Marco picked up his hands-free headset and put it on. He figured his best bet was to call up his friends and colleagues in the local financial sector and see if anyone could offer a recommendation. The size of his budget for the contract dictated that he’d need a smaller, local firm as opposed to a state-or nationwide one.
After seventy solid minutes of making calls, Marco removed his headset and looked at the names of the three firms he’d jotted on a notepad atop his desk. He used the intercom system to buzz his branch manager.
A few moments later, Roosevelt Hunter opened the office door and entered. Roosevelt, a tall, fit black man in his fifties, was Marco’s next in command. “What do you need, Marco?” Having been employed at the branch since it opened, Roosevelt had finally started calling Marco by his first name, as he’d requested from day one.
Marco tore the top sheet from his notepad, and handed it to the branch manager. “Roosevelt, could you contact these three security firms and solicit proposals from them?”
Taking the offered paper, Roosevelt nodded. “I’m on it. What day do you want them to come in?”
Marco scratched his chin. “If anyone can have their proposal drawn up and ready to present tomorrow after lunch, let them know they’ll have a leg up.”
One of Roosevelt’s brows rose. “You mean you want to sit through security proposals on a Friday afternoon?”
Marco chuckled. “Not really, but I’m on a tight deadline here, so I don’t have much of a choice.”
Roosevelt gave him a mock salute. “Whatever you say, boss. I’ll get right on it.” He turned and left the office, closing the door behind him.
Marco glanced at his gold wristwatch. It was a quarter till one, but he’d become accustomed to taking his lunch later than most. He didn’t have any desire to go out, so he grabbed his smartphone and placed a call to have his food delivered. After he hung up, he eased his chair closer to the desk, and started on the stack of paperwork on the desk awaiting his signature.
After all, the forms weren’t going to sign themselves.
Chapter 2
Friday morning, Joi’s efforts in reaching out to her business contacts paid off in the form of a phone call to the office. She smiled through the entire call, and by the time she hung up with the man on the other end, she was pretty sure she’d found the perfect opportunity to get Citadel operating in the black again.
She called out for Karen, who was working in her office next door.
“We only have a few hours to pull together a proposal.”
Karen’s brow hitched, her face reflecting her confusion. “A proposal for what?”
“I just spoke to a Mr. Roosevelt Hunter, the branch manager at Royal Bank and Trust. They’re looking for a new security contractor, and apparently someone recommended us.”
Karen’s confusion melted into a smile. “Great. But why don’t we have more time to get the proposal together?”
Joi shrugged. “Mr. Hunter says they’re on a tight deadline to make a choice, and that if we could make our pitch this afternoon, it would give us a major advantage.”
“What time is your appointment?”
“Two o’clock.” Joi noted her business partner’s emphasis of the word your. Karen was many things: fashionable, organized and extremely intelligent. She was also pretty shy, which meant she never accompanied Joi to things like this. Karen much preferred to be left alone with her computer.
Leaning against the door frame, Karen spoke again. “Gather your stuff and meet me in the conference room.”
Karen disappeared, and Joi got up and began to gather the supplies they would need. When she had everything tucked into the wheeled caddy she kept by her desk, she took it down the short hallway to the small conference room at the end.
The black lacquer table centering the room seated six people. Each of the four corners held a live fern in a wicker planter. Vertical blinds covered the tall windows on one side of the room.
Karen was already seated at one end of the table when Joi walked in. “When are we going to hang some pictures or something in here?”
Joi glanced at the blank, aqua-hued wall opposite the window. Sliding into her seat next to Karen, she shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought the bright-colored paint was decoration enough.”
A few moments later, they laid their paper and pens out on the table, and began the process of drawing up a proposal. As they conversed about what they would offer Royal, Joi took notes in a small notebook, while Karen typed away at the keys of her laptop.
As morning turned into afternoon, Karen finished the proposal, and hit Send to print the document via the office’s wireless printer. After Joi retrieved it, she deposited the papers into a navy-and-yellow folder with the Citadel logo emblazoned on the front of it. “This is it, Karen. This is the winning bid on that bank contract.”
Karen stood, stretching her arms over her head. “I hope you’re right. Can we break for lunch now?”
Glancing at her phone, Joi nodded. “We need to. It’s a quarter after twelve, and I gotta have time to eat, freshen up and drive over to the bank before my appointment.”
Karen moved past her. “I’ll hang out here and order in. Go on and grab lunch, then go knock ’em dead.”
“Thanks, Karen.” Joi spent a few minutes making sure she had everything she’d need for the afternoon, then departed.
A little over an hour later, she pulled her black single-cab pickup truck bearing the Citadel logo into a space behind Royal Bank and Trust. She’d stopped in the restroom of the diner she’d had lunch in to change. Forgoing her usual uniform, she’d chosen a pair of gray wool trousers and a matching blazer, paired with a bright red blouse. As she exited her truck and faced the chilly November wind, she was grateful for the warmth of the outfit. Moving across the lot as quickly as she could in her high-heeled red leather booties, she entered the building with the proposal tucked beneath her arm.
She looked around the interior of the bank, familiarizing herself with the layout. Knowing the lay of the land would be the first step in protecting the bank’s assets. She took a few moments to walk the perimeter of the space. The bank’s lobby was reasonably large, considering the size of the building as it appeared from the outside. It was also pretty typical of a bank. A central desk staffed by three tellers at separate windows, a set of tall tables to the left side of the entrance stocked with forms and pens, and a waiting area to the right. A glass wall separated a corridor from the open lobby, accessed by a set of double doors. In the corridor were two small offices belonging to the bank’s branch manager and loan officer, according to the signs on the doors.
Joi wandered over to the narrow hallway beyond the offices, to where she assumed the vault was located. Just as she approached the round metal disk-shaped door, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
Joi whirled around, poised to act.
A chocolate-skinned man of average height stood there. Apparently he sensed her agitation, because he took a large step back as he spoke. “I’m Roosevelt Hunter. Are you Ms. Lewis?”
She relaxed her stance right away. “Yes, I am.” She stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hunter. Sorry about that.”
Roosevelt offered a smile. “It’s fine. Impressive reflexes, Ms. Lewis.”
Inside she was mortified, but outwardly she smiled. “Thank you.”
“Mr. Alvarez is ready to see you.”
Joi followed the branch manager as he led her farther down the hallway she’d been exploring. Turning a corner they came to a sizable office. The glass-paned door to the office stood open.
With a nod to Mr. Hunter, Joi stepped inside the office, with her free hand extended. “Good afternoon, Mr. Alvarez. I’m...”
The dark-haired man seated behind the desk looked up. His bronzed face held eyes that were dark, assessing
and familiar.
Fixing her with a piercing gaze, he stood to his full height and cut her off midsentence. “I know who you are.”
* * *
Marco stared at the woman standing in front of his desk, torn between disbelief and irritation. Could the woman who’d abandoned his friend Ernesto at the altar really be there, in his office?
“I, um. I...” she stammered, as if she were still attempting to identify herself.
He folded his arms over his chest, taking in the sight of her shapely, smartly dressed form. “Like I said, I know who you are. Why are you here, Joi?”
She seemed to recover her professional demeanor then. She tucked her shoulders back and stood tall. “It’s two o’clock. I am the owner of Citadel Security, and we have an appointment.”
“Is that so?” He felt his brow furrow. If someone in full makeup and a clown suit had shown up for the appointment, he would have been less surprised.
“Yes, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to make my presentation.” She handed him a dark blue folder. When he opened it, he found several pages of neatly typed facts and figures.
His eyes drifted from the carefully prepared report and back to her face. Her earlier discomfort had disappeared, leaving behind nothing but confidence. If she were intimidated by his standoffish manner, she didn’t let on.
He returned to his seat, straightened his tie. “Yes, Ms. Lewis. Go ahead.” If she could keep things strictly business, then so could he. Based on her demeanor, his expectations for her proposal were very high.
Mindful of the edict he’d received from Sal, Marco paid close attention to Joi’s presentation. He took a few moments to leaf through the pages inside the folder she’d given him, which provided a written representation of everything she was saying. He noted how astute she was, and how thorough a vision she had for serving Royal’s security needs. He also noticed the way the soft fabric of her suit hugged the lines of her body, which was far curvier than it had been six years prior. Looking at her now made it seem as if that had been a lifetime ago.
Feeling a building warmth in the room, he loosened his tie. He watched her glossy, cherry-red lips move as she spoke.
Her mouth stopped moving, and she watched him, an expectant look spread across her face. Suddenly, he realized she’d asked him a question. “Pardon me?”
“I asked if you had any questions for me, Mr. Alvarez.” Annoyance registered in her expression, only for a moment, before she returned to her convivial smile.
Drawing his focus away from her appearance, he sat back in his chair and tented his fingers. “You’ve given a thorough proposal, and I’m impressed. The only thing I need to know now is your bid.”
She quoted him the amount.
His brow hitched in surprise. Her bid was within a few thousand dollars of the budget the board had approved for him. Only one other company had bid today, and their offer had so far exceeded the budget, Marco already knew he wouldn’t be calling them back. By his own honest assessment, if Citadel could deliver all the benefits that Joi had promised, Royal would be getting them for a steal.
“How does that sound to you, Mr. Alvarez?”
He was thrilled, but he knew better than to reveal that in a business negotiation. Tempering his reaction, he offered a slow, noncommittal nod. “I think it’s a reasonable offer.” Since she was still standing, and he planned to draw the encounter out a bit more, he gestured to the guest chair near her. “Please, have a seat.”
With a curt shake of her head, she replied, “I prefer to stand.”
He had to assume she was making a show of dedication, or of stamina. Something told him that even with the specter of their past history hanging between them, she was too serious about her business to let anything petty interfere with their interactions.
Deciding he’d test that, he asked her, “What have you been up to these past few years, Ms. Lewis?”
Her lovely brown face crinkled a bit. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what that has to do with my proposal.”
He shrugged. “I’m simply curious as to what path you took after we parted, and how it brought you into my presence again.”
She blinked a few times, her soft brown eyes darting around the interior of his office. “I took a few continuing education classes and opened an office for my security firm. Basically, I’ve been working on my dream since the last time I saw you.”
He thought back on those days, when he’d known a totally different Joi Lewis than the one standing before him now. But she’d always been tough, and that hadn’t changed. “I see.”
As if she sensed where the conversation was headed, she squared her shoulders. “Let me level with you, Mr. Alvarez. I know you may have a negative opinion of me, due to what happened in the past. But I stand behind my decision, and I hope you’ll respect me enough as a professional that you won’t let that incident affect your decision.”
He watched her, noting that she’d only referred to her abandonment of Ernesto at the altar as an “incident.” It came across a little crass, but she was right. They were both professionals, and it would be unethical and ill-advised for him to flatly deny Citadel’s bid because of something that had happened years ago.
A few silent moments passed with each of them assessing the other.
Finally, he spoke. “Ms. Lewis, I’m not going to allow anything to shape the decisions I make for Royal, except for my best judgment of what is most beneficial to the company.”
She nodded, keeping her expression flat.
“I noticed in your material that Citadel has an all-female staff. Why is that?”
“My guards are all accomplished women, decorated military veterans or experienced former law enforcement officers. Despite their credentials, it’s difficult for them to find work. I aim to remedy that.”
“Out of altruism?” He watched her, anticipating her answer.
She held his gaze. “Out of good business sense.”
He offered a smile, impressed by her savvy. “That’s why I’m going to offer Citadel the contract right now. But be aware, your company will need to complete a thirty-day trial period, and if for any reason I or my branch manager are dissatisfied, we’ll have to rescind our offer.”
For the first time since she’d stepped into his office, she gave him a full, genuine smile. The wide spread of her ruby lips showed off two rows of pearly-white teeth. “I understand completely. Thank you, Mr. Alvarez. Citadel will go above and beyond your expectations, I promise.”
He stood, moved around the side of his desk, with his hand extended toward her.
She approached him, shook his hand.
He knew that this was an everyday gesture in business, merely a sign of good faith to seal their professional agreement. Logic told him their handshake would be just like any other he shared with an associate during the course of his day at work.
But the moment his hand closed around hers, he felt something. It was subtle, but undeniable, like a charge of static electricity running up his arm. He looked down at their joined hands. The softness of her skin, along with her feminine fragrance wafting toward his nostrils, made him feel like an awkward teen who’d just scored a date with the head cheerleader.
The moment lengthened. They’d already shaken hands, but for some reason, he hesitated to release his grip.
When he let his gaze rise to her face, he could see the flush of heat making its way up from the column of her throat and into her nut-brown cheeks. She was, in one word, stunning.
She cleared her throat, breaking the spell of the moment.
He released her hand, and took a step back to give her some personal space.
“If there’s nothing else, I really need to get back to the office and prepare my employees.” She’d already moved back to where she’d been standing.
“There’s nothing more at the moment.” He uttered the words while he watched her stoop to pick up her purse from the floor. The soft fabric of her slacks stretched around her full hips, and his pleasure at the sight caught him so off guard. He turned away.
“I’ll return with my guards bright and early Monday morning.” She moved toward the door, but stopped there to await his direction.
He shook his head. “Tuesday. Monday is Veterans Day, and the bank will be closed.”
“Got it. I’ll see you then. And thank you again, Mr. Alvarez.” She blessed him with another slight smile before disappearing through the open office door.
Returning to his seat behind the desk, he looked at the open folder she’d left him. He promised himself he would go over the documents again later, when he wasn’t so distracted and out of sorts.
After today’s interaction with Joi, he wondered if “distracted” was about to become his default state.
Chapter 3
That evening, Joi and Karen took all eight of their employees out to celebrate winning the security contract for Royal Bank and Trust. The women were now seated around a large table in the rear of Mimosa Grill, enjoying their meals and each other’s company.
Joi looked around at the faces of the women. Their workplace sisterhood was something she cherished, because it made doing what she loved that much better.
With that in mind, she stood and tapped her water glass with the tines of a fork. “I’d like to make a toast.”
The women around the table halted their conversations, and looked her way.
Lifting her glass high, Joi continued. “To the women of Citadel. Protecting the business assets of this city isn’t easy, but we’re just the right women for the job.”
“Here, here.” An assortment of goblets and glasses were raised in salute.
Sitting back down, Joi felt Karen jab her in the ribs with her elbow.
“Why didn’t you give my toast?” Karen’s mock pout was pronounced.
A Sultry Love Song Page 2
