Chadwick's Rare Find (An Intriguing Romance Novel) (4 page)

“Excuse me, Mr. Jordan, but I do think this is a business meeting and I hate to ask this of you, because I know you are all grown and everything, but since you clearly are showing no signs of behaving, I need to request that you trade seats with Christy right now.  I’m sure sitting beside me won’t be as much of a distraction, while we settle this business.”  As she finished speaking it was comical to see that Brittany and Chadwick both had the same look of astonishment on their faces.  Amber loved to catch people off guard, because when taken unawares people tended to blindly do what was asked of them, as was happening before her very eyes.  Christy had quickly jumped up.  Chadwick with a look of confusion on his face was sliding away from Brittany and into the booth beside Amber.  

“Now, let us begin.”  Amber said with all the self-importance she had hoarded since attaining her undergraduate degree.  She was proud and was making no apologies for it.  Looking directly at Chadwick, she purred, “Do you have enough room? You can move closer if you are on the edge.”  He burst out laughing, a loud throaty laugh that shook his whole body.  All three of the Bradfield sisters stared at him.  This made him laugh harder.  

When he finally stopped laughing, he wiped his eyes and said, “This is really something.  My sisters would not believe this.  Vana and Adanna should be here.  I would love to have all of you in the same room.  Now that would be an event.” 

Seeing that no comment was forthcoming from the girls, Chadwick thumped the table lightly with his fist, a signal for business to begin. He turned toward Amber. “How much do I owe your sister, Amber?”  All humor had gone out of his face to be replaced again by that bored look that he had walked in with. 

“I’m sure you realize this is not the ethical way of handling a situation like this.  Her car needs to be assessed and she needs an estimate from a body shop as to damage.”  All of sudden, Amber realized what this must feel like to him...extortion.  She was beginning to feel embarrassed. 

Chadwick picked up one of the napkins Brittany had gotten with her drink.  Reaching into his shirt pocket he produced a pen and quickly wrote a figure on it and pushed it to Amber. “Would this begin to make reparation or would you require more?”  

Amber looked at the figure and cringed as she quickly pushed the paper back to him.  Brittany snatched it up and blinked once, twice, and flinched as Christy snatched it from her and said in a whisper, “No way.”  

“What? No way, what?” Raising his eyebrows Chadwick looked at all three sisters waiting to see if they were extortionist with pretty faces or moralist.  He hoped fervently that his estimation that they were moralist was correct.  He had no wish for a money-hungry future wife.  The wrong answer and he would walk away and make a valiant effort to forget Brittany’s beautiful face and caramel eyes forever. 

“No, this won’t be handled this way.  I will tell you exactly how this is going to be handled.  You are going to tell me where my car is.  Then I am going to call a body shop to pick it up and give me an estimate.  Whatever that body shop charges to replace that door will be your responsibility.  That is the end of this ridiculous meeting.”  Brittany’s words were rushed because of her embarrassment and anger.  He thought they would stoop so low as to accept that sum of money for a car accident that did not even involve injuries.  The amount he was offering suggested they were immoral.  If they took it, they were thieves.  

Brittany was pushing against Christy to get out of the booth.  Christy quickly got up again and looked down at her feet.  Brittany and Amber both were staring at Chadwick who was grinning.   He stepped out of the booth and gave Brittany a piece of paper with the police station address and his insurance information on it. Brittany took it and all three sisters got busy gathering purses and keys in preparation to leave.  

Chadwick wrapped his fingers around Brittany’s upper arm and turned toward Amber. “Could you girls give me a minute with Brittany?  She won’t be long.”  Amber looked at Brittany and Brittany nodded. 

“Good-bye Mr.  Jordan.  It was interesting,” was all Amber said as she and the still silent Christy walked away. 

Chadwick had thought carefully about this next move.  He knew that Brittany would never agree to go out with him.  She had already made it clear she did not like him.  He knew she was sexually attracted to him.  He sensed that when he had his body pressed against hers in the booth.  Her mind might not want him, but the rest of her did.   

Chadwick usually had a full body massage every six months. The thought of Brittany giving him one was causing him some discomfort in his lower regions.  He knew better than to ask for one.  He would only embarrass himself.  So, he had a different brilliant idea. 

“Brittany, I need to ask a favor of you.  I know I could ask any number of different people, but since I am now acquainted with you, it only makes sense that you should be the one.  My father and mother have traveled by train two days to get here for my sister, Adanna’s yearly family gathering.  They’ve been complaining about neck soreness and leg soreness. I was wondering if you could pencil them in for a massage sometime this week, before they get back on the train to go home next Monday.”   

Brittany stared into his beautiful black eyes and could not believe that he was trying to manipulate her.  Her only way out was to use the fact that she did not have transportation.  “I would Chadwick, but I don’t have my car and it would disrupt my sisters’ schedules to ask for either of their cars.”  

“I already thought of that.  I wouldn’t mind coming to get you.  I am here on vacation and I have nothing better to do.”  

It was clear that Mr. Chadwick Jordan enjoyed getting his way. It was also clear that Brittany had met Amber’s match.  This man and her sister would surely make the Channel Seven News if they were confined in a small room together for any prolonged length of time.  Their personalities were eerily alike.  Growing up with Amber had given Brittany much skill at handling obstinacy.  Never fight with an unreasonable individual.  Actions are the only thing they understand.  If an unyielding person feels conflict, they dig their heels in and they always win.  So, Brittany knew exactly what to do.  

“I would love to, but I never accept clandestine appointments.  I take appointments only from the clients themselves.  So, if your mother and father call me, I would be more than happy to see them at their convenience.”  She made her smile warm as she looked into his eyes. 

At this juncture, Chadwick looked uncomfortable. The only thing he could do was agree. 

“Okay, that’s not a problem.  I will have them make the appointment.  Do you have any business cards?”  

Brittany reached into her purse and slid out one of her cards.  She was hesitant to give it to this man.  She suddenly felt as if her card had too much personal information on it.  Her full name,  website, email address, cell phone number, fax number, all seemed byways for stalking when she considered Chadwick’s persistence.  He had long since let her arm go and as she stood facing him, she could still feel his hand print burning into her arm. What was this searing attraction she had for this man anyway?  She had never felt this way about anybody else touching her.  These thoughts raced through her mind as she handed him her business card.  

“I will look forward to hearing from your parents.  Thanks again, Chadwick for meeting with us.  Since we have an understanding between us, maybe things will settle down now.  I’m going to go on and catch up with my sisters.  Be careful heading home and I mean that sincerely.”  She smiled at him as they exited the doors together. 

Chadwick stood on the curb and watched her get into the car. She was all legs and sexual flow.  He could see her fastening her seatbelt across her body.  Could one be envious of a seatbelt?  He was jerked out of his reverie as that Amber person burned tires pulling out. With a honk of the horn they were gone.  

He stood there shaking his head.  Brittany had done it again.  Just when he thought he had a handle on the situation she had snatched it from him. She had done it much more smoothly this time. Chadwick wasn’t strapped down on a stretcher, but he was just as powerless.  Everything rested on his mom and dad’s cooperation and the only way he would get that would be to come up with some fantastic story or tell them the truth about why he desperately wanted another encounter with Brittany, the masseuse whose car door he had torn off.   Mom would be easy, but Dad was a bear.  Why had he mentioned his father anyway?  

Brittany’s cell phone rang around nine-thirty in the morning.  She answered and was greeted by the cheerful voice of Chadwick’s mother.  

“Hello, Brittany.  I was told I needed a massage,” Mrs. Jordan said pleasantly. 

“You must be Chadwick Jordan’s mom,” Brittany laughed. 

Mrs. Mara Jordan chuckled.  “Yes, I am.  Mara Jordan at Chadwick Jordan’s service!  For the sake of peace, I am doing what I was told.   I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but somehow James and I have been drawn into the battlefield.  I want you to know that James, Chadwick’s father, won’t be happy to be a part of this.” 

“We have resolved everything concerning the accident.  If there is something else going on, I don’t know anything about it.  Please feel free to decline my services, Mrs. Jordan.  Don’t let Chadwick bully you,” Brittany said playfully. 

She was mildly surprised to be hearing from Chadwick’s mom.  To her knowledge most wealthy people never inconvenienced themselves by making their own appointments.  To say that she did not accept third-party appointments had been ridiculous.  Mrs. Jordan seemed to realize that. Why Chadwick fell for it, was beyond her imagination. 

“When Chadwick told me about your policy of not accepting third-party appointments, I was outdone.  Chadwick, who is intelligent most of the time, should have known how absurd that is.  Your business would suffer with a policy like that.  His secretary makes massage appointments for him all the time. The fact that he took you seriously is really interesting. Well dear, your plan to get rid of him may have worked, but I happen to be bored and Chadwick is providing all the excitement. So, I am calling to request a massage for my husband.  Will you accept this third-party appointment, Brittany?”  Mrs. Jordan’s matronly tone gave Brittany pause.  She knew a summons when she heard one.  She had a vision of Chadwick, his mom, and his dad at her door demanding an explanation for her refusal to give them massages, while Amber ranted and raved in the background about people’s rights, legal consequences of harassment, etc.   Suddenly, it seemed a good idea to accept the appointment.  Amber remembered her policy never to argue with unyielding people.  She would have another chance at thwarting Chadwick’s schemes.  Unfortunately, now was not the time. 

“I will accept your appointment.  I just need to ask a few questions concerning your husband’s health.  I have to let you know there is a medical release that has to be signed.” 

  “Ask your questions, dear, and let us set the time and day.”  Mrs. Jordan was all business now that she had gotten her way. 

Brittany and Chadwick’s mother spent another fifteen minutes on the phone insuring that Mr. Jordan was free of blood clots or any other health issues making a full body massage dangerous for him.  Tomorrow, six-thirty in the afternoon, was the agreed upon time for the appointment.  Mrs. Jordan would make arrangements for Brittany’s transportation.  

Mrs. Jordan felt the need to warn Brittany that Mr. Jordan was a grumpy man.  “Out of our many family members there is only one snob among us and unfortunately that is my husband.  He will not be courteous to you tomorrow.  So, please do not expect it.”

  “As long as your husband does not curse me or become violent, the situation should be acceptable Mrs. Jordan.”  Brittany’s voice had loss its warmth.  She was regretting letting herself be cornered.   Chadwick’s father sounded like a jerk.  Yet, she was being told to tolerate him.  Rich people were truly amazing.  She could not afford to forget what kind of people she was dealing with.   

#

After Mara finished talking with Brittany, she felt certain that she had made a mistake involving her husband in the campaign to get Brittany to come to Adanna’s home.  James Jordan was a very complex man.  He had been raised in stark poverty.  As an adult, he had discarded his past and all its memories.  No one could get him to talk about his childhood.  Mara knew his silence was more from pain than shame.  The scars of poverty had left their mark on him in many ways.  This did not cast shadows over their union, instead it strengthened it.   Sometimes the gracious acceptance of shortcomings and failings in one’s mate could forge a bond of love and union that is unbreakable.  Mara and Jordan had enjoyed many years of this kind of love and acceptance and they were fiercely devoted to one another.

Even so, this did not stop James Jordan from being the most exasperating person Mara had ever met.   His thoughts on the population of humble means were outrageously snobbish.  He felt poor people were partly to blame for their own destitution.  To hear him speak, one would never believe that he had experienced poverty.  Instead of allowing his past to mold and influence him, James had studied rich people and imitated every distinguishing trait he could.   

There were two faces to his madness though, because he also hated the rich.  He hated their excesses.  Mara had spent many years finding ways to avoid ever shopping with him.  The few times that were unavoidable had been a debacle.  He would walk behind her like the grim reaper watching her every move.  She would self-consciously rethink every choice before she nervously placed an item in the basket.  The cash register scenes were the worse.  He would become over excited and accuse the cashier of cheating them.  Mara would inevitably go home with a headache and new determination to never enter another store with him.

His complex nature was more of a challenge than burden to Mara.  She enjoyed the different faces of her husband.  The only thing she dreaded was his tendency to be a tyrant.  Money was power and James seemed to relish it, because he had become the most intimidating and oppressive personality within the family.