“We have a great chocolate cake with extra frosting and a dark chocolate drizzle. And there is a caramel drizzle as well.”
“I like that. I want to have a cake with both drizzles.”
“Excellent choice, sir. I'll check on the seafood quiche and get back to you about what I can do.”
“Thank you so much,” Zach said. After hanging up, he called housekeeping.
“Mr. Harrington, is there a problem?” the woman who answered the phone asked.
“No, but I need some candles and rose petals.”
“I'm sorry?”
“I have a special lady coming to visit me tonight, and I want to create a sexy mood. Can you help me out?”
The woman laughed, then said yes. “I have candles, but you're going to have to get your own roses. There's a florist on Fourth Street.”
“That's awesome. Now, where is Fourth Street?”
She laughed again and gave him directions. Zach glanced at his watch. He had plenty of time to get everything together. As he headed for his car, his cell phone rang.
“Zoe,” he muttered when he saw his sister's face appear on the screen. “What's up, sis?”
“Where are you, and are you sitting down?”
“Not sitting yet. What's going on?”
She blew into the phone. “Natalie is out of jail, and her case has been thrown out.”
“What in the . . . How in hell did that happen?”
“Missing evidence or something like that.”
“Bullshit. I bet she had a federal judge on her list too. This woman is like the Teflon Pimp.”
“But it gets better. She's doing the
I'm the victim
media tour. And is talking about suing for defamation.”
“Who's going to take that case?”
“Are you sitting yet?”
“Spill it, Zoe.”
“Ever heard of the Legal Center for Women?”
“What? Wait, that's Chante's firm.”
“A source told me that Natalie is in Charlotte meeting with your girlfriend.”
Zach closed his eyes. This. Was. A. Nightmare. “I'm sure Chante won't take her case.”
“I bet she will. New firm, all about empowering women. Can you imagine the press she'd get taking this case? I bet you're glad you didn't go traipsing after her in North Carolina.”
“Zoe, I'm in Charlotte right now. And I probably narrowly missed seeing Natalie when I left Chante's office.”
“I can't believe you. After everything you went through to restore the business, you're back on the chase. You're proof that women run the world and we just allow you men to live in it.”
“What are you ranting about?”
“I think these women are setting you up.”
Zach rolled his eyes. But what if she was right? “Where are you right now?”
“In the Bronxâwhy?”
“Not that I think you're right, but I'm going to see if there is something going on with Chante and Natalie. I'm going to need your help.”
“This must be serious because you never want my help when it comes to a woman.”
“I'll call you back.” Zach hopped into his car and headed for Chante's office. He silently prayed that Zoe was wrong.
Chapter 21
Chante sat across from Natalie Duvall Harrington and tried to remain professional. There was no way she'd take her case. But she did want to get a good look at the former Mrs. Zachary Harrington. She was pretty. Okay, the woman was gorgeousâwith her auburn bob, hazel eyes, and café au lait skinâbut full of shit.
“I've taken the fall for a lot of men,” Natalie said. “I was the scapegoat, and powerful men are just going on with their lives while I'm being called the âHarlem Madame.'”
“So the call-girl ring wasn't your idea, as the court documents say?”
She narrowed her eyes at Chante. “My ex-husband left me broke. I needed something to do. It's not as if I have experience in real estate or anything. I thought my marriage was going to be forever, and when it wasn't, I was depressed.”
Leaning back in her chair, Chante folded her hands underneath her chin. “So you were depressed and allowed someone to talk you into getting involved in an illegal enterprise?”
“When you say it like that it makes me seem crazy.”
“Natalie, I sympathize with your situation, but I don't see a winnable case here. You got off on a technicality. Take that as a victory and move on.”
“I know who you are, and I know why you're turning me down. You think you and Zach have some sort of future, don't you?”
“Get out of my office.”
“Chante Britt, you're going to end up on the wrong side of heartache again. Zach isn't the man you think he is, and I can't wait until both of you fall off your high horses.”
Chante rose to her feet. “Why are you here, because I know you didn't actually want me to represent you or help you rehab your image.”
Natalie smiled. “I'd like to start over, and I need money to do so, because New York will no longer be home for me.”
“Is this a shakedown? Seriously? You came to a lawyer to blackmail her? Tell me why I shouldn't call the police right now and have your ass hauled out of here.”
Rising to her feet, Natalie crossed over to Chante. “You want your new venture to be successful. The bad press you'd get from calling the police and telling them I was here, yet you refused to help me, is going to tank your fledgling firm. How are women going to be able to trust you when you can't help me?”
“You're not the kind of woman who needs help. You're a liar who doesn't mind stepping on people to get what you want.”
“Funny, you think the media will see that side of me? I have powers of persuasion that rival the truth at every turn. How do you think I convinced the FBI that your boo was involved with the call-girl ring? That boring motherfucker wouldn't even bet on the ponies. Maybe you two are made for each other. You seem boring as hell too, but you have some cash that I need. Make it happen, or everything you're trying to build is going to sink like the
Titanic
.” Natalie sashayed out of the office, and Chante stood there with her mouth wide open.
Was the woman serious? Chante hit the intercom button. “Gabby, the woman who just walked out of here? Never let her back in this office again.”
“Yes, ma'am. Can I come in and talk to you?”
“Sure. I think it's about time for us to shut down for the day anyway.”
Gabby walked into Chante's office and took a seat across from her boss's desk. “I heard from Robert this morning. He said he wants to work things out with us, and he's dropping out of the race for mayor.”
“What do you think of all of that?” Chante asked.
Sighing, tears welled up in Gabby's eyes. “I feel like he's settling, and I'm not his first choice. Chante, I'm not you. I'm not as smart as you are, and . . .”
“Stop. Stop it. You are enough. And you're right: you shouldn't be anyone's second choice, and you damned sure don't have to be like me.”
“Over these last few weeks, I've seen what you've done here without anyone's help. I want to be that kind of woman. Not someone's second choice or a stand-in for the life he thought he could have with someone else. Why can't I find a man to love me and my potential?”
“How do you feel about you?”
“What do you mean?” she asked with a confused look on her face.
“You have to love you before you can expect someone else to love you back. Until you are the most important person in your world, you can't think that you're going to be that person to someone else.”
“What if this is all I am? I mean, this job is wonderful, but I'm a receptionist. I'm not making a difference here.”
“Yes, you are! I couldn't run this place without you. Think about this: if you want to do more, then you have to plan for your future. Have you thought about going back to school?”
“Back to school? I guess I could do that. I think I want to be a lawyer like you.”
Chante hid her smile. Who would've thought she'd be able to save somebody from Robert? Whether or not Gabby went to school, she was already showing that she was smarter than she'd seemed when she first walked in the door.
Glancing down at her watch, Chante wanted to bolt. She and Zach were having dinner at seven, and she wanted to get a pedicure, but she wasn't going to leave until she was sure Gabby wasn't going to do something destructive for herself.
“Where did you go to school?” Gabby asked.
“The University of North Carolina.”
“Maybe I should apply there in the fall.”
“That is a great idea. I'll write you a letter of recommendation.”
Gabby rose to her feet and hugged Chante. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Chante broke the embrace and smiled at Gabby. “I'm going to expect a lot from you. I'm going to check on you and make sure you're doing what you're supposed to do.”
“I'm going to make us proud. And then I'm going to pass the bar.”
“And I'm going to hire you.”
“Do you mean it?”
“One thing you will learn about me is that I keep my word. Now you're going to have to keep your word to yourself.”
Gabby nodded. “I'm going to do that. Because I'm promising myself that I'm going to be the best damned lawyer in the state. People are going to be clamoring to have me represent them in court.”
“I'm going to hold you to that,” Chante said. “Why don't you head home and get your applications together.”
“All right. I'm finally going to do something that will make a difference. Thank you, Chante.”
“You don't have to thank me. Just find yourself. And know that I'm in your corner.”
The women embraced again, and Chante felt as if she had found her purpose. Saving Gabby and making her think about her future meant more to her than winning Amanda's case or anything else she'd been working on.
“If you need anything, I'm here for you,” Chante said.
“Thank you for giving me hope,” Gabby said as she headed for the door.
“You can thank me when you get your degree,” Chante said with a smile.
Â
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Zach parked his rental car and watched Natalie get into a black Ford Escape. He would've never pegged his ex for driving a compact car, but if she was trying to hide, then this vehicle made sense. Pulling behind her, Zach blocked her exit. Climbing out of his car, he tapped on Natalie's window.
“I don't believe this,” she muttered as she rolled her window down. “Stalking me?”
“I think it's the other way around,” he snapped. “Why are you here?”
Natalie opened the door and got out of the car. She gave Zach a cold stare. “I'm here because I want to start over. New York is no longer my home, thanks to you.”
“Thanks to me? That's a laugh. I didn't run a sex ring selling barely legal women selling themselves.”
“You don't care about those women. You were upset because your little business got brought into my case. I knew it would kill you. And having that witch of a sister of yours arrested was just the icing on the cake.”
“You're so unhappy with your life that you wanted to ruin my family.”
“Please,” she grunted. “You and your perfect family. None of you ever made me feel welcome or that I was good enough to be a Harrington. I was just your little freak. Behind closed doors I was your world, but when it came to your family, you didn't put me first.”
“You're kidding, right?” Zach laughed and shook his head. “When I married you, I tried to include you in everything. You were the one who had other things to do and acted standoffish when Zoe came around. And you were the one who walked out on me.”
“Oh, you want me back?”
“Yeah, I want to be with a lying, conniving snake,” he gritted. “You enjoy ruining people's lives, don't you?”
She rolled her eyes. “What about me? No one ever thinks about what I need and what I want!”
“You sound like a petulant child. Grow up.”
“Go to hell. When I realized that marrying you was just another mistake, I used you to get what I needed so I could connect with some heavy hitters. I'm glad you left your computer open. And when she figures out who you are, she's going to leave you too.”
“Chante's nothing like you. She doesn't use people because she's bored.”
“Keep thinking that. We had a great conversation. I taught her some tricks to get what she wants from you.” Natalie winked at him. “With this new law firm, she's going to need media attention, and you're just the clown to help her get it.”
“Stay away from me and Chante.”
“I want to disappear as much as you want me to. It's just going to cost you.”
“You're out of your mind.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Are you telling me that three hundred thousand dollars isn't worth peace of mind?”
“Not at all. I wouldn't give you a dime.”
“Then keep looking over your shoulder wondering when I'm going to show up and ruin your life with Little Miss Perfect.”
“Natalie, you're an idiot. It won't be long before you're in jail again. That's all I'm going to be looking over my shoulder to see.”
She sneered at him. “I've honed my skills. As you can see, I'm not in jail now, am I?”
“That will change if you don't get off my property,” Chante said as she crossed over to the scene in the parking lot.
Natalie smiled at Chante as if they were best girlfriends. “You don't have to keep up the act. I told Zachary everything.”
“Really?” Chante asked, slapping her hand on her hip. “You know, I don't like trespassers. I think you should leave, Natalie.”
She nodded at Chante. “I get it. You don't want him to know that we're working on a plan together. My lips are sealed.”
“Your lips are lying. Leave or I will call the police.”
“I make you two uncomfortable? Is that why everyone keeps talking about calling the police? I've committed no crime.”
“When did blackmail become legal?” Chante asked.
“I asked you for a donation,” she said.
Chante rolled her eyes. “Extortion is extortion.”
Natalie looked from Zach to Chante and shook her head. “You two want to live a perfect and stress-free life. I want that for you too, but I need some cash. Some money to start over, or I can set up my new life right here. Seriously, Chante, how many sex scandals do you want to be involved in?”
“Bi . . . You know what, you're not even worth the breath it would take to cuss you out.”
“But how much is your happily ever after worth to you? You want be Cinderella. I can be your fairy godmother or the evil stepmom. The choice is yours.”
“Leave!” Zach exclaimed. “No one is giving you a damned dime, and you will not threaten Chante.”
Natalie threw her hands up. “Touchy, touchy, touchy. You must really be smitten.” She dropped her hands and turned to Chante. “It won't last long, so take advantage while you can.” Smiling, she started for her car. “And just so you know, I don't make threats. Ask Zoe. Will you move your car so that I can leave?”
Zach glared at her and then headed for his car. Chante took a step toward Natalie.
“I'm not going to let you or anyone else ruin what I have here. So if you're looking for money or some kind of payoff, you're barking up the wrong tree.”
“That's what you say now. But when you can't get even the lowest client, you're going to regret trying to stand with this clown.” Natalie hopped in her car as Zach backed away. Chante squeezed her nose, holding back her scream. This was not what she needed right now. But there was no way in hell that she was going to cave to extortion.
When Zach moved his car and Natalie zoomed out of the parking lot, Chante wondered how Zach knew that Natalie was at her office. Dropping her head in her hand, she wondered if this was a part of a bigger plan. “Damn it,” she muttered as Zach got out of his car.
“How did you know she was here?” Chante asked as he approached her.
“Zoe told me. Why was she here?”
Chante folded her arms across her chest. “Is something going on that I need to know about? Is your sister having me followed and investigated? Zach, I don't need this stress while I'm trying to start a practice.”
“Stress? I'm causing you stress?”
Chante placed her hands to her temples. “That's not what I'm saying,” she said with a sigh. “I don't know how that woman found me, and I want nothing to do with her. But I'm not giving her a damn dime.”