Crystal stepped off the curb at the corner of Forty-ninth Street and hailed a taxi to take her the few blocks downtown to Hipster’s offices. She had just finished an interview with Tamron Hall on Today, where she talked about the Obama legacy and how the votes of black women were more important than ever. She was feeling full of black girl magic as a cab pulled up to the curb beside her and she climbed inside.
“Forty-second and Sixth,” she instructed the driver. Normally, she would have walked those few city blocks. But today her towering Charlotte Olympia heels made that impossible. She was smart enough to know that not all shoes are made for walking. Some are meant for sitting pretty on a morning talk show and hopping into a taxi afterward.
On the way, she scrolled through her iPhone and reviewed text messages and e-mails she had gotten while she was working. Her eyes widened at one in particular.
HI, CRYSTAL. THIS IS VANESSA NOLAN.
IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU YESTERDAY.
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING FEATURED IN THE MAGAZINE.
Crystal smiled. She saved Vanessa’s number in her phone and then dialed her back. She answered quickly.
“Hi, Crystal.”
“Vanessa, hey. I got your text message. Thanks for following up so soon.”
“No problem,” Vanessa said. She sounded much friendlier than she had been the night before. “I’m really excited about doing the shoot.”
Crystal pulled a twenty out of her purse and handed it to the driver. “Keep the change,” she told him as she climbed out and rushed inside the building. “Vanessa, why don’t you come up to the office today? Oscar is here and we can discuss the ideas we have.”
Vanessa jumped at the chance. “Okay. What time should I come?”
Crystal used her security keycard to access the bank of elevators. She glanced at her watch. It was just after 10:30 A.M. “How’s noon? We can talk to Oscar about the idea, and then go grab a quick lunch.”
“Wow,” Vanessa said. She couldn’t believe how down-to-earth this Crystal Scott was. Initially, she suspected that Crystal might want her man. After watching the two of them interact at the Boom Boom Room last night, she thought they were too close for comfort. Before Vanessa had made her presence known, she had watched Troy dancing with Crystal and looking at her like she was the only woman in the whole room. But now she wondered if she had misinterpreted what she saw. The woman on the other end of this phone sounded harmless. “Okay. I’ll see you at noon.”
“Great.” Crystal hung up and boarded the elevator, grinning from ear to ear.
* * *
Troy handed his uncle Don an envelope full of cash. “That’s the last of the money Dad owes you.” He sat back and loosened his tie. Troy had just come from a trip to the bank with his father. All of the Stuart Mitchell accounts—what was left of them, anyway—had been updated to reflect Troy as CEO, removing Fox from his position at the top of the family food chain. Today marked a changing of the guard in the Mitchell clan and this payment made it official.
Don glanced at the envelope his nephew had passed to him and chuckled a bit. “Is that right?” He picked it up, opened it, and thumbed through the stack of large bills inside. “Why didn’t he deliver it himself?”
Troy grinned, though he wasn’t really amused by his uncle’s facetiousness. The bad blood between Don and Fox ran deep. Much like Troy’s relationship with his own brother, Wes. Some pathologies were generational, he realized.
“He has a busy schedule today,” Troy lied. “Getting all his ducks in a row for his upcoming campaign.”
Don nodded. “Sounds exciting.” His tone was flat and emotionless. He smiled at his nephew. “So, now you’re the man in charge, huh? How’s it feel?”
Troy couldn’t suppress his smile. It spread across his face like the Kool-Aid man.
“It feels like this is how it should have been all along. You know, if things had played out the way they should have back in the day.” He sipped his water.
Don stared him down. “Sometimes things don’t work out like we plan. But in the end everything turns out like it’s supposed to. That’s how life works.”
Troy thought about that. “Maybe you’re right.” He prepared to leave.
“Wait,” Don said. “When’s the last time you spoke to your brother?”
Troy laughed, and shifted closer to the edge of his seat. “Probably the last time you spoke to yours.” He shook his head. “Why? He do something crazy again? Is he on the run?”
Don sucked his teeth. “You always assume the worst about him.”
“You think that’s by accident? Or could it be because of all the shit he’s got himself into over the years. And you bail him out every time. It’s like you’re encouraging him.”
Don waved his hand at Troy and laughed. “Wes does half the shit he does to get your father’s attention. But Fox is too fuckin’ worried about you to see that.”
Troy stood up. He was ready to go now. “Somebody had to worry about me, right?”
Don didn’t respond. Troy’s words lingered between them.
“Who else was gonna do it, Uncle Don? Huh? You?” He laughed at the absurdity of that. “You take care.” Troy walked out, grateful that the business between his father and Uncle Don was concluded. Now he could try to salvage what was left of his freedom and live his life. And his father could do the same. He left his uncle’s house and determined in his heart that it would be the last time he set foot in there.
Don, meanwhile, dialed his nephew’s cell phone almost as soon as Troy hit the door. Wes answered on the third ring.
“What’s up, Uncle Don?”
“Your brother was just here. Looks like Fox put him in charge of everything.” Don picked up the envelope and spread the money out on the table to count it. “I don’t know if they told you.”
Wes was silent for a moment as the gravity of it all sank in. His father had officially passed him over. Countless times over the years, he had been led to believe that their father loved Troy more. Troy had been given the best education, the biggest parties, the better gifts. And now he had been given the keys to their father’s kingdom. A company their parents had built together. Not always by the noblest means, either. Despite the public’s perception of their father, Fox had his own skeletons. That was hard to tell now, though. He walked around like his shit didn’t stink. So did Troy, as far as Wes was concerned. Finally, he replied, “Thanks for letting me know.”
Wes hung up the phone, got off the couch, and put on his Timbs. Grabbing the keys to his truck, he headed out the door. Game on.
* * *
Troy walked down the hall toward Crystal’s office, and spotted Oscar coming toward him. They greeted each other with a masculine handshake, which Troy appreciated considering Oscar’s flair, for lack of a better word.
“How’s everything going?” Troy asked. He rationalized his visit today as part of his routine duties as CEO. He had stopped by the offices of Champion, the male magazine his family operated as a health and fitness alternative to Hipster’s fashion and entertainment vibe. Stopping by here was just par for the course, he told himself. The possibility of running into Crystal was just a nice added bonus.
“I just finished taking a few test shots of your future bride. She is truly beautiful. You’re a lucky man, Mr. Mitchell.” Oscar smiled, still dazzled by the lovely Vanessa Nolan.
Troy frowned. “She was here?” he asked. “Today?”
Oscar nodded. “She’s still here. In Crystal’s office.”
Troy had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He forced a smile and headed in that direction.
Crystal sat behind her desk, smiling as she gave Vanessa her full attention. The women had enjoyed lunch at Aureole. Crystal had hoped to get to know the woman a little better and ask some of the burning questions she had. But Oscar had insisted on joining them, hogging the conversation with talk of fashion and entertainment gossip. Now Oscar was gone and Vanessa was telling Crystal the story of her first date with Troy.
“We knew each other growing up. But we didn’t really get to know each other until he came home from Howard. Our fathers are friends. So we would be at a lot of the same parties. My father liked him. And, that’s saying a lot because Daddy is very protective. Troy had transferred to Columbia. It took him like a year to get up the courage to ask me out.” She giggled. “We went to a Lil Wayne concert on our first date.”
“What was he like back then?” Crystal asked.
“He was an asshole,” Vanessa deadpanned.
Crystal laughed. “Really?”
Vanessa chuckled, too. “He still is sometimes. But that night I could definitely tell that he didn’t want to be there.”
Crystal’s smile faded. She waited for Vanessa to elaborate.
“He was always—”
There was a heavy knock on the door. “Come in,” Crystal called out, annoyed by the interruption. To her surprise, Troy walked into the office.
He stood in the doorway and greeted them. His eyes locked on Vanessa, his jaw clenched a bit tightly as Crystal watched.
“What’s this?” He plastered a fake smile on his face. But Crystal wasn’t fooled by it. Neither was Vanessa apparently. She sat forward in her seat, seemingly alarmed.
“I came to have lunch with Crys,” she explained.
Troy frowned. Crys now? he thought.
Crystal cleared her throat. “Oscar and I wanted to discuss the possibility of that photo spread we talked about last night. He has some great concepts.”
Troy nodded. He turned back to Vanessa. “Can I talk to you for a minute, please?”
She nodded. “Actually, you can walk me out. I have to rush across town for my nail appointment.” She flashed a smile at Crystal. “Thank you for lunch today. I had fun.” She reached across the desk and squeezed Crystal’s hand gently. “You’re easy to talk to!”
Crystal smiled back warmly. “It was my pleasure! We have to do it again soon.”
The look on Troy’s face was priceless. It was clear, despite the phony grin, that he wasn’t comfortable with this. He held the door open for Vanessa, his eyes on Crystal. “I’ll be right back,” he said.
Crystal nodded, hoping he didn’t take too long. Her curiosity was piqued and she had questions.
Troy walked Vanessa down the hall toward the elevator. “What did I tell you?” he asked through clenched teeth. “I don’t want you and your mother getting involved in my business here.”
Vanessa glared at him. “Nobody’s in your business, Troy! It’s a damn photo shoot. You’re acting like I’m in here going over the bank accounts.” She sucked her teeth.
He gripped her arm a little tighter. “I’m serious. Photo shoots lead to interviews, and the next thing you know—all eyes on us. I didn’t sign up for that. Your mother likes the spotlight. I don’t.”
Vanessa stared at him, still confused about why he was making this such a big deal. Ever since Crystal had suggested the idea last night, Troy had voiced his disapproval.
“You like her?” she asked him flat-out. “That’s why you don’t want me coming up here? You’re scared I’m gonna get in the way?”
He laughed. “You’re crazy.” The elevator doors opened and he gestured toward them. “Go home.”
She looked hurt. “Watch how you talk to me.” She boarded the elevator and turned back toward him. “You might make me upset.”
He laughed and shook his head as the elevator doors closed. He walked back to Crystal’s office. He knocked and she beckoned him in.
He stepped inside and looked at her seriously. “We need to talk. Come have a drink with me.”
She stood up, grabbed her purse, and followed him out the door. Her instincts told her that now she would begin to finally connect all the dots.