The Nation’s Jackpot Girl (BWWM)

53

MARCEL'S POV

She's a black woman.

A stubborn one at that.

She doesn't even have to act before I know she's stubborn. Women like her literally don't agree to anything that doesn't sit right with them and they are the trendsetters. The women that make men and women alike tremble.

But why was she sleeping in my car? With her luggages? Something must have happened and I am curious to know why.

I watch as she picks up the hamburger daintily. She is in no way acting like a homeless person and that alone spikes my curiosity. But I am patient so I wait for her to finish her food while I sip my coffee and reply to emails from my phone.

Occasionally, my eyes dart towards her. As much as she's someone I want to help, I can't help but deem her as attractive.

Her caramel skin is so smooth that if water pours on it, it's just going to move off like mercury on glass. Talk about how thick and perfectly carved her brows are? She looks like an exotic caribbean and someone from a country in west Africa.

She's also eating like she was born with a silver spoon. Not talking, making sure her mouth isn't full and chewing slowly..

I am a very rich man but when I am extremely hungry, I can eat like a rabid animal but she's so impressive. I really admire her and I think there's still more I need to know about her.

As soon as she's done eating, she wipes her mouth with a napkin and washes down what she ate with her coffee. I wait to hear any belching sound, tongue smacking on teeth or fingers going into my mouth to pick strands of meat but nothing like that happens and it leaves me extremely curious.

"Thank you Marcel," she says and smiles at me. "I've not had anything to eat since yesterday and this is so refreshing,"

"Why didn't you have anything to eat yesterday?" I ask. I don't know but I am so curious to know everything happening in her life. I gently place my phone on the table and focus my attention on her. I can attend to work later.

"Uhm, it's nothing really serious. I just didn't have the appetite,"

I didn't believe her so I narrowed my eyes. "Are you telling me the truth or it's just something you want to lie about?"

She laughs. "I am serious, Marcel. Yesterday was a really bad day for me,"

"And you're going to tell me about it," I say.

She looks really uncomfortable and I know I am really curious but I have to give her some space. Cut her some slack. "Or don't worry. We can always talk about it when you're ready to,"

"It's just some stupidly connected story. Like the universe decided to bring bad luck on me for just a full month. I'm glad it's month's end already. I hope nothing worse is waiting for me next month,"

"I'm sure next month is going to be really good for you,"

"I hope so," She replies and looks at me. Then she smiles.

~

JOCELYN'S POV

I am still contemplating on telling him. I mean, he's a total stranger and I'm sure he's not going to want to hear my sob story. But somehow, I can see that he's really interested in hearing what I want to say. He really is.

"Uhm, I got fired from where I work," I begin and he immediately takes the stance of a listening person. "It's really complicated."

"Well, nothing is complicated after it is solved, I guess,"

I nod. He's right. "Uhm, I had no idea that I had actually applied for a job at her son's company and the day I saw her was when I just got rejected. She offered me a job to work as her maid and even paid me triple of what she would normally pay. It wasn't something I would do but I had gotten rejected four times! Why? I was either too black or not white enough or too uptight or some other bullshit and she was offering me a job plus accommodation. I had to take it,"

"What jobs were you applying for?"

"I wanted to be anywhere in the business administration department. I didn't care if I was going to start from the low rank. I knew I was eventually going to be promoted once they knew my worth."

Marcel nods. "How long did you work there for and what happened?"

"I worked there for a month or two, I guess. I had no idea that I was working for the mother of one of them like I said. She was so nice to me. So so nice. She did not even treat me like a maid and that was because she knew my worth. It wasn't until the day before yesterday," I felt embarrassment and anger lace together as I spoke. I wanted to find Julian and make him pay for what he did to me.

I narrate my tale to Marcel and he listens all through.

"Do you happen to know their names? Of the four friends. It can be just one person,"

I sigh. "Julian McCartney."

As soon as I mentioned his name, Marcel sat up like he recognized them. "Julian McCartney,"

"You know him?" I ask.

He was brooding but he replied. "Yes, I do."

"Friends?" I ask, waiting a glitch of angry glance before changing back his smiling expression.

Marcel scoffs. "Never."

There's an awkward silence for a long time and we both don't say anything but he looks at me and smiles.

"Want to hear something good this morning? Something that might make next month really lucky for you?"

I nodded, wondering what he was talking about. "Of course. I need some good luck in my life to be very honest."

"Do you mind working as the head of my administration department? "

I nearly fell off my seat as he said those words. "What? You haven't even gone through my portfolio!"

He nods. "I know I haven't. But I believe you. You sound and look like a smart woman and I want you to work for me,"

"I must be dreaming." I say and slap my cheek.

This causes Marcel to burst into laughter.