by Naomi Chase
“You will,” Lou said with such certainty that Tamia gave him an amused look.
“How can you be so sure?” she asked.
“That you’ll find a job?”
“Yeah. I mean, given my recent legal troubles—combined with a bad economy and an even worse job market—you have to admit that the odds are seriously stacked against me.”
“They are,” Lou gently agreed, his hazel eyes boring into hers. “But you’re a survivor, Tamia. No matter how many curveballs life throws at you, you’re always gonna come out on top. Remember that, and believe it.”
Chapter 7
Tamia
As Tamia returned to her apartment that evening, her cell phone went off.
After Brandon broke up with her, she’d changed her special ringtone for him to Melanie Fiona’s “Gone and Never Coming Back,” a song that made her cry every time she’d listened to it, which had been often. But hearing it now brought a huge, delighted grin to her face.
Because it meant that Brandon was calling.
After retrieving the phone from her new leather purse, she answered warmly, “Hey, you.”
“Hey, yourself.” The sound of Brandon’s deep, sexy voice made her pussy clench as she walked to the kitchen. “What’re you up to?”
“Nothing much,” she replied, her heels clicking smartly on the hardwood floor as she crossed to the refrigerator, opened the door, and placed a Styrofoam container on the top shelf. “I just got back from dinner with Shanell and Mark, and his army buddy Gavin.”
“Yeah? Where’d you guys go?”
“Pappadeaux. I’ve been craving seafood for months.”
“Sounds good,” Brandon said. “What’d you order? Your usual?”
Tamia smiled as she reached for a bottle of chardonnay that had been a housewarming gift from Shanell. “What’s my usual?”
Brandon chuckled softly. “You think I don’t remember just because it’s been a while?”
“Yup.”
“Well, you’re wrong.”
Tamia grinned, retrieving a wineglass from the cabinet before hunting down a corkscrew. “Prove it.”
“What? You’re testing me or something?”
“Maybe,” Tamia teased, thoroughly enjoying their lighthearted banter. “You’re pushing thirty-four, boo boo, so your memory’s probably starting to fail you.”
Brandon laughed. “Oh, you got jokes?”
“Yup.”
“That’s a’ight. I’ma remember that when you hit the big 3-0 next year.”
“Oooh! Hater!”
This time they both laughed.
Cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear, Tamia uncorked her bottle of wine and poured herself half a glass. “Well?” she prompted.
“Well what?”
“I’m still waiting for you to tell me what I ordered for dinner.”
Brandon heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Since you insist on testing my memory, little girl, I’ll play along. You had a house salad with chili lime vinaigrette, the crawfish platter, and a slice of key lime pie for dessert.”
Tamia smiled with pleasure. “You remembered.”
“Of course.” His voice softened. “I remember everything.”
Tamia’s smile faded. Given the disastrous way their relationship had ended, she couldn’t be blamed for wishing he didn’t have such a photographic memory.
“Anyway,” Brandon continued after a few moments, “I was calling to find out how the move went today.”
“Everything went well,” Tamia said, carrying her wineglass over to the long breakfast counter and perching on one of the high-backed barstools. “The movers were really efficient and professional. And they didn’t even get mad when the plans changed and they had to make an extra trip to Goodwill to drop off my furniture.”
“You donated your furniture to Goodwill?”
“Yup. Turns out I didn’t need any of it where I was going.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember how I told you that Lou found an apartment for me?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I had no idea that he’d hooked me up with an apartment at One Park Place.”
Brandon whistled softly. “One Park Place, huh? Nice.”
“Tell me about it,” Tamia agreed, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. “This apartment is off the chain, Brandon. It has two bedrooms and a study. It’s beautifully furnished, and it has the most amazing views of downtown. And don’t even get me started on the gourmet kitchen,” she gushed, admiring the room’s custom cherry cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances. “I can’t wait to start cooking in here. As a matter of fact, I’d love to make you dinner sometime, Brandon. It’s the least I can do after the way you came through for me. Just say the word, and I’ll start planning the menu. I’m thinking—”
“Whoa,” Brandon interrupted with a soft chuckle. “Slow down and take a deep breath, baby girl. I can’t keep up with you.”
Tamia’s face heated with embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to ramble on like that. It’s just that ... well, this is the nicest place I’ve ever lived. And you know what happens when you take folks like me outta the hood. We don’t know what to do with ourselves.”
Brandon was silent for a long moment. “Tamia.”
“Yes?” she mumbled.
“You have no reason to be ashamed of your humble beginnings,” he said so tenderly that tears welled in her eyes. “Who you are isn’t determined by what you had, or didn’t have, growing up. What you do with your life—the choices you make—is what defines you as a person.”
Tamia swallowed tightly. “I know. I didn’t at first, but ... I do now.”
“I believe that,” Brandon said quietly.
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He hesitated, as if he were trying to decide how much he should say. “I’ve watched you change over these past several months, Tamia. You let your guard down, and you opened up to me in ways you never had before. I wish ...” He trailed off.
Tamia held her breath, waiting.
But he didn’t pursue that train of thought. “What you went through never should have happened, but I’ve always believed that what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. I think you’re much stronger today than you were five months ago.”
“I think so, too,” Tamia whispered.
“Good,” Brandon said gently. “And as for your humble beginnings, not having the so-called finer things in life will only make you appreciate them more when you get them. Like that apartment.”
She smiled softly. “You’re right. I’m definitely appreciating the new digs.” She chuckled, adding, “I’ve been hearing The Jeffersons theme song in my head all day. Fish don’t fry in the kitchen—”
Brandon crooned, “Beans don’t burn on the grill—”
“Took a whole lotta tryin’—”
“Just to get up that hill—”
“Now we’re up in the big leagues—”
“Getting our turn at bat—”
Together they sang, “As long we live, it’s you and me, baby. There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. Well, we’re movin’ on up!”
They both burst out laughing.
A few minutes later, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes, Tamia took a sip of her wine and sighed. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed Brandon’s friendship, missed laughing with him and having fun together. If he gave her a second chance, she’d make damn sure she never again took him for granted.
Holding her glass, she slid off the stool and started from the kitchen. “By the way,” she said curiously, “where are you, Brandon?”
“At the office, catching up on some paperwork.”
“That’s no way to spend a Saturday evening,” Tamia gently scolded. “Besides, I thought one of the perks of making partner was working shorter hours.”
“Not quite.” Brandon chuckled dryly. �
��There’s an old saying in the legal community that practicing law is like a pie-eating contest. When you make partner, the prize is more pie.”
“Damn,” Tamia said with a rueful grin. “No rest for the weary, huh?”
“Nah. But it’s all good. I’m meeting the fellas for dinner in half an hour.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” Tamia paused, then couldn’t resist asking casually, “Where’s Cynthia?”
“She went to her cousin’s bridal shower.”
No wonder, Tamia mused. If that clingy bitch had been around, there was no way she would have allowed Brandon to call Tamia, let alone stay on the phone for so long.
Reaching the living room, Tamia opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. Excitement coursed through her veins as she beheld the panoramic view of the night skyline, which was dominated by a glittering array of skyscrapers. Thirty stories below, the shimmering oasis of a pool flanked by palm trees made her feel as though she were vacationing at a tropical resort.
Standing at the banister, she closed her eyes and raised her face to the sky as a gentle, balmy breeze caressed her skin. She couldn’t help wishing that Brandon were there beside her, sharing her enjoyment of the breathtaking view.
On the other end of the line, he murmured, “Are you still there?”
She smiled, slowly opening her eyes. “I’m still here. I just stepped outside to check out the view from my balcony.”
“How is it?”
“Spectacular.” She sipped her wine. “Are you at your desk?”
“Yeah.”
“I want you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Get up from your chair and stretch your muscles, then walk over to the windows.”
He chuckled softly. “Why?”
“You’ll see.” She paused, giving him time to follow her instructions. After several moments, she asked, “Are you there?”
“Yeah.” Humor threaded his deep voice. “What now?”
She smiled. “Tell me what you see.”
He hesitated. “Buildings. Tall office buildings.”
“What else?”
“Cars moving down the street.”
“Look up.” Tamia paused. “Now tell me what you see.”
“The sky.”
Lips twitching at his cryptic descriptions—typical lawyer—she prodded, “What about the sky?”
“There’s a half moon. And a lot of stars.” His voice softened. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is.” Tamia smiled quietly, staring toward the heavens. “Do you know why we never see a full moon surrounded by stars?”
“No. Why?”
“Because bright moonlight scattered by the atmosphere tends to outshine nearby stars. So if you ever happen to see a circle of stars around a full moon, you’ve witnessed something truly phenomenal.”
“Really?” Brandon sounded both amused and fascinated. “I didn’t know that. Have you taken up astronomy now?”
Tamia grinned sheepishly.“While I was incarcerated, I did a lot of reading on lunar eclipses and the winter solstice. Don’t laugh,” she added when Brandon chuckled. “It was actually pretty amazing stuff.”
“No doubt. What you just shared with me was very interesting.”
Tamia smiled, warmed by the sincerity in his voice. “After learning all those things about the solar system, I vowed never to take another sunrise or full moon for granted. So that’s why I asked you to get up and look out your window. I wanted you to enjoy the same view I’m enjoying.”
“Thank you, Tamia,” Brandon said quietly. “Thank you for reminding me to appreciate the simple things.”
“You’re welcome.” She closed her eyes, her heart overflowing with such love for him that she could barely contain it. Swallowing hard, she said reluctantly, “Well, I won’t keep you any longer. Have fun with the fellas, and don’t be a stranger.”
“Same to you.”
In the ensuing silence, Tamia sensed that he wanted to say more. She waited, breath trapped in her lungs.
But after several seconds, all he said was, “Good night, Tamia.”
Disappointment washed over her. She didn’t know what she’d expected him to say. Maybe she’d wanted him to prolong their conversation, or ask her out on a date, or tell her how much he loved her and missed being with her. But she knew that was asking too much. Reclaiming his love would take time. She hadn’t lost him overnight. So she couldn’t expect to win him back overnight.
But that’s okay, because I’m in this for the long haul.
Smiling to herself, Tamia said softly, “Good night, Brandon. I definitely won’t be a stranger.”
Chapter 8
Brandon
After ending the call with Tamia, Brandon exhaled a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes, tapping the phone against his forehead. His chest was tight with emotions he didn’t want to identify. Didn’t want to feel.
Despite his resolve to keep Tamia at arm’s length, he’d found himself picking up the phone and calling her tonight. He’d told himself that he was just checking up on her as a formality. But deep down inside, he knew the real reason was that he’d wanted to hear her voice. Once upon a time, their phone conversations had been the highlight of his day.
Apparently the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
“It’s not that bad, is it?”
Brandon opened his eyes and glanced over his shoulder. An attractive brunette leaned in the doorway of his office with her arms folded across her ample breasts. She wore jeans tight enough to cut off her circulation, and on her feet were pink flip-flops that showed off a French pedicure.
She was watching Brandon with an expression of amused curiosity.
He smiled briefly. “Hey, Addison. How’s it going?”
“Good. Which is probably more than I can say for you. You look like you’ve got the weight of the world on those broad shoulders.” She smiled teasingly. “Don’t tell me you already regret making partner.”
Brandon chuckled. “Not at all,” he said, returning to his chair behind the enormous mahogany desk he’d recently inherited—along with a plush corner office, a $500,000 salary, and the prestige of being named an equity partner at one of the top law firms in the country.
Addison eyed him speculatively. “So it’s not the job that had you looking so miserable a minute ago?”
“Nah.”
“You must be having woman trouble, then.”
Brandon gave her a wry look. “If I were, do you honestly think I’d tell you?”
Addison grinned unabashedly. “I guess not, considering that your girlfriend and I aren’t exactly BFFs.”
That was an understatement if Brandon had ever heard one. Cynthia and Addison had been bitter adversaries for as long as they’d worked at the firm. Although both women were talented, hardworking, and ambitious, they had zero respect for each other. Being drastically outnumbered by their male colleagues hadn’t united them either. If anything, their minority status made them even more hostile and vicious toward each other, like two feral lionesses fighting over the last scrap of unconquered territory.
It didn’t help that Addison had made no secret of her attraction to Brandon. Every time she looked at him, he half wondered whether he had a sign stamped across his forehead that read MANDINGO. He’d often caught her checking out his crotch and licking her lips, as if she were visualizing his big, black dick ramming into her pussy. When he made partner, she’d invited him out for drinks to celebrate. But Brandon was no fool. He knew that she had more than whiskey shots on her mind, so he’d turned her ass down. Even if he’d been tempted to cheat on Cynthia, he wouldn’t have fucked around with Addison. Though she was smart and attractive, he wasn’t interested in white women. Never had been, never would be.
“Speaking of Cynthia,” Addison said casually, glancing around as she wandered into the large room, “where is she tonight?”
None of your damn business hovered on t
he tip of Brandon’s tongue. But he decided not to be rude. “She’s at a bridal shower.”
“Ah.” Addison nodded, lowering herself onto the sleek leather sofa near his desk. “I see.”
Something in her tone had Brandon’s shoulders tensing. “What does that mean?”
Wide green eyes blinked innocently. “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“You said plenty.”
Addison shrugged, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “I probably shouldn’t mention this, but a lot of people around here think Cynthia’s starting to lose her edge.”
Brandon frowned. “By ‘a lot of people,’ I assume you’re talking about associates.”
“Yeah.” Addison smirked. “You know, the lowly grunts who’ve been toiling away at this firm for years, hoping to join the exalted ranks of partner like you did.”
Brandon didn’t rise to the bait. He knew that many of his colleagues resented him for achieving the coveted brass ring of partnership. Some even believed that his wealthy, powerful parents had pulled strings for him. But Brandon knew better. Over the past eight years, he’d worked his ass off to reach his goal of making partner. He’d endured the long hours at the expense of a social life, had won the tough court cases, and had generated more business for the firm than any of his peers, bar none. He’d more than earned his promotion, and anyone who thought differently could go fuck themselves.
Which brought him back to the matter at hand.
“Why do people think Cynthia has lost her edge?” he asked, keeping his tone carefully neutral.
Addison sighed, as if it pained her to be the bearer of bad news pertaining to her rival. “Well, for starters, she hasn’t been logging as many billable hours as she used to. And over the past month, we’ve all noticed her leaving the office earlier than usual.”
“Not that it’s anyone’s business,” Brandon calmly interjected, “but she’s been helping with the preparations for her cousin’s wedding.”
