Wayward Dreams (11 page)

Seeing Bianca's approach, a cautiously optimistic olive-skinned woman rose from a small carved rosewood desk and eased toward her. Her smile was nervous, and her eyes jittered between Bianca and the two intense women, who had progressed from staring to finger-shaking and hissing fast comments at each other.

Deciding her chances were better with Bianca, the woman ran her hands over the hips of her black sheath dress and tried to firm up her smile. But Bianca saw something like fear painting the woman's face and couldn't help wondering how two plump schoolmarmish ladies could inspire such apprehension. She didn't have to wait long for an answer. She barely got her name out before the two little women went to war.

“Miss Linda! Miss Lena!” the woman in the black dress shrieked when the two little women jumped to their feet and began slapping at each other. “Please! Miss Lena! Miss Linda!” she begged, running toward them. Holding their faces away from each other, the women threw down their purses and let liberal blows rain between them.

I don't have time for this!
Bianca headed for the three women. Taller by several inches, she waded into the fray and pulled the two shorter women apart by their collars, separating them like schoolyard combatants. Restrained, they stopped slapping at each other long enough to aim several hearty smacks at the woman in the black dress, who cowered behind her hands.

“Stop it,”
Bianca ordered Linda or Lena, then turned on the other one when she raised her hand. “You'd better not hit me,” she warned, and Lena or Linda lowered her hand and puffed resentfully. “What is this about, anyway?”

“Collectors,” black-dress lady whimpered, tucking her hair back into its formerly neat bun.

Bianca gave both women a hard shake and a stern eye when they puffed themselves up. “You're collectors, so you think you should come in here to brawl?”

“She started it,” one of them grumbled.

“Did not,” the other fired back. “You always want what I want. Fifty years old, and nothing looks good to you until I want it.”

“You
know
I collect the pendants. I always have.”

“And I can't have
one
? Who died and made you the Queen of Pendants? Huh? Who?”

Bianca tightened her grip and pulled her back as she chanced another slap. “Did you hear me tell you not to do that?” The two brawlers looked chastened.

“We have a very nice group of pendants,” black-dress lady said, clasping her hands and taking a wary step backward.

Bianca held on when the pair twisted in her grip. “I think
we
would like to take a look at them, wouldn't
we
?” When the women squinted silently at each other, Bianca squeezed their plump arms and their round faces screwed up; she saw a silent ‘
ouch'
on their lips. She loosened her grip when they nodded.

Feeling safer, black-dress lady nodded. “Over here, ladies.”

“We are all going to act like ladies,” Bianca cautioned, ushering the subdued collectors forward. Under her watchful eyes, they perched on small velvet-cushioned chairs and made selections from trays of Seed of Life, Tree of Life, and Merkaba pendants. Determined to come out ahead, one of them added an inlaid Buddhi ring to her purchases.

As the smiling women left the showroom with their purchases, Bianca remembered her appointment. Black-dress lady caught her looking at her bare wrist.

“Your appointment,” she breathed, stealing a glance at her own watch. “I was so caught up with the Revere sisters, I nearly forgot. And, by the way, I'm Joi Landers. Thank you for your help.” She offered her hand and smiled when Bianca accepted it.

“I was so desperate not to disturb Mr. Jordan, and he asked not to be disturbed this morning. And then you came in, and…I'm sorry, the Reveres are twins and they enjoy hating each other, though either one would happily kill anyone who spoke an ill word about the other.”

“I have a sister, I understand. Do you think there's a chance he can still fit me in for an interview?”

Shoji screens moved at the rear of the showroom before Joi could answer, and a man with jet black hair falling around the shoulders of his dark Armani suit stepped through the opening. Bianca stepped quickly past Joi and offered her hand. “Good morning, Mr. Jordan. I'm…”

“A take-charge kind of lady.” His eyes danced when she looked at him with questioning eyes. “The shoji screens were designed to set off the private viewing areas for our customers, but they do little to muffle screaming matches. Thank you for your, ah, moderation.”

“You're welcome.”

Releasing her hand, Kin Kura International's owner seemed to be thinking, a little smile sketching his lips. He clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Please follow me.”

If anyone had asked, Bianca could have told them that she had learned quite a lot about Akemi Jordan. She knew he was divorced, the youngest of two children, and a Yale graduate with an MFA. She knew his African-American father was an Atlanta native who had met his Japanese wife when she was an exchange student. She also knew he was a member of both the NAACP and 100 Black Men of Atlanta, and he supported the Atlanta Urban League.

A little nervous because of his silence, Bianca kept her knowledge to herself and soaked up her surroundings as they walked. Leather and carved wooden furniture, placed in small circular groups, gave the extended showroom space intimacy, while greenery, including the bonsai she'd noticed earlier, eased and opened the senses. Graceful stone fountains, designed to complement the wall of water she'd seen in the lobby, were well-placed, the music of the water adding a gentle peace throughout the area.

Jordan led her from the showroom into a corner office, with the same circular furniture arrangement, but its most striking feature was the wall-high saltwater aquarium. Staring, Bianca had to remind herself to close her mouth. Fish, coral, and living rock seemed close enough to touch, drawing her into the environment. “That's absolutely gorgeous.”

“Thank you. It's a hobby, left over from childhood.”

“How do you care for something like that?”

He smiled and pointed. “There's a door, you see? Someone has to actually go
in
there.”

They say the only way to tell the men from the boys is by the size of their toys…

“Please, have a seat.” Jordan indicated a chair, then took the one across from her. “May I call you Bianca?”

“Certainly.”

“And I am Akemi.”

Bianca nodded. “Akemi.”

“Very good. These are all résumés,” he said, pointing to a stack of faxed and e-mailed printouts. “They have all been reviewed, and you were to be the final interview candidate.” Bianca's heart fluttered when Akemi smiled. “I appreciate what you did out there with the Revere sisters. They can be quite a handful, and you survived them and their tantrum. Very well done. I can't help wondering if you were a con woman in a past life.” His dark eyes twinkling, he flashed his white smile.

The attractive presentation was lost on Bianca. “I beg your pardon? A what?”

“A small joke,” Akemi said softly, the smile lingering. “It's just that you were so quick and glib with them. And when you pulled them apart, you may well have saved Joi's life. I don't generally condone laying hands on my customers, but those two…Hearing and seeing you with the Reveres, I thought that only a woman who had to live by her wits or lie for a living could learn so fast and apply the knowledge so quickly and efficiently.”

“That's a little insulting.” Her words were stiff and cool as Bianca's eyes found the aquarium. This man had no way of knowing how uncomfortably close his description had come to the self-indulgent woman she swore she would never be again. When she looked at Akemi Jordan again, her hazel eyes glittered with pride. “Somehow, I never thought insult was a prelude to employment.”

“There was no disrespect intended, only admiration. Your customer service skills may have been a bit unconventional, but they certainly served the purpose.” He lifted her résumé from the top of the stack. “I would like to offer you a position with Kin Kura International.”

“You're offering me the job?” Flustered, it took a moment for his words to sink in. “Thank you, yes. I accept, in spite of the backhanded compliment.”

Akemi shook his head and he sliced a hand through his hair and then gave her the full benefit of his humor. “You should be easier in my company. Settle down and accept the compliment for what it is. If you're going to work with me, I expect you to be able to take a joke.”

“Take a…” she cocked her head and hoped she didn't look too confused. “You're really hiring me, aren't you?”

“I'm really hiring you,” he replied, standing and offering his hand. “Welcome to the family, Bianca.”

* * *

Watching Bianca leave, Akemi Jordan silently congratulated himself. She was the one. She had to be. He'd been guessing when he saw her address; after that, he had simply trusted Providence.
And Providence delivered.

Humming softly, Akemi stepped around two of his associates and their customers. Walking back to his office, he wondered what Bianca Coltrane would have said if she'd known he was watching as she handled the little scene with the Revere twins. What would she have said if she'd known it was a setup?

But she didn't know.
Kemi slipped into the chair behind his desk and swiveled to face the window. Looking out over downtown Atlanta and beyond, he locked his fingers behind his head and settled back in his chair. She hadn't guessed that the textured walls throughout the showroom and beyond held cameras and speakers, all designed and installed by Harry.

Those cameras and speakers were top of the line, designed for security and surveillance, and they'd done their job today. He had watched from the small room behind the fish tank wall and what he'd seen made him smile again. The Revere sisters had been delighted to stage their squabble for him. That slapping was priceless—maybe it was good for an additional discount…maybe even twenty percent?

Kemi congratulated himself again. He'd had a feeling about Bianca from the second he'd read her résumé. Yes, her address was the first clue, but when she walked into the showroom as if it were a catwalk, never thinking twice about a step she took, he'd known he was right.

She was pretty much everything on Harry's wish list.

Kemi recalled how she had stopped Harry in his tracks that day on the elevator. They'd barely spoken, but it was as if a whole lifetime of talk passed between them—he'd seen it with his own eyes, his brother standing face-to-face with the woman he could fall in love with.

Seduced by his own cleverness, Kemi remembered something else: the look on her face after she'd run into Harry and looked up at him. He guessed his brother was used to the look that said ‘yummy' when he looked at most women. Her eyes had been different, though. There was nothing of the devourer in them, nothing lecherous at all. Her eyes were kind of welcoming as if she'd always known Harry would be there, as if she recognized him for who he really was…
Sieten no heki-reki
for both of them.

Kemi's foot dropped heavily to the floor and he sat forward, elbows resting on his knees.
Only thing left is to figure out a way to put her together with my hardheaded brother.

CHAPTER 7

Akemi Jordan hadn't made as much progress with his optimistic master plan for the meeting of Harry Jordan and Bianca Coltrane as he'd hoped. The problem with his master plan was that it hasn't worked yet. Sure, Harry had gone all strong and silent that day she'd fallen into his arms. Holding her, looking as though he was the only thing in the world keeping her face off the floor, Harry had looked damned near happy. Now, Kemi just had to find a way to put them together again.

He picked up his coffee mug and morning paper on his way out to the terrace.
Common-sense Harry and single-minded Bianca. What a pair!

They lived in the same building, yet he just didn't know how to get them together. His brother had managed to avoid everything he'd tried over the last month. NeoTech and Kin Kura International were in the same complex, but for all the good it did, Harry might as well be in Tokyo. Kemi couldn't get him to cross the street to meet her. He had even sent Bianca over to his office on some trumped-up errand, and, of course, Harry was out.

With his brother on his mind, Kemi slipped out of his robe and walked to his mat. Kicking off his shoes, he took deep breaths and felt his soul touched by the scent of early summer.
Azaleas, honeysuckle, and roses
. Bringing his hands together like a man preparing for prayer, he turned his face to the sky, and moved through the yoga poses with strong ease. Yoga was the one thing he'd taken from his mother and her mother, and he was good at it.
Obaasan
Ran not only approved of his practice, but had been heard to brag about his flexibility.

And flexibility is a good thing…
His thoughts were put on hold when Bobby, his neighbor's golden retriever, padded across his terrace. Always neighborly, the big dog pushed his head close and lapped at Kemi's ear, nearly toppling him.

“Whoa, Bobby!” Kemi dropped to his knees and used both arms to restrain the canine assault.

“I shoulda known he was here.” The soft, giggly voice was amused and didn't surprise Akemi. Paisley Denham, a former Miss Black Savannah, thought pretty much everything male was funny, or at least worth a giggle. This morning she didn't bother unlocking the terrace gate, she just ignored the brevity of her tight white shorts, stepped over, and headed for her super-sized puppy. “Bad boy, Bobby.”

The dog grinned at her, then slurped at Kemi again.

Doting Paisley did a pretty credible, albeit feminine, version of the dog's grin when she reached for his collar. Bending, she snapped on a leash, then stood and faced Kemi. “Yoga this morning, huh?”

Kemi nodded, already knowing where this was headed.

“A swim after?”

“If I have time.”

Paisley's grin slipped from silly to sly, and the long deep-tan fingers of one neatly manicured hand went to the zipper on her half-zipped hoodie. She toyed with it, just enough for Kemi to see the green bikini top and the rounded curves of her breasts. “There's always time for what you want to do.”

Kemi turned back to the grinning dog, ignoring the comment's implications. Paisley was married to a man nearly forty years her senior—actually, she was married to the man
and
his money—maybe more happily to the latter than to the former. But the important thing was, she was married.
And stepping into that is bad karma
, Kemi thought, ruffling the dog's ears.

“They say yoga is good for thinking. Is that what you do when you're all turned upside down like that?” Her eyes raked his bare chest and drifted lower.

Kemi stood and grabbed his robe. “I was thinking about my brother.”

“Your brother?” Paisley's tongue was bright pink and left her lips moist when she licked them. “You mean the big, good-looking one?”

“You've never met my brother. How do you know what Harry looks like?”

“Oh, you know, neighbors and all. Gorgeous as he was, I could see the resemblance at once, even though he doesn't have the hair like you. He's fabulous.” Leaning back against the terrace wall, she crossed one long mocha-skinned leg over the other and sighed. “A man like that should never have problems.”

“It's not a problem, not exactly. You know how it is when you're new in town.”

“Can't say I do, but surely he's not having trouble meeting people?” Paisley drawled, finally giving the dog's leash a tug. Bobby's eyes flicked to her ankle, then back to Kemi. “Oh, is he shy?” Paisley licked her lips again.

“He's not shy, and I have someone I want him to meet.”

“You make a cute fairy godfather.” She stepped away from the wall and Bobby jumped to his feet. “You gonna send him to the ball with Cinderella?”

“Not Cinderella.” Maybe the yoga was kicking in, but Kemi suddenly remembered something: There was another woman with Bianca on the elevator that day, kind of looked like her. Maybe a sister? Maybe a sister who wants to help her make a connection?

Kemi gathered his paper and coffee, hoping Paisley would take the hint.

“I gotta go, my trainer's waiting,” she simpered and backed away, towing the dog and grinning. “You let me know if things don't work out with Cinderella.”

Grateful to finally be alone, Kemi sank into one of the wrought-iron chairs and put his feet up. The coffee was cool but still flavorful and he sipped, thinking about the other woman in the elevator. Who was she?
Wonder if I could get her to help me put them together?

* * *

“You know I hate you, right?” Julia Coltrane ran up another flight of steps in the old Grady High School stadium. “Got me out here puffing, sweating, and lying to myself about keeping ten pounds off. What's going to happen when I die running up these damned steps?”

“You'll die pretty and thin, and leave a good-looking corpse,” Glenda laughed, skipping lightly beside her. “Now run.”

“Heifer,” Julia grunted, and huffed her way to the top of the stairs. Trying to remember why she paid a trainer for such torture, she came up with only one excuse—she didn't want to go up another dress size.

“Jacks!” Glenda screamed.

Hating her trainer fiercely, Julia wished she was more like her sister. Bianca never did stuff like this. Slim and firm, with skin tailored by God's own fitness angels, nothing on her sagged or bulged.
She's probably allergic to running and jumping.

At the first sting of cool water against her hot skin, Julia stopped in her tracks. Her mouth fell open and she goggled at the trainer.
She's lost her damned mind!

Glenda aimed the water gun and squirted again. “Quit doggin' it, we've still got fifteen minutes!”

Julia took off down the steps at a run. “I didn't pay for this abuse…”

“Yeah, you did,” Glenda shouted back. She fired the water gun again, hitting her target's back dead center. “I intend to see that you get your money's worth.” She watched Julia finish the stairs and then forced her through extra pushups. When Julia churned out the last one, the trainer handed over a towel and a coveted bottle of water.

“It's not even cold.” Julia twisted off the top and gulped greedily. Dropping to the steps, she accepted a second bottle and drank more slowly.

“You're in a nasty mood today. What's up?”

“Just thinking about my sister. She had a bad breakup and just…you know.”

The trainer shrugged. “Well, everybody knows there are plenty of fish in the sea. Where one won't do, another one will.”

The trainer's baseball cap was pulled low over her face, so Julia couldn't tell if she was kidding. Deciding she probably wasn't, Julia blew out tired air. “You are so young.”

“Why? Because I believe in hope?”

“More like because you don't understand that time and life take a toll. Not everybody who falls off a horse is eager to climb back on and risk getting thrown off again.”

Glenda rolled her eyes before pulling another bottle of water from her backpack. Julia saw the little beads of condensation collecting on the bottle in Glenda's hand, and came close to hating her…until she tossed the bottle. Julia was nursing the cool water when the trainer sat down next to her.

“If you could help her find the right man, maybe she would climb back on that horse.”

“You are so young. A man doesn't fix everything for everyone.”

“But your sister…”

“Says she doesn't need a man.”
But she does need a life.

“What does she like?”

“Shopping and her new job. Any bright ideas? Because she's vetoed everything I've suggested, and I'm all tapped out.”

“I think…”

Glenda's thoughts were cut short when Julia's cellphone buzzed in her gym bag. She found the phone and checked the display. “My sister.”

“Then I‘m going to go on, and I'll see you Friday morning. Seven sharp, right?”

Nodding, Julia waved as the trainer jogged away. “Good morning, what's up?”

“I was just lying here, wondering when I'd become such a simple woman—a woman happy with a new job and the prospect of my own money in the bank,” Bianca said and yawned.

“I'm happy that you have redefined yourself.”

“Don't be funny.”

“Funny? I just finished an hour with Glenda, the Trainer From Hell, and there is nothing funny about that.”

“You know you love her, but I called because I wanted to share my news with you. It was late when we finished inventory at Kin Kura last night, so I didn't see the package until nearly midnight.”

Julia dug her keys out before trudging along the stadium's cinder track toward her car. Ready for a nap, she was still waiting for the water to take effect—Glenda always said water helped in recovery. “What package?”

“I was already kind of excited when I left work. Even though it took most of my paycheck, I sent a payment to Kelvin. It wasn't as much as he would have wanted, but I sent it. I didn't want to see him, so I sent it by messenger.”

“He's going to think you sent him something special when he sees the messenger.”

“Special to me, maybe, but at least I've made a start. I actually thought that was going to be the high point of my day, but it got better the second I opened the package.”

“Again with the package. What was in the package?”

“The Neiman's contract. I told you about it. It finally came. It's been approved, and now it's in my hands for signing.”

“I am so happy for you.” Reaching her car, Julia managed to get her door open, and couldn't stop smiling. “Do you need one of my attorneys to look at it for you?”

“No way,” Bianca said, almost too quickly. “That's how I got burned with KPayne…trusting someone else to do what I should have done for myself. I intend to read every line of this contract, and maybe when I finish, I'll have to bring it to one of your people. But first, I'm going to read it for myself.”

“Okay…”

“Not that I don't appreciate the offer…”

In the silence that followed, Julia could hear her sister wrestling with her decision.

“Jules…”

Jules?
She hadn't called Julia that since they were kids.

“Jules, you know I appreciate the offer, don't you?”

“I know.” Julia smiled and turned the key in the ignition. The childhood nickname felt like love.

“I didn't call to insult you,” Bianca said softly.

“I know.”
She cares about my feelings.

“I really called because I want to celebrate. With you. Can we?”

“Are you kidding? I would be insulted if you asked anybody other than me.”

“This is that sister thing again, isn't it? Dang, there ought to be a rule book or something,” Bianca said and laughed. “Can we celebrate over lunch? My treat? It just has to be reasonable.”

“Is reasonable a code word for cheap?”

“Whoever it was that called you the Slow One was off the mark.” Bianca laughed. “I can afford to do a nice restaurant. We'll have to save chic and classic for another celebration.”

It was Julia's turn to laugh. “My schedule is clear for most of the afternoon. Why don't I meet you at the Kin Kura showroom? Can you get away around one?”

“Please, I don't work on a plantation. They don't chain me to a desk. Yes, one is fine, and I'll see you then.”

“Absolutely.” Yep, Bianca could definitely count on seeing her at one, maybe a little before. It might take a little time to look around Kin Kura and get a feel for her sister's new job.

* * *

Walking through the double doors, Julia appraised the Kin Kura showroom with a realtor's eye. Better than ten thousand square feet, she estimated. Not bad for company less than ten years old.
No doubt about it, money was spent here
, she concluded.

Without moving, she assessed the modish elegance of her surroundings. Styled with chic and traditional Japanese art, the showroom was inviting and soothing. Beautifully maintained plants and the soothing scent and sound of fresh moving water were pleasing to her senses, as was the nearly subliminal music filtering through the room. Soft light, designed to soften and highlight the features of everyone and everything it touched was smart.
People can't help being beautiful in this space. And beautiful people buy beautiful things.

Julia crossed the showroom to the receptionist's desk and gave her name before taking a seat on one of the soft leather settees. Lulled by her surroundings, she was startled when the handsome man appeared.

“Julia Coltrane?”

“Yes?”

“I am Akemi Jordan.” Bowing slightly, he offered his hand.

There was something familiar about him, but she couldn't quite make the connection, though she usually had a good memory for faces. She took the hand he extended and smiled. “
Konnichiwa.
”