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Derrick watched as Kenny’s face crumpled.
“The fire-retardant paint on the doors,” Kenny finally said. “We can’t paint over the fire-retardant paint.” Kenny slumped farther down in his chair.
Derrick smiled. “Very good, Kenny.” He winked. “We’re going to make an architect out of you eventually.” A few chuckles came from around the room.
Kenny hid a shy smile, secretly pleased by the praise.
Tom frowned at Derrick. “Derrick, no one appreciates your snatch-the-pebble-from-my-hand Kung Fu wisdom more than I, but we have to present completed plans to the Marquardt board of directors by the end of the week. So if you don’t mind—”
“Kenny, this is not the kind of architect you want to be, by the way.” Derrick poked his thumb toward Tom. A couple of playful affirmatives came from around the room.
“He’s not, sir,” Kenny said, with loving eyes for Derrick alone.
Ignoring Kenny’s smitten expression, Derrick walked over to the middle of the table, where the plans were spread out. Derrick briefly wondered if that was the look Royce Massey had seen in his eyes when Derrick was a young intern studying under him.
Of course it was, Derrick decided. No one had a greater respect and admiration for Royce than the young thug he’d taken in off the street and trained from the ground up at the request of his beloved wife. And no one envied Royce’s life more than that young thug. And now, twenty-five years later, that young thug was living the life…only not as well.
Despite the incredible wealth he’d accumulated over the years, despite all the marvelous structures around the city that were a testament to his great skill as a building designer, never did Derrick fool himself into believing he’d lived up to the legacy of Royce Massey. Never once did Derrick allow himself to believe that he in any way wore the mantle of greatness and dignity that even now enshrouded the memory of his idol.
Taking a quick look at the plans, Derrick made a decision. “Okay, here and here—” he pointed along the drawings “—I want a beam running the length of the frame, slightly overhanging. And then—” he turned the drawings, pulling up the interior blueprint “—we’ll put another structural beam here to support it, you see?”
Tom was peering over his shoulder. “Okay, I see what you mean. And the beams would also conceal the exits from the outside of the building.”
“Exactly.” Derrick nodded. By that time, Kenny along with several others had crept forward to examine the blueprints.
“Everybody got that?” Derrick quickly scanned the group. Once he was satisfied with their understanding, he pushed his way back through the group. “Okay, Tom, take the lead. I’ve got something I need to take care of. Oh, and Tom, I want Kenny on this project.”
Just as he was approaching the conference-room double doors, Derrick heard the voice of Kenny whisper, “He’s a lot nicer than I heard.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” a female voice whispered back.
As he walked along the plush carpeted hallway leading to his office suite, Derrick wondered just what Kenny had heard. He knew that rumors of his exploits, which were greatly exaggerated, usually made the rounds in the office. He thought he had a reputation of being a fair employer, but now he believed that his personal life was starting to put his work persona in jeopardy.
Not for the first time, Derrick considered just dropping out of the spotlight. Becoming a hermit and hoping that the media would lose interest in him. As quickly as the idea came, it was gone. For reasons he would not consider too closely, Derrick knew that part of him reveled in the attention. For a kid who’d been knocked around the system and basically ignored for most of his youth, the public interest was more than flattering; it was recompense.
He greeted his employees with smiles and the occasional nod as he passed through the open third-floor space that made up the Massey Architectural firm. Instead of going straight into his office, he turned into the adjoining reception area he shared with Camille.
“Morning, Marjorie.” He greeted the secretary they shared before glancing at the closed office door next to his. “Is she in?”
Marjorie shook her head. “No, sir. She called this morning and left this message for you.” She handed him a folded piece of paper.
Derrick frowned. “Why didn’t you give it to me sooner?” Derrick unfolded the note, remembering Camille’s slow, painful movements of the previous day.
“She asked me not to until your meeting was over.”
Derrick’s eyes quickly scanned the note.
Derrick, I won’t be in today. Not feeling my best. Camille.
“Get her on the phone.” Derrick balled the note and tossed it into the garbage can beside the desk. “And transfer the call to my office.”
Before Marjorie could respond, he’d entered his office and slammed the door shut. Derrick walked across the room and slumped in his waiting chair.
He was worried. He couldn’t help it. For Camille to feel bad enough to stay away from the office said a lot. Derrick could only remember her staying home a handful of days in the past year, and, considering her age, that spoke volumes about her strong constitution. Strong willed or not, Camille was still a seventy-year-old woman, and no one was more conscious of that fact than Derrick.
In fact, he probably thought about her mortality more than his own. Camille was the closest thing to family he had, and once she was gone…
His phone rang, and he snatched it from the base. “Yes?”
“I have Mrs. Massey on the line, sir.”
“Thank you, Marjorie. Put her through.”
After a series of clicks, Derrick heard Camille’s disgruntled voice, and it eased his troubled heart.
“You better have a good reason for waking me, young man.”
Derrick smiled, feeling more relieved than he could’ve ever explained. “Just making sure you’re still alive.”
“I’ll admit I’m not long for this world, but I haven’t left just yet. Now, why are you on the phone with me instead of in the conference room with your team working out the last-minute kinks in the Marquardt Building plans?”
“That’s already squared away. I was just curious as to what could keep the indomitable Camille Massey away from the office.”
There was a long pause, and Derrick waited patiently, knowing Camille was searching for the right words. He knew from experience she would tell him as little as possible. He also knew her reasons were equal parts her protective nature and her pride. And Derrick would sift through her explanation for the truth. They’d been together too long and understood each other too well.
“I’m fine, Derrick. Just tired, that’s all.” She sighed heavily. “I’ve been thinking about something lately.”
“What’s that?”
“Retirement.”
“Retirement. You?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. You knew I had to retire eventually—or did you expect them to just carry me out of my office one day? Besides, it’s not like you need me. You haven’t needed me in over three years.”
“I’ll always need you, Camille.”
“You’re doing a fine job of running the company without any help from anyone. Royce always knew you would be a wonderful architect someday, but I don’t think even he imagined you would do as well as you have.”
“But—”
“I’ve given that company my whole life, Derrick. Don’t I deserve to keep some small part of it for myself?”
Derrick was speechless. He had no argument for that obvious truth, except his own selfish desire for her companionship. Finally, he answered. “Of course you do.”
“It’s just an idea. I’m sure I’ll feel well enough to come in tomorrow.”
“Camille, I…”
“What is it, Derrick?”
“I just wanted to say thank-you—again, for all you’ve done for me.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, I’m not dying. Lighten up.”
“You can make jokes if you want. But we both know the truth. A lot of people wouldn’t have helped me.”
“What choice did I have?” She laughed. “When you came charging into the ladies’ room that day and stopped dead in your tracks when you saw me.”
He smiled to himself remembering the unlikely events that brought Camille into his life twenty-five years ago. “I wasn’t thinking, just running, I just didn’t want to go to that boys’ home, and I knew that was the next stop for me. After hitting my latest foster dad over the head with a chair, there weren’t a whole lot of options left for a kid like me.”
The other end of the line was quiet for so long, Derrick wondered if he’d lost her. “Camille?”
“Hmm, I’m here. I was just thinking. I’ve often wondered why you didn’t ever explain to the social worker why you hit him, Derrick?”
“What was I supposed to say? That waking up in the middle of the night to find a man standing over my bed freaked me out? I didn’t realize until it was too late that he was only there to tuck me in.” He huffed. “The last time I woke up to find a man over my bed, he wasn’t trying to tuck me in, Camille. So, I acted on instinct.”
“And you don’t think the social worker would’ve understood that?”
“Please, by that time I’d been in so much trouble, I don’t think she would’ve believed me if I told her I was black.”
She chuckled. “Well, it’s not like I did anything special. Despite your best effort, she did find you, remember?”
“But so did you,” he added quietly, remembering the day Camille showed up in the boys’ home to check on him. “You changed the whole path of my life, and no matter how you downplay it, I’ll never forget that. And…I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“Wanna bet? You just get the corrections made on those Marquardt building plans so we can submit them and receive our nice big commission. You’ll be a little richer, and I’ll be one step closer to retirement. It’s a win-win.”
Derrick laughed. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“So you tell me.”
He sighed in relief, feeling much better now that he’d talked to her and assured himself she was as spunky and contrary as ever.
“All right, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Derrick hung up the phone, took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. The winds of change were blowing, and he did not like their direction. But he also knew there was little he could do about it.
From the day he found her, Camille Massey had been the only constant in Derrick’s life. And the neglected little boy that still resided in his soul railed against the idea of her not being a part of his everyday existence.
He tapped his fingers on the top of the desk, trying to find a way to distract himself from his troubling thoughts. He considered all the projects spread on the small mahogany conference table on the other side of his office.
There were also a couple of job sites he’d been putting off visiting. That wasn’t what he wanted right now. No, Derrick knew himself well enough to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when he was feeling this particular brand of melancholy blue, there was only one thing that could lift his spirits. He needed a woman’s warmth.
Unfortunately, he was not currently in a relationship nor was he the type of man to dip his wick in any available sweet pot, contrary to the tabloid stories. No, Derrick knew he was a one-woman man. The problem was, he could never seem to find the right woman…
He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out the elegantly embossed business card. He quickly dialed the number.
“Love Unlimited, Terri speaking.”
“Noelle Brown, please.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Brown is in with a client. Can I help you?”
“When will she be free?”
“May I ask who’s calling?”
“Derrick Brandt.”
“One moment, Mr. Brandt.” She quickly returned to the line. “Mrs. Brown asked that I take a message.”
“A message?” Where the hell are the women you promised me? How’s that for a message?
“Sir?”
“Just ask her to call me. I haven’t heard from her in a week, and I’m getting impatient.”
“I’ll give her the message. Is there anything else I can do for you today?”
Yes, you can tell me what your boss is wearing. Is it silk and clinging to her voluptuous bust? Does she still smell like paradise in a bottle? Is she happily married or just married?
“No, that’s all.”
“I’ll be sure to give her your message. You have a nice day, Mr. Brandt.”
Derrick hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. “She’s married. She’s married. She’s married,” he chanted to himself.
Determined to get his mind off Noelle Brown, or any other woman for that matter, he glanced at his worktable once more.
A few minutes later, he was on his feet and headed to the door. As he passed Marjorie, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day.”
Chapter 5
Elegantly dressed and regal in every way, Dr. Suzanne Chambers sat across from Noelle and twisted her nose in disdain. With a shake of her thick, black tresses, she tossed the file on the desk.
“This is not a very impressive questionnaire, Noelle. Some of his answers border on rude. What makes you think I would be interested in this guy?”
“Well, granted, he’s a little rough around the edges, but with the right woman I think he has a lot of potential.”
“Hmm…such as?”
Noelle knew Suzanne was quickly losing what little interest she had shown in the case file of Client 047. “For starters, he’s career driven and extremely ambitious.” Noelle winked at the woman, who was not only a client but a friend. “Sound like anyone you know?”
Suzanne’s mouth twisted in a smirk. “Go on.”
“And let’s just say I have a feeling that the chemistry would work. Trust me. Just meet him first and then make your decision. I have a feeling about this.”
She sighed. “It’s just I thought there would be more obvious signs of compatibility. This feels like just another blind date, and heaven knows I’ve suffered through enough of those for one lifetime.”
Noelle hid the sympathy she felt swell up in her heart. She knew exactly what Suzanne was feeling. The two women had much in common, including their physical build. It was one of the things that had factored into Noelle’s decision to consider Suzanne as a possible match for Derrick Brandt. Noelle knew that Derrick Brandt, unlike some men, would have no problem with Suzanne’s few extra pounds.
“Well, just keep in mind, this blind date is being set up by a professional matchmaker.”
Suzanne reached over and picked up the file once more. “I just don’t know.” Her soft brown eyes focused on Noelle’s face. “I’m tired of having my heart broken by guys only interested in my money. I’m ready for something real, Noelle. That’s why I came to you.”
Noelle reached across the desk and laid her hand over the hand of her client and friend. “Trust me, Suzanne. I think you want to give this guy a chance.”
“Well, if you really think—”
“You can’t go in there!”
Noelle heard the voice of her assistant rise in alarm.
“I’m tired of waiting. I want to see her now!” an irate male voice responded angrily.
Oh, no. Noelle stood from her desk chair.
“What’s that about?” Suzanne turned toward the door with a worried expression.
“Mr. Brandt! You can’t—”
Noelle was halfway around the desk when her office door was thrown open.
Derrick Brandt stopped in the middle of the floor as if surprised to see that Terri had indeed been telling him the truth.
“Mr. Brandt, she’s with a client!” Terri was charging in the man’s wake, and he stopped so abruptly she ran smack into the back of him. Jolted by the impact, she stumbled back, and with lightning reflexes, Derrick turned and caught her before she slipped.
Still fuming in anger, Terri jerked from him without so much as a thank-you and hurried over to the desk. “I’m sorry, Noelle. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“It’s okay, Terri.”
With one final glare at Derrick, Terri walked back out of the door, gently closing it behind her.
Noelle ran a hand over her forehead, feeling the onset of a migraine. “Mr. Brandt, as you can see, I am in a meeting.” She gestured to Suzanne, who sat staring up at Derrick like he was a comet that had just dropped from the sky. “Suzanne Chambers, this is—”
“Derrick Brandt.” Suzanne’s eyes widened.
Noelle sighed. “Or as you know him, Client 047. Mr. Brandt, I was just discussing your profile with Ms. Chambers.” Noelle winced inwardly as Suzanne rose from the chair, stepped forward and extended her hand in greeting…only to have Derrick completely ignore it and walk around her.
“Why haven’t you called me all week?” He stopped directly in front of Noelle and stood glaring at her.
“As I was saying, Mr. Brandt, I have been actively working to find a candidate for you, and she’s standing right over there.”
Derrick glanced over his shoulder at the confused woman. “No. I know her type. It’s all about her and her career, and I’m not prepared to be a Mr. Chambers.”
Stunned by the unprovoked attack, Suzanne charged forward. “How dare you!”
Not knowing what Suzanne planned to do when she reached him, Noelle jumped between the two. “Suzanne, let me deal with him. I’ll call you later.”
“Fine.” She quickly collected her purse and jacket. “But you can scratch my name off the list of potential candidates. I wouldn’t date him if you paid me.” She stomped toward the door, and then just as quickly turned and stomped back to where Noelle was still standing protectively in front of her client.
“You know, I would’ve been willing to ignore all the negative things I’ve read about you and given you the benefit of the doubt. But you just proved yourself to be a bigger ass than the press could’ve ever.” She glanced at Noelle. “Good luck finding a woman willing to accept this jerk.” With that she turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Noelle was fuming with anger at how he’d dismissed the best possible candidate she could find and had so callously insulted her friend.
She took a deep breath—not that it did any good—and swung around to face him. “I hope you’re satisfied!”
Derrick was staring down at her left hand. “Where’s your ring?”
“Do you realize what you just did? You just chased away the very best chance you had at a compatible match.”
The wolfish grin appeared for a brief moment. “Maybe—maybe not. Answer the question.”
Suddenly Noelle remembered that she’d taken the prop ring off the evening before when she’d gone to her parents’ anniversary party and had forgotten to put it back on that morning. And from the look in his eyes, Mr. Brandt was becoming suspicious.
Noelle walked around to her seat, putting the desk between them. “Mr. Brandt, I understand you’re anxious—”
“Are you married?”
Damn. “Mr. Brandt—”
“It’s Derrick.” He followed her around the desk. “And answer the question.”
The man really is an ass. “That’s none of your business.” She backed up as much as possible and felt the seat of her chair come up against the back of her legs.
His face spread into the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen as he gently lifted her hand to his lips. “You’re not married.”
Noelle was unable to speak as she felt his soft, warm lips graze the back of her hand. “What—what are you doing?” She shook off the hypnotic spell he was quickly casting over her, snatching her hand away.
“Are you even engaged?” That beautiful smile was still perfectly in place, showing two rows of white, well-cared-for teeth as his light green eyes bored into her brown ones. “No,” he finally pronounced. “You’re as single as I am.”
Pushing her chair back out of the way, Noelle backed up and took a stand. “Just who do you think you are? Barging in here—interrupting my meeting and demanding personal information. I can’t do business this way, Mr. Brandt. It’s inconceivable at this point how Love Unlimited could be of benefit to you. Please leave. I will refund your deposit tomorrow. Good-bye.”
He turned and walked back around the desk. But instead of leaving, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and took the seat recently vacated by Suzanne. “You know, I realized something was wrong the last time I was here, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.” He gestured to her desktop. “No pictures. You have pictures of family. That one with the couple and the little girls, and the older couple that I would assume are your parents. But no husband, no children of your own.”
“Get out!”
The smile fell from his face. “Be careful, Noelle. I understand you’re upset, but you might as well settle down. I’m not going anywhere. Especially not now.”
Noelle was fuming with rage. If she were able, she would’ve physically thrown him out of the office. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
With a sigh, he reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and slid it across the desktop.
Despite her pounding head and racing pulse, Noelle was extremely curious as to what was on the paper but was not about to give him the satisfaction of picking it up. “What’s that?”
“A financial synopsis of Love Unlimited.”
“What?” She quickly grabbed up the paper and scanned the information it contained. “How did you get this?!”
“That’s not nearly as important as what it says.”
Noelle felt like her legs had been cut out from under her. She blindly reached for her chair and pulled it to her, suddenly nauseated. This man had somehow discovered a truth about her company that even her family did not know.
There in three succint paragraphs was the truth of her failing business. Despite the success in matching couples, Love Unlimited was going under. Rising rent, overhead, advertising and social events were just so expensive! She was spending faster than she was earning. And though she could’ve asked her family for a loan, her pride wouldn’t allow it.
As if a bucket of freezing water had been poured over her head, Noelle felt herself go from flaming hot anger to icy cold fear. “What are you planning to do with this?” she asked, working to keep her voice from cracking.
The devil across the desk arched an eyebrow. “Nothing. Now we move forward on an even playing field. No more talk of dumping me as a client, and no more barging into your office. Agreed?”
Noelle considered the options. “And…if I don’t agree?”
“You lose your best and only chance to pull your company out of the red. Face it, Noelle. You need me as much as I need you.” Suddenly he sat forward, and something in his body language conveyed to Noelle a new energy level. Apparently, Lucifer was most energized when bartering for souls. “And I do need you, Noelle.
“I didn’t go looking for that information to embarrass you. It surfaced as part of a routine financial check I run on anyone I chose to do business with.” His light eyes honed in on her face. “You just witnessed a problem I have been dealing with my entire adult life.
“I…” He shrugged, obviously looking for the right words, and Noelle caught a glimpse of vulnerability. “I’m not good talking to women. I’m blunt and gruff. I’m not ignorant of my problems, but I’ve had some bad experiences that have left me with little tolerance for bull. I need someone with your expertise.”
Unable to just drop the not-so-subtle threat lying on the desk between them, Noelle’s eyes narrowed. “So you come in here to blackmail me?”
A quick grin flashed across his face. “Actually, I just picked that up from my attorney on the way over here and had no intention of showing it to you until it became obvious it was the only way to get you to listen to me.”
She sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “So, what now?”
“That’s up to you. I hope we can put this behind us and continue to work together.”
After several seconds, Noelle let out a long breath. “You can’t just barge in here anytime you want.”