Page 28 of Business Casual

Mr. Franklin pointed as he spoke. “Theresa is the Chief Financial Officer.”—I shook Theresa’s hand— “Chase is the Chief Information Officer.”—I shook Chase’s hand— “Theresa, Chase, this is Imani Jones. She’s signed on to be our social media marketing specialist for the next six months.”

As they welcomed me, I heard footsteps approach from behind.

“We have refreshments,” Mr. Franklin announced as I took my seat. “Thank you, Josephine.”

She grinned. “You’re welcome, Mr. Franklin.”

“Okay we can get started now that Alex is here,” Mr. Franklin stated.

I stilled as another sex flashback flooded my system. I let out a shaky breath.

“…the Chief Operating Officer. And you remember Imani Jones.”

Bracing myself, I turned to my right.

Damn.

I wasn’t sure if it was the way the navy-blue suit fit him or the fact that I’d kissed, licked, sucked, and fucked him, but Alexander Franklin III somehow looked better than he did the day before.

With his hand extended to mine, he gave me a professional nod. “It’s very nice to see you again, Imani.”

Something about the way his voice wrapped around my name made my insides tighten. Inhaling sharply, I fixed my gaze on him and shook his hand. “It’s nice to see you, too, Mr. Franklin.”

“Alex,” he corrected. “Mr. Franklin is my father.”

Everyone laughed, but I could barely breathe. “My apologies, Alex.”

Mr. Franklin cleared his throat from the head of the table. “Would anyone like some coffee before we get started?”

Tearing his eyes from mine, Tre took his seat at the other end of the table. I glanced at Mr. Franklin who was tapping his chin and observing me. My stomach dropped.

He knows!

Jerking my eyes to my lap, I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my notebook. I placed the rest of my belongings in the empty chair next to me. I could feel Theresa and Chase watching me from across the table. And even without looking, I knew for a fact the Franklin men were at either end of the table eyeing me for completely different reasons. I grabbed my favorite pen and made a calculated decision.

I sat up straight and directed my attention to Mr. Franklin.

“After years of consideration, Franklin Financial has decided to prioritize personal wealth management. As you may or may not be aware, Alex has spearheaded this project so I will give him the floor,” Mr. Franklin started before taking a sip of his coffee.

I shifted my gaze to Tre and immediately shifted in my seat. The last time I saw him he was kissing me goodbye. I blinked slowly and exhaled gently as I watched him avoid meeting my gaze.

“Personal wealth management is the phase for Franklin Financial. It isn’t just about growing as a company; it’s about growing as a community. If we can get more people knowledgeable about their money and investing their money appropriately, investing their money wisely within the community, we can start to see the formation of generational wealth. Yes, this is good for business, but this is also good for our community. And the way we reach the community is to get creative. We’ve hired”—his eyes shifted to me, and he hesitated for just a moment— “Imani Jones to elevate our social media presence. Our specific goal is to reach as many people as possible to not only let them know what we do, but also let them know how we can help them.”

As Tre spoke, I took notes. The sexually charged energy between us slowly dissipated as we got into the work. When Theresa explained the financial aspects of the endeavor, I jotted down the necessary numbers. When Chase went over the security and technology access I would need, I wrote the names of the trainings. By the end of the three-hour meeting, my stomach was growling but I was full of information.

“I would like to see a broad three-month plan by Friday,” Tre told me.

Friday?!

“Is that doable?” Tre continued.

All eyes were on me, so I nodded confidently. “Yes.”

The meeting concluded and I packed up my belongings. After shaking everyone’s hands, I made my way to the elevator. Thoughts of how I was going to get everything done by Friday was fueling my appetite.

I need to eat. Now.

I pressed the button for the first floor and mentally ran through the names of nearby restaurants.

---