Bianca
I can’t believe tonight is the night. It’s time for the big showing, and Ford pulled through once again.
Grans, this is for you.
“Hey beautiful.” Ford strides toward me with a bouquet of bright wildflowers in one hand.
“Ford! Do you see this place? It’s everything I wanted mine to be.” I turn around, admiring the warehouse. Somehow, this hunk of metal had a Cinderella moment and was turned into an amazing piece of architecture. Exposed beams, concrete floors stained to resemble marble, and a mix of metals and barn wood give off an eclectic artistic vibe.
“Well, it should be since it’s exactly your design.” He comes over, wrapping his arms around me and snuggling in close. “It’s a shame we have to turn this back into its original form in forty-eight hours.”
“We what?”
“I had men working around the clock to make this happen. I knew how important it was for your work to be showcased in the setting you envisioned…I know this isn’t your gallery, but this is the best we could do in short notice.”
Tearing up, I turn around as he continues. “B, I know it’s only been a few weeks, but this here.” Pointing between our two hearts. “It’s something good. You know?”
“Ford, what’s going to happen after all this? When I pay the loan…because I will; my paintings are da shit.” I laugh and break free to do a little dance. The energy is starting to build. I just hope it carries over for when potential buyers arrive.
“Babe, don’t worry about the loan or what’s going to happen. Just know that this here, me and you, isn’t going anywhere.” He grabs me by the hand, twirling me out before bringing me back in for a little dip and claiming my mouth with his.
I know he says not to worry, but it’s all I can do. The what-ifs are playing in the back of my head.
**********
Ford
As the evening winds down, my hands sweat in nervous anticipation. It’s killing me not telling her, but soon she will know everything. I’m hoping her Grans was right and all this will be worth it, but there is a little part of me that doubts her plan. What if she didn’t know her granddaughter as well as she thought?
Bianca, as much as she loves little surprises, hates life-changing moments. This will be life-changing once she finds out the truth.
Feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket, I dig it out, hoping it’s Celeste with the news I’ve been waiting for.
Celeste: Mission completed. Meet me in the back room and I’ll give you the keys.
Me: The back room of where?
Celeste: I’m here. At the showing (duh)
Me: I didn’t think this was your type of thing?
I instantly regret engaging with her.
Celeste: You weren’t my type of thing either, but I did you…
Celeste: Multiple times. Over and over and OVER again!
Me: Keep it professional.
Celeste: See you in a few, boss. *winky face*
Looking around the room for Bianca, I find her in a huddle of people. Everyone wants a piece of her.
Hands in pockets, I stand admiring her beauty and how far she has come. Feeling my gaze, she turns and smiles while still talking a few remaining guests giving me a little wave.
Holding up my phone, I use it to point to the back, letting her know I’m stepping out for a minute.
Heading to the back room, I find Celeste standing there in her too-tight dress and fuck me heels.
I know if I don’t start off with a compliment, it will be like pulling teeth to get anything out of her until I do.
“Celeste…” I nod. “Lookin’ good.”
“Enough to eat?” She winks.
Really? When will I ever learn not to do business with this chick? If she wasn’t always willing to do whatever I ask, I would have dropped her a long time ago.
“Celeste. Don’t go there,” I warn. “Do you have it?” I hold out my hand, waiting for her to drop the keys.
Pulling the keys from her purse she dangles them over my hand, tormenting me in normal Celeste fashion.
“Ford…how about one last play?” she teases. “Kitty wants to come out and play…”
“Celeste, give them please.” I’m tired of warning.
As I take a step toward her to grab the keys, she looks past me, a wicked smile splayed across her face. She grabs me by the collar and plants a kiss on me.
I don’t open, I don’t kiss back, but something about this situation seems off. I instantly push her away and she laughs, wiping her mouth.
“Wait…” I’m confused.
Turning around, I see Bianca standing in the doorway, tears streaming down her face.
“B! It’s not what it looks like!” I chase after her, but she is gone. Disappeared in the crowd.
“Ford, she was dead weight. A little too needy, don’t you think?” Celeste hands me the envelope and dangles the keys in front of me once again.
“You’re fired.” I grab the envelope and snatch the keys. “And if you think you will ever do business in this town again, you are sorely mistaken.”
“Ford, don’t you think you’re blowing this out of proportion?” she pleads, knowing my threat is a promise I will keep.
“Fucking with people’s lives is not a profession. Go find something you are better at. Something that is more useful.”
Running out the door, I toss the keys to security. “Something came up. Clear the place out and lock up.” I call out.
Not wasting any time to hand the valet my ticket. Instead I grab the taxi that is waiting on an elderly couple walking out of the warehouse. “I’m so sorry, but I need to steal your ride.” I run over to the valet and hand him my ticket. “Take my ride. It’s on me,” I tell the couple. I hop in the taxi, ordering him to take me to the hotel.
Fifteen minutes, that’s how long it takes me to get to the hotel. Fifteen minutes of dialing her phone just to be sent to voicemail. Fifteen minutes…my heart stopped beating.
This girl had inched her way into my life before I even laid eyes on her. Story after story, week after week, I kept going back. Not because I wanted that building, but because I needed to know more about BB.
Running through the lobby, I mentally calculate if I can take the stairs faster than the elevator will run through the levels. Passing the stairs, I head straight to the lift and repeatedly press the buttons, praying that pressing them this many times really does make it arrive faster.
It opens with a ding. I step in and close the doors before anyone else can hop on.
Please let her be here.
Another ding and the doors open again. I run down the hall and to our suite.
Shit!
I feel around for the key card, but I can’t seem to find it. I dig through my wallet, my hands clumsy, and I drop it. Everything comes flying out. “Fuck!”
Sweeping everything up, I go for the desperate move, pounding on the door. “Come on B! Open up!”
I keep pounding and calling out to her, pleading to be let in. Throat sore, hand aching, I don’t stop.
Let me in.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” A security guard is walking up, but I don’t care. Pounding again, “Bianca, open up baby—”
“Sir, we have had some complaints. If you don’t leave right now, then I will physically have to escort you down.”
Sizing the guy up, I contemplate making him do exactly that because I’m not leaving.
“I can’t go.” I bang some more. “B! Let me in babe. Let me explain.”
“Sir, if she doesn’t want to talk to you, maybe it’s best to leave.” He grabs my elbow.
“I need in there. If only I could find my fucking key.” I start to feel around again. “Shit!” It dawns on me that I left it in the car.
“Sir, I’m confused. Is this your room?”
“Yes!” Now we are getting somewhere. “I left my key in my car and my girlfriend is a little upset over a misunderstanding.”
“Name, please.”
“Ford Phillips.”
Pressing a button on his walkie-talkie, he calls down to the front desk. “Ford Phillips. Suite 1215.”
“Ask for I.D.”
Digging my driver’s license out before he even has a chance to ask, I shove it in his face. “Please, let me in.”
“One moment sir.”
And just like that, a miracle happens.
“Thank you.” I walk past him then shut the door.
“B?” I run through the front room and head to the bedroom, then stop dead in my tracks. Bianca is sitting on the edge of the bed, in her underwear, mascara streaming down her face.
“It’s not what it looked like.”
“I know.”