Page 8 of Set In Stone

“No, I’m all set. In fact, I’ll be leaving around the same time as youare.”

“Alright then. Enjoy yourweekend.”

“Thanks. You too, Regina,” I returned and watched her exit myoffice.

Feeling optimistic about my schedule for next week, I powered down the computer and began to sort through the piles of client folders that were sitting on my desk. As I put them away into the file cabinet, I tried to switch gears and mentally prepare for the next order of business for the day – the therapy session with Dr. Tumblin. In an instant, my good mood vanished. I was truly dreading the appointment, even if it was entirely myidea.

After I finished putting away the client files, I grabbed my coat and purse. Hitting the switch to power off the lights in my office, I took a deep breath and tried to let go of the tension that was already beginning to set in myshoulders.

Maybe Alex won’t be so resistanttoday.

I tried to be hopeful, but I wasn’t really feeling it. Round four of therapy was less than an hour away, and it literally felt like I was about to head into a boxing match. The sessions weren’t going well because Alexander had been fighting them every step of the way. As a result, I had been snappy and short tempered with him over the past few weeks. I couldn’t helpit.

Bite your tongue. Don’t snap at himtoday.

I repeated the thought to myself another three times as I closed the door to my office. Making my way down the corridor to the elevator, I steeled myself for what might lieahead.

4

alexander

“Laura,”I said into the intercom on my desktopphone.

“Yes, Mr. Stone,” she immediately responded. That was the best thing about my personal assistant – she never kept me waiting. Ever. Her incredible efficiency was one of the reasons I could power through my work days soseamlessly.

“Did Sheldon Tremaine get in touch with TurningStone?”

“He did, sir. A meeting has been scheduled for next week Friday with MissCole.”

I smiled, pleased that everything was going according toplan.

“Excellent. And you made sure he knows to bediscreet?”

“Yes, Mr. Stone. I made that veryclear.”

“Good. The last thing I need is for Krystina to find out I arranged the deal for her,” I said with a frown as I considered the potential fallout. “She won’t likeit.”

Laura hesitated before responding, but when she finally spoke, I could hear the amusement in hervoice.

“No, I don’t imagine that she would be veryhappy.”

I chuckled to myself. Laura was quickly learning Krystina’s independent, if not stubborn, nature. Not happy was an understatement. Krystina would be livid if she knew I called in a favor to get her that contract, even if it was one that she desperately needed. Bryan had given me the numbers. I knew she was struggling. Still, I had to admire her tenacity and determination to make it on her own. In a way, she reminded me of myself when I first established StoneEnterprise.

“Keep me apprised on the outcome of that meeting,” I toldLaura.

“I will, sir. Anythingelse?”

“Just one more thing. I’ll be leaving the office in a few moments. Tell Hale that I won’t need him to drive us tonight. I plan on taking theTesla.”

“Yes, Mr.Stone.”

I hit the end button on the intercom and spun around in my chair to look out the tall windows in my office, completely oblivious to the Manhattan skyline before me. From fifty stories up, I had a front row seat to some of the most sought after real estate in the country. Instead of appreciating the view, my mind was on Krystina. I thought again about how tired she seemed thismorning.

She’s doing too much, toofast.

The last thing she needed was to end the week with the psychiatrist she had been so adamant about us seeing. I had to find a way to convince her to drop it. It was nonsense. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that my instincts were correct. Yes, Krystina was over worked, but the tension between us began weeks before her return to Turning Stone. It all began after we started seeing Dr. Tumblin. We had been through enough. We didn’t need some head-nutter to come betweenus.

Turning away from the windows, I stood to put on the suit coat that was slung over the back of my office chair. It was time to change strategies. If Krystina didn’t want to see what this was doing to us, then it was up to me to make her see it. That was one of my strengths after all. Convincing others to see things my way was what propelled me to the top of the real estate game. I just needed to take the emotional aspect out of the situation and use that strength to myadvantage.

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