Page 7 of Rejection Overruled

“There’s a café on 7th street. I believe it’s not far from your location. I have a meeting close by at midday.”

“I know it well. I’ll be there, and please don’t be late.”

He chuckled, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

6 - Jamal

Every thirty seconds I looked at my watch as Brooke Owen’s warning echoed in my mind. What should I do to her once she arrived? My second cup of coffee was getting cold and she was not yet at the café. At three minutes to eleven I decided I’d give her two more minutes.

She came bursting through the door a minute later, limping and holding a shoe in one hand. Her stockings were torn, hair messy and a grease stain on her right cheek. I had never seen a woman more attractive. That thought completely baffled me.

“I have a meeting in an hour, Miss Owens. In case you forgot, you were the one warning me about being late,” I scolded.

“I’m sorry. I had a flat and thought it would be quicker to change it than having someone come get me in that traffic. I’m here now, let’s get to work.”

“Aren’t you going to clean up first?” I asked somewhat amused, waving my hand at her face.

Opening her briefcase and pulling out the file, her answer came rather casually, “No need. This won’t take long.”

Avoiding my eyes, she pushed a sheet of paper across the table and took a seat. I found that my eyes kept straying to the grease spot on her cheek. The distraction slowly transitioned into me watching her lips when she spoke. I never realized before just how full her lips were for a white girl. I knew she hated being called that because she claimed that her grandmother was part African American, which I highly doubted.

“…Are you okay with that?” her voice penetrated my thoughts that I realized she’d been talking and I hadn’t heard a word.

“Sorry, could you repeat that?”

“I’ll give you some time to read this. I have to go the restroom.”

As she made her exit to the ladies’ room, I wondered where my mind had wandered a few minutes earlier. It wasn’t as if she was my type, far from it. But there was something about her that was extremely attractive and it wasn’t just about her scrumptious lips and watermelon boobs. It was something more and that thing made me curious.

Then it hit me. Brooke Owens was one of those women with a commanding presence. Maybe it was the fact she was a lawyer that made her into the assertive woman she purported to be. I was surprised that she was able to make me take notice.

7 - Brooke

“Is this all?”

“What do you mean?” Sophia was obviously confused.

She’d handed me the background check on Jamal. I wasn’t pleased. I wanted something juicy. His past, present and if possible, his future should be included.

“There’s nothing in here I can use!”

“There’s plenty in there,” Sophia insisted.

“I don’t want his professional background. I need more, what he likes for breakfast, how he brushes his teeth, what makes him tick.”

“Brooke, what’s going on? Do you really not know this guy?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I closed the file and stood, turning my back to my best friend. My office was on the twenty seventh floor of our building. The law firm occupied two thirds of the building and I was given an entire floor with my own staff.

“I know something is going on,” Sophia said. “Did you two date or something? Did he cheat on you?”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it? Come on Brooke, we’ve shared everything since we were kids. I tell you everything. Now tell me what’s going on.”

“We didn’t date – not really. He used me as punishment for a bet.”

Sophia and I knew each other since we were kids but we went to separate high schools. I’d told her about the incident, but didn’t mention his name. I never thought I’d see Jamal Styles again, let alone in my line of work. Who would have expected a jock to become a lawyer?

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