Why would Darnell tell her mother anything about their personal business when he ended up looking like a fool? She pressed her lips together and tried to wrap her mind around her mother’s conversation with her ex-boyfriend. How had that happened?
Jackie Edwards cleared her throat, bringing Tia back to the present with her next question. “So what happened?”
“Why did he tell you about us? When did you two meet up?” In awe of this whole concept, Tia tossed her free hand into the air.
Chris returned from the store with a bag of potato chips in his hand. He paused at Tia’s desk, offering the open bag to her. She shook her head. With a casual shrug, Chris continued to his office.
“I called Darnell to ask him a question about our homeowner’s insurance policy. While we were talking, I mentioned your graduation and that we were going to celebrate sometime in the future. He told me that you got mad at him because he mentioned how Adam always takes advantage of you, and things got out of hand. Darnell said you got upset with him and dumped him.”
Cute fairy tale, Tia thought. He always played the victim. Would he ever be out of her life completely?
“Momma, that’s not true.”
“What is the truth?”
“Nia caught him at a club with another woman.” Tia felt a fingernail tip snap off as her fingers curled tightly around the hard plastic of the telephone receiver. “Darnell came by my place so we could talk. I broke things off with him last night.”
Jackie Edwards’s voice dropped dangerously. She used the tone that stopped Tia and her siblings dead at whatever they were doing. “Another woman?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“That no-good bastard. He can’t treat my child that way and get away with it. Wait until I get a minute with him. I’ve got a few special words for him.” Mrs. Edwards stopped and then asked, “What in the world was he talking about? He told me you dumped him and that you wouldn’t listen to reason. He asked me to plead his case.”
“Don’t bother. He doesn’t have a case. We’re done.”
“Good!”
Adam’s door opened. He strolled out of the room, scrolling through the messages on his cell phone.
“I’ve got to go, Momma. Adam just came out of his office.” Tia’s voice quivered. Stop this right now, she warned silently. The hard part is over. You got rid of that lying idiot. “I’ll call you back later.”
“No. Come home. I think you need a little TLC from your mother.”
“Not tonight.” Tia sighed. “I’m tired. I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m going to go home and try to get some rest.”
“Don’t you dare,” Jackie Edwards warned. “You need to come home. I’ll expect you at six. Dinner will be on the table.”
Tia chuckled sadly. No one refused Jackie Edwards. She was in protective parent mode, and she planned to take care of her youngest child. Refusing her wouldn’t gain a thing. If she didn’t agree, her mother might well pack up dinner and show up on Tia’s doorstep. So she relented. “Okay. I’ll see you after work.”
She returned the phone to its cradle as Adam halted at her desk. “Tia, I’m on my way out of the building. I’m taking Mitchell Grimes and Ralph MacDonald to one of Jim Harrison’s sports stores.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” Keeping her face and voice passive, Tia nodded. This must have something to do with Wynn Evans’s children.
“No, you won’t. I’m out of the building for the rest of the day. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Would you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
For the first time since leaving his office, Adam took a good look at Tia. He frowned. “You all right?”
“I’m good. I had a rough night.”
“You sure? Is that all?”
Nodding, she answered, “Yes.”
Adam patted her shoulder. “You take care of yourself. If you don’t feel well, take the rest of the afternoon off. We don’t have anything going on that can’t wait.”
“I’m fine. You have enough on your plate. Don’t worry about me.” She brought the conversation back to the business at hand. “What do you need?”
“Coordinate a meeting with Chris, myself, Jerr-Dann, and Vivian. I’d like to get them together one afternoon this week.” He tucked his cell phone in his suit jacket pocket and picked up his briefcase. “You take care.”
“Will do. Good luck,” Tia called.
Adam smiled sadly. “Thanks. We need it. Wynn’s ex has a head start on us.” He strolled away from the workstation.
Tia didn’t have the energy to deal with the Frenchman this afternoon, but she wanted to complete this task in case she decided to go home early. She printed a copy of Adam’s schedule for the rest of the week and then headed to Chris’s office. The sheets of paper were warm from the printer. She tapped on the door.
He quickly responded, inviting her into the office. “Entrez.”
Tia poked her head inside the office. “Hi, Chris. Got a minute?”
Chris sat without his suit jacket and with the shirt sleeves rolled back, revealing arms lightly sprinkled with blond hair. He glanced up from the file on his desk and focused on her. He waved her into the room and said, “Please. Come in.”
Tia crossed the floor and sank into a chair across from him. “Adam wants me to put together a meeting for you with a few of the legal department attorneys.”
Chris turned to his computer and keyed in a code. “Let me check. Do you have a particular date in mind?”
“Thursday afternoon.”
Using the mouse, Chris scrolled through a few items. “That day works. What time?”
Tia studied Adam’s print calendar and said, “Three.”
Nodding, he typed in the time. “Got it.”
She offered a tiny little smile and rose. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.” Tia made the mistake of glancing at Chris. His eyes were filled with a mixture of accusation and concern. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
Suddenly Tia’s insides twisted. What was he talking about? You know, she thought. “Tell you about what? What do you mean?”
“I thought we were friends,” Chris stated softly. His brilliant blue eyes blazed with sympathy and fire.
Frowning, she replied, “We are.” Her heart hammered in her chest. Chris couldn’t possibly know about Darnell, could he? No, of course not. There was no way he could have found out.
“Then why didn’t you confide in me, let me know how things were going? I wouldn’t tell anyone. But I could have helped you, listened to you and been there for you as a friend.”
If she’d been anywhere else, Tia would have burst into tears. This wasn’t about work. Chris did know. Tia refused to give up the truth until she had to. “What are you asking me?”
He rose, moved around the desk, and halted in front of her, blocking her escape. “Why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend?”
Even though she was unnerved by his intense stare, she forced herself to gaze directly at him. “How did you find out?”
Instantly, Chris’s rosy cheeks turned scarlet. His lips pursed and an expression halfway between determination and guilt settled on his handsome face. He stood firm, explaining, “I heard you talking a bit earlier.”
“Talking? When?” she asked slowly, digesting the words and what they meant. “Wait a minute. You eavesdropped on my call?”
Chris shrugged off her question in that French manner of his and answered, “Yes. I heard you when I passed your workstation.”
Shaking her head, Tia raised a hand, putting an end to any further explanation on the topic. “That’s terrible. That was a private conversation.”
“I don’t care. I needed to know,” Chris replied in an arrogant tone. “What happens to you is important to me. You were different. Sad. Wounded. Not my Tia Edwards. No smiles. Just pain. Your eyes were so unhappy. I needed to know. I couldn’t stand it.”
“I don’t care.” She shook with anger, and her voice quivered with suppressed em
otions. “It’s not an excuse.”
“It’s the one I have.”
Chris dropped to his haunches at her side and reached out to cup her cheek. “You refused to talk to me. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.”
Trembling, Tia pushed his hand away and stood, gathering her paperwork. “Okay, you know. But I don’t want to talk about it, and I don’t expect to hear it all over the office.”
He rose and pulled her into his arms, holding her firmly within his embrace. Tia found herself leaning into his arms, craving his warmth. She needed to feel like someone special cared about her and what she was going through. Chris continued to hold her close. “I’m your friend. You can always talk to me.”
Could she? Were they playing a dangerous game that might possibly end with her getting hurt?
She stayed in his arms for several seconds before pulling away. Tia didn’t need any more pain in her life. “Thank you. I appreciate everything.”
Chris stroked her cheek with his fingertips. “Come to me at any time. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.”
9
That motorcycle has been on my tail for three or four blocks, Tia thought as she parked her car in front of her parents’ home. The biker slid into the vacant spot behind Tia’s SUV and sat idling.
With a hand on the steering wheel and a nervous flutter in the pit of her belly, Tia waited an additional beat. She fumbled inside her purse for her cell phone, intent on calling her father to come out to the car and walk her into the house.
Eyes trained on the rearview mirror, Tia examined the biker. He switched off the engine, swung his leg over the machine, and climbed off the motorcycle. Her gaze focused on his feet as he planted them on the blacktop. Wait a second. I’ve seen those boots before.
Furious, Tia scrambled from the car, slamming the door. She marched right up to the biker. “Chris!” She lightly smacked his chest. “You scared the heck out of me. I thought I was being set up for a robbery.”
He flipped the visor back and hastened to say, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
Ignoring Chris’s declaration, Tia’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, and her voice rose a notch. “What in the world are you doing here? Why are you following me?”
Chris pulled the helmet from his head and tucked it in the crook of his arm. He ran his fingers through his tresses. “I was worried. It’s been a tough couple of days for you. I wanted to make sure you got home safely.”
Amazed, Tia stared back at the man. She shook her head and softened her voice. “It’s very sweet of you to be concerned. I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.”
He turned, taking a gander at the house. Curiosity was written all over his face. “Is this where you live?”
“No. I live downtown near work.” Tia waved a hand to the house. “This is my parents’ home.”
He glanced around him, checking out the nearby properties, and asked, “Detroit has names for different parts of the city. What do people call this place?”
“Sherwood Forest,” she replied.
Suddenly the front door opened, and Mr. Edwards stepped out of the house, bounced down the stairs, and rushed to his daughter’s side. He pushed his way between the pair, eyeing the man at his daughter’s side. “You all right, Tia?”
“Yeah,” she replied.
Hands on his hips, Mr. Edwards frowned, tipping his head toward the younger man. “Who’s this?”
Tia patted her father’s arm reassuringly. “My coworker.”
“Mmm.” A note of suspicion lingered in his deep voice as he folded his arms across his chest. “What’s he doing here?”
“He got concerned about me and wanted to make sure I made it home in one piece.”
Chris added, “I wanted to make sure Tia was safe.” Standing tall and straight, Chris returned the older man’s gaze. He held out his hand and said, “I’m Chris Jensen.”
Mr. Edwards grasped the younger man’s hand and pumped it up and down. “Good to meet you. I’m Greg Edwards, Tia’s father.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I appreciate your concern for my baby girl.”
“No problem.” Chris turned to Tia. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Greg Edwards tapped the man’s shoulder and asked, “Where are you headed?”
“My hotel,” Chris answered.
“Hotel?” Tia’s father grunted. “Are you living in a hotel?”
Chris nodded.
Tia sighed deeply and explained, “He’s the attorney from France that I told you about. Gautier puts Chris up at the Detroit Marriott in the RenCen.”
Mr. Edwards lifted his chin. “Mmm! I imagine you would enjoy a home-cooked meal or two.”
“Very much so,” Chris answered quickly.
Tia’s father placed a hand on Chris’s shoulder and said, “Why don’t you come in and have dinner with us?”
No! Tia cried silently. She didn’t want Chris at her dinner table while her parents questioned her about her breakup with Darnell. “Pop,” she began, “I’m sure Chris has other things to do.”
“No. I don’t. I’m free,” Chris answered eagerly. “It would be an honor to share dinner with you.”
“Well, come on in.” Mr. Edwards led the way, strolling up the walkway with Chris behind him. Tia brought up the rear.
The trio climbed the stairs and entered the house.
“Tia-Mia, make the man feel at home.” Mr. Edwards pointed at Chris. “Take his helmet. Put it away.”
“Everything all right?” Mrs. Edwards called from the back of the house.
Mr. Edwards called back to his wife, “Yeah. We’ve got one more for dinner. Tia’s work friend is staying.”
“Friend?” Jackie Edwards exited the kitchen and made her way down the hall, wiping her hands on a towel. “Hi, baby.” She kissed Tia on the cheek. She eyed Chris silently for a moment. “Who’s your friend?”
“Momma, this is Chris Jensen. Chris, this is my mother, Jackie Edwards.”
Chris took her hand, and with all the flourish of a true Frenchman, he kissed the back of her mother’s hand. “It’s a pleasure.”
Momentarily flustered, Mrs. Edwards giggled like a teen caught in the middle of her first crush. Tia rolled her eyes, thinking, Chris is putting on a show.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Jensen,” Tia’s mother replied.
“Call me Chris. My papa is Mr. Jensen.”
Mrs. Edwards collected herself. Her skills of ruling her family took over. “Let me set another plate. Tia, come help me. Greg, show Chris the family room. We’ll call when dinner’s on the table.”
All the members of the Edwards family responded to Mrs. Edwards’s bidding without question. Tia followed her mother into the kitchen, knowing that the older woman’s brain was swirling with a zillion questions.
“Set a place for your friend, and then I need you to get the platter for the roast,” Mrs. Edwards stated, moving to the range and opening the oven door. She slipped her hands into long oven mitts, removed a blue roaster, and placed it on the range.
Tia brought the white platter to her mother.
“Good. Thank you. Get me three serving bowls from the top shelf over there.” Mrs. Edwards pointed to the cupboard.
Nodding, Tia obeyed her mother, waiting for her to start the inquisition.
“How long have you been working with Chris?” Mrs. Edwards asked.
Tia’s hands shook and the bowls rattled together. Steadying herself, she returned to the range. This was a safe, easy question. If the rest were like this, Tia could handle them. “About a month.”
Mrs. Edwards spooned green beans into a serving bowl. “Mmm. It makes sense. You were bound to have a few people from the home office show up here, since Gautier is a French company. Will this young man be in your office permanently?”
Tia shook her head. “No. I’m not sure how long he’ll be with us. But I know he’ll move on at some point. Maybe back to
France or to another location.”
“Interesting.” She handed the bowls of green beans and carrots to Tia. “Put those on the table.”
Tia completed her mother’s orders. “What else are we having?”
“Potatoes. Pot roast. Apple pie with ice cream.”
Impressed, Tia stated, “That’s really nice for a weekday meal.”
“It was for you. I wanted to give you a little TLC. But I see you’ve got someone else for that.”
“Momma! Where did you get that idea?”
Mrs. Edwards waved away Tia’s outburst. “No time for that now. Call your father and Chris to the dinner table.”
Tia turned to the door, thinking, We’re going to straighten this out as soon as I get a chance.
“Thank you for the lovely dinner,” Chris said. “I don’t get the opportunity to share a meal with such generous and welcoming people.”
Tia’s father drained his glass of Vernors ginger ale and said, “We enjoyed having you. Any time you want a little home cooking and company, come on by.”
Smiling, Chris rose from the kitchen table and picked up his plate. “You’re very gracious. I’ll wash these before I go. Are you finished, Tia?”
Tia nodded.
Chris removed her plate, stacked the dishes, and started for the sink.
Mrs. Edwards pushed back her chair and headed for Chris. “Don’t bother with those. You’re a guest. I’ll take care of them.”
Dodging Mrs. Edwards’s outstretched hands, Chris placed the dirty dishes on the counter next to the sink. “It’s no bother at all.”
“Why don’t you and Greg go back to the family room and watch the game?” Mrs. Edwards suggested. “Tia and I will take care of the dishes and bring dessert in for everyone.”
Greg pushed back his chair and rounded the table. He wrapped an arm around the Frenchman’s shoulders and steered him from the room. “Come on, Chris. The baseball game should be heating up. Let’s see how the Tigers are doing tonight.”
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