Guests of the Gala
Famke was awestruck as she looked around the ballroom. Whoever Royal had hired to do his decorating for the event had done wonderous things. The New Years party was in full swing as she entered on his arm with Jubi, Nyx and Jubi’s friend Nora trailing behind them.
“This is insane,” Nyx snorted behind her. “You do know Royal what you spent on this party could feed multiple villages.”
“You do know Nyx,” Royal shot over his shoulder with a glint in his eyes, “sometimes it takes spending money to get money. Look at all the suckers in this room ready to open their wallets. What I spent on tonight is a drop in the bucket for what the grand total will be.”
Famke slapped his hand warningly, “behave. You two are awful.”
“Mr. Robinson,” a woman with her hair pulled back in a severe knot at her nape approached. “Thank God you’re here.”
“Patsy, this is Famke. Famke, this lovely lady is my amazing admin assistant Patsy.”
“Nice to meet you. I can’t wait to have a glass of wine with you later,” the woman smiled widely at Famke, “I need to hear all about how you broke a certain woman’s nose. However, first, I need to steal my boss away because we have a problem already with two of our guests and I need you to calm them down. Nobody unruffles feathers like you do.” She gave him a pleading look.
Royal gave an apologetic look in Famke’s direction as she unwound her arm from his elbow. “I’m sorry, baby girl.”
“No. This is fun for us, work for you. We’ll go find a drink and our seats for dinner.”
He stared down at her, “try not to miss me too much.”
“What are you grinning for?”
“Because one of my friends has arrived and he’s looking in this direction.” He smirked at Nyx, “I have a feeling someone is getting her ass spanked later.”
Nyx paled at his words while Famke grabbed her hand. “Come on Nyx. Let’s find a spot to sit.”
Jubilee spoke up, “the seats for dinner are always arranged and we will be right up front by the stage. Nyx, I’ll show you all the perfect hiding places to avoid unwanted advances of males.”
Nora giggled, “last year she spent thirty minutes behind the bar sitting on a stool hiding from this drunk millionaire who works for Royal. They danced once and he kept putting his hands on her ass and grinding on her and when someone else asked her to dance, he got all possessive on her and told her she couldn’t dance with anyone else.”
“Who was it?” Nyx looked around avoiding the direction Royal had been looking.
Jubi laughed, “some asshat who worked on the trading floor. Royal told him if he didn’t piss off, he’d be jobless. I ended up dating him for three months. He was good in bed but jealous as hell. I should have trusted my gut.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Jubi was looking where Nyx was avoiding. “Oh snap, Koda has realized who you are. He’s been looking over here as if looking for you and he’s just figured it out.”
The girls dragged Nyx away as the man began storming in their direction and they all breathed a sigh of relief when an elderly man called Koda’s name and stopped him halfway.
“I can’t spend the entire night avoiding him.”
“Yes, but you can’t get thrown out within minutes of arriving either,” Nora laughed at her. “At least, get a glass of wine to throw at him before you get confronted.”
Famke looked around the room and her eyes connected with Royal’s, and she smiled at the image of him. He was standing between two men with a hand on either shoulder, laughing at something they were saying. He was indeed schmoozing very well, and the two men Patsy had thought were at loggerheads were now more peaceful.
As the girls placed a drink order at the bar, she ordered sparkling water and watched as Royal worked his magic around the room. Nyx’s “ah hell no” followed by the woman dashing in the direction of the women’s bathrooms made Famke giggle. She heard Koda call Nyx’s name, and she made wide eyes at Royal who was also watching the scene unfold. Royal inclined his head, encouraging her to join him. She left Jubi and Nora chatting and made her way towards her man.
Her man. The thought reverberated through her brain. He was hers and she was finally starting to accept it. Since he’d shown up in Pittsburgh earlier in the week, they hadn’t had a single argument or disagreement and the night before, Precious had slept through the night. They were settling into a routine, and she was truly enjoying being with both Royal and Precious.
She knew she’d had more than her fair share of skepticism of him and his actions, but he was proving to be a considerate and loving man over the last while and she would be a fool to not acknowledge it. She was falling for him, and she was enjoying the ride. She reached his side and took his extended hand, smiling as he pulled her into his side. He quickly introduced her around the small group of men who he was talking with and then made his excuses to take her away.
“I’m sorry. We’ve been here all of thirty minutes and I’ve already abandoned you.”
“It’s okay, Royal. I even told the girls earlier I expected you’d be working.”
“Would it bother you if I kept you with me while I worked the room?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know the girls want you to party with them, but I really like having you on my arm and showing you off.”
“What if I say the wrong thing or I don’t understand what is being talked about? I’m not educated or –”
“Whoa,” he paused in his footsteps and looked down at her, “don’t do it. Don’t you sell yourself short. You might not have an Ivy League education, but you are as smart, if not smarter than half the people in this room. You’re insightful and passionate and the only people whose IQ’s you don’t match, you outshine them in personality and character.” He motioned to Koda, “he’s the second smartest man in this room and yet he has the social abilities of a rock.”
“Second smartest?”
“I’m the smartest,” Royal bragged. “He was second to me in every class we were in during college.” He nodded his head in another direction, “see the guy over there?”
“The guy with the red cummerbund?”
“Yes. He is my CFO. Brilliant. He’s the kind of guy who could look at a spreadsheet and find an error everyone else has missed in seconds.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Yet, when he met his wife, he spent six full weeks terrified of speaking to her in case he scared her off. His first words to her when he finally did speak to her was to point out the error, she made in the report she had created for me. He’s married to my HR manager.”
“Really?”
“Yes. See that fella over there?”
“Yes.”
“No college degree but he’s my favorite employee.”
“What does he do?”
“He came to me eight years ago and told me he would take any job I would offer, and he would be the hardest working man in the company. He started as an intern. I made him a junior VP of research and development of our marketing division six weeks ago. I made up the job specifically for him. He might not have a degree but some of the people in this room who have college degrees had it bought, not earned. I’d trust him over them any day of the week.” He looked around, “I know you don’t think you’re on par intellectually with the people in this room, but I disagree completely. There are different kinds of intelligence Famke and what you have far outweighs anything a piece of paper gives.”
She twisted her lips at his words. “I won’t embarrass you if I say the wrong thing?”
“Nope. I’m thrilled and proud to have you on my arm.” He looked across the room where Jubi gave a loud laugh and clutched her glass of champagne to her chest. “Now, Jubi on the other hand embarrasses me every single year. Last year she hid behind the bar and got wasted.”
She giggled and then frowned at the figure of a person coming into the room. “I didn’t think he was coming?”
They both turned to watch as Keshaun entered the room and looked around. He appeared uncomfortable in his suit but when he saw Royal and Famke his eyes lit up and he smiled and beelined towards them. Famke accepted his tight hug before he clapped a handshake with Royal.
“I was sitting in my hotel room this afternoon, feeling sorry for myself, and decided I was not starting the new year like a schmuck. I drove down. Can I crash at your place?”
“Yup.” Royal didn’t hesitate. “I’m really glad you’re here. We’re going to have a good time.”
Keshaun’s eyes rotated around the room and landed on Jubi who was holding court with three men who were standing around her. “What is she wearing?”
“Looks like a dress?” Royal deadpanned as he shot Famke a knowing smirk.
“Did your father see the dress?”
“She’s a grown woman, Keshaun,” Royal had a shit-eating grin on his face. “We might tease her about being a little girl but neither Dad nor I would ever be so stupid as to tell a woman what is or isn’t appropriate for her to wear.” He waved in the direction of his sister, “but you can feel free to go comment on it.”
Keshaun shook his head and made his way towards Jubilee, weaving his way through the crowd.
“He’s fucked,” Royal laughed.
“He’s still married,” Famke hissed. “Jubi won’t mess with him if he’s married. He’s heartbroken and –”
“He’s not heartbroken. The man is relieved. He simply hasn’t realized it yet.”
“He’s hurting.”
“I might have texted him this afternoon to let him know Jubi and Nora were coming and had been talking about how many guys they could hook up with before the New Year.”
“They never said that!” At his cocky grin she gasped, “you are a lying weasel. You’re playing matchmaker.”
“Yup. I played a hunch, and it panned out. He’s into her and it’s only a matter of time.”
“She won’t mess with him if he’s married.”
“I bet she does. An uncontested divorce in Pittsburgh takes ninety days. His is going to go on much longer because his wife is a nut. Jubi won’t be able to say no to him if he makes a play.” He was watching as Jubi was telling Keshaun off for something, likely for whatever comment he made about her dress. “I bet by the time we get back from our trip, he’s got his head out of his ass, and he has it sorted out.”
“And then what?”
“Then my sister is in for it. The one thing I know about Keshaun is when he’s focused, he’s the most dangerous guy on the planet. I’ve never seen him look at a challenge and fail.” He looked down at her, “and he is going to see her reluctance as the best challenge, especially when he realizes he is the one she was talking about the other night when we played our little game.”
“Royal.” She protested his plotting.
He spun her closer to him and hugged her tight, “come on. I want to finish showing you off around the room to all the losers who don’t have a Famke Noor on their arm. Then we’ll have dinner, dance, and then go get lucky in my rooms.”
“Now there’s a plan I can get behind,” she grinned up at him aware she was as excited about his plans as he was. Let the festivities begin.