by Nicki Night
The week flew by and Jade couldn’t believe it was time for their weekly leadership session once again. Before heading over, she had to stop by her office. The staff planned a surprise farewell breakfast to send their program director off. Sandy outright refused to allow them to plan any kind of going-away party, period. They’d decided a simple breakfast would have to do because there was no way they would let her leave without doing something after all Sandy had put into the foundation.
Over the past several weeks, Sandy had spent most of her time traveling back and forth between her mother’s bedside and the office. She prolonged her stay at the Chandler Foundation while they tried to find a replacement. It was important for her to help the new person get acclimated. Unfortunately, the right candidate had yet to come along and Sandy’s mother was becoming more and more frail by the day.
Jade had been wiping tears since she woke up. By the time she got to the office, she gave up that futile effort and just let the tears fall. Her ache wasn’t just for the fact that Sandy was leaving, but for all that Sandy had to bear. Jade hated to see such a selfless and kind person deal with such circumstances. Jade couldn’t fathom having to witness her mother wither away, and imagined how much strength it took.
Jade arrived at work before everyone else and closed herself inside her office. Warm tears filled the well of her eyes again when she thought of how much she’d miss Sandy. Her staff was like family, and to Jade, family was the world. The bright spot of her week was all the time she and Nixon had begun to spend together.
Jade couldn’t wait to get to her session later and have fun avoiding him due to all the new secrets they harbored. Nixon made love to her in a way that seemed possible only in a romance book. His style was passionate, attentive and skilled, and it caused her to quiver in places she hadn’t realized were capable of tremors.
A knock on Jade’s office door brought her back to the present.
“Hey.” Her assistant’s voice was somber.
“Hey,” Jade replied. They exchanged sad smiles. Jade rounded her desk and the two of them fell into each other’s arms and cried more.
“We have to get this place together before she gets here.”
“Yes,” Jade agreed. “Let’s get started.”
The two of them pulled out the decorations they had hidden in the storage closet and set up the conference room. Sandy loved flowers, so they’d ordered a grand bouquet as part of the decorations. A few other staff members joined them at this early hour to help out. By nine o’clock, breakfast had arrived and the setup was complete. Everyone took their places at their desks to mimic any other business day.
When Sandy arrived, Jade could tell by her red-rimmed eyes that she’d been crying, as well. That was all it took to start Jade’s tears flowing again.
“Good morning!” Jade tried to sound cheerful when Sandy leaned on her door frame.
Sandy took in a long breath and released it slowly as she shook her head.
Jade stood from her chair, met Sandy at the door and hugged her neck.
“I so admire you for your strength,” she said as she squeezed Sandy.
“I’m going to miss this place.”
“We’ll be here. Visit anytime you can. If you ever make it back to Long Island, a job will be waiting for you.”
“You’re the best boss lady a woman could ever have. And an amazing friend.”
“Come.” Jade took Sandy by the hand and led her toward the conference room. “I’d like to see everyone in the conference room now, please.”
As planned, everyone looked surprised and confused, as if they had no idea why Jade was calling this impromptu “meeting.”
“Everything okay, boss lady?” one person called out over their cubicle.
“Be right in,” another called.
Jade slowed a little so they could reach the conference room before her and Sandy. Once they stepped aside, the staff yelled, “Bon voyage.”
Sandy gave Jade a playfully narrowed sideways glare, propped her hands on her hips and shook her head. “You guys! I said no parties!”
“This isn’t a party. It’s breakfast,” Jade said. “Aren’t you hungry? I know I am.”
Everyone laughed. Other staff members led Sandy to the chair they’d decorated for her, and made her sit. Others served her breakfast. After eating, they presented Sandy with a plaque for her dedication to the mission, and parting gifts. Each person took several moments sharing stories about his or her experience with Sandy over the years. The gathering ended with a group hug, selfies and a few pictures of the entire staff.
Jade surprised them all by giving them the rest of the day off when she thanked her staff. “Have a great weekend and I will see you all on Monday. With one person down, it will be all hands on deck, so rest up. And remember, you’re all the best ever!”
Jade smiled as she looked over the shocked faces. Mouths hung agape and eyes stretched in disbelief.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Now let’s clean up and get out of here. Sandy has a plane to catch this afternoon.”
Jade didn’t have to speak twice. A short while later, the conference room was clean and the office emptied out.
In the car, on her way to the session, Jade thought about Nixon and all the delicious nights they’d shared together. She couldn’t wait to see him in the office. Their subtle flirtation was an exciting game. Jade was ready to play. Nixon brought a different element of excitement to her life and she loved it. She enjoyed letting things between them flow. Actually, she tried not to let her feelings get away from her. Nixon had a way of creeping into her system. The fact that she was thinking of him so much and desired his presence made her woozy. Usually, she prided herself for being able to keep it cool. Nixon made that talent disappear. He was like sugar—sweet, addictive and easy to overindulge in. Jade didn’t want to get her feelings hurt, so she forced herself to keep her emotions under control. No man had ever challenged her resolve this way.
Nixon was incredibly handsome, fun, accomplished and a true go-getter. He didn’t come with the pedigree that her mother preferred, but she knew her dad would respect him for his business sense and the way he carved out a successful existence for himself despite humble beginnings. The ideas he came up with for their business project were always well thought out and quite brilliant. She could see her and Nixon becoming a serious item. If things went that way, she wouldn’t fight it the way she usually did. What if Nixon felt the same? That thought made her smile.
Jade shook her head. She had more to think about than Nixon. Her college buddy Reese Carrington was getting married and her bridal shower was coming up over the weekend. Jade hadn’t had time to shop for a gift. Sandy was gone and it was one of the most critical times of the year for the foundation. In several weeks, their holiday ball was happening. The benefit was a huge undertaking and now they were going to be short-staffed. With all the work that had to go into preparing for the benefit, none of it included their regular operations and end-of-the-year responsibilities. The group project for the leadership academy was in full swing, taking up much of her spare time meeting with the team and doing research. And then there was the three-day conference that marked the culmination of the leadership academy, where they would meet other leaders from across the country and present their final business projects before judges. All of this would be added to any contribution she provided to the family’s usual holiday gatherings. She loved her family traditions but was having difficulty seeing how she was going to get everything done. Mentally, she tried to categorize her to-do list.
Jade’s thoughts carried her all the way to the program site, making her trip seem shorter. Slapping down her visor, Jade looked in the mirror, refreshed her lipstick, wiped the small smudge on the outside of her lip, smoothed her brows and exited the car. Her phone rang.
“Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey, honey.”
“To what do I owe such an early call?”
“I need a reason to call my baby girl?” Bobby Dale Chandler tried to sound offended.
“Of course not.” Jade chuckled.
“Good. Listen.” Jade noticed that Bobby Dale’s voice turned serious. She pressed the phone close to her ear to make sure she caught every word despite the brisk winds whirling around her. “Do you have someone in the program that works for Wakeman Foods?”
Jade thought for a moment. “Oh. Yes. Nixon Gaines. Why?” Just saying his name brought a smile to her face and made her cheeks burn.
“Uh-huh.”
Jade didn’t like the sound of her father’s response. “Is something wrong?”
“Has this Mr. Gaines—” Bobby Dale spit his name as if it were tasteless “—asked you anything about the company?”
Jade thought about all the times they talked about work and family, their professional and personal lives. She knew as much about Wakeman Foods as Nixon must have known about Chandler Foods. Had she shared something she shouldn’t have? How did her dad know about him? “I guess.”
“Somehow they are under the impression that we’re interested in being acquired. I know how they operate. Watch this Mr. Gaines. In fact, just keep your distance.”
Jade’s mouth opened and wouldn’t close. She couldn’t even respond to her father. After a few moments slipped by with her suspended in awe, her dad finally bade her a great day, blew a smacking kiss through the phone and said goodbye.
Chapter 18
A sliver of trepidation rode Nixon’s spine when he saw Jade walk through the door. Alex’s last visit to his office raced to the forefront of his mind. Nixon went from enjoying every second in Jade’s presence, and tasty thoughts in her absence, to wondering what it would be like when he saw her again after Alex’s interrogation. They were getting closer and his feelings for her grew deeper with every conversation and intimate caress. But now Alex had put him on notice. They expected whatever kind of intelligence they could gain on Jade and Chandler Food Corp, and had put him right in the center of it all. He felt like a traitor. Somehow he was going to have to work his way around those feelings and be normal for the day’s sessions. How would he manage that?
Usually their sessions started with Jade and him sharing knowing glances and sexy smirks as they playfully avoided one another, risking the possibility of getting caught gazing. That had become such indulgent fun. Once they left their sessions, they’d hurry to one of their houses to put out the fires they’d fanned all day. Today was different.
Nixon put on his game face, ready to swap sensual gazes, but found the usual light in Jade’s eyes gone. She didn’t glance at him the way girls do when they’re crushing on boys. Instead, blank eyes and a stoic expression stared back at him. Nixon felt as if he’d run into a wall. Furrowing his brows, he questioned her reaction in silence. She cleared her throat and swallowed. Nixon wasn’t close enough to hear the gruff sound, but he knew Jade well enough and he’d seen the shift in her throat many times before. She walked to her seat, put down her coat and headed to where the coffee and bagels were set up without saying a single word.
What had happened? Not wanting to make a scene, Nixon picked up his phone and texted Jade. Are you okay?
Nixon placed his phone facedown on the table. Jade sat right next to him, so there was no way she could completely avoid him. He watched her look at the phone and sigh. She didn’t respond to the text. Instead, she looked at him briefly, frowned and averted her eyes.
Something inexplicable swirled in his chest. He wanted to know what troubled her and he didn’t want to wait until the end of the day. A part of him thought it best to just let her be. If she didn’t talk to him, he wouldn’t have anything to report back to Alex and his team. Having her so close, yet seemingly untouchable, made him want to leave and not come back for the rest of the day.
Everyone chatted over breakfast except Jade and him. Both kept to themselves until Julia showed up at his side.
“You’re awfully quiet today.” Julia spoke to him, but her eyes were on Jade.
“I’m a little tired.”
“Oh, is that it?”
Her skeptical tone annoyed him. “Yes. That’s it.”
Julia held her hands up in surrender. “Okay. If you say so.”
Nixon exhaled. “I’m sorry.” He hadn’t meant to snap at her.
“No worries. I see you need space today. You’re entitled.” Julia frowned and walked away.
The morning dragged. Nixon struggled to maintain focus. Jade still hadn’t responded to his text. She was right next to him.
When they broke for lunch, he leaned toward her and whispered, “Let’s talk.” He walked out into the courtyard. She followed him to the end farthest from the building.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Is your company trying to take over my family’s business?”
Nixon’s mouth opened, but no words came out—only a heavy breath. “Yes.”
Jade’s mouth dropped. “Is that why—”
“No!” Nixon stopped her. “From the first day I laid eyes on you at that reception, I wanted to get to know you. I just found out about my company’s interest in your family’s company.”
Jade opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again, but didn’t speak. After a while she said, “But you are going to the merger department. They’ve been courting you. This is part of the—”
“Jade!” He stopped her again. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“My father called me this morning to tell me about it and told me to stay away from you.”
Nixon reared his head back. Her words hit him like an unexpected bat to the face. “Stay away from me?” He poked a finger into his own shoulder.
“Yes.” She folded her arms across her chest.
Nixon was crushed. “How would he even know who I was?”
“He asked if anyone from Wakeman was in my program. I said that you were and he said I should stay away from you.”
Nixon held his forehead in his hands. He walked in a circle and stopped in front of Jade. “You have to know that I wasn’t trying to get to know you just to collect information about your company. I’m not like that. I...” Nixon clamped his mouth shut, realizing he was about to lay his true feelings on the line. It wasn’t time for that. This was not the right scenario to tell her that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He couldn’t say that he longed to smell the scent of her skin and hair when she wasn’t around. Most of all, he couldn’t dare say that he’d never felt this way for any other woman—not even his ex-fiancée. He was falling hard and fast, out of control as if plunging from a plane without a parachute. He closed his eyes and breathed in, held it for a moment and let the air out. “That is not who I am. I hope you know that.”
Nixon looked toward the conference room and saw Julia staring at them through the window. Jade followed his line of sight. He knew that she’d seen Julia, too.
“Let’s talk about this later.” Jade didn’t wait for an answer. She walked back to the building.
Nixon dropped his head and shook it. At least she said later.
Chapter 19
Jade wasn’t sure what to believe, but she did know she missed being with Nixon after the session. They had gone their separate ways. When she got home, she didn’t even feel like hanging with her girlfriends or sisters. Briefly, she spoke to Kendall on the phone and resorted to binge-watching a show on cable until she fell asleep. She woke in the morning feeling just as down as she had the night before.
Jade wanted to believe Nixon wasn’t capable of being so duplicitous. She hadn’t sensed that in his kisses. There was authenticity in the way he made love to her. He couldn’t have faked that. But then again, people did that sort of thing all the time. Why hadn’t she been more careful? Th
is wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to get to know her just because she was a Chandler.
Jade pushed the covers aside and sat up on the edge of her bed. She stretched her neck from one side to the other. It ached from bad positioning. Standing, she yawned and stretched until she was on her toes and then shuffled to her adjoining bathroom. Jade stared at her swollen eyes in the mirror. Deep creases lined her lids. She’d slept hard but couldn’t claim it as restful. Cold water on her puffy face and a long, soothing hot shower should help. Jade turned on the water and let steam fill the large space while she studied her closet for something to wear to her friend Reese’s shower. It was a midday event and Jade would have just enough time to get dressed, find a gift and make it through the hour-long ride to Scarsdale in time for the festivities.
Energized from the long shower, Jade dressed quickly and headed to Tiffany’s to find something fit for a princess bride. Reese’s family shared a similar background to Jade’s. She was fun, witty and charitable, but also a daddy’s girl in the most spoiled possible way. On campus they accused her of bathing in money. Tiffany & Co. was the perfect spot for such a bride. Jade collected almost every piece of their travel collection and had them wrap it in a large box with their signature blue paper. Not bad for a last-minute gift, and she still managed to arrive on time.
Inside the banquet room at the country club, Jade wasn’t surprised to see several other packages from Tiffany & Co., as well as other luxury brands. Reese would be elated. That stuff didn’t matter to Jade. Reese’s mother was worse than El, perhaps because she was born into her wealth while El and Bobby Dale created theirs. Mrs. Carrington held her nose higher than any woman Jade had ever known. Jade was afraid it would give her a permanent ache in her neck. Her icy exterior made many keep their distance. Under her pretentious disposition, she was a truly sweet woman who adored her only daughter.
“Oh! Jade!” Jade turned to find herself face-to-face with Mrs. Carrington. “What a pleasure seeing you.” She air-kissed both sides of Jade’s face.