”
He leaned over and kissed her, touching her face.
“The first hurdle is the application. We have until December 15th it says…” Lorna began.
Jamal agreed. “I don’t want to wait until the last day though. I’d like to get it in as early as possible.”
“Have you checked into the cost of insurance?” Lorna asked.
“Yeah, it’s called Cannabis Insurance and I’ll need to find out what the State is going to require, but it could be a few grand,”
Lorna typed on the computer. “Okay, what else?”
Jamal sat back and thought. “Grow Supplies…”
“What does that consist of?” Lorna questioned.
“Grow Tents, Grow Lights, Climate Control equipment, Testers, Meters, Pesticides, Nutrients and Solutions.”
Lorna turned to him. “All that?”
He nodded.
“How much?”
“Another five to ten g’s…”
“Jamal? Where is all this money coming from?”
He looked at her. “These are just the upfront costs, the ROI will more than make up for it. We’re talking about millions, Lorna.”
She touched her head and blew out a breath. “Maybe you should start smaller?”
“Go big or go home,” Jamal told her. “They’ll be giving out licenses in the spring, and it can take 3 to 4 months to grow a mature plant, but if you know your product, it can be done in like 8 weeks. So, in six months, I can have two crops harvested and start seeing a return.”
“Can you start smaller and expand later?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to take that risk and I don’t know how long the State will take to grant it, if they will even do that. I want to start growing and getting this money in my pockets.”
Lorna studied the screen. “You’re going to have to let me help you financially.”
“I don’t want your money, baby,” Jamal told her.
She turned to him. “Listen, if you’re doing this…then we’re doing this.”
“I don’t want you taking that kind of risk with your savings,”
“You’re taking it for me…” Lorna said softly, staring into his dark eyes. “So, of course, I’ll take it for you.”
“Baby, I don’t want the town to know that you’re involved with this,” Jamal explained. “I know what’s about to go down and I don’t want it to touch you like that.”
Lorna laughed. “When this all works out the way you want, a marijuana grower will be my husband at some point, so I might as well get used to it.”
Jamal sighed. “I promise it’ll be worth it.”
“I know,”
He put an arm around her waist and kissed her face. “I love you, Lorna.”
“Once we contact Lance and Khayla in Detroit, there’s no turning back,” she told him.
“Are you with me?” Jamal asked.
Lorna smiled. “Yes, and I love you, too…but I won’t be testing product.”