Chapter 2
Business Relations
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"Alright, give me two more Cyn, come on Cyn two more!" My trainer coached as I hit my last two burpees.
Once I finished I rolled over on my back letting the sweat drip down the sides of my face. I had been in the gym for two hours doing my usual Thursday workout.
"I hate you Jeff." I mumbled.
"Yea, whatever you love me for kicking your ass like this. Now get up." He instructed grabbing my hand, and pulling me up to stand.
I began pacing back, and forth trying to catch my breath as Jeff just laughed at me. He always thought it was funny how beat I was after his workouts, but I ain't find it amusing not one bit, but I really appreciated Jeff, because without him I'd still be the same fat ass from a few years ago.
"So what you got planned for today Cyn? You still going to your mom's for dinner?" He questioned leaning up against one of the machines.
"Yea, imma go over there after I go look at this house." I explained.
"Oh really now? Who's it for?"
"August Alsina." I smiled.
Jeff's eyebrows perked up as a smirk came across his face.
"Oh really now? The guy your always telling your mom to stop talking about when he comes on the radio?"
"Yea that one." I smacked my lips grabbing my towel, and water bottle before heading for the gym doors, with Jeff following behind me.
My mom, and Jeff stayed talking about August every time he came on the radio. Talking about how he couldn't actually sing, and he's a horrible rapper, although he wasn't a rapper at all. I would stay defending him for the simple fact that I loved his music, and thought he was actually really talented. Sure he kind of had a little temper to him from what I've been hearing about him, but when speaking with him the other day he seemed like a pretty nice guy, so I'd have to see how this little business deal pans out.
"Oh boy, So how is he, is he as bad as the media makes him out to be?" Jeff questioned as we approached my car, and he opened the door for me allowing me to slide in.
"You know I don't speak about my clients like that. All I can say is he's been very professional so far. Now good bye, I'll see you Sunday."
"Yea, yea you get out of here. Oh, and don't forget to make that green smoothie I was talking about!" He shouted as I closed my door.
I nodded, and waved at him as I pulled out of the parking lot heading home.
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"Well if it ain't my favorite successful black bitch after Oprah, what's up Cyn?" Bambi questioned as I walked up to the table that her, and Keyshia had gotten outside.
I laughed pulling her into a hug followed by Keyshia before taking my seat at the table, and scooting in.
"Not much really. What you heffa's been up to?"
"Same shit, different day." Bam sighed looking over her menu.
"Well not for me. A certain someone asked me out yesterday, and I agreed." Keyshia smiled.
Both Bam, and I looked at her with big goofy smiles on our faces. It's been years since Keyshia had been with anyone considering her last boyfriend of two years really had messed her up after years of just mental abusing her, and making her feel absolutely low about herself. She just recently started getting back to herself, but she still had a whole lot of healing to do, and she was trying to focus on herself these past few years, so her going on a date was damn sure a complete shock.
"You playin' wit us Keyshia?" I questioned looking her over.
She smacked her lips before answering.
"Man shut up Cyn. Naw I ain't playin'. Trent had called me last night asking if he could take me out tonight, and I agreed." She smiled shrugging her shoulders, and taking a sip out of her tea.
I smacked her arm with my clutch as I began to smile real hard at her.
"What the hell changed your mind about him?" I shrieked.
"I don't know. I just feel like he's liked me all these years, so maybe he could be the one, y'know? He's always been a good guy, and I'd like to at least try something with him so I don't have to wonder later on in life if he might have been the one who got away." She shrugged.
I nodded agreeing with everything she had said. Although Keyshia was a little ghetto she still had a big heart, and wanted love like any other woman out here.
"Well you gone head boo, on your grown woman shit. I'm glad you finally getting back out there." Bambi smiled.
"Man me too." She smiled.
We all looked over our menu's some more before the waitress came over, and took our orders. She handed me a water, and headed back to the kitchen to put our orders in.
"So what's up with you Cyn. I done heard you working with August Alsina now, and shit, and you wasn't finna tell nobody." Bambi muttered rolling her eyes.
"Whatever, Bam. You know I was gonna tell you. Key had just called me that night so I told her, but I've been busy, and haven't gotten around to call you."
"Yea whatever. So what's up how is he?" She squealed.
"You know I can't disclose information about my clients personal lives."
"Girl bye, it ain't like I'm asking what pants size he wears I just want to know what he's like." She waved me off.
"Well. He's just nice really. We haven't talked too much yet, but after I leave here I have to head out to his new house to go see what's up with it."
"Ooh girl yes! You better call me, and let me know how that goes afterwards."
"Yea, I will." I smiled.
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It's exactly three on the dot, and I was sitting outside of the huge metal gates that guarded August's house. His house was far on the outskirts of New York, in a nice neighbor hood where I noticed a few other celebrities like Chris Brown, and Mario Lopez, had extra estates out here. I had even worked on a couple of more houses out here for kids of some celebrities.
I pressed the talk button on the intercom at the gate, and waited for someone to answer.
"Who is it?" I heard August speak.
"Um, it's Cyntheia Rivera from Heavenly Interior Designs."
"Oh what up ma. Hold on lemme buzz you in right quick."
"Ok." I said just as the gates began to shift open.
I waited until they were fully opened before pulling up, and driving up the long drive way. Once I got to the top of the long hill I saw how gorgeous, and big the house was. I could barely take my eyes off of it as I parked next to one of his two cars in the drive way. Once I parked I got out, and began walking on his cobblestone path way admiring the garden, and structure of the house. Once I got to the large stainless wood doors I knocked twice, and stepped back waiting for him to answer.
I watched him walk up to the door, and peak through the glass on the door. I gave him a small wave, and he smiled before undoing the locks,a nd pulling the door open.
"Hey." I smiled.
"What up gawgeous. Come on in." He smiled stepping to the side.
I walked in, and looked all around the foyer. Everything was so nice, and new you could definitely tell he had just gotten this house. From the marble flooring to the nice lights hanging on the walls.
"Wow, your house is beautiful."
"Thank you very much. This is pretty much how the house came, so that brings me to why I need you." He explained.
I nodded for him to continue as we began walking down the hall into another section of the house.
"So errythang kinda y'know, too upty up foe me. I wanna have a lilof my style in hea' you heard me?"
"Yea." I nodded as we entered what appeared to be the living room.
"So this jus' one of the rooms I want you ta work on hea'. Like I want that fireplace thea' ta be taken out, an make it like uh black marble one instead of that stone shit they got up."
"Okay. Well I see what you want for the fire place, but what I'd like to do is, instead of having it this short here, we'll expand it to make it taller along this wall since you do have such a tall ceiling in here, and that'll cover up a lot of the empty space that you'd have otherwise." I explained as I began putting my vision together for it on my ipad.
Once I was finished I leaned over giving him my ipad to look it over. I watched as a smile grew on his face then he turned towards me, causing me to smile back. This man was far too handsome for his own good, but I had to keep it professional.
"Wow, that's dope. That's exactly what I was goin' foe really. So show me what else you see foe dis room." He stated handing me back the ipad.
"Are you sure? I don't want to mess up any vision you had for this. This is after all your house."
"Nah you straight, go head do yo thang." He waved me off.
I nodded, and began walking around the room putting different things into the ipad. I had many idea's for this room, and it was so spacious that a lot could be done to it. Once I finished up in putting a few things I walked back over to him, and showed him what I had so far.
"Okay so as you can see for that far wall with the fire place on it, we'd make that wall a grey marble tile all the way up, and on the sides, and then I'd like to keep the two walls on the side here, in its white form so we can have a nice contrast thing going on. Then we can hang a few family photos on these walls or I do have a couple of items in mind that I can show you later. Also we'd have a nice furniture here, and there. So what do you think?" I asked looking over at him.
When I looked at him he was already staring at me with a smirk on his face making me a little nervous. I cleared my throat, and stepped to the side creating some space between us two since he had moved closer in the time that I was explaining.
"What?" I asked laughing nervously.
"Nothing, you just seem really inta your job y'know. Not even fazed that I'm some famous person." He smiled shrugging.
"Oh well you must have not heard too much about me. I work with people like you all of the time. And I am really into my work, I love it actually. "
"Well that's what's up!"
"Yea, so do you like my idea?" I asked motioning back to the device.
"Oh right, right. Yea it's dope. I'm feelin' it. I'd just like ta hang a flat screen on top of the fireplace though."
"Oh that's no problem. So what other rooms would you like done?"
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"Well thanks for comin' out taday I'm sure you a busy girl in all." August said as he walked me out to my car.
"Oh no problem, it's my job to meet up with my clients. Thank you for letting me have a lot of freedom with this all."
"Naw you good, you got some real talent, an I like yo ideas a lot."
"Oh so you don't love them though huh?" I joked as I climbed into the drivers seat.
He laughed at me before closing my door, and I rolled down the window to continue the conversation. He leaned up on the door still laughing at me.
"Man you know what I meant. I do love your work."
"I was just playin'. But thank you. So I'll be here tomorrow around one to get started?" I questioned for confirmation about the plans we had previously talked about.
"Yup. One is good. I'll be gone 'round then, but I'll leave a key under one of the bricks closest ta the door on the left side for you."
"Alright. Well I'll see you later then."
"Yup. Have a nice night gawgeous." He smiled backing away from the car so I could pull out.
Was fully out of the space I waved one last time at him through the window before taking off down the drive way.
This'll be a long few months.