Ninety minutes after they sat down to eat, while baring their souls, the four women took turns hugging one another. Nydia felt as if time and distance did little to affect the closeness she’d developed with her former coworkers. She’d thought it ironic during the four years she’d been employed at Wakefield Hamilton they’d only gotten together during the bank’s sanctioned holiday celebrations, and now fast-forward fifteen months, and they had formed a sisterhood that she was certain would impact the rest of their lives.
* * *
Jasmine joined Nydia as she took the elevator to her floor. Jasmine had promised to show her the converted warehouse where she would live with Cameron once the renovations were completed before they visited a local bridal salon to select gowns for the wedding.
The elevator arrived at the fourth floor, and they shared a smile. “Thanks again for getting everyone together to welcome me back.”
Jasmine quickly smothered a yawn behind her hand. “There’s no need to thank me. It felt good to get the gang back together. I’ll meet you in the lobby at ten.” She stepped out of the car with Nydia. “I’m going to take another elevator that stops at the fifth floor.”
“Luego,mija.”
Jasmine wiggled her fingers. “Buenas noches, chica.”
Nydia walked to her suite. A wave of fatigue washed over her as soon as she opened the door, despite having taken a nap earlier that afternoon. She usually sat up watching late-night TV, but tonight wouldn’t be one of those times. She cleansed her face of the light cover of makeup, brushed her teeth, and then secured her shoulder-length hair in a single braid. She slipped into a cotton nightgown, and within minutes of getting into bed she fell asleep.
Chapter 3
Lamar Pierce checked his watch when he heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. He smiled. She was on time. His client’s fiancée had called the day before to ask whether he would be available to show her the new construction to the rear of the property she wanted as a loggia for al fresco dining, and he had quickly rearranged his schedule to accommodate her.
When Cameron Singleton introduced Jasmine Washington as an interior decorator and his fiancée, Lamar hadn’t been unable to conceal his surprise. It was the latter that had taken him aback, because he was well aware of Cameron’s reputation as an eligible bachelor. Subsequent to their meeting, Cameron had contacted him and asked him to save the date for his wedding and not share the news with anyone, because he wanted it to be a surprise. Lamar wanted to tell him it would be more than a surprise to those in the Big Easy. It was certain to shock those who hadn’t expected the wealthy, very eligible certified financial planner to marry, and definitely not to a woman of color, because Cameron’s taste in women tended to extend to blondes and redheads.
He walked over to the gleaming, late-model pearl-white Honda Odyssey parked along the curb behind the construction crews’ vans and pickups. Lamar opened the driver’s-side door, extended his hand, and assisted Jasmine out of the vehicle. She looked nothing like the woman he’d met for the first time in the private dining room at the Louis LaSalle hotel. Then, she’d appeared very businesslike in a pantsuit and with her hair styled in a twist off the nape of her neck. He’d commissioned the interior decorator for a personal project and was astounded by her artistic flair and attention to detail. Today she wore a loose-fitting floral-print top with a pair of navy leggings and matching peep-toe booties. A loose ponytail had replaced the chic twist.
Lamar extended his hand. “Good morning.”
Jasmine smiled and took his hand. “Good morning. Thank you for making time for me.”
“It’s . . .” His words trailed off when he saw the petite woman with a wealth of dark curls floating around her shoulders emerge from the passenger seat of the minivan. His eyes met a pair of hazel ones that were almost an exact match to his. Lamar’s mother had drilled into him that it was impolite to stare at someone, but at that moment he completely forgot his home training. If he was staring, then she was also. Lamar didn’t know why, but she reminded him of the illustrations of fairy-tale princesses in the books he read to his daughter.
“Lamar, I asked to meet you because I wanted to show Nydia the property before it’s completely renovated. Nydia, this is Lamar Pierce. He’s project engineer responsible for turning this place into a showplace. Lamar, Nydia Santiago.”
Nydia offered Lamar her hand. “It’s nice meeting you.”
Jasmine’s introduction shattered his silent entrancement with the woman with delicate features and a flawless taupe complexion He grasped the small hand, which disappeared into his larger one. “My pleasure, Ms. Santiago.”
She smiled. “Please call me Nydia.”
His eyebrows flickered slightly. “And I’m Lamar.”
It took Herculean strength for Lamar to pull his eyes away from the slender woman with eyes that reminded him of semiprecious gems and a generous mouth that probably had men fantasizing about kissing her. As soon as the notion entered his head, he chided himself for entertaining licentious thoughts about a woman whom he knew nothing about except her name.
“Please wait here,” he said. “I’m going to get some hard hats from my truck.” Lamar knew he had to put some distance between him and Nydia if only to deal with his unexpected reaction to her; it had been more than ten years since a woman had enthralled him within seconds of his meeting her, and that woman was one he’d eventually married.
* * *
Nydia exchanged a look with Jasmine as Lamar walked down the block and opened the door to a black pickup. “We have the same color eyes.”
Jasmine nodded. “That’s what I thought when I first met him. However, yours have more green, while his have glints of gold.”
“Something about him bothers me.”
“How,chica?” Jasmine asked.
“Although I’m flattered by his staring, he also made me feel uncomfortable.”
A hint of a smile touched the corners of Jasmine’s mouth. “That’s because he likes what he sees.”
A frown settled into Nydia’s features. “Oh hell no,mija.What he likes and what he gets are entirely two different things. Did you not see the band on his left hand? The man’s married, and I’m not one to entertain another woman’s husband. My mantra is if I can’t be the entrée, then I’m not going to be the appetizer or the dessert. At least when Cameron couldn’t take his eyes off you, some woman didn’t have papers on him.”
