Baby Love (Baby #2)(59)



Trey finished spooning the pureed sweet potatoes to Preston who by this time had an orange clown's mouth. It was funny to watch her as she leaned into the spoon with her mouth biting it. She loved the taste of it and at times started whining when Trey wasn't getting it to her fast enough. She managed to get her fingers into the bowl and then stuck them into her mouth sucking the sweet potatoes off of her fingers.

I cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher.

Trey wiped off Preston's face and hands and offered to bathe her.

"Thanks sweetie," I said. "I'm going to grab a shower."

He leaned down and kissed me softly on my lips.

"Thanks for a wonderful dinner baby."

An hour later Trey and I were in bed watching a movie together. I was curled up in his arms feeling better about everything. Gina had been right. Fantasies were a normal part of sexuality.

My Blackberry chimed on the nightstand. I reached over and grabbed it. It was Gina.

"Hi Gina, what's up?"

"Great news Ty. Jesse just phoned. Ian's attorney got back with him this evening. It's a go. He's accepted the buyout. You and I will be equal partners at the Sanctuary, how about that?"

"Really?" I said.

I found myself excited now over the prospect that this was really going to happen. I would have something of my own. I was elated.

Trey was looking over at me with a puzzled expression.

"So," Gina continued. "We need to get the funds together. Jesse says a cashier's check will do. I will call you in the morning with the exact amount okay? Jesse will also get the partnership LLC papers together."

"Sure Gina. I'll talk to you then."

I put the phone back on the nightstand and curled up next to Trey.

"What was that about?"

(Holy shit. . .)

"Oh that was Gina."

"I know it was Gina, Tylar. That much was fairly evident. What's going on?"

"She is going to buy out Ian's share of the club. She found a partner. She's stoked."

"She found a partner that quickly?"

"Yeah. It's me."



CHAPTER 21



I soon learned that Trey could give as well as he got when it came to the silent treatment. He hadn't said a word to me once he had stopped yelling. He was furious when I told him that I had used my savings account money to buy out Ian's share of the club. He said that I had no business doing that without discussing it with him first. I told him that I didn't see it that way.

He left for work the following morning without so much as kissing me good-bye. Gina came by at 10 a.m. to pick Preston and I up; we headed to the bank to get the cashier's check. We drove down to Trey's office building. I was thankful that Jesse was on a different floor. Jesse had received the signed bill of sale from Ian's attorney; he had prepared the LLC partnership agreement between Gina and me. It was fairly simple. The difficult part was yet to come.

I had no clue as to how to run a business; or in the case help run a business. Gina admitted that Ian had taken care of booking the talent, advertising, payroll, hiring and firing. She said she had trained the bartenders and scheduled their shifts, filling in when one of them called off. They had an outside accountant who kept the books. An audit and full accounting had been conducted prior to the drafting of the separation agreement that would become Gina and Ian's final divorce decree in about thirty days.

Our LLC was to take possession of the club immediately upon execution of transfer of title. It was ours starting now. Gina was ecstatic; I was scared shitless. It didn't help that Trey was not speaking to me. I needed his support now more than ever.

Gina said our first order of business was to fire the "skank" which she had no reluctance in doing. She announced that I would be the upstairs bartender after terminating the skank.

Of course I knew nothing about the science of mixology. My experience entailed getting a beer from the fridge for Trey or pouring myself a glass of wine. I hadn't even operated a computerized cash register. Gina didn't see that as an obstacle.

She presented me with my work uniform, which consisted of a short black skirt, tight white blouse with the first three buttons unbuttoned, and a silky black vest. I was instructed to wear dark hose and a minimum of 3" black heels. She gave me a bartender's guide for mixed drinks and scheduled training time for me over the next two days at the club for four hours a shot.

Jean had been released from rehab. She had called me her first day home letting me know that she was ready to start back to work. The timing was perfect. She assured me that she had no physical restrictions and felt as good as she had before the accident. When I asked if she might possibly be interested in babysitting while I started back to work she was thrilled at the idea. She assured me that she was more than up to caring for "her little angel." That warmed my heart immediately. She watched her the two afternoons while I underwent Gina's "training."

Tristan was coming to Atlanta to spend a long weekend with Libby. I didn't know exactly what Trey had planned as far as entertaining or hanging out with them since this would by my inaugural weekend as half-owner of the Sanctuary.

Jean was going to be at the apartment on Friday by 5:00 to stay with Preston until Trey got home. I had conveyed that to Trey verbally receiving little more than a nod and a grunt in return.

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