Today, Heaven saw something different in Damen. He flirted, with every single woman, meeting their gazes, firing that heart-stopping smile at them. Was it an act? Surely, it had to be. Her Damen would never have— She stopped the thought cold. Not even worth correcting, just let it go.
Damen walked around the room shaking hands and introducing himself to each woman—and the two men, probably just to save face. When he reached Heaven, she stiffened, waiting for him to recognize her. He held out his hand, and she hesitated, quivering a little. She met his gaze and touched his hand. With his much bigger one, he made her feel small.
She braced for recognition, but when it didn’t come, she said, “Heaven.”
His eyebrows rose, and he smiled. “I feel like I’ve heard that before.”
Creed dragged him away from her when he held her hand too long. “Yeah, it’s the place I’m sending you early if you don’t quit wasting my time. Now, ladies and gentlemen…”
The interview swirled around her. She gave mechanical answers to questions asked. Heaven had sat in on countless practice sessions when she worked at the university for one of the professors at NYU. By now, she didn’t have to think, which was good because all she could do was replay the instance of her meeting Damen again after more than a decade. He didn’t remember her, the woman he’d slept with. Sure, neither of them had been a virgin at the time, but her experience wasn’t all that, and he’d said neither was his. Shouldn’t he have recalled the damn black woman he slept with?
No. Damen had always dated outside his race. Her brown skin wasn’t a big deal to him, but it hurt like hell that she was just another face. He’d changed all right. The nerdy man, who kept his nose stuck in a book most of the time was gone. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be a good dad to Gideon, but she still wasn’t sure.
“Heaven.”
She started at Creed’s voice and looked over at him.
“Do you mind joining me in my office?”
She hesitated and then followed him through the kitchen, down a short hall, and through another door. This was the time to come clean if she was going to do it. Creed could call his brother in, and she could talk to him and tell him the truth.
“Have a seat.” Creed gestured to a chair, and she sank into it. Her throat dry, she kept swallowing. He moved to a counter across the room and poured water into a glass and then handed it to her
“Thanks,” she said softly and took a sip. Drinking gave her an excuse not to look up at him, and she welcomed it. This man intimidated the hell out of her. How could she introduce the subject of being his brother’s baby mama? Thinking of it almost brought a groan to her lips, but maybe Creed already suspected something, calling her back here when he hadn’t singled out any of the others.
“Who are you really?” Creed said.
Heaven choked. Creed moved at lightening speed to pound her back too hard, and she waved him away, her eyes burning. She took a moment before speaking to keep from stuttering, but before she could gather her words, Creed headed her off.
“I apologize. That sounded like an accusation. What I meant to say, your answers, your manner, everything about you says professional. You’re not a waitress by trade, are you?”
She couldn’t respond.
“Let me be clear,” he said. “I will never turn away a person for the bogus reason of they’re ‘overqualified.’ If you need the job, you need the job. Period. Whether I think you can do a good job is what’s important to me. You might have been CEO to a Fortune 500 company last week and got laid off.”
She grinned. “I get your point, but I’m so not an ex-bigwig.”
Creed leaned back in his chair. “Good to know.”
“I’m…” She hesitated. Truth, lie, truth, lie… Delayed truth, not really a lie. “I’ve worked in the area of library science and English literature.” There, that wasn’t a lie. The thing was, she still worked in her chosen field, and the hours were convenient maybe to working for a short while as a waitress. How hard could it be?
He nodded. “Understood. I’m willing to hire you on a trial basis. Staying depends on how fast you learn and how well you adapt. One thing I need to make abundantly clear.”
This was her last chance to come clean. “Yes?”
“My brother. He’s never serious about anyone. I don’t want you to think if he gives you special attention it means anything.”
She bristled, not meaning to let the offense show. “Because I’m beneath him?”
Creed grinned.
“Uh, sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind my employees speaking their mind either, even if it’s to me or one of my brothers. No, what I mean is Damen’s not in the market for a serious relationship. That’s just the way it is right now, and I don’t want anyone hurt. You don’t have to worry. He will not cross the line.”
Heaven heard the crack of Creed’s knuckles as he clenched a hand into a fist atop the desk. Her own nails dug into her palms.
“If you ever feel he has, tell me, and I’ll crack his head for him.”
“Um, that won’t be necessary. I think I can handle myself.”
He nodded. “Okay, then. Fill out the application I gave you out front, and if your references check out—even if they have nothing to do with the restaurant business—I’ll give you a call.”
“Thank you.”
Heaven slipped out of the office and back into the hall leading to the kitchen. One part of her wanted to go find Damen. The other wanted to hit the street running. Instead, some sense of hope led her to the dining room and to a chair away from everyone. She sat down and filled out the application with names and numbers of friends she knew would not only give her great references but keep her business hers, like the fact that she had moved to New Orleans with a job in hand.
When the time was right, she and Damen would have their discussion. Nothing would change the past. Her dad had told her she needed to let Damen pursue his dreams and not be tied down with her son. Of all people, her dad, an English professor at NYU, had become Damen’s mentor back then. Since she and her dad kept their distances from each other most of the time, she didn’t think Damen ever knew. The day she came home and told her dad about the baby, she had it solidified as to how much more her dad thought of Damen than he thought of her.
“Either get rid of the baby, or raise it yourself, Heaven,” he’d said. “That boy’s been through enough in his life, and he doesn’t need all his dreams wiped out by your mistake.”
As if she had gotten herself pregnant, or she had forced Damen not to use a condom, her dad’s words went straight through her. Still, since she loved Damen, she had agreed—for him. She would show her baby enough love for both of them and raise him differently than her dad had done with her. She would hug and kiss him like her dad didn’t do with her.
So far, Heaven had kept her promise to herself and to Gideon, but now Damen was successful. Nothing she did could hurt him, and she had figured maybe, just maybe, if he was still a decent man, he could be a good dad to Gideon. Heaven might not have known a great example of a dad, but Gideon might. Her background made her cautious, but damn it, she hoped with every fiber of her being.
Heaven reached the street after turning in her application and walked toward home. The next step was to wait for Creed’s call. Then another chapter of her life would begin.
Chapter Three
“So it was you, huh?”
Heaven turned around to find the little blond leaning against the doorframe. “Excuse me?”
The woman, Tiff, if Heaven remembered correctly, flipped a long ponytail off her shoulder. She started toward Heaven. “Creed hired you and those other two girls.”
Heaven shrugged. “And one of the men, I hear. So what?”
She didn’t need to ask so what. Heaven already saw it coming a mile off. She knew the attitude. Tiff thought since she had been at Marquette’s longer and had seniority, she could dictate a few things. Heaven was s
upposed to listen and fall in line.
“I told the other two already,” Tiff said. “Damen’s mine. Hands off. If you try anything to get his attention on you, I’m getting you fired.”
“Wow, and here I thought you were going to say you get first dibs on hours.” Heaven had already talked to Creed about needing time for classes. The classes were Gideon’s, his tutoring sessions before school started for the year, and of course she worked for one of the local colleges. The job was a step down in her father’s opinion, but Heaven would have taken any position to get to New Orleans. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Creed told me Damen is never serious with anyone. Maybe you should have a talk with Damen about where you stand.”
Tiff’s faced reddened, and Heaven raised her eyebrows waiting for a comeback. The woman floundered for a few moments longer, and then she stomped a foot. “Just watch your step, and I mean it.”
“I’m sure you do, girlfriend, but I don’t like threats. I’ve had my fill of them for several lifetimes. You”—Heaven flicked a finger up and down in the air to encompass Tiff’s length—“couldn’t scare me if you tried.”
This time, Tiff made a choked sound. Heaven slammed her locker door and moved past Tiff. She knew she’d made an enemy, but she didn’t care. Just like she said, Leon had threatened her many times, and he followed up with painful action. No tiny little gold-digger would make her lose sleep for an instant. Besides, she wasn’t looking to get involved with Damen again. That led to hurt she didn’t need.
Creed had chosen the lunchtime stretch to be when Heaven could be trained for the waitressing job. She still held out hope this would be a piece of cake—take people’s orders, relay them to the kitchen staff, and collect payment. Maybe there would even be tips.
“Heaven, you’re shadowing Karey today,” Creed told her.
“Got it.”
“Okay, this job can be fun with the guys,” Karey said with a smile, “or it can be a pain in the ass. The real exciting stuff happens at night, though, so if you get a shift then, you’re lucky.”
“How do you mean?”
Karey closed her eyes as if she tasted something good. There was a delicious scent of Crawfish Étouffée in the air, a spicy stew of crawfish, vegetables, and a dark roux, served over rice. Heaven didn’t think that had anything to do with it. “Stefan sings. Not every night, just once in a while, but there’s also Creed acting like an angry bear when his girlfriend is called for compliments to the chef and gets hit on instead. Then there’s…”
She kept ticking off the points, and Heaven found herself wishing she could work the night shift, but she had to think about Gideon. He had mentioned something about a class on self-defense and one for basketball at the community center. Those were at night, but she would have to look into it.
“Well, let’s get started.” Karey pushed through to the dining room, and the jazz Heaven had been hearing grew a tad louder. The hum of voices stirred the air, and she was surprised to see every table filled with patrons.
“Wow, it’s busy in here even during the middle of the day.”
“It’s the guys.”
“You mean the Marquette brothers?”
“Yeah, they’re all sexy and rich. Most people haven’t come close to a billionaire before, so they like to experience it at least once. Then there’s the food…” Karey pointed. “From that table all the way over to the one with the lady in polka dots is our section.”
Nerves started in Heaven’s belly. “Which ones?”
Karey whipped out a floor map. “Handy, right? Here, take a look.”
Heaven breathed a sigh of relief. The map had a clear layout of the entire floor on the front and even the smaller rooms on the second floor on the back of it. All the tables were marked with numbers and sections, so the waitress would know which she was responsible for.
“You’ll need to memorize this, but we keep it so we can double check. There’s no rush to be perfect at Marquette’s. You just have to do your best and follow the rules Creed has set down.”
“I’ve got you so far.”
Heaven followed Karey and watched as the woman served for the first half hour. The fact that she had taken no more than a handful of orders from patrons who were eating light with choices like Louisiana shrimp served cold over a bed of fresh romaine and special house blend dressing or a corned beef and sauerkraut with thousand island dressing and melted swiss cheese boosted Heaven’s confidence even more.
I’ve got this.
Then everything changed. Someone snapped or maybe they clapped, and Heaven swiveled around to see what it was. Creed stood just inside the dining room. A waiter glided to him, and Creed spoke a few quiet words. The waiter nodded and headed to where Heaven stood with Karey. She tensed, but the man was looking at Karey.
“Emergency call for you,” he said. “Your mom.”
“Heaven.”
She started and glanced up into green eyes full of mischief.
“Looks like it’s you and me,” Damen said in a tone that didn’t need to sound so damn sexy, as he strode up to her.
“You…and me? Why?”
“Because Karey is going home, and she won’t be back.” He leaned closer to her, crowding her space for an instant. “Looks like I’ll be your new teacher.”
Heaven wrinkled her nose and spun away. “I think I know everything I need to.”
“Really?” Her statement seemed to intrigue the bastard. She expected him to add on a sexual innuendo, but he just smiled. The man didn’t need to talk dirty or to hint at it when his presence exuded mind-numbing sexuality by itself.
Damen watched her as she handled the orders. Having his gaze constantly on her wracked her nerves, and each time she raised a glass to refresh it with water, the stupid thing rocked a little. When Heaven bumped a glass of wine over, staining the white tablecloth, Damen tugged her away and signaled for other staff to take her place. He found a quieter corner and squeezed her hand, but she yanked it away.
“Hey, calm down,” he said softly.
Being this close, she picked up a hint of aftershave and spotted a light dusting of hair along his jawline. Damen had always been clean-shaven, but he had said he remained so by shaving every day. Her fingers itched to touch the stubble, but she curled them into her palms. What the heck was she thinking? She wasn’t attracted to him anymore.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I should get back there and clean up.”
“Don’t worry about it. Tiff’s got it,” he assured her. “But you look like you’re wound tight. I want you to do a mental exercise.”
She blinked up at him. “A what?”
“A mental exercise. Come on, now close your eyes.”
She backed up a step. “Um, no.”
Two fingers pushed his glasses higher. She groaned inwardly.
“Heaven, do you think I’m in the habit of molesting my employees?”
“Who said anything about you doing something to me?”
“So you’re not scared of me?” He smirked, waiting for her answer.
Heaven studied his handsome face and recalled times they had laughed together in the library, hushed by the librarian and threatened of being thrown out. Damen had grabbed her hand and pulled her to the political science section of all places. At the end of the row, with people on both sides just feet away, he would kiss her. Then his face would be so red with embarrassment. They were older now, and Damen was probably way more experienced, but no, she wasn’t scared of him.
“I’m not,” she said.
He nodded. “So close your eyes.”
She did. Her pulse raced, and her hands shook while she clutched them, but it had zero to do with the restaurant and all to do with the man in front of her. He didn’t touch her, thank goodness, but his low voice guided her through the brief exercise. To Heaven’s surprise, she found herself calming down.
“Now, I want you to say, none of my tasks are important.”
“But—”
“Say it,” he encouraged gently.
She did.
“My survival is independent to this job.”
She repeated his words. He was such a nerd, and her heart warmed.
“Okay, open your eyes. Good?”
Heaven looked around. They had only stood behind the screen for at most a minute, but she did feel better. “I can’t believe that worked. Are you a voodoo doctor now?”
He chuckled. “Yes, how did you know?”
“It’s in the eyes,” she teased.
They laughed together.
“You’re different, Damen.”
His eyebrows rose. “Really?”
Crap, she’d screwed up. “I mean I…”
“Read up on us like everyone else, I assume. Well, don’t believe everything you read in the tabloids. I’m a nice guy. I haven’t seduced a hundred virgins.”
“Oh, is that what they say?”
“A hundred, two…”
She shook her head and returned to work. Thank all that was good and holy Damen backed off enough for her to get accustomed to the routine. She was starting to think she could do this with the best of them even when her feet started hurting. Heaven had withstood greater pain that was for sure.
“Heaven,” Tiff called excitedly, “party of eight in your area. Get on it.”
Heaven frowned. “I don’t remember you being made my boss.” She glanced over to her area and found Tiff was right. Four of the patrons were big strapping men with guts, probably not the type to eat light. She swallowed and headed over with a smile. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“No, we always get the usual,” the man at the head of the table said.
Heaven poised her pen above her pad. Just what the heck was the usual? Turned out he had only been drawing in a breath. The man fired off an order of food that made her head spin, heavy dishes, meat-centered dishes, extra sides. If this was the usual, how were their hearts still ticking? Gravy, sauce, beef, starches, no vegetables, thanks, and start them off with beer.
Damen (The Marquette Family Book Two) Page 3