The conference room at Citadel Security was full for the first time in months as Joi and most of her staff sat around the long table. Her laptop open, she streamed an internet radio station that played hits from the eighties. She kept the volume low, letting the music provide some background noise for their conversation, because the upbeat music helped to calm her frazzled nerves. She couldn’t help cracking a smile when The Bangles’ hit “Manic Monday” began to play over the computer’s speakers.
How appropriate.
Manic was a pretty accurate descriptor of her day so far. Not only was it the first day of the workweek, but it was Karen’s first day back to work since her unfortunate fall had landed her in the hospital. Karen, with her wrist now encased in a flexible brace, was sitting next to Chloe, who was thrilled to have been given a permanent position due to her hard work on the Royal project.
Yolanda, Kim and Maxine, Joi’s three most senior security guards, were also present at the table. Joi had asked them to be present because she knew she’d need their assistance in interviewing, vetting and hiring the new guards Citadel would need to meet the demands of the new national contract with Royal.
The six women seated around the table had spent the past two and a half hours going over the new contract. They had discussed strategies to expand Citadel’s staff, and the possibility of opening a West Coast office in light of their new responsibilities at Royal’s branch in Los Angeles. Joi’s head was spinning, filled with so many ideas that she could barely type fast enough to keep up with them. In anticipation of that, she’d set up a small digital recorder in the center of the table, to record the conversation.
“Based on what we’re taking on, I’ll need to hire at least three more technologists.” The comment came from Karen, who was leaned over her own open laptop. “That way I can have Chloe work here with me at the main office to handle most of our local accounts, and each branch of the bank would have a dedicated cybersecurity manager.”
Joi nodded, typing that into the open document she’d been working on. “Sounds good to me. And if we can get one or two extra ones on an as-needed basis, we’ll have some backup in case someone needs to take time off.” She narrowed her eyes playfully at her friend and partner as she said the last two words.
Karen chuckled. “Don’t worry. No more falls for me. I hate hospitals and I’ve spent enough time there after this ordeal to last me the rest of my life.”
Maxine interjected, “We’re thinking the same thing as far as new guards go. If we want two per branch, and a few alternates, we’ll need to hire about eight to ten.”
“Agreed.” Yolanda turned to Joi. “Are we still hiring only female guards?”
Joi smiled. “Yes, ma’am. That’s what Citadel is all about, extending opportunities to women that they don’t normally get, even though they’re fully capable of handling the job. No matter how much we grow, I want to keep that core practice in place.”
All three guards applauded, communicating their approval of her stance, and Joi executed a small bow from her seat at the head of the table. “All right, ladies. We need to get this stuff done. We’re on a tight deadline. Four months isn’t very long to pull off an expansion like this, but if anybody can do it, we can.”
A few of them groaned, but everyone at the table did as she asked. Soon, the only sounds in the room were the clicking of computer keys and the subtle scratch of pens gliding over the surface of paper.
Joi got up from her chair, intent on getting a refill on her cup of coffee before she settled back into her own work. Mug in hand, she slipped out of the conference room and into the hall.
She’d just turned into the doorway of the break room when she heard the bell over the entrance chime, signaling that someone had come in. She did a quick spin, her gaze seeking out the visitor.
Her empty mug fell from her hand and crashed to the floor when she saw the two men standing in her lobby. One was a blast from her past, and the other could’ve been her future.
With the shards of broken mug scattered around her feet, she watched as Marco and Ernesto walked farther into the lobby. Ernesto hung back a bit, as if uncertain of how she’d react to seeing him, but Marco powered toward her.
Swinging her gaze from her ex-fiancé to the man who’d stolen her heart, she took in the sight of him. Marco was dressed in yet another expensive and well-tailored suit. The suit, the color of caramel, was only about three shades darker than his tan skin. He’d paired the suit with a crisp white shirt and a solid black tie. In his arms, he carried an epic bouquet of sterling roses that seemed to contain at least a hundred large blooms.
A few of the girls in the office had poked their heads out into the hallway, probably prompted by the sound of the mug shattering. Joi barely noticed them as she stepped over the bits of ceramic and tipped into the lobby to meet Marco.
When they came abreast of each other, he spoke. “Joi. I know you’re busy, and if you don’t want to talk to me, just say the word and I’ll leave.”
Just say the word? Easier said than done. Right now she couldn’t remember how to talk, let alone formulate something to say. Seeing him standing there with that humongous bouquet and his heart on his sleeve had her feeling tongue-tied and vapid.
Taking her silence as permission, Marco set the flowers down on the coffee table in the waiting area, and gestured for Ernesto. As his friend approached, Marco spoke. “I thought the best way to explain what happened was to bring Ernesto here and get everything out in the open. Is that okay with you?”
She managed to bob her head up and down. Shifting her attention again to Ernesto, she finally found her voice. “Long time, no see.”
Ernesto released an awkward chuckle. “Hi, Joi. It’s good to see you again.”
She didn’t know if she agreed, so she didn’t respond to that. She hadn’t seen Ernesto since she’d made that famous fifty-yard dash, abandoning him at the altar. If he were hurt by her actions, he didn’t show it. She’d always wondered how she would react to seeing him again, if the occasion ever arose. Now that it was happening, she found that her feelings for Ernesto were...neutral. She couldn’t say she felt strongly about him, one way or the other. Marco, however, was a different story altogether.
As if wanting to fill the silence, Ernesto launched into a speech. “Marco asked me to come here and give you the whole story. What he said was true. I did propose to you to get at my inheritance, and I’m sorry. Now that I have someone in my life who I truly love, I realize how heinous my actions were. I hope you can forgive me.” Having apparently said all he had to say, he took a large step backward.
Hearing the words from Ernesto somehow lightened the burden she’d been carrying since Marco had told her of the betrayal. “I appreciate that, Ernesto, and I forgive you.” Releasing that small amount of bitterness into the universe felt pretty good, but she sensed there was more to the story.
Marco gently touched her shoulder. “What I didn’t tell you when we were in Limón is why I never alerted you to Ernesto’s intentions back then.”
She turned his way, clasped her hands in front of her and braced for what would have to be one hell of a good explanation.
“I needed money, badly. I was buried in student loans from getting my MBA, and Ernesto promised me that once the marriage took place and he got his inheritance, he’d pay off my student loans.” Marco’s gaze conveyed a degree of embarrassment as he made the admission.
The look in his eyes, and her own understanding of the struggle to pay for higher education, softened her heart right away. She lifted her hand, laid it alongside his jaw. “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”
“I tried, but you were so angry by then, I couldn’t get it out.” His hand clasped hers, moved it so that he could place her open palm against his lips. “I paid Ernesto back the first year I worked at Royal.”
She recalled the red-hot anger that had coursed through her that day, and the way she’d thrown him out of her room. It was true. She hadn’t given him time to elaborate.
As his lips grazed her hand, she sighed at the familiar magic coursing through her body. “Oh, Marco.”
“Forgive me, Dulce. Please.” He made the entreaty in a tone as soft as his kisses.
She drew in a deep breath, taking a moment to consider his words. His remorse seemed genuine, and she did understand his actions, to a degree. She imagined it must have been hard on his male pride to admit that he’d once turned to a friend for financial assistance.
“I will never keep a secret from you again.” A hopeful spark lit his dark eyes as he made the promise.
His declarations touched her, softening her anger and hurt. With damp eyes, she smiled. “All right. I forgive you. But you’d better stay in my good graces or I’m using you to practice my takedown moves.”
He grinned at her teasing words. “Deal. But there’s one more thing.”
Her brow furrowed. “What’s that?”
He reached into an inner pocket of his sport coat, and in a heartbeat, he’d fallen to one knee. The small black box he produced made her heart skip a beat. When he opened the box to reveal a glittering, heart-shaped solitaire on a yellow gold band, a gasp escaped her mouth.
“Joi Ann Lewis, would you be my wife?” He held the box out to her, silently awaiting her reply.
Tears filled her eyes, and she reached out in wonder to touch the ring. In a tear-laden voice, she said, “Yes. Yes.”
He got to his feet in a flash, took her hand in his own and slipped the ring onto her trembling finger. As her arms flew around his neck, she heard applause coming from behind her.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her entire staff crammed in the doorway leading to the hall. They were cheering, whistling and clapping their hands.
A laughing Joi asked, “How long have y’all been standing there?”
Karen shouted, “Long enough. Now kiss your man, girl!”
Turning her attention back to Marco, she looked into the dark, glittering eyes of the man who would soon become her husband and did as she’d been told.