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Darius glanced up and made eye contact with her. “I noticed at brunch you don’t seem to eat much. Are you dieting?”
Courtney chuckled. “J.R. and you must’ve put your heads together on this subject. He also questioned what little I had on my plate, but I don’t feel I undereat. I’ve certainly overdone it a number of times.”
Darius laughed. “Who hasn’t overdone it?”
“For the most part, I’m simply not a big eater,” Courtney explained. “I also get full pretty quickly. The portions on my plate have nothing to do with dieting, though I do try to eat healthy. But when it comes to breakfast foods, I can eat like a horse.”
“There’s nothing wrong there. What about having a salad with your wings?”
Courtney shot him a cool glance. “I had planned to order a salad. Do you suggest what foods Candice should eat?” Courtney wanted to remind him that he had a fiancée to be concerned with. What Courtney ate or didn’t eat shouldn’t concern him one bit.
“Sorry if I hit a nerve. That wasn’t my intent. To answer your question, I do concern myself with what Candice eats. She’s a diabetic, who tends to ignore her health issues as if they don’t exist. Her diabetes is a big concern for me. Unfortunately, I have the tendency to become overanxious, especially with folks I care about.”
Slightly embarrassed by her odd behavior, Courtney bit down on her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about Candice’s health. I can see why you’d voice concern.”
His eyes softened as he looked across the table at her. “I try not to call attention to what others eat, but sometimes I end up doing it anyway. It’s only because I care.”
“Point well taken,” she said, hoping they’d move on and leave this topic in the dust. “Does anything on the menu have your palate worked up?”
“The chicken and waffles is my favorite dish. I always say I’m going to try something else, but I never do. I don’t come here as often as I’d like, but that’s by choice. Too much of anything isn’t good for anyone. I’m hyper enough without all the syrup.”
A male waiter arrived at the table just as Darius finished his remark. He quickly suggested that Courtney’s order be taken care of first. Once the waiter had written down both of his patrons’ meal choices, he left.
Darius pulled from his briefcase the information on the band he’d downloaded from his computer. He handed Courtney the paperwork. “I’d like you to look these over. I’m considering using this band for the reception if they’re free on our May date.”
Courtney took hold of the paperwork and laid it aside. “When you spoke about the band, I didn’t know you intended to hire them for the reception. I thought when you went with the full-service catering package you were content to have us take care of the entertainment. Why the sudden change of heart?” she asked rather pointedly.
Darius wasn’t sure, but he thought he’d heard a sharp edge in Courtney’s tone. Had he offended her? If so, he’d insulted her unwittingly. “I’m still committed to the full-service contract. A friend just happened to tell me about this band…and I thought I’d check them out. It seems I’ve stepped on your toes, unintentionally so. Because of our contract, I actually wanted to see what you thought of this particular band.”
Deep down inside, Courtney regretted her quick, testy reaction. It wasn’t like her to speak before gathering all the facts. She hadn’t meant to come off as churlish, either. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t already mentioned the band to her. She had misinterpreted his intent by thinking he’d planned to use them for another event that she wasn’t handling for him. “Looks like I got it all wrong,” she admitted. “Thank you for valuing my opinion. That means a lot to me.”
“Does that mean you’ll meet me on Thursday to check out these guys?”
Courtney grinned, impressed by how clear he made things. “You never miss an opportunity to go after what you want, do you? Piranha comes to mind on occasion.”
Stunned by the remark, he raised an eyebrow. “Is that really how you see me?”
“Yes.”
Darius was somewhat puzzled by her coolly spoken assessment. “I admit to going after what I want, but it’s never at the expense of anyone else’s feelings. I seize an opportunity when it presents itself, but there’s nothing underhanded about my motives. And I’m definitely no killer fish.”
This man had a way of keeping Courtney way off balance. He had just shattered the image of him she’d conjured in her mind. Still, there was the question of a fiancée he seemed to conveniently forget he had.
“Forgive me, Darius. I don’t know why I keep trying to sum you up in a word or two and then lump you into one category or another. It’s obvious that you’re not an easy man to define. It’s also apparent that you’re every man and it’s all within you.”
Darius couldn’t keep from laughing. “So now you’re comparing me to the song ‘I’m Every Woman.’ Only you could’ve come up with that one! The fact you’re even trying to define me is flattering. But I think you’re delving way too deep. I’m very easy to explain. I’m not a mystery.”
Like hell you aren’t. Darius was a man of deep mystery. Courtney had a feeling he knew how to get exactly what he wanted. She also thought he knew how to keep whatever he was after once he got it. If he wasn’t engaged, she’d love to be the woman he desired, the one he’d commit to forever.
Courtney hated being this delusional over a man. And any thoughts of him and her together were definite delusions. She was very clear on that. Willingly admitting that she was badly smitten wasn’t easy for her.
The waiter arrived back at the table and served their meals. He then made sure the couple had everything they needed before taking off again.
Courtney and Darius ate in silence, each lost in thoughts of what lay ahead of them for the rest of the day and beyond. For some time, Courtney had been thinking about taking a week off work and disappearing to an island paradise. She knew she couldn’t leave town until after the Fairfax reception was a wrap. She was very interested in the success of all her events, but she wanted to make Candice and Darius’s reception the event of the year.
Courtney had a hard time deciding what to wear to Club 21 for her meeting with Darius. Before she met him, she hadn’t given much thought to clothing choices. She had simply concentrated on a professional look for the office and dressy attire for special events; casual worked best when she was enjoying some rare leisure time.
Looking too sexy had suddenly become a worry for Courtney, so she traded the outfit she had finally decided on for something a lot less provocative.
What was the point in trying to entice a man who was taken?
A crisply creased pair of white denims, a cool red-and-white-striped top and a casual blazer in white brushed cotton replaced her sexier attire. She wasn’t big on using a lot of makeup, but she’d used even less than normal for this evening outing. She didn’t want to look like a plain Jane, yet she didn’t want to make herself too attractive.
Despite Darius’s marital status, he flirted openly with Courtney and it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. Someone had to keep a level head in this deal. It would be too easy for her to give in to the strong desire she had to be in his arms, but thoughts of the beautiful Candice always reined in her emotions. She wasn’t a man stealer or a home wrecker.
Sliding out from behind the wheel of her dark blue Lexus, Courtney handed the valet key to the attendant who’d opened her door. In turn, he gave her a numbered ticket to retrieve her car later.
As she stepped inside Club 21, Darius was the first person she saw. She liked that he was waiting for her to arrive. He came over to her and greeted her warmly, then directed her to a table he’d reserved for the evening.
Darius pulled out a chair for Courtney. “We have a perfect view of the bandstand from here. We won’t miss a thing.”
Courtney smiled. “You sure don’t miss a beat. I like how you handle your business.”
He grinned as he claimed a chair. “Honey, for me, this is as much pleasure as it is business. I’m seated with a great-looking woman and if the band delivers all I’ve heard about them, this should be one magnificent night.”
For all the fuss she’d made to play down her looks, Courtney knew she had failed at dampening Darius’s spirits. He seemed just as excited as he always did in her presence.
“What would you like to drink, Courtney?”
“I only drink wine, and sparingly. A glass of rosé, please.”
Darius stood and then summoned a waitress. Courtney noticed that he was dressed more casually than she’d ever seen him and he still looked like a million bucks. The man wore his clothing as well as any male fashion model. Everything appeared to fit him to a tee. The dark sports coat worn over a soft pink, open-collar shirt made him look dashing, just as the dark designer jeans did.
Ladies might glance at Darius’s expensive attire for a moment or two, but their eyes would no doubt linger on his handsome, clean-shaven face and sexy body. He was breathtaking in more ways than one. His intellect was also very stimulating to Courtney. They talked about anything and everything and she was impressed with how tuned in he was to current events. He also loved to talk politics.
Courtney’s resolve weakened more and more every time she got together with Darius. She was glad the reception was close at hand. Once it was over, she’d never have to see him again. The thought pained her terribly, but their business would soon be concluded. If by chance he contracted her company to cater any other social events, she’d make sure to assign his account to another employee—anyone but herself.
After their wine was delivered to the table, the club manager enthusiastically introduced the band. Glad that she was no longer the main focus of Darius’s attention, Courtney sat back in her chair, hoping she could relax. Being in his company kept her on pins and needles and she’d lost count of the number of times she’d wondered what it would be like to sample his luscious-looking mouth.
The first number the band played brought Courtney up out of her seat. There was no way to sit still when such soul-stirring sounds got her going. Forgetting she was in the company of a client, she let her hair all the way down, dancing and gyrating right in front of her seat. Her sexy movements sent Darius’s imagination racing in a myriad of directions.
As a man who’d confessed to seizing an opportunity when one presented itself, Darius took hold of Courtney’s hand and guided her onto the dance floor. There, in the middle of the room, he let the music seep into his soul and completely overtake him. The music was of the feel-good variety. All they had to do was open up their hearts to it and let it in.
Courtney noticed that she and Darius weren’t the only ones who’d rushed to the dance floor. It appeared that practically everyone in the club was busy getting down. The music had the patrons in the groove and ready to rock away the entire night.
Feeling totally relaxed and at ease with Darius, Courtney danced like she’d never danced before. No longer was she afraid of her feelings for her dance partner. If nothing else, Darius would make a wonderful friend. She’d rather have him as a friend than not have him in her life at all. She didn’t feel as if she were betraying Candice because that wasn’t in her plans. She and Darius just happened to be two decent people with a lot in common.
Turning a wild attraction into a friendship wasn’t a criminal act.
Who could fault them for being friends?
As the fast-paced music changed to a much slower pace, couples slipped into each other’s arms. When Darius brought Courtney in closer to him, she didn’t back away. He kept their bodies at an acceptable, respectable distance, but that didn’t quell the fiery heat surging between them.
Friends slow-danced, too, Courtney told herself.
Darius came back to the table with the leader of the band and a couple of other band members. He immediately introduced the guys to Courtney and asked them to have a seat and join them for drinks on him. The band happily accepted his invitation.
Terry played guitar, his sleek style lathering up the dancers, causing them to act maniacal. Mitchell was a genius on the saxophone, playing as though his very life depended on the sounds coming from his instrument. Richard could wail on the drums, making them communicate beautifully with the soulful rhythms. The bass guitarist, Stephen, seemed to completely lose himself in the sweet chords he played so well. Every single guy in the band was a superb musician.
“You guys are really great! The music is so pure and sweet, yet funky and soulful,” Darius said.
Terry nodded. “Yeah, it’s always like a big party when we get together. We’re truly blessed.”
“I can see why,” Courtney contributed. “I’m kind of shy when it comes to dancing, but you guys had me letting it all hang out before I even knew what had hit me. Do any of you know J. R. Norman?”
Everyone responded to J.R.’s name at the same time. It sounded to Courtney as if he were very much respected by his fellow musicians. They all had something positive to say about him. Terry even commented about how great Monica was, which had Courtney wondering why her friend had never mentioned this fabulous band to her.
Darius set his wineglass down. “Guys, I know you have to get back to the bandstand in a few minutes, but I’d like to know if you can possibly play at a surprise engagement reception.”
Terry stroked his chin. “If it’s a Friday or Saturday, we’re more than likely booked already. Our weekend and holiday dates fill up rather quickly. Spring and summer months are rough, too.”
“Can you check it out during the next break and let me know?” Darius asked.
Terry nodded in the affirmative.
“We’ll never land them, at least not for the upcoming event,” Darius said to her after the band left the table. “How difficult would it be to change the event to a late-afternoon affair to accommodate their schedule?”
“The invitations aren’t printed yet, so that shouldn’t be a problem. I might have to rework the staff schedules. All of my top coordinators are assigned to your reception. While everyone on my staff is great at what they do, there are those who’ve been with me a long time. These employees know exactly what my expectations are. Like you, I doubt the band will be free, but it never hurts to hope and pray for a miracle.”
The urge to take Courtney into his arms and kiss her passionately nearly overcame Darius. This woman had him on fire and there was nothing he could use to douse the flames.
Courtney was glad that the atmosphere was dim. She hoped the soft, subtle candlelight concealed the blush she felt burning on her cheeks. If Darius could look into her eyes, he’d easily see how smitten she was with him. If only she were walking in Candice’s shoes. She had an idea of how wonderful that might feel. Darius was always very attentive to her and he was sweeter than the purest honey.
“Courtney,” Darius softly whispered her name, “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Will you be okay out here alone?”
“I’ll be fine, Darius. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He got to his feet and walked toward the men’s room, looking back at her with every few steps he took.
Courtney suddenly had a numbing, cold feeling surrounding her. She always felt overly warm when Darius was around. He’d already had a profound effect on her. She tried to force her mind into thinking of him as nothing more than a friend, but her heart wouldn’t cooperate. It was as if her mind, body and soul had all turned against her. She looked over at the exit. If only she had the nerve to get up and leave. A disappearing act would more than likely lose her a client, but it would surely save her virtue.
Wasn’t that better than losing her heart to someone who was unable to accept it?
Outside of Club 21, Darius took Courtney’s car keys from the attendant’s hand and then opened her door. “Thanks for meeting me here this evening. I hope you had as good a time as I did. That band is something else. I haven’t heard music played so well in a long time.”
“Yeah, it was just great. They took us back to the days of our parents’ music, but I couldn’t even identify where all the sounds came from. There was a time it sounded like someone was whistling across the top of a soda bottle.”
Darius laughed. “You picked that up, too, I see.”
Courtney reached for Darius’s hand. She started to shake it, but instead, she lifted it up to her mouth and planted a light kiss on the back of it. “Thanks for a beautiful evening. Drive safely. Good night.”
Darius’s words had been ambushed before they got stuck in his craw. Saying something clever would’ve been nice, but his brain wasn’t coherent at the moment. The kiss to his hand had completely stunned him, giving him an inkling of what might’ve happened had she kissed him on the mouth. The silly notion to never wash his hand crossed his numbed mind. No kiss had ever affected him the way Courtney’s had, a kiss lighter than a whisper.
As Courtney’s car drove away, Darius stood stock-still for several seconds. When he moved toward his car, a snail could’ve bested him had it been a race. In less than two months, he had nearly become a fool over a woman. He shook his head to try to clear the cobwebs from his mind. He shouldn’t be thinking this way, but he had to find a way to keep their relationship from coming to an abrupt end on the third Saturday in May.
If friendship was all they could have, so be it.
Chapter 4
Courtney and Monica hustled around the office, making sure everything was shut down and locked up for the evening. Courtney still had to stash in the floor safe the checks and cash she and Monica had just tallied. The company used spreadsheets and generated receipts electronically, but every now and then a handwritten receipt was given out for anything under fifty dollars.
A bank run was only made once a week, normally on Friday afternoons. The Wells Fargo Bank branch the company patronized was located just a few doors down from the office. Courtney, Harrell, Alma and Monica were the only ones authorized to handle bank and credit union transactions. Courtney and her grandmother wrote and signed all company checks, while monitoring all incoming and outgoing expenditures.
“Too many fingers in the pie could ruin it” was a motto both of them swore by.
Courtney looked at her watch. They had less than an hour to make it to a special meeting Darius had set up. J.R. had been invited, too. According to what Darius had told Courtney, he wanted her and her friends to meet a man he was keen on doing future business deals with. He’d also said he had a proposition involving Courtney’s company, which he planned to discuss during the meeting. Darius led her to believe this was an extremely important get-together.
“He didn’t give you any clue as to what this meeting was about?” Monica asked Courtney while shutting down her computer.
“Just that it was important. I hope it’s something good for the company. I can’t get involved with just anything…and Darius is nothing less than extraordinary as a businessman. He has incredible visions for his company. If he wants to involve The Party People in something he’s doing, I’m willing to see if I can get behind his ideas.”
“Girl, you’re just too savvy. Remember all those negative remarks about your visions? You certainly proved those naysayers wrong—and you did it in record time. Just think how far you’ve come this past year.”
Courtney nodded. “It’s also hard for me to believe. I often think about all the bank managers who turned me down for a small business loan. Thank God for federal credit unions. If Papa Harrell hadn’t been a military veteran, I couldn’t have landed a loan there, either.”
“You had strong, brilliant visions for the business and you already know I think your grandparents are the best visionaries around. They’re good to you and for you. As your employee and your friend, I get to cash in on the benefits, too. I love all three of you.”
Courtney smiled. “I know how you feel about us. They do, too.” She frowned. “Do I look okay?”
“You look beautiful, as always. For a girl who hardly ever worries about her attire, you sure have been overly concerned about it lately. What’s that all about?”
Courtney rolled her eyes back. “I just asked a simple question about my appearance.”
Monica gave her boss a slanted glance. “Your tan pantsuit hardly has that ‘off the rack’ look. The spicy-orange shell brings in just the right amount of color, along with the complementary juicy-fruit-orange leather pumps and bag. You’re a fresh breath of spring, looking as if you’re ready to get down to business. The simple but elegant diamond pendant and studs add more sparkle to the glow of your skin and personality. There!”
“Thank you.” Courtney smiled softly. “Your kind but rather long assessment of my outfit put me at ease. I know I’ve been out of it lately. I’m almost ashamed to admit it. Looking good for an engaged man is absolutely insane. Yet, when I’m dressing, I often wonder what Darius would think of this dress or that suit.”
“You and I both know that’s pitiful. You know exactly who you are, therefore the clothes you wear highlight your personality and spirit just right. Enough said?”
“Enough said,” Courtney echoed, “especially if we plan to get out of here to be on time for the meeting. I’ll secure the safe and be ready to go in a couple of minutes.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m going to hit the ladies’ room and freshen up my makeup. I also need to call J.R. back.”
“He probably just wanted to remind you about the meeting,” Courtney offered.
“You’re probably right. He’s excited about discussing business with Darius.”
“I’m trying not to let it get to me. Excitement or dread, we’ll know after we find out what Darius has in mind.”
Jasmine smiled. “Welcome to D.F. Film Productions, Inc,” she said to Monica and J.R. “It is nice to see you again, Miss Campbell. I’m glad you found time to take this last-minute meeting. Darius was really pleased all of you could make it. Have a seat. I’ll let him know you folks are here. Can I get any of you something to drink?”
All heads shook in the negative, followed up by a No, thank you from each of them.
“Okay, then.” Jasmine didn’t push the issue. Darius already had her phone in a nice-size spread from one of his favorite nearby eateries, Jacoby’s Deli.
“Please feel free to have a seat. Make yourselves at home. Mr. Fairfax will be with you shortly.”
Darius looked up at Meyer Chandler, CEO of See-Through Films. “The rest of the group has arrived. Do you have anything else you want to say before we convene in one of the conference rooms?”
Meyer shook his head. “I’m sure I’ll have more queries after the next segment of our meeting.”
“In that case, please come with me.”
Darius got up from the table and walked to his office door with Meyer following along behind him. Darius opened the door and gestured for his guest to precede him. As he made his way to the reception area, he actually felt a little nervous. Knowing he’d soon see the lovely Courtney Campbell caused him to brace himself for the impact sure to come. Her mere presence hadn’t failed to level him yet.
Smiling warmly, J.R. got to his feet, meeting Darius in the middle of the room. “Great seeing you again, man, but I didn’t know it’d be this soon. Both Monica and I were surprised by your invitation. We’re eager to hear what you have to say.”
Darius chuckled. “And I’m eager to say it.” He turned to face Courtney and Monica. “Ladies, I’m glad to see you. You’re both looking lovely.” Briefly, he laid his hand on Meyer’s back. “This gentleman is Meyer Chandler from See-Through Films.” Darius introduced Meyer to everyone, giving his guests’ first and surnames.