Slow Seduction (8 page)

“
Clinton
Campbell
.”

“Finally, you answer the phone. I was tried of leaving a message on the answering machine,”
Hayward
said.

“Hey,
Hayward
….how are you doing? Did True have a good time? How are my nephews doing?”
Clinton
saw Jenisha tense up beside him at the sound of his brother’s name.

“I’m doing wonderful, and the trip was amazing. True enjoyed it a lot because it was her first time to
Hawaii
. Dad stayed here with the boys while we were gone. When we got back they wanted ice cream, so they all went out to get it. They should be back any minute,”
Hayward
said. “How are things in
Los Angeles
? Hell…why should I beat around the bush? How is Jenisha doing?”

“Everything on my end is wonderful. I’m not having any problems with the client at all.” He winked over at Jenisha. “But I don’t know why you think I know anything about Jenisha.”

Hayward
chuckled. “I know how you feel about her. You wouldn’t be in
Los Angeles
without a good reason. Now tell me how Jenisha is doing.”

“She’s doing well.”

“That’s good. When was the last time you saw her?”

“When was the last time I saw her?” He stole a quick at Jenisha. She shook her head at him.

“Stop repeating my questions.”

“Ummm….to be honest, she’s sitting next to me right now.”
Clinton
moved out of the way as Jenisha’s hand reached out to hit him.

“Why didn’t you say that in the beginning? Let me talk to her.”

He looked at Jenisha and handed her the phone. She shook her head at him again. He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. “He won’t let it go until he talks to you.” He stuck the phone out for her to take.

Jenisha didn’t want to talk to
Hayward
, but she knew
Clinton
was right.
Hayward
wouldn’t let it go until he spoke with her. She glared at
Clinton
and then snatched the phone from his hand.

“Hello,
Hayward
, how are you doing?”

“I’m doing well, Jenisha, how are you?”
Hayward
asked.

“I’m good.”

“When I heard
Clinton
went to
California
on business, I knew it involved you.”

“I was very surprised to find out he would be the one working on the rebuild for the school. I’ve seen some of the sketches and they are wonderful.”

“I’ve got to agree that my brother is a very gifted architect.”

Hayward
lowered his voice. “How has he been treating you? He hasn’t come on too strong has he?”

“No, he has been a perfect gentleman to me since he came here.”

“Good. Because if he hadn’t I would have a talk with him.”

“Umm...
Hayward
can I ask you a question?

“Sure.”

“You won’t tell True about
Clinton
. I love her like a sister, but she will have a fit if she knows we’re dating.”

She heard
Hayward
’s deep laughter on the other end. “No, I won’t tell True about
Clinton
. It doesn’t involve me. I’ll let you tell her when you’re ready.”

“T
hank
s,
Hayward
.”

“You’re welcome.”

Jenisha heard the soft click of the phone in her ear. She hung up her end and placed the phone back on the table. She was really glad True married
Hayward
. He was the perfect match for her.

“What did he say to you?”
Clinton
questioned beside her.

“
Hayward
promised not to say anything to True about our relationship.” She really hoped that
Hayward
kept his promise.

A small smile played at the corners of
Clinton
’s mouth. “My brother won’t be able to keep our secret for long. True is so good at getting things out of him.”

“Hopefully, he can keep quiet while you’re here,” she muttered.

“Well, we just have to wait and see, won’t we?”
Clinton
replied.

Robin paced around her bedroom, pissed that the two men in her life that she wanted to love her were in love with other women. Once she ran Jenisha Roman out of town, her father and Clinton would have to see her in a new light.

She walked over to the huge pine dresser and opened the top drawer. Sliding her hand in the very back, she pulled out her adoption papers. She unfolded them and spread it across the top of the dresser. Her adoptive parents died on her eighteenth birthday while on a ski trip. They got trapped under an avalanche along with four other skiers. She was supposed to be on the trip but decided to stay home for a job interview. She still felt a little guilty over her surviving and her very loving parents dying.

Two weeks after her parents’ funeral, she started getting the house ready for the auction. She knew she would never be able to afford the mortgage payment every month. Selling it seemed like the best thing for her to do. While upstairs cleaning out her parents’ closet, she came across an old discolored shoe box in the very back of the closet.

It was filled with old baby pictures in the bottom along with something else—her adoption papers. After the initial hurt went away, she got in contact with the adoption agency and got all the information she needed within a year.

Meeting her birth mother had been an experience. She came right out and told her how much she loved her and never wanted to give her up for adoption. Ann Wendell also told her how her father was still alive and married to the same woman for over twenty-five years.

Robin remembered the hint of fear in her mother’s voice when she talked about Mark. But, she didn’t want to believe her father was the man Ann described to her. Two days after meeting her mother, Ann died in her sleep of natural causes. With only one biological parent left, she had rushed to find Mark in
Los Angeles
, but the reunion wasn’t how she imagined.

Mark Kimball was rude, mean, and very controlling. He didn’t want anyone finding out about her, so he hired her to work at the school. If she had known how her life would have turned out, she would have stayed in
North Carolina
. There was nothing she could do now but make the best of a bad situation.

She was tired of being the woman that nobody wanted. When she walked into a room, no one seemed to notice her. She wanted Jenisha’s ability to make every head turn when she entered a room filled with people. Everyone at the school loved and respected Jenisha as a person.

She really didn’t despise Jenisha, but she wanted what Jenisha had:
Clinton
. She wanted Jenisha to feel some of the loneliness she felt most of the time. She wanted Jenisha to feel pain like nothing else, and she knew how to make it happen. The handsome Clinton Campbell would help her with her plan without even knowing it. He looked at Jenisha like she was the center of his world. She needed to find a way to use that against the both of them and fast.

Rubbing her tired eyes, Jenisha threw down the pen she had been using to grade papers. She couldn’t believe how her feelings for
Clinton
had changed in a few short days. She had never been this happy in her whole life. Not even in
Texas
when she almost made the biggest mistake in her life and married Keith.
T
hank
God he left me, or I would have left him first.
Picking up the pen again, she started grading the spelling papers again. Halfway through the paper, her computer rung out to let her know she had an instant message. Sliding her chair over to the computer, Jenisha clicked on her email. She smiled when spotted
Clinton
’s email name across the screen. She logged in under her screen name so she could answer him back.

Stubborn one:
Curls, I just wanted to see what you were doing tonight. I’m so lonely without you over here with me
.

Curls:
Love your screen name it fits you perfectly! I was busy grading spelling papers.

Stubborn one:
Do you want me to let you go?

Curls:
No, I think I can spare a few minutes for you.

Stubborn one:
T
hank
s so much precious. The real reason I emailed you was to see if you like to go on a date tomorrow night. I know of this wonderful place and I would love to take you there.

Curls:
Well, I have to check with my boyfriend first and make sure he won’t get jealous
.

Stubborn one:
What! I didn’t know you had a boyfriend
.

Curls
: I’m just kidding with you. I don’t have a boyfriend. I haven’t had one in years.

Stubborn one:
That was a very mean thing to do. I have to get you back for that and really soon too.

Curls:
Don’t make promises you can’t keep, good-looking
.

Stubborn one:
Precious, I always keep my word so be prepared. So, are you going to accept my date offer or not?

Curls:
What time tomorrow because I’ve a meeting with Principal Kimball late tomorrow
.

Stubborn one:
What are you having a meeting with him for?

Curls:
He wants a report on how you are doing so far with the designs. He doesn’t believe in wasting time or money. If he doesn’t think you’re moving fast enough. Or worth the money he’s going to spend he’ll fire you and hire someone else.

Stubborn one:
I don’t need you to defend me. My work will speak for itself. Did I give you a copy of the rough draft of the designs?

Curls:
Yes. I have them and you have to know Mark to understand the reasoning behind the things he does. He’s very strict when it comes to the school’s money I’m still surprised that he approved the renovations. I think my meeting with him is around four o’clock. So give me time to get home and change then we can have our first time date. Does that sound good to you?

Stubborn one:
Kimball doesn’t sound like a nice man maybe I should go to this meeting with you tomorrow and we can leave from there.