“Aunt J, is there something you’re not saying? Is there some other reason why you came back after all this time?”
Jacqueline patted Dominique’s cheek. “Don’t mind me, sugah. One glass too many has made me all silly and nostalgic.” She flashed her famous smile and sauntered away, but Dominique wasn’t able to shake off the feeling that her aunt wasn’t telling her everything.
“Earth to Dom. Earth to Dom,” Lee Ann called out, waving her hand in front of Dominique’s face.
Dominique blinked away the images and tucked the conversation away, something she hadn’t shared with her sisters. “Sorry. What were you two waxing poetic about again?”
Desiree hopped down from the stool. “All wasted energy Lee, trying to change this girl’s mind.” She stretched her arms high above her head. “I’m going to take a long hot bath and turn in. Early flight in the morning,” she added, looking at Lee Ann.
Dominique stood between her sisters and wrapped her arms around them. “Now, if I tell you two something, I don’t want either of you to blow it out of proportion.” She glanced from one to the other. “I met someone.”
Desiree and Lee Ann’s eyes widened.
“You?” from Desiree. “But what else is new?”
“You mean another someone, right?” Lee Ann teased.
Dominique stepped out of the circle. “Laugh all you want.” She folded her arms.
“A minute ago you were the poster girl for independence. Now you want us to believe that you found someone that’s going to last beyond the thirty-day expiration date.”
“Fine! Laugh.” She snatched up her purse and was about to stomp away.
“Okay, okay, we’re sorry,” Dominique pleaded. “Don’t be like that. We were just teasing.”
Lee Ann took Dominique’s hand. “So…who is it?”
Dominique tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment before blurting out, “Trevor Jackson.”
Chapter 6
It had been more than a week since his meeting with Dominique Lawson. They hadn’t spoken since that day at her office until the phone rang.
“T. Jackson Contracting.”
“Good morning, this is Dominique Lawson. How are you Mr. Jackson?”
Hearing her voice was like a sudden shot of adrenaline that made him knock over his mug of coffee. Its contents splattered across the blueprint for a job that Max had just given him. Trevor blurted an expletive and jumped out of his seat.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry. Not you.” He looked around frantically for some paper towels or napkins. “I’m fine, thanks.” He pulled open one of the drawers and grabbed a wad of napkins. He sopped up the mess the best he could while cradling the phone against his ear.
“Did I catch you at a bad time? I can call back. It sounds like you were in the middle of something.”
“No, not at all. A minor mishap.” He tossed the soggy napkins into the wastebasket.
“I have the contract ready for you to look over if you have the designs completed. Fair exchange?” She laughed lightly.
He looked at the mess he’d made and knew it would take him a few hours to redo the drawings. “Actually, they are. I was putting on the finishing touches.” He lowered himself into his seat.
“That’s good news. I’m tied up all day today but if you’re free, let’s meet for dinner. I can bring the contract. You can bring the designs. We can talk, relax… .We both have to eat right?”
“Tonight? Sure. That sounds fine. Do you have someplace in mind?”
“I was thinking of Blanche’s Chateau on Montgomery and 9th. Do you know the place?”
Did he know the place? Who didn’t know about the Chateau? The prices weren’t listed on the menu. You needed a reservation weeks in advance just to be lucky enough to get a seat by the kitchen. Everyone who was anyone ate there at some time or another. It was someplace that was not on his frequently visited list. Truth was, he’d never set foot in the place. He supposed this was Dominique’s way of reminding him of her name and money.
“Sure, I know where it is.”
“Perfect. I’ll call over and make sure that Charles gets us a good table.”
You do that. His jaw clenched.
“Does eight o’clock work for you?
His temples pounded. “I’ll see you then.”
“Oh, if you get there before me just let them know you’re meeting me. They’ll take good care of you.”
“I’m sure they will.” He was biting down so hard that he was on the verge of cracking a tooth.
“See you at eight,” she said, her voice full of cheer.
“Eight.”
It took all he had not hurl the phone across the room. Instead, he pushed back so hard from the chair that it went slamming against the wall, rattling the framed company licenses that hung there.
“That uppity…” He ran his hand across his face then his head and started to pace the cramped space. “Who does she think she is, anyway? Am I supposed to be impressed…intimidated…embarrassed? This her way of showing me who’s boss?”
“That bad that you’re talking to yourself?”
Trevor’s pacing hitched for a second when he saw Max in the doorway then resumed.
“What the hell happened in here?” His eyes widened in alarm. The wall plaques and certificates were askew. If he wasn’t mistaken it looked like a small pool of light brown liquid had found a home at the foot of Trevor’s desk. He focused on the top of the desk. “Is that my blueprint?” He hurried into the room and lifted the limp page from the desk. “Aw, man, you got to be kidding me.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Trevor snapped.
“You got that right. How’d you manage this and what has you so pissed off, anyway?”
“Her.”
“Come again.”
“Her. Dominique Lawson.”
“I would ask for some coffee to get my thoughts to catch up to yours but it’s spilled all over my blueprint.” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Trevor.
“I guess you’re gonna have to verbally bring me up to speed. What does she have to do with your foul mood and this fiasco?”
Trevor heaved a deep breath. “I just got off the phone with her and you know what she did? She invited me to dinner at some snazzy restaurant.” He went on to explain the phone conversation.
By the time Trevor was finished, the small snickers that Max had held in erupted into full-blown laughter.
“Man, you have got to be kidding me. A beautiful woman invites you to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the state of Louisiana and you’re pissed off. What you need to be doing is getting your one suit out of the cleaners.” He chuckled some more.
“I’m glad I can amuse you. It’s my calling.”
“Look, man, I’m sorry. But for real… What’s the problem? You could probably buy and sell that place without blinking