“Are you okay?”
“Why do you ask me that after every time I see him lately, Treasure?” Stefanie asked suspiciously.
“I was going to call you last night and ask you but I wanted you to get some rest and then I thought you might call me if it was something bad. Red made it seem like it was something bad.”
“I’m fine,” she assured Treasure. “Red took things out of proportion. The client was … wild, but passionately tamed? Let Red know you didn’t get me into anything. I asked for it. I wanted it.” She took a deep breath and admitted more to herself than to Treasure out loud. “I needed him.”
She was able to think so much more clearly at what she wanted in life and really needed for herself whenever she was with him - despite the fact she knew nothing of him, his touch, his kisses, his love making made the rest of her lonely life almost bearable.
Even knowing that she needed to go out on the date for dinner and she was not going to tell Treasure about the date.
“I wanted to make sure you were fine,” Treasure said. “Red had me so worried. As if you two would be so silly as to have unprotected sex.”
Sweat broke out on her forehead as she truly realized the severity of her wild untamed passion and the consequences she had just placed on herself. Quickly without worrying Treasure, she lied, “Of course not, but Thank you Treasure, for checking on me and giving me this opportunity to help with a lot of things going on with me personally. This whole experience with the client has helped me.”
“I’m glad, but I understand that you need more and at least I helped a little and that’s satisfaction enough,” Treasure chuckled. “I know my advice to stay away from Axel seemed a little bit forward, but I just thought it was the best for you and the client.”
“But I really won’t find out about the entire conflict for now.”
“Just for now, but as your friend, I promise to tell you soon. Give me some time.”
She almost felt incline about canceling the date with Axel Black, but she was too curious to find out what this man found so attractive about her? Was it really her brain?
Changing the subject, Stefanie said, “I finished the changes to the software Lethal requested. I know how he feels about dropping things digitally so do you want me to deliver them?”
“We could meet for dinner tonight and you can give them to me,” Treasure suggested.
“Oh no,” she said quickly. “How about a lunch and this time for sure we’ll both make it tomorrow at the restaurant across from Heaven’s Gate Spa? I want to swing by there and close my account up just in case Lauren tries to use it again.”
“By the way, did you hear back from your accountant yet about Lauren?”
“I didn’t expect to hear anything yet and I certainly haven’t heard from her at all. Why would my accountant come back to me so soon?”
“Because Dwight Bowman is a shark when it comes to getting money – whether it’s business or personal. I heard once you put him on the job there’s a guarantee he’ll get what’s owed to you.”
“He won’t hurt Lauren, will he?”
“Oh no, Dwight doesn’t hurt anyone – anymore.” There was a semi-light tone in Treasure’s voice, but the whole statement didn’t sit right with Stefanie.
She looked at the clock and realized she hadn’t heard from Lauren at all and if she was planning on using a messenger, a delivery needed to be headed out soon. “Just as a reminder, I should call her,” Stefanie said.
“Yes, you should and if I were you, don’t warn her about the actions you are taking.”
“Why do you think I shouldn’t?”
“Whether she’s planning on paying you back or not, people get real upset when they know Dwight Bowman is coming after them. It’s best to keep that information to yourself. I’ll see you tomorrow morning about eleven,” Treasure confirmed.
Stefanie offhandedly confirmed and hung up deeply wondering what had she agreed to with her accountant by hiring Dwight Bowman. When she did a search on the Internet about him, all she heard were great things about how he was one of the best financial recovery specialists and many businesses hailed his professionalism and integrity. When dealing with money that made sense, yet there was just something that didn’t sit well after that conversation with Treasure.
Dialing Lauren’s number, she was confused hearing the operator say the number was disconnected. She called again just to be sure the number she knew was Lauren’s. the same message came back again.
She decided to dial Jezica’s number. Relief filled her when Jezica answered. “Did Lauren get a new number?”
“I don’t know, but she hasn’t returned one damn email or text message from me. I even left a message on her socials and she hasn’t replied or updated her status since yesterday. I’m on my way over there,” Jezica said. “And I’ll give you an update.”
There was a lot of stress in her voice and even though Stefanie didn’t care, she still asked, “Is everything going okay with you?”
“Actually no, it’s not Stefanie. When Lauren gave that big chunk of money to Dexter, it ruined a large part of my life and now… now I think Nick knows … well, he knows I’ve been sleeping around on him and supporting some activities behind his back with his money.” She sobbed a moment. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Has he said something to you about eveyrhting?” Stefanie asked almost a little concern knowing Nick’s temper.
“No! He hasn’t made mention andi’m not stupid enough to bring it up. If he divorces me, you know I get nothing, right Stefanie? Not even my own child!”
In the past, Stefanie would have just asked Jezica how much she needed and written a check out, but things were different. She didn’t look at Jezica as a “friend” anymore and she refused to help Lauren or Jezica out of any financial troubles they were having.
“Well, I’m still trying to get my money from Lauren,” she said as if that was an excuse not to give jezica any money. “I’ve even considered getting the services of a financial recovery specialist.”
“Who? Doesn’t your accountant do that?”
“He’s asked if I wanted to hired one – a really good one.”
“who?”
There was a slight apprehension to telling Jezica who she was hiring, but she felt at this point nothing would get back to Lauren. “Dwight Bowman.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
“hello?” Stefanie called out to make sure the line had not disconnected.
“You hired him already?”
“Lauren has until the close of business day to get a good faith payment before he starts to really work on her, but yes, I am going to officially hire him if she doesn’t.”
“Which she won’t and I can’t believe you’ve got the balls to hire him and sic him on poor Lauren?”
“Poor Lauren?” she exasperated. “You were just crying about the money she took from you.”
“But Dwight Bowman?!” Lauren exclaimed. “do you know what you’re really doing, Stefanie?”
“Not with you in my ear. I think I’ve taken your advice long enough Jezica and if you think you’re being a friend now, maybe you should have been a friend before when I really needed one. A real friend.” She hung up the phone and huffed in frustration.
One moment Jezica wanted to help and the next she was acting as if Stefanie was the bad person.
The whole thing was frustrating and she would at least listen to Kenneth Biachi’s advice on staying away from Lauren and Jezica and never ever giving them another dime of her money.
Now she had to think about clearing her thoughts on her wreckless behavior last night. Grabbing her purse, she rushed out the door to a same day clinic so she could be back before her dinner date. If Lauren's messenger actually showed up, she would be notified by her neighbor who often watched out for packages delivered to her doorstep.