Chapter Nineteen

She felt trapped in an endless nightmare. Selena turned her focus back to the client in front of her.

“Yes, Mr. McBeal. For this first quarter of the year, you’re on board to save twice as much as you did last year around this time.”

“So it was all worth the risk.”

Selena smiled. “It was a good gamble.”

“I’m lucky to have you, dear. I’m certain if I had done this on my own, I would’ve invested in the wrong stock and chased my money with my tail.”

The older gentleman laughed at his own joke and reached over the desk to shake Selena’s hand. She accepted it, rising to her feet to walk Mr. McBeal to the door.

“Have a good day, Mr. McBeal.”

“You, too, darling.”

Selena stepped back and closed her door then returned to her chair. She closed out a few files that sat open on her computer and worked to keep her mind from her troubles. Some she’d created and some not. It had been six days since she’d walked up on her father having Valentine’s Day dinner with his, whatever she was, and the anger Selena felt had not fizzled. Her father reached out to her, but Selena made it clear to the ladies at S & M Financial that she wasn’t taking any pop-up visits or phone calls from him.

All that seemed to do was direct his calls to her cell phone, but Selena was a fortress, incapable of being reached. What was worse, Selena hadn’t spoken to Jordan. He’d called incessantly for two days before going completely silent. Selena didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried that she might never hear from him again. Whichever it was, her week had been stoic as she went about business as usual.

When the phone on Selena’s desk rang with the sequenced three quick shrills, she breathed easy that it was an internal call. Selena lifted the receiver and placed it to her ear.

“Yes.”

“Do you have a client? It’s Octavia.”

Selena shifted the phone to her other ear and continued to close out the programs on her computer.

“No.”

“Okay, I wanted to touch basis with you about Samiyah’s baby shower.”

“When is it again?”

“This Friday.”

“Oh, okay, what’s up?”

“Were you able to get the bakery to agree to make the cake within the time frame we have?”

“Um, oh, shit,” Selena grumbled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Let me call you back. I need to check on something.”

“Selena.”

Selena sighed. “Yes.”

“Do we need to have a pow-wow? What’s going on?”

“No, I’m good, it just slipped my mind, but I’ll get it done.”

Octavia became quiet.

“Hello?”