On The Dotted Line (2 page)

“Activi-tea.”
Jade went to Slate and hooked her arm in his. “We also loved the one you call
Boo-tea.”

The
vision was a bit too nauseating and he returned to the matter at hand. “There
are many grades of materials, just change some of it up to save money. It’s
done all the time. I think the issue lies in not knowing your true
profitability and not having a focus on your product offering.”

“Some
say when you are out of quality you are out of business.” Willow’s eyes
widened.

“There
are others that say the same about money,” he countered.

Silence
encompassed the room.

“Slate,”
Jade whispered.

“Hey,
I really did want to show you something, and wanted to talk to you about the
artistic co-op. Look at this.” Slate basically shoved the tablet in his face. “Remember
that artist who creates those murals in the middle of the night in little
hidden spots? They call him the Mural Man.”

He
nodded and restrained any reaction to the article and the picture. Instead, he
kept his focus on Willow.

“Whoever
it is struck again last night and painted over some graffiti.” Slate stood next
to him and enlarged the picture. “Wonder what this art would be worth. It’s different.
I definitely need to get someone like him involved in the project.”

“I
may have another way to help you.” Without acknowledging Slate, he lifted his
chin toward her. “A different kind of proposal.”

“Honestly,
Mr. Van Ayers, I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.” She reached
into her bag, pulled out a little jar and held it out to him. “I do believe you
need this though. Rub it on your temples for your headache, and later you can
tell me if I skimped on my ingredients.”

He
took the jar. How did she know he had a headache? “Maybe we should talk in
private.”

“Or
not at all.” She spun back around to face the desk.

“Come
on Birthday Boy, let’s go get your party started.” Slate corralled him out of
the office.

“I’ll
be right there.” He watched Slate stroll down the hall and resumed his position
with his back pressed against the wall, once more glancing at Willow and at his
watch. They needed each other and he had only a little more time before his
life had insufficient funds.

* * * *

“Let
me run some numbers and some options.” Jade straightened the pile of papers on
her desk. “Why don’t I see if I can find you a less expensive apartment in one
of my other buildings? If not, I can ask around.”

Since
Willow’s move to Los Angeles and opening up a small shop for holistic healing, Jade
and her boyfriend, Slate, had been nothing but kind to her. Somehow the
universe took care of her by allowing her to meet Jade at a metaphysical faire
during one of her friend’s performances. Afterward, they got to talking, and
she helped her get into the building only a few doors down from Slate’s
gallery.

Jade
and Slate understood her vision and always referred customers, but it wasn’t
enough. Though everyone loved her teas and wellness elixirs, she couldn’t sell
enough to catch up. Whenever she started to make any money, she needed to buy
more materials and could never quite get things to even out. As a last resort,
she even took something from the one person who had given her the most without
telling her. “Jade.” She chewed her lip trying to figure out exactly how to say
what she wanted.

Jade
continued to read the papers. “Yes?”

“Nan
and I moved into the upstairs of the store a few weeks ago.” She dug her nails
into her palm, but she promised Nan, the woman who raised her, she would tell Jade
the truth. With the words out, the weight on her chest lightened a bit.

Jade
looked up from the documents.

“I’m
sorry, I should have said something.” Her mouth dried out. “If we can just stay
a little longer.”

“Is
Nan okay going up and down the stairs?” Jade winced.

Leave
it to Jade to be concerned with Nan and not call attention to the fact they didn’t
have a real home. “Yeah, it takes her a minute, but she needs the exercise.”

“Please
be careful, and if there’s anything you need--”

“I’ll
figure it out.” Not wanting to take one more thing from her friend, Willow cut
her off. “The universe will make its decision, and if we can’t get caught up we
will leave.”

“I’m
fine, seriously.” Jade gave her a smile and held her arms up. “I am a work in
progress and I’m blooming. Just work on it okay?”

“I
have something for you.” She smiled at Jade’s costume wishing she had the
ability to bloom as well. While she may have received a reprieve, she didn’t
get the pardon. Her friend and landlord gave her an incredible deal on the rent.
She looked inside her oversized bag in search of her meager offering. Not that
she wanted or expected one. “Hold on.” One day she would remember to carry a
flashlight, but she would put it in her purse and it would end up at the bottom.
She turned her bag over onto her lap. Her wallet, crochet project, various
stones she picked up along the way, pictures and more paperwork tumbled out.

“Wow,”
Jade gasped. “Amazing what that bag holds.”

She
rifled through the assortment and held a piece of jade she made into a necklace
out to her. “It seemed fitting.”

“You
don’t have to.”

She
gave her the gift. “Jade is green, the color of healing and hope. It is also
for luck, though I already think you are pretty lucky.” Karma, the universe, or
the gods blessed Jade with a great career and parents and a wonderful boyfriend.
The woman fit her name. Maybe one day her own energy would change. Nan kept
telling her to be patient, she was paying her dues. The only problem was she
already had too much debt and needed a windfall. All her troubles came from the
material world or the fact she had no material.

“I
think I should change into something more befitting Randolph’s birthday.” Jade took
off her hat of flowers, stood and put the necklace on as she headed for the
door. “Thank you.”

“Thank
you.” She scooped everything back into her purse and joined Jade.

“Absolutely.”
Jade nodded. “You’re going to stay for the party, right?”

With
nowhere else to go, and reluctant to face Nan yet, she shrugged.

“At
least go have a drink or something, and give Randolph something to look at.” Her
friend winked.

She
tensed. “Maybe I’ll sneak away and let him have his day.”

Jade
headed toward the door. “I think he likes to tease you so he can get your
attention.”

Her
cheeks heated.

“Someone’s
blushing.” Jade raised her eyebrows. “I’ll see you out there.”

She
stood in the small hallway by herself. Music and laughter echoed through the
building and all around her. Not in the mood for a party, she decided maybe the
best course of action would be to take a walk and clear her head before returning
back to her makeshift home.

Wanting
to make a clean getaway, she tiptoed toward the exit. The noise indicated the
party was in full force with food, drinks and a ton of people.

In
a self-indulgent moment she stopped and glanced around, instantly spotting
Randolph. The man stood out in his tailored suit giving him an air of power, but
his blond curls and mischievous green eyes gave him a playful air and were equally
as fun to look at, the same way she would stare at teen idols when she was
younger.

All
she knew about him was his family owned a bank, actually banks and he was
exceptionally, incredibly irritating. Irritating in the same way a clothing tag
would scratch at someone’s skin but it couldn’t be ripped out. The few times
she talked to him only ended with him being condescending, and her saying
something to try to match it. The man was in no way good for the psyche. Yes,
he was irritating and he also was coming her way.

She
turned away, wondering how bad it would appear to go running. With fleeing from
the scene not an option, she straightened up.

“May
I get you a drink?” He flashed her a smile of perfect pearly whites fit for any
pre-pubescent girl’s wall.

Okay,
if he was going to be nice, she would return the gesture. Maybe it would even
out all the bad energy. “Thank you. I think I’m just going to go, but I do wish
you a happy birthday.”

“I
wanted to talk to you. I think I can help you.” The smile didn’t waiver one
bit.

“I’ll
be fine. I would rather not have any more business advice.” She took a step
backward.

“It
wasn’t business advice, but rather a dose of reality.” Still the smile, but he
glanced at his watch.

“Reality?”
Why couldn’t he leave them be at a happy birthday and a disobedient curl
falling on his forehead?

“Yes.
I know you live in an alternate universe, but I wanted to bring you back down
to earth.” He put his arm out as if to guide her to do what he wanted.

Her
heart seized and she broke out into a sweat. She longed to slap him across the
face, but held back. “One day I hope you regret the fact you never visited an
alternative universe, but I’m sure by then it will be too late for you. Enjoy earth.”
She swallowed back the burning bile in her throat and rushed out of the gallery
into the alley.

Nan
always said all she needed was fresh air and a night sky to be happy, her way
of explaining how material things didn’t matter. However, when rain started or the
temperatures soared or sank, it was pretty nice to have a roof over her head. After
everything the woman had done for her, she needed to figure out some solution
before they ended up on the street.

“You
left before cake.” Randolph’s voice seemed to fill the alleyway.

She
wrapped her arms around her shoulders and stared up at the stars wondering if
up there somewhere a female on another planet gazed in her direction with some
jerk banker bugging her from behind as she tried to figure out how to fix her
life and her credit score. Did they even have FICO in other galaxies? “I think I’ve
watched you blow enough hot air for the duration. I can picture it just like I
was there.”

“I
didn’t know you were clairvoyant as well.” He chuckled.

Shivers
overtook her with each inch he came closer. “I’m not, but I still see you
leaving me alone.”

“I
deserved that, and I do want to apologize for my comments earlier.” He stood
beside her and glanced at his watch. “Also, as I said before I wanted to talk
to you.”

“Is
this a timed conversation? Can it be less than ten seconds?” His aura clashed
with hers making it impossible for her to concentrate and causing ugly words to
leave her mouth.

“I
may need a little more than ten seconds.” Once more he looked at his watch.

“But
not much more.” She turned to him.

“Now
that hurt.” He lowered his arm, then, as if he couldn’t control himself, he
lifted his wrist to his face again.

“What
could you possibly need to talk to me about when you have something so pressing
going on with your watch?” The acid of negativity Nan spoke of built up in her
blood, singeing her skin. “I’m sure my paltry little problems aren’t enough for
you to miss an appointment or party over.”

“First,
your problems are huge. Let’s make no mistake about that.” He shoved his hands
in his pockets and leaned back on his heels. “Second, you’re not the only
person in this alley with huge problems.”

She
studied him. All her life she had been reminded not to judge on outward
appearances and material possessions, but the man’s shoes cost a small fortune,
his cufflinks a large one. What did this man even know of problems? Also, who
wore cufflinks anymore?

“May
I tell you?” He glanced at her.

“Fine.”
She swallowed, preventing herself from letting loose another insult.

“What
if I told you I was supposed to get married today?”

Only
because his voice lowered as if it wanted to fall on the gravel and be run over
did she manage to forgo the comment about a ten-second honeymoon. “I would say
check your watch again, you only have a few hours left.”

He
paced in a circle ending up back in front of her. “She cancelled on me at two o’clock,
right before I was supposed to meet her at the courthouse.”

Though
nothing appeared funny, she sucked in her cheeks and waited for the punch line.
She refused to succumb and ask what happened only to have him make a snide
comment about numerology or something. “Well, look at the bright side, you got to
buy some art instead. Something much quieter with lower maintenance.” She
slighted a woman she didn’t even know as if his situation were personal. It
wasn’t like she was planning on marrying the man. Somehow he brought her to new
lows.

“All
my life I had these goals I had to meet. My father actually has a checklist and
every time I meet one of the milestones his personal assistant notarizes the
list.” He seemed to be speaking more to himself than her.