Read Online An Unexpected Attraction (Love Unexpected Book 3) by Delaney Diamond - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Delaney Diamond
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out loud in frustration. Instead, he slammed his fist on top of the desk.
She’d had an agenda today for sure. She’d wanted to rub his nose in her relationship, but there was something else she wanted to tell him, too. There had been enough hesitation in her voice, an underlying something that made him wonder if she’d said all she intended to.
A knock came at the door. Another interruption he didn’t need.
“Come in,” he called.
Terrence appeared. “Hey Jay, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Jay waved him in. “Sure, come on in.”
Terrence took a seat in the guest chair and placed an ankle over his knee. “So, your lady friend from game night—Brenda. Is she seeing anyone?”
Jay stiffened. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m interested.” He sat forward on the edge of the chair. “She’s funny, sexy, cute, and we had a good conversation at your house. At least I think so. Thought we had chemistry, but I gave her my number and she never called. Then I thought, what if she lost my card? So I figured maybe you could find out—”
“She’s seeing someone.”
Terrence straightened. “She is? I could have sworn she was single.”
Terrence exemplified the type of man Brenda’s mother hoped she’d meet in Atlanta. A good black man .
“That’s incorrect,” Jay said shortly. He didn’t experience a lick of remorse for lying. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen her, remember? Four, five weeks. Something like that.”
Terrence looked deflated. “You think it’s serious already?”
“I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be a very good idea to set up an employee with one of my friends.” His voice dripped ice.
Terrence’s eyebrows elevated. “Oh, okay. I understand. Huh. Thanks for your time.” He rose from the chair and headed out of the office but paused at the door. “She is just a friend, right?” He walked out without waiting for an answer.
Jay sat back in the chair and rubbed his jaw. He didn’t give a shit what Terrence thought. He wasn’t the least bit sorry he’d shot him down because he ran an advertising firm. Not a goddamn dating service.
Chapter Seven
Cameras flashed and the sound of applause filled the air as Claudine James, actress on the big and small screen, hoisted a glass of champagne in the air and toasted the audience in celebration. Next to Claudine, Chef Bijoux raised her own glass. Both women grinned at each other, brimming with pride at the evening’s outcome.
Jay secured an invite to the pre-opening event because Omega Advertising helped launch the restaurant, the third in the past two years from a group of investors that placed their celebrity partners out front to garner as much publicity as possible.
Nestled along a tree-lined street in Midtown, the upscale dining establishment was filled with well-wishers, taking a peek at the business marriage between the famous actress and Chef Bijoux, from the Food Network. Stark white linens covered the tables, and the dark wood-paneled walls in the main dining room lent an intimacy that caused the gathered crowd to speak in hushed tones. The assortment of dishes circulated by the servers was a variation of the Southern comfort food the actress had grown up eating, able to satisfy even the most discerning palate.
Jay set his empty plate on one of the tables strategically placed around the dining room floor. He’d practically licked it clean. Minutes before the small dish had been filled with fried green tomatoes garnished with goat cheese and a drizzle of basil aioli.
Now that the festivities were almost over he could leave, confident in the success of another one of their projects. He ambled toward the exit, winding his way between the media people and other invitees, when he caught sight of Brenda over near the wall. He should have known she’d be here.
His footsteps slowed to a halt and he just stood there, taking her in. Dressed in a pair of charcoal slacks, white ruffled shirt with pearl buttons,
She’d had an agenda today for sure. She’d wanted to rub his nose in her relationship, but there was something else she wanted to tell him, too. There had been enough hesitation in her voice, an underlying something that made him wonder if she’d said all she intended to.
A knock came at the door. Another interruption he didn’t need.
“Come in,” he called.
Terrence appeared. “Hey Jay, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Jay waved him in. “Sure, come on in.”
Terrence took a seat in the guest chair and placed an ankle over his knee. “So, your lady friend from game night—Brenda. Is she seeing anyone?”
Jay stiffened. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m interested.” He sat forward on the edge of the chair. “She’s funny, sexy, cute, and we had a good conversation at your house. At least I think so. Thought we had chemistry, but I gave her my number and she never called. Then I thought, what if she lost my card? So I figured maybe you could find out—”
“She’s seeing someone.”
Terrence straightened. “She is? I could have sworn she was single.”
Terrence exemplified the type of man Brenda’s mother hoped she’d meet in Atlanta. A good black man .
“That’s incorrect,” Jay said shortly. He didn’t experience a lick of remorse for lying. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen her, remember? Four, five weeks. Something like that.”
Terrence looked deflated. “You think it’s serious already?”
“I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be a very good idea to set up an employee with one of my friends.” His voice dripped ice.
Terrence’s eyebrows elevated. “Oh, okay. I understand. Huh. Thanks for your time.” He rose from the chair and headed out of the office but paused at the door. “She is just a friend, right?” He walked out without waiting for an answer.
Jay sat back in the chair and rubbed his jaw. He didn’t give a shit what Terrence thought. He wasn’t the least bit sorry he’d shot him down because he ran an advertising firm. Not a goddamn dating service.
Chapter Seven
Cameras flashed and the sound of applause filled the air as Claudine James, actress on the big and small screen, hoisted a glass of champagne in the air and toasted the audience in celebration. Next to Claudine, Chef Bijoux raised her own glass. Both women grinned at each other, brimming with pride at the evening’s outcome.
Jay secured an invite to the pre-opening event because Omega Advertising helped launch the restaurant, the third in the past two years from a group of investors that placed their celebrity partners out front to garner as much publicity as possible.
Nestled along a tree-lined street in Midtown, the upscale dining establishment was filled with well-wishers, taking a peek at the business marriage between the famous actress and Chef Bijoux, from the Food Network. Stark white linens covered the tables, and the dark wood-paneled walls in the main dining room lent an intimacy that caused the gathered crowd to speak in hushed tones. The assortment of dishes circulated by the servers was a variation of the Southern comfort food the actress had grown up eating, able to satisfy even the most discerning palate.
Jay set his empty plate on one of the tables strategically placed around the dining room floor. He’d practically licked it clean. Minutes before the small dish had been filled with fried green tomatoes garnished with goat cheese and a drizzle of basil aioli.
Now that the festivities were almost over he could leave, confident in the success of another one of their projects. He ambled toward the exit, winding his way between the media people and other invitees, when he caught sight of Brenda over near the wall. He should have known she’d be here.
His footsteps slowed to a halt and he just stood there, taking her in. Dressed in a pair of charcoal slacks, white ruffled shirt with pearl buttons,
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