head.
Frustrated by the conflicting emotions coursing through her, she tried to regain composure. She’d been right to not trust him after finding out he worked for Wright and Associates. Lucinda could take her voodoo and her gris-gris back to New York with her. There was no way she’d be getting her heart broken by him again.
Darren searched Market Square and Gay Street before he headed to Jackson and Jackson. No matter what detour she made, he knew Keely would eventual end up back at work.
The smells of morning pastries and fresh brewed coffee mingled with the exhaust of passing cars assaulted his nose. He worked his way around the pedestrians and crossed the street at the crosswalk before going into the Tennessee Building. The building directory listed Jackson and Jackson on the fifteenth floor.
He waited with a group of employees for the elevator to arrive. It took even longer for the car to reach the fifteenth floor because of the many stops made along the way.
“Can I help you?” a receptionist asked in greeting as soon as he stepped off the elevator.
“I’m here to see Keely Jones. Can you direct me to her office?”
“Of course. Ms. Jones’ office is down this corridor and to your right. I’ll ring her assistant to let her know you’re here, Mr.?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll find it.”
“But I need to announce you.” He heard the exasperation in the receptionist’s voice as he walked down the corridor hoping he wouldn’t run into Tate or Edward Jackson.
A cute blonde stopped him before he reached Keely’s office door. He could tell by the way she stood he wasn’t getting past her. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Ms. Jones.”
“Well she’s not in and she isn’t expecting anyone this morning. Can I make you an appointment?”
“No.”
“I’ll tell her you stopped by, Mr—?”
“No. In fact, you never even saw me.” He turned to leave when he heard her say.
“You’re Darren. I think you better come with me.”
He turned back toward her and saw her smiling. “Why?”
“You shouldn’t be seen here. At least take the stairs down two flights. The door opens into a hallway that will lead you back to the elevator.”
He got the feeling the woman would be an ally as he followed her to the stairwell exit. “Do you know where she is?”
“No. In fact she should have been here an hour ago. She texted me and said she had an errand to run on her way into the office.”
He nodded. He’d been the errand.
“I’m Sue by the way,” she extended her hand to him.
“It’s a pleasure, Sue. I’m Darren Wright, but you already know that.”
Sue nodded and her cheeks flushed. “Who wouldn’t? You’ve been the buzz around the office lately. The administrative assistants are pulling for you and Keely to work things out. She needs a good man in her life, even if you didn’t tell her you worked for the competition. The Jacksons have no right to keep you apart.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I need all I can get.”
“Anytime. Should I mention to Keely you were here?”
“Sure.” Darren slipped down the stairs until he came to the hallway she’d mentioned. Then he tried calling Keely on her cell phone. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of that before. It could have saved him a lot of looking in all the wrong places.
As usual, he got her voice mail. “Keely, we need to talk. Call me.”
Chapter Twelve
Keely didn’t bother going into the office. She called in sick. Something she never did unless she truly was flat on her back in bed. Neither her head nor her heart was in shape for work today. Unfortunately, going home meant she had to face Lucinda.
Getting out of the car, Keely walked over to the fenced-in lot and checked on Duke, stalling as long as she could before she went inside.
The aroma of chicory coffee and sweet beignets greeted her when she opened the backdoor. Her stomach growled and her mouth watered at the
Frustrated by the conflicting emotions coursing through her, she tried to regain composure. She’d been right to not trust him after finding out he worked for Wright and Associates. Lucinda could take her voodoo and her gris-gris back to New York with her. There was no way she’d be getting her heart broken by him again.
Darren searched Market Square and Gay Street before he headed to Jackson and Jackson. No matter what detour she made, he knew Keely would eventual end up back at work.
The smells of morning pastries and fresh brewed coffee mingled with the exhaust of passing cars assaulted his nose. He worked his way around the pedestrians and crossed the street at the crosswalk before going into the Tennessee Building. The building directory listed Jackson and Jackson on the fifteenth floor.
He waited with a group of employees for the elevator to arrive. It took even longer for the car to reach the fifteenth floor because of the many stops made along the way.
“Can I help you?” a receptionist asked in greeting as soon as he stepped off the elevator.
“I’m here to see Keely Jones. Can you direct me to her office?”
“Of course. Ms. Jones’ office is down this corridor and to your right. I’ll ring her assistant to let her know you’re here, Mr.?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll find it.”
“But I need to announce you.” He heard the exasperation in the receptionist’s voice as he walked down the corridor hoping he wouldn’t run into Tate or Edward Jackson.
A cute blonde stopped him before he reached Keely’s office door. He could tell by the way she stood he wasn’t getting past her. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Ms. Jones.”
“Well she’s not in and she isn’t expecting anyone this morning. Can I make you an appointment?”
“No.”
“I’ll tell her you stopped by, Mr—?”
“No. In fact, you never even saw me.” He turned to leave when he heard her say.
“You’re Darren. I think you better come with me.”
He turned back toward her and saw her smiling. “Why?”
“You shouldn’t be seen here. At least take the stairs down two flights. The door opens into a hallway that will lead you back to the elevator.”
He got the feeling the woman would be an ally as he followed her to the stairwell exit. “Do you know where she is?”
“No. In fact she should have been here an hour ago. She texted me and said she had an errand to run on her way into the office.”
He nodded. He’d been the errand.
“I’m Sue by the way,” she extended her hand to him.
“It’s a pleasure, Sue. I’m Darren Wright, but you already know that.”
Sue nodded and her cheeks flushed. “Who wouldn’t? You’ve been the buzz around the office lately. The administrative assistants are pulling for you and Keely to work things out. She needs a good man in her life, even if you didn’t tell her you worked for the competition. The Jacksons have no right to keep you apart.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I need all I can get.”
“Anytime. Should I mention to Keely you were here?”
“Sure.” Darren slipped down the stairs until he came to the hallway she’d mentioned. Then he tried calling Keely on her cell phone. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of that before. It could have saved him a lot of looking in all the wrong places.
As usual, he got her voice mail. “Keely, we need to talk. Call me.”
Chapter Twelve
Keely didn’t bother going into the office. She called in sick. Something she never did unless she truly was flat on her back in bed. Neither her head nor her heart was in shape for work today. Unfortunately, going home meant she had to face Lucinda.
Getting out of the car, Keely walked over to the fenced-in lot and checked on Duke, stalling as long as she could before she went inside.
The aroma of chicory coffee and sweet beignets greeted her when she opened the backdoor. Her stomach growled and her mouth watered at the
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