Page 48 of Elite Connections: an LGBTQ Romance Charity Anthology

“Dowe have to go over it again?” the voice across the table whines. You’d think she was five instead of seventy-five.

“Gram, this is my very first conference with these girls. I want it to go off without a hitch.”

She waves me off. “You’re a badass businesswoman who runs the world before thirty. They’re teenagers. They’ll believe whatever you say.”

“I’ll tell them the sky is purple then and call it a day.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” she snickers.

“Then will you please help me?”

“Fine.” She holds out her hand and I give her my notecards. Adjusting her thick, oversized glasses, she assesses the cards. Her once brown hair is now completely gray. I hope I can age as gracefully as she has one day.

“Thank you.”

“Why are you so nervous about this? You’ve made grown men cry.”

Water spurts out of me over the mouthful I drank. “That was one time.”

Her eyes are sparkling across from me. “And what a beautiful thing it was, darling. Weak men couldn’t handle a woman like you.”

“Then it’s a good thing I don’t need a man.”

Taking off her glasses, Gram pierces me with a knowing stare. And because this isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation, I know exactly what is coming.

“You haven’t met a nice young lady, have you?”

“I told you, I’m not really looking right now.”

“You’re not getting any younger, Raven.”

“I know.” She tells me this every time we get together now it seems. “Most people don’t get married now until later.”

“Your mother was ten years old by the time I was your age!” she nags.

“If I tell you I’ll try, would you at least drop it? For now?”

“Telling me you’ll try and actually doing it are two different things, darling. Don’t think I don’t know how you’re playing this.”

Nothing gets by my Gram.

When I moved to Seattle for college to be closer to my grandparents, I never imagined I would take over their business.

Sure, I wanted to follow in their footsteps and work for West Investments, but I never thought I would be the CEO.

I thought I would have more of a life before that happened.

Now, work is my life.

“If you don’t find someone soon, I might have to resort to setting up your dating profile.”

My jaw drops. “You wouldn’t dare,” I finally say.

“Hmm, I like this idea.” She ignores me. “Who wouldn’t want a catch like you? Good hips and nice eyes. Personality could use some work. Other than that, you’d be any woman’s dream. Maybe there’s a working women dating app I could find for you.”

“Hey, personality does not need work!” I balk.

“I love you, dear, but work can’t be everything if you want to settle down.”

“If you want me to settle down, then why would you use a working women app for me?”

Gram waves me off. “You’re right. That makes you sound like a hooker. Nothing wrong with that, but you’re not.”

Not how I saw this conversation going. “Gram. I have to go. I need to get back to the office and do some things before the conference tonight.”

“Sure, sure.” She waves at me like I’m interrupting her day.

“I love you.” I drop a quick peck on her cheek. “Don’t you dare set a dating profile up for me. You haven’t heard the end of this.”

“Love you, dear.”

I pay the bill on the way out and call for a rideshare to get back to the office. No use in trying to find a cab when it’s another rainy, summer day. Answering emails on the way back to work, I can’t help but think about Gram’s words.

It’s not like I’m not trying to find someone. It’s just that no one wants to date someone who works eighteen hours a day.

My company demands it.

I love what I do.

When I took over West Investments, I overhauled the kinds of companies we bought and supported.

Small businesses.

Women-owned.

Minority-owned.

I wanted everyone to feel supported, no matter their background. It’s how I was raised. With two loving parents and two sets of grandparents, I never had to worry about coming out to them.

It’s my small way of paying it forward.

Getting back to the office, I wave to the security officer and take the elevator straight up to the top floor.

Everything is sleek and modern. Light gray walls with pink and teal accents. Hardwood floors give it a warm feel when you step inside our offices. Floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the sound greet me, but today it’s hard to see anything except fog and rain.

“How are things here?” I drop my phone in my bag and take the file from my assistant, Chelsea. No doubt she was awaiting my arrival.

“Are you ready for the good news?” She’s vibrating with excitement as she follows me to my corner office.

“What?”

“That company you’ve been eyeing? TraveLLin’? It’s up for sale.”

“Wait, really?” I open the folder she gave me, and right there in black and white is the information for the company I’ve been dreaming about.

“It looks like the owner and her wife are wanting to retire.”

My eyes fly across the page. The company’s history, finances, everything…it’s all outlined right there for potential buyers.

“I can’t believe this is real.”

There’s no way I heard her right.

“See for yourself.” She taps a few things on her iPad and hands it over to me.

There, on their social media page is a long post about how the owner is ready to enjoy a slower pace of life. It’s a sentimental post. Talking about how she met her partner and how she grounded her while she spent most of her days at the office or traveling the world.

“Isn’t it cute how she came up with the name traveLLin’?” Chelsea asks, a wistfulness to her voice. Her amber eyes are soft as she tucks a pen into the blonde bun sitting on top of her head. So she doesn’t lose them she once told me.

“The two L’s for lesbian?” I smile back at her. It’s well documented how she named the company when she fell in love with her wife.

Normally, I’d enjoy the sappy side of a business.

But I’m trying to absorb all this information as best I can.

Because there is no way I’m going to lose this.

“Do you have any more information? Are they meeting with potential buyers?”

“Hang on.”

Chelsea takes the iPad back from me and starts tapping into some files.

The company I’ve dreamed about owning since I first found out about it. An LGBTQIA+ company that specializes in safe travel around the world for people like me.

When I first discovered it in college, I was planning a backpacking trip with my girlfriend at the time and loved everything they had. Places to go, things to avoid. Everything about it called to me.

If I wasn’t already set to follow in the family business, I would’ve worked there.

Except the company is based in Milan. And there was no way that I would’ve gotten my girlfriend to move there after college.

“Okay. There’s an attachment here regarding the sale.”

Strutting around my glass desk, I hover over her shoulder, reading the information.

“Good.” I point to something on the screen. “We’ll have that initial capital. Get the rest of the paperwork in order tomorrow. I’m not going to lose this because we’re twiddling our thumbs.”

“I know.” Chelsea has a huge grin on her face. “Trust me, boss. I will do everything I can to make sure this deal happens for you.”

“God, I need something to drink.”

“Here.” Chelsea hands me the tablet and heads to the drink cart in the corner.

The Seattle sky beyond the windows is starting to turn a dark gray. I normally love this time of year.

The cool breeze coming off the sound makes the summer days bearable, but we’re going through a rainy spell.

Except nothing can ruin my day today.

“Drink.”

The iced tea slides down my throat, settling my nerves as I read over the sale information.

Until my eyes latch on to one piece of information.

“Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Chelsea asks.

“There. The last paragraph.”

“Eden Sands is looking to invite potential buyers and their partners to an event in Milan prior to the sale. Eden is looking to sell traveLLin’ to a well-rounded businessperson that understands the delicate nature of a work-life balance.”

“So you take a girlfriend? What’s the big deal?”

“Big deal?” My voice gets loud as my head snaps around to face her. “In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have one.”

“Well…you could…how about…”

She taps a manicured finger against her lips, trying to brainstorm.

The one thing I’ve always wanted is so close I can taste it. There’s no way I’m going to let some other person snatch this company out from under me because I don’t have a partner.

I will do whatever it takes to get this company.

Fuck. Almost anything.

Maybe Gram was on to something.

Except, how the hell am I going to find someone to be my girlfriend in the next week?