James snapped his eyes to hers, mouth open. His lips moved, but no sound formed. Rolling, her eyes, Jennifer slowly lowered the glass.
"I guess what I really mean is if that's something men like you do?"
"Men like me?" James frowned.
Jennifer sat the glass down. "I mean men with the type of weatlh you have."
"We're not all alike, Jennifer," James said softly. The air was still heavy, despite James's attempt to lighten the mood. He didn't honestly understand what Jennifer was trying to say, but he didn't like the way it sounded, whatever it was.
"No, I know that," Jennifer struggled. "I just," she paused and took a deep breath. She didn't readily try to speak again, but turned from James and leaned her legs towards the left side of the plane and further away from him.
"There is something men with your kind of wealth have in common," Jennifer tried again, a bit more somber. She didn't meet James's eyes and spoke lowly, as if she didn't want Carolyn to hear. James glanced towards the front of the plane. The older woman was seated comfortably in the bucket seat working on something involving a crocheting hook and two skiens of yarn.
"You guys aren't limited in the way that average people are," Jennifer said slowly, as if chosing her words carefully. She turned to James and watched him. "I mean, we're in a private jet, James. Money like that gives you priveliges."
At length, James nodded. "You're right."
"Do you think it changes the way you think sometimes? Like that man thinking I could be bought with his money? What does that even mean?"
James blinked and forced a deep breath. This conversation took a sudden turn into an area he wasn't planning on treading.
"Can you answer that?" Jennifer looked over James's face. "Can you answer that honestly?"
Wetting his lips, James rubbed his hands together to buy himself some time. He didn't think he honestly knew the answer to that.
"I can try," he said at length, meeting Jennifer's eyes again. She smiled weakly.
"I'd like that. I want to know about the kind of man that has so much clout they think they can just buy us."
"You know, some do."
Jennifer frowned. "What?"
"You know, there's the sex trade. Human trafficking."
A sound escaped Jennifer's throat that was a mixture between a growl and groan of disgust.
"I hear you," James said, "I'm not one of those guys. But," he shrugged, and considered Jennifer's question thoroughly. "When you start to amass the type of weath that "men like me have" to use your words," he chuckled, "you'll find that we do look at the world differently, I think." James's chest heaved up as he inhaled deeply. "When we're met with resistance, we don't crumble because we don't live pay check to pay check."
"You can make thousand dollar purchases in cash."
James looked at her and nodded. "Some of us. Others can be worth millions and be kind of broke."
"What?"
With another sturdy nod, James pressed his back into his chair. "Yes. It's called a cash flow thing. They might own tons of real estate but not actually have enough monthly cash flowing in to sustain their daily way of living."
Jennifer considered James's words. She turned to him then, and leaned on the console between them. It was the closest she had dared to get to him since they had taken off.
"And what about the men that have no such problem? Is life just a game of money and clout to those guys?"
James chuckled nervously. "What are you talking about?"
"Would you ever use your money to try and seduce a woman into liking you?"
James would have spit out his drink if he had had any in his mouth. He sat up suddenly and faced Jennifer, completely confused.
"What?"
Jennifer watched James with a face that changed from determined to withdrawn. She sat up straight, and then back towards the left side of the plane and away from him. She stared out the window listlessly.
"Nevermind," she muttered.
James eyed her. "Are you talking about me?"
"No."
"Hey," James tapped her forearm. He didn't know if it was a good idea to follow her into this type of conversation, but there was something about the way she questioned him that unnerved him. He had never in his life offered a woman "the world" for love, sex, or time. The very question was offensive.
"What?" Jennifer tried to shrug his hand away, so James pulled it back.
"We're both adults. If something's troubling you, why don't you just tell me?" James kept his voice calm.
Jennifer didn't bother to maintain James's eye contact. She stared straight ahead. She didn't even aknolwedge that she had heard him. After several seconds had passed, James sighed and started to turn away. It was then that Jennifer lifted her head and turned to him, her mouth open. James faced her quickly, eager to hear what she might say.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our descent into Summit, New Jersey. As we start our descent, please make sure your seat backs and trays have been replaced to their original position," Carolyn's voice was a smooth interjection over what Jennifer had started to say. When the older woman stopped speaking, Jennifer met James's eyes with a soft smile.
With a deep breath, Jennifer shrugged. "Looks like it's time to get into business mode." James let his gaze linger on Jennifer's for a little longer before he answered her.
"I guess you're right." He ran his eyes over his face. She had already swtiched gears. Play time was over. His heart sank.
"Can you brief me on this client?" Jennifer asked after finishing off the contents of her glass. She motioned to Carolyn. "Please, Miss. A bottle of water and a glass of ice?"
"I'll have the same," James cut in. He ignored the side glance Jennifer had given him and closed his eyes, trying to get his thoughts together. He needed to be carefulif he planned on playing his cards right. Although he really didn't want to discuss business just yet, he decided that perhaps this was just the type of distraction they needed.
There really wasn't much to do in New Jersey with Tim. He imagined they would discuss more about what the company needed, but he already had a fail safe plan for the young training firm to utilize. The rest of the board members were over cautious of stepping state boundaries into New York City, but that's because they were just cautious individuals. If they knew the true potential that stepping over the state lines would mean for their business, they would have done it yesterday.
A personal visit from himself would give the board the confidence they needed to try out an office in New York. They wouldn't regret it. Their client list would probably triple, their annual profits would more than likely double, and each board member would probably make an extra million within the year. That type of money calling had a way of changing perspectives. Sure it wasn't much, but a buck was a buck and snagging an extra mil on top of an annual salary that grossed six digits was nothing to shake a stick at.
James cleared his throat and eagerly accepted the water as Carolyn brought them the requested refreshments. They each poured their water in silence, drinking a full cup in the same manner before they turned to each other and acknowledged that they were ready to work.
It wasn't necessarily a disappointing end to the plane ride. There was still the trip back to Chicago, not to mention the time they'd spend in Summit together.
James cleared his throat and began to relay the information about their potential newest client. This was the easy part. Talking business with Jennifer was always a pleasure because she kept herself so knowledgable about their industry, trade, and practices as a consultating firm.
They created a list of information they would need to make certain reports that would reveal the information needed to sway the rest of the board members. If all went well, James believed they could be back in New Jersey at the beginning of the following week to make a presentation and seal the deal. That thought excited him.
He didn't need their little contract, although he was certain he'd get it. He just liked visiting his old home. It put his mind at ease when he came back. He was certain that Jennifer couldn't know that about him, but he frequented New Jersey often. There were even some months when he went back as much as every weekend.
Of course, whenever he was in town, his heart ached to see his old friend, Melony Richards, but there was nothing romantic there. They had gone to school together and had remained the closest of buds ever since. If there was any other woman on earth who might have known him as much as Jennifer did, it was Melony.
Chapter Nine
Unmasked, Unveiled
The plane landed within thirty minutes after the descent announcement had been made. It was just before 3 pm in the new time zone when they touched down. The time seemed to bother Jennifer, but James wasn't too worried about it.