.
"Busy? Now you know that's bull c rap!" Travis says, agitated.
"Calm down Travis!" Melaine looks up from her
screen. "Look, we've both spoken to Colin. If he says he's happy with the progress
of the Caspian Lampros relaunch, then he's happy." She tells him with
authority.
"Suppose he wan ts to change
everything at the last minute. You know he's done that before." Travis
reminds Melaine.
"He wouldn't Travs...He just wouldn't." Melaine
smiles mischievously. Travis studies Melaine's face, then with his both arms,
leans onto her desk, and loo ks her squarely in the
eyes.
"What's going on Melaine? What do you have on
Colin?" Travis sharply asked.
Melaine's smile grows more devious. She remains quiet.
Travis couldn't break her, regardless of how persistent he becomes. Travis
gives in. He sits in one of the chairs across from
her.
"Ok Mel. Sink or swim, it's all on you now."
Travis surrenders.
"Why, thank you very much sir." Melaine responds,
and the two old friends laugh.
"By the way Mel, do you remember Katya? The marketing
manager we hired to oversee marketing of all our
foreign offices? Well, she called me to inquire as to whether Colin is
ill." Travis tells Melaine in between laughs.
"What? Why would she asks that?" Melaine asks in
unbelief. Travis chuckles.
"He hasn't responded to any of her advances." Travis divulges. Melaine raises her eyebrows.
"Oh my!" Melaine bellows an uproarious laugh.
"Well, well, well seems that our boy is changing." She tells Travis,
and the two become enraptured in merriment.
"Is that even possible?" Travis asks in between laughs.
"I guess we will find out." Melaine responds
comically.
Travis, and Melaine remain in her office
travelling-down-memory-lane. "Do you even remember what it was exactly
that turned Colin into such a playboy?" Travis eventually says. Melaine smiles knowingly. She remembers very well. Travis,
Colin, and Melaine attended the same college. Colin was always a go-getter, but
he wasn't always a lady-killer. He actually dated one person, very seriously in
College. Her name was Mary Aggio. Ma ry wore
complementary bangs, and her thick brown hair flowed past her shoulders. She
was über-confident, and knew what she wanted out of life. She was determined
that she would be the next Picasso. However, the art student turned her
passions toward anothe r charismatic artist, and broke
Colin's heart into pieces. From that day forward, Colin swore to never fixate
on any one female that way again. So the question is - What's seemingly turning
him around.
"Wow Mel, I forgot about that, you know. You don't fo rget anything." Travis remarks following Melaine's
detailed recap. "Let's close up the shop, and call it a night."
Travis recommends.
"Certainly! It'll all be here tomorrow." Melaine
agrees, pushes back her chair from her desk, turns off the lights, and w alks out while Travis holds her office door open.
CHAPTER 5
The Lampros yacht building warehouse is transformed.
Melaine, and her team have elegantly converted the
brick and mortar compound into a location fit for Royalty. Red, black and gold
is tastefully draped in just about every corner. Two large completed yachts -
ready to be shipped out - fill out the majority of the w arehouse. Guests partake in part of the formal reception, on one yacht,
while they have the opportunity to tour the other. The entrance of the
warehouse is laden with a red carpet, and adorned with a humungous Step Repeat
Banner displaying "Lampros Yatchts " and
"Lampros Enterprises" artistically.
Patrons are arriving, and Renee completes checking on the
motion graphics, on each of the fifteen screens throughout, just in time. She
stands in the yacht, that is prepared to receive tours, twitching, and fidget ing in her long black designer gown. It exposes her left
shoulder, and she is decorated with gold accessories. Melaine ensured that her
voluminous hair was blown out, and fashionably styled into a French braid that
encompassed the