“Cool,” I replied.

“And Smithie called. He wants me to have a sit down with JoJo this afternoon, so I’m takin’ off to do that. And tomorrow they’re puttin’ our plaque on the wall in the hall.”

Tomorrow they were putting our plaque on the wall in the hall.

I smiled at her.

She smiled at me.

Then I hauled my ass to my office and booted up my machine.

I was clicking through the website Roxie designed for me when Daisy called from my door, “I’m gettin’ a sandwich, darlin’. Want me to get you one?”

I shook my head. “I’m not here long. I’ve gotta go meet Matt and go over our strategy for tonight. I’ll pick something up on the way.”

“Gotcha,” she murmured and turned on a wave and a, “Later.”

I watched the door close on her.

Then I thought about my plaque in the hall and meeting Matt later.

This brought me to thinking about Hank and Lee.

This sent my hand to my phone.

I called Shirleen.

“Girl, I just got done rappin’ with you,” was her greeting.

“You know,” I told her, getting to the point of what was really upsetting her, “they’re gonna grow up and when they do, they’re gonna leave.”

She said nothing, but I felt the vibes, and they were not good. Not angry, just unhappy. So I kept speaking.

“But what you need to know and never forget is that the love and stability you’ve given them since you’ve had them is the most precious thing they’ve had in their lives. And they’ll never forget that either. So they’re gonna grow up and they’re gonna live their lives. And because you gave them that, you are not ever gonna lose them.” I took in a breath and used Duke’s words. “But now, you need to give them freedom to fly.”

She again said nothing and I waited.

Then she said something.

“You’re right, child.”

“I know, Shirleen.”

“Still, gonna kick his ass if he knocks up some skinny white girl.”

I laughed and said, “I’ll help.”

“Good to know,” she murmured. “Later.”

Disconnect.

I put my phone on the desk and my eyes to the computer. I had them there approximately three seconds before the door to the suite opened.

Ren was sauntering in. Trousers. Dress shirt.

Delicious.

“Hey,” I called, getting out of my chair and moving around the desk.

His lips were quirking when he said, “You know, you don’t have to get up, babe.”

I made it to him, got on my toes, put a hand to his abs and touched my lips to his before I replied, “Yeah, I do.”

He shook his head, lips still quirking, and he asked, “Got a sec?’

“Sure,” I answered.

He jerked his head to my desk as it hit me we hadn’t broken that in yet, and I made a mental note to schedule that for the near future.

I moved to sit in my chair. He moved close and leaned against my desk, arms crossed on his chest, chin dipped, eyes on me.

“Vito and I just had it out,” he declared.

Shit.

Ren kept going.

“It was ugly and I’m done. I resigned.”

Fuck!

Ren wasn’t done.

“I got shit to tie up and Marcus isn’t quite ready. Vito’s got a month of me around to make the transition. Then I figure you and me can spend a couple of weeks on a beach. That’ll give Marcus time so when we come back I can get down to that.”

Nice.

Me. Ren. And a couple of weeks on a beach.

One could not say I liked why he had time for a vacation. But I was not going to argue with it.

Therefore, I agreed, “Okay.”

“Can you arrange it so you’re not workin’ anything and you can get away?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I answered.

“Good,” he muttered, but the look on his face said that nothing was good.