A Silken Thread

by Brenda Jackson

  Erica pulled in a deep breath thinking she’d had enough. She had tried being patient with her mother, even a little under standing. Now here it was just three months before her wedding to a wonderful man and her mother still hadn’t accepted how things were going to be.

  “Several people happened to like Ms. Lawson’s outfit and thought it was very flattering. I was one of those people.” And without giving her mother a chance to say anything, Erica opened the back door and walked out.

  When she got to her car she just sat there for a moment as she gazed up at the house she had lived in most of her life. The Sanders Estate was a huge three-story mansion with dormer windows housed under a gambrel roof. She’d always been told that her great-great-grandfather had befriended a Dutchman who had built the house in 1915, which was the reason for its Dutch colonial design.

  She had always loved everything about the house, especially the fireplaces in all the bedrooms. As a child she would lie on the shiny hardwood floors in front of her bedroom fireplace with a pillow and blanket while she read her favorite book.

  The huge, welcoming structure had been her safe haven, and her secret “away place” beneath the stairs had been her private sanctuary. Even after returning home from college she hadn’t thought of living anyplace else but here, especially since she’d had the entire third floor practically all to herself.

  But things changed after that summer she’d met Brian. Once her mother began badgering her to break things off with him and focus on winning Griffin’s heart, she’d made the decision to move out. It hadn’t taken her long to turn her condo into a home and, when Brian had flown in one weekend to spend time with her, he had helped her christen the place in the most romantic and intimate way. Just thinking about that particular weekend always made her smile.

  She had been upfront with Brian from the start, figuring it was best to level with him regarding her mother’s attitude. He had accepted it all in stride and assured her he was the sort of guy who eventually grew on people.

  So far he hadn’t grown on her mother…and probably never would.

  “Thanks for letting me sit in on your court case today, Brian.”

  Sitting across the table in the now empty conference room, Brian glanced up and smiled at one of the firm’s new attorneys, Donna Hardy. “No problem. I hope you were able to learn something.”

  “I did. Never go into a courtroom to face Judge Meadows unprepared.”

  Brian laughed as he stood. “You figured that one out quickly, didn’t you?”

  “Yes. I admired the way you handled him.”

  “Or the way he handled me,” he responded with a smooth grin. “I’ve been in his courtroom enough, and besides, my father was there before me. All the rumors you’ve probably heard about Judge Meadows are probably true, and to be downright frank, it’s long past time he retired.”

  “I agree but I have a feeling he’ll be around awhile.” They began walking out of the conference room together when Donna asked, “So, your father was also an attorney?”

  “Yes, and one of the best until an aneurysm cut his life short when I was fifteen.”

  “Did your mother remarry?”

  He glanced over at her, wondering why she’d asked. “No.”

  She nodded. “My dad died when I was twelve and Mom remarried within a year to a man who also had a daughter my age. I was lucky to acquire a sister and a best friend in one.”

  Yes, he thought she was lucky in that aspect. When he was younger he’d thought about his mother remarrying and having another child, but after a while he got used to it being just the two of them. He’d wondered how his mother would adjust once he left home for college and she’d made the transition just fine. It wasn’t uncommon to get a call from her from just about anywhere in the world.

  “I understand you live in the Vanity Oaks subdivision.”

  He nodded, wondering who’d told her that.

  “I’m buying a home there, too. On Pecan Park Road.”

  He chuckled. “Hey, that’s right around the corner from me. That means we’ll be neighbors…at least for a while. My fiancée and I plan to live there for a couple of years before building elsewhere.”

  She lifted a brow, surprised. “You’re engaged?”

  A huge smile spread across his lips. “Yes, and I’m counting the days.”

  She tilted her head to stare at him fully. “It’s nice to hear a man say that. Most are brought to the altar kicking and screaming.”

  Brian chuckled. “Not me. I’ve been single long enough,” he said, remembering the time he’d thought women and their mutual attraction were all that mattered in his life. He would leave home Friday night and make his rounds and not return back to his bed until Monday morning. At the time he’d thought life was good.

  But that was before Erica.

  He glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting with Mr. Hughes at one, so I’d better grab something to eat first.”

  “Sure. And thanks again for letting me join you in court.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Then he walked off.

  Donna continued to watch him until he turned the corner toward the elevator. She wondered how it would be for a man to love her as much as Brian Lawson evidently loved the woman he planned to marry. She had been in and out of too many affairs that went nowhere. It was rather sad, actually. Good-looking brothers who had a decent job and weren’t gay or on the down-low were hard to come by.

  Here she was, thirty-three with no prospects in sight. All men wanted these days was a quick and easy lay on whatever day of the week that suited them. She drew in a deep breath and headed toward her office. She couldn’t help remembering Brian’s performance in the courtroom. He had been awesome. No wonder the other attorneys were whispering that they wouldn’t be surprised if he were to make partner in the firm soon. To get your foot in the door at Brown and Samuels was a coup for any attorney. But to make partner was simply fantastic.

  When she got to her office she closed and locked the door and leaned against it. Brian Lawson had a deep, sexy voice and a body that was a total turn-on. She could feel the tips of her breasts hardening and the heat between her thighs stirring just thinking how he’d looked standing in the courtroom addressing the people on the jury.

  Moving across the room to the windows she pulled the blinds and darkened the room before removing her jacket and sliding her skirt up her hips. She needed help from Freddy today.

  Going to her desk she used the key to open the bottom drawer and smiled when she pulled out her new toy. Well, it wasn’t so new, since she’d been giving it one hell of a work-out since buying it a few weeks ago. She kept Sam at home. Roger went on the road with her. And Freddy would stay at the office.

  Sam. Roger. Freddy. Each toy named after a man who’d helped her move her career forward, in the direction she wanted it to go. Professor Sam Dinkins was the old fart who had helped her get her law degree. He’d made sure she’d got ten passing grades when she should have failed half the courses.

  Then there was Roger Lewis, a colleague of the professor’s who’d demanded daily blow jobs, among other things, when he’d learned the truth after snooping around Professor Dinkins’s office one day and discovering all the exams she’d flunked. Although he’d been good in bed, she’d never appreciated the way she’d been at his beck and call. She hadn’t felt an ounce of sympathy when she’d read in the paper a few years ago that he had gotten killed in a car accident. She had returned to Trenton, New Jersey, not to pay her last respects, but to verify for herself that the bastard was truly dead.

  And lastly, there had been Fred Almay, the one man she’d enjoyed the most. He had hired her to work at his law firm right out of college, and she had slept with him of her own free will. They had spent two years together as lovers and he had taught her a lot. She would even admit to falling in love with him. He’d been a master at manipulation and had taught her all the key components of the game. But no matter how much she’d tried to please
him, he had refused to leave his wife for her.

  In the end Donna had decided it was in her best interest to move on when Mrs. Almay became suspicious of her role in Fred’s life and her work at the firm. The one thing Fred had given her was the glowing recommendation that had helped her to land her job at Brown and Samuels.

  She smiled as she curled into her chair. Her toys were okay when she needed a quick fix, but of course she much preferred the real thing. She licked her lips when she thought of Brian Lawson. He was an extremely good-looking man, well spoken and highly intelligent, and she knew he was going places.

  He had charisma and charm and he radiated the confidence that only a natural-born leader could display. He was well liked by everyone at the firm and highly respected. And his knowledge of corporate law truly amazed her. She knew she could learn a lot from him, both in and out of the bedroom.

  It meant nothing to her that he was engaged to be married. There was no such thing as a true-blue committed fiancé and she wondered how long it would take to tempt him mercilessly and get what she wanted.

  There was only one way to find out.

  The secretary smiled over at Brian. “Mr. Brown and Mr. Samuels would like to see you now, Mr. Lawson.”

  Brian returned her smile as he stood to his feet. He figured the two men had asked to meet with him because of his successful handling of the charity drive for children with leukemia. Every year one of the attorneys working for the firm would chair the event. This had been his year and he had helped raise over five hundred thousand dollars on the firm’s behalf.

  “Come on in, Brian,” Talbert Brown called out to him the moment he opened the door. “Please come join me and Minor in a toast.” It was then that he saw the bottle of champagne on ice and the glasses already filled with the bubbly drink.

  Brian nodded and then accepted the glass of champagne that Mr. Brown handed to him. He figured the partners were going all out just for a good showing in the charity drive.

  “Do you know why we invited you here today, Brian?”

  He met Talbert Brown’s deep blue eyes. “I assume it’s to celebrate the money we raised for the Leukemia Foundation drive.”

  Minor Samuels chuckled. “There is a reason to celebrate that, too, but that’s not why you’re here.”

  Brian lifted a brow. “It’s not?”

  Talbert leaned against his desk. “Your father worked hard for this firm and it saddened us to remove his name as partner when he passed away.”

  Brian remembered his father working for the firm. According to his mother he’d become employed with them right after college. He’d been partner for five years when he died.

  “Minor and I worked right alongside of him and the three of us made partners the same time under my father’s leadership.” A sad smile touched his lips before he added, “We went out to celebrate the following weekend and it was one of the last times we had a chance to really party together on the town. After that we spent every waking moment working our butts off.”

  Brian wondered why they were telling him all of this now. Evidently that question was reflected in his gaze, because Talbert then said, “You’ve been doing a fine job for us, Brian, one that we are proud of, one that your father would be proud of. So it seems right that you should take his place in this firm.”

  Brian wasn’t sure he was hearing correctly. Were they saying what he thought they were saying?

  “Yes, that’s what we’re saying,” Talbert said, as if he was reading his mind again. “And it’s not that we think we owe you anything because of your father, son. It’s because you’ve earned a place here. Effective Monday, this firm will become Brown, Samuels and Lawson.”

  The words sent instant shudders through Brian and he stared at the two men in disbelief. He hadn’t expected to be considered for partner for a couple more years down the road. There were others who’d been working at the firm longer than he had.

  “That’s not all, Brian.”

  He blinked. “It’s not?”

  “No. We have more good news to share,” Talbert said, beaming.

  Brian wasn’t sure he could handle any more good news. “You do?”

  “Yes. Your father became partner on your tenth birthday. I can remember it clearly because we couldn’t celebrate that day because he had to leave to cohost your party. One of the perks of becoming partner is the firm’s trust fund that can be set up for family members. Well, your father established one in your name with a twenty-year maturity date.”

  Minor then picked up the conversation. “Patrick was a smart man because it matured the year you decided to get married. Extra money will definitely come in handy now, don’t you think?”

  Brian nodded in agreement. “Yes, sir, it definitely will.” He wasn’t sure how much money they were talking about, but just the thought that his father had had the foresight to do something like that touched him deeply.

  Over the years he’d enjoyed the finer things in life but had always looked out for his future, cultivating a really nice nest egg. He’d made several good investment choices and his money had been kept safe and secure even during the Wall Street fiasco. Many would be surprised to know just how solid his financial portfolio looked.

  Minor reached behind him to retrieve an envelope off his desk. “Here you are.”

  Brian accepted the sealed envelope and nervously tore it open. He stared at it and then blinked, not believing what he saw. It took a minute to catch his breath and another minute to stop the erratic beating of his heart. He slowly glanced up at the two men in shock. “This is mine?” he asked in an incredulous tone.

  “Yes, it’s yours from your father and the continued success of this firm, which you’ve helped make possible. Every year that the company made a profit, a percentage of it was matched against the amount that was held in trust. “

  Brian was speechless. Still standing—but barely—he stared down at the check. He glanced up and asked, “Did my mother know about this?”

  “Yes, she knew, and as your guardian she could have taken the funds out at any time. However, she chose to let it remain in trust until maturity.”

  Brian drew in a deep breath and glanced back down at the check. Thanks to Mr. Brown and Mr. Samuels he had become a partner in the firm. And thanks to his father and his mother, he’d become a millionaire.

  She quickly clicked over to the other line. “Brian?”

  “Yes, baby?”

  “You’re calling early tonight. What’s up?” she asked, sitting up in bed.

  “Can you come out this weekend if I were to send for you?”

  She pushed her hair behind her head. They hadn’t seen each other since the engagement party two weeks ago. And then they had been surrounded by so much family they hadn’t had a chance to spend a lot of time together alone.

  She smiled as she eased back down in bed. “Are you missing me?”

  “I’m always missing you, baby. I can’t wait until you’re here with me permanently.”

  She couldn’t wait until she was there with him, too.

  “But there’s also another reason I want you here.”

  She lifted a brow. “And what reason is that?” It was then that she noticed something in his voice. It was still deep, husky and sexy, but she also detected something else. Excitement maybe?

  “I made partner today.”

  Erica jerked upward, nearly dropping the phone out of her hand. “What? But you figured it would be another couple of years before you’d be considered for that. And that there were so many other attorneys ahead of you.”

  “Well, today Mr. Brown and Mr. Samuels informed me that I was their choice, and more than anything I want you here this weekend to celebrate with me.”

  Erica drew in a deep breath and fought back tears. She was so proud of him. From the time she’d met Brian she’d been aware of what a fantastic attorney he was. He worked hard and was deserving of whatever achievements came his way.

  “I can’t imagine bei
ng anywhere else this weekend other than there helping you celebrate. And you don’t have to send for me. I can pay for my own ticket.”

  “I know, but I want to. I’ll call you tomorrow with all the flight details.”

  “Okay.”

  As she cuddled in bed she knew when she saw him again, she would show him just how proud she was of him.

  An hour or so later Brian hung up the phone from talking to Erica. He chuckled. She had fallen asleep on the phone after he’d sung her a lullaby. He headed for the study to read a few case files he’d brought home.

  He had intentionally not mentioned anything to Erica about his trust fund after deciding he would share the news with her on what would be the most important day of his life—his wedding day.

  He’d always felt capable of taking on a wife financially, which was one of the reasons he’d always found it rather amusing when Erica’s mother insinuated that he was not. The woman knew nothing about him, and evidently she knew nothing about her daughter, either. Especially if she assumed a man’s wealth was all Erica cared about.

  One of the first things he’d discovered about his future wife was that even with her wealthy upbringing she didn’t have a snobbish bone in her body. She was one of the last persons who would flaunt the fact that she’d been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was sweet and genuine, which was why he’d fallen hopelessly in love with her so easy and so quickly. Their love was solid and wasn’t dictated by occupation or social status.

  And he meant what he’d told her earlier. He couldn’t wait until she joined him in Dallas permanently. Now that he knew he was even more capable of taking care of her, he felt wonderful and couldn’t wait to see her again to celebrate all his good fortune.

  “My mother indicated you wanted to meet with me, Mrs. Sanders.”

  Karen removed her reading glasses to glance up at the man her housekeeper had escorted into the study. Although they were distant relatives, she always encouraged him to address her in a formal fashion. She remembered the day Jaye Pittman was born, close to thirty-five years ago. There had been some who’d wondered if he was really Lester Pittman’s son, but they figured even if he wasn’t they could overlook that little transgression, since everyone knew just what a skirt chaser Lester had been both before and during his marriage to Aggie. It seemed hilariously fitting that his wife might have done to Lester what he’d done to her all those years. There were a number of Lester Pittman’s bastards walking around Hattersville.