The older man looked solemn. “Unfortunately, yes.” He stood, gave Blaine a friendly pat on the back. “I have faith in you. You know what you’re doing. But I didn’t want you to leave without knowing what’s going on.”
He released a breath. “Thanks for being candid with me.”
Marvin’s lips curved beneath his bushy blond mustache. “You can count on me to keep you informed.” He glanced at his gold wristwatch, headed for the door. “I’ve got another meeting. Good seeing you again, Blaine.”
“Likewise,” he murmured as Marvin exited.
Shit. There goes my plan to slowly work my way back into Eden’s good graces. Now it wasn’t just Naiya’s budding career that was on the line. The very future of Against the Grain, his baby, his livelihood, also hung in the balance. He needed to talk to Eden, and fast.
But after what I did...will she even take my call?
Two
Friday afternoon, Eden breezed into Blaine’s office. She was determined he wouldn’t see her sweat, so she kept her outer manner as calm and cool as possible, despite the tangle of emotions raging inside her.
When his receptionist had called her yesterday, she’d been tempted to hang up once she learned the call was on Blaine’s behalf. She’d decided against it, however, since the woman had only been doing her job. It didn’t surprise her that Blaine hadn’t had the guts to call himself. He was the last person she wanted to work with, but she wasn’t in a position to be picky about the jobs she took on right now.
She’d just left home, where Cooper lay with a broken leg and lacerations to his torso. Ainsley was taking good care of him, but she still felt terrible about what had happened to him. The storm that passed through earlier in the week had sent a tree crashing through the roof onto the foot of his bed. She was grateful he’d avoided more serious injury. The house hadn’t been so lucky. It would take a hell of a lot of money to fix the gaping, tarp-covered breach in her roof.
So here I am, going into a business meeting with the man who broke my heart and ended my singing career. Even Hitchcock couldn’t have come up with a twist as epic as this.
The moment she saw Blaine, he commanded her full attention. He stood as she entered the space, adjusting his blazer. She couldn’t tell if he was straightening it or taking it off; she felt a little disappointed when she realized it was the former. She would have welcomed a better view of his broad shoulders. The disappointment didn’t linger, though; she was too busy letting her hungry eyes devour him like a delicious feast. He’d grown into his handsomeness over the past few years and was even more attractive now. Wonder if he’s grown more selfish, too?
She was intimately acquainted with the ways of a selfish man...her own father had abandoned her and her mother when she was still very young. The scars of that abandonment still remained, and she tended to mistrust men until they proved themselves.
His edgy sense of style remained, as indicated by his clothes. The metallic silver blazer and crisp white shirt whose top two buttons were left open revealed a thick, beaded silver chain with a lion’s head as its centerpiece. Distressed gray jeans sat low on his waist, displaying the outline of the powerful thighs beneath.
She swallowed. She’d come here with so many things on her mind. Now it was all she could do not to drool.
Damn. Even after what he did to me, I’m still fantasizing about him.
Her gaze swept up again, to his rich brown face and the chin-length black dreadlocks he’d bound in a ponytail at his nape. Above a pair of full lips framed by a neatly trimmed beard, his amber eyes sparkled with the flame of youthful passion.
Forget a snack. This man is a whole meal.
“Eden. It’s great to see you.” His deep voice seemed to fill the whole room.
“Same here.” She knew she should move, but her feet were rooted to the spot. She closed her eyes for a moment, willed herself to take a step. Get it together, girl. Get it together!
“Come in, sit down.” He gestured, welcoming her into his domain.
His invitation seemed to relieve her immobility. She crossed the room and took her seat in the chair positioned near his desk, trying to shift her gaze. She refused to get caught staring at him. Lucky for her, his walls held plenty of interesting portraits, plaques and other things she could look at other than his face. He’s really updated the decor in here.
Despite all the room’s new trappings, Blaine remained the true showpiece.
Retaking his seat in the big leather chair, he said, “I really appreciate you taking my call—”
She interjected. “You mean, your receptionist’s call.” If he thought she was going to let that slide, he had another think coming.
He cleared his throat as if he were uncomfortable. “I thought if I called, you’d hang up before I could invite you here.”
“I probably would have.” She folded her arms over her chest.
A slight frown came over his face, though it didn’t detract from his magnetism. “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
She shrugged. “Why should I?” She cocked her head to the right. “I’m older and wiser now, Blaine. I know exactly what you’re capable of, and I’ll govern myself accordingly.” He had no idea how hard she and Ainsley had to work to hold their little household together. He was born into money and had no clue what it was like to struggle.
He dropped his gaze, shuffling through some papers on his desk. “At any rate, thanks for agreeing to meet with me. I know we didn’t part on the best terms the last time we were in this office.”
She kept her tone even. “I see you’ve updated things in here. It looks nice.”
“Thank you.” He pointed at the window behind him. “Finally got some curtains. You were always on me about it.”
She sat back in her chair, resting her purse in her lap as she glanced at the gray-and-white-striped curtains. “It’s definitely an improvement.”
He watched her for a few silent moments. She met his eyes, camouflaging her true emotions so he wouldn’t see how out of sorts he made her feel. He dragged the contact on just long enough to make her squirm inwardly before he spoke again. “Before we get into the details, I feel like I should start with an apology.”
She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”
“Just let me explain—”
“I don’t want to talk about that.” She wasn’t going to do this with him today. His betrayal still stung, despite the passage of time, and being in his presence again made her feel as if her fragile heart could shatter again at any moment. But there was no way she would ever reveal that to him. “We’re not going to talk about the past, Blaine.”
One of his thick brows lifted. “Eden, what happened with you and Ainsley back then...”
She held up her hand to stop him, not wanting to hear whatever weak excuses might come next. “It’s ancient history. I’d really prefer to just iron out the details of the job at hand, if you don’t mind.”
“Okay...if that’s what you really want.” He reclined in the chair, rubbing his large hands together as he asked, “Have you ever heard of Naiya B.?”
She squinted, turning the name over in her mind. “The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.”
“She’s an internet celebrity.”
Recognition sparked in her brain, and she snapped her fingers. “I think Ainsley showed me a video of her singing ‘Greatest Love of All.’”
He nodded. “That video had over eight hundred thousand views in a week. Anyway, I’ve recently signed Naiya to Against the Grain, and we’re looking for a songwriter to work with her on her first album.”
She tilted her head, frowned. Usually an album was a team effort, involving many writers, along with a bevy of producers, musicians and more. “A songwriter? Why not several?”
“Naiya’s voice and her brand demand something truly
cohesive. We think we can best accomplish that by having a single songwriter work on the entire album—though we may vary the production team a bit here and there.”
“And you think I’m the person for the job.”
“Absolutely,” he replied. “Naiya has a very clear vision of the sound she wants to achieve, a vision I share. And I can think of no one better to help us bring that sound to life than you.”
Eden couldn’t deny how his words flattered her. She drew a deep breath and instantly regretted it. His woodsy cologne flooded her senses. The scent, familiar and scintillating, made her think of things she shouldn’t be thinking of in a serious business meeting. Like what it would be like to be in his arms, to have that scent clinging to her clothes...her bedsheets...
She exhaled, hoping to quell the effects of the fragrance, and the wearer. “May I ask why you feel that way?” If he’s being honest, he’ll have no trouble backing up what he says. His fineness, delicious scent and sweet words awakened her inside, but that didn’t mean she trusted him.
He chuckled. “Fair enough. I’ve been following your career over these last several years, since we parted ways.”
“Oh, have you?”
“Yes. And that’s how I know you’ve written three top-100 songs on the R & B and hip-hop Hot 100 charts, just in the last four years. You’ve worked with both music legends and young artists. And you can record demos in full voice, which saves me the trouble of getting a studio singer to do them.” He pressed his broad shoulders back, holding her gaze. “You’re the total package, Eden. Everything we need to generate brilliant lyrics for Naiya lies within you.”
Her mouth fell open, and she snapped it shut. “Wow. You’ve really been keeping tabs on me, huh?”
“In a sense.” He gave her a long, speaking look.
She averted her gaze, not wanting to delve into what his eyes were saying that his mouth wasn’t. “I have to be honest with you, Blaine. When I walked out of this office all those years ago, I had no intention of ever working with you again.”
His jaw hardened. “Eden, I’m sure you understand my decision was a business one. It wasn’t personal.”
A bitter laugh echoed inside her mind. That’s precisely the problem with you, Blaine Woodson. She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s water under the bridge. Despite what I intended back then; I have good reason to take this job. That’s why I took your call.”
“I see. Care to elaborate?”
She shook her head. “I see no reason to go into that. After all, this is a simple business transaction.” That’s what her head said. Other parts of her said something altogether different, but she ignored those parts—for now. “As far as I’m concerned, a professional arrangement is all we can ever hope to have.”
* * *
Watching Eden from across his desk, Blaine wondered what was going through her head. He knew damn well what was going through his: wonderment.
How did she get even more beautiful?
Seven years ago, she’d been a young woman in her early twenties, with an easygoing manner and grandiose dreams of music stardom. She had to be about thirty now, and she seemed to possess poise and maturity that amplified her natural outer beauty. She was of average height, though her strappy heels made her a couple of inches taller. As she sat across from him in the curve-hugging red dress, with her luscious lips painted to match, her femininity captivated him. She’d worn her dark, auburn-streaked hair loose, falling in large ringlets around her heart-shaped brown face. With those glittering cocoa eyes locked on him, he found it difficult to focus on business.
“Blaine, did you hear what I said?”
He reached back, wrapping his hand around the base of his bound locs for a moment while he gathered his wits. “Forgive me, I’m about a quart low on caffeine. What did you say?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I said, as far as I’m concerned, a business arrangement is all we can have.”
“Ouch.” He heard her loud and clear that time, and her words stung. He wasn’t sure why; this meeting was supposed to be about business. Yet there was no denying how she moved him. He felt his brow crease. What had possessed her to say that to him? Was she talking about the past? Or was she picking up on how he felt right now? Blaine had always known her to be perceptive. “Where did that come from?”
“I just want to make sure that we’re clear, right from the start. Mixing business with pleasure never works out the way it should. I’m not sure if you remember how it went down the last time, so we’re just not going to do it.”
He tried not to linger on the regret her words dredged up. “Of course, I remember.” How could he forget the way she’d affected him; the way goose bumps had risen on his skin when he heard her sing? The way his blood had raced when she kissed him?
She pursed her lips, as if unconvinced. “Then you should be willing to keep things professional between us.”
“I respect your stance, Eden.”
“Good.” She released her grip on her handbag, setting it on the desk before flexing her fingers. “Because if you want to work with me, those are my terms.”
He knew she was still displeased with his decision to dump the group and elevate Cambria to the ranks of solo star. If only there was some way I could make her see, make her understand that I did what I had to do. He cleared his throat. “Eden, I’m just going to say it. I really need you.”
Her eyes widened, her ruby lips forming an O shape.
He continued his declaration before she could read too deeply into his meaning. “This album, and its success, are of particular importance. You are the key to that success. Make no mistake, everything that happens between us will be on your terms.”
She huffed out a breath, crossing one long leg over the other. “Really? And why should I believe that? You’ve blindsided me once before.” Her shoulders were tense, her chin lifted in defiance.
“I’ve never denied that.”
“I have to be careful about the projects I take on, Blaine,” she told him. “My creativity suffers if I’m not.”
“I hear you. And I understand why you might be hesitant to work with me. But there’s a lot riding on this album, and I can’t afford to act in a way that would jeopardize it.” He didn’t elaborate on the reasoning behind that; there was no reason she needed to know his company could end up being dropped from Hamilton House.
She shook her head, pressing her lips into a rueful half smile. “There was a lot at stake for me back then, too. But I’ll take your word for it.”
He sighed. She had good reason for mistrusting him, and they both knew it. His hand had been forced, and he’d tried to explain as much to Eden and Ainsley on that fateful day. But emotions had been too high, and both women had left his office visibly upset.
“I assume you’ve drawn up a contract?”
He opened his desk drawer and took out the document, sliding it across the desk to her. “Let me know if you need an explanation of anything.”
He watched as she perused the document. Moments later, a shocked look passed over her face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
Silence fell between them while she finished reading the contract, and he used the time to respond to a few messages on his smartphone. When she looked up, he slid a gold-plated pen toward her.
Shaking her head, she said, “I’ll need some time to consider the offer.”
His brows hitched. “How much time?”
“Give me a week. I’ll definitely make a decision by then.” She used her fingertips to roll the pen back toward him.
He reached for the pen before she moved her hand, and their fingers brushed momentarily.
A buzz, like the kick of a finely aged whiskey, fired through his blood. Her skin was as smooth and soft as satin. Even the brief connection was enough to remind him of those long-ago nights they’d spent together i
n the studio. He hadn’t forgotten what they’d shared, and despite her cool manner, he could tell she hadn’t forgotten, either.
She drew her hand away, tucking it into her lap and looking away from him.
She felt it, too.
He returned the pen to his drawer. “If you decide to sign the contract, we’ll be able to give you a check for half the fee.”
She nodded, dropping her shoulders, her rigid posture relaxing. When she spoke again, her tone had softened, lacking the earlier edginess. “Sounds good. If I take the job, when do we get started?”
It pleased him that she seemed more at ease. “I’d like to have you meet with Naiya and me next Monday, if possible. Would that work?”
“That would be fine. What’s the time and place?”
“Here, in the conference room, about ten.”
She stood. “Is there anything else?”
There’s plenty. But now wasn’t the time. She’d placed a wall between them for her own protection, and despite his fierce attraction to her, he’d always respect her boundaries. “No, that’s all. Thank you again for coming, and for considering the offer.”
“Just don’t make me regret it, Blaine.” She gave him a soft smile, turned and walked out of his office, leaving her parting words hanging in the air like a fog.
Three
Saturday morning, Eden sat beside Ainsley in the waiting room of the children’s specialty clinic. On the opposite side of Ainsley, Cooper dozed, his head resting on his mother’s shoulder.
“He’s been in and out of sleep since we left the house,” Eden noted, gesturing to her slumbering little nephew. Normally Cooper was a ball of unfettered energy, so seeing him napping in public like a worn-out toddler was a bit jarring for her.
Ainsley nodded. “It’s the pain meds they gave him. The ER doc said they’d make him drowsy, remember?” She didn’t remember, actually, but didn’t see the need to say that aloud. Between the tree falling on the roof, spending the better part of Saturday at the emergency room with Cooper and then meeting up with Blaine on Friday, the last several days had been a blur of unpleasant surprises.
After Hours Redemption (404 Sound) Page 2
