Before Happily Ever After

CHAPTER 2: Larkin

Man, it was great to be back home! Don't get me wrong, I love being the CEO of my company and travelling to make decisions on what designs to put out there and such but I miss being home.

This trip however, was different than the others. I hate to lie to Kamille or keep anything from her but I haven't even told Nate or anyone really about what has been going on lately. something I haven't told anybody yet about.

This trip In particular wasn't so much about talks in opening up another store for our products and everything (like I had originally told Kamille). This trip was actually me closing our second out of three stores.

I had to close our other one almost a year ago but didn't tell Kamille yet about that one neither.

I guess I just went too big too soon. Then after recently telling her about my idea with adding an addition onto our business here at home for kids, I just don't know how to tell her about having had these places close on top of the fact I can't afford to add that addition.

I have already mortgaged our house and nearly begged to get a loan but nobody has been able to help me out.

I honestly feel like a failure. Even less like a man, husband and father.

I had thought business was going great but, the economy suddenly took a plunge and I don't know. Maybe the stores I had opened, killed me.

It is embarrassing, but I know that I need to tell Kamille eventually about everything. But for now, I just wanted to spend time with her and our kids.

So after waking up the next morning and dropping the kids off at school, both Kamille and I had stopped me 'catching up' to do - if you know what I mean.

When we had finished making love, we laid in each other's arms as we always did right afterwards and were relaxing when suddenly our house phone had gone off.

I looked to see the Caller ID and noticed it was from our Property Manager for our business.

"Hello?" I answered. "Yes....Yeah, of course.....We can be there in less than an hour." I tell the man then hang up.

"What did he want?" Kamille asks me.

"It wasn't our Property Manager but his lawyer. He said he wanted us to come down to his office today. He said it was important." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh shit. I forgot." Kamille says as she face palms herself.

"Forgot what?" I ask her confused.

"Yesterday while I was at work this guy had come in to give me an envelope from the office of the Property Manager and was going to wait to open it with you today." She tells me.

"Oh." I reply. Then I take in a breath and let it out before saying anything else. "Well, I'm sure everything is fine." I try and assure her.

"I hope so. I hope he doesn't raise the rent." She says.

We both get up and take a quick shower before heading down to the Property Manager's office where we were greeted by his receptionist and then saw a tall bodyguard-looking-guy in a nice and expensive suit come walking out from the office.

"Kamille!? Larkin!?" He greets us with a serious smile.

"Yes?" Kamille answers.

"Follow me, we have a lot to discuss." He says rather coldly and once we got into the office, we both took a seat across the desk from him.

"So why have you called us in?" I try and get to the point.

"I happen to be a good friend of Mr. Denton's." He begins.

"Who is that?" I asked feeling confused.

"He's the new Property Manager that bought out the old guy who sadly passed away a few days ago." He says coldly.

Kamille and I felt saddened a bit because the gentleman he was talking about was a kind man and we knew he had heard he had some money issues but he always seemed like a decent guy.

In fact, I am not sure even that he would have done what these other guys were doing as far as raising the rent and everything.

"So why isn't he here talking to us?" I asked.

"Because he is a very busy man and happens to be finishing up some business in Italy right now. He'll be in town by next week and go over more details if you'd like about the rent and everything. Which by the way, WILL be raised." He mentions.

Next he hands us a manilla envelope and tells us to go over the information and see if we will be able to afford the new raised rent or not.

I try hard not to freak out or panic but it's hard not to when I now have THIS to worry about on top of everything else.

Then again, maybe this Mr. Denton guy is a reasonable man.

Before this 'meeting' ends, I hear Kamille ask the guy something.

"Wait, does the man who brought me the letter yesterday, does he work for Denton too?" She asks.

"Oh, no. I just sent that guy to give it to you." He tells her.

I almost forgot about that guy.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)