"Write her something sweet in the note. Don't come on too strong."
"Or tell her…" Robert begun.
"No," William shut him up. "You'll give him the worst advice, so just shut your traphole."
Louis' face had turned three shades of pink from the happiness bursting from him.
"Thank you so much!" He said to Alexander. "I'm sure they cost a fortune, are you sure Sir?" Alexander nodded his answer. "Good! Good! Maryanne would love it! What should I write? I'll figure it out as we drive."
Quickly, Louis opened the passenger's door, which Alexander held. When a happy Louis was tucked into the driver's seat, Alexander faced his friends.
"Armani will be livid," Robert chuckled. "You gave her love away easily."
"It would die off if it's kept with me, I gave it a better home," Alexander said.
"Where are you off to?" William asked.
"Home," Alexander answered. "Isn't that why you ruined the rest of my plans for the day?"
William pointed a finger at him. "And stay home. I'll ask your housekeeper if you did."
Alexander left, and when he got home, he gave Louis the rest of the day off to handle his budding love story. Alexander showered and changed into comfortable slacks and a polo shirt. Rosie, his chef, had stocked up the fridge with a variety of food, and he dished himself something to eat before he set out to the business of the day.
He called Liam around the time the sun was retiring for the night. Liam Jones was genuinely happy to hear from him.
"It's been a long while we hung out," Liam said. "I'm in your area, I'll drop by."
Alexander's doorbell rang not too long after. He and Liam greeted each other, and Alexander kept from him that he had just been discharged from the hospital. He didn't want anyone making a fuss where it wasn't necessary.
"Your place hasn't changed," Liam said after he had made himself comfortable on the white couch. His eyes roamed around the penthouse; the large windows offering panoramic views of the cityscape, the spacious living area, the pieces of curated art hanging on the walls and glass sculptures in different corners of the room, a sleek bar cart stand that was barely used and a large television that he hadn't remembered when last he had switched it on.
"Need me to find you an interior designer?" Liam asked. "I just redid my place two months ago."
"I'm good," Alexander said. He didn't want to say when he had visited Liam's place, he had thought all the colors to be clashing and not "aesthetically pleasing" as the designer had described his end goal.
"So, what's new?" Liam asked. "We should go back to the golf club. The men have been asking about us. I heard more are signing up, including TK ventures. Good grounds for networking."
"Sure," Alexander said. "You want something to drink?"
"No, I'm heading out for dinner tonight with some partners. We're going to rip Tequila Corporations apart limb by limb," he laughed as he said it. "It's high time they ran out of luck."
"I heard it was a trademark infringement."
"Yeah," Liam dialed something in his phone. "Thought they could steal one of our people and then siphon our product out of him. What the hell is wrong with these people? Stepping on other businesses in sight like cockroaches. It sickens me."
Alexander thought about how he could broach the topic without offending his friend.
"Ever tried to grant them a meeting?" He asked instead.
"And what?" Liam scoffed. "Hear then deny everything?"
"Your problem is with Jon Tequila, isn't it?"
Liam nodded. "The old greedy bastard."
"Okay then," Alexander saw an opening. "Have a talk with Selena Tequila then. I'm not saying you two have to do anything about the issue, but just hear her out."
Liam squinted as if he couldn't see clearly. "Never spoken to her before. And why do I need to? The court hearing would be issued to them in less than two weeks."
"Exactly, no harm in just hearing her out, yes?" Alexander said. "The point is, just set up a meeting. No, I'll set it up. All you have to do is show up, is that okay?"
Liam set his lips in a thin line and said nothing.
"Just one meeting," Alexander reiterated. "How long it's going to be is up to you."
"I just don't see the point…"
"One meeting, Liam," Alexander said. "That's all."
Liam eyed the mini bar but didn't request any drink. He looked to be contemplating Alexander's request, and Alexander didn't rush him into making a decision.
"I'll have the meeting here,'' Liam said.
That surprised Alexander. "You sure you don't want somewhere more comfortable? Somewhere like my office?"
"No, and besides, we'd set the meeting just before we head to the golf club," Liam said. "Kill two birds with one stone." He rose to his feet and moved into the open-floor kitchen, leaving Alexander to ponder over his decision. He loved his space, loved the privacy it offered, and only let a few friends into it, but bringing Selena over was way over the top.
He went to meet Liam over in the kitchen, and he was gulping down water like a dying fish.
"AA meetings said you should try to replace booze with something else and to try to imagine drowning the urge," Liam said unashamedly. The revelation made Alexander stop in his steps.
"You've got a drinking problem?" He asked.
"Not anymore, I hope," Liam looked at the bottle of water and sighed. "It's hell. Anyway, see you next week. And only Selena, not Jon."
"Liam, I highly suggest we go…"
"Oh shoot," Liam checked his phone. "I told my sister I'd be at this event she's hosting. Remember, just an hour of meeting with Tequila and the golf club afterward. That's as much as I'm willing to offer."
Before Alexander could protest again, Liam was already out the door.