Dearest Diary,

I don't Give Mindless Flattery.

Dearest diary,

Surprise! Surprise! I am no longer one for love triangles! Sure, I once thought it extremely exhilarating and entertaining, but that has changed now. It no longer does it for me. It's extremely tiresome and tricky and creeps up on you like a predator, entangling you in it's web of maliciousness and before you know it, you're pulled in so deep, you can hardly breath.

Therefore, for all these good reasons, I'm aiming at avoiding such distracting situations! Not just because it is unhealthy for my heart, but also because it undermines my sense of independence and the budding entrepreneur within me.

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"Who is that?" a curiously malicious Shea voices her thoughts after I enter the dining room bearing my flowers in a clear transparent vase.

"A colleague." I reply noncommittally as I set the vase in the middle of the dining table.

"A colleague who gets you flowers and chocolate?"

I don't respond. Instead, I turn around and walk back to my study and to Davis, not ready to hear what my mother's or Troy's input on the matter is. In fact, I make sure not to look at either of their faces since I do not want them to haunt me through out my meeting.

"I hope you're hungry." I tell Davis as I settle in my seat that is across from him. "I asked for some snacks to be brought to us."

"Sure," he says, putting a sheaf of papers before me. "I hardly had my breakfast when Linda called."

"Great." I reply, staring down at the pages before me and a frown forms on my face.

"It says here forty instead of twenty." I spout out, pointing out the problematic clause to him.

"Oh yea. We changed that. Since the bookshop retailers have already started ordering, we thought it good to give you the second and third installments together."

"And Linda knows about it?" I ask thoughtfully.

He nods and my frown turns into a grimace. It not that I am opposed to getting the money, but I am quite cautious, especially when it involves changing agreements and fourty million Kenyan Shillings that happens to belong to me. If anything went wrong, I would end up the losing party. The publishing house may still lose something, but not much. They still have other writers but I have nothing.

"Come on Attara. It's in our best interest that we take care of you." he adds, trying to ease away my tension with a smile. It does not work. Instead, my neck muscles are strung up tighter than they've ever been.

"I don't like surprises Davis, or deal changes without being consulted!" I tell him sternly.

"I understand that and I respect that, Attara. I am sorry for springing it up on you like that but Linda assured us that you will not mind."

"Of course she did" I mumble angrily to myself. Can I blame her? No, not at all. After all, I've done such a poor job of keeping my love affair with money a secret.

"Davis, Let me be honest with you. I don't feel like signing anything right now. Infact, I won't until I get to talk to Dr. Mwangaza and Linda to have this matter cleared out." I tell him, placing the papers back on my desk. It's a surprise that I don't even slam them.

On the other hand, I am expecting Davis to be surprised, angry even, but he isn't. Instead, he surprises me with his level of preparedness, and I am finally able to understand why he is so good at his job.

"That can be arranged. Infact, I already have both Dr.Mwangaza and Linda waiting on skype for a conference call." I nod and he slides his chair over to me with a tablet now in hand.

"Hi Attara."

"Goodmorning Attara."

Both Dr. Mwangaza and Linda greet me at the same time. I am surprised to see them, but my indifferent demeanor kicks in and masks it well.

"I am not happy." I tell them, going straight to the point and Dr. Mwangaza cracks up laughing. This is so like him.

"Why not Attara?" he asks.

"You changed the deal and you didn't think to inform me?" I respond, directing the last part to Linda.

"I am so sorry Attara. We didn't think you would mind." She replies softly, finally getting the magnitude of my anger.

"I am sorry too Attara. Davis warned us, but we didn't listen."

I shake my head in disbelief especially at that last statement.

"Wait. What? He did?"

They both nod and I turn around to look at Davis, who's been quiet the entire time.

"You did?" He nods and I feel quite flabbergasted. I have no idea, if they are really telling me the truth, or if it's just another attempt at their shameless match making.

"Okay, but I am warning you." I narrow my eyes at the two of them. "Don't ever do this to me again! As for you Linda," My gaze settles dangerously on her. "I'll deal with you later."

She gives me a small smile and Dr. Mwangaza lets out another full on belly laugh.

"I like you Attara. You are really feisty. You will need that kind of attitude to make it in this world." I narrow my eyes at him, not amused and he lets out yet another throaty laughter.

"So, you will sign?" Linda asks me cautiously and I nod my head in agreement.

"I guess so. What other choice do I have?I can't possibly refuse my money now, can I?"

Davis chuckles beside me and hands me the papers to sign once again. I read through all the details, and finally put down my signature on the dotted lines.

When they're convinced that it's all done, Davis puts down his signature since he's the representative of the publishing house. Then, he goes ahead and ends the conference call.

"That went well... I think." I comment idly as I log on to my bank account to check my balance. Davis gives me a funny look before bursting out into a fit of violent laughter. I train my eyes on the laughing maniac before me as a scowl turns my expression.

"What?" His eyes find my face again and he finally sobers up.

"Nothing. I just think that you're awesome."

My scowl turns into a glare, one of the very few expressions that I have actually mastered as I issue out a threat.

"I don't appreciate mindless flattery, Mr. Mwangaza." His face morphs and turns into a frown so deep, that furrows form on his forehead.

"I don't give 'mindless flattery' like you so nicely put it. I say what I see. You're pretty, smart, talented and I am sure that I am falling for you." His words wipe the glare off my face and I find myself turning into mash, stuttering at every attempt at a properly reply. "I've tried Attara." he says sliding his seat over to me. "I've really tried, but it's really hard for me not to. The list of things that I like about you is endless, so long that it would take forever to point it all out."

"What? A pick up line? What does this guy take me for? A teenager?" My face scrunches into a frown as I eye him with distate. It doesn't help that my morning was really crappy, this man is really treading on my very last nerve.

"Hey, don't frown." he says reaching out to hold my chin and I have to resist the urge to swat his hand away. "It's not a pick up line. Everytime I keep discovering something new about you that blows my mind away. If it's not your work ethic, it's your feistiness, or your humourously intense emotions... I could continue, but I don't want risk sounding creepy and upset you even more."

My mouth gapes open and I am rendered more speechless as multiple thoughts collide in my mind. I knew that Davis liked me, but I never thought that he had it within him to express himself like this. His boldness, his courage, it all makes me now view him not as the underling I once thought he was, but as the man he actually is.

"What I am trying to say is that Attara. I really like you and if you would let me, I would love to date you." I am not sure if it is possible, but in that moment, I become dumber dumber. I lose sense of all my faculties and in the end, I end up yabbering, bumbling like a blabbering i***t.

"Attara?" he asks, tracing a thumb along my jawline with his index finger beneath my cheek.

"I...I..." Like I said, blabbering i***t! In my defense, sometimes, bombshells render me asinine and it's a sight that has never been pretty.

"Attara..." I try openning my mouth again, but I'm saved the trouble by the abrupt openning of the study door to reveal my ever curious sister carrying a tray loaded with tea and snacks.

"Tea!" she announces, her eyes settling on Davis and I and our dangerously close proximity. Her eyes narrow at me and Davis' finger still on my jaw. "Okay... I'll place this in the dining room." she says before stomping out of the room rather angry.