by Pamela Yaye
Her gaze fell across the calendar and zeroed in on the date. Jariah had a full day ahead of her tomorrow, but she wasn’t excited about any of her upcoming interviews. Job hunting was stressful, but throwing in the towel wasn’t an option. She was going to find a full-time job—no if, ands or buts about it. And when she did she was buying herself a new car, because she was sick of hearing her Dodge cough and sputter.
“I think you should take the EA job. It’s the smart thing to do,” Sadie said emphatically. “Take the position, and if something better comes along, just quit.”
“Mr. Morretti’s going to want me to sign a one-year contract.”
“So what? People break contracts every day.” Felicia flipped her hair over her shoulders, and gave a nonchalant shrug. “It’s no big deal. What’s he going to do? Sue you?”
Jariah gave serious consideration to what her girlfriends said, but still wasn’t convinced. “I don’t think I can...” She broke off speaking, and shook her head. “Forget it.”
“What is it?” Sadie asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. “What’s bothering you?”
“I’m scared of what people will say when they find out I’m a receptionist.”
And by people, I mean my parents. I’ve disappointed them so many times, and I don’t want them to hear how much of a failure I am. Jariah stared at the framed photograph on the wall. It had been taken the day of her high school graduation, long before college, wild frat parties, and Wesley Covington came along. Back then, her parents had had complete control of her life, and Jariah had been so anxious to break free she’d applied to dozens of out-of-state universities. The day she’d received her acceptance letter to Miami University she’d danced around the kitchen, feeling like the luckiest girl alive. To this day, it still amazed her how young and naive she’d been. If she hadn’t been so trusting, and head over heels in love with Wesley—the first guy she’d ever kissed—she never would have gotten pregnant her senior year.
The thought froze in Jariah’s brain. Scared of where her emotions would take her, she shook her head to ward off the memories that threatened to break free. Thinking about the day she broke the news of her pregnancy to her parents always brought feelings of guilt, shame and regret. Jariah had enough on her plate to deal with without adding the mistakes of her past to the mix. Her rent was going up, she had no job prospects, and her car was on its last leg. What more could possibly go wrong this week? Am I ever going to catch a break?
“Who cares what people say?” Sadie gave Jariah a one-armed hug. “You’ll be making an honest living, and that’s all that matters.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Felicia peeked inside Jariah’s purse, took out her cell phone and offered it to her. “Go on. Call him.”
“Who?” Jariah asked, playing dumb.
“That Italian heartthrob with the bedroom eyes, of course!”
“I need to sleep on it.”
“Tomorrow might be too late,” Felicia said, her tone grave.
Jariah folded her arms. “Why are you pressuring me? What’s in this for you?”
“I’m just being a good friend.”
“Right, and you’re a natural blonde!” Sadie quipped, her tone full of attitude and sarcasm. “You’re up to something. I just know it.”
Felicia batted her fake eyelashes. “Who, me?”
“Yes, you. Come clean. Why do you want Jariah to work for Morretti Inc. so bad?”
“Because Nicco’s older brother, Rafael, is exactly my type!”
Giggling, the cousins exchanged high-fives.
“How do you know so much about the Morretti family?” Jariah asked.
Felicia waved her BlackBerry in the air. “Google, of course!”
“I almost forgot. I got our tickets to the Kings of R & B concert this morning.” Sadie unzipped her handbag, took out her wallet and handed a ticket to Jariah. “Don’t worry about paying me back until you get a job. I know you’re good for it.”
“This ticket’s a hundred and fifty bucks!” she complained. “I can’t afford that.”
“You could if you took the executive assistant job,” Felicia pointed out.
“It’s not about the position or even the pay,” Jariah confessed. “Nicco Morretti thinks he’s God’s gift to women and I honestly couldn’t imagine working for him.”
“No one says you have to love the guy. Just do your job and collect your paycheck!”
“It’s a good thing you have Wesley’s child support payments to help keep you afloat—”
Jariah cut Sadie off, annoyed at what she was implying. “I can’t use Ava’s money to pay my living expenses. That wouldn’t be right.”
The women exchanged curious glances.
“But you’ve been out of work for months,” Felicia said. “How are you getting by?”
“I’m using my emergency fund, and when that runs out I’ll just sell my car.”
“Girl, please, you couldn’t give that old hoopty away, let alone sell it!”
The women cracked up.
“I’m going to go check on, Ava.” Jariah finished her orange juice and stood. “Thanks again for watching her you guys. I really appreciate it.”
Sadie picked up one of the DVDs on the counter and held it up in the air. “We were about to watch Think Like A Man, but if you’re turning in we’ll skedaddle.”
For effect, Jariah licked her lips and fanned a hand to her face. “And miss my chance to see my future husband, Michael Ealy, on the big screen? No way! I’ll be right back.”
Jariah climbed the staircase, thinking about the advice her girlfriends had given her. An hour ago, she’d stormed out of Dolce Vita, vowing never to speak to Nicco Morretti again, but now she wondered if she’d acted in haste.
Dismissing the thought, she decided rejecting the CEO’s business proposition was the right thing to do. I’ll have a new job by the end of the week, Jariah pledged, more determined than ever to find a position in her field. And it damn sure won’t be a lowly receptionist position.
Chapter 6
The first thing Jariah did when she returned home from picking up Ava from day camp on Thursday afternoon was check her answering machine for missed calls. It had been a week since her last interview, and Jariah was running out of options and money. There were no new messages, no lucrative job offers, and as she sank into her favorite chair in the bright and airy living room, she became overcome with feelings of hopelessness. Her body felt weighed down with stress and fatigue—Jariah knew it would be a struggle to stand up.
“Mom, can I play outside?”
Her vision was blurred by the unshed tears in her eyes, but Jariah nodded and said, “Sure, sweetie, but stay in front of the house. No wandering off, okay?”
“Okay, Mom. I won’t.”
Jariah heard the front door open and close. Shrieks of laughter gushed through the window, and the hot, blustery wind ruffled the curtains.
Thinking about her situation caused a tear to skid down her cheek. Being at home, day-in and day-out, while her friends were at their respective jobs was discouraging, but Jariah wasn’t sure of what else she could do to fix her situation.
To take her mind off her troubles, she turned to the stack of mail she’d dumped on the side table. Scooping it up, she dumped the letters in her lap and propped her legs up on the coffee table. As Jariah scanned the electricity bill, she realized that she’d been a fool to turn down Nicco Morretti’s business proposition. Despite applying to dozens of companies, the executive assistant position was all she had, her one and only offer. And now that Jariah had realized the error of her ways she wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip through her grasp.
Sitting up, Jariah took her cell phone out of her purse, found Nicco Morretti’s number in the call history, and after hitting Send, she w
aited for him to pick up. Her heart threatened to explode from her chest, but she carefully rehearsed what she wanted to say.
“Daddy!”
Frowning, Jariah stood and strode over to the window. She pulled back the curtains just in time to see Ava race down the walkway and leap into Wesley’s open arms. Jariah was annoyed that her ex had showed up unannounced, but she decided not to give him a hard time. He’d come to spend time with his daughter, and seeing them together warmed her heart. Ava was beaming, fiercely clutching her dad’s hand, and proudly showing him off to the neighborhood kids, as if he was a new toy.
The phone beeped in her ear, cuing her to leave a message, but Jariah hung up. She’d call Nicco later, once Wesley was gone. Deciding to get started on dinner, she went into the kitchen and put her cell phone down on the counter. Jariah opened the fridge and took out everything she needed to make chili. Within seconds, the vegetables were chopped and the stew was bubbling.
Just because I don’t have a job doesn’t mean I should mope around feeling sorry for myself, Jariah decided, mincing a clove of garlic. Especially when Wesley’s around. The last thing I need is him getting on my case. Back when they were living together, he constantly teased her about being a stay-at-home mom, and joked that she sat around all day watching TV and eating bon-bons while he slaved away at work. That irritated Jariah, but not as much as his disrespect and total disregard for her feelings.
The front door slammed shut, and footsteps pounded on the hardwood floor.
“Good afternoon, Jariah. How have you been?”
“I’m fine thanks, and you?”
“Great, now that I’m with my number one girl.” Wesley scooped Ava up in his arms and spun her around in the air. “I finished work early, so I decided to stop by. If you girls aren’t busy, I’d love to take you out for dinner. How about we go to our favorite spot?”
“Ava, Daddy’s going to take you to Groovy’s Pizza. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Yahoo! Let’s go!”
“Why don’t you go change into one of the pretty new party dresses Grandma Stella bought you for your birthday?” Jariah suggested, cupping her daughter’s shoulder and steering her out of the kitchen. “And don’t forget to wash up.”
“Stay right there, Dad. I’ll be right back.”
Jariah waited until Ava raced out of the kitchen before she spoke to Wesley.
“Next time you’re in the mood to drop by, please call first.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He looked her up and down. “I see that you’ve stopped going to the gym.”
“I’m a certified fitness instructor, thank you very much.”
His eyebrows drew together and formed a long, crooked line. “I find that hard to believe. You’ve definitely put on weight since the last time I saw you.”
And you’re a lousy lover, but you don’t see me warning the female masses via Twitter, do you? “It’s a lovely day,” she said, gesturing to the door he’d just arrogantly swaggered through. “Why don’t you wait for Ava outside?”
He chuckled, as if she’d just told him a knock-knock joke, then leaned casually against the breakfast bar. “Have you found a new job?”
“No, but I’ve had several promising offers this week.”
And by several, I mean one, but whose counting?
“I’m happy for you,” he said tightly, his jaw clenched. “We’ll celebrate at dinner.”
Jariah held her tongue. She hated when Wesley showed up unannounced and expected her to drop everything. But instead of cursing him out in every language she knew, she picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the pot of chili. “I’m not going with you guys. I have housework to do.” It was a lie, and Jariah knew Wesley wouldn’t believe her, but she didn’t care what her ex thought. They weren’t a couple anymore, and if not for Ava, she’d have nothing to do with him or his bougie parents.
“Is something wrong with your cell?” Wesley swiped her BlackBerry off the counter and examined it. “My mom said every time she calls you your phone goes straight to voice mail.”
Raising an eyebrow as if confused, Jariah said, “Is Stella calling about something specific, or to cram her new-age parenting philosophies down my throat?”
“She wants to take Ava to Orlando in August. Is that cool with you?”
“I’ll check my schedule and get back to you.”
“I have your child support check for this month.” Wearing a broad grin, Wesley reached into his back pocket, took out an envelope and offered it to her. “Don’t blow it all at Macy’s.”
Jariah dropped the spoon on the counter. “I’ve never, ever, used Ava’s money on myself. I pay for her extracurricular activities, and put the rest away in her savings account.”
“Sure you do.” Wesley dropped the envelope on the breakfast bar. “You’ve been out of work for months, and I know your parents aren’t helping you, so you must be using Ava’s child support checks to help stay afloat.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” she argued, struggling to control her temper. “I have no reason to lie, and I have the bank account statements to prove it.”
“You know,” he began, lowering his voice a notch, “I’m not dating anyone.”
Jariah rolled her eyes. “Good for you.”
“I want you and Ava to come back home. We’re a family, and we should be together.”
“I want to be a wife, and I’d love to have two or three more children. Don’t you?”
Wesley coughed and raked a hand over his short, brown hair. He looked uncomfortable, and was restlessly shuffling his feet.
“That’s what I thought.”
“Jariah, we’ve been over this a million times. I’m just not ready,” he said sternly, as if he was admonishing an errant child. “We’ll get married one day. I promise.”
“One day isn’t good enough, Wesley. We’ve been arguing back and forth about this for years, and I’m tired of it.”
“You’ve been tripping ever since you started reading Dr. Rashondra Brown’s stupid self-help books,” he argued, scowling. “You should be thanking your lucky stars that I’m a good man because I know a lot of single moms who don’t have it as good as you.”
Jariah propped a hand on her hip. “Is that so?”
“It sure is. Their exes are all trifling, dead-beat dads who don’t give them diddly squat.”
“And you should be thanking your lucky stars that I was a patient, understanding girlfriend because I don’t know anyone who’d put up with you or your mother for five years.”
“You’re never going to find anyone better than me.”
“Why?” she replied, snorting a laugh. “Because you’re such a great catch?”
“No, because I can afford to buy you anything you want. Clothes, jewelry, purses—”
“I want a commitment, Wesley, not another Hermès bag.”
Muttering in response, he thrust his hands into the pockets of his dark, tailored slacks. His gaze bounced around the room, looking everywhere but at her face.
“I’m ready.” Entering the kitchen, Ava curtseyed, and then did a twirl around the breakfast bar. “Daddy, do you like my dress?”
Wesley’s smile returned. “I love it, sweetheart. You look like a princess.”
“Be a good girl,” Jariah admonished, adjusting the straps on Ava’s pink floral sundress. “Have fun with Daddy, and don’t give him any trouble.”
“I won’t, Mom. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Jariah kissed Ava on the cheek and gave her a hug. “See you later, alligator.”
“In a while, crocodile!”
She stood in the doorway, waving at Ava, but the second Wesley’s Range Rover turned out of the condominium complex, she snatched up her cell phone and hit Redial. Time was of the essence, and Jar
iah feared if she waited until tomorrow to contact Nicco, it would be too late. She needed that executive assistant position now, and was willing to humble herself to get it. Jariah hated the thought of doing the CEO’s bidding, but she’d rather work at Morretti Inc. than spend another day at home waiting for the telephone to ring.
“This is Nicco Morretti.”
His voice filled the line, warming her all over. Her heart rate spiked, but Jariah cautioned herself to remain focused. She was attracted to Nicco, but he wasn’t her type, definitely not the kind of guy she’d ever fall for, and flirting with him would only bring trouble. “Yes, hello, this is...ah...ah...” Jariah drew a blank, and wanted to slap herself for forgetting her own name.
“It’s great to hear from you, Jariah. I hope you and your daughter are doing well.”
Staring down at the phone, her mouth agape, Jariah was convinced she’d misheard him. He recognizes my voice? But we’ve only spoken on the phone once!
“I, um, feel terrible about the way I acted last week at Dolce Vita, and I want to apologize.” Jariah cringed at the memory of that night, but pushed past her shame and spoke from the heart. “I was disappointed because I didn’t get the account manager job, and I let my emotions get the best of me. I’m sorry.”
“I understand, Jariah. It happens to the best of us,” he said sympathetically. “Even me.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
He chuckled, and the knot in her chest loosened, abated.
“Remind me to tell you about the time I lost my cool and slugged a retired navy SEAL.”
“No way. You didn’t.”
“I did, and I have his medical bills to prove it!”
Jariah laughed. She didn’t know if Nicco was serious or just tying to make her feel better, but to her surprise, he did.
“I hope you’re calling about the executive assistant position, because I could really use someone with your skill and expertise in my office.”
Jariah swallowed a laugh. Making coffee didn’t require any skill or expertise, but she was smart enough not to argue with him. “The position is still available?”
