Mya inquired.
Cyd scrunched her nose as she thought about the right way to tell them. Slightly closing her eyes, she chose to be blunt about it. “We sneaked off to the grand walk-in closet in the foyer...and had sex.” There, she’d said it.
As she fully opened her eyes, she laughed when she noticed all three women had their mouths hanging open.
Imani was the first to speak. “You mean to tell me that while I was wondering why on earth my sister and maid of honor had missed our group dance and the time for her speech, you were getting freaky in a closet?”
“Um...yes,” Cyd said a little unknowingly, since she couldn’t tell if her sister’s high-pitched squeal and the fact that she was now standing was a good or bad thing.
Imani’s face went from surprise to excitement in a matter of seconds. “Well, judging how fine Shawn is, I’d say you did well, little sis.”
Cyd threw her head back and laughed. She should have known her sister would react that way.
“I shouldn’t even have to ask based off that look you had a few minutes ago, but was the sex good?”
Cyd gripped her Starbucks mug a little tighter and took another sip of her coffee. “It was way better than good. Y’all saw how the man looked that day. I could barely control myself when we were introduced.” No need to disclose the fact that it had actually been their second time meeting each other. She’d keep that bit of information to herself.
“He had to be good,” Lex interjected. “I never remember you actually giving a man credit for being better than good in the bedroom.”
“Or admit to not being able to control yourself,” Imani added. “So I’m guessing he had a lot of qualities off your list?”
Instead of answering Imani’s question, Cyd’s mind drifted back to the night she was with Shawn in Anguilla. She had spent a week with Imani, Lex and Mya in Barbados before meeting her college girlfriends in Anguilla. Lex and Mya had been on a quest to find sexy islanders in Barbados and had succeeded. But nothing could have prepared her for the likes of Shawn Miles when she landed in Anguilla. As shallow as it sounded, Cyd always knew the men she entertained weren’t up to her standard. The men who she believed were a great match were often too nervous to approach her, further proving her point that he wasn’t “Mr. Right” in the first place. So she settled for a bunch of “Mr. Right Nows,” waiting for a man who would sweep her off her feet.
Imani cleared her throat, zapping Cyd back to reality. “No,” Cyd slightly lied. “He doesn’t have a lot of qualities on my love list, but he does have almost every quality off my lust list.”
“Maybe you should create a ‘you’re full of it’ list,” Mya said with a laugh, her comment receiving snickers from Imani and Lex, as well. Cyd knew they thought her lists were stupid, but she didn’t care. In her mind, her lists were a necessity.
“Don’t we have business to discuss?” Cyd said, directing her question to Imani since it was her turn to lead the meeting. Imani gave her a look insinuating that she wanted to say something else, but luckily she dropped it.
“Okay, since Cyd will have her hands tied with the series of appreciation events for the Peter Vallant Company, we will need to make sure we plan efficiently and not overbook ourselves.”
“Agreed,” Mya said. “Let’s make sure that we remind our assistants to constantly check our calendars.”
“How much traveling is required?” Lex asked Cyd.
“Since the events are all in Illinois or Indiana, I will be living in and out of a hotel for the next month or so, but I don’t mind. I’ll find out more when I meet with Mr. Vallant in a couple days.” Cyd loved to travel, and although small towns in the Midwest weren’t exactly her idea of a good time, she’d enjoy herself nonetheless.
“Great. How about we go around the table and give an update on what we’re working on,” Imani suggested. “I’ll go first.”
Chapter 3
“Oh, my goodness, please let the weather stay this warm,” Cyd said to the sky as she walked down the busy streets of Chicago’s West Loop wearing her favorite designer sunglasses. The sunny October weather was unlike any she’d ever experienced in Chicago and she was enjoying every minute of it.
This afternoon she was meeting with Mr. Vallant to get the final details on the appreciation event tour for the Rebuild Your Community initiative. Elite Events, Incorporated was extremely honored to plan the events and Cyd was very proud of the agenda she’d created for each occasion on the tour.
She dodged through walkers, making sure she didn’t roll over anyone’s feet with her suitcase. “On your left,” yelled a biker who was forced to use the sidewalks due to heavy traffic and street construction. Since the weather was so nice, Chicago construction was at its highest after the city decided to restructure several major streets in Chicago’s West and South Loops. Cyd was glad she’d worn her most comfortable black high-waist skirt and heels. She’d completed her outfit with a teal blouse and complementing accessories.
Reaching her destination, she promptly signed the visitor logbook and waited in the tastefully decorated lobby for Mr. Vallant’s assistant.
“Ms. Rayne?” said a woman with a questioning, raspy voice.
“Yes, I’m Cydney Rayne,” Cyd replied as she shook hands with the woman. The woman didn’t say anything at first, but observed her so intently, Cyd felt as if she were under a microscope.
“My name is Verona Neely and I’m Mr. Vallant’s assistant,” she said, her awkward demeanor growing perky in a matter of seconds. “Mr. Vallant invited a few other individuals to the meeting and he apologizes for not telling you about this change sooner. Please follow me to the conference room.”
“Thank you, Ms. Neely.”
When they arrived at the conference room with tall, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Michigan, seven people were already seated at a large table. Cyd placed her belongings on a counter off to the side of the room.
“Ms. Rayne,” said Mr. Vallant as he stood to shake her hand. “Allow me to introduce you to a few members of my executive team. We have Kim Lathers, chief marketing officer. Jim Pearson, senior vice president of business development. Jacob Early, chief financial officer. Brittany Higgins, senior vice president of client services. Tom Mendez, senior vice president of communications and Paul Jensen, general counsel. Everyone, this is Cydney Rayne from Elite Events, Incorporated.”
Cyd made her way around the table as she shook hands with each member before taking a seat in one of two vacancies. “Nice to meet you all.”
“Throughout the next month members of the executive team will be present at a few of the appreciation events. I felt it best that we all attend this meeting to ensure that everyone understands the schedule. Team, I trust that you will make Ms. Rayne feel welcome during the tour.”
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and exchanged a few warm words. Adjusting herself in her seat, she tried to place the reason behind her suddenly quickened heartbeat. Her heart only beat this fast when she was nervous, but she usually never got nervous on the job. She momentarily stopped observing her behavior when she heard the conference
