Love (Gimme 6)

“Yes, Mr. Callahan. I’ll send the staff home for the day and await further instructions.”

“Thank you, Phillip.”

“Canceled? We’re not going to Greece?”

“No. We’re not going to Greece.”

Is it because of that homeless whore?

“Excuse me, Miss Van Kemp, but we don’t know her business and I’m the boss. If you don’t like it you can find another one.”

“No. I’m sorry, Sir. It’s just… I was all packed.”

“Well, it’s only a delay. We have several meetings to reschedule.” I’m glad that I had decided to take a two-day break first. That way my plans won’t be so terribly rearranged.

“I’ll get to it. When do you want them rescheduled?”

“I’ll call them and do it myself. I want to make sure I have a flight plan first.”

She’s furiously texting away while I’m speaking to her. It pisses me off because I’m trying to have a meaningful discussion.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“I’ll call for a flight plan first.”

“No you weren’t paying attention.” I yank her phone away and see what she’s texting. If steam could actually come from my ears like it does in the cartoons it would. “What the fuck?”

I tell my driver and head of security, “Jimmy, you’ll drop Miss Van Kemp at her residence.”

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“It sure does to me.” My mama’s boy boss canceled Greece to find a prostitute. How am I supposed to seduce him now?

Offer him a BJ under his desk. Guys like him love it.

“Well, unless you’re interested.” She extends her hand to go for my thigh, but I quickly grip her wrist and stop her in her tracks.

“No fucking thanks. You’re fired.” I turn my head to Jimmy. “Jimmy, make note of this. Miss Van Kemp has been terminated immediately for sexual harassment.” I take out my phone and snap a couple pictures of her phone with the litany of text messages about me, and then hand it back. “I’ll make sure to give that to HR should you care to give me any trouble.”

“This is crazy. I didn’t even do anything.”

“Don’t lie. I’ve had enough. In fact, Jimmy, stop the vehicle at the next light. I’ll call a cab.”

“Are you sure, Sir?”

“Yes. Please do as I ask.” He nods and I reach over and take her notes and files. “The rest of your things will be delivered to your home.”

I exit the vehicle and then walk back toward my mother’s home.

“Damn it,” I growl, thinking about the whole situation.

I call for Troy to pick me up and drive me back to my mother’s home. I’m staying with her until I find all the answers I need to find the mysterious woman my mother let onto her property.

“Mr. Callahan, what are you doing out here?”

“I had a change of heart. I’m going to stay with my mother for the next couple of days.”

“She’ll enjoy that.”

“So how long have you been seeing her?”

“Seeing who?

“My mother.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Bullshit. You let her get away with everything and defy my orders for a reason and I didn’t miss the way you got uncomfortable when I said I was staying. Don’t lie to me.”

“She wanted to tell you herself.”

“How long?”

“A week.” I log that into my brain for now because I have more pressing questions. If Troy has feelings for my mother then he’ll do whatever she says even if it’s not in her best interest, or he might be overlooking the warning signs.

“Tell me about the strange woman in the garden.”

“Woman is being generous. Beautiful, but she could be young enough to be my daughter.”

“What else can you tell me?”

“She’s been living in her car for the past month after moving out of her stepfather’s house.”

“There’s no reason to move into a vehicle unless he did something to her. Where is that bastard?” I’m irrationally angry for the girl and want to beat his face in and now it makes sense why my mother has taken a shine to the girl.

“I don’t know exactly where they live. She went to the park occasionally with another girl. First, I need to meet this girl and make sure she’s safe, then I need to shake this insane need to protect a woman I’ve never met.

Chapter Two

Haley

I run from the garden as fast as I can, from Miss Callahan’s back yard where she has a large garden filled with ripened fruit that she allows me to have whenever I’m hungry. A woman I’ve never seen is there, standing next to a man I’ve only witnessed in the news and pictures, Miss Callahan’s son, Elijah. I can barely catch my breath as I make it back to my beat-up old car, hoping he didn’t see me.

That handsome devil has been in my head for much longer than I care to admit. The first time I met Miss Callahan, she mentioned her son to me in front of my stepfather who didn’t care for us to meet him. Quickly, I looked him up and nearly had to pick up my tongue off the floor. He’s the epitome of perfection in looks and intelligence. Although most of his life is a secret, his success in his company isn’t. He’s wealthy and a business genius; my complete opposite and way out of my league.