TANGIE BAINBRIDGE-New Attitude

She felt like she had a pep in her step now, ever since meeting Aaron and having lunch with his daughter. She felt alive. Like for once in her life, she could loosen up. Not worrying about her job, not worrying about her son.

She had a new attitude.

She was taking extra care of how she looked as well. She went to her favorite spot, House of V, to get her hair trimmed and a professional twist out. She normally went to House of V II but decided to go to the bigger salon where gossip was always rampant. She also treated herself to a manicure and pedicure.

Just as she was leaving House of V she ran into Donna Jackson. They were good friends because their sons were close.

"Congrats on your engagement, girl!" It was the gossip du jour all while she was getting her services. Those gossipy ladies talked about Donna, her secret love child Tony, and Ethan Van Russell as if they knew them personally.

She would never judge anyone for a secret relationship or secret child because she understood. She never wanted anyone to know who the father of her son was, it might be more scandalous than the Van Russell/Jackson relationship.

"Thanks, Tangie." Donna looked radiant, big smile on her face, skin glowing, and her whole demeanor changed from when she last saw her a few weeks ago. Donna always had what she called, her "lawyer face" on. No nonsense, no smiles, no small talk, and that bad bitch. She admired her for it.

"Have you started making plans?"

"Not really, no."

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." They were not that close, but like everyone else, a Van Russell and a Jackson getting married was a big deal and she wanted to be a part of it.

"Okay, girl. Tell X I said hello."

She left House of V and headed back to campus. The rest of her day was scheduled for back-to-back appointments. When she powered up her computer, she checked her emails. There were lots of new emails she scrolled through, all work-related. Lots of them needed responses, but she ignored them when she saw a text pop up on her phone.

She could not help the smile that spread on her face.

Lunch was great. I enjoyed watching you wolf down pizza and play games like a kid. But now I have to ask you out on a proper date. This weekend?

She internally groaned. Busy with out-of-town recruiting so she told him she was not available this weekend but maybe next weekend.

He had a conference all of next week.

Tangie looked at her calendar again. She typically did not travel much but the school wanted her to help recruit more minority students, so she was visiting schools all across Missouri and neighboring states. Besides that, she was busy with her son if she was not working.

She picked up the phone to call him instead of texting back and forth.

"Hey, Aaron. Weekends are not looking hot for me for a few weeks."

"Lunch? Today? Cafeteria?"

It was already one p.m. and she already took off half the day at House of V. She had not eaten lunch and she did need to eat something.

"Let's say in an hour?"

"Perfect."

DAPHNE VAN RUSSELL-Give Me an A

Ever since speaking to Senor Monzon about family, she had the urge to speak to him again. Anything to be close to him.

Sometimes in class, she imagined his dark eyes were looking right through her, undressing her, like they were the only two in class...and she was undressing him.

She did so much daydreaming in class and it was showing. She received her first B on a test in a college in his class. She sulked about it after class while she was leaving.

"Are you okay?" Senor Monzon stopped her before she walked out.

"No! A B! I have a B!"

"You did pretty well," he stated.

"I'm not a B student. I'm an A student, I don't get Bs."

He chuckled. "It's one test."

"It's still a B. I can't afford Bs."

"Tell you what, how about I give you some extra credit to make up for it."

"Really? I'd do anything."

JULIOS MONZON-Falling for Student

Anything?

She did not know what she was saying, or who she was saying it to. With some students that was code for having sex for a better grade.

He had done that a time or two.

But he knew the classy Daphne Van Russell would not stoop that low. Oh, but he wished she did.

"Write a paper on whatever interest you but in Spanish."

"That's too easy." She waved that off. "Give me a challenge. How about teaching a class? You can grade me on how well I can teach a lesson and I promise I will do well."

Daphne Van Russell was unlike any student he ever had, that's for sure. He grinned at her. "Who's the teacher and who's the student here?"

"I've been to so many Spanish-speaking countries and I love the culture. I feel like Spanish could be my second language. In fact, I remember learning with your sister Sasha."

"Really?"

"She saw my interest in it when I was young. Used to mimic her Spanish words. My mother hated that."

It was weird having this connection with his student, but he was intrigued. He just wanted to talk to her more. Hear more about her and weirdly, he was not even sexually thinking of her.

"I would love to hear more about some of the work you've done," he said. "Want to get coffee downstairs?"

"Uh..."

He could not believe he asked her out. A student. But it was innocent, just coffee, right? But considering she was stalling on answering, maybe she was reading more into it. He was just about to say never mind when she spoke up.

"Ok, sure. I don't do coffee but I can do tea."

"Perfect," he said as they walked out of the classroom. "So let me see, my big sister started you on your Spanish quest and now I will continue on."

She laughed. "Oh yeah, I guess so."

He enjoyed talking with her. It was like he talked with any other colleague, not a student. She was smart. good head on her shoulders, passionate about studying all cultures, and acted nothing like a spoiled rich kid.

JUSTIN SCOVILLE-Let's Make Some Money

He liked Tony Jackson. He met with his lawyer to finalize the partnership and the funds were transferred and they went to work together. Tony already claimed an office space next to his and equipped it with a laptop. He would come in every day after school and stay late. Tony researched and studied everything he could about the recording business.

They set up and had brainstorming sessions for at least an hour every day.

"We can't stay small, J, we have to grow," Tony said.

As if that was not the goal. "That takes time." It was not going to happen overnight, especially in a small town in the middle of Missouri.

"I hear you, but time is money, my man."

"Hey! That's my motto!" This was why he knew he was in a good partnership, they thought the same. "But the problem is I'm so focused on getting J. Scoville out there as a viable recording house, I don't have time to make the music. We only recorded the one track with X. I have a few other tracks and beats laid down, but I need some songs. Some number one songs."

"I listened to all your tracks, and read through some of your songs," Tony said, sitting back in the chair in the conference room. "Quite honestly they're not X. I know him, I know his style and swag?"

"You write?"

"No."

"The shutie!"

"We have to get X's album in the can. Everything else is just talk. We know he has what it takes, just get the songs. Do you know anyone else that writes music? Like in your classes."

Justin sat back and thought about it. The kid had a point. He had taken a songwriting class last year, he was sure he could hunt up a few peeps down for the task.

"I'll get on that." Justin typed on his tablet.

"Better yet J, let's have a contest. The best song wins a prize."

He looked over at his young partner with new appreciation. "Okay, okay, I like that idea."

"You can post it in the music department but any student can enter. I am sure at least one of the songs will be good enough for X to record."

"Monetary prize? Name recognition, possibility to write more?" He jotted down everything on his tablet. He had a receptionist to field calls, but yet to see the need for a secretary. He was not wasting his money paying people until he absolutely needed it.

"We need an intern," Tony stated. "Someone that knows music and can help us weed through the entries."

"Plenty of those floating around. I can concentrate on the music."

Justin's cell phone went off. He looked at it and then answered.

"Hey babe, I'm in a meeting." He nodded as he listened, and looked up at Tony watching him. He did not know how close Tony was to his "cousin" Elayne, but he knew they were hanging out. Tony did not need to know that Elayne was not his only girl.

JESSICA SCOVILLE-Nepotism at Work

School was so boring!

Why did she tell her father she would do college? She did not want to be there. Unlike her brother who turned twenty-one and inherited his trust fund, she had another year and a half to wait.

If her inheritance was still there for her.

Her father sold half the company. Half! Despite everyone thinking they were in the poorhouse, Scoville Properties were still in business. They were no longer the number three richest family in Midtown, but surely they were still on top. If the business survived with half its properties.

She always wanted to work for her father someday, but now...she was not so sure about that. At least Justin had his recording company. On slow days she would hang out there with him, not that she knew much about the music business. He had several offices, some empty, some with desks, but no employees other than a receptionist taking calls.

She helped Justin do whatever little menial tasks he asked her to do, just like she used to do for her father.

"Maybe I should come work for you," she said to her brother.

"Doing what?"

"What do you need?"

"What do you know?"

"I know business. That's what I am studying. Marketing, economics..."

"How much marketing do you know?"

"Only took the one class."

Justin rolled his eyes at her. They had the same blue eyes their mother had, rest her beautiful soul.

"I'm your sister! I should be given a fair shot."

"I am looking for someone to work sales and promotions, I don't know if you are qualified."

That made Jessica excited.

"Yes! I can do that. Give me a shot, I swear I will make you proud."

"Let me talk it over with Tony. It's a part-time position for now, and with school that's perfect. I don't want dad blaming me for you flunking out."

A/N: Justin has...gasp...another girlfriend? Well technically he and Elayne are not together, just "hanging out," or at least that is what he tells himself. Let's see how Elayne feels about things, seeing as she was gung ho on dating an older guy.

How do you feel about nepotism? I have no problems with it. if I was in a position to hire all of my family, I would.

XOXO
Kimberly