“Uh . . . hey. It’s me.”
She was hesitant to respond. “I’m sorry, I don’t recognize the voice.” Robyn knew exactly who was on the other line but was irritated that he thought she should know who it belonged to.
“Right. I deserve that. It’s me, Maxwell.”
“What do you want?” Robyn was tired and didn’t want to deal with all the emotional trauma that went with him.
“I was hoping we could talk.”
“About what?”
“Us.”
Robyn sighed. “Maxwell, there is no us.”
“There should be.”
“Really? That’s what you think? Because if I recall we decided to move on with our lives.”
Maxwell ignored her last response. “I guess you didn’t get the flowers I sent for your birthday? Did you read the card?”
“Yes. I got them and threw them away, so no, I didn’t read the card.”
Maxwell could hear the anger in her voice and started to explain. “I’ve been out of the country the past few weeks, and this is the first chance I’ve had to call, but the card explained everything. When I didn’t hear from you . . .”
She was getting amped up. “No, you will not put this back off on me. I don’t want to hear it. There are cell phone towers every damn where. You cannot say move on Robyn and then do shit like this. You decided we should just get on with our lives. That’s what I’ve done – moved the hell on.”
“Robyn–”
She interrupted him. “No, let me be clear, I haven’t seen you in six months, and I’ve only heard from you once or twice in all that time. You’ve taken zero steps or shown any initiative for anything after using me. Now that you’re ready to explore something more, you think I should be? Like I said, I’ve moved on. You should do the same for real this time.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do!” His own frustration was spilling over. “If you had read the damn card, it would have made everything clear.”
Robyn closed her eyes. “Maxwell, I’m tired. I’m fairly confident there was nothing in the card that would have mattered. I’m so over us that it’s not even funny. We agreed to put the past behind us. That’s what I’ve done. You need to do the same.”
“I want to see you. I want to explain.”
She refused to entertain this conversation a moment longer. “I’ve got to go.” Robyn hung up. She didn’t want to give Maxwell and opportunity to convince her to do otherwise.
The conversation went better than Maxwell expected. However, this was definitely a set back. But if Robyn thought she had had the last word, she couldn’t be more wrong. Maxwell would show her better than he could tell her.
*****
A Week Later . . .
Robyn had to meet with a new client in her New York office. It was one of those high-maintenance ones that only wanted to work with her.
She sat in the conference room working on her laptop, waiting for the appointment to arrive. They were late. She absolutely hated when clients kept her waiting but that was how it went with the famous and fabulously wealthy.
The intercom in the center of the table buzzed. She leaned over, reached out, and answered it. “Yes.”
Her assistant responded. “Your appointment is here.” Her hushed excitement sounded as if she was fangirling and trying to keep it together.
“Okay. Please, send them in.” Robyn stood. She smoothed down her white pencil skirt and matching jacket.
When the door opened. Her mouth dropped. “Oh, my!”
“Ms. Levy?”
Quickly, she pulled it together. Robyn’s smile spread across her entire face. “I’m sorry. Yes. I’m Robyn Levy.” She extended her hand.
He shook it. “Great. I’m sorry for being late, and thanks for still being able to fit me in.” He stepped inside the room.
She was still smiling from ear to ear. “It’s no problem. If I had known my favorite actor would be walking through that door, I would have cleared my entire schedule.”
He smiled too. “My assistant used an alias when she scheduled the appointment. You know how it is with paparazzi.”
Robyn nodded. “Of course. My company will be able to provide you with complete anonymity, and I’ll be honored to work with you.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Ms. Levy, if you don’t mind, I promised a friend a favor, and I hope you can help me.”
Her smile faltered, and she looked confused. “What’s the favor? If it’s possible, I’ll do what I can.”
“Great. All I need is for you to stand there and listen to me deliver one of the most memorable lines from one of my movies, for one of the coolest dudes I know.”
Robyn slowly took a seat. “O-okay.”
He cleared his throat and got into character. Within moments he became the character Darius Lovehall and started his monologue.
“Say baby, can I be your slave?
I’ve got to admit girl, I shit girl
And I am digging you like a grave
“Now do they call you daughter to the Spinning Pulsar
Or maybe Queen of 10,000 Moons, Sister to the distant yet
Rising star
“Is your name Yemaya? Oh hell nah, it’s got to be Oshun
“Ooh is that a smile me put on your face child?
Wide as a field of jasmine and clover
“Talk that talk honey, walk that walk money
High on legs that’ll spite Jehovah
Shit, who am I
It’s not important
But they call me brother to the night
And right now I am the blues in your left thigh
Trying to become the funk in your right
“Who am
