Her Chance at Love

by Nicki Night

The boy shrugged. “It just hurts.”

  “Maybe it was something you ate.” Blake stood up, feeling the sense of alarm dissipate, assuming the boy probably ate something that didn’t agree with him. “What did you have for lunch?”

  “I didn’t have lunch,” the boy said, still holding his head down. He had yet to meet Blake’s eyes with his.

  “Well, what did you have for breakfast?”

  “I ain’t had no breakfast, either.”

  “I didn’t...” Blake was about to correct his English but let it pass. He felt bad for the young man. “So you haven’t eaten all day?” Blake’s expression was twisted in confusion.

  “No.” RaShawn’s head was still down.

  “Ray! When was the last time you had something to eat?” Blake demanded.

  The boy sighed and silence took up a few beats before he finally answered, “Lunch. Yesterday.”

  “What!” Blake’s hands went to his hips and he sighed. He wanted to ask the boy why but already knew the potential answer. “Okay. Come on and join the group. I don’t want you to miss what I have for you guys tonight. I’ll get you something to eat.”

  Blake reached for RaShawn’s hand. After a moment, RaShawn placed his hand in Blake’s and rose to his feet. Blake pulled out a twenty-dollar bill, folded his business card around it and pressed it into RaShawn’s hand. “The next time you get hungry and have no food, you call me! Okay?”

  With his head hanging low, RaShawn nodded and stuffed the money and card in his pocket. Blake nudged him in the direction of the other boys and headed to the site coordinator’s office.

  “Hey, Anita,” Blake greeted a young college student who worked at the center after school.

  “Hey, Mr. B.”

  “Can you do me a favor?” Blake continued without awaiting a response, pulling a credit card from his wallet. “Call up the Taste of Tuscany and order about—” Blake counted mentally “—five pizza pies for the boys. We are also going to have a few guests tonight, so get some drinks and get something for yourself, okay?”

  “No problem. And thanks, Mr. B.”

  Blake walked back out to the main part of the center where the boys were now seated but just as noisy. Clapping his hands, he got their attention. Just as he was about to prep them for their surprise visit, one of the boys said, “Yo, that dude looks like the rapper Iconik!” The rest of the boys and Blake turned around to find Iconik and his crew heading in his direction.

  “Your surprise is here!”

  The boys jumped from their seats, slapping five with one another, holding their hands over their gaping mouths as Blake walked over to greet their guests.

  Iconik and his camp arrived at the same time as the media. Congressman Banks showed up, as well. This high-profile event would be great for his organization. The next two hours were filled with enthusiasm as the boys listened intently to every word their guests had to say. They bombarded Iconik’s team with every kind of question, from how much money they made, to what other entertainers they knew personally. Then Iconik took selfies with the kids and a few group photos with Blake and Congressman Banks. Before leaving, he blessed the boys with signed posters, T-shirts and copies of his latest CD.

  By the end, not a single strip of edible evidence was left from the pizza and empty juice cups that were sprawled across the floor. Blake looked around at the boys still reeling from their visit and smiled before calling things to order. “All right, guys. We need to get this place cleaned up. Put the chairs back and let’s get these pizza boxes and cups in the garbage. We only have a few minutes before we have to shut this down.”

  The young men quickly obliged, continuing their excited chatter about meeting Iconik in person. Some talked about how they were going to bring their pictures to school to show everyone. Once the space was tidied, some parents arrived and the boys started making their way home. A few of them thanked Blake and others were still too excited to think about it. Blake didn’t mind at all, he was just happy to do something that the boys would remember for life.

  “I’m proud of you, Blake. Keep up the fine work. One day we’ll be running your campaign.” Congressman Banks laughed.

  “Not sure if I’m cut out for politics, sir. I’ll leave that up to you.”

  “Oh, please! You’d make a fine politician. Just keep your nose clean.”

  Blake thought about it for a moment and immediately dismissed the idea. He thought about how he’d watched the congressman’s life become an open book during his campaign and, as outgoing as he was, he didn’t think being so exposed would be very appealing.

  “I’ll stick to winning cases.”

  “You do that.” Congressman Banks chuckled and then repeated himself, “Yes. You do that.” A few seconds of companionable silence settled between them. “Uh, Blake.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Congressman Banks paused, leaving enough space for Blake to notice a shift in his demeanor. “Have you...” He fell silent once again. “I just want to say I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Thanks?” Blake’s response sounded more like a question. Hadn’t Congressman Banks already said he was proud? Blake was proud, too. Seeing the gleam in his boys’ eyes felt as good as winning a case.

  “This was a great thing you did here. Let’s touch base soon.”

  “Sure,” Blake replied.

  The next instant, Banks was gone. His behavior struck Blake as odd. Blake wondered if the congressman had left something unsaid, but he dismissed his suspicions. If something was wrong, Banks would reveal it to him soon enough. Banks had gotten into the habit of sending clients Blake’s way, in addition to having him handle many of his own legal transactions. He knew that Blake wasn’t interested in being a politician but maintained that it was always beneficial to make the right connections.

  Outside the center, as Anita locked up, Blake found himself wondering what Cadence would have thought about today’s visit. Blake recalled his father’s words, “It’s nice to have great experiences and nice things, but it’s even better when you have someone to share them with.” He pictured Cadence being the one he could share his victories and spoils with and found himself wondering how she would respond.

  With her cool demeanor, he imagined her pretty smile and approving nod. Blake shook his head as if to rid himself of those thoughts and then released a wholehearted laugh. He found it extremely amusing that he daydreamed about a woman. He didn’t know what it was about Cadence Payne that had him so smitten, but he vowed he’d find out, looking forward to enjoying the discovery process as much as possible.

  Then again, he knew exactly what it was that reeled him in. Besides that fact that she was extremely attractive in a way that exuded simple elegance, she held a quiet confidence that was intriguing. Unlike many of the over-the-top women that grappled for his attention, Cadence didn’t seem to care if he was interested in her or not. She didn’t need gobs of makeup blanketing her face, thirty inches of weave cascading down her back or the boastful labels of high-end brand names clinging to her curves. She was a woman of substance—a rarity who seemed to know her worth.

  Cadence was also a challenge. Not a challenge he wanted to overcome just to prove that he could. Cadence was worth fighting for and worth all the effort that came with the fight even if the win was a pyrrhic victory.

  With renewed focus, Blake was ready for their impending date. He couldn’t wait to spend time with her.

  Chapter 10

  The week had been long and challenging. Cleaning up Richard McLennan’s mess had dominated the top of Cadence’s task list. During her visit to his office the previous week, the truth about what really happened was revealed, which was even more absurd than Richard’s original account. Fortunately, they were able to talk him out of trying to press assault charges against his secretary for blackening his eye after he bla
tantly squeezed her behind as he wagged his tongue. It was clear that Richard was the common denominator to all of their company’s harassment issues.

  The current week had been filled with conference calls and meetings between Cadence’s firm and Victoria’s lawyers to reach a new settlement offer. In an effort to save the face of the company, the board urged Richard to take a leave and get himself together. Richard’s cousin, the company’s vice president, had been put in place to run the company in his absence. Victoria—she resigned and received a sizable severance agreement.

  Things had finally settled down. At least she thought so until her secretary came bursting through her office door looking as though she was trying to escape a herd of bulls. Taking a deep breath, Amy heaved out a sigh before she spoke. At first her words came out so fast that Cadence couldn’t understand what she had said.

  Gasping for another breath and holding it for a moment, Amy tried to speak again. “They gave Kerry the position of senior counsel,” she huffed. Amy looked behind her and then closed the door.

  “What?” Cadence was on her feet immediately.

  Still hanging on to the knob, Amy locked the door and slumped into the chair in front of Cadence’s desk. “They gave her the position, Cadence. She’s been promoted to senior counsel.”

  Cadence’s legs wobbled beneath her. She grabbed the sides of her chair and guided her body into it. “They did?” she said ever so slightly.

  “The suits made the decision today,” she said, referring to the firm’s executive team.

  Cadence’s shoulders slumped. She didn’t bother asking Amy how she knew. Amy was close friends with one of the senior partner’s secretaries and always got the information before it hit the mainstream. Distress burned inside of her. She wanted that position so bad and worked so hard to get it. As supportive as she was, she couldn’t bring herself to be happy for Kerry. She felt as if the position had been swiped from under her. What happened? Couldn’t they see that Kerry was mischievous? Had Kerry done something to sabotage her chances? Had she mentioned the fact that she’d referred to Richard McLennan as a sleazebag? Did this have anything to do with Kerry’s father, who was a broadcasting icon? Maybe he pulled some strings for her.

  These questions and more paraded through Cadence’s mind like a stampede. She looked up into Amy’s eyes and saw a reflection of how she felt. Amy was clearly disappointed, too.

  “How did you find out?” Cadence asked anyway, her face still holding her weary expression.

  “Adam’s secretary, Christine, told me. They called Kerry upstairs a few moments ago to tell her. Christine said not to tell anyone, but I couldn’t keep this from you. You deserved to know. That position should have been yours.”

  Cadence closed her mouth, which she realized had been gaping. Swallowing hard, she pushed down the lump in her throat. “Thank you for giving me the heads-up, Amy.”

  “They’re about to call a meeting to announce it to everyone in the office. I didn’t want you to be blindsided.”

  Cadence’s eyes stung. She didn’t want to cry in front of Amy. She sat more rigidly, trying to fight her emotions. Lifting her chin, she said, “Hey. We can’t win them all,” and was thankful that her voice didn’t quiver.

  Amy’s shoulders slumped and she pressed her lips together in a sympathetic smile, obviously not buying Cadence’s act. Standing, Amy took one more deep breath and, with her head down, she quietly exited Cadence’s office.

  The second the door shut, the tears fell. Cadence couldn’t help it. She stood, slowly walked to the window and folded her arms across her torso as she looked down at the traffic on Sixth Avenue. Kerry was a shark, and she played the office-politics game well, only baring her teeth to those who couldn’t hinder her climb. She couldn’t be mad at her for winning. Cadence reasoned that it just wasn’t her time. She was a dedicated attorney who worked hard for her clients. Cadence’s arms dropped to her sides. Her phone rang.

  Picking up the office phone, she cleared her throat before answering. “Cadence Payne speaking.” She hoped the caller couldn’t detect the distress in her voice.

  “Cadence! Can you come to my office, please?”

  “Sure, Mr. Benjamin,” she obliged, recognizing his voice. “I’ll be right there.” She tried her best to sound normal.

  Cadence pulled out her purse, retrieved a small mirror and checked her face. Her eyes were a little red, so she put in a few drops that she normally used for her contacts. Wiping the excess fluid away, she reexamined her image and added a layer of gloss on her lips to freshen her face as much as possible. She couldn’t go into Adam’s office looking like a sore loser.

  Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and exhaled. Before opening the door, she straightened her back and pasted a smile on her face. Her eyes connected with Amy’s as she passed her desk. Amy smiled and held her thumbs up, turning Cadence’s painted smile into a genuine one.

  Standing taller, Cadence stepped off the elevator and was greeted by the stoic portraits of former partners. The level that housed the executive offices maintained a sense of luxury that was absent on the lower level. Cadence’s floor resembled a maze of gray fabric cubicles, with smaller offices along the perimeter—one of which belonged to her. As her heels clicked against the marble floors, she ran her fingers across the solid mahogany wainscoting. The walk to Adam’s office seemed longer than usual.

  Adam’s door was open, but Cadence lifted her hand to knock anyway. Just before she made contact, Adam summoned her in.

  “Hello, Ms. Payne,” he said, looking up from the documents he was scanning.

  “Mr. Benjamin.” Cadence nodded. His formal address gave her pause.

  “Please!” He stood. “Have a seat,” he said, gesturing toward the chair.

  Cadence sat slow and easy, watching Adam as he rounded his mahogany desk to close the door and lock it. Cadence folded and unfolded her hands and nervous energy surged through her. She continued watching as Adam made his way back to his chair.

  “Ms. Payne.” She swallowed. “Cadence.” He readdressed her more informally. Adam looked at her, cleared his throat and sat back for a beat before speaking. “I want you to know that you are a valued member of this team.”

  Cadence checked her emotions, already knowing where this was going. Being told how much of a “valued team member” you were was always a prelude to bad news. She braced herself and fiddled with her hands.

  “We had a very hard decision to make in choosing the right candidate to advance to the position of senior counsel. This time, Kerry Cooper was selected. This is in no way a reflection on your performance.” Adam sat back.

  Cadence took her time responding, unsure of how steady her voice would be when she did speak. “I understand. I must congratulate Kerry when I see her,” she managed to say. Usually, she had no problem being the consummate professional, but this time, keeping her composure proved to be difficult. The sting of disappointment pricked at her professional exterior.

  Adam rose from his seat. He sat on the corner of the desk, closer to Cadence.

  “If this decision was mine alone to make...” Adam shrugged his shoulders, his body language finishing his statement.

  Cadence was beginning to see the situation more clearly. Adam had her back, but the other decision makers hadn’t been rooting for her.

  Several beats lagged by before Adam started again. “It’s just a matter of time...” He paused. “I recommend—” There was a tap on the office door. Both Cadence and Adam stared at the door for a second before Adam called out, “One moment.” He flashed Cadence a quick glance that seemed to ask if she caught his drift.

  She did.

  The tap came again, this time a little louder. Adam opened the door to find his secretary on the other side.

  Cadence stood at once, feeling as if they’d been caught doing som
ething. “Thank you, Mr. Benjamin,” she said and smiled at Christine as she exited between them.

  Cadence couldn’t get back to her office quick enough. She pressed the call button for the elevator repeatedly as if the more she pressed it the faster it would come. She was intelligent and could read between the lines. She needed to work a little harder at being noticed. She had to admit that was one thing that Kerry did well.

  The elevator came and Cadence entered so deep in thought that she was oblivious to the other riders. She stepped out on her floor and headed straight for her office, closing the door behind her. She plopped down in her chair and considered for the first time that Adam may have had more to say. When his secretary opened that door, she saw that as an opportunity to escape. She needed to get out of there before she fell apart.

  Adam had planted seeds of new possibilities with what he’d left unsaid. Cadence hadn’t thought about leaving the firm before and wondered if he may have suggested that. Perhaps even open up her own practice. That was something else to consider.

  Cadence’s cell phone rang and Blake’s number lit the display. Her week was so hectic she had forgotten about calling him to cancel their date. She waited for a moment, thinking of an excuse. After all that went on today, she didn’t think she’d make good company anyway.

  “Hello,” she finally answered just before the call went to voice mail.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Payne.” Blake’s deep sultry voice filled the line.

  As much as she hated to admit it, the mere sound of his voice caused the layers of her skin to tingle.

  “Hey, Blake.” She tried to sound unaffected.

  “Looking forward to tonight? I just wanted to let you know to wear something casual and comfortable that you wouldn’t mind getting a little dirty. I’ll be there at seven thirty.”

  “Uh... Blake.”

  “Nope!”

  Cadence’s brows creased. “Huh? What do you mean, nope?”

  “You can’t cancel on me. I knew you’d try.”