Taming Precious Sinclair (5 page)

They’d driven here to talk, but clearly they needed another plan.

“Precious... I can’t leave you here. It’s just not a good idea.”

Hamilton read the homemade signs displaying a variety of sentiments. He’d hoped to find at least one, that didn’t besmirch her character; but the colorful words were all of one mind. Precious was being admonished for refusing to marry Stone Norris;
the nice guy
. The criticisms ran the gamut from anger to pleading appeals. It was clear to him that some of these people still liked her, but he wasn’t willing to test their benevolence. While he’d been weighing their odds, Hamilton noticed that Precious had been eerily quiet. She was in shock or afraid and he didn’t know which emotion held her captive. He peered pass her, grateful that the crowd couldn’t see through the dark tinted windows. Hamilton thought for a few seconds, trying to recalled where her parents lived. They lived in Grosse Pointe, that much he knew with certainty. He remembered that their property was gated, and in that part of the city the police were extremely rigid. Right now, Precious needed a secure place; more than her three bedroom Tudor offered her.

When he hit on an idea; Hamilton was certain that he was doing the right thing. He told his driver the name of a few streets to plug into the navigation system. He didn’t know the address, but his aim would be good enough to get them in the vicinity. Once they were there, he was hopeful that Precious would regain her voice by then.

Hamilton lay his hand on hers, rubbing his thumb in a slow calm caress.

“Not to worry Precious. These things have a way of blowing over. Whatever it takes...I’ll do what I can to make this situation better for you.”

As the limo drove past the wild scene playing out near her home, he had a moment of reflection. Hamilton’s family had been producing for years. His great, grandfather had started by producing television programming. Then that led to music, after that his grandfather took a risk and dived headlong into the movie industry. When the torch was passed to Hamilton’s father, he’d been tagged the business whiz in the family. After his first year, the company had tripled its worth. By the time Hamilton joined the family firm; its value was well over half a billion dollars with a steady increase in earnings. These days, Hamilton looked for projects that required no baby-sitting on his part. Even though reality shows were cheap to produce, they came with a hefty emotional price tag. Drama and more drama, had been his experience. Backlashes were commonplace, right along with backstabbing. The nastier the cast members were, the more their fans seemed to love them. It was strange, but sometimes the evil cast members were the most beloved. He’d witnessed odd reports at the end of each season, when it came time to decide who stays and who gets cut. This season, that wasn’t going to be a problem for his Grosse Pointe reality show because Hamilton wanted to keep them all. Amazingly this reality program had outgrossed them all. He couldn’t have asked for more but he wasn’t pleased with this latest snag. He accepted, like other snafus; the fans would soon lose interest as the days passed, and the summer months dragged on. Hamilton had seen scandals come and go. Mainly because there would always be another story waiting to trump the last one. But he didn’t like the idea of Precious being dragged into this jumble of confusion.

***********************

Chapter 2

The physical laws that govern fairness aren’t always equally balanced. In most cases the solution ends and begins with a rain-check or a hesitant, to be continued

Hamilton had been right to assume that Precious would snap out of her funk when they neared her parents home. When landmarks and familiar houses passed on her side of the car, she perked up, giving him direction to her parents house.

Hamilton followed closely behind her, as they walked through the foyer, following a long hallway to the rear of the house. She took him to a large family room that faced the lake. She turned to him saying...

“Can I get you something to drink?”

She was oddly calm but her demeanor was a ruse and he didn’t like her pallor. She was masking her feelings and this concerned him. She was safe in her parents home but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her yet. Hamilton wanted to do something more to help her ease through this difficult period. He’d already, said ‘
to hell with business’
. For now, he didn’t care about contracts, the second season, or her reasons for leaving. Even though he agreed with her when she said that she felt like she was in hot water; he also acknowledged the flip side of this coin. Hamilton comprehended that her predicament wasn't the doom and gloom that she portrayed it to be. With her beautiful face, he knew that people wouldn’t be able to stay angry at her for long.

Precious was standing near a stocked bar. She was pouring herself a glass of sparkling water. After today, he wanted something stronger, but he thought it best to keep a clear head.

“I’ll have what you’re having.” He said. He watched as she drew out a glass, then poured the liquid without looking at him. Precious was willing her eyes not to cry. Holding both glasses in her hand, she rounded the bar, choosing to sit on a nearby sofa.

“Have a seat.” She said, then she placed his drink on a coffee table. Hamilton crossed the room, taking a seat next to her. He lifted his drink to be polite, then he sampled a taste before placing the glass back on the table. Precious was staring out the floor to ceiling window at the lake. The view was magnificent and he imagined that on any other day, the scene would be relaxing. But not today. It would take more than rippling water, and passing boats to settle frazzled nerves. For now she would need a gentle guiding hand.

“Precious... Will it be a problem for you, if I suggest that you stay here with your parents. Just until I get someone on this problem. I have a group of people employed to handle situations like this.”

She had no doubt that he did, but they couldn’t work fast enough for her. So she said.

“I could stay here, but I won’t.”

His brow rose, then dipped into a frown.

“I don’t understand. You can’t possibly think that it’s safe for you to return to your home? Not after the scene that we both witnessed in front of your house.”

Precious drank calmly from her glass. She held it level on her lap. Hamilton stared at her, and it wasn’t until now that he began to notice what she was wearing. From head to toe, Precious was wearing black. The fabric was light and airy but summer was full swing and the sun was lit up like a fireball in the sky. In short, it was hot and not the kind of weather for black on black. Short sleeves and short pants maybe. Spaghetti strap dresses and sundresses were what most women wore on days like this. But after their run-in at the restaurant in Rochester Hills, her odd behavior was clear to him now. Precious wore her disguise to avoid hateful glares; not to avoid celebrity attention. She’d dressed this way to avoid those hateful stares that she’d calmly told him about. This worried him, and he wanted her to explain further.

“Precious, clearly you’ve been dealing with far more than you’re admitting to. I witnessed a little taste today but I think that you’re leaving out something more.”

She didn’t want to talk about this. She’d only wanted to tell him that she wouldn’t be returning to the show. In spite of that, the idea that he cared about her sent shivers throughout her body. She felt a tug in her stomach but she forced the feeling back from whence it came. She’d always been attracted to him, but now was not the time to allow those emotions to surface. Moreover, she’d only allowed those feelings to surface as dreams; fodder for making love to other men. Telling Hamilton how she truly felt about him, might burst the bubble that she’d created in her mind.

Trying not to let him see this side of her, she said...

“Hamilton, I won’t lie to you because you’ve already witnessed today’s events. But, today has been unusual because until now; the fans had been content, posting their comments on the internet. However, it’s blatantly obvious that they’ve taken their anger to the next level. Perhaps, I wasn’t paying close attention to their comments and now they’ve decided to deliver their message to me firsthand.”

“What message?” He said and he’d raised his voice higher than he’d intended but from where he sat, she sounded like she was deluding herself.

Precious turned in her seat, stunned by his heightened emotion. Her reaction remained flat and controlled.

“People around here have made it clear that I should marry Stone. His proposal is still on the table, and they think I should accept.”

“Where does Stone weigh in on this?”

She sighed saying,

“Stone isn’t the bad guy Hamilton. His only crime is that he still wants to marry me, and everyone knows this. He hasn’t talked to the press and he hasn’t used any of the social mediums to express his desires.”

“But he did talk to your parents, right?” Hamilton already knew this, because Artie had filmed Stone and Wilson talking at the club. But it felt good watching her head nodding up and down to confirm that the encounter was an accurate account.

“I guess you think I should be angry at him...right?”

“No...” He said, without a moments hesitation.

“Well, everyone else does. Well, by everyone, I mean my girlfriends. Regina and Pamela. Faye...she’s sitting on the fence. Apparently, Wilson and Stone have become good friends and Faye wants to remain neutral.”

“Precious...you have your own feelings to consider. If you weren’t irritated when Stone went to your father, to rally his support...then, it doesn’t matter what others may think.”

“Well, at the time, I didn’t give it much thought because I told myself that Stone could talk to whomever he wanted and that included my parents. It didn’t really matter because when it comes to marriage...I’m the boss and no one can make me do anything that I don’t want to do.”

To Hamilton’s ears, Precious sounded like a stubborn child, stomping her brand new shoes on the floor; asserting her independence. He wanted to smile because her determined nature looked sweet on her. All the same, there wasn’t anything humorous about her predicament, so he reminded himself to stifle the smirk.

Back on topic he said...

“So, explain to me why you can’t stay here? Are your parents that disagreeable?”

She nodded....

“My dad is more determined than ever to use this bad publicity to his advantage. Practically everyday I get a call from him, telling me about the latest gossip, or some snide remark he overheard. He tells me that I have the power to make this all go away. I just have to say yes, to Stone.”

“It isn’t that simple.” He said.

“Oh, yes it is.” She corrected him. “Hamilton. Stone and his family are loved around here. Especially Stone. He’s just a really nice guy.”

Hamilton had heard her say this more than once and he couldn’t stop himself from wondering. If Stone is such a great guy, then why won’t she say yes and accept his proposal? But as much as the question puzzled his brain, he couldn’t bring the words to his mouth. He couldn’t make her entertain the idea of accepting another man’s proposal of marriage. He wondered where that thought had come from.

In the distance, the sound of voices could be clearly heard. Precious was on her feet, racing to the rooms entrance.

“Oh dear Lord. I didn’t know that my parents were here.”

She rounded the corner, heading for the front foyer, without explaining further. When she hit the hallway, Precious was practically running.

“Precious...” The sound of her mother’s cry could be heard in the distance. Hamilton wasn’t at all prepared for this. He’d never met her parents, but here he was in their home and Precious had left him. Hamilton stood near the entrance of the family room, in the middle of the hall. He watched as Precious moved swiftly, then his head turned and he noticed the curious expression on her parents face. They were staring at him, curiously.

“Precious...” The male voice cried out. This time, it was her father’s turn to roar out her name. But even his bellowing voice didn’t cause her feet to slow.

“Amelia...”

Next, the sound of her first name was spoken, and the callers voice held the key. Precious stood stock still, unable to believe her luck. Stone walked up the rear, and Hamilton immediately recognized him. Tall with an athletic build, sun bleached blond hair, deep blue eyes, and a serene expression covering his face. Her parents, Camille and Colten Sinclair; they had stopped short, choosing to stand near the stranger in their home.

When Stone approached, he walked passed them, continuing until he stood in front of Precious. She lowered her eyes because she’d been avoiding this face to face in her parents home from the moment she stormed out of her father’s office, weeks ago. She’d hurt Stone by refusing his proposal and Precious didn’t want to hurt him again. Especially with her parents as witnesses.