Dedicated to SallyMary89 ❤❤

•

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. --Psalms 34:5 (KJV)

Tayo read Posi's text message for the umpteenth time that morning and giggled.

When did I start giggling? He shook his head at himself. But that didn't stop him from reading it again.

Ayomiposi🌼
Hey, Tayo. How are you doing? Been trying to call you but no response from you. I trust you are okay. Please, call as soon as you are able. Take charge.

Yes, he knew. There was nothing special in the message but the person who sent it was. Too special in fact.

He saw the message and missed call notifications very late the previous day. And he didn't think it was appropriate to call her at that time. So he had sent a text saying he was fine and that he'd call her in the morning.

It was morning and he still hadn't called her yet. Why? He didn't know. I'll call soon.

Tayo knew he had to fix up. He had been seeing the concerned look on Kazeem's face and he was so sure his P.A was one strange behaviour away from fixing an appointment with Dr Tosan.

He stood in front of the window and dialled Posi.

"Hey! How are you? Was just thinking I should call you. Where have you been? Are you good?"

Tayo chuckled silently before responding. "Hi, Posi. I'm good. Sorry for the late response. How are you?"

"I'm good too. Are you sure you're okay?"

The concern in her tone was heartwarming. In fact, he could feel the warm fuzzy feeling settle in his chest region. "Yes, I am. How's work going?"

"Very fine. I have something I'd love to discuss with you."

"Urh, okay." He checked his wristwatch. "I'm not free until about 2 pm. Can you come over to my office? We can even catch a late lunch together."

"That's okay with me. An opportunity to know your office. See you at 2 pm."

"Yes. Just call me when you're about to leave your office. I'll leave instructions with Kazeem to come pick you up."

"Isn't that too much trouble? I could just call an Uber, you know."

"It's no trouble at all. See you later."

"Okay."

After tapping the END icon, Tayo called Kazeem in.

"Yes, sir. You called for me."

"Kazeem, you'll help me bring Posi, I mean Miss Faleye to the office. When it's 1:15 pm, go to her studio and pick her once she is ready to leave. She can wait here in my office while I round up the meeting."

"Okay, sir."

"Thank you. That will be all."

Tayo knew Posi may try to bypass his offer of Kazeem picking her up. Hence, his decision. The appointment was for 2 pm, so she will obviously leave 30 or 45 minutes before then. She was the poster child for punctuality. He was learning.

Pleased with his arrangements, he rubbed his palms together and dove into the day's work.

*******

Posi stared at her phone in silence for some minutes. She was glad he had finally returned her call but there was something she couldn't place her finger on. Something had happened but she didn't want to seem too pushy. Besides, it was a new friendship. Being all up in his business may put him off. And she didn't even know how to be all up in somebody's business.

Sighing, she tried to look at the bright side of things. I'll see his office today. Let's see what all the fuss is about. Till then, let me do some work.

The preparation for the exhibit was going well, at least for the things she had been able to make enquiries about. Tayo's positive response to her request will determine a lot of things. She had already spoken to Pastor Bee about the exhibit and the things God had placed on her heart and she had cheered her on.

Posi arranged the files on her desk and set to work. The paintings weren't going to paint themselves.

*******

A knock on her door flung Posi out of the daze-like state she was in. And that happened a lot when she was painting. It would be like every part of her being was absorbed into the mixture of colours and lines and curves.

Toyin walked in with one of those mischievous smiles on her face.

What is this girl up to?

With her brows raised, Posi asked a wordless question and Toyin got the point.

Toyin giggled first. "Mr Afolabi is waiting at the reception. He says he is here to pick you up."

Mr Afolabi? "Who is Mr Afolabi? And pick me to where? Eh, Toyin. Are you about to send me off with kidnappers?" Posi asked in disbelief.

Toyin laughed this time. "No, ma. It's Mr Sijuade's P.A. And I love you too much to allow you to be kidnapped. Even if you were about to be kidnapped, I'd brandish my ninja skills in their faces."

Posi watched as she went into a weird position with her right foot planted on the ground, her left leg bent at the knee with her foot in a strange variation of the ballet pointed toe, and her two arms raised to shoulder level with her wrists bent.

"And what do you think you are doing?"

"Showing you my dependable fighting skills."

"Yeah, right. You should relax and tell Mr Afolabi that I'll be with him shortly." She waved her hands in dismissal. "Go away before I show you my own whoop-your-butt skills."

Toyin giggled loudly before leaving.
Posi checked her wristwatch and it was 1:15 pm. "So, what time did he get here?" She muttered.

She rushed into the convenience in her office to freshen up. God, I pray for a positive response from Tayo. And it won't be a bad thing if You can also make him talk about what is on his mind too.

*******

Posi rode in style to Tayo's office. Kazeem must have received instructions to do so. There was minimal conversation and nil traffic. Kazeem turned into a street and drove straight to a secluded parking space.

As soon as she alighted, Kazeem informed her that they will be going to the last floor. He ushered her into the building and the elevator.

Oh, my. His office must be a huge one.

Before she knew it, the elevator dinged their arrival to the last floor. As soon as she disembarked from the elevator, she kept herself from opening her mouth at the beautiful layout before her. She received some greetings from the receptionist and some people, probably employees, who were in the reception.

"Ma'am, Mr Sijuade left instructions for you to wait for him in his office. He should be rounding up the meeting in a little while. If you need anything, you can ring me. I'll be at my desk, " Kazeem said after ensuring she was comfortable in Tayo's ginormous office.

"Okay. Thank you." She smiled as Kazeem gave a slight bow before leaving her alone.

Ah, well. His office is really impressive.

Posi moved around his office and was especially drawn to the floor-to-ceiling window. She stood before it, admiring the other buildings and streets below. Impressive.

Another thing that drew her attention was the full bookshelf behind his swivel chair. She moved towards it and ran her fingers through the books there. As she whirled around, her eyes fell on a lone picture frame resting on his table.

Who is that? His ex-wife? But why does he still have her picture? I thought he said she left him or something like that. He must have loved her, still love her.

Posi didn't know why but that thought didn't seem to sit well with her. She felt her stomach twist up in knots and felt a layer of liquid, she hoped wasn't tears, in her eyes.

Moving quietly to the sofa in the room, she sat down as she tried to regain her composure. I'm here for business. I should stick to that. Besides, we are just friends. Good friends.

She picked her phone and browsed through her Instagram app.

*********

Tayo smiled discreetly when his phone beeped to show a message from Kazeem that his brown-eyed guest was in his office. At least, this was someone to brighten his day.

The meeting had become boring and all the talk about tables and figures and charts was beginning to grate on his nerves. He looked at his watch and willed the time to move a little bit faster.

And it seemed to work. In a few seconds, the meeting was brought to an end and he excused himself to go see his guest.

As he rounded the corner in the direction of his office, he saw Kazeem rise from his seat with what he thought was a smirk on his face. He blinked and it was no longer there.

I'm seeing things now.

"She's in, right?" He asked with too much enthusiasm.

"Yes, sir." If Kazeem noticed, he said nothing.

"Great." He strode towards his door and gave a short knock before he walked in.

I feel like I've been struck by lightning. Wait. What? Is that a good thing?

There Posi sat on the sofa, looking like an open vision straight from the throne of heaven. She looked at him with a smile on her face as she rose to her feet. The daylight streaming through the window made her look angelic and it didn't help that she was dressed in an off-white jumpsuit. If he didn't know scriptures, he could have sworn that he saw a halo on her head.

But she's higher than the angels.

Osé, Mr Poet. You're even bringing the scriptures into it. Leave the doorway and quit gawking at the young lady.

He shut his mouth. Yes, sir.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hi, Posi. How are you? Hope you haven't been waiting a long time." He walked further into the room and gave her a brief hug in greeting.

"I'm good. No, I haven't. You have a lovely office."

"Thank you," he responded, proudly. "So, have you had anything to eat? Or drink?"

"I'm good. For now."

He frowned. "Have you eaten today?"

"Ah, well. I had breakfast. I'm not hungry, yet."

"Can't I tempt you with even small chops?" He wriggled his brows. "The one from Bites 'n' Chops o."

Posi laughed heartily. "That's so unfair. You already know that I can't resist that one."

"Good! Let me get it. It's been sitting pretty in the microwave, waiting for you."

*********

Posi was having a great time with Tayo. They talked and teased each other, laughed at Tayo's lame attempts at cracking jokes before settling into seriousness. Or a semblance of it.

"So, I came because I wanted to make a request of you," Posi began. She watched as he adjusted in his seat and gave her his full attention.

"I'm planning an art exhibit to hold in about two months. And I was wondering if you could be my model. I'd be glad if you acquiesce," she finished.

There was a weighty pause for some minutes and Posi felt for sure that he was going to say no. She sighed and visibly shrunk in her seat.

"Ah, well. What will be my pay?"

"Uh. What?"

"My pay? I believe models get paid, yeah?" Tayo said, with a smirk on his face.

Posi cleared her throat, made to talk, then cleared her throat some more.

"Uhm, I haven't considered that yet. But I will." What did someone pay a man of this calibre? I feel like I just dug a bigger hole for myself. She mentally facepalmed.

"Maybe I can help you with that," Tayo was saying.

"Uh?"

"Remember I also told you I have something to ask of you."

"Yes, yes, you did."

"So, I need a painting done for my dad's 65th birthday coming up in some months. And—"

"Oh. I can do the painting for free as your payment." She smiled at him.

"Well, that wasn't what I wanted to say. You interrupted me," he said, frowning at her.

"Ooh-kay."

"Uh-huh. So, you can come with me to the celebration as payment. Gerald and Funmi are invited too."

She stared at him in disbelief. He can't be serious.

"For real? No jokes?"

"Yes, for real."

"Okay. But I insist on doing the painting for free then." She raised her hands to stop him. "No arguments."

"Well, when you use that voice I have to agree."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Can I see his picture?"

"Yes, I have one on my tablet. Let me check for it."

While he did, Posi's mind drifted to the picture she had seen. She wanted to ask him but she didn't know how to without sounding like a prying busybody. One thing she had learned in interacting with people was that you could only go as much as they wanted. Crossing boundaries that have been set, verbally or not, was a sure way of killing any vibe, no matter how deep the connection may have been at the beginning.

And she was learning not to be so blunt in her remarks.

"Found it! I love this particular one." Posi watched his face become more enlightened. He must really love his dad.

Posi looked at the picture and was stunned into silence. Her silence wasn't because his father was similarly as handsome as Tayo was. It was rather due to traditional royal wear he was adorned in. Don't tell me.

"Is your father a chief?" She asked. Tayo must have heard something in her voice because he looked up from what he was doing on his tab and stared at her.

Posi watched as a look of realization displayed on his face. "Urm. Not really. He is a king, actually."

"Like a king king? With a kingdom and subjects and everything?"

"Yes. A king king as you put it." He smiled slightly like he wasn't sure if he should.

"That means you are a prince." She said it like a question.

He nodded warily.

She blinked. "Wow." She blinked again. "Just wow."

Toyin was seated in the reception, making final additions to the details needed for the exhibit. It was an understatement to say she was ecstatic about it.

"Good afternoon, Miss."

She looked up to see a man who looked vaguely familiar. "Good afternoon, sir. You're welcome to Lines and Colours. How may I help you?"

"I'm Mr Afolabi from T.D Corporations. I was sent by Mr Sijuade to pick up Miss Faleye for a meeting in his office."

"Oh, yes. I'll inform her. Please, have a seat." Where have I seen this face?

Oh, yes. He came with that Mr Sijuade who thought his photoshoot was a toothpaste ad.

"I knew there was something behind his smiles and unprovoked laughter." She giggled as she walked into her boss' office.