Feel the Heat

by Cheris Hodges

  “Brent,” the senior citizen purred. “We can make magic together and you can get my company back for me.”

  “That is the plan, ma’am,” he said.

  “My mother is ma’am. I’m Myra,” she said with what she probably thought was a sexy smile.

  “Well, Miss Myra, I’m here to help you get your company back,” he said as he shook her hand. His phone rang again and he wanted to answer Mimi, but Myra wouldn’t let his hand go.

  “I’m putting my trust in you, Brent,” she said as she released his hand. “But I need to know that I’m a priority.” Myra shot a glance at his phone.

  “All of my clients are a priority,” he said.

  “But I’m giving you a million-dollar retainer. Don’t fail me,” she warned, then rose to her feet.

  “If I were in the business of failing, you wouldn’t be here,” he said, then picked up his cell phone as Myra headed for the door.

  Not two seconds after Myra walked out the door, Mimi called again. This time, he picked up the phone.

  “Mimi, what’s going on?”

  “Can you come to the Good Afternoon Atlanta studio? Fast Love’s attorney is here. They kind of set me up.”

  Brent sighed. “I thought I told you to cancel the interview.”

  “And I said I’d take it under advisement. Can you get here and help me?”

  Brent glanced at his watch. “How long to I have?”

  “About twenty minutes,” she said. He could almost hear her smile.

  “Mimi, why don’t you tell them that you aren’t going to go on the show because you can’t discuss pending litigation?”

  “Because I’m not a punk and I didn’t do anything wrong. You said you’d help me,” she said. “Are you going to keep your word?”

  “Is this live or recorded?”

  “Recorded, I think. Brent, I need you.”

  Sighing, he replied, “I’m on my way.” Maybe it had been the way Mimi said she needed him that prodded him into action or maybe he was just being a damned fool. Any other client who’d ignored his advice, he’d drop like a bad habit. He couldn’t do that to Mimi.

  Still, after this interview, he was going to lay down the rules and if she didn’t follow them, he would drop the case.

  “And that might be the best thing I can do for my sanity,” he muttered as he grabbed his jacket and keys.

  * * *

  Mimi stalked back and forth like a caged lioness as she waited for Brent to show up. She was mad and felt as if she’d been ambushed because the show wasn’t supposed to be about this stupid lawsuit. Locking eyes with the petite blonde lawyer, Mimi wanted nothing more than to throw a drink at her. But this wasn’t a tawdry reality show and she had more class than that.

  “Where is Brent?” she mumbled as she looked down at her watch. A producer crossed over to Mimi.

  “Miss Collins, we’re going to have to get started with the taping soon,” she said as she pressed the earpiece in her ear. “Yes. I’m with her right now. I don’t see anyone with her. I’m standing outside the studio. Okay, I’ll ask.” She looked at Mimi as she remembered that Mimi had been standing there.

  “Umm, is your attorney coming?”

  “I’m right here,” Brent’s sexy voice said from behind them. Mimi felt tingles in her thighs when she heard him speak. The producer didn’t even try to keep her composure.

  “Oh my freaking goodness! It’s Brent Daniels. Brent Daniels is her lawyer.”

  Brent glanced at Mimi. “Who is she talking to?” he asked.

  “The people in the control room or the voices in her head. I don’t know, but I’m so happy to see you.”

  “I started not to come. This is a bad idea, Mimi.”

  “They tried to set me up. I didn’t know these clowns were going to be here.”

  Brent placed his arm around Mimi’s waist and moved her out of the way of a speeding cameraman. “You shouldn’t be here, but since we’re here and it’s going to be recorded, let me do the talking. That’s not up for negotiation.”

  She gave him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

  He smirked at her. “You’re something else, you know that.”

  “And you like it.”

  Brent was about to say something when the producer tugged at his arm. “We’re ready,” she said. “And Mr. Daniels, you look even better in person. Maybe once this is over, we can do a one-on-one interview about your career.” She handed him a card and flashed her pearly whites. Mimi wanted to snatch that card from Brent’s hand and toss it in the trash. Wait, why was she acting like a jealous girlfriend or something? If Brent wanted to have a sit-down with this chick, then that was up to him.

  “I’m not one to talk about myself,” he said as he pocketed the card. “But I’ll keep your offer in mind.”

  “Well, we could at least meet for drinks,” she said, then winked at him as they walked over to the host table.

  “Mimi,” Carrington Clarke, one of the hosts, said. “Glad to see you.”

  “You couldn’t have warned me?” Mimi asked the woman whom she’d considered a friend.

  “Wasn’t my idea.” She nodded toward Kimberlin Thompson, the other host. “She saw the news about the lawsuit online and called Fast Love. They were happy to come on and confront you.”

  “A text, a call, anything would’ve had me prepared.”

  “Or you could’ve canceled your appearance like I advised you to do,” Brent said.

  Carrington glanced at Brent. “Well, Mimi, I see you pulled out the big guns. Mr. Brent Daniels, attorney-at-law.”

  “I’m glad I don’t believe my own press,” Brent said.

  “They call you Mr. Cannot Lose. I know you listen even if you don’t believe it.” She looked at Mimi. “How did you two meet?”

  “Not on Fast Love,” Mimi quipped. Brent brought his lips to her ear and she nearly shivered.

  “This is why you’re going to let me talk and you’re just going to sit there and look pretty.”

  She turned to face him and their lips nearly touched. Mimi took a step back. “That wasn’t sexist at all.”

  “Let me work, okay,” he said.

  She nodded and they took their seats.

  * * *

  Brent crossed his legs and listened to the Fast Love attorney, Judith Bright, talk about how Mimi’s storytelling about the event hurt the company.

  “Maybe Miss Collins is just upset because she didn’t meet anyone at the event.”

  “Are you serious?” Mimi exclaimed. Brent placed his hand on her knee.

  “Judith, that was a baseless claim, and if my client takes a page out of your book, then I’m seeing a lawsuit against you. Fact, Mimi told the truth about your event. You should be talking to the marketing company, which sent out two different emails to the women and men who signed up for your event,” Brent said. “So, are you going to apologize to my client or do I need to serve you?”

  Mimi nodded her head and almost wanted to fist-bump Brent, but the cautioning look he shot her made her ease back into her chair.

  “Well,” Judith stammered.

  “And on that note, we’re going to a commercial break,” Kimberlin said. Then she turned to Brent. “You’re so hard-core.”

  “I’m going to get some water,” he said as he rose to his feet. He was getting bored with the interview, but it wasn’t lost on him that Fast Love didn’t have a case. They had conjecture. Mimi wasn’t going to pay them a dime. Glancing at her as she crossed her legs, he couldn’t wait for this case to be over. He wanted those legs wrapped around him while he drove deep inside her. Walking away, he went to the craft table and grabbed a bottle of water. Removing the cap, he downed the ice-cold contents and hoped it would cool the desire building inside him. The water wasn�
�t enough. He wanted the forbidden fruit that sat at the table. He wanted Mimi. The producer walked over to him and tapped his elbow.

  “We’re ready to start taping,” she said. “Even if you don’t want to do the interview, we should have dinner.”

  “Maybe not,” he said as he returned to the table.

  “Are we ready?” Carrington asked.

  “How much longer are we going with this back-and-forth? Fast Love and its representatives are clearly trying to use Mimi Collins’s blog to acquire more victims.”

  Mimi placed her hand to her mouth. She was impressed in a big way. Brent didn’t mince words at all. “From what I’ve seen,” Brent continued, “Fast Love was in a lot of trouble before Mimi Collins exposed their bogus scam.”

  “I’m out of here,” Judith said. “I’m not going to sit here and let this man accuse us of...”

  “Lying?” Mimi said. She closed her eyes when Brent placed his hand on her shoulder.

  “Well, there you have it, Atlanta,” Carrington said. “And we will see you tomorrow.”

  “And we’re clear,” the producer said.

  “Where do you get off accusing our company of being liars?” Judith railed at Mimi. “That’s slander.”

  “That will be edited,” Brent said, then gave Carrington a pointed look.

  She shrugged.

  Mimi began. “Why hide the truth?” Brent touched her elbow.

  “Stop. We’ll do our talking in court.”

  “I, uh, have been authorized to take a settlement,” Judith stammered. “One hundred thousand dollars and a retraction.”

  “You must have been bounced on your head as a baby,” Mimi exclaimed.

  Brent shot her a look that screamed be quiet. “I don’t understand why you think Ms. Collins should retract her blog post. Did she say anything that wasn’t true?”

  “Well, umm, listen. That is our offer, take it or we’ll see you in court.”

  Brent folded his arms across his chest, then laughed. “You and I both know Fast Love doesn’t want this to go to court. There are emails. There is proof that everything Mimi wrote was true. And she runs a blog. Not the New York Times. Her opinion is the reason she was invited to your event. Now, since you don’t like what she said and what her thoughts were, you want to act like a spoiled brat. The law is not on your side. And if you want to press this issue, there is a countersuit that we can go for. And Mimi isn’t going to settle.”

  Mimi smiled at Judith. “I’m out of here,” she said. Turning toward the exit, Mimi was impressed and pissed. Brent handled the interview and the other attorney like a pro, but his quip about her blog not being the New York Times made her feel insignificant.

  It may not be rocket science but it was hers, and Mimi took her work seriously. By the time Brent caught up with her, she was seething.

  “Mimi, hold up,” he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. She turned around and glared at him.

  “What? I’m in a hurry to go and do my unimportant work. It’s not as if I’m writing an exposé for the New York Times,” she said as she gripped her car door handle.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” she spat. “I’m sorry that I don’t fit into that little mold you want to pour women into. I’m me and I won’t be anyone else. And let’s keep in mind that you volunteered. I didn’t ask for your help.”

  “I didn’t mean to offend you, but I was trying to make a point.”

  “That I don’t matter? Was that your point?”

  “Mimi, you’re blowing this way out of...”

  She snatched her door open, nearly hitting him. “I have to go,” she snapped, then tucked herself inside her car.

  Speeding out of the parking lot, Mimi knew she had no right to be so angry with Brent. He was trying to make a point to the Fast Love lawyer and provide doubt that a civil jury might consider.

  Didn’t matter. She had so many naysayers in her ear that when she started making a profit from her blog, it was a relief.

  Then her popularity grew and the doubters disappeared. Mimi felt as if she had a voice that mattered and to hear Brent say those things brought up old insecurities that she’d thought had been long buried. Speaking of buried, Mimi knew she needed to quash her thoughts of naked Brent making love to her.

  If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was confusing business and personal. Right now, though, Mimi wanted to wallow in her feelings and write, while chomping on something chocolate. She headed for Amélie’s in midtown to get her favorite treat and grab a corner table to write. Mimi turned her cell phone off because she didn’t want to be bothered with anyone—especially Brent.

  Chapter 12

  Brent stormed into his office. He’d called Mimi three times and his calls went straight to voice mail. Was she really that petty? They still had business together even if her feelings were hurt.

  Granted, he was a bit harsh, but he was trying to make a point to Fast Love’s lawyer. She had to admit that she wasn’t a journalistic source of information. But diminishing her was the last thing he wanted to do. He had no idea why she took what he said so personally.

  Just as he was about to call Mimi again, his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw that it was an unknown number. Brent started to ignore the call, but since he had clients who called from different locations, he answered.

  “This is Brent.”

  “Brent Daniels Jr.?” a female voice asked.

  “Yes. Who’s this?”

  “My name is Dr. Karen Alexander. I’m calling about your father.”

  “I don’t have a father,” Brent snapped.

  “Mr. Daniels, your father is dying, and since you’re a family member listed on his emergency contacts, it’s my duty to tell you about your father’s health.”

  “I don’t care about...”

  “Mr. Daniels, I know you may have some issues with your father for whatever reason, but the man is dying. Your namesake, and if you don’t at least see him, you’re going to regret it.”

  Brent ended the call and tossed his phone across his office. Seeing his father was not an option and if he died, so be it. Walking over to his desk, he buzzed Anita.

  “Yes, sir?” she asked.

  “I’m taking the rest of the afternoon off. I will have my cell if it is an emergency,” Brent said. “I’m heading out the back.”

  “Is everything all right?”

  “I just need some time. If Mimi Collins calls, please find me.”

  “Yes, sir,” Anita said.

  Brent picked up his cell phone, then headed down in his private elevator. When he saw Jamal calling him, he decided to ignore the call. Part of him wondered if he’d been the one who gave the prison doctor his information. “Why does this even matter to him?” he muttered as the doors of the elevator opened in the parking deck. Brent needed a drink. But since the last thing he needed was a DUI, he drove home and decided to head to one of the bars within walking distance.

  * * *

  Mimi was about to post her blog about her kiss with Brent when her cell phone rang. Thinking it was Brent again, she started to ignore it, but she looked down and saw it was MJ.

  “What’s up?” she said when she answered.

  “I heard about the taping at Good Afternoon Atlanta. You’re lucky to have Brent on your side,” MJ said.

  “Forget Brent!”

  “Wait. What? Carrington said he was awesome on and off camera.”

  “Whatever. Anyway, what do you want? I’m writing.”

  “Umm, I’m guessing something happened that Carrington didn’t see. Where are you?”

  “At Amélie’s.”

  “I’m not too far from you. I’ll meet you there and don’t publish anything,” MJ said.
“You and your fast fingers are how we got in this mess.”

  “This is not a ‘we’ thing. This is about me. And I’m pretty damned sick of people telling me how I should run my blog!”

  “Mimi, calm down, and I’m not telling you how to run anything.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll be here,” she said. After hanging up with MJ, Mimi read over her blog post.

  Why is it so hard for two people to admit that they like each other? This is what we want when we date, right? We want to meet that one person who gives you butterflies and makes your knees quake with one kiss.

  Look, I’ve met that guy. He’s amazing, smart and everything that a woman could want. Everything I said I didn’t want. Marriage, commitment and a future—with one man. Now, I enjoy dating. And dating does not mean you’re sleeping with everyone who takes you to Starbucks! But this guy, this strong, professional man, is just what we all yearn for. I mostly yearn for his touch and the taste of his lips. But he is so damned structured. He’s that guy who has to follow all of the rules and regulations—that’s just not me. I color outside the lines, and as much as I want him, I can’t conform. I can’t do what he wants me to do.

  Relationships have never been my thing. My mistakes are why I can write this blog. I do trial and error. I don’t want to have this happen with Mr. Law and Order. Did I mention that all of that sexiness is my neighbor? Even if I wanted to avoid him, I couldn’t. The thing is, I don’t want to. I want to feel his arms wrapped around me, want to feel his lips pressed against mine, and maybe I want to spend more than just one night with him.

  Maybe.

  Okay, I do. But why should I pour myself into something that is doomed from the start?

  Mimi tapped her nails on the edge of her computer, toying with whether to post the blog or not. She saved the draft and took a sip of her soda. This was way too personal.

  But it was real. Too real. Mimi returned to her blog and wrote about feeling restless and wanting to go to New Orleans. It was uninspired, but she tried to make it funny. After reading over that draft, she figured talking about wanting to travel would make her pitch to the publisher about a travel book a little better. After searching for some links to some off-the-beaten-path spots in New Orleans, Mimi finally had a blog she could publish and not get sued for.