Reno Gabrini: A Man in Full (6 page)

“Let me make sure I understand you,” Reno said, still remarkably calm.  “You want me to pack up my family, move out of our home upstairs, and turn our home over to you?  Is that what you’re requesting?”

Shay smiled what the press often called that sweet smile that could melt the sun.  Only it looked reptilian to Reno.  “Yes,” she said.  “That’s exactly what I’m requesting.”

Reno nodded his head.  And then stood up.  “You can take your request,” he said to her, “and shove it up your ass.” 

The entire room went silent when he spoke so harshly to their breadwinner. 

The breadwinner was stunned.  “What did you just say to me?”

“Shove it up your ass,” Reno said again, even louder, his face frowned with anger.  “If you don’t like the terms, then leave.  Get the hell out.  I’ve got a hundred stars clamoring to take your place.  A thousand stars who’d give a right arm to headline at the PaLargio.  Are you fucking kidding me?  Who the fuck you think you are?  You don’t run this.  I was running this joint when your no-talent ass was shitting in diapers, do you think you’re dealing with some fucking novice here?”  Reno asked this with a look that made him wonder if she really did think he was some newbie to the game.

He continued.  “You’d better get your shit together, Shay, do you hear me?  I’m tired of your bullshit.  You get your ass downstairs and do your performance like the pro you’re supposed to be and leave me the hell alone.  If I have to come up here again about some new nonsense of yours, I’ll invoke the morals clause of that contract and toss you out on your fat ass.  And I’ll have the paparazzi outside waiting to photograph the toss.  And if you don’t believe me, if you think I’m blowing smoke up that ass, then try me.  I’m begging you to.”

Then Reno looked at her entourage, who collectively backed up as soon as his cold, blue eyes looked their way, and then he looked back at Shay.  “As simple as that,” he said, and then left the room.

Lee shook his head as he followed behind his boss.  He had warned Shay that nothing good would come of her continual badgering.  He had warned her how stirring up Reno’s ire was just like playing with fire.  But when Lee glanced back, and saw the look of anger, rather than humiliation, on her face, he knew she still didn’t get it.  He knew she still was determined to toss that match on that gasoline all the same, just to see, with her entourage egging her on, if it would really explode.

  Reno, however, already had his mind on other things.  Anything was better than dealing with divas.  His phone began ringing as Lee joined him in the corridor and they began walking back toward the elevators.

“She’s nuts, Reno,” Lee said.

“Crazy as goat shit,” Reno agreed.  When he pulled out his phone and saw who was calling, he glanced up at Lee.  “I’ll check you up later,” he said to his right hand man and Lee, understanding, walked on ahead of his boss. 

Reno then pinched his temple as he walked slowly along the corridor, his suit, though expensive, rumpled and showing signs of serious distress. “What is it?” he asked into his phone.

“She just went to dinner,” the voice on the other end said.

“Yeah, so,” Reno replied.  “What are you bothering me about that for?”

“A very attractive man is with her.”

Reno slowed his walk.  “Yeah?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do I know him?”

“I don’t think so.  I’ve never seen him before, that’s for sure.”

“You have his photo I take it?”

“I do.”

“Shoot it to me,” Reno ordered, and then killed the call. 

Within seconds a series of photos arrived on Reno’s phone.  He stopped walking completely as he looked at them.  First it was the photo of the guy.  Tall, handsome black guy.  And Reno knew immediately who he was.  Jody fucking Parks.  Then he was opening the passenger side door of a car, helping Trina in.  Then he was walking in front of the car to get to the driver’s side, and he was photographed with a big grin on his face.  As if, Reno thought, he was a man who couldn’t believe his good luck. 

Then more photos came in.  Jody and Trina getting out of the car at a restaurant Reno knew as The Carlton.  It wasn’t a fancy restaurant by any means.  Reno certainly wouldn’t have taken Trina to a place like that.  It didn’t even have valet parking for crying out loud.  But it was close to Champagne’s, which, he assumed, was the point. 

And then there was the final photo where they were walking through the double doors of that restaurant, and Jody had his big ass hand on the small of Trina’s back.

Reno stared at that last photograph, and the fact that this man was touching his wife so intimately, and then he began walking again. 

Only Reno was walking much faster now.

FIVE

“A toast,” Jody said as he lifted his glass toward Trina’s.  They were at a booth inside the Carlton and had already placed their dinner orders.  Now they were having a toast.

“And to what are we toasting?” Trina asked as she lifted her glass too. 

“You, my dear,” Jody said.  “Always you.”

Trina smiled, clanked her glass with his, and then sipped from her wine, looking at Jody as she did.  He was definitely a looker, she thought, and had that swag in spades.  But she didn’t get it.  His showing up like this felt too surprising, too out of the blue for her comfort.  She needed to keep this strictly business.

“You said you turned Moniff’s around,” she said.  “It’s a high end clothing store just like mine.”

“Exactly,” Jody said.

“So how did you manage that?  I heard they were doing even worse than Champagne’s.  I heard they were in receivership.”

“They were close to that point, yes,” he said.  “But I came in and didn’t just look at their books, but I looked at their approach as well.  And you know what I found?”

“What?” Trina asked, completely interested.

“I found they had a high-end store with very low-end expectations.  They were having sales and store busters and
come one, come all
just to move merchandise.”

“That’s what we have too.  You have to have sales.”

“Why, Tree?” Jody asked.  “Why would a high-end store like Champagne’s and Moniff’s need to put their clothes on sale?”

“Not just to move merchandise, although that’s critical,” Trina said, “but to drive in some foot traffic.”

“But what kind of foot traffic, Tree?  Any random person off the street, or the kind of clientele that you know you will need to sustain your business in the long run?  Wealthy people aren’t looking for deals.  They’re looking for uniqueness, for some serious quality.  The fact that they have to pay more is actually a turn-on for them.  I mean, think about it.  When you go shopping, what do you look for?  The latest sale, or something different, something funky, something that makes a statement about you?”

Trina smiled. “You are so right, Jody.  You are so right!”

“Sales and bargains may drive in the sales and bargains crowd, but they won’t do a thing for the kind of clientele your store is aimed at.  The sales and bargains crowd, in fact, may run away the very customers you need.  They don’t want to be like everybody else.  They don’t want to walk down a street and see some regular girl in their outfit.  They’ll never shop at Champagne’s again.  So that’s what I do.  I sell attitude.  I change the entire mood of a business.”

“And it works?” Trina asked.

“Hell, yeah, it works.  I utilize this brain the good Lord gave to me for optimum effect.”

Trina nodded. 
Yes, you do
, she was about to say, but then she saw something very familiar in her periphery.  When she looked toward the entrance, and saw her husband walking toward her booth, a part of her wasn’t surprised at all, and a part of her, the bigger part of her, was shocked. 

“Reno?” she asked as he approached.

Jody, watching her, turned to where her eyes had wandered.  And coming toward them was the man he used to work for.  A man who fired him just for, in essence, calling his wife hot.  He didn’t expect to see him tonight.  But there he was, in his rumpled suit and messy hair, looking as if he couldn’t care less about fashion. 
Here goes
, Jody thought, as he stood to his feet and buttoned his own expensive, but far better preserved, suit.

“What are you doing here?” Trina was asking her husband as Jody stood.

“I saw your car outside,” Reno lied.  He looked at Jody. 

“Hey, Reno,” Jody said with a smile.  “Long time, no see.”

Reno looked him up and down.  Handsome bastard, he thought.  “How are you?” he asked.

“I’m good,” Jody said.  “It’s good to see you again, man.  I know we parted on less-than-friendly circumstances.”

Reno looked at Trina.  She knew it too. 

 “So I suggest,” Jody suggested, “we start over again.”  He extended his hand.  “I’m Jody Parks.  I take it you’re Katrina’s other half?”

Reno knew Jody’s old tricks.  But before he blew his cool completely he had to make sure he was up to them right now.  “Her better half,” Reno said with a mild smile as he shook Jody’s hand.  Trina and Jody both were surprised.

“We were just talking about good business sense,” Jody said. 

“Oh, yeah?” Reno said as he sat in the booth beside his wife.  “That sounds all warm and fuzzy.” 

Jody laughed, sitting down too.  He knew he had to tread lightly with Reno.

Reno looked at his wife.  “Speaking of warm and fuzzy,” he said as he leaned over to her and kissed her on the lips. 

Trina inwardly smiled when he kissed her, although she was pissed that he had followed her, or, more likely, had her followed. 

“How are you?” he asked her.

“I’m great.  And you?”

“What are you doing here?  I thought I told you to stay away from this character.”

Jody was surprised he had gone there this quickly, but Trina wasn’t.  “He has some great ideas that could help me turn Champagne’s around.  That’s what he does now.  He’s a turnaround expert.”

“Oh, yeah?  And what’s he good at turning around?  His own bullshit?”

Jody  laughed.  “No, Reno.  I’m good at turning around businesses.  I take failing businesses and turn them around.  Businesses like Champagne’s.”

“All Champagne’s need is a change in location.  I put that store inside the PaLargio and it’ll run itself.  Tree wouldn’t have to lift a finger.  The solution is already at her fingertips.  She doesn’t need you to tell her shit about that store.”

It was the first sign of Reno’s infamous temper.  But it was subtle still, although both Trina and Jody felt the heat.

“Anyway,” Jody said, “I thought I could impart some of the lessons I’ve learned so that she could make her store a success right where it is.  Which, if I understand her correctly, is what she ultimately wants.”

Reno stared at him.  “And what’s the bottom line?”

“He says I need to change my perspective,” Trina said.

“She needs to change the way she views her business,” Jody added.

“No shit?” Reno said.  “It’s just a mind thing, is it?  It’s all in her mind?”  Reno couldn’t believe Trina was sitting up here buying this crap.  “So what does she have to do?  Will the people in?  Believe they’ll come, and they’ll come?”

“Reno, don’t start.  It’s not like that.  He’s giving me some good advice.”

Reno didn’t like the fact that she would let this guy within ten feet of her, let alone take his advice, but he held his peace.

“I apologized to Trina,” Jody said, “so I think I should apologize to you.  Last year, when I intimated that your wife had some kind of interaction with me that wasn’t appropriate, I was as wrong as I could be.  And I apologize for that.  Will you accept my apology?”

Reno stared at him, as if he was genuinely touched by Jody’s apology, but Jody knew better.  Reno was never touched by anything.  He just didn’t want to show his true colors in front of his wife.  “Yeah, sure,” Reno said without blinking an eye.  “I accept it.”

Trina looked at Reno, amazed. “You do?”

Reno leaned back.  “Why not?  We’re all adults here.  Used to be good friends.  I have enough sense to know people can change.  Most times they don’t, but sometimes they do.”

“And I have changed, Reno. I have a steady girlfriend, a thriving business, things are going better than I ever thought they could when I left the PaLargio.”

When he left the PaLargio, Reno thought snidely.  His ass was fired, but he was talking as if he simply walked away.

But Reno went along with the game.  Trina was desperate to find a solution, anything to aid her business without his intervention, and then Jody comes along.  With all of this great advice.  And Trina was eating it up.  So Reno held his peace.  He even laughed and talked and placed his own drink and dinner orders.  And then Trina needed to get some relief.

“Excuse me guys,” she said as she moved to get up.  She had to use the restroom.  She hated that she had to leave these two alone, but she had no choice.  She really did have to go!

Reno stood, let her out, and then watched as she headed for the restrooms.  He especially watched the various men watching her, prompting Jody to laugh.

Reno looked at him.  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“I see you’re very protective of your wife.  And I don’t blame you.  You can never be too careful nowadays.”

Reno studied Jody.  Then he sat down, but not on the booth seat across from Jody where he and Tree had been sitting, but right next to him.  Jody was immediately on guard.

“So, Reno,” he said nervously, “how about those Knicks?”

They both were from the New York/New Jersey area and grew up as Knicks fans.  But Trina was out of sight now.  Reno was done with the games.

“You’ve got all of this advice for my wife, do you?”

Jody’s heartbeat was quickening.  “I was giving her some business pointers, yes.”

“You were giving my wife business pointers?  Does that make sense to you?  That you, a man with a small, shitty-ass business of his own, is going to give the wife of a man who owns one of the largest businesses in the entire state of Nevada some fucking business advice?  That’s fucked up, wouldn’t you agree, Jody?  I mean, wouldn’t even a fucked up sonafabitch like you would have to agree with that?”