“So what are you going to do?” Lex asked the question, but all three women appeared to be listening intently.
“I told the Simses and Daman that I accepted the proposal, but I don’t like feeling obligated to work with anyone. Regardless, I know I need to suck it up and play nice. Although Gamine never told me why she needed me to purchase the estate, she did say it would hold the answers I’ve been searching for. The estate is finally in my reach to purchase, and I’ve been waiting five years to see what answers may lie inside. Whether it be a box or a letter, I need to know.”
The look between Cyd and Lex didn’t go unseen by Imani so she decided to divert from talking about Gamine.
“Plus, my initial meeting with Daman didn’t go so well.”
“Why not?” Mya asked.
“He’s arrogant, cocky and thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”
“Seems like most of the men we know,” Mya said with a laugh.
“That may be true, but something about him gets under my skin. If last night was any indication of how working with him will be, then I need to really think about this.”
“Hmmm...usually you’re so good with words that even the cocky guys eventually quit with that nonsense,” Cyd stated. “Could it be that your attraction to him is what’s really aggravating you?”
Imani looked at Cyd in disbelief. “What makes you think I’m attracted to him?”
“Oh, come on, girl,” Mya chimed in. “We’ve all seen his picture. Daman’s your type. Simple as that.”
Imani sighed as she stood and glanced out her office window before turning her attention back toward the women. “That’s the other problem. When the Simses first introduced us, the attraction between us was obvious, and you all know my policy about fraternizing with men I work with.”
The three women shook their heads at Imani’s comment.
“You can’t constantly work hard and never allow yourself time to relax,” Lex said. “I can’t even remember the last time you were attracted to a man.”
“That’s because I don’t have time for them.”
Cyd walked over to Imani. “Last time I checked, you didn’t need a lot of time to enjoy a man’s company. Plus,” Cyd continued while nudging Imani’s shoulder, “you and Daman will only be partners for a short time.”
“I know, but I need to stay focused. No one thought that four women as young as us could have built such a successful company so fast. That’s part of why you all don’t date, either, because deep down we know men equal trouble. And trouble makes us lose focus of our goals.”
“I disagree,” Mya said. “At least we choose to date every now and then. But you haven’t let loose in a while, which is crazy considering how you used to be. Don’t you miss it?”
Imani glanced up at her friends and business partners because she knew there were words left unspoken. Since Gamine’s death, Imani was far from the person she once was. She used to be more carefree and had no problem enjoying a man’s company or living in the moment. Gamine had always encouraged her to follow her dreams and start her own event-planning business. The fact that her best friend since college, sister and cousin all shared a similar dream was a huge plus. Each of them had talents in different areas, and their business took off like wildfire. Besides being founders of a successful business, they also owned several Boys & Girls Clubs and published their own bimonthly magazine. Each alternated as head planner per event and actively managed a different part of the company. Imani’s focus was on business management and sales; Cyd did marketing and advertising; Lex handled communications and public relations, and Mya worked on educational training and sponsorships. They were a force to be reckoned with, each having accomplished so much before the age of thirty.
Coming out of her trance, Imani noticed that they were still waiting on her response to Mya’s question.
“Yes, I do miss having male company, and you’re right, I haven’t let loose in a while. I know it’s time for me to try to make some changes to get out of this funk I’m in, but unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.” Sitting down at her desk, she took a sip of her coffee, thinking she’d added just enough cream to make her coffee almost the exact color of Daman’s velvety, chocolate skin.
“Enough with all the serious talk,” Cyd said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Let’s get down to the real business. Just how sexy is Daman in person?”
Imani shook her head as she thought about the right way to describe her first encounter with Daman. “Honestly, besides being arrogant and cocky, all I can tell is that he’s confident and successful.”
“Seriously?” Cyd asked, with a look of disbelief. “That’s all you got?”
Imani exhaled. “No, that’s not all. He’s also tall, nicely groomed and has smooth, chocolate skin, which I definitely like. His eyes remind me of dark chestnuts and his smile is so sexy. And goodness, what a body. If you could have seen how he looked in that suit...” Her voice trailed off when she noticed how quiet her friends were. The knowing looks on their faces proved that she’d said too much already.
“But that won’t change anything,” she quickly added.
All the women laughed. “Oh, yes, it will,” Lex said. “There is only so much a woman can handle. You’ve always been a sucker for Daman’s type, so I don’t see why this situation will be any different.”
“Lex has a point. The sooner you admit that we’re right, the easier he will be for you to handle,” Mya added. “We already know how the corporate world works and Daman wants the estate, too, so he’ll pull out all the stops to get it. You don’t need to suck it up and play nice. You need to get your head in the game and go out balls blazing. The two most important things are to help plan one of the biggest events that Elite Events has ever been a part of and win the estate.”
“You’re right,” Imani replied, allowing Mya’s positive energy to rub off on her. “Organizing such a grand event will be amazing and beneficial. Besides, I can work on convincing Daman that I should get the lake-view estate. Y’all know how convincing I can be when I want something.”
“Hell, yeah! Now you need to keep that attitude,” Cyd stated.
“And pull out all the tricks because you know he will, too,” Mya added.
“Cyd and Mya are right. But please don’t stress about your attraction to Daman,” Lex said with a smile.
Imani wondered if there was anything they didn’t know about her. She was still apprehensive because she usually liked to plan ahead before diving into things, but she would never have turned down such an important proposal as the one from Mr. and Mrs. Sims.
“You’re all right,” Imani replied.
“Then it’s settled?” Mya asked. “You already said yes to the Simses’ proposal. Give Daman a run for his money. Even if that means seducing him, like he probably will try to do to you.”
The situation really didn’t seem settled at all, but Imani always prided herself on seeing the bright side. Fidgeting with the nameplate on her desk, she tried to hide her apprehension. But she never backed down from a challenge, and Daman Barker was definitely a challenge. “Yes, it’s settled.” Let the games begin!
Chapter 4
When Daman walked into R&W Marketing Tuesday morning, he immediately felt at ease. Every time he walked into the firm that his boys, Taheim Reed and Jaleen Walker, had successfully established, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Two months ago, he decided to partner with his best friends full time to bring