Chapter 45: The Conversation

"So tell me about yourself?"

Tacha had a small smile on her face. She was beyond full despite not eating much, and it hurts to speak with her full stomach. She made a chuckle that lasted for a few seconds at Nathan. "Sorry," she said. "You sound as if you haven't done your assignment already. You can just ask me what you don't know."

"Well," Nathan rested his back on his chair, not denying the fact. "I want to hear you tell me so you can get to know me through me and not what people say about me."

"Okay then, I'm Tacha Williams. My mum said she thought my Dad was a Yoruba man which was the reason she fell for him until she got to know him better." Tacha laughed. "And, I'm actually bearing my Mum's surname. She did a change of name for me without getting my permission. That's how angry she was when my Dad left." Tacha rolled her eyes at Nathan with a bit of a chuckle. "I'm starting with what you don't know."

"Oh!" Nathan couldn't hide his grin from Tacha. She was right because he really didn't know about that, and that was not even necessary except that she wanted to brag to his face. "So?"

"So?" Tacha continued. "I finished secondary school at the age of seventeen. I entered university at the age of twenty and graduated at twenty-five. My course was a four-year course, but this is Nigeria where you need to give yourself an extra year or years considering our government." She shook her head and broke into a wry smile. "That's all the more reason you need to be serious with your courses and avoid zero at all costs in any course while in school, because you really don't know how many years you gonna be spending in that federal university," Tacha said even when she hated that about her school. She smiled at Nathan. "You really don't know that too?" She paused, laughing freely this time. "That reminds me, I haven't done my convocation as well, and I will be twenty-seven this year."

"Oh!" Nathan tried to pretend but he had to admit he didn't know much about the education system of Nigeria, letting his eyes go wide with an expression of...boom! Are you kidding me? He leaned away from his seat resting his elbows on the table. "I actually spent all my days out of the country though. My high school, college, masters, and every extra class I took were done outside Nigeria. I lived most of my life in America. Only Kate is insisting on attending a private university here in Nigeria because of her boyfriend." He laughed, shaking his head. "Are girls that hard to train, cause my sister is stubborn, nosy, and she's causing Dad lots of trouble. If he says anything, she starts crying saying because she's the only girl."

Tacha chuckled lightly at his response. "Not until I have one though." She pointed to herself. "I can't say much on that as a daughter, but I think your sister is just extra. No!" Her eyes also came out. Boom! "She's gonna hate me for that if she ever finds out. Your sister seems to be hot-tempered." Tacha didn't know she was going to add the last statement. She laughed but her tummy couldn't allow her to express her laughter just the way she wanted after squeezing her tummy together with a waist strainer. "My stomach hurts." She confessed, making fun of herself.

"I was wondering why it was so tiny cause your breasts came out even more and your shape. This is deceiving."

Tacha couldn't hold her laughter in front of Nathan. "Na waist trainer biko. I wan do fine girl for you na."

"Fine girl busted. You wanna remove that?"

"I will be fine," Tacha said with a smile.

"So, what's your plan?" Nathan said after she was calm. "Do you have any side hustles apart from your work? Do you plan on quitting it to pursue something you really love?"

"Hustle?" Tacha repeated to confirm if Nathan actually got the pronunciation very well. She squeezed her brows together, staring at Nathan from her seat. "I'm shocked to hear you say that actually. You don't look like one." She confessed.

"What? Are you kidding me! Do you think I've been living off my father's money? It has really not been easy babe."

"Well, you have Lucas lounge."

Nathan laughed so hard. "So you think with Lucas lounge alone, I could buy someone a car worth over fifty million naira, and even bought my mum a new Mercedes-Benz GLE 450! Baby girl, that cost me close to seventy million naira. Any business man who does that on one stream of income is gonna collapse! Big time!" He said with an air of pride around him. "What I make from the club and hotel, doesn't even compare to that lounge."

"Whao!" Tacha watched in amazement, trying her best not to laugh but she did. "You are freaking me out."

"Come on," Nathan smiled at her, bringing his voice down. He looked warmly at Tacha. "I don't want you to think this job can buy you your dream car, or house because one stream of income can't even solve all your financial needs and wants. I'm an Hustler whether you believe me or not. And one thing about hustlers is, they want even more money."

"What about those influencers? They make lots of money doing just that."

"What????" Nathan laughed so loud, a bewildered look on his face as he stared at the woman he had come to love. The only woman who made him sit in the room for hours laughing, and not thinking about working. Her eyes stared at him sexily that he wanted to kiss her so badly. There was just something about her eyes and smile that could compel a man to stare at her all day. They had been sitting for hours and he had managed to come this far because he wanted her to have all the fun she desired. He wanted to have real conversations with her and get to know her better.

Nathan made sure he was fully calm before he became serious again. "If you see my sister on Instagram tomorrow as an influencer advertising someone else's soap and cream or whatever it is, and tomorrow she announces a new Benz. Tacha..." Nathan hit his chest quietly and repeatedly, giving off his aura of ego that you can't seem not to find in a man. "I bought her that Benz. Or maybe Dad. Not even your so called cousin can do that at this point." He paused, folding his arms on his chest as he rested his back on his seat. It seemed something came to his mind. "Don't tell me that's why you thought of having a page for your fashion line to become an influencer advertising what?" Nathan's eyes were dead serious. "Don't you dare quit your job for that if you aren't investing your money in anything or have a skill to work with."

"How did you know?"

"I'm a partner in your company now which I'm gonna tell you later. I asked for your resume and I saw that you would love to have your fashion line and would love to promote brands." Nathan laughed, immediately stopping himself. He felt bad, doing the needful. "I'm sorry babe. You won't make lots of money with that. This is not a show off or anything, you can't build your life around that alone."

"Hmm I know, but I'm gonna have to start small."

"That's why you have to learn how to sew. At least have an idea about what sewing is all about, and you can hire more skillful people to work for you. From everything they sew, they have their own share, and you still have your profits. Instead of even promoting for brands, they will be the ones bringing you their materials to sew," Nathan said. "That's how business works, and that's how you can make real and more money for yourself. When you have all the machines you need, that's you offering services again to people who don't have."

Tacha couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from her mouth. One would know a business person when you meet any of them because his or her head is thinking about nothing else but making more money, while you are thinking about living a perfect life. She wasn't mad that he laughed. There was nothing to be mad about because he was telling the truth and he loved her. His eyes shone as bright as the sun. Hope, love, and admiration rested in them and she watched him, letting her see she was attentive to him. This was someone who had already made lots of money in life. He had seen a lot and he understood better than her. She was getting used to his little smiles and heavy laughter in between his talks. His teasing and evil spirit to trouble her life was the sweetest. At this point, she agreed she loved this guy to death. Tacha dropped her gaze on Nathan gently. "Babe, that's not starting small again. Machines or what are you saying? Those things cost more than our presidential form."

Nathan had to smile before responding to her. "When you have someone to support you, starting small will be sweeter."

The two laughed.

"So, I want you to write me a proposal of what you can do with a hundred million naira, also what you can achieve in the next five years in your business."

"Proposal?" Tacha scrutinized Nathan's mouth, then looked up at him. "Hey? There are some things you don't joke with. Stop it now."

"Why would I joke about that? Not like I'm giving you for free. You have to write me a proposal and we will make a deal."

"Oh my God, Nathan!" Tacha got out of her seat, covering her mouth in disbelief. She had only heard such figures in movies, on Instagram about so, so, so influencers buying a house worth so, so, so millions of naira, cars worth half a billion, wedding cake of fifty million naira, sales of hundred million naira, politicians building houses up and down with scary money, and celebrities flaunting handbags that could barely contain one's hand bought for millions of naira, and everytime her thoughts doesn't pass this one sentence...where una dey see this money?

She didn't care about the deep pleasure in Nathan's eyes. It was her who felt a great sense of pride as she stared at him. She released her hands from her mouth, her eyes searching Nathan's thoroughly. Shocked was an understatement. Tacha was startled by his words! She was struck by amazement, her eyes hitting every note of what she could have said with her mouth. You can't be serious! No! Is this a joke or what! Nathan just stop it okay! Should she believe her ears? She wouldn't. She saw Nathan blink his eyes at her telling her to calm down and sit, but Tacha remained standing. "You don't have to do that Nathan. You really don't have to spend that much on me. What if--" she stopped herself, taking her seat back. "That would change my life forever sincerely, but..."

"But what? Are you about to shout and say, Nathan, how dare you! How dare you think you can buy me with money?"

Tacha broke into a huge grin, letting her teeth all in the air as she laughed so hard. "How dare you what? Zaddy, I will ride you for the rest of my life. Why were you giving me cheap money too when a hundred million is somewhere in your pocket. Thank God I was good at rejecting small things. Naso, I go just chop food with that and leave hundred million naira behind."

Nathan brought his head down laughing so hard at her response. He knew she was joking, but she was too sweet. "You are not even shy these days." He looked up at her, sitting back upright.

"For what? Anyways, jokes apart, I'm writing a proposal and we're gonna make a deal, so expect me to.." she hummed. "You will be scared of my growth I swear!"

"Calm down." Nathan tried not to laugh but he had to when he saw Tacha readjust herself on the seat like she was preparing for war. "Anyways, my brother had the same energy."

Tacha rolled her eyes at him. "What do you mean please?"

To avoid her trouble, Nathan smiled and scratched the back of his right ear gently. "Let me tell this part of my life. This same hundred million naira was exactly what my Dad gave me when I told him I wanted to start something for myself too." Nathan said. "I started with the printing business. On T-shirts, face caps, towels, mugs, badges for schools, companies, anything whatsoever. Frames, including bags. I bought machines and everything needed. Next to the place I have people who sew bedsheets, duvet, pillowcase, and curtains every day. It's now a big company after a few years. This is one of the reasons why I respect my mum and can't seem to offend her because she monitored them all as if they were hers. The money I see every week is really not for the weak."

That made Tacha laugh despite how serious Nathan was.

"From there, my mum tipped me into more businesses that could bring more profits like buying some things from where I was at lower prices and shipping them down to Nigeria to sell at higher prices. I decided to invest in electronics. Home appliances and doing that made me dead broke! TV for TV shoppers, freezers, different types of air conditioners, generators, fans, and many more...After that, I came down to Nigeria, and started my security business. It was tasking and it cost us a lot. My mum became sick after the whole thing cause she did the most." A rough chuckle escaped Nathan before he sighed. "Well, it has not been easy though," Nathan confessed and laughed. "Business is stressful but having money to spend is too sweet. When you have someone supporting you, it's sweeter. While I was even in school, if you see me in new clothes, mum bought them for me cause I was really the opposite of the nigga I am now. My Dad sells Jewellery at that time too, but we had to buy and I didn't know how to spend money on things like that unless he gave us as gifts. Whenever that happens, trust me, I always trade mine for money. I started real estate two years ago."

"Ah!!!" Tacha exclaimed. "Agba wey no know trenches. You still get Mummy wey dey buy clothes for you na. The money wey mama take buy those few clothes for you, e go buy me three Ghana mustgo I swear." Tacha said before she realised she was speaking much pidgin. Her pidgin was so smooth and fast that Nathan had to pay so much attention to understand her. She switched back to the language he wouldn't have to squeeze his eyes like he had an eye problem. "Oh no! I doff my hat for you Nathan." She saluted with her five fingers. "What money are you looking for again after all that?"

"Well, the rule has always been bring money to make more money, and have gotten used to it. My head could only think about making more money that my Dad had to sell one of his jewellery shops to me last year because he wanted to learn how I multiplied his hundred million naira to billions in six years." He came closer to Tacha, leaning on the table. "I don't want to talk about this yet, but I invested in a business I don't know much about it yet. My mum encouraged me since it was through her. I would like to show you some things. I really hope you can get along with my mum though. She's really a sweetheart. I know my life is nothing without God, but it wouldn't have been this amazing without my mum though." Nathan said more quietly. "Please when the time comes, I hope you can love my mum just like I do." He said the last statement as if scared like it wasn't going to be possible.

Tacha stared at him, totally speechless. Every time she opened her mouth, she had to shut it back after just a few words refusing to let him divert from what he was saying because she needed his sense and not every time he shared that with her. So she kept quiet even when he expected her to speak. What was she going to say? She was sure that if she had that opportunity before now, she would buy herself a car first, then her dream house, and all the material things she wanted, the food she had never tasted in her life but kept appearing on her Instagram feeds for years. That's truly the difference between a business person and someone who wants a perfect life. For his mum, Tacha didn't want to talk about her yet. She wanted it to be about them and of course, he had yet to tell her about the engagement party. She wasn't going to be too forward and spoil their moments together. Instead, she kept the conversations flowing.

"So, how did you come up with Lucas Lounge and that huge club? The place is so big and beautiful honestly. Even the hotel, is amazing. I can tell the club was heavily soundproof because you could hardly hear anything once you stepped out of the place."

"That one?" Nathan laughed. "To say I didn't want to, but who knew that was where I was going to meet your big ass." He threw her a wink.

"My name is Tacha." She grinned, biting her upper lip before rolling her eyes at him. "So?"

"To cut the long story short, Anthony told me guys can spend any dime in clubs nowadays. Building this place was more taxing than every other thing I had done in my life before starting real estate. The club and hotel generate more money. It was worth spending my last Kobo to have the place. The Lounge is just for gentle people like you to come in and relax, eat, drink, and have some fun. I'm glad I did it anyway."

Tacha smiled, lifting her cheeks in a blush, trying her best not to look at Nathan. When her emotions were back in place, she looked straight into Nathan's eyes with a light smile stopping her lips from spreading wide. "I'm so proud of you." She blew him a kiss, closing her eyes for a second before laughing it off. "Do you know I always thought rich kids like you are either wayward, too extravagant, disrespectful, and very proud," Tacha emphasized her last word that Nathan got her message.

"You really don't need to stress your voice. I got your message. I'm very proud. At least, I have money. So people hardly tell me that to my face."

Tacha brought her face down to laugh. His response had her giggling like a little girl so she tried her best to hide her face, holding onto her tummy to breathe in between her laughter. "God sees my heart. I only said those words to praise you."

"You really don't need to explain yourself." He kicked her underneath the table causing Tacha to yell, throwing her head to the back this time. The kick triggered a memory causing Tacha to accept her fate and laugh or else, she might end up hitting her leg elsewhere again.

When she felt Nathan's toes rubbing where he kicked her, she changed her mind lifting her heel to hit Nathan in return, but this time, it was almost a success. Almost a success but her thoughts became too greedy and lifted her thigh too high, flinging the ice cream and cake they just served on the table on her precious, gorgeous face and white dress, getting the whole flowers scattered on the floor like a flower garden, with all the snacks sitting around it to give it more colours. Tacha was beyond embarrassed, keeping her eyes remained close as she filled the whole room with her laughter. "Nathan, this shit must not continue."

"Oh no! Babe." Nathan burst out laughing. He laughed so hard as if he hadn't laughed for ages. He laughed so carelessly that he forgot he was supposed to help Tacha clean her face rather than throw the rest of the cake at her face. "Put some respect on my name."

"You are a fool," Tacha said, laughing with her face all smashed and dirty, getting laughed at by those who served them. She traced the table for her bag but it was all gone too. "Just take me to my house. Now."

"I was going to do that right away."

"Wait! Are you not going to get my face cleaned for me? Do I have to tell you that? Gosh! You need to start watching Korean movies cause you should be licking my face right now."

Nathan broke into laughter. "Real men don't watch Korean movies okay, and I don't lick faces. Now do you need help or do you wanna stay like that? That's true. I should capture this."

"I hate you. Nathan noooooo!!!!!" Tacha hurried up from her seat, almost falling while trying to cover her face. "Oh my God, Nathan you're gonna pay for this."

"Yeah, how many figures?" He took the picture already.

"Hey!" Nathan turned towards the waiters and waitresses who were pretending to be having their own conversation after having a good laugh. "Someone needs your help here. Can you get her a serviette please?" Nathan moved closer to Tacha who had taken back her seat. He collected the serviette and began to clean Tacha's face gently. "How am I gonna lick this with your makeup la femme. My tongue is definitely gonna turn brown." He threw the dirty serviette on the tiles. When he resumed what he was doing, he smiled down at Tacha who sat down quietly letting him clean her face. He leaned closer and brushed his lips on hers. "I would have loved the ice cream here."

Tacha giggled in between his kisses, until he drew her lower lip with his thumb and index finger. Tacha had to release the laugh she was holding, opening her eyes. "Can you take me to my house now. A date with you is a no, no for me again." She got up and found her bag, bringing out the wipes she kept in the corner of her bag. In no time, she wiped her face clean and Nathan thought she was still beautiful. Especially when they made their way out and she was smiling down at her ice cream. For that reason, Nathan badly wanted to be one until she said. "I don't like ice cream that much."