She slouched in bed. “I can’t believe I saidthat.” She covered her face with her free hand. “Never mind. ForgetI asked. Let’s talk about—”
“Ciara,” he said.
Chantelle sat up. He was serious. “Ciara? Youwanted a girl?”
He bobbed his head.
“I did too. Honestly... I thought aboutnaming her... after your sister.”
Lance’s eyes beamed, but then he looked away.“I have to get up in the morning, so I’ll see you when I get backto Delta Heights.”
“Okay, sure. I hope the meeting goes well.”They needed to hang up.
“Me too. Goodnight, Chantelle.”
“Goodnight, Lance. Thanks for listening.”
“You’re welcome.”
With that, she hung up, and his facedisappeared. Chantelle reclined in bed, nuzzling her face in thepillows.
Chapter 16
Sounds muffled under the carpet as the roomcleared of the board members. Lance blew out his cheeks as hegathered his papers and placed them back inside his briefcase. Mr.Bramble stalked over to him. His thick salt-pepper eyebrows roseand his smile grew.
“Outstanding presentation, Lance,” he said,extending his hand. “Your father would be proud.”
He bobbed his head, though the churning inhis stomach didn’t go away. The contract he presented called fortwenty percent in cutbacks. Almost half of the employees at BrambleInc. would lose their jobs in order for the deal to close.
“Mr. Bramble, you trust my judgment?” Lanceasked.
“Your father says this deal can take usfurther than we could ever imagine.” His sea-foam green eyes litup.
Lance cleared his throat. “I’m all aboutclosing deals, and even though I’ve presented this to you and theboard, is it something you’re willing to go through with?”
Mr. Bramble chuckled. “Your father warned meabout this.” He patted Lance’s back. “Don’t worry. Our employeeswill receive their pension. Business is business. It’s nothingpersonal. You know that.”
Lance swallowed back the snarky comment thatdanced on the tip of his tongue. “I understand. Thank you fortaking time to see me.” He left the stuffy room.
Coming to the elevators, Lance’s skinprickled. He never enjoyed closing deals on behalf of his fatherwithout a care of who lost their employment. Sure, he grew up withmoney. He had been the envy of his classmates growing up, but hetook it upon himself to see how the average person lived.
Lance worked through college, only using histrust funds to pay for school and supplies. Anything else, he paidon his own. Watching the rest of his classmates in work-studyprograms and sports scholarships, Amelia’s foundation was born. Hisfather, though reluctant to the idea, agreed to invest in the firstwinner of the grant and scholarship money. Ever since then, Lanceappreciated the value of a dollar.
Exiting the elevator to the main lobby ofBramble Inc. didn’t ease the twinge in his chest. Once outside, heheard the hustle and bustle of New York. Multi lane traffic, hornshonking, along with food trucks and cart vendors. Heels clacked onthe sidewalk and he called for a taxi.
Directing the driver to his hotel, he settledinto the worn seat. Local music played on the radio, and Lancepulled out his cell to check his messages. He had a voicemail fromhis father. He didn’t want to listen to it. How could the manmistrust him to the point of giving Mr. Bramble a heads up abouthim? Were morals and integrity so bad in business?
Lance shut his eyes for a second once backinside his hotel room. He didn’t fit into the corporate world. Itwas becoming clear as parts of a tree in the morning sun. Where washis heart? Amelia’s Foundation.
BUZZ. BUZZ. Lance grabbed his phone. Andrea.He gave a slight smile. “How are you?”
“I talked my agent into giving me some timeoff.”
He sat up on his bed. “That’s great.”
“I can’t confirm dates yet, but I’ll be ableto visit soon.”
“Thanks Babe.”
“I didn’t realize my career was getting inthe way of us. I do love you.”
“I know.” He sighed. “I love you too.”
“I couldn’t sleep last night. All I rememberas a kid was my mother’s film career drove my father away. She toldme she was ambitious, and he just didn’t understand her.” Andreaexhaled. “I don’t know why I compared you to him.”
“You thought I would leave you?”
“It crossed my mind, but I don’t want tobring baggage into our relationship. Lance... my mother didn’tteach me how to be in a giving relationship. She was too afraid ofothers taking from her that—”
“She taught you to do the same.”
“Exactly. I... I don’t want to do that. Notwith you. You’re right. If we’re going to do this, we both have tobe committed.”
Lance’s chest fluttered. “Thank you.”
“Sometimes I wish this wedding was over.”
Lance bit his lip. “What if we eloped?”
“What?” Andrea giggled. “My mother would havea heart attack!”
“Mine would too.” Lance stood and paced thefloor.
“I’ll be there soon. We’re almost there, solet’s stay the course. At the end, we’ll both get what wewant.”
Lance paused. “I know.”
“I have to go. I’m meeting my assistant in afew minutes. Hopefully my sleep tonight is better than lastnight.”
“Goodnight, Babe.”
“Not quite for me, but goodnight.”
Lance hung up and pressed the phone to hislips. Eloping. If he and Andrea took off the town would have a fit,not to mention the press. Social media already circled rumors thatAndrea was pregnant, which led Lance to propose to her. Thankfully,that rumor proved false when Andrea attended the Academy Awards ina fitted emerald green dress with no signs of a baby bump.
Baby. Ciara. Lance closed his eyes, blockingout the baby gurgles he had imagined he would hear. Either way, boyor girl, a healthy child was all he had prayed for. Looking upwardat the ceiling, he hoped his baby was happy in Heaven.
His heart swelled, wondering if Amelia methis baby. He didn’t tell Chantelle this in their last conversation.Lance tried to stop her, but when she asked about baby names, hecouldn’t help remembering.
***
The following day, Lance stared at the TV onthe wall of his room. While he did some sightseeing, especiallyenjoying Times Square, all he wanted now was food and his bed. Thejob was done in New York. His flight would leave early the nextmorning, so jet lag
