Page 51 of The Love Audit
I’d discovered the Tulsa Massacre as an adult. It was simply an interesting piece of unearthed Black history popularized in documentaries and TV shows. Knowing that it happened was something completely different from meeting the descendants of actual survivors with firsthand accounts.
The sun had only just begun to set, so instead of calling a taxi, I decided to walk home from David’s house to clear my head and make sense of everything.
I called my assistant.
“Hey Mr. C,” Brandon’s cheerful voice called through my phone’s speaker, the complete antithesis of my mood. “If you’re calling to check up on the reports you asked me to send to Mr. Aldridge on the Harrison Villas project, they’re already done. He asked if there were any updates on Miller’s Cove. He’s planning to give Mr. Mason a more formal update tomorrow.”
“That’s good, Brandon. Thanks for letting me know. I’m actually calling you about Miller’s Cove.” I cut to the chase. “Listen, I need you to get some information for me.”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“I need to know exactly how MasonCorp acquired a thousand acres of Miller’s Cove.”
“I’m on it,” he said matter-of-factly, and I could hear the faint clicking sound of his fingers moving deftly over his computer’s keyboard.
“And, Brandon, when I say exactly, I meanexactly. Who, what, where, when, how, and why. I want every detail you can dig up.”
“Got it.” He paused for a moment. “I can tell you right now that a huge parcel of land was sold in 1992.” Another pause. More key clicking. “The seller’s name was… Dennis Walker.” I immediately recognized the last name as belonging to one of the founding families of the town. “Looks like he was in a hurry to sell, too. It was a cash deal for way below market value.”
“That’s great, Brandon. Thanks. See what else you can dig up, and give me a full report by the end of the day tomorrow.”
“You got it, boss.”
The rest of my walk home was a blur. It was like one of those times when you safely drive yourself home but can’t remember anything about the journey. One minute I was talking to Brandon, and the next minute I was putting my key in the door of the apartment.
“Hey, handsome.” Jasmine greeted me with a thousand-watt smile the made my heart swell in my chest but also filled me with dread. She was sitting in the same spot on the couch, in the same position with her laptop open. Tora had moved to the floor under one of the large living room windows. “How was your day with David?”
I didn’t even know how to begin to answer her, so instead, I slowly closed her laptop before laying it gently on the floor and lay down next to her on the couch, placing my head where her laptophad been. She leaned down and kissed me before scratching my scalp, making my eyes flutter closed and a lazy smile stretch across my face.
“That exhausting, huh?” She chuckled.
“Not exhausting, per se.” I smiled up at her. “But very illuminating.” That was a bit of an understatement, but I was still wrapping my head around the situation.
“Care to share this illuminating news?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Miss Morgan.” I looked at her with a mock scandalized expression. “Are you trying to use seduction to procure confidential information from a corporate rival?”
She threw her head back and laughed.
“No, I was trying to make conversation. I would never ask you to do anything to jeopardize your job.”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to the seduction.” I shrugged and waggled my eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but she was still smiling.
“Well, you’re not the only one with some interesting Miller’s Cove news.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, and I would tell you, but we are corporate rivals and all.”
“I have ways of making you talk,” I crooned in a low voice and slowly sat up.
“Do you?” she responded in the sexiest whisper.
“Yes.” I stood from the couch before scooping her into my arms, eliciting a delighted squeal. “But I don’t want to talk about Miller’s Cove.” I carried her into the bedroom.
I focused on David’s advice about living in the present.MasonCorp’s interest in Miller’s Cove was like a moving train. Sure, I’d started the engine, but even if I put the brakes on now, I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to stop it before it crashed. I wasn’t sure this thing with Jasmine would be able to withstand the aftermath.
I was determined to spend every moment I could with her until the inevitable became our reality.
