“Well, for the record, I don’t believe you. So if and when you want to talk, I’m ready to listen.” She gave her a smile and a pat on the shoulder before walking off toward the massage rooms on the lower level.
Stephanie took a moment to pull herself together, grabbed her briefcase from on top of the registration desk, and walked toward the office to prepare for her meeting with Terri.
When she opened the office door she was surprised to find Ann Marie sitting behind the desk on the phone. Her back was to the door, but she spun the swivel chair around to face Stephanie. She gave her a smile and a thumbs-up signal.
Stephanie angled her head in question, then eased the door closed and took a seat opposite Ann Marie.
Ann Marie flashed a self-satisfied grin on her cherub face when she finished with her call. “Well, you can t’ank me now or you can t’ank me lata.”
“What exactly am I thanking you for?”
“I used all me skills and contacts and found you an office for your business for cheap!” She grinned triumphantly.
“An office?” Her stomach muscles knotted. On any other day it would have been fabulous news.
“Yes, chile, an office. You can’t run a real business in this tiny box. How’re you going to entertain your big-time clients?”
Ann Marie had been instrumental in getting Stephanie’s business license and supporting her dream of starting her own PR company after she’d quit her job at H. L. Reuben. Of all the girls, it was Ann Marie who surprised her most when she’d come to her aid and encouraged her to step out on faith. Over the years she and Ann Marie had been like oil and water.
At times she thought it was simply Ann Marie’s feisty Jamaican roots that rubbed her the wrong way. But Ann Marie had changed, she’d mellowed, the bristle around her edges had softened. As a result Stephanie lowered the barrier she’d kept between herself and Ann Marie and they’d finally become real girlfriends.
Stephanie tossed her head. Her shoulder-length weave fell into perfect waves to frame her face. She held up her hand. “Wait, you got me an office?”
“You goin’ deaf? That’s what me said, mon.” She sucked her teeth in mock annoyance.
Stephanie pushed out a breath. “Ann, I don’t know if I’m ready…for an office.” Her voice faded with each word.
Ann Marie frowned and leaned forward. “I thought you would be excited. Ya look like someone stole something from ya.”
Stephanie tried to play it off, but it was too much trouble. She glanced over her shoulder to be sure the door was closed. She drew her chair closer to the table, the wooden legs scraping across the floor.
“I got a call today.”
“From who?”
“Conrad’s wife.”
“Oh, damn.” She threw her hands up in the air. “What she wan’now? Guess law and order don’t mean not’ing to ’er.” She jumped up from her seat and began pacing, her high heels popping like bullets against the floor. She stopped in midstep and swung a look at Stephanie. “Well, what ’appened?”
“I mean she said the same crap she’s been saying except…”
“Except what?”
“I don’t know, Ann,” she said, sounding defeated. “It was different. Kinda scary. I haven’t been able to shake it all morning.” She visibly shuddered, then looked up at Ann Marie. “To tell you the truth—and not that I don’t appreciate your efforts, but I’d just feel safer—here for a while.”
Ann Marie pursed her lips and blew out a measured breath then slowly sat back down. “Did she threaten you?”
“Not anything like an ‘I’m gonna kill you’ kind of threat, but…she said it wasn’t over. The thing is it’s not so much what she said, but how she said it. It was creepy.”
“Did you tell Tony?”
She shook her head. “He’d already left for work. He had a meeting with a new client.”
“Listen, she can’t be crazy enough to really bother you. You have a restraining order against ’er. Call the police and let them know.”
“I want the whole thing to go away!” She slapped her palm down on the table. “Damn it.” She covered her face with her hands.
Ann Marie got up and came around to the other side of the table. She knelt down next to Stephanie. “It’s going to be okay. The office space can wait.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “You can’t let ’er get to you.”
“I know, I know.” She lifted her head toward the ceiling. “I’m just being silly. Probably PMS.”
Ann Marie pushed herself up to a standing position. “Yeah, that’s probably it.” She squeezed her shoulder.
There was a light knock on the door.
“Oh, that’s probably Terri,” Stephanie said, sniffing hard, then shaking her head. She drew in a breath and stood up. She went to the door and opened it. “Hi, Terri. Right on time.”
“Traffic as usual was murder. I was sure I was going to get here for the dinner rush.” She stepped in. “Ann Marie, good to see you again.”
“I’m always happy to see a woman who can come up with brilliant ideas to bring handsome men right to my doorstep.”
The women laughed. The Pause Man campaign had been such an overwhelming success they’d had to extend the deadline. The concept was that the Pause Man would actually represent the spa. He would have to be not only good to look at, but physically fit, nutrition oriented, and willing to be a spokesman, so he had to have personality as well. Terri had been able to get the backing of major sponsors as part of the prize package.
“I aim to please,” Terri said.
“I have an appointment to show a house in an hour. I better get moving,” Ann Marie said, slipping into her broker mode. “Take care, Terri.” She looked at Stephanie. “Don’t forget what I said.”
“I won’t.”
Ann Marie walked out.
Terri turned to Stephanie. “Everything okay? I feel like I walked in on something.”
“No, everything is fine. Just going over some spa stuff.”
Terri took off her coat and sat down. “So…let’s get the campaign stuff out of the way and talk business.”
Stephanie brightened. “Yes, let’s.”
“When are we going to see you again, Tony?” Leslie stood in the frame of her front door.
“I’ll try to get back out here next month, sis.”
“Next month! Tony…you gotta do better than this. Your daughter needs you. I’m tired of lying to her about where you are, why you can’t stay when you do decide to drop by. She’s just a little girl, Tony. It’s bad enough that she lost her mother. She may as well have lost you, too!”
“I’m doing the best I can,” he shot back.
Leslie