Chapter 2
Savvy
Getting the properties ready and on the market took longer than I expected. Once I spoke to my father about selling the family home, he signed his other two properties over to me and I decided to sell them as well. I had to give those properties a face lift as well and that blew my timetable to hell. We finally got all three properties on the market, so I decided to bundle the other two properties to sell as one. While I’m waiting on that I began to apply to jobs in the Mississippi area, not too far away from the kids but not too close either. I figure I’ll look for a house when I get a job.
It takes about six more weeks, but I finally got the call I have been waiting on, all three properties have an offer in, and I have accepted the offers as they are well above asking. As I am on my way to the real estate agent's office, I get a call from a number I do not recognize. Curiosity has me answering and it’s the HR department of a community college I do not remember applying to or interviewing for. Ms. Harrington HR manager for Hillwood Community College in Hillwood Mississippi offered me a job as a tenured track African American professor position making more than the other jobs I had applied for.
Chapter 2
Savvy
Getting the properties ready and on the market took longer than I expected. Once I spoke to my father about selling the family home, he signed his other two properties over to me and I decided to sell them as well. I had to give those properties a face lift as well and that blew my timetable to hell. We finally got all three properties on the market, so I decided to bundle the other two properties to sell as one. While I’m waiting on that I began to apply to jobs in the Mississippi area, not too far away from the kids but not too close either. I figure I’ll look for a house when I get a job.
It takes about six more weeks, but I finally got the call I have been waiting on, all three properties have an offer in, and I have accepted the offers as they are well above asking. As I am on my way to the real estate agent's office, I get a call from a number I do not recognize. Curiosity has me answering and it’s the HR department of a community college I do not remember applying to or interviewing for. Ms. Harrington HR manager for Hillwood Community College in Hillwood Mississippi offered me a job as a tenured track African American professor position making more than the other jobs I had applied for.
I double checked that she has the right person, but she assured me she does, come to find out she is friends with the HR manager for another college I interviewed for and although they decided to go with someone else, they reached out to her recommending that she hire me. So, I got a job I didn’t apply to, interview for. Okay I hear you God, I guess I am going to Hillwood Mississippi.
As I stand in the real estate office writing down the particulars about the job and all I need to do and when I need to be in Mississippi my real estate agent, Ruth is preparing the paperwork I need to sign. After finalizing the sale of all the properties, I ask Ruth for recommendations for housing in Mississippi. She begins to tell me about a new community that is being built in that area that’s going to be self-contained when it is completed. She gives the information for Gideon Properties and advises me to call after giving them a glowing recommendation and since they are the builders and real estate agency it’s a one stop shop for me. I hug her and thank her. I tell her when she’s ready to come to Mississippi she’ll have a place to stay. It’s time to pack my life up and prepare to move from the only home I know.
Joshua
I’m in the office today since I had back-to-back meetings. My dick-head brothers suddenly have a full schedule. I do not know why when they know I do not have the personality or patience for people, so I should have been the last person left to handle the meetings alone. I check my calendar and I begin to pack up my office to go since the last meeting is over and I have a full day tomorrow on site, but I notice a name in the six pm slot. I buzz my secretary, Jasmine to verify the fuckery I am looking at.
Her voice comes over the phone “Yes boss.”
“Jasmine, do I have a showing in…,” I pause and check my watch. “Seven minutes?”
“Yes, she called this morning, and I didn’t see anything else on your schedule, so I put her on.”
I drag a hand down my face and take a deep breath, I’m tired and hungry and completely over this day. Jasmine appears in the doorway, looking nervous and biting her lip, “Do you want me to call her and reschedule?”
“You don’t even have her full name Jasmine. What the hell is a Savvy? Is that her name or a fashion statement?” I bark at Jasmine.
Jasmine drops her head and says in a small voice,” I’ll try to reach her and reschedule.”
“What do you mean you’ll try to reach her if you didn’t get her number either?”
Jasmine says, “Yes I did but she was flying in and service wasn’t that great when she called which is why I only got a partial name.”
I look back at my watch and it's only three minutes until this Savvy is supposed to be here. It’s too late to reschedule now I tell Jasmine and dismiss her. Yeah, I’m being a complete ass, but no sleep, food or pussy will do that. If this Savvy doesn’t show up by six-o-five pm I’m out of here. And seeing she has one minute before she’s officially late, I start packing the hell up. As soon as I have that thought my phone buzzes with Jasmine telling me my six o’clock is here.
I glance at my watch six pm on the dot. I stand, put on my suit jacket, and make my way to the office door. I try to school my face to get rid of the irritation of this late showing but as I open the door, I come face to face with the star of every dirty dream, thought and daydream I have had over the past eight months. Ms. Savannah Errington is standing in my office building looking better than I last remember. I see her eyes grow wide behind those sexy as fuck glasses she’s wearing, and I know she remembers who I am. A smile creeps across my face as I devour her with my eyes, and I know she notices as she takes a step back. I step forward and extend a hand.
“Hello Savvy. I’m Joshua Gideon, one of the owners of Gideon Properties. I’ll be showing you the show homes.”
When her hand takes mine, I feel a shock work its way through my body, and a quick glance at her and I know she feels it too. I escort her into my office so I could get some information of what she was looking for. When she walks past me her perfume makes me want to snatch her ass up and see if she smells like that all over. I show her a seat and get down to business.
Savannah knows what she wants and how much she’s going to pay for it. I show her some blueprints and options for her house and then take her to a show home that comes as close as I can to what she’s asking for. Once we get there, I walk through the property with her telling her about the options she has for her potential property, and before I know it it’s been over two hours and I am still talking to her in the show house.
She gets a call, and I am thoroughly disappointed that someone interrupts our conversation.But like the bastard I am, I listen in with no remorse. Not once has she mentioned a boyfriend and there is no ring on her finger, so no husband or fiancé. Honestly anything short of a husband is still eligible.
I tune back into her conversation, and I realize she is talking to her daughter; she is reassuring her that she made it to Mississippi and will see her soon.
I must chuckle when she tells her daughter that she is the mother, and she is grown. After she gets off the phone, we make an appointment for her to come back after I create a mock-up of the specifications she requested and the contract for her new home. I walk her to her rental and watch as my wife drives away. Yeah, I have only seen her twice in my life, but I have lived and survived off my gut and my gut tells me that Ms. Savannah Errington is going to be Mrs. Savannah Gideon.
Joshua
I cleared my schedule just so I could work on Savannah’s contract. The sooner I could get the contract finished the sooner I would be able to see her again. After a week it was finally time to see her again. As if my brothers had intuition, they were all at the office and it looks like they had no intention of leaving anytime soon. I had lunch set up in the conference room and I was waiting for her to show up. As I sat in the conference room my brother walked in and made himself comfortable at the conference table. I slapped Joseph’s hand as he reached out to grab a sandwich.
“Those are for my client,” I scolded.
“Well damn! How many people are coming Joshua? There’s a whole platter full and I’m hungry, it’s only one sandwich.”
I frown at Joseph as the other six of my brothers walk in and go straight to the food.
“I promise I will fuck each one of you up if you touch a crumb on that platter.“