Eli

Six

"Ms. Washington?"

I looked up as the delivery man walked in with an armful of two big boxes.

"That's me," I laid my book down and got up to sign for the packages and once that was done he left those boxes with us and told us the he had one more in his truck he had to go and grab.

"What this," Lauren asked gesturing to the boxes.

"No clue," I pulled out my knife, the same one I used on Wiz and cut open the box carefully.

"Did you just pull a knife out your bra...really," Lauren looked shocked but for what I didn't know. She had seen me do way more crazy shit than that.

"What," I shrugged putting it back inside. She shook her head and inside the box were supplies for the hair stylist section. I took the inventory sheet from the box and started to make sure everything checked out and I got everything I paid for.

"Eli Washington?"

My heart dropped at the sound of his voice and that slow southern accent. What the fuck was he doing here? In my salon of all places? I turned around only to be met with Chance sporting a cocky smirk on his face with his eyes trained on me.

"Damn..." Lauren moaned low under her breath but I heard her loud and clear.

I took a step forward crossing my arms over my chest, "What are you doing here?"

"That can wait. Where do you want me to put this sweetheart," he asked Lauren referring to the box he was holding that I hadn't paid any mind to until now. Wait did he just call her sweetheart. Lauren started blushing like a little girl.

"You can sit it down right here handsome," Lauren pointed a free spot where the other boxes sat. He did as she instructed as she watched looking like she wanted to pounce on him. She wasn't the only one, looking around the salon all eyes were on Chance as the woman in the shop blatantly ogled him.

"I called you," Chance finally turned his attention to me.

"My phone is in my office," I informed him. It was the truth but even if it wasn't would I have answered his call? Maybe, maybe not.

He nodded at my response and then took his eyes off of me to take a good look around. I could see him assessing my shop and I secretly wanted to know what he thought especially with him being a business man and all. He stopped looking around once his eyes landed on the fish tank I had set up in the shop. He walked over to get a good look and peered inside.

"Are those sharks?"

I narrowed my eyes at him ignoring his question, "What are you doing here Chance?"

"Just wanted to pop up on you. You were supposed to come into my office before you left this morning," he spoke as he tapped on the glass to get a fish in the bottom corners attention before turning around to face me once again.

"Was I," I played dumb.

"Yes. I made sure Stephanie personally deliver the message. This is strike two now," he held up two fingers.

Lauren who was supposed to be unpacking the boxes was doing so but I knew she was eavesdropping and so was everyone else. It was amazing how loud the females were, gossiping over this and that but as soon as Chance walked in the building everyone got quiet. I was done putting on a show for them.

I walked over to Chance and wanted to grabbed him by his arm and pulled him through the salon until we got to my office. Once we were inside I closed the door behind him. Walking over to my desk I picked up my phone and saw that I had once missed call from him close to an hour ago. I turned to face him only for him to flash me a smug grin.

"Are you going to tell me what was so important you had to pop up on me?"

"I just wanted to see you. Make sure you weren't still upset over what went down in my office two weeks ago."

"So you came to apologize?"

"Apologize for something Trell should have done along time ago? No. I know you and Trell are close and I know he let you slide on a lot of things but I'm not him. I'm sure you wouldn't be giving Trell this hard a time if he was the one giving you orders."

"Because I respect Trell."

"And you need to learn to respect me. You need me not the other way around."

His words didn't sit right with me and I started to get angry. I was a hothead and he did a good job at pushing my buttons.

"I don't need you for shit. I can go out and find another DJ position easy."

"That may be true but who's going to want to put up with you? Like it or not wherever you go your going to be working for someone. I'm not trying to give you a hard time but I am your boss, the sooner you realize that and respect it the happier the both of us will be."

I bit my tongue to keep from going off on him but I wanted to. Really really wanted to but Tiffany's words came to mind. Then Trell's face flashed in my mind, then Missy's so I shut my mouth.

"Now I called you into my office because I have a proposition for you."

"That being," I asked.

"I'm throwing a Halloween party out at Trell's, well my house."

"And?"

"And I wanted to invite you personally."

"Don't think I can make it," I shut him down with a quickness.

"You will make it and you'll have a good time."

I laughed at the fact he thought I was just going to bow down and go with what he said, "So what happens if I don't show? Are you going to find a way to punish me? Give away my spot again to another wack ass DJ?"

"No. You were right DJ Heat is good but he has nothing on you and you proved that this past weekend. Stephanie told me how great you were, everyone did."

I liked that he was admitting I was right and that DJ Heat was trash compared to me but I didn't show it.

"As a matter of fact I need a DJ for my party and I hear your the best. That is if you don't have other plans but I'm pretty sure everyone will be there, Matt, Geo, Luke, Tiffany."

"So you need a favor?"

"Not a favor. I'm willing to pay you, just give me your price."

I just stared at him. I didn't have plans but I wasn't sure if I wanted to take this gig seeing as how I was still salty. I shook my head at myself, I needed to get out my feelings and prove to him that I wasn't still bothered by last weekend.

"Fine," I shrugged, "We can work out the details the next time I see you."

The sooner he left my office, hell my establishment the better.

"That's fine with me."

"Great, I'll walk you out."

I walked out my office and led the way out but he was taking his sweet ass time. Smiling and saying hello to the chicks up in the shop making them act like damn fools. I rolled my eyes and gave up decided that he could let his own self out. I picked up my book and started where I left off.

"I'll text you the info to the party," he told me after he was done flirting with not one but two of the chicks up in the shop.

"You do that," I told him refusing to look up from my book.

"Stocks huh...I got a good 200,000 invested. I could give you some tips...over dinner, just me and you-"

"Goodbye," I pointed to the door again and soon after that he was gone. Not even a minute later the girls were trying to get all up in my business. Little did they know there was nothing to know.