Pastor Yvonne and Pastor Thomas switched places. Now Pastor Thomas was standing next to his son. Gina smiled at the thought of how weird people on the outside might think this whole thing was. Because since Yvonne and Thomas were now married, Toya and Jarrod should consider themselves sister and brother. But what people on the outside looking in didn’t know was that Toya and Jarrod had loved each other since they were kids, their parents hadn’t fallen for each other until their respective spouses had passed away. So, Toya and Jarrod decided to let their parents be happy and to allow themselves to also be happy and in love.
Pastor Thomas lovingly gazed over at his wife as he asked, “Who gives this woman to be married?”
“I do,” Pastor Yvonne said as she placed a kiss on Toya’s cheek.
Toya then stepped forward and stood next to Jarrod. He took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips, and kissed it. “I love you,” Jarrod mouthed to his betrothed.
Gina didn’t know what that gestured did for Toya, but it warmed her heart. Her friends had found love. But then her eyes shifted, and she looked over at David Pittman. He and Jarrod had been college roommates. David had been the big jock on campus that everyone knew would go pro, so women swarmed him. Which was probably the reason he was always in the media dealing with drama from one woman after the other. Gina rolled her eyes at the thought of men like David, who thought they could possess any woman they wanted.
She turned her attention back to the happy occasion as Pastor Thomas opened his Bible and read from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Gina wanted to contradict every word that Pastor Thomas just read. But he’d read from the Bible, and since Gina was a Christian, she believed every word printed in the Bible was inspired by God. So, those words must be true. But she’d never known a love like that. Love had been impatient, rude, angry, and totally self-seeking. No man had ever just loved her for the sake of loving. The Bible told her that ‘love never fails’. But it had failed her.
As Toya and Jarrod said, ‘I do’ and kissed, a tear rolled down Gina’s face. Others may have thought she cried because of the sweet moment they all just shared with the love birds. But Gina’s tears were because this was one piece of the Bible that she didn’t believe a word of.
DAVID’S EYES WERE WET as Jarrod strutted out of the church with his new wife. It had been a beautiful ceremony. But as David’s father used to tell him, ‘some men find gold, others get lumps of coal’.
When they finished with everything at the church, David got back in his car and drove to the reception hall. On his way, he put in a call to Katie. “Hey, I’m on my way to the wedding reception, so I don’t have long to talk.”
Katie was not happy. “This is serious business, David. You’re treating this like it can wait, but I assure you it can’t.”
“I’m not ignoring you. I get it. The contract is in jeopardy, but it’s not my fault. I didn’t do what I’m being accused of.”
“I know you didn’t do it. Do you think I’d still be working for you if I thought you were that kind of pig?”
“Good, so go convince the board of directors at the Foodie network that I’m not a pig, and we’re all good.”
Katie harrumphed. “I wish it was that simple.” Then she snapped her finger. “Hold on, wait a minute. I can’t tell them, and you can’t tell them, but maybe if we could find a way to get some good press, then they will see the real David Pittman.”
“How much time do we have to change their minds?”
“The board has set your contract aside until their next meeting. Which won’t be until the end of next month.”
He pulled up to the reception hall and parked his car. “Okay. Let me finish celebrating my college buddy's wedding and then we can put our heads together on this tomorrow.”
In truth, celebrating his college buddy wasn’t the only reason David was anxious to get into the reception hall. He noticed this cute honey watching him during the wedding. It didn’t feel right to push up on her at the church, but the reception hall didn’t have a sanctuary or an altar. His grandmother taught him not to play with God and to always respect God’s house.
David took his place with the bridal party as they lined up to greet the new Mr. & Mrs. Jarrod Reed as they made their grand entrance. Everyone applauded for them because they made such a beautiful couple. David was still tripping at how Jarrod had finally gotten the girl of his dreams.
And Toya was a good one. She wasn’t a gold digger like so many of the women he dated. She had her stuff together, had started her own law firm, and didn’t ask his boy for a dime to make it happen.
He turned his attention to the woman who had been checking him out earlier at the church. At first, he thought she was just a cutie, but David had to correct himself because the woman standing in front of him was fine. That coal-black hair and the angular cut with bangs across her forehead was a real regal look. Her pouty lips with that shimmery lip gloss all the bridesmaids were wearing was so kissable on her.
Instead of going straight for the kiss as he would have done in his college years and definitely during his pro-ball years, he stuck his hand out. “I thought we should meet since we’re both in the wedding party. I’m David Pittman.”
Dismissing his extended hand, she smirked. “I should have known you were one of the groom’s men. But you were too full of yourself to show up for the rehearsal.”
“My boy understood that I had responsibilities,” David said, then he leaned back and gave her a hard stare. “I’m full of myself, am I? And how would you know that?”
She put a hand on her hip, rolled her eyes heavenward. “Because you kissed me when we were in college... without asking, you just went in for one.”
“You say that like it was a bad thing?” David tried to joke, but when he took note of the angry look on her face, he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. Look, I only did that stuff when I was drinking. That’s probably why I don’t remember you. You’ll be happy to know that I don’t drink anymore, nor do I accost unsuspecting women.”
“That’s not what the tabloids say,” she shot back.
“You can’t believe everything you read. I’m sorry to have bothered you. Back in college and now,” David said and then walked away.
GINA DIDN’T GO AROUND offending people. That’s not who she was. But it galled her that the jerk didn’t even remember her, after how he had locked lips with her in college. And then to use the excuse of being drunk, like that absolved him of bad behavior. But as the night wore on, she had a tinge of guilt about being so rude.
“Gina, have I got some good news for you,” Toya had changed out of her floor-length wedding gown and was now wearing a white knee-length dress with fringe.
“I could use some good news today, what is it?”
“Didn’t you tell me you’re looking for new clients?”
“Yes, ma’am. I thank the Lord that I know Jesus or else I’d be doing something strange for a piece of change right about now,” she joked.
“I didn’t know it’s been so hard for you lately. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Gina waved the thought away. “Girl, please, you’ve been getting ready for your big day. I wasn’t about to ruin that with my problems.”
Toya gave her friend a disapproving look. “You know if you need anything, all you have to do is ask.”
“Okay, tell me more about this potential client.”
3
“AND YOU’RE SURE THAT your friend knows her stuff?” David couldn’t believe his good fortune. He had come to Jarrod’s wedding reception when everything in him said to hop on the next thing smoking and get back to Dallas. Katie was right, he needed to get to work repairing his image so he
could get this contract signed.
“I’ve never used her firm. But Gina is A-1 solid. She’ll get you done,” Jarrod guaranteed. Just then, Toya walked over to them, with Gina following behind. Jarrod then asked, “You remember Gina Melson from college, don’t you?”
David reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his business card. When he glanced back up, his eyes widened as he looked into the beautiful face of a woman who thought he was nothing more than a jerk. She couldn’t stand him, and he thought she was one rude lady. He doubted that they could work together. But he didn’t want to make things any more awkward than they already were, so he handed her the business card. “Hi Gina, I’ve heard good things about your public relations company. If you’re interested, give me a call.”
When she didn’t respond, David took the card back and wrote on the back. “Better yet, I’m giving you my business manager’s email address. Send her your resume and some samples of your work. She’ll get back with you if it’s what we’re looking for.”
“I can do that. Thank you,” Gina put the business card in her purse. “I’ll let you boys continue talking,” she said as she looped her hand around Toya’s arm and pulled her with her as they walked away.
He didn’t like the way she called them ‘boys’. Like they were acting like boys rather than being the grown men they most definitely were.
“She’ll send her information. You can count on Gina,” Jarrod told him.
“She didn’t even ask me what I needed.” David tried not to sound annoyed, but Gina had rubbed him the wrong way. He would tell Katie to just ignore any email she received from her. He’d had enough of women like her.
WHY ON EARTH DID THE potential client have to be David Pittman? She really needed a gig, but could she lower her standards to work with someone like him? But when she arrived home found the eviction notice taped to her front door, she stopped worry about her standards and became more concerned with self-preservation. Gina was thankful that her mother had let her keep the car. Because if she had dropped Gina off, she might have come in the house with her and then seen the eviction notice taped to the front door.
She sat down at her dining room table, opened her laptop, and googled David. She knew that he had been a wide receiver in the NFL and that he was now some type of celebrity chef with guest appearances on local talk shows, cooking shows. David Pittman was making it do what it do. He even had a restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Dallas, Texas. Gina thought that was an ego thing because David picked the towns he had played college ball and professional ball to open restaurants.
He was beloved in Michigan because he was on the 2003 team that beat Ohio State. He could do no wrong as far as the people in these parts felt. He was the hometown boy who made good. Gina copied and pasted a picture of the restaurant, which was called End Zone in her proposal. She added a few statements about how much David was loved in Michigan and Texas, but as a plug for herself, she made sure to state ways in which she thought his brand could be taken nationwide. With the right PR, David could open End Zones in five more states and feel confident that the public would pay to eat at his restaurants.
Gina was desperate and didn’t have time to play around and pretend that she had so much work that it would take her a week or two to put a proposal together. She stayed up all night working on it. By five in the morning, her eyes were drooping and red. But she still managed to hit send on the proposal that went to David’s business manager. Now she would wait to hear from her so she could further state her case for why she was the perfect person for the job.
As she stood up, Gina glanced over at the eviction notice. She would have to come up with the rent or go to court on the 15th of January. She wasn’t going to let her current situation get her in a funk. Gina had prayed and asked God to help her, she just had to trust that the God she served was not only willing but more than able to do even more than what she could think or ask.
She laid down to get a few hours of sleep before church service at 10 a.m. that morning. No matter how bad things got, or how bad she was feeling, entering the house of the Lord always made things seem a little brighter. She wasn’t trying to miss service, so she set her alarm for eight-thirty.
Her phone rang at eight-twenty. Yawning and stretching, Gina reached for it. If Katie was responding to her proposal, she didn’t want to miss the call. “This is Gina Melson,” she answered without looking at the caller ID.
“You sound sleepy. I thought you’d be up getting ready for church by now.”
It was her mother. “I stayed up late working on a proposal for a potential client.”
“Potential client, huh. So, do you think you might get this assignment?” her mom asked.
Gina knew her mom was worried because of the car issue, so she wanted to ease her concerns. “It looks good. I got the lead at the wedding last night. Networking normally pays off.”
“I sure hope so, because your father and I are worried about you.”
“Stop worrying. I should only need to keep the car for about a week or so, and I’ll have my car back, I promise,” Gina hoped her words were reassuring, then she asked, “How is dad doing? It seemed like he was using his inhaler a lot when I was at the house last week.”
“He was. The doctor put him back on oxygen. That’s partly why I’m calling this morning. Your dad and I talked last night, we’re going to put the house up for sale.”
Gina popped up in the bed as she tried to open her bloodshot eyes. “But you love that house. You said it was the last house you ever wanted to live in.”
“I know,” her mom agreed with a sad undertone in her voice. “But things change.”
“What could have possibly changed to make you want to move out of your dream home, Mom?” Audrey and George Melson had lived in that three-bedroom brick house since Gina was in elementary. Her mom had remodeled several times and always seemed to love it more after each remodel.
Sighing, Audrey confided in her daughter, “Your dad needs another surgery. We just can’t afford all the co-pays without selling the house.”
Gina felt awful. All she’d ever wanted to do was make enough money to be able to care for her parents. They had sacrificed so much to send her to college. Gina knew that her parents didn’t make much money, so when the full scholarship didn’t materialize, she thought she would have to give up her dream of going to college. But her parents told her that the only dream she had to give up was going to an out-of-state college.
Out-of-state colleges were three times more expensive as in-state colleges. So, Gina went to the University of Michigan. Her partial scholarship paid for everything except her room and board and books. Her parents worked two and three jobs to make up the difference. “Don’t put the house up for sale just yet. I might be getting a new client, depending on the extent of the job, I should be able to cover the bill for you.”
“You have your own bills. If you want to know the truth about it, we wish we had the money to give you so you could get your car back. But with all the medical bills, we just don’t have it. We can’t help with that and we sure aren’t about to stick you with our bills on top of your own.”
“You’re not sticking me with anything. If I have to give up my apartment and move back home so I can pay his hospital bill, then I’ll do that.” And since she already had an eviction notice, Gina might be moving home sooner rather than later anyway.
She hung up the phone with her mother, got out of bed, and dressed for church. Toya and Jarrod would be touching down in Belize by the time she got to church because they took a flight out at five this morning.
Gina had to hurry. She was thankful that her mother’s Toyota Camry was outside waiting on her. It was a long way from her BMW, but it would get her where she needed to go, so Gina wasn’t tripping, getting to church was all that mattered. She was going straight to the altar and telling God all about her troubles. If He wasn’t hearing her prayers from home, He would certainly listen to them at the altar. A
t least, Gina hoped He would.
“OKAY, LET’S GET TO it. What do we have?” David asked as he sat in the conference room with Katie.
Katie spread several manilla folders out on the table. “I’ve narrowed it down to three PR firms that we might be able to use. She handed him one of the folders. “The Peterson Touch Firm has a good reputation, so I think they could get the job done.”
David narrowed his gaze on Katie. “You don’t seem impressed. So, if they are such a good firm, what’s wrong with them.”
“Their presentation was lackluster at best. Like they didn’t have time to pull together a complete proposal for us. Most of the information they provided was generic. I just don’t see you being their main focus, and we don’t have time to sit around waiting on them.
“Right, the board meets again next month.” David placed the Peterson Touch folder back on the table. “Who else you got?”
Handing him another folder, Katie said, “Fame is another firm that has gotten results for their clients. They deal with high profile clients who are always getting themselves into some kind of drama. So, my concern is that you wouldn’t be a top priority for them either.”
Looking through the proposal, David said, “But they have a hundred people on staff. You don’t think that’s enough?”
“They may have a hundred on staff, but they only have twenty PR executives. The rest work on admin duties, accounting, and marketing stuff.” Katie shrugged. “They may be the perfect firm for our needs. My concern is that with all the employees they have on staff, how many of them would be able to get hold of your information and then leak it to the press or blackmail you at a later date. I’m just leery of that many people with our personal PR needs.”
“Yeah, you might be right about that.” David leaned back in his chair. “You said you were interested in three. Who’s next?”
Got to Be Love Page 2
