Page 14 of Love & Vendettas
She turns around and looks as she answers. “The gentlemen who . . .” She looks back at me with a look of confusion on her face. “They’re gone. Meka, did you see the guys?”
The other bottle girl, Meka, who was a little too touchy for my tastes, looks out into the open area and then turns back to us, shaking her head.
“Thanks, ma’am.”
“What’s wrong?” Bayleigh asks when they leave.
“Nothing, babe. Just time to go.”
I head to Janel and give her a heads-up before doing the same with Malik and Jamal. Malik heads out of the club to do a preliminary sweep, and then Jamal and Janel lead the way out of the club for Bayleigh and me.
The moment that we step out of the VIP room, my driver and bodyguard, Ghalen, steps from the shadows to cover us from behind.
“Our bottle of Macallan, babe. You forgot it.”
I shake my head and say nothing as I continue scanning every face, looking for one of the men who eyeballed me earlier. I see no one.
Bayleigh looks at me with a worried expression, but I place my arm around her, kiss her temple, and continue ushering her from the club.
7 – BAYLEIGH – FAMILY BUSINESS
“Tara, this is exactly what you requested. Now, if you would like to change the fabric of the curtains, that’s fine, but there will be an upgrade fee, plus the five percent fee required for modifying the contract after it has been signed and notarized.”
“Bayleigh, sweetheart, I have sent several clients your way. I would think if you’re still interested in receiving new clients as well as repeat business from me and my friends, that you would work hard to accommodate my requests,” Tara Lawrence replies, running her fingers back and forth over her freshwater pearls.
“Tara, that would be fine if I hadn’t done it already. We altered the contract on your kitchen, your living room, and your husband’s office. If I continue doing that, then I would need to do that for everyone, not to mention that it’s not like you cannot afford that fee, considering the ten percent discount off my services that I’ve already provided,” I point out.
Tara stands and grabs her purse. “I must say, Bayleigh, that I’m disappointed that you’re not willing to work with me. I’ll have to reconsider the service provider that I use for future home interior design needs.”
Standing behind my desk, I paste a false smile on my face and reply. “You do that. I wouldn’t want you to be displeased with the result. So, may I consider this your formal notice that you’re rescinding the contract, Tara?”
She looks shocked that I would suggest such a thing.
“Of course not. I would never cancel services in the middle of a project. That’s highly unprofessional, and I would hope that you would not do such a thing either, Bayleigh.”
“I just want to make sure that we’re on the same page and that we can work together well, moving forward on this project.”
“We will,” she retorts, turning on her heel and marching stiffly out of my office.
When she closes the door, I roll my eyes. My door pops open before I have a chance to sit down in my seat again.
“What the hell did that heffa want now?” Georgette, my receptionist, asks with her hands on her thick, curvy hips.
“What else? Another discount on the services. She wants to change the fabric of the curtains without paying the upgrade fee.”
“She knows better than that shit. Bayleigh, don’t do it. You’ve given her too much slack already in appreciation for the clients that she sends your way. But she’s taking advantage of it now. You haven’t had anyone come in here that she sent in months. All these new customers, you pulled off your own hustle.”
I smile at her feistiness. “Thank you, Mama Georgi, for the reminder. I told her pretty much the same thing as it relates to me not giving her any more discounts.”
“Is that why she walked out of here with her face all red and twisted?”
“Yes. You should have seen how she looked when I asked her if she was rescinding the contract.”
Georgette’s lips blow up as her cheeks blow out, trying to contain her laughter.
“Her ass knows that she can’t afford to piss off another interior design firm.”
Georgette can’t control her laughter any longer. It explodes from her in a fit of giggles, forcing a smile to my lips, as well.
