Something to Talk About (6 page)

Marielle was the event planner for the Detroit Tigers organization and oversaw every special event held at Comerica Park where the Tigers’ home games were played. Besides having a time-consuming and very demanding job, Marielle was also raising two small children alone. Her husband had left her after she announced that she was pregnant with their now one-year-old daughter.
Marielle’s
life revolved around her children and her work and there wasn’t a space, even a tiny one, for personal time.

“Did you have a good time tonight?” she asked.

Alicia said she had. “Bryant is a lovely man. We had a nice meal and a good conversation. You know, you should have come with us, you’d really like him,” she mused, looking at her older sister with appraising eyes. Marielle was a true beauty, with rich, deep brown coloring and a fantastic head of thick, lustrous black hair. She was tall, like Alicia, but way too slender due to her determination to do everything on her own. She could have afforded regular housekeeping help and even a nanny, but she refused, saying that her children were her responsibility. Marielle worked far harder than she needed to, as if to prove something to herself or maybe the world at large. Now she was looking at Alicia with a sligh
tl
y scornful expression.

“No, thank you, lit
tl
e sister.
I
know quite enough men. 
I’m knee-deep in macho males around the clock, and frankly, I’m not impressed by most of them.”

Alicia regretted even suggesting that Marielle meet Bryant. She knew how touchy her sister was on the subject of men. It was her opinion that the reason her sister hadn’t divorced her husband was that she was still in love with him and wanted him back, but she knew better than to ever utter such a statement. She chuckled at the thought of
Marielle’s
rage and what she’d do to her for even thinking such a thing.

Marielle looked at her curiously. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.
Just thinking about something Adam said,” Alicia said hastily. It was only a partial lie; she and Adam made each other laugh all the time.

“Oh. Well, sleep well,
chica,
I’m going to bed,” Marielle said with a yawn.

“
G’night
.” Alicia watched her sister close the door behind her and got into bed. She had every intention of following her sister’s example and going right to sleep, but sleep was a long time coming, and when it did, it was full of dreams of Adam.

***

The next morning, all was right with the world. Alicia did sleep well, so well that she prepared a treat for the family and brought some to work with her. The other employees greeted her offering of two fragrant loaves of banana nut bread with enthusiasm.

“Ooh, Alicia, thank you. You did take the carbs and calories out of this, right?” asked Rhonda, the office manager. Her tongue darted into the corner of her mouth, as she looked longingly at the bread, moist, rich, and dense with bananas and nuts.

Alicia laughed and confessed she’d done no such thing. “You’re on your own there, Rhonda. Overindulgence could mean extra laps in the pool tomorrow,” she warned.

Rhonda sighed, and then shrugged her shoulders. “Oh well, too bad. We do what we must, and right now I must have some of that bread.” She sighed as she sank her teeth into a generous slice.

Paul, another architect, cast a surreptitious glance at Rhonda’s firm, generous backside and curvy hips before helping himself to a slice of the bread. Her attention to her diet and her firmly ingrained exercise habits showed in every inch of her delightful figure.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about on that count, Rhonda. By my calculations you could consume quite a bit more and it wouldn’t have any effect on your figure,” he said with admiration.

Rhonda’s look of surprise at the heartfelt compliment went unnoticed as Adam entered the small break room in the rear of the office suite. “What smells so good, and is there enough for me?” he asked.

Alicia flashed him a brilliant smile and assured him there was plenty. “And I was just about to make some coffee, too.”

That announcement was greeted with a grin from Adam and looks of horror from Paul and Rhonda. They couldn’t tolerate the rich, intense flavor of the Cuban espresso style of coffee that she and Adam favored.

“Ugh, no jet fuel for me this morning, thanks. I’m hyper enough as it is. Paul, don’t forget you have an appointment in Rochester Hills at ten. Alicia, the model maker is coming by to deliver the Garrison project at nine-thirty, and, Adam, you seem to be free until eleven-thirty. I’m going to get ready for the quarterly financials, so if you need me for anything I’ll be in my office,” she reported as she left the room with another slice of the bread.

Paul’s face was full of admiration for Rhonda
’s efficiency
as she left the break room. “Amazing woman, isn’t she? Better than
an iPod
,” he mused as he departed.

The room filled with the aroma of the Cuban coffee as it began to brew. Alicia took a good look at Adam while she took two small cups out of the small cupboard next to the sink. As always, he looked good enough to devour like a piece of her bread. She tried not to let her appetite show on her face. That wouldn’t do at all. But he was pretty hard to resist, she admitted. His hair was still damp from the shower, braided neatly and hanging down his back. He was dressed a bit more formally than usual, wearing khaki dress slacks and a crisp blue oxford cloth shirt unbuttoned at the neck. His navy sport coat was expertly tailored, but she knew it would end up hanging on the back of his office door before long. Adam just couldn’t work if his body was too confined by clothing.
 
He was also observing her closely, and she was relieved to see that whatever coolness had erupted last night had dissipated. He gave her the warm smile that always curled her toes and asked how her dinner with Bryant went.

“Fine.
It was a nice evening, good food, you know,” she said shyly. “He might stop by today to say hello. He’s looking for a place to stay for the summer.”

She wasn’t looking directly at Adam when she said this, or she would have noticed a quick tightening of his jaw that was over almost at once. She poured them each a cup of the hot, inky concoction and they both inhaled with deep pleasure before taking their first sip.

“Thanks for the bread, Alicia. Although I don’t like the idea of you having to get up extra early to make stuff for us, it’s really good.”

She blushed at his sweet tone of voice and waved aside his praise. “It was no trouble, Adam. I get up early every day. It’s not like anyone can sleep once the
Princesa
Mariposa
arises, as you well know. Once my niece opens her eyes, everyone else better get up and tend to her every whim, or else. And I’m glad you like it. I baked another loaf just for you. It’s on your desk,” she told him, enjoying the grin he flashed her way.

Just then Rhonda rang her on the office intercom to inform her that the model of her latest project had arrived early. Adam laughed and said, “You know those guys are crazy about you,
right? That’s why their work is always perfect and always early, they live in hope that you’ll go out with one of them one day.”

Alicia felt her face grow hot again and she gave a short, embarrassed laugh. “Adam, that is so not true! They’re just really professional and good at what they do, that’s all.”

She quickly left the break room and went to meet the Thompson brothers, Troy and Justin, two of the best-known model makers in the business. They could create scale models of anything an architect or designer could conceive and do it with a skill that made the replica come alive. Being able to present a physical version of a concept was critical in the presentation process, and the Thompson brothers were, in Alicia’s opinion, responsible for C&F Design winning many of their bids for highly prestigious projects.

She entered the conference room where the brothers had set up the model, and her face lit up with pleasure. “Oh, guys, this is wonderful.” She sighed. “This is absolutely beautiful, maybe the best one you’ve ever done for us. How can I thank you?”

Adam entered the conference room and took in the scene with amusement, watching the two tall, good-looking, and obviously intelligent men shuffle their feet and look like pleased schoolboys basking in the warmth of Alicia’s praise. He graciously ignored their adoration of his partner and took a look at the model. It was an office tower with an attached atrium that connected it to a pavilion with shops and restaurants leading to a hotel. It was to be constructed in the downtown area of Detroit near the William Clay Ford Stadium and Comerica Park, part of the amazing renovation taking place in the Motor City, as Detroit was fondly known.

“Alicia’s right, guys. You did an amazing job on this,” he praised, walking around the large conference table on which the model rested.

Troy Thompson, the older of the brothers by one year, looked pleased at the accolade, but
immediately
poin
ted
out that it was Alicia’s design that was amazing. Justin was quick to agree.

“This is a fantastic design, Alicia. The whole concept and layout are beautiful,” he said warmly.

Adam looked at the two men reveling in Alicia’s aura and for a moment the two strapping six footers with chiseled features set in smooth, darkly brown skin looked like two overgrown puppies hoping for a pat on the head.
 
I ain’t mad atcha, brothers, I know exactly how you feel,
he thought ruefully. He continued his walk around the table until he was next to Alicia, who was examining the model with every appearance of rapture on her face. She stopped in her perusal to meet Adam’s eyes. Adam reached for her hand and clasped it tightly as he pulled her into a quick embrace.

“They’re right, Allie. This is some amazing work. You have every right to be proud.”

It was as though everyone else in the room disappeared. For Alicia, there was no one there but Adam, nothing but the feel of her body next to his, nothing but the smell of his skin, the warmth
of his arms ... She was dizzy from sensation and content to remain that way, or would have been had Rhonda not stuck her head in the door.

“Umm, Adam, Darcy Hamilton is here to see you,” she said slowly.

Alicia sprang away from Adam as if he were on fire and quickly immersed herself in conversation with the Thompson brothers. Adam tried hard not to let what he was feeling show on his face as he nodded to Rhonda and prepared to follow her up front to greet his visitor. He did cast one more glance at Alicia and her admirers before exiting, however. And he was sure that if Darcy Hamilton knew what he was thinking at that very moment she’d have found someplace else to be, because she was certainly not welcome there.

Chapter Five

The only thing that would have improved Alicia’s disposition was a miracle. She knew she was really
far gone in the Adam department,
otherwise she wouldn’t have been so irritated by Darcy’s little drop-in that morning. She cloistered herself in her office, trying not to grind her teeth, and wished with all her heart that she were the kind of person who could drown her sorrows in drink. She was
as
tense
as a violin string
and angry
with herself
for being that way. She’d always despised jealous, petty women. She had just decided that a nice long run would make her feel better and get rid of the negative energy she’d conjured up. She was preparing to leave the office to go home and get into running clothes when her private line buzzed and her miracle manifested itself.

“Hey, girl, come get me. I’m hungry, I’m tired, and I need to see a friendly face.”

“Roxy!
Girl, where are you? Are you in Detroit?”

“I’m in Novi. Or Troy, someplace
like
that. I’m at the Executive Suites Motel, can you find it?”

“Absolutely!
I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. No, make it thirty minutes,
it’s
construction season. What room are you in?”

After getting the information, Alicia rapidly packed up her briefcase and then decided to leave it at the office. There was no way she was going to be working that night,
not with her best friend Roxy Fairchild
in town. She let Rhonda know she was leaving and left the building in a much better mood than she’d been in earlier. She hadn’t seen Roxy in a few years due to Roxy’s schedule and her own and she was looking forward to this evening with all her heart. It was impossible to be gloomy or even out of sorts around Roxy; she was the most lively and effervescent person in the world. Alicia laughed with the anticipation of seeing her old friend again.
 
In a short time she’d made it to the luxurious suite-styled inn where Roxy was staying and quickly found Roxy’s door. She knocked impatiently and heard an “I’m coming!” The door was opened and Alicia almost had the breath knocked out of her by the force of nature that was Roxy Fairchild.

“You look gorgeous, kiddo, now let’s go. I’m starving!”