Read The Savvy Sistahs for Free Online

guests, the change in hours would have made their stay at the St. Laurent more pleasurable. But Wilbur Green felt that, like in the past, they would put out more money to operate the snack bar than they would bring in.
    Brandy sighed deeply. Evidently somewhere in the mix of things Wilbur had forgotten that she was the one who made the final decisions on what she wanted and didn’t want for the hotel; further, it seemed the man lacked vision. Every time she made a suggestion he quickly followed it with a “But Mr. Ballentine never did it that way.” She’d had to keep a firm grip on her lips to stop from saying anything that would make her openly clash with the man. She had appreciated his opinions but he had to realize that she was the one in charge, not Lorenzo. And she had the final word.
    Brandy was bending down to pick her briefcase up off the floor when she saw a vase holding a single red rose sitting in the center of her desk. She smiled, thinking that someone was glad she was back from California and had been thoughtful.
    Walking over to her desk, she lifted the vase and took a sniff of the red rose. It smelled heavenly. She placed the vase back down on her desk and picked up the card that had been left beside it.
    She quickly opened it, and moments later her hands began to shake.
    Welcome back. I’ve missed you. I think it’s time you know that I’ve been watching you for quite some time and I like what I see. I want you and I will have you.
    The Man

Chapter 2
Carla
    W ill there be anything else, Ms. Osborne?” Carla smiled, her expression thoughtful as she tilted her head back. It had been a long day and she was looking forward to its ending. “Yes, one other thing. I still have to make a decision about James Mason’s party.”
    Her secretary, Michelle Winthrop, nodded as she placed her writing pad aside. Michelle had started working as her secretary last year and had come highly recommended from her retiring secretary, Ora Hansberry. Ora had been with the company longer than anyone, starting out as Carla’s father, Craig Osborne’s, secretary right out of high school. Michelle was Ora’s granddaughter, so of course she would have nothing but high praise for her. But Michelle had the goods to back up the praise. She had attended two years of junior college and was now attending night classes at the University of Central Florida to obtain a degree in Business Administration. The two of them worked well together and Michelle was turning out to be as efficient a secretary as her grandmother had been.
    “Yes, you do,” Michelle said, breaking into Carla’s thoughts. “And I’d like to be so bold as to suggest that you attend. All the new minority business owners in the area will be attending. If you must, think of attending as an investment in Osborne Computer Network’s future. But seriously, you really do need to get out and enjoy yourself more.”
    Carla couldn’t help but chuckle. Michelle’s calm, ever professional and efficient manner had slipped into that of a concerned employee as she stated a concern that a number of her other employees shared as well: the fact that their boss spent a lot of time at the office and didn’t have much of a social life. But what she’d tried to convince them of for the past two years—although they refused to buy it—was the fact that her two-year-old son, Craig, provided her with all the social life she needed.
    “When is the last day to send out the RSVP?” Carla asked as she toyed with her pen. Attending the affair meant leaving Craig with a sitter for an entire weekend, and although she’d done so when she’d had out-of-town business trips, she’d always seen those trips as more of a necessity. This was a beach party. Even if it was being thrown by James Mason.
    “Tomorrow.”
    Carla smiled. “Then I’ll make my decision by tomorrow and if needed, a courier can deliver it to him.”
    Michelle nodded as she stood. “If there’s nothing else