Page 11 of Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming
The next step is getting Eliza and her father to donate to a nonprofit that supplies formula. Lyric loves being a fixer, but there are times where she has to reconcile with the fact that she helps rich people win the goodwill of the public after they fuck up. She can only hope that her methods work, and the clients actually learn something, but she’s more than a little doubtful. She looks down at her phone and checks various social media sites. The comments are pouring in. A lot of support, but there’s also a good number of folks calling Eliza an ignorant bitch and generally talking shit about the wealthy. After the donation, Eliza will participate in and fund a documentary that delves into food scarcity and how it affects one’s milk supply. Also, she’ll be pushing back the release of her make up line indefinitely. Eliza doesn’t know any of this yet, but Lyric sees that a simple statement and donation are not going to cut it. Folks want to see real consequences, so without getting medieval, Lyric’s new goal is to do just that. She now has to approach this as a lesson and a punishment. Wealthy folks are like children, and they often have to be handled like them.
Lyric gets to Roger’s office, and his assistant lets her in.
Millionaire Ranson Hamilton turns and stands up from his seat, across from Roger’s desk. He’s the eldest offspring of Parker Hamilton, a mogul who owns a media conglomerate of radio stations, television, magazines, and news programs. The Hamiltons have been described as the family fromSuccession, with a bit of the Lannisters fromGame of Thrones, but Black.
Ranson is an angel investor who has built a name for himself by investing in Black-owned businesses and making a great deal of money on the returns. He’s thirty-four, unmarried and is six foot two inches of fine! His skin is smooth-brown melanated magic. His beard is moisturized and shaped to perfection around his juicy lips, with his build giving Winston Duke and Teddy Riner vibes. His finely tailored charcoal suit matches nicely withhis white stripped button-down shirt and dark silver tie. And his hair is a closely shaved fade, with small waves on top. Lyric is impressed but has the best poker face in town. She doesn’t get rattled, especially over a man.
“Good morning, Roger,” she greets her boss.
Roger comes from behind his desk. “Good morning, Lyric. Please meet Ranson Hamilton.”
“Hello, Mr. Hamilton. I’m Lyric Fuqua. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extends her hand to him.
“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Fuqua.” Ranson smiles.
She responds with a warm smile, hoping she’s pulling off looking professional rather than turned on.
“Lyric, please have a seat. Ranson, the floor is yours. Please tell Lyric the issue.”
They all take their seats. Lyric sits next to Ranson and smells his spicy, vanilla-tinged cologne. She looks him in his cognac-colored eyes and fights to not get lost in them.
“Ms. Fuqua, as I’m sure you are aware, I have spent a great number of years helping Black-owned businesses build from the ground up. I am very proud of the work I have done and would like to continue to do, but an issue has risen that can put that in jeopardy.”
“What kind of issue?” Lyric asks.
“A familial one. This is a doozy, so I need to know that what I’m about to tell you won’t leave this room.”
“You have our word,” Roger agrees.
Lyric nods.
“Thank you. I’m set to invest in a promising start-up company that is full of potential. But the founder is Lee Bodham.”
Yikes! No shit that’s a familial problem. And not a small one.
Lee Bodham isn’t just Shandola Hamilton’s longtime partner, he’s the man she left Parker Hamilton for. Shandola istechnically Ranson’s former stepmother, but he doesn’t refer to her that way. He calls her Momma Dola. Her; Ranson’s mother, Lilian Hamilton; and Peyton Hamilton—Parker’s third wife and the mother of his three youngest sons, Lionel, Yusef and Chance—are referred to as the mommy trio.
The three ladies turned heads when, after Peyton’s divorce from Parker, they all moved in together and raised their children under the same roof. At the time, people thought it was unorthodox, at best, and batshit crazy, at worst. But it worked, though they’re known for their rich kid shenanigans—especially Braxton Hamilton. The siblings are some of the most well-adjusted nepo babies out there, and that’s saying something.
“Even though she and my father broke up years ago, my dad is still bitter about what he sees as Momma Dola’s betrayal. She had an infidelity clause in her prenup, so her settlement was a joke. Braxton and Michaela have been taking care of her for years.”
“So, she doesn’t have the capital to invest. Why doesn’t she ask her kids for help?” Lyric asks.
“She doesn’t want to ask them for more money, and it’s literally my job to invest in businesses, so she wants me to help. This puts me in a precarious situation, namely because I get my capital from my father. He’s my not so silent partner in all of this.”
Ho-lee crap!This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.If I nail an assignment involving the Hamilton family, this could put me in demand.
“I don’t want to hurt Momma Dola or Lee, but I also can’t afford to be on the receiving end of my father’s ire,” Ranson continues. “This whole situation has the potential to divide our family, which is why I need you and Roger's help to mitigate the situation.”
“Mr. Hamilton—” Lyric starts.
“Please call me Ranson,” he smiles.
The combo of his velvety voice, dark brown eyes and breathtaking smile almost do a one-two punch on Lyric, but she keeps her poker face intact.
She smiles back. “Of course. Ranson, if you don’t mind me asking, you’ve made a tremendous amount of money with this venture. You can afford to buy your father out, can’t you?”
“I can, but that’s not how Parker Hamilton operates. He has to have his hand in everything we do. The only people to escape are Kimber, Kordell and Yusef. And they all havesignificantlyless money since they got out of my father’s grip. As I’m sure you’re aware, he’s been known to hold a grudge.”
