A Billionaire's Obsession 3 (BWWM Interracial Romance): Claiming Her Heart (4 page)

"I know that you will figure it out." Colin says,
and winks at his cousin. The two chuckle for a bit.
 
"Melaine, I saw Renee today." Colin eventually confesses.

"What? Where? What happened?" Mealine inquires,
flabbergasted. Colin swallows very hard before he begins.

"I found out where she is, and I went there." He
begins. Melaine's eyes are as wide as t
ea cup
saucers. "She is with her parents, about a 90 minute drive south of
here...She never wants to see me again. She
looks hurt....She looks angry. I
couldn't convince her that last Saturday night meant more than a hook-up. She
pushed me away, with every
thing she's got."
Colin recounts feeling weighted down by the memories.

"So this is why you want her to move on? You think
that the distance will help her some how?" Melaine asks.

"Don't you?" Colin replies quickly.

"It may..it may help. I will see what
I can do."

"Thanks Melaine!" Colin stands, and turns to walk
out of Melaine's office. She notices that his shoulders are slumped, and his
foot steps are heavy. Melaine can see that her cousin is truly feeling
something for Renee. She decides to work to do
her
best to help the situation, in whatever
way she can.

CHAPTER 5
 

One week following her romantic escapade with Colin, and
hiding out at her parents' home, Renee accepts and invitation from Melaine
to brunch in Oaktown. It is a beautiful Sunday morning,
and the adventurous Melaine is eager to brunch at one of the local diners.

Renee walks into the diner to a very warm reception from
Melaine.

"It is so good to see you." Melaine says, and
throws her
arms
around Renee. The women had never hugged
before, but Melaine felt that under the circumstances, she would throw out her
"professional rules". She is also happy that she was able to convince
Renee to meet with her. Melaine persuaded Renee that it was
important that they discuss her professional career very
soon, and offered to do it at whichever meeting place made Renee comfortable.
Renee figured that since Colin, who she least wanted to visit her, already knew
where she was, it didn't make a differenc
e that
Melaine also knew.

"So how are you Renee? Please be honest." Melaine
asks openly. Renee sighs. She considers fabricating a response, but decides to
be sincere.

"I am...I am doing better." She tells Melaine who
smiles at her honesty.

"Renee, you know that I have always been candid with
you. I am not disappointed
with you, and I don't want you to think that." Melaine
encourages her. "You are a remarkable talent, with outstanding gifts, and
you simply can not let them go to waste!" Melai
ne
begins to lecture.

"Did you plan to return to BYWINSTON?" Melaine
inquires.

"I...honestly, I am still not sure. I want to work
with you Melaine. You have trained me, and
helped developed my skill, in a few
months to beyond where I could have attained t
o in a
year anywhere else. I enjoy working for you...but..." Melaine interjects.

"I know...But Colin..." Melaine pauses.
"Renee, I know that he charmed you, and you feel
as though you got sucked in. You tried
your best to resist, but it happened, and it's
okay.
However - and I am the last person to defend his behavior - he hasn't been the
same. You have affected him somehow." Renee shakes her head. Melaine has
crossed the line. It is just too much.

"I don't want to talk about him. I thought you came to
dis
cuss my professional career!" Renee snaps at
her mentor.

"Ok...ok...Yes, let's discuss your professional
career. Please answer me honestly. At this juncture, can you continue working
at BYWINSTON?" Melaine asks pointedly. Renee pauses to contemplate once
again.

"Um...I don't think so." Renee answers honestly,
and hangs her head. Melaine looks at the young woman sympathetically.

"I understand. Well, can you see yourself working at
Cherished Friends
then? Melaine asks. Renee's eyes grow
humungous.

"
Cherish
ed Friends?
What can I do there? Wait! Is this
Colin's idea?"

"Actually, Margaret Winston has asked for you. She has
no knowledge of what has transpired between you, and Colin. She just called out
of the blue requesting your skill. She believes that you'r
e needed at her organization." Melaine explains.

"What? What does she need me to do?" Renee
responds somewhat confused.

"Exactly what you
did for the launch event. I have spoken
with her. She would like you to work with her PR person to shake things up, a
nd truly establish a public presence for the organization.
They are trailing off into enlisting celebrity endorsements, and support, and
Mrs. Winston believes that you have the right sort of "stuff" to get
that done."

"Um...really? What? Me?" Renee asks d
umbfounded.

"Yes, you!" Melaine says, and laughs out loud.
Renee is silent She can not believe her ears.
Why me? Was Mrs. Winston that impressed
with the press event/launch? It was a collaboration...Hmmm...

Melaine can tell that the wheels of Renee's min
d are turning. This makes her happy. She sees the passion
in Renee coming to life again.

"So will you do it?" Melaine asks.

"Can I think about it?" Renee shoots back.

"Yes, but not for too long." Melaine says, and
smiles.

"If I do say yes to Mrs. Winston
, will you require two weeks?" Renee asks sweetly.

"Um, No. It's fine. I know where all your bones are
buried." Melaine jokes. "Plus you're training is not done. Be sure to
answer my calls immediately." Melaine demands. She is determined to
maintain her r
elationship with Renee.

Renee chuckles. "Ok Melaine, Super Mentor." Both
Melaine, and Renee laugh. They spend the rest of the morning eating, and
chatting, then Renee provides Melaine with a tour of her hometown.

***

Two days later in Trojan City...

"You're going where?" Amanda asks.

"To
Cherished Friends
..." Renee begins to explain to her
friend again, over lunch, not too far away from BYWINSTON.

"I don't believe this! Why are you moving on so
quickly? I need you Renee!" Amanda becomes vulnerable. R
enee thinks it's cute.

"Awe Amanda! I wouldn't be far away. We can do lunch
like this, or meet up on the weekends, perhaps?" Renee tries to console
her.

"I guess so, but wouldn't you get bored working on the
same project over, and over instead of tacklin
g
different ones?" Amanda tries to rationalize with her.

"Hmmm...I didn't see it that way, but I will make it
work...I'll find a way to keep things fresh and exciting."

"Well, you do realize that you will be the only cool
person there. They're all "stuff
ies"."
Amanda tells Renee who starts laughing openly in the restaurant.

"I know Amanda, I know." Renee says in between
laughs.

"Ok then. I guess this is Congratulations, and
Goodbye!" Amanda acquiesced. Renee reaches across the table, to hug Amanda
who p
layfully rejects her.

"Feel free to come visit me." Renee tells her.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Amanda mutters. Renee
laughs again.

***

First thing on Wednesday morning, Beverly Harmon, Executive
Director of
Cherished Friends
, gives Renee a tour of their
facilities. The entire organization is housed on one floor of a fully renovated
warehouse building. Renee smiles as she looks around, and sees her designs
included as a part of the company's official signage, and even on stati
onery. Photographs from the launch event have been made
into large, framed art work which are decoratively hanging on the walls,
throughout the building.

Renee is escorted
to an office which she will be sharing
with Natalia. Natalia stands to greet Renee.

"Welcome Renee!" Natalia
says, and extends her hand to shake
Renee's.

"Thank you Natalia. I am happy to be here." The
ladies shake hands.

"Well, I will leave you two to it." Beverly says,
and walks out of the fairly roomy office. Renee, and Natalia nod
at Beverly gracefully, then turn to each other to begin
strategizing about their first task.

Days go by, then weeks. Renee has hit her stride. Her love
for animals, combined with her
burning bevy of ideas have proven to be a winning
combination. Sponsors
hip, and donations to the
organization have increased 100%. The organization's image has also been
enhanced, made more relatable, and contemporary.

Colin smiles as he listens to his mother excitably talk
about how successful her
newest foundation has beco
me.

"The best thing I did was to steal that young woman
from you Colin." Margaret teases her son, over lunch.

"Yes, well done mother. You are a superb thief."
He nudges back. Margaret giggles.

Colin has not spoken to Renee in quite some time. Not since
he visited her at her parents' home. He has seen her however, unknown to Renee.
He has attended the various fund raising luncheons the
Cherished Friends
organization has planned. He's sat
inconspi
cuously in the back, and always left after
the formal portion. Renee is usually busy at the front during the official part
of program, unaware of who is specifically at the back of the room. When she
initially returned to her apartment, he would rent a ran
dom car, and drive by her address on the weekends, just hoping to catch a
glimpse of her. He no longer resorts to that tactic, but he longs to talk to
Renee, to learn what she's thinking, and engage in hours of conversation with
her. Instead, he relies on
2nd hand stories from his
mother, and Melaine.

Still, Colin is careful not to get his mother involved by
outrightly inquiring about Renee. He just conveniently spends more time with
her, and asks about her various charities, with specific camouflaged ques
tions. Margaret Winston isn't blind, or dumb. She is a
mother, and she knows that Colin has a vested interest in Renee. She does not
know the extend, or what transpired between them, but she is not oblivious to
his recent interest in her involvements, and
she does
remember that she observed him appearing distracted at the CF launch event.

"So is everything alright at that fancy firm of yours,
son?" Margaret eventually asks Colin. "How come you have so much time
for your dear mother lately?" Colin clears hi
s
throat.

"Um, everything is well. I have a great team, and a
tight ship." Colin pulls together pretentiously.

"I see. Well, I hope I haven't disturbed the ship too
much by drafting one of your stars."  Margaret says, and smiles
mischievously. Colin star
ts twitching, and moving
around on his chair.

"Um, we're fine mother." He says avoiding eye
contact.

"I see. Well, that is good to hear!" She quips.
"What about you? Have you recovered from the loss of your 'star player'
Colin?" Margaret asks directly. C
olin hangs his
head, and takes a deep breath. He truly does not want to discuss Renee with his
mother, but she has obviously detected that his invitations to lunch, brunch
etc. are laced with an ulterior motive. Colin takes a deep breath while
deciding wha
t to say.

"Mom...I do miss my 'star player'." Colin still
does not look at his mother in the eye. "She's better off with you...where
I can't hurt her." Colin admits. Margaret smiles. She is glad that Colin
is confirming her suspicions.

"Well, I think tha
t she's
too smart for you
anyway." Margaret teases, and chuckles. "She has
been a true blessing Colin. If you are serious about her, you can no longer
behave the way you have been...I remember the sweet young man who once embraced
life like Renee does." Ma
rgaret counsels her
son. "Don't be proud Colin. I think that an honorable gentleman still
resides deep down within you." Margaret encourages her son. "Still,
now that I know your true motive for meeting with me more often than usual,
please don't stop. I'v
e missed you son. I'm sure your
father does too."

Colin finally looks at his mother. She truly knows him. She
sees right through him, and she is not ashamed. She just misses him. Colin
reaches for his mother's right hand across the table, and kisses it. "T
hank you Mom! Your words mean
a lot today." Margaret smiles.

"You're welcomed son...Now escort me to my car."
She responds.

Colin walks his mother out to her car, in the open air
parking lot in front of the eatery. He asks her to recall one particular st
ory regarding him, and a special minor league baseball
game. They laugh, and he helps his mother into the backseat of the black luxury
car that she is being driven in. Colin kisses his mother on the cheek.
"Thanks for still believing in me Mom. Enjoy the r
est of your day!" Margaret waves goodbye as her car pulls away.