Читать книгу View Park - Angela Winters - Страница 9

A very checked her watch, looking out the window into the parking lot of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles on Pico Boulevard. Alex was now ten minutes late. If he didn’t show up in the next five minutes, his Friday wasn’t going to go anything like he planned. A week ago, Avery would’ve considered ten minutes not much to worry about, but this past week things had changed. Ever since her encounter with Carter she had been on edge. She found herself both anticipating and dreading the next time she would see him. When she arrived at the shop Thursday to find a bouquet of lilies from him, she was a mess for the rest of the day. What game was Carter playing?

What game was Craig playing? He hadn’t been in the shop for two days and wouldn’t return any of her phone calls. Avery wasn’t suspicious by nature but she believed in her own intuition and Craig was up to something at the worst possible time. Avery was under siege and she needed the people on her side clearly on her side. The message she left for him last night turned out to be more of a warning than she intended, but she had been nice too long.

“No,” was all Avery could say as, instead of Alex, Carter slid into her booth. “It’s too early in the morning for you.”

“You like the flowers?” Carter asked.

“Why are you following me?”

“I don’t follow people. I have them followed. Actually, I’m surprised to see you here.” There was something about her appearance this morning that was softer and more vulnerable than the other day, but Carter was too far in the game to let that distract him.

“I sincerely doubt you’re surprised by much of anything.” The way he appeared so comfortable and absolutely blameless annoyed her.

“You’re turning down an opportunity that you can’t even see you need desperately.”

“Desperately?” She laughed. “You know something I don’t?”

“I know a lot of things you don’t know, but that’s for another discussion.” He broke into a leisurely smile as her full lips pressed together. “I know that you want to take my offer, but you won’t just to spite me.”

“Reverse psychology.” Avery stared at him. “How original. You know what amazes me?”

Carter leaned back. “Those tedious everyday things in your painfully average life?”

“That sounds like something out of your brother’s book.” She wrinkled her small nose. “A little beneath you.”

Carter knew he had Craig in his pocket and whatever last chance he was going to give her just flew out the window.

“You never even asked me why I won’t sell,” she said.

“You’re attached and that’s understandable. Something like a hair salon would mean a lot to someone like you.”

Avery’s hands formed into fists under the table as she felt her stomach tightening. It wasn’t what he said that got to her, rudeness wasn’t impressive. It was the way he looked when he said it; so harmless as if the words hadn’t come from him.

“Yes, I am attached to my shops, but I’m not stupid. I know a good opportunity when I see one. I walk away with a fat check, on to my next business venture, but what about everyone else?”

“Who else is there?”

“Not everyone has a Chase trust fund. There are a lot of regular people, just like me, who can’t afford a hundred dollars for a wash and set.”

“Is that what they’re going for these days?” he asked, laughing.

“Don’t mock me.”

He straightened up. “Avery, everything with the Chase name on it is going to be high end. Women will pay whatever it costs to get their hair done if it’s done right. Business is business, not charity.”

“Finally, he’s come,” the waiter said as he reached them. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“No,” Avery announced. “This is not the man I’m waiting for.”

“Her fiancé is a smaller man,” Carter said. “He doesn’t look nearly as good, nor dress as well as I do.”

Avery was fuming now. “You know nothing about my—”

“Alex Conner?” Her naiveté made her attractive, but it was also how he was going to demolish her.

Carter reached for a menu, but Avery snatched it from him, turning to the waiter. “We aren’t ordering. He’s leaving.”

“Where is our fair-skinned sales boy?” Carter asked, knowing it was killing her that he knew the details of her personal life. “He likes to make you wait, doesn’t he? It’s how he wields his power over you.”

Avery shifted in her seat, knowing she had already lost the second round. She was going to have to prepare better.

“Or even worse,” Carter added. “He doesn’t care whether you wait or not. If you were my woman…”

Avery was ready to light into Carter for going there, but realized she no longer had his attention. Her eyes followed him as he slid out of the booth and headed for the entrance to the restaurant; for a man who’d just entered. Avery was trying to put the man’s familiar face to a name when Carter’s fist connected hard with his right cheek, with enough force to throw him to the ground. Everyone in the restaurant sat stunned.

Carter looked down at Congressman Flay. “Because of you someone tried to kill my baby sister three days ago. If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you.”

Everyone’s eyes followed Carter as he left the restaurant with strong, meaningful strides. Avery, still shocked by what she had seen, couldn’t prevent the little smile that formed at the edges of her lips.

As Leigh climbed the walkway to the tattered one-story building she’d bought, she tried to look as optimistic as her friend, Alicia Spender, who was standing in front of it. “Sorry I’m late Alicia.”

“Do you have the keys?” she asked. “I can’t stand out here in this sun. I’m sure after Africa this is nothing for you, but to us pale Irish girls with freckles and red hair, it’s torture.”

Leigh waved the keys at her. She had just been to the lawyer’s office and finalized the purchase of the building they were going to make their clinic. Alicia had been doing the legwork for the last month, and without her parents’ help, Leigh had to accept the best their pooled resources could get. It was a one-story, two-thousand-square-foot former veterinary clinic that had been abandoned for two years.

“We’re sure this place isn’t condemned?” Leigh asked.

“It’s not.” Alicia grabbed the keys. “I went through with two separate inspectors, whom we have to pay, by the way. It’s actually very sturdy. It just needs some cosmetic work. We have the money for that.”

“My yearly trust fund allowance isn’t that big,” Leigh said.

“Maybe if I talk to them,” Alicia suggested. “This is my dream, too. I shouldn’t make you do all the begging.”

“They’ve never met you and my parents don’t listen to people they don’t know.” Leigh looked around the neighborhood, knowing what this clinic could mean. “It’s hard to explain to people like them, but I’ll try again.”

“Without your mother,” Alicia said, “I don’t see how we can do this.”

“I wouldn’t give you a dime if it were me.”

Leigh looked over Alicia’s shoulder as a rugged-looking, caramel-skinned man in jeans and a Chicago Cubs T-shirt came from the side of the building. This was not the neighborhood to be popping out from behind buildings. “Who are you?”

Alicia grabbed Richard by the arm, pulling him towards Leigh. “Meet Richard Powell. He’s a doctor at L.A. General. He just moved here five months ago from Chicago. He wants in on the clinic.”

Richard held his hand out to Leigh, who hesitated before accepting it. “I was listening in on your conversation.”

“Obviously,” Leigh said.

“I didn’t mean to sound rude. I was just suggesting that…well you both sound defeated already.”

Leigh’s arms folded across her chest. “If you had been paying closer attention you would’ve heard that I’m not giving up.”

He nodded. “Those were your words, but your tone says ‘I give up.’”

“You don’t know me,” Leigh said. “I don’t give up.”

“After everything Alicia told me about you, I would assume you wouldn’t. I have some suggestions if you’re interested.”

Alicia stepped between them. “Please.”

“I don’t have any money, but I know some guys in construction who can give us a discount and we can pay anyone in the neighborhood here to help clean up and paint. That will save us more money for equipment.”

“Then there’s marketing, advertising, insurance.” Alicia sighed.

“There are a lot of places who will do that stuff pro bono for a clinic like this. We’ll have to weed them out. You didn’t expect Mommy and Daddy to do everything, did you?”

Leigh watched his unflinching smile, thinking that he better be a good doctor if he wanted to join this group, because he wouldn’t get in on charm. “I was relying on them because our family’s foundation does exactly this type of thing.”

“Her mother is known for her fund-raising expertise,” Alicia added.

“Alicia told me they refused to help you.”

Leigh’s tone gave away her embarrassment. “They want me to join a prestigious practice.”

Alicia rubbed Leigh’s arms. “Leigh’s family is very—”

“He doesn’t care what my family is like,” Leigh interrupted. “Besides, he’s living in L.A. now. He’ll find out soon enough.”

“I read about your sister in the paper earlier this week,” he said. “Is she okay?”

Leigh was taken back. She expected judgment, gossip, ridicule, accusations, and pity like she’d gotten from everyone else, but not genuine concern. “Yes, she’s okay. Thank you.”

“If your parents know all of the right people,” Richard said, “then don’t you know them, too?”

Leigh shrugged. “I guess, but not as well as my mother.”

“Then you don’t really need her,” he maintained. “You have the contacts. You have the last name. You be the fund-raiser.”

“I don’t know how to do that,” Leigh said.

“You just came back from Africa. Your experiences must have been incredible.”

“They were life changing.”

Richard took a step closer, smiling. “I can’t wait to hear about them.”

Alicia cleared her throat, but it failed to distract Leigh and Richard from each other.

“You’re right,” Leigh said, getting her second wind. “I’ve got to go.”

“What?” Alicia called after her. “I thought we were going to go over—”

“Not now,” she yelled back. You can’t put inspiration on hold.

Chase Beauty now took up four full floors at 777 Tower in downtown L.A. Steven’s corner office was, in size, almost equal to his ego, and was undergoing its third redecoration by Janet. Its current style was Manhattan minimalist. He wasn’t crazy about it, but he would rather suffer anything than disappoint his queen. Right now he was more focused on Carter who made it a practice to show up late to every scheduled meeting. He knew Carter treated his other clients better even though they didn’t make him ten percent of what Chase Beauty made him.

He looked at Michael, leaning back on the leather sofa, the only soft piece of furniture Janet allowed him to keep. Michael, greatly lacking in the art of sensitivity, always reminded him of how undesirable his office was. All that mattered to Steven was that Michael wanted this office and would do anything to get it. A lesser man would be threatened, but Steven was proud. He had to be on guard against his own son and he liked that.

“Hey.” Carter rushed into the office. “A client lunch got away from me.”

“Does that client pay you as well as I do?” Steven asked.

“So,” Michael said. “How’s it hanging, Cassius?”

Carter sat across from his brother, a thin smile on his face. “Word travels fast in this town.”

Steven got up, leaning against the edge of his desk. “One of the men with Flay was a WKLA reporter.”

“I did what I felt I had to do.”

“I only wish I could have done it,” Steven murmured. “I’ve been trying to reach him, but he’s been covered like he’s the president.”

Carter wasn’t sure, but he thought his father had just given him a compliment. “Is this why you called me here?”

“I called you here for business,” Steven said.

“I got Performance to agree to our terms today,” Michael said. “They’re signing the contract tomorrow.”

“That was fast,” Carter said. “Care to share with us how you did that?”

“I don’t want to know,” Steven said. “All I know is it’s been a week since I gave you Avery Jackson, Carter.”

“Well, since I can’t lower myself to kidnapping family members, I think it might take me a little longer.”

“It’s just two stores,” Michael teased. “Two little stores.”

“I’m using her partner to get in.” Carter socked Michael in the left arm. “She’s clean, but he has a lot of skeletons in his closet.”

“I already did a background on him,” Michael said.

“I did a better one.”

“Are you being careful?” Steven asked.

Carter didn’t answer that and Steven knew he wouldn’t. He could see the resentment in his son’s face at his questioning. He should feel guilty about it, but he didn’t. Besides, if Carter didn’t want this tension between them, he knew what he could do to change things. Come work at Chase Beauty. “I’m giving you one more week.”

“Or what?” Carter asked. He wasn’t going to be threatened by anyone.

Michael wondered why in God’s name Carter pushed their father like that. This was the one thing he envied about his brother. He watched as the two men stared each other down, knowing he could never have the nerve. Carter would blink first. He always did, but each time he lasted longer and Michael wondered if it were possible that one day, Steven would be the first to blink. He didn’t think so.

Carter blinked.

“Get out,” Steven said, satisfied. “I’ve got work to do.”

Carter was fine with leaving, but Michael never let him just walk out.

“Why haven’t you checked in on Haley?” he asked.

“Who are you now, Mom? Haley might not want to see me after she finds out what I did.”

“You think she actually cared about that guy?” Michael asked, laughing.

“I lost my head for a second.”

Outside of Michael’s office, Carter stopped and grinned at his little brother. He had been ready to tell him everything he had going on with Craig, but not now. He would slap him with it a few days from now.

“Come in,” Michael said.

Carter knew why Michael always invited him into his office when he stopped by Chase Beauty. He enjoyed the momentary affliction of envy Carter felt when he saw Michael’s throne. Carter did love his father and he was proud of Chase Beauty. Here Michael was, basking in it all and he never let Carter forget it.

“You think you’re going to get a promotion out of this, don’t you?”

Michael’s expression was very serious, no signs of his usual sarcasm. “This was my idea and it’s gonna be gold. You’re damn right I’m getting a promotion.”

Carter checked his ringing cell phone. It was Lisette and he placed the phone back into his pocket, leaning against the wall. “So, how many laws did you break to get Performance on board?”

“Laws?” A wicked grin crossed Michael’s face. “Never heard of the word.”

“I hope I’m interrupting something.” Kimberly sashayed into the room looking like a million dollars. Her hair flowing, her hips tempting; it was a sight Michael never tired of. She rubbed against him, flipping her head back as if on cue from a photographer.

“Unusual to see you here, Carter,” she cooed. “Oh yeah, that’s right. You’re on retainer.”

“Something you and I have in common,” Carter noted jokingly. Michael certainly had his hands full with this woman. “I’m out of here.”

“What was that about?” Kimberly asked after Carter left, closing the door behind him.

Michael tightened his grip around her. He knew he was too possessive, but something about Kimberly made him feel like he was always trying to keep her. “What is this about?”

“I’m having lunch with an old friend downtown.” She leaned away when he tried to kiss her.

“Old?” He frowned. “From the modeling days?”

“She’s in town doing a show.”

“Jealous?”

“Well, she does have her own house.”

Michael lifted her onto his desk, maneuvering himself between her legs. “When I get this next promotion, we’ll move into a house built to your every desire. Right now, I need to stay close to Dad. He’s making up his mind about me, and I need to be everywhere he is.”

Kimberly felt his hand make its way up her thighs and she was already melting. “Promises, promises.”

“It is a promise.” He held her chin in his other hand, looking into her eyes. He wanted to see them when he touched her. “But until then, maybe this will hold you.”

Kimberly let out a gasp as her body shivered all over. She grabbed his head, pulling it to her, and pressed her lips against his so hard it hurt. She loved it on his desk with the door unlocked.

Avery was venting her frustrations as she tossed the dinner she’d prepared into her kitchen garbage. Alex was supposed to be there at 7:00 and it was 7:30. She had let it go that he was fifteen minutes late for breakfast at Roscoe’s yesterday, because the whole scene with Carter and Congressman Flay was entertaining enough, but he wouldn’t be that lucky tonight. She hated feeling this way. Used, unappreciated and taken for granted. She wasn’t high maintenance, only expected what any woman would want; some attention and a guy who was on time every now and then. Apparently three years into a relationship, that was just a little too much to ask.

She looked down at the two-carat ring on her finger, wondering if this symbol on her saying that someone loved her was what she really wanted and not marriage. That was what she thought of most now; the ring, the dress, and the wedding. Not Alex so much anymore. It made her want to cry thinking of what it could all mean. She didn’t want to accept failure, three years coming to nothing and, God forbid, returning to the dating world where men like—

“It’s been a while since the Chase family has given us so much to talk about. I think we’ve all missed them a bit.”

Avery wondered if she was hearing things. She rushed into the living room where the local FOX news station was on the television, her only company after a long Saturday at the salon. The female reporter conveyed the story as if just talking about the Chase family caused a stir within her. Avery couldn’t get the effect these people had on everyone.

“Right on the heels of Haley’s scandalous encounter with Congressman Jack Flay, the usually clean Carter Chase is making the news. Will he be charged with assault after his attack on the congressman yesterday, which according to witnesses left Mr. Flay in need of a trip to the dentist?”

Avery huffed. Assault, please. Well, actually it was an assault she thought after a second, but the man was protecting his sister’s honor. What little of it Haley had.

“To discuss this latest news,” the reporter continued, “we’ve assembled a panel of…”

Avery turned the television off. A panel? Was she mad or was it the rest of the world? Did people really want to hear this? She thought for a second how this would make Carter feel, but refused to feel sorry for him or anyone in that family. Maybe if they got in enough trouble of their own, they would stop making trouble for her.

When she heard Alex’s key in the door, Avery tried to refocus.

Alex had that textbook charming smile on his face and an apologetic tone. “I know you hate me baby, but I couldn’t help it. I was playing hoops with the guys, and the time got away from me.”

Avery just stood there, hands on hips. A voice way back in her head told her he was lying, but she couldn’t deal with that right now. They hadn’t had sex in a couple of weeks, but she never believed Alex would actually cheat on her. That would be unforgivable.

“I know I forgot to call,” he said. “I meant to, but when I thought about it, I was already on my way over here, so…”

Avery’s eyes narrowed. He was definitely lying.

“So.” Alex seemed apparently satisfied with his own explanation. “What did you make for dinner?”

“Nothing,” Avery said. “This kitchen is closed. Go home.”

“Go home? Avery, I live on the other side of L.A. You’re kidding, right?”

“You must be insane,” she exclaimed. “Cancellations; showing up late. How much of this did you think I would put up with? The sight of you makes me sick, Alex. Go home and decide what you want to do. Either something changes or everything changes.”

The textbook smile faded. “Is that a threat?”

Avery was surprised at the words herself. “Maybe it is. I don’t know anymore. I can’t tell what I mean or what I feel. I’m just so…unhappy with us.”

He leaned back, his defensive posture beginning to form. “So, what are you saying?”

“I love you, Alex. I want to marry you, but either I come first for you, or not at all.”

When she entered the house, Leigh came face-to-face with the last person she wanted to see: her mother. It wasn’t just because she had a look on her face that warned you not to mess with her, but Leigh felt guilty going behind her back to fund the clinic which was why she slipped a quick greeting out and headed for the kitchen.

“Where have you been?” Janet asked. She hadn’t spoken more than two words to her since knocking down her ridiculous idea to work in the middle of a war zone with prostitutes and drug addicts. “I went to sleep at eleven last night and you weren’t home. And you left early this morning.”

“I was in Malibu with some friends.” Leigh never thought she’d say this, but right now she wished she could be more like Haley. Haley let a lie roll off her tongue as smooth as butter.

Janet didn’t want to argue with this child even though she knew she was lying. She had just gone twelve rounds with a frustrated Haley who, only four days after an attempt on her life, wanted out of this house. “I didn’t like the way we left things.”

“I really want you and Daddy to understand. I want your support.”

“We love you so much, Leigh. I hope you understand that.”

“I do, but this is my life. I’ve got to make my own choices. I want this clinic. If you would listen to our case for—”

“I know the clinic is a good idea,” Janet said. “You don’t need to convince me of that. But it’s not for you.”

“You’ve made a career out of charity. Why can’t I?”

“You can’t possibly compare what I do with the Chase Foundation with what you were thinking of doing. Let’s be serious.” Janet could see the hurt in Leigh’s eyes and it wasn’t what she’d intended. Being a parent was painful and Leigh was so sensitive. “I want everything for you, Leigh.”

With nothing to say, Leigh turned and walked away. Her mother would never understand that any of her children had a right to their own lives. She preached the importance of who they were and what they meant to the community. The choices they made couldn’t be just theirs. That’s why they had to pick the right friends, the best colleges, at least two degrees, careers of the highest regard, walk the right way, talk the right way and dress a certain way. Taking everything into consideration before any choice was made was the price for privilege.

Leigh could only hope that after she got the clinic up and running, her mother would become a part of it. She wasn’t sure she could do it any other way. Her mother’s approval meant the world to her.

Janet felt emotion well in her throat. She had been so hopeful that things could be different between them after all of this time.

“I want you to be safe. I can’t tell you how many nightmares I’ve had over the last year. All those nights not knowing, and hearing the horrible things going on there. Now with Haley, I just can’t take it.”

Leigh turned back, her mother’s words reaching inside her. “Who would we be as black people in this country if we let fear stop us from helping our brothers and sisters?”

“Everything your father and I have done is so that you don’t have to be a savior. No matter what you say, this is not the right choice for you.”

“Either way, it’s my choice.”

Janet looked into her eyes, believing her sincerity. There was so much about who they were and what they stood for that Leigh never understood; never tried to. She couldn’t let her do this. She wouldn’t.