Page 202 of Rhet

“Dimitri, dim these lights, man.”

In seconds the lights are dimmed. There she is, looking even more beautiful than the day she left. The purple short off the shoulder dress, makes me want to pull it lower.

“You have to say something,” Cole shouts.

I flip him the bird.

“Hi, everyone, I’m Rhet Banner.”

“I fucked up. Big time. The woman I love is in the front row, but I messed up so bad I don’t think there’s any way for me to get back to her.”

The audience goes, “Aww.”

Perfect I have the audience on my side. “I have to try. I will start with I’m sorry. I was wrong. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Her face looks like it’s stuck on neutral. Okay, let me try harder.

“I thought about us long and hard. I love you and I forgive you,”

She shakes her head, gets up, and walks to the door. I stand there for a second, watching her go. Then I drop the mic and I rush after her.

“Zeeta, wait.”

I grab her hand, but she pulls away. She looks mad. This isn’t the way I planned it out in my head.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Zeeta. I apologized,” I cry.

“Keep the apology and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine, so a yeast infection can grow.” She pushes my hand away.

I rush after her as she waits for the elevator.

“Give me 10 mins, please baby.” I plead.

She folds her arm over her chest “You have five.”

I take her hand and walk across the black marble floor. I love the way her hand feels in mine. Finally, I reach the lacquered black door. Pushing it open I escort her through and close the door behind me.

My heart beats as I try to decide how to convince her that we work. I gesture to the chairs “Please have a seat,” I make my way to my new long chrome desk.

“I prefer to stand” she says.

I nod as I begin open the new plans for the Waterfront on my desk.

“What is this?” she asks as she looks over my desk.

I splay my hands on the plans, “Come closer. These are the plans for the new Waterfront.”

She squints as she passes her fingers along the designs.

I point to the blueprint “This is Tarek’s new restaurant. Also the yachties can dock their boats here. They can also find new apparel here.”

She says nothing, though she is taking keen interest in the blueprints.

I open a fold and I lay out papers with account numbers for the contractor, for future bids for my business.

She picks the paper and reads it. “Rhet what is this?”

Leaning across my desk I plush “Oh this is the amount of money we are looking to bid on auction in the coming months. Twelve million dollars to be exact.”

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