Rituals for Love (9781476761893) (15 page)

“You're right. Let's get down to business. I have a group of interested investors. They've reviewed your business plan and are impressed with your projections.”

“That's great news.”

“In fact, they even think Genesis would be a lucrative chain and possible franchise opportunity. Do you see how Massage Envy Spas have popped up across the country? That could be Genesis.”

“But Genesis is a completely different model. The experience is meant to be unique. It's an exclusive retreat. Not a place you can find on every corner, in every city.”

“I understand your way of thinking, but why not look at it this way. Do you shop at Bergdorf Goodman?”

“Of course.”

“It's a luxury retailer located only in midtown Manhattan. That immediately makes you think exclusivity. And that's what you envision for Genesis.”

“Exactly.”

“Do you shop at Saks Fifth Avenue?”

“I shop pretty much everywhere.”

“I presumed you did. You're a successful woman with discerning
tastes. Well, if you think about it, Saks is also a luxury retailer. However, Saks is a retail chain that has stores across the country. And you still think of Saks as luxury and a little exclusive. The brand is intact regardless of the number of locations. Think about it, Jade. Your flagship location will be here in the city. Genesis will have the eatery and spa. You can have additional locations in major markets in select cities, eventually expanding nationwide. And, if you borrow a page from the Saks playbook, they have Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th locations. People that may not shop at Saks Fifth Avenue may shop at the more affordable Off 5th for the deals and discounts. Genesis can open locations with just the spa, no eatery, in many more markets. It would be your version of a Massage Envy, but an extension of your exclusive retreat brand. The best part—the Genesis spa-only locations can be franchised.”

I couldn't contain my smile. “I like how that sounds. You actually have a group ready to invest?”

“I just need the word from you to pull the trigger.”

“I need to give this some serious consideration. And I would definitely have to discuss this with Cain to get him on board with the chain and franchise concept. I don't know, Omar. It's not what we planned for Genesis. I think maybe all I need right now is financing for a single location.”

“If you limit Genesis to one location, you may be missing out on a lot of money. A chain of Genesis eateries and spas across the country? Think of the spa franchise potential alone.”

“I need to think about it.”

“Discuss it with Cain, but don't take too long. These investors will be on to the next opportunity before you know it.”

We had dinner, and though I engaged in idle discussion, my mind was focused on the possibility of my brainchild being a national
chain. It was more than I had imagined, yet seemed so attainable at this point.

As we waited for the valet to bring our cars, Omar kissed my hand.

“Thank you for everything, Omar.”

“I'll do whatever it takes to make this happen. I could see us working well together.”

•  •  •

O
N MY DRIVE BACK TO
Long Island, I replayed in my mind everything Omar had shared. A group of investors were interested in
my
idea. A sense of excitement filled me. Genesis, a nationwide chain…

W
hen I stopped laughing, I heard the front door opening and heels striking the hardwood floor. I peered at my watch. It was almost nine. “I'm in the kitchen, Jade,” I called out.

“Hey, ba—,” she said, coming to a halt in the doorway.

“Jade, this is Riley. Riley, this is my girlfriend, Jade.”

Jade looked from me to Riley. A confused look quickly replaced by a smile. She approached the table. “Riley,” she pleasantly sang, “nice to meet you.”

“You, as well.”

“Have a seat, honey.”

Jade surveyed the table as she sat down. “What do we have here?”

“Peppercorn seared filet mignon with a merlot glaze, chicken sautéed in a garlic, lemon, caper butter, and crispy honey-chipotle shrimp,” Riley replied.

“It looks and smells amazing.”

“When I arrived at Eden to have dinner with Riley, she offered to show off some of her skill. I thought it was a good idea, but the kitchen was busy tonight and Jeremiah didn't want us in the way. So we came back here.”

“Although, I didn't offer to show off. I was
showcasing
my skills,” she quipped.

“I guess you really want that job,” Jade commented.

“Actually, I do.”

“It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow chef and clearly a talented one. Where did you train?”

“Johnson & Wales and I also studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.”

“The famed Le Cordon Bleu? Impressive.” Jade slowly nodded.

“Where did you study?”

“The Culinary Institute of America.”

“CIA is a great school.”

“Jade is a great chef,” I offered. “She owns her own restaurant here in Long Island.”

“That must be interesting. Both of you being restaurateurs.”

“It's great because we relate on
many
levels,” Jade responded. “Are you currently working in a restaurant in Atlanta?”

“No, I'm actually a personal chef. I have worked in restaurants in the past, but for the last few years I've had my own clients to which I provide services.”

“Why the transition?”

“A chef friend of mine mentioned the position at Eden2. I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity and would give me a chance to exercise my culinary chops.”

“Well, you did a fine job here tonight,” I said.

Riley reached over and touched my arm. “I'm glad you enjoyed it. There's much more where that came from.”

“Keep up the good work. Jeremiah will be giving me his feedback at the end of the week.”

Riley got up from the table and went over to the counter. She returned to the table with two bowls. “Merlot poached pears with delicately sweetened mascarpone.” She placed one in front of me and the other in front of Jade. “I'm going to be leaving, but enjoy your dessert.”

“You're not going to have any?” I asked.

“No, I want to get back to the hotel. I few calls to make before I call it a night.”

I stood to show her to the door. “Well, thank you for dinner.”

“You're welcome. It was great to get to know you better. Nice meeting you, Jade.”

“The pleasure was mine.”

I walked Riley to her car and gave her instructions to the parkway. She assured me the rental car had navigation and she'd find her way just fine. I returned to the house and back into the kitchen. Jade was moving her pear around the bowl with her spoon. I sat next to her. “Is it good? You should try some of this other stuff.”

“I grabbed a bite in the city.”

“Have just a taste. I'd love your opinion.”

She sighed. “Okay, I'll take one bite of each.” Jade reached over and took the fork from my plate. She sampled the beef, chicken and then the shrimp. “It's delicious.”

“I thought so, too.”

“I was surprised to see this spread when I came in.”

“We decided on a whim to use my kitchen.”

“I was even more surprised to see a tall, beautiful woman sitting at the table.”

“You think five feet eight is tall?”

Her forehead wrinkled. “You know how tall she is?”

“It came up when she mentioned playing basketball in high school.”

“I had no idea it was a female chef you were considering. I thought Riley was a man.”

“I never mentioned Riley was a woman?”

“Not a word.”

“I guess that's because it really doesn't matter. Male chef, female chef—I want the best
person
for the job.”

“Did you think she was a bit touchy-feely?”

“I didn't notice anything.”

“She grabbed your arm a couple of times and touched your shoulder when she put the dessert in front of you.”

I started to clear the table. “I was focused on this meal and getting to know the potential future chef of my establishment. Those were the only two things that had my undivided attention. At least until you came in. I'm going to put away this food and clean the kitchen. Why don't you go up and get settled? I'll be up in a minute.”

I had to shake my head once Jade went upstairs. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she seemed a little jealous. I could understand her being slightly thrown for a loop when she saw a cinnamon-complected beauty with a long bob sitting with me at the table. Especially if she didn't know I had company and thought Riley was a man. But she had no reason to be jealous.

I set the alarm and turned off the lights downstairs. I entered my bedroom and sat next to Jade on the edge of the bed. “So what do you think?”

“Ultimately, it's your decision. I will say Riley makes a tempting dessert.”

I
was up before Jade. She was just coming out of the bathroom as I was getting dressed. The news was on the television. I waited to hear the weather and traffic report. She was driving into the city to Genesis and wanted to know the traffic situation.

“You might want to head into the city a little later. The traffic is crazy at this hour.”

“I'm going to Rituals first. I should miss any of the congestion by the time I travel into the city.” She disappeared into the closet.

“If you need me, I'll be at my offices today,” I called out. “I may go over to Eden at lunchtime. I have a good feeling about Riley. I think she'd make a great executive chef at Eden2.”

She peeked her head out. “Oh really? You know that already?”

“I'll know by the end of the week, but I like what I see.”

Jade came out of the closet and sat on the bed. “Don't you want Jeremiah's feedback?”

“His preliminary feedback is good. The complete opposite of what he thought of the first chef. If I hire Riley, I'll probably head to Atlanta for a week to get her settled in as the executive chef.”

“Can you spare a week in Atlanta with all the work we're doing for Genesis?”

I stepped into my slacks. “Genesis is in more than capable hands with you at the helm.”

“I'm capable, but with the rapid pace that Hal is progressing with the build-out, it's important for you to be here. This week he's already doing the floors in the dining room and the marble flooring in the upstairs lounge and reception areas. Next week, he'll be on to the steam rooms and vitality pools. Not to mention, the light fixtures are going up in the treatment rooms as soon as they complete the electrical work.”

“You've just verified what I already knew. You have everything under control. If I have to go to Atlanta, you have Genesis covered. Remember, this is your vision. I trust that you'll manage the build-out exceptionally.”

She muted the television. “One thing I've been thinking about since spending time on-site is either a Genesis chain or franchise. We're on to something with this venture and should consider taking it nationwide. What are your thoughts on opening not just one, but many, Genesis locations?”

“In my professional opinion, I think we need to start small with a single location. Franchising is not an option for us right now. If we were to even consider a chain or franchise, it would be years from now. We need a proven business model before we expand.”

“Hypothetically speaking, what if a consortium of investors funded a Genesis chain?”

“My opinion has nothing to do with funding. Without a proven business model, I wouldn't dive into an expansion of that magnitude. That's just not how I do business. Trust me, you don't want to either.” I went over to the bed and kissed Jade on her forehead. “I have to get to the office. Drive safely into the city. I'll talk to you later.”

“Okay,” she distractedly replied.

“That's all I get?”

“Have a great day.” She craned her neck for a kiss.

I kissed her lips softly. “You, too.”

I left the house, and on my way to the office I dialed Jeremiah to share my thoughts on Riley.

W
edged comfortably in the corner of the sofa in my den, I reviewed my financial portfolio. I assessed my investments, savings, assets and liabilities. I was doing well, but trying to determine if it was well enough to take the risk and invest my personal assets into Genesis. Cain was adamant about not bringing in investors. I wasn't sure I agreed. He was used to conducting business in a certain manner and apparently was quite successful at it. That didn't mean there weren't other ways to launch a business. I was getting the feeling that Cain's decisions were starting to outweigh mine. Equal partners meant equal input, financially and strategically.

I tossed my binder to the side. I wasn't pulling my weight financially in this partnership. Since he was against involving investors, my options were limited. I could refinance my home, tap into my rainy day fund or cash in some stocks. I would honestly hate to do any of those things, but I couldn't have it both ways. Either I contributed or I didn't. It was that simple.

The doorbell rang. I wasn't expecting anyone and took my time getting to the front door. It was a stall tactic I used to dissuade anyone selling something. Hopefully they didn't want to waste time loitering on a doorstep when they could move on to the next home. I checked the peephole and opened the door. “Hey, babe. What are you doing here?”

Cain stepped inside the foyer and hugged me. “I wanted to see my lady. Do I need any other reason?”

“It's good enough for me. Come on in. I was in the den watching TV.”