As he pulled into the parking lot, he called Chante to see how her day had gone. But her phone when straight to voice mail. He couldn’t help but wonder if everything had worked out in her favor.
Walking into the restaurant, he wasn’t surprised to see how busy it was. He hoped that meant the food was just that good.
“Welcome to Hometown Delights,” the hostess said. “Will this be dine in or carry out?”
“Carry out,” Zach said.
“No problem. You can place your order at the bar,” she said, then pointed him in that direction. Heading to the bar, Zach was taken with the ambience of the restaurant. Natural light shone over the lunch patrons, but he could tell that at night the lanterns in the middle of the tables would cast a deep glow and give the room a romantic tone. The bar area was wide and spacious, giving people who were on a date a chance to lean in close to each other and someone drowning his or her sorrows a chance to be alone.
“Welcome to Hometown Delights,” a tall woman with shoulder-length auburn hair said. She had a smile that would light up the darkest room. She was fine but didn’t hold a candle to Chante. “What can I get for you?”
“I heard you guys have the best chocolate cake in the city.”
“The state, actually,” she said with a smile.
“I need to get one of those . . . and,” he said as he looked down at the menu, “two orders of the New Orleans Chicken, a side of sweet potato fries, and a bottle of your best merlot.”
“That sounds good. Taking a road trip?” She nodded toward the picnic basket he’d set on the edge of the bar.
“Heading to Charleston, but I couldn’t leave without trying this place,” he said.
“Well, as one of the owners of this place, I have to say thank you, and you made some great choices for road-traveling food,” she said, then extended her hand to him. “Serena Billups.”
“Nice to meet you, Serena. Zachary Harrington.”
“I’ve heard of you,” she said. “Nice to see you here.”
He reached into his wallet and handed her his business card. “If you ever plan to expand in New York, let me know.”
“And face the wrath of Solomon Crawford? I don’t think so. If we expand into New York, it would probably be as a hotel restaurant. You know his wife is another one of the owners here.”
“Hometown Delights is bigger than that,” he said. “Think about it.”
“I’ll talk to my partners. Let me put your order in,” she said as she sauntered away.
Zach pulled out his phone and dialed Chante again. Voice mail. “What in the hell is going on,” he muttered as he shoved his phone back into his pocket.
Chante sat across from Jacob Dillinger, the assistant state attorney general, with her poker face intact. “This is not acceptable,” she said. “Mrs. Chavis was the primary moneymaker in the home, and for the last three years, the state of North Carolina held her money hostage. No interest was accrued on the money, and we know that if this were the other way around, she’d be hit with all kinds of penalties. So you’re going to tell me that she doesn’t deserve something extra?”
“You want the taxpayers of this state to suffer because you think your client deserves more?” he asked.
Chante crossed her legs. “Jacob, my client is a taxpayer, and you didn’t mind making her suffer.”
“I don’t know about the public apology.”
Chante rose to her feet. “Then I guess we will see you in court.”
“Wait. No one wants a drawn-out legal case, but . . .”
“All you need to do is write an apology and release it to the media, and pay my client what you owe her with interest. But all of this is moot if you don’t acknowledge that she was wronged by the system.”
“We were doing our . . .”
Chante placed her hands on Jacob’s desk. “Amanda Chavis wasn’t the judge in any of those cases. She’s never been on the bench, and she never benefited from the money that Harlan received and hid in offshore accounts. You discovered that in the investigation but still froze assets that Amanda had brought into the marriage. Assets that she needed to run a business that had nothing to do with the legal system and that had been established before she even knew who the hell Harlan Chavis was. You owe her money and an apology. We’re not letting this go without both.” Chante leaned back in her chair and shot Jacob a cold look.
“Fine,” he said. “I just need to get my boss’s approval, and we’ll have this wrapped up by the end of the day.”
“Why don’t you call your boss now? I think Amanda has waited long enough for the state to acknowledge its wrongdoing.”
“Give me a minute.” As Jacob walked out of the office, Amanda turned to Chante.
“You’re amazing,” she said.
“I knew this was important to you, and I told you I was going to get results.”
“So, if the state won’t apologize, should I refuse the money?”
“We’re taking the money, but I know you’re going to get that apology because they are as wrong as two left shoes, and I’m sure they don’t want the media coverage that would come from the trial or the campaign that Liza would create on social media.”
Amanda was about to respond when Jacob walked back into the office. “Ms. Britt, Mrs. Chavis, we have a deal.”
“When will the paperwork get here?” Chante asked.
“Two hours tops,” Jacob said.
Chante smiled and crossed over to him with her hand extended. Jacob gave her a limp handshake, which led her to believe that his boss wasn’t happy about the way things had gone. Oh well.
Chapter 25
Chante and Amanda were standing in front of the press again, with the state’s attorney at their side. This time, the uncomfortable questions were being hurled at Jacob. Chante smiled as he struggled to answer why it had taken the state so long to return Amanda’s money to her when she wasn’t involved with Harlan Chavis’s crimes.
“We had to conduct an investigation to make sure the illegal funds that former judge Chavis received weren’t included in the accounts that belonged to Mrs. Chavis,” Jacob said. “Chante Britt, her attorney, provided a forensic account of Mrs. Chavis’s accounts and the money she’d brought into the marriage. The state has determined that all of the funds belonging to Mrs. Chavis weren’t received illegally.”
“Why did it take so long for Mrs. Chavis to be cleared of any wrongdoing?” a reporter asked.
“Things like this take time. It would’ve been irresponsible of us to rush our due diligence. The state of North Carolina wants to issue a public apology to Mrs. Amanda Chavis for any inconvenience she suffered during the course of the investigation, and we hope that today’s decision will give her what she needs to reclaim her life. Thank you.” Jacob stepped back from the podium, despite the questions the reporters called out.
“Do you want to address them?” Chante whispered to Amanda.
She shook her head. “I got what I wanted, and I don’t owe anyone an explanation. Thank you, Chante,” Amanda said as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Let’s go,” Chante said, and she took Amanda’s elbow and headed away from the press. Once they were out of the spotlight of the media, Amanda hugged Chante tightly. “I’m glad I didn’t listen to Taiwon. Chante, you’re brilliant, and you will go far with your law firm. Now I’m going on vacation,” she said.
“You should. I think I’m going to do the same thing,” Chante replied. When Amanda left, Chante pulled her phone out of her briefcase and turned it on. She couldn’t wait to call Zach and tell him the good news.
“I was beginning to think you’d forgotten all about me,” Zach said.
“I could never do that. I just got the State of North Carolina to admit it was wrong, and I got my client all of her money back. It has been an amazing day. But it will be more amazing when I see you.”
“Where are you now?”
“At my office.”
“I’ll meet you there,
and you can get part one of your surprise,” he said.
“Which is?”
“The keyword, again, is surprise. See you shortly.” Chante smiled as she looked at her phone after Zach hung up. Her phone rang again, and she saw Liza’s face on her screen. She knew her friend was going to be pissed off about her missing the Charlotte Today interview.
“Hey, girl,” Chante said.
“Had I not seen you standing with Amanda and the state’s attorney eating crow, I’d be so pissed with you right now.”
“Well, I knew this would change the conversation today. I just proved that I get results.”
“Good job. I’m proud of you, sis!”
“Thank you. Now I can get on with my life, and you can go to Raleigh and make a baby with the senator.”
“There you go. Can my husband and I have a little more time together before we have our son?”
“Nope. I want to see you with a baby and throw you the biggest baby shower ever.”
“You and Zach should make a baby then. I’m the better party planner, remember.”
“Girl, please. We’re not even close to being there.”
“Whatever you say. Oh, Erica Bryant wants to interview you and Amanda.”
“I don’t think so. I want to stay off the media’s radar for a while.”
“Can’t say that I blame you. I’m enjoying being back behind the scenes.”
Chante was about to reply when Zach walked in carrying bags from Hometown Delight and a picnic basket. “Liza, I have to go.”
“Tell Zach I said hello,” she said. “I’d love to meet him one day.”
“I’ll let him know.” Chante hung up the phone and crossed over to Zach. “Hello, sweetie.”
“You look so professional,” he said as he set the food on her desk. “And it’s sexy as hell.” Zack kissed her softly. “I missed you today.”
“Well, I was out kicking ass and taking names,” she said excitedly. “Congratulations,” he said. “That will teach those people who didn’t make you partner.”
“That’s right,” she said, then inhaled deeply. “That food smells amazing.“
“I heard a lot of good things about this place. Let’s eat, then hit the road.”
Zach opened the bags and handed Chante one of the containers of New Orleans Chicken.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said.
“I really hate surprises. Just tell me.”
Zach opened his food and took a bite of his chicken. “Nope,” he said after swallowing. “This is good.”
She pouted at him and grabbed a fork from the bag. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I’ll tell you one thing,” he said as he wiped his hands on a napkin. “We’re riding a pony.”
Chante smiled. “You rented a Mustang?”
“A convertible one.”
“So you have to tell me where we’re going because I’m driving.”
“That’s what GPS is for. The sooner we finish eating, the sooner we can leave. What’s the next case on your docket?”
“I’m clear for the week.”
“Good, because I might bring you back next week.”
“Back from where?”
Zach sat down across from her desk and shook his head. “You can keep asking, counselor, but I’m not saying a word.”
“But I need to know what to pack,” she said.
“That’s taken care of,” he said. “You can buy what you need when we get there. I got you.”
Chante crossed over to him and took his food from his hands. “I’m going to let you get me right now.” Covering his mouth with hers, she kissed him. Zach pulled her closer as their kiss deepened.
“You taste better than the chicken,” he said when they broke the kiss. “I’ve wanted to do that all day.”
“There’s something else I wanted to do all day,” she said, then rose to her feet. Chante slowly unbuttoned her blouse, then pushed it off her shoulders. Zach watched in rapt attention as she slowly stripped for him. Standing there in her pink lace panty-and-bra set made his desire rise like fog from a lake.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said.
“And you have too many clothes on.” Chante reached down and unbuckled his slacks. Zach’s erection sprang forward as she stroked him back and forth. Zach lifted his hips as she tugged at his pants so that she could push them down to his ankles. Zach kissed her breasts until her nipples perked up through the lace of her bra as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Moaning, she stroked the back of his head, urging him to continue. His erection pressed against her thighs, and heat radiated from every pore in her body. “I want you,” she moaned.
“You got me, and you can have me any way you want,” he said as he parted her legs. Zach could feel how ready she was even before he removed her lace panties. Slipping his index finger inside her, Zach sought out her throbbing bud. Chante arched her back. “Yes,” she moaned.
“Damn, you feel so good,” Zach said.
“Make me feel better,” she said as she ground against his finger. “Need. You. Inside.”
Zach brought his mouth down on top of Chante’s as he pushed the crotch of her panties to the side. She moaned in delight as his tongue glided across hers and he plunged inside. She rode him slow, and he thrust deeper and deeper inside her. Chante gripped his shoulders as she felt her body come closer to climax.
“That’s it, baby,” he groaned. “Let it go. Come for me.”
“Oh,” she moaned, unable to hold back her climax. She exploded, and Zach’s orgasm wasn’t far behind. Chante closed her eyes and leaned against his chest. Feeling the heat of his seed oozing down her leg, she expelled a sigh. “We have to stop being so careless.”
“I know. And I’m sorry,” he said.
“We’re both responsible, but we have to do better.”
Zach kissed her chin. Part of him wondered again what a baby with Chante would look like. Wait, now you’re just being ridiculous, he thought as he watched her cross the room. He did love that woman, though. From the tips of her toes to the top of her head.
“Zach, did you hear me?” she asked breaking into his thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Do you want to take a shower before we leave?”
“Sounds good. This office has everything, huh?”
She nodded as Zach crossed over to her. “The person who used to have this office practically lived here for a while.”
“I hope you don’t plan to be like the last tenant,” he said as he pressed her against the wall.
“Not if you plan to make it worth my while not to be.” She winked at him, then opened the door to the bathroom.
Gabby pulled into the parking lot of Chante’s office, hoping to catch her boss so that she could tell her how proud she was to be a part of her business. Smiling, she hopped out of her car and headed for the entrance.
“Gabby,” Robert called out. Turning around, she was surprised to see him.
“What are you doing here?”
“That’s a better question for me to ask you. I guess you’re just like the rest of them.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I thought you loved me,” he said as he stepped closer to her. “But you teamed up with these bitches to bring me down.” Robert grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. “You said you loved me.”
“You said I wasn’t good enough! Get your hands off me,” she said as she pushed him. Robert hauled off and slapped her.
“You aren’t! I had to give up everything because of her, and now you’re working with her! What’s the plan? How is Chante trying to ruin me now?”
Gabby held her cheek, shocked at how crazy Robert was acting. “You’d better get away from here before I call the police. You’re sick! That’s why she left you!”
He pushed Gabby, causing her to fall backward. “You’re no better than her! When I needed you, you weren’t there for me. Nobody ever thinks about
what I need!” He stood over her and sneered. “You bitches are going pay today.” Robert reached into his waistband and pulled out a gun. “You deserve to die.”
Gabby screamed at the top of her lungs, and Robert slapped her across the face with the gun, knocking her unconscious.
“Did you hear that?” Chante asked as she slipped into a maxi dress. Zach nodded.
“Sounds like someone is in trouble,” he said as he stepped into his pants. Chante crossed over to her desk and looked out the window.
“Oh my God, it’s Gabby.” She picked up her phone and started to dial 9-1-1 when the door to her office was kicked open. Robert burst inside with a crazed look in his eyes and pointed a gun at her.
“Put the phone down, bitch!”
“Robert, what are you doing here?” Chante asked nervously.
“Saw you all over TV today. Still playing the victim and ruining people’s lives. That ends today.”
Zach took a step toward Robert, who then turned the gun on him. “This ain’t about you,” he said. “But I will shoot you if you try to be a hero.”
“Look, man,” Zach said, “you don’t want to do this.”
“Don’t tell me what I want to do! She ruined my life, my career, and any chance that I have for a future.” He turned back to Chante and pointed the gun at her chest. “You’re just like my mother.”
Chante threw her hands up. “Robert, I didn’t . . .”
“Shut! Up!”
Zach stood still and looked around the room for a weapon he could use to disarm Robert. There was no way in hell that he’d stand there and let this man hurt Chante. He figured the lamp on the table near the door might work. He just needed to get over there without arousing Robert’s suspicions.
He took a quick step as Robert kept ranting at Chante. “All you had to do was play your position. I would’ve been a great senator, but you let Liza get in your head. What man doesn’t cheat? This isn’t a fairy tale where some prince charming is going to be your everything. Especially to a cold bitch like you. You know why I was with someone else? Because you bored me. We were good on paper. You would’ve looked good on my arm at political events. You’d know what to say and who to talk to when I would need you to help me get things done. But no! You wanted to ruin me.”
I Heard A Rumor Page 23