❝ CHAPTER 2 ❞

Chapter 2 ─ Eighty Percent Sold

      ━━━━━ BASIL AND BLAKE sat on the private plane with Daniel. Basil sat across from her sister while Daniel sat on the opposite side. Daniel looked over at Basil and Blake as they stared into space.

"Blake. Basil." He called out, causing them to look at him. He readjusted himself in his seat just a little. "I want you both to know that I respect what you and your dad have. And I know that your mom moving in has to feel like a pretty big step. But I'm never gonna try to change what you have with him or take his place. Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay. Cool." Blake said, staring at him, while Basil only nodded her head understanding what he was saying. "Hey, how come you never had kids?"

"Oh, I did." He picked up the folder and opened it, then turned it so Basil and Blake could see it. "This is one of them right here. She's a pretty nice addition to the San Francisco skyline, don't you think?" Daniel asked them.

"'The Gate.'" Basil breathed out as she looked at the building.

"Catchy, right?"

"Yeah, I like it." Blake told him.

"Yeah, me too. Mom was telling us about this."

"She said it's the tallest building in the city, right?"

"When it's finished. It'll be the tallest, strongest and it's already eighty percent sold. But, honestly, I guess I never had any kids cause I was always so busy raising these." Blake and Basil smiled at Daniel. Eventually the plane landed and they were exiting out of it and headed towards the car.

"Mom texted. She's having lunch with your sister today." Blake said, as she and Basil looked back at Daniel.

"Yeah, she's only in town for a few days and really wanted to meet her. I'm a little nervous though. Susan can be kind of overprotective." Both Blake and Basil chuckled at the last part of his sentence.

"Thank you." Blake said, as the door was opened for them.

───── ❝ ◂ ❚ ⊱ꕥ⊰ ❚ ▸ ❞ ─────

They arrived at one of Daniel's buildings, they were in the elevator waiting for it to open. It dinged, and the doors opened allowing the three to exit out of the elevator. Blake and Basil walked next to each other following right behind Daniel.

"Jonathan." Daniel called out.

"Morning." Jonathan said, after shaking his hand. Daniel turned to look back at the Gaines sisters.

"Are you two gonna be okay?" He asked them.

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Blake answered.

They smiled at Daniel and he smiled back. He then turned away from them and walked with Jonathan. Blake and Basil walked towards the chairs and sat down in them. Basil looked up from her art book, she was just about to draw in it. Two men sat in chairs, both sending them smiles. The sisters smiled back at them.

"Hi." They said.

"Hello." Basil looked back down at her art book and started to draw.

"Mmm. Oh, bloody hell." Basil looked up to see that he had spilled coffee on himself.

"Oh! I have something." Blake said, turning to her back and grabbing a napkin. "Here." She handed it over to him. He moved forward on his chair and took it from her. Basil kept her eyes on her drawing but listened to the conversation.

"I'm a complete idiot." He told them.

"No."

"Thank you very much. It's very kind."

"Yeah, no problem. Um, I'm Blake, by the way." She said.

"Oh, yeah. I'm-I'm Blake." Basil looked up and placed a smile on her lips. The man that sat next to him elbowed him. He held out his hand and ignored his brother. "I'm not Blake! I'm Ben. Ben Taylor is my name. Pleased to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you." Blake said.

"Hi, I'm Basil. Blake's sister." Basil said, dropping her pencil and holding her hand out to him. He shook it then turned to look at his brother.

"This is my brother Hugo." Ben told the two.

"Nice to meet you." Blake said.

"Yes, nice to meet you."

"So was that your father you came in with?" Ben proceeded to ask them. "Daniel Riddick?"

Basil and Blake looked at each other. "Um, he's our mom's boyfriend." Basil answered.

"Are you meeting with him?" Blake asked Ben.

"Oh, no. I─ uh─ not even close. I wish. I'm interviewing for a job here and Mr. Riddick is the boss of the boss of the boss that I'd be working for."

"So, um, what kind of job are you interviewing for?" Basil picked her pencil back up and started to draw again. The entire time she had been drawing Hugo as it turned out. She just had to add some final touches and she would be finished.

"Anything in engineering or design. I'm not picky or proud. I just ─ I just want to work here. If you're an architect, this is the, uh, place to be."

"Hi. I'm Ollie. They're my brothers." Ollie said, introducing himself to them.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you, Ollie." Blake said. "I'm Blake. This is Basil, my sister."

"You know. You're quite beautiful." Ollie said.

"Why, thank you."

"Ollie. Do you─ sorry." Ben leaned towards his younger brother. "Do you remember─ do you remember what we discussed? Sit still and no talking. It's not normal to bring little brothers to job interviews. And let's not embarrass me, okay?"

Ollie leaned forward looking at both Blake and Basil. The two leaned forward soon after. "Do you mind if I get your phone numbers for them?" Ollie asked the sisters. The two laughed, while Ben and Hugo panicked.

"Ollie!" Hugo spoke.

"It's exactly─"

"What?" He turned to look back at his older brothers. "You'll never ask for it. And then I'll have to listen to how much you both regretted not getting it."

"I─"

"Mr. Taylor?" A voice questioned. Basil and Blake turned around to look at the woman. "Ms. Carter will see you now."

"Thank you." He sighed. "I, uh... uh..."

"Good luck." Blake said, looking up at Ben.

"Thank you. And you, sit here. And don't say another word." Ben then turned towards Hugo. "Please make sure he doesn't do anything else."

"I will go to your interview." Hugo replied, smiling at his brother. He walked away from them and Ollie leaned over looking at Blake, while Hugo smiled and stared at Basil.

"What do you want to talk about?" Ollie asked her. Both Basil and Blake laughed at him.

"Um, where are you from?" Basil proceeded to ask.

"England. Ben thought that while our parents were going to go on a cruise, he, Hugo, and I should take a holiday here in the city, after his interview."

"Awesome."

"Oh. Would you like to hear our itinerary?" He asked, pulling out a book and showing it to both Basil and Blake.

Comment