Chapter 17
“Thank you,” Staci said and accepted the hard hat from the foreman. She followed aimlessly behind him as he showed her the inside of the new store. His mouth was moving, but she didn't have a clue about what he was saying. Her mind was cluttered with her latest brief conversation with Derrick. She wanted to do something to him so he would hurt like she hurt. Something to make him understand how much she needed him. On the way to Corte Madera, she started to turn around and head to his office to tell him off, but she missed the last exit before crossing the San Rafael Bridge. It wouldn't have solved anything anyway. Just would have made her look like a fool.
“Miss Simone, are you satisfied?” the foreman asked.
“Excuse me?” Staci hadn't heard one word he'd said. “I'm sorry, but my mind wandered off.”
The foreman's twisted facial expression said he wasn't too happy about her having wasted his time and breathe. He repeated himself. This time Staci pushed Derrick out of her mind and paid close attention.
“Did you understand me this time, Miss Simone? Or do I need to repeat myself again?”
The foreman smiled, and Staci wanted to slap the silly grin off his face. She was mad at her husband, but Mr. Foreman had just earned the right to take the wrath meant for Derrick.
“Mr. whatever your name is,” she began, “would you speak to my brother or any other man in that manner?”
“A man would have understood me the first time,” the foreman smirked.
“Oh really? I have something for you to understand.” Staci paused, then said, “You're fired! Do you understand that, or do I need to repeat it? Maybe I should find a man to explain it to you!” Staci removed the hard hat and pushed it against his chest, then stomped away.
When she returned to her office she was still mad. Chloe waited until the smoke settled from the heat of her slamming the door before giving Staci her messages.
“Thanks,” Staci said, without looking up.
“Staci, are you crazy?” Marcus stormed into her office. No doubt Mr. Smart-mouthed Foreman had phoned. “You can't fire him after he's completed most of the work and without good cause.”
Staci rolled her eyes. “He shouldn't have gotten smart with me.”
“What did he say?”
Staci told him.
“You don't think the man had a right to be a little upset after spending all that time showing you around when you weren't paying any attention?”
“I was too mad at Derrick to focus on that weasel,” she snapped.
Marcus folded his arms across his chest. “So you fired a very good contractor, whom, I might add, has stayed well under budgetâwithout causeâbecause you're mad at Derrick?”
Staci leaned back in her chair. It was her time to fold her arms. “Maybe I didn't handle that properly.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Big head, you can save the sarcasm.” She rolled her eyes once again.
“You better stop rolling your eyes before they get stuck.”
Staci conceded. “Look, I know I overreacted. I'll call him tomorrow.”
“No need. I hired him back after I apologized for your irrational behavior. To keep this from happening again, from here on out, I'll deal with him.” He gave a look that dared her to protest.
“Whatever, big head; you're the boss. Now get out of my office.” Staci picked up the stapler from her desk and raised it in the air, aiming for Marcus.
“Is this any way to treat your brother
and
the man who pays your six-figure salary?”
“Get out!” She lifted the stapler higher.
“I'm leaving, but baby girl, you really need to separate work from your personal life. I know it's not easy, but you have to try. If you don't, you're going to let this situation with Derrick destroy you. You're stronger than that. You can handle this.”
After Marcus left, Staci lay her head on the desk. “God, please help me deal with this,” she prayed. Sifting through her messages, she started to return her mother's call first, but then she saw his message. Malcolm had called and left his number.
Staci stared at his number. Maybe this was God's way of helping her deal with the situation. She'd thrown Malcolm's number away, and now when she needed someone to talk to . . .
“I am not the author of confusion. Talk to me.”
Staci ignored the voice and dialed the number. Hearing Malcolm's voice come on the line, she started to hang up, but it was too late.
“Hello,” he said for the second time.
“Malcolm, it's me, Staci.”
“You sound sad. Is everything all right?”
“I've been better,” she sighed.
“You sound like you need a boost. I can meet you in an hour if you want to talk about it,” Malcolm offered.
Staci pondered his suggestion. It wasn't a good idea. “I don't think I should do that.”
“Why not? You want to.”
Staci couldn't deny that she wanted to talk to someone. When she didn't respond, he continued. “I'll meet you at the new Mexican place in an hour, and this time, stay for the entire meal. It'll give me the chance to redeem myself.” Before she could answer, the line went dead. When she called him back, he didn't answer.
“What am I doing?” she asked herself. She asked the same question again an hour later when she walked through the doors of the Mexican restaurant. This wasn't right. She couldn't fill the emptiness like this. Staci decided to leave, but before she could turn to leave, Malcolm approached her carrying a floral bouquet.
“Good evening, my beautiful friend.” He bore such a jubilant smile, Staci couldn't help but return his with one of her own.
“You're awfully happy this evening.”
“I'm always happy to be in the company of a beautiful woman.” Malcolm's dark eyes captured hers as he stepped closer. “You're more beautiful than I remember.”
A shiver ran down Staci's back at the sound of his voice, and she redirected her eyes to the flowers. “Who are those for?”
“For my friend, of course.” Malcolm held the flowers out to her.
“Thank you.” She accepted them and tried to remember the last time Derrick had given her flowers, but couldn't.
“Our table is ready.” Malcolm delicately placed his arm around her waist and led her to the booth. His touch made her uneasy, and she stepped out of his grip. Once they were seated and had placed their orders, Staci relaxed.
“Tell me what's on your mind,” Malcolm said, offering Staci his full attention.
She sipped her virgin Strawberry Daiquiri. “You go first.”
“Tell me about Mr. Simone.”
His request confused her. Why did he want to know about her father? “What?”
“I want to know everything about the man, so I can make sure I don't follow in his footsteps.”
It was then she realized he thought Simone was her married name. She didn't deem it necessary to correct him. “What footsteps might that be?” Staci said, before taking another sip.
“The ones he used to break your heart,” Malcolm answered, before taking a sip of his drink.
Staci didn't like hearing those words, although it was the truth. Derrick not only broke her heart, he'd crushed it. “You don't have anything to worry about. We're only friends, remember? Besides, there isn't much to tell about my husband.”
Malcolm wasn't convinced. “How did you meet Mr. Simone?”
“We met in college.”
Malcolm appeared to ponder. “Let me guess. He was a ballplayer, and you were captain of the cheerleading squad.”
Staci was taken aback at how close his guess had been. She wasn't captain of the cheerleading squad, but she was certainly number seventy-two's biggest fan back then. “Something like that.” She dipped her chip into the salsa.
“What happened? What made you stop cheering?”
“People change,” was her reply, but inside, she knew Derrick hadn't changed that much. She had just overlooked his issues back then. Her feelings for him hadn't changed either. If he walked into the restaurant right now, she'd run into his arms.
“You didn't answer me the other night. Is your husband the gospel artist?”
“No, he's not.” Malcolm didn't need to know Marcus is her brother and business partner. “He's not a musician; he's a dentist.” Relief washed over her when the waitress delivered her chicken Caesar salad; she was tired of his questions. “Tell me about your family. Where are you from?” she asked after saying grace out loud. Malcolm sat back and watched.
“I grew up in Fresno. I'm an only child. Both of my parents are deceased,” he answered before cutting into his steak.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Don't be.”
Staci didn't care for the way he dismissed the passing of his parents, but let it pass. The rest of the meal she shared vague details about her family, but what Malcolm seemed to be interested in most was her relationship with her husband.
“You've known your husband since college. Does that mean he's the only lover you've known?”
Staci choked on a tortilla strip and had to wash it down with water. “Malcolm, the number of lovers in my past or present is none of your business.”
“You're right. It's none of my business.” Malcolm studied her face. “What happened? What made the two of you grow apart?”
“Stop talking!”
the voice warned, but Staci ignored it.
“Several things. For one, we stopped communicating; then he stopped spending time with me,” Staci answered against her better judgment. She went on to tell Malcolm about the late nights and his refusal to communicate with her.
Malcolm took a sip of water before planting the seed. “Do you think he's having an affair with someone at his office? Or maybe he's gay.”
Staci shook her head. “No, my husband is not gay, of that I'm certain. He's not having an affair either.” The idea of Derrick and Rhonda being intimately involved had crossed her mind, but she believed Derrick when he assured her nothing was going on between them. Derrick was an introvert and selfish, but he wasn't a liar.
“Are you sure?” Malcolm placed his hand on top of hers. “Why else would a man choose to spend all of his time away from home when he has someone as beautiful as you at home waiting for him?”
Staci snatched her hand away. “I'm positive.” She wasn't going to tell him about Derrick's insecurities. “My husband may be insensitive and inconsiderate, but he's not a cheat.”
“I don't mean to upset you, but it does make sense.”
“That's because you don't know my husband.” Staci amazed herself. Derrick walked out on her, and here she was defending him.
Malcolm must have sensed he wasn't going to get anywhere and changed the subject. “Tell me, what do you like to do for fun? Do you have any hobbies?”
Fun, that's something she hadn't had in a long time, at least with a man. She and Derrick used to enjoy attending art festivals or touring Napa Valley from a hot air balloon. Sometimes they would go rollerblading, then have a picnic in the park. What she loved most were the long drives up Highway 101 into the mountains. During those times, they would talk and laugh and share each other's dreams. They shared their first kiss parked on the shoulder in the midst of the California Redwood Forest.
“That depends on what area you're talking about. I have fun at church, but I also have fun working.” She thought that was a safe answer. Malcolm didn't need to know her recreational activity.
“I wouldn't consider attending church and going to work every day fun.”
Staci chuckled. “You would if you attended my church. As for work, I'm the COO, remember? I don't have to work every day. I do it because I enjoy my job.”
Malcolm tried another jab. “Why do you work? If I were your husband, the only work I'd want you to do is on me.”
The thought of doing anything sexual with Malcolm Leblanc made her stomach turn. “That's why you'll never be my husband, or boyfriend, for that matter,” she responded and watched the smile on his face disappear. “I work because I have the brains to do the job and because I want to.”
“So the money you make has nothing to do with it?” he asked.
Really it didn't. Staci was from a wealthy family. Having money was nothing new to her. She lived very comfortably off of the six figures Marcus pays her, considering she didn't have a mortgage or car payments. With her trust fund, real estate investments, stocks, and Derrick's income, Staci was a multimillionaire. But Malcolm didn't need to know all that. “Like I said, I work because I want to.”