Man at Work

by Chanta Jefferson Rand

  She banished the thought of him from her mind. She’d proved she could get along just fine without him. As long as she worked hard and didn’t think about him. As long as she didn’t lose focus and start daydreaming about him. As long as she didn’t sleep—because that’s when she fantasized about all the sensual nights she’d spent in his arms. What had she done to deserve his treatment?

  She sniffed and battled tears that pricked the backs of her eyes. She would not waste waterworks on Gabe.

  “Miss Jones? Are you okay?” Roland asked. The concern written in his eyes made her want to cry all the more.

  “I…uh, I’m sorry. I’m…not usually…”

  He patted her reassuringly on the hand. “I know this is probably very emotional for you.”

  She shook her head. He mistakenly thought she was choked up over being on the show. He had no clue of the inner turmoil she battled.

  “Well, well,” a deep voice sliced the air. “Isn’t this convenient?”

  Candace looked up through misty eyes to see Gabe towering over her. Her heart thumped haphazardly as she took in his appearance. God, he looked good! His pale yellow shirt contrasted against his chocolate skin. Her fingers itched to caress his bulging biceps as they strained against the material. Her body screamed out for him. How she missed him. Seeing him again was like giving a sip of water to a person dying of thirst.

  “Gabe, I…”

  He cut her off. “I hope this guy has enough money to keep you happy.”

  The smirk on his face was meant to be sarcastic, but the flash of anger in his eyes belied his true feelings. How dare he? He was the one who’d dumped her! He’d refused to call her. He’d gotten what he wanted and now had the nerve to be upset because he assumed she was on a date with some other guy. She didn’t owe him any explanation.

  “At least he’ll call me the morning after,” she retorted.

  “I hope it’s not collect, or you won’t be taking his call.”

  “I’m sorry you must have me confused with some other gold digging hussy you know.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, I know plenty, and I thought you were the kind of woman who didn’t fit in that category, but you sure had me fooled.”

  Okay, enough of the veiled insults.

  “What the hell are you talking about, Gabe?”

  “Admit it. You were only dating me for my money.”

  Candace gasped. “What? That’s a lie.”

  “Really? Coincidentally, you started dating me after my employee told you that I owned Sampson’s.”

  “It’s true, but I was attracted to you before I learned your true identity.”

  “You had a funny way of showing it.”

  “I was fresh off the heels of a breakup. Not that it’s any of your business, but I wanted to take things slow. Protect myself from getting hurt. I…” She abruptly stopped. She couldn’t divulge all of her business. How pathetic she must look. “It’s not what you think, Gabe.”

  Even when his lip curled into a half sneer like it was doing now, he still looked damn sexy. “I thought you were different, Candace.”

  “Me? What about you?” She stood and tossed her cloth napkin on the seat of her chair. “Hiding the fact that you own Sampson’s. I asked you for nothing but honesty, and you couldn’t even give me that. I guess money can’t buy integrity.”

  “Oh,” he threw his hands up. “Now, you’re questioning my integrity?”

  “Yes! If you’d simply been honest from the start, things would be a lot different now.”

  “Would you have given me the time of day if I wasn’t rich?”

  “Who knows? I’m not perfect, but you never gave me the opportunity.” Suddenly, understanding dawned on her. The silent treatment was his way of punishing her for finding out about his background. “Is this the reason you’ve been M.I.A?”

  Gabe gave some sort of reply, but Candace didn’t hear a word he said. She was focused on a familiar face that had just entered her peripheral vision. Grey eyes. Wavy curls pinned up. Denim dress and heels.

  “Toye, what are you doing here?” Candace asked.

  “Meeting with Gabe.”

  Candace took in her cousin’s appearance. Clearly, Toye had taken her time getting dressed. Realization dawned on her. These two were on a date! It cut like a knife—one that was now twisting in her back.

  How could Toye do this to me?

  “So that’s how it is, huh?” Candace asked.

  “No, Candace. Let me expl—”

  Without waiting for Toye to reply, Candace turned to Gabe. “You’re punishing me. You made your point. But to involve one of my family members...”

  Gabe objected. “Don’t try to pin this on Toye. If not for her, I wouldn’t have known about you. Now you’ve moved on to your next victim.”

  Candace glanced at Roland. He sat watching the byplay with a dumbfounded look on his face. Jeez! She forgot he was sitting there.

  “This is my client, Roland Edwards,” Candace gritted through her teeth.

  Gabe was unconvinced. “I guess there’s no limit to your ambition.”

  That hurt. He knew how important this client was. Did he actually think she would prostitute herself? She wanted to slap his face. Instead she stood and clutched her contracts to her chest. She had to get out of there.

  “Mr. Edwards,” she told Roland, “I’ll be in touch.”

  She wished she could forget this conversation ever happened. But she would remember it for the rest of her life. She left the restaurant feeling a level of betrayal she hadn’t felt since the contractor ran off with her money. Only this was worse. Two people she cared deeply for had betrayed her. She pushed back tears. She never wanted to lay eyes on either of them again.

  # # #

  Gabe stared after Candace’s retreating back. He itched to go after her, to ease the pain in her eyes, but he stood rooted firmly to his spot. She was in the wrong. Not him. Realizing he still stood in his defensive stance—arms crossed defiantly over his chest—he let out a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. He was still recovering from the shock of seeing Candace. He’d barely walked into the restaurant five minutes earlier. The waiter had ushered him to his table, but on the way, he’d recognized the graceful line of Candace’s neck and her slanted signature bob.

  Seeing some strange guy’s hand atop hers set Gabe’s blood boiling. He’d tried not to make a scene, but the fire in his belly engulfed his good sense. He’d ignored the way his heart pounded against his ribcage at the sight of her in a black, slinky dress. All he could think of was who was this guy she preferred over him?

  As if sensing his thoughts, the man stood and said, “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, man. This dinner was strictly business.” Roland tossed his cloth napkin into his chair, buttoned his suit coat and made a swift exit through the front door.

  Gabe turned to find Toye standing at his elbow. She was the reason for this confrontation. She’d invited him here tonight on the premise that she had something important to discuss. After the last conversation they’d had, he should have told her to go to hell, but something in her tone made him want to know more.

  “Well, Toye. What was so important I had to meet you here tonight? Or was this a rouse to get me here so I’d see Candace with another man?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  His jaw clenched. He had no time for games. “Listen—”

  “No, you listen,” Toye demanded. “I knew Candace would be here tonight. She was picking up her contracts from Leap of Faith. That guy you accused of being her date, was actually one of their senior account reps. Thanks to your help, Candace completed the flip, passed inspection and met the deadline. She should be happy, but she’s miserable, Gabe.”

  “Not my problem.” His eyes bored into hers as he looked down on her. His tall stature intimidated most people, but Toye didn’t flinch.

  “Let me clarify. She’s miserable without you. And it’s all my fault.”r />
  “You did the right thing. You were honest.”

  She frowned. “Only after you’d rebuffed me. I was bitter.” She closed her eyes, the long sweep of her lashes, brushing her cheeks before she looked at him again. “I owe you an apology. What I did was wrong. I should have never stepped to you like that. And I should have never revealed Candace’s secret. That was for her to do when she felt the time was right. You think she wants you only for your money. That couldn’t be further from the truth. She thinks you wanted her only for…”

  Her eyes met his with an unspoken accusation. Candace thought he wanted her merely for sex? What kind of guy did she think he was? Did she have any idea of how he felt about her? She was the only woman who’d held his interest in years.

  “That’s not my style.”

  “Well, when you didn’t call her, she assumed the worst. And maybe I encouraged it,” she added.

  “Oh, this just keeps getting better.”

  “I’m not perfect, Gabe.” Toye’s bottom lip trembled for a moment before she regained her composure. “It took a lot of courage for me to show up tonight. I’m trying to fix my screw up.”

  “I’m sorry, Toye. You don’t need balls to talk to me. I’m really harmless.” He couldn’t believe he was apologizing to her. How had she managed to turn this around?

  “I was hoping when you and Candace saw each other, you would realize how much you missed each other.”

  “Well, you got that part wrong.”

  “Did I?”

  Her grey eyes locked with his. The impact was more forceful than any words she could have uttered. He shrugged. His head wasn’t ready to admit what his heart already knew. Yeah, he missed Candace like crazy. It had only been a few weeks, but he was having withdrawal symptoms bad. Even his reaction to seeing a man he thought was her date told him all he needed to know. He still had feelings for Candace. The question was, what was he going to do about it?

  “So, what’s the next step in your plan?” he asked Toye.

  She huffed. “My plan ended the moment you walked through the door. If you want Candace back, the rest, my friend, is up to you.”

  ELEVEN

  Candice groaned into her pillow. Her skull felt like it had been bashed with a sledgehammer. She squinted at the beams of sunlight filtering through the blinds of her living room. She’d fallen asleep on her sofa, still fully clothed. Old photo albums surrounded her. Snatches of memories stared back at her. Marlowe, Ronnie, and her posing in their Easter dresses. Mama and Daddy’s wedding picture. Toye sitting on Santa’s lap. The four of them roller skating. Those were better times. Where had they all gone?

  Last night, she’d sat here, crying her heart out. She’d been so angry, heart-broken, and frustrated. Crying seemed like the only option left. Betrayed by her own flesh and blood. How many times had Mama said never choose a man over your family? Too bad Mama didn’t follow her own advice. She’d brought home too many losers to count.

  Candace’s heart still ached from the betrayal. Was there something going on between Gabe and Toye? She tried to be mad at him. She tried to hate him, but those feelings wouldn’t come. She wasn’t a hateful person. Worse, she still wanted Gabe. She missed him. His smile. His touch. His sense of humor. She longed to talk to him again. Longed to have him look upon her without an accusatory glare. What made him so damn irresistible?

  What’s wrong with me?

  I’m back on the dick-whipped merry-go-round.

  The worst part was Roland Edwards saw the entire confrontation. That shit was so embarrassing. She would have to call him today and try to explain what happened. She couldn’t have him thinking she was bringing a bunch of drama into the mix. Yeah, she would call him—as soon as she thought of a lie to cover what happened. ‘Cause she damn sure couldn’t tell him the truth. Her cousin and her man were sleeping together. She shook her head. She could hardly believe it herself.

  The sharp barking of vicious dogs interrupted her pity party. The doorbell was Marlowe’s idea of a joke. Whenever someone pressed the button, sounds of ferocious pit bulls resonated in the air, scaring the shit of any wanna-be burglars. Candace had no pets, but she’d kept the doorbell as a crime deterrent. A woman living alone could never be too careful.

  She glanced at her reflection in the hall mirror.

  I look like hell on a good day.

  Eyes smeared with mascara stared back at her. She spit into her palms, rubbed them together and then smoothed the wild tufts of her bob back in place.

  Whoever was on the other side of that door would be smart not to tangle with her this morning.

  When she opened the door and saw Toye standing there, Candace was tempted to slam it in her cousin’s face. She would have done it if she weren’t concerned that the force of it would shatter the oval, frosted glass panel nestled in the wooden slab.

  “What do you want?”

  “I’m sorry,” Toye said simply. “I was wrong. I was stupid. I have no excuse for my behavior.”

  Candace stared back at the woman she’d grown up with, shared secrets with, laughed and cried with. A cyclone of emotions stormed through her. “What do you want me to say, Toye? I forgive you? Everything’s gonna be all right? Even I have my breaking point, cousin.”

  Toye gave a helpless shrug. “I don’t know what I expect. I messed up, I know that.” Her gray eyes were a stormy sky, glossy and full of unshed tears.

  Candace had learned a powerful lesson in life—if she didn’t say what was on her mind when the opportunity presented itself, it would haunt her forever. But at the same time, she didn’t want to say something she would regret later.

  “I’ve been screwed over by a few people in my life, Toye. But I never thought it would be a member of my own family. I never thought it would be you. All that bullshit you fed me about him just wanting me for sex, when you were screwing him the whole time.”

  “No!” Her mouth dropped in shock. “Nothing happened. I swear. He turned me down, Candace. It’s you he wants.”

  “He has a funny way of showing it. He never called after he got what he wanted.”

  “Um, about that…” Toye stared at her shoes for a few moments before meeting Candace’s eyes. “I told him you knew his true identity and you were only using him for his money. That’s why he stopped calling you.”

  Candace choked back the anger and sadness lodged in her throat.

  Please Lord, don’t let me kill her. Don’t let me scratch her eyes out. Let me maintain my dignity.

  “I’ve treated you with love and affection, Toye. My sisters and I took you in when your mother overdosed, and you could barely look after yourself. I never said an unkind word to you. Now, you’ve got me wondering, what did I ever do to you to make you turn on me?”

  A single tear fell from Toye’s right eye and trickled down her carefully made-up face. “You didn’t do anything, Candace. It was me. All me. I saw you so happy with Gabe, and I wanted some of that happiness. I wanted to be made love to the way you described. I wanted to be wanted that way, just once in my life.” She sniffed. Her lip trembled. “I was selfish. I was evil. I was…envious. I knew you were going to be at Area 31 with Roland last night. I invited Gabe there hoping you two would run into each other and make up. I was trying to fix things.”

  “Well, you made it worse!”

  “I know. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Please don’t hate me, Candace.”

  Candace didn’t hate Toye. She felt sorry for her cousin. What she’d done was pathetic. This was what happened when jealousy reared its ugly head.

  Maybe this is my fault. I should have never told anyone how good Gabe made me feel. I should have never shared the fact that he made my toes curl.

  No, she had the right to share her happiness. If she hadn’t, she’d never have known the lengths Toye would go to in order to get what she wanted. Well, it hardly mattered now. She didn’t have Gabe anymore. For whatever reason, he’d walked out. She had to learn to move on w
ith her life and forget about him, no matter how hard it was. And she had to try to forgive her cousin. If she didn’t, this incident would no doubt eat her alive.

  “I need time to think, Toye. I’m not ready to talk to you right now.”

  Candace closed the door, but not before glancing at the morning sky. Storm clouds sprouted against an eerie patchwork of blues and grays. The weather matched her mood perfectly. It seemed there was a storm brewing everywhere.

  Her cell phone chimed, and she rushed to retrieve it. The caller ID showed Zion Realty. Her heart leapt. Good! They were probably calling to tell her to pick up her copy of the contract.

  “Hello,” she answered. Her heart kicked. Her palms were sweating.

  “Miss Jones?” a feminine voice on the other end of the line confirmed.

  “Speaking.”

  “This is Vonda Smith. I’m the Director of Operations for Zion Realty.”

  This was even better than talking to Roland. Finally, one thing was going right in her life. “Thank you for calling, Ms. Smith. As you probably know, I signed the contract last night.”

  “Yes, Roland informed me. Uh, he also relayed what happened in the restaurant. As a result, Leap of Faith Industries has rescinded their offer to you.”

  “What?” Candace sputtered. “Why? What’s happened?”

  “I’m afraid they can’t be involved with questionable people. Their projects are faith-based. It doesn’t look good for them or for us to collaborate with partners who don’t promote good Christian values.”

  Candace wanted to scream, but instead kept her composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ms. Smith. My reputation is beyond reproach.”

  “That may well be, but in light of what happened last night, we don’t have warm and fuzzy feelings about this relationship. The contract you signed also has a morality clause indicating it can be declared null and void at the slightest sign of impropriety. Roland is our client. If he has reason for concern, then so do we.”