The Next Evening:
Drulisa jumped out of Lexi's sporty little VW beetle and rushed into the J.Forrester Building. She made a beeline for the elevators and pressed the up button, begging for the elevator car to hurry up and get there. Not again, she thought to herself. I had one thing I really had to do today. And that was get here for my meeting with Joshua Forrester on time. I told the man I’d be here around six o'clock. Here it is six-thirty and I'm finally making it. She shook her head in dissatisfaction and pressed her lips together in a thin line of disapproval. Oh no...that’s not true. I'm not finally making it. I'm not even there yet.
The doors swished open and Drulisa stepped in. She began pressing the fifth floor button quickly over and over again. She thought she'd read somewhere that doing that would make the car move faster. That's probably totally not true, she thought to herself. But she didn't think it would hurt anything to try it.
Less than a minute later, she found herself knocking on Joshua's office door. His receptionist had obviously already left for the day, so she'd taken herself directly down the hallway and past the front desk station. When Joshua said, "Come in", in response to her rapping, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
"Oh, Joshua...I mean um Mr. Forrester, I'm so sorry I'm late," she rushed. "I was headed here and my car died half the way over. I had to call Lexi to come pick me up and get me the rest of the way."
He waved his hand in front of him. "Oh, don't worry about that at all. When I got your car started yesterday, I kinda expected it wouldn't last for too long." Then he reached into his desk and pulled out a key. He smiled. "Sometimes we loan out company cars to employees or contractors with J.Forrester Enterprises. Since you're now contracted with us...or at least you will be once you sign these papers—," he tapped on a thin stack of papers on his desk, “—I had a car prepared just in case you’d need it.” He smiled. “It’s in slot number seventeen in the parking lot downstairs.”
Drulisa didn’t know what to say. Part of her wanted to turn his offer down. But the other part of her never wanted to experience her car breaking down on the highway...not ever again. Today had made the third time her car had done that in a month. And her budget was too tight to pay for roadside assistance or anything of the sort.
"Don't say no, Ms. Johnson. I can't have my shipments of cupcakes stranded out there on the interstate now can I? I do value punctuality. And I intend on doing everything in my power to ensure that things run smoothly for us during our little business venture together. I’m not asking you to keep the car forever. Just until you’re able to get yourself a more reliable vehicle."
He smiled. “We’re offering you very generous contract terms here. I think you’ll be able to get yourself a new set of wheels of your own sooner rather than later. But until then, I think you should take me up on my offer.”
Drulisa thought about the logic in Joshua Forrester’s words. My life would be a lot simpler if I had reliable transportation. My car isn’t gonna make it much longer. It’s on its last leg.
Part of the reason he’d done so well in the business world had been Joshua’s ability to read people. Consequently, he could tell from the look on Drulisa’s face that he’d won her over to his way of thinking. He extended his arm and reached the car keys out towards her. He smiled. “Here you go.”
Drulisa sighed. She took the shiny keys from Joshua. Just like before, when their hands touched, that very same electrical spark caused a tremble of awareness in her feminine core. Dammit. I have to get myself together. I can’t keep getting all rubbery in the knees and wet in the panties because the man touched my freaking hand.
“You okay, Ms. Johnson?”
Drulisa nodded her head — a little bit too enthusiastically. She quickly cleared her throat and forced herself to get it back together. “Um, yeah...yes, I’m fine.”
He lifted the corners of his lips in a grin. “Good. Now that we got the transportation situation out of the way, here’s the contract.” He pointed towards the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat. Read over the contract and tell me what you think. The juicy parts are on the third page.” Then he quickly added, “I’m not asking you to sign it right now, of course. I just want to know what your preliminary thoughts are.”
Joshua normally would’ve sent the papers to a client via a courier. But for some reason, he’d had a strong urge to witness the look of pleasure on Drulisa’s face as she read the very favorable terms of the contract — favorable for her of course. J.Forrester Enterprises would be making money off of the deal. But Drulisa would be raking in the lion’s share of the profit.
Her eyes widened when she read the figure of how much she’d be getting paid per unit. “Wow...this is a four-fold profit on each cupcake for me.” She looked up at Joshua. “Are you sure your people didn’t make an error in writing this up?”
Grinning he nodded his head. “Yep. I’m positive. I looked over those very same papers in your hands before you arrived here this evening. They’re correct.”
She felt her heart do a little happy dance. I most certainly will be able to put a down payment on a new car with these contract terms. She looked back up and gave him a tiny smile. “Thank you again for choosing me, Mr. Forrester. I really do appreciate it.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. I think your cupcakes are gonna be an excellent addition to our resort. You’re really doing us the favor.” He pointed at the papers. “I won’t need those back until Monday. That’ll give you several days to look them over.”
Drulisa wasn’t saying anything right then and there. But she knew she’d only need overnight to look the papers over. She could tell she was definitely getting a good deal. She could barely wait to share with her mother and Lexi the details.
“I’ll pick you up at ten on Saturday morning just like we agreed. Okay, Ms. Johnson?”
She stood up from her perch on the chair. She smiled again. “Yes. Saturday morning.”
*****
Fifteen Minutes Later:
“Wow.” Lexi turned the paper over in her hand. “This is wonderful, Leese.”
Drulisa took a sip of her iced mocha latte. “It is wonderful isn’t it? The contract is for two years. When it’s all said and done, I’ll be able to afford a downpayment on a new car.” She grinned. “And I’ll actually be able to comfortably make monthly payments. Can you believe that, Lexi?”
A wistful look made its way onto Lexi’s face. She was well aware of the nickname that Drulisa had given her old clunker. “I’m kinda sorta gonna hate seeing dirty Diana go.”
“Well, sweetie. I’ll let you have her then.”
Lexi chuckled. “Oh, no. That’s perfectly okay...I’ll pass. I don’t even think the people who accept cars for charity will want that overused girl.”
Drulisa giggled. “Me either.” She winked her eye. “But never you fear, I have plenty of pics through the years of the three of us together for prosperity. Me, you, and Diana.”
“I bet you do.” Lexi sighed. “But on a little more serious topic—,” Lexi leaned in and whispered in Drulisa’s ear, “I think Joshua Forrester likes you. I think that's why he offered you contract terms that were so generous."
Drulisa was quick with a response. "You’re so wrong about that, Lexi."
"I beg to differ, honey. Remember, I've tried to get my doughnuts contracted with larger shops — even major corporations like J.Forrester Enterprises. I've done my research. The terms of the contract are generally in the larger corporation’s favor. I'm talking they get seventy-five percent of the profit, while the little man or woman — like you and me — we’d only get twenty-five percent." She waved the contract papers that were in her hand. "Your percentages are reversed, sweetie."
Drulisa frowned. She shook her head. She’d let her bestie believe what she wanted to believe, but she knew she wasn’t right. Well, at least I don’t think she is. I’m going to go online when I get home and do a little researching myself.
Drulisa’s eyes met Lexi’s. “Even if you’re right about the percentages thing, Lexi. It doesn’t mean that Joshua had that done because he likes me.”
“Uh-huh.” Lexi’s voice had been full of amused sarcasm when she’d uttered that little phrase. “And not to mention...he’s taking you out on that date on Saturday.”
Oh goodness...I knew I wasn’t gonna be able to live that one down. I knew it was only gonna be a matter of time before Lexi said something about all of that. Drulisa sighed. “It’s not a date, honey. It’s more of a business meeting if anything. I’m going there to see if I can add another client to my list...maybe even two. You know I’ve always wanted to attend that thing. It just costs too much. When Joshua offered me the ticket, I couldn’t turn it down.”
Lexi was all smiles. “Wait a sec...he’s paying for it, too?”
Drulisa sighed. She shrugged her shoulders. “Yes, Lexi. Now let’s talk about something else...anything else.”
“Okay...okay, Drulisa. Don’t get your panties all in a bunch.” She laughed and winked her eye again. “But you do have to at least admit that he’s a hottie. He has this tight little tush and all those bulging muscles.” Then she leaned in and whispered, “Kinda makes you wonder about something else of his that bulges too...you know what I mean?”
“You know what, Lexi...actually I don’t. Get that mind of yours outta the gutter, honey.” Drulisa waved a perfectly manicured finger at her best friend. “Am I gonna have to tell your mom on you?”
Lexi giggled. “You know how my mother’s been ever since she decided to re-enter the dating scene...I think she’d approve of you checking his hot bod out. Hell, I should tell her to come over one morning — you know when he’s on his way to get his daily donut fix — just so she can ogle him.”
Drulisa took her paper out of Lexi’s hands. She stood up. “You’re an absolute mess, Lexi McNamara. Sometimes I just don’t know what I’m gonna do with you.”
Lexi began humming the tune to The Wedding March, aka Here Comes the Bride. She laughed again. “Oh, I’ve been a bridesmaid before...but never a maid of honor. Just make sure you reserve that position for me at your wedding.”
Drulisa shook her head. She smiled. “I’ve known the man all of two days. Goodbye, Lexi.”
Lexi chuckled again as her bestie walked out the doors of her donut shop. “I totally wish I had a rich, eligible hottie like Joshua Forrester checking me out. Drulisa is so freaking lucky.”