The Score Page 3

  Tatum, bewildered, looked at the hostess. Gabby flashed a tense smile. She stood between the seated women with her hands clasped behind her. “I am just the hostess of the club, but I can get you the information you require.”

  Karla thanked her and gave Gabby a look Tatum didn’t understand as the woman turned to leave.

  Karla opened the menu. Tatum was about to question her when Seth arrived. One look at him and she could forget her own name. He grinned and held out his hand as he approached.

  Karla was the first to shake his hand. He turned to Tatum and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Then, he joined them at the table. After they ordered, Karla quickly got down to business.

  “I have a plan that would not only sustain your club’s success but grow it tenfold.”

  Seth’s gaze lingered on Tatum before he replied, “Why don’t we eat breakfast before we talk about business?”

  Karla’s shoulders slumped.

  “So Tatum, you look very rested and beautiful this morning,” he said as he turned his complete attention to her.

  “Thank you,” she replied, wondering who he’d used that line on last night.

  “How long have you two been friends?”

  “Since grade school,” Karla quickly answered.

  “Are you originally from Cincinnati?” Tatum asked.

  Seth looked pleased that she was interested in him. “No. I actually grew up a short distance from Cincinnati. I moved here to go to college.”

  “What year did you graduate?” Karla eagerly inquired then grimaced.

  Seth gave her a questioning look before he turned to Tatum. “Let’s say I didn’t quite make it there.”

  They ate. Well, Karla and Seth ate. Tatum picked at her food. She wasn’t one of those women who didn’t eat around men. She just wasn’t hungry. Tatum hoped he didn’t notice, but he did.

  “Is something wrong with your food?”

  “No,” she said quickly. Her fork hit the plate with a clink. “I’m just not a breakfast person.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” He didn’t sound disappointed.

  Nervously playing with her napkin, she tried to change the subject. She wanted to know more about him. “Well, let me guess, you love breakfast.”

  “Yeah, it’s the most important meal of the day. Besides, it’s the only meal I really get to eat without being on the run.”

  “I love breakfast too,” Karla interjected.

  “Is your boyfriend a breakfast person?”

  Tatum hesitated. “Well, I’m not in a relationship right now.”

  “Well, maybe we can do something about that,” he boldly suggested, concentrating on eating his eggs.

  “I’m not interested in dating right now.” Tatum picked up her fork again.

  Seth glanced at Karla like he hadn’t realized she was there. “Could you please find Gabby for me?”

  Karla opened her mouth to refuse, Tatum guessed, when he quickly added, “Tell her to set up an appointment for you and me to tour my other places.”

  She eagerly nodded. Tatum wanted to follow her friend. She needed to get away from this man.

  “Would you like to get together sometime?” He had barely waited for Karla to leave.

  “Get together…on a date?” Her fork dropped again. She jumped at the loud clank it made as it hit the ceramic surface.

  He chuckled. “Yes.”

  “Uh…” She stalled, waiting for the black hole she prayed for to swallow her up. When it didn’t, she forced herself to answer. “I don’t think so.”

  “Why?”

  “I…” Tatum struggled for an answer.

  “Is it because I’m white?”

  Tatum didn’t answer.

  He leaned back in his chair, still studying her. “I’m really interested in you. I’m attracted to your beauty and—”

  “You don’t know me.” Tatum didn’t care if she sounded angry.

  He ignored her tone, still cheerful. “That’s the point. I’d like to get to know you, and how else can I do that but to spend some time with you?”

  Tatum didn’t reply.

  “Are you interested in me?”

  “This visit isn’t about me. It’s about Karla.” Tatum crossed her arms over her breasts in an almost unconscious attempt to hide.

  “It’s set for next week Thursday,” Karla said as she excitedly returned to her seat.

  Seth drank his orange juice, still watching Tatum who was nervously staring at Karla. Her friend smiled back at her. A cellular phone began to ring. Each of them grabbed for their phones, but it was Tatum’s. She excused herself and made her way to the staircase before answering.

  “Hey, I need that Marshall v. Lowe brief.”

  “What happened to the Perry Mason marathon?”

  “Erica kept calling and ruined it for me.”

  Tatum sighed. “Adam, I left it on your desk.”

  “I’m looking at my desk. I’m sitting at my desk. It’s not here.” He spoke so fast his words ran together.

  Tatum placed her right hand on her hip. She hated these moments. Adam grew irrational about the littlest things. She was sure he was going to start panicking soon. She couldn’t understand how lawyers could be such babies sometimes.

  “I need that brief. If I don’t have it, I’ll lose the case.”

  “Adam, the case is set for trial in three weeks, and the brief is on your desk.”

  She imagined him glancing at his messy desk but not moving anything around. He wanted her to look for it for him. He wanted her to sigh then say what she always did. “Give me twenty minutes. I’ll be there soon.”

  He exhaled. “See you soon.”

  Tatum returned to the table, but she didn’t sit down. Seth noticed. “Is there a problem?”

  “My boss is having…an insecure-lawyer moment. So, I have to leave.”

  Seth stood. “Let me walk you to your car.”

  “Karla drove. I’ll just call a cab.”

  “Then I will have someone drive you.”

  “You don’t—”

  “Mike listen.” Seth called a young black man over before she could finish her sentence. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to him. “Tell Ralph to give the lovely Ms. Tatum a ride to work in my car.”

  “Sure thing, boss,” the man said then disappeared.

  “Thank you for joining us this morning.”

  Tatum nodded.

  “So, what’s your favorite? Lunch or dinner?”

  “Dinner.” She tensed as the dread returned. She knew all these questions weren’t good. Tatum prayed the Ralph person would hurry so she could make a hasty exit.

  “Listen, why don’t you join me for dinner next Friday so I can show you one of my other clubs?”

  Damn. It happened again. He asked her on a date. She couldn’t believe he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  Tatum looked at Karla for help. Karla looked away, so Tatum turned her gaze back to a patient, waiting Seth. All she wanted to do was run. She needed her therapist. She needed that usual black hole. She needed help. Speak. Say something.

  “Uh, I don’t think so.”

  His jovial expression didn’t change. “Are you sure? I won’t bite.”

  “I…don’t think so.” She struggled to sound confident.

  Mike returned. “Miss Lady, Ralph’s ready. Follow me.”

  Tatum was going to object again to the ride, but one look at a pleading Karla and she decided to go along. She thanked Seth as he kissed her on the cheek. Then she disappeared with the man named Mike.

  Karla waited a short time before she started talking business. “As I said before, I can make your place a—”

  “Listen. I have a deal for you.”

  Karla sounded hesitant. “A deal?”

  Seth leaned back in his chair. It was a split-second decision. He’d never done this before, but he wasn’t going to lose before he started playing the game. “I don’t want to prolong this any longer than necess
ary.”

  “I agree. If you aren’t interested in—”

  “Are you and Tatum good friends?”

  “The best.”

  “So you know if she dates white men?”

  “Yes.”

  Seth paused then asked, “Yes she does date white men or yes you know whether she does or not?”

  Karla shifted in her chair. “You’re interested in Tatum, aren’t you?”

  He ignored the question. “What is the likelihood that Tatum will go out with me?”

  “I…” Karla grabbed her purse next to her. Seth guessed she was insulted by the question and expected her to leave. He’d already started to think about plan B when she looked at him carefully and continued. “I don’t think Tatum’s the type of person to turn a man down because of his color.”

  “How about this for terms?” Seth paused to nod. “You convince Tatum to have a relationship with me, and I’ll give you the account.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I never joke about business.” His once cheerful expression was now replaced by absolute seriousness.

  “I don’t know if I can do it. Convincing her to go to a party was hard enough.”

  Seth shrugged. “Take it or leave it?”

  “Thank you for meeting with me.”

  Seth nodded.

  Karla turned to leave, but Seth stopped her. “If you happen to… make up your mind concerning the deal, don’t call. I’m having an NBA playoff watch party at my house Saturday. If you accept the deal, I’ll see you and Tatum there.”

  “Thank you again.”

  “Seth.” The familiar voice didn’t give him a chance to escape. Gabby sat in Karla’s just vacated place. Seth really didn’t want to deal with this right now. He ‘d been having a good day so far.

  He finished his orange juice and waited. It didn’t take long. “Seth I know we already discussed this, but I’ve changed my mind.”

  “About?” he questioned cautiously.

  “I don’t want to transfer to Water or Legacy. I want to stay here. I love Score.”

  “You’re right.” He paused, giving her hope then extinguishing it. “We have discussed this already. Nothing’s changed.”

  “Come on, Seth. Do you want me to beg? I will because I don’t to be shipped off somewhere.”

  He quickly corrected her. It was mostly out of anger and resentment. “You’re not being…shipped off. I think this is a great opportunity for you to grow.”

  “Grow? I’m a damn hostess, not a manager. I don’t need more experience on how to show people to their tables.”

  Seth exhaled. He didn’t need this attitude right now. “I think you know what’s best. Score is very important to me. So, I want you to take care of the other places.”

  “Why, Seth? I’m not a manager. I don’t have the title, so why are you making me responsible for fixing the other restaurants?” Gabby leaned forward.

  He leaned back. “Gabby, you’ve told me before that you prided yourself on knowing every aspect of the business. So, now is your chance to prove it.”

  Gabby crossed her arms over her chest then shook her head in defiance. “I’m not going.”

  Seth rubbed the back his neck. He hadn’t expected her to make such a big deal of this change. Obviously, he’d made a bigger mistake than he thought.

  He tried a new approach. His voice was calm, warm and reassuring. “I need you to do this right now. I don’t trust anyone else to take over the restaurants. You know I have something to prove here.”

  She glanced down. “I know but…”

  “But?” he prodded.

  “Why don’t you just give me the title? We can be real partners. It would solve so many problems.”

  “Listen…no.” He interrupted himself.

  “I’m Latina. If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t have a problem, right? Everything would be great, and I wouldn’t be your—”

  “I’m not discussing this any longer.” Seth stood. “It’s been settled.”

  Gabby called his name, but he wasn’t listening.

  Chapter 3

  “How was your homework assignment?”

  Tatum knew the question was coming. It wasn’t like her therapy sessions were edge-of-your-seat mysteries. However, she still hesitated before answering. She didn’t trust herself to know if her response would be deemed good, bad, or indifferent. She knew what she felt, but because of Seth’s behavior, she wasn’t allowed to be her quiet self.

  She stared out the window, searching for an appropriate answer. The sterile office with two chairs, a small table between them, and a large plant in the corner reminded her of her life. It was dull and blank with a small hint of life.

  “Do you want me to ask the question again?”

  “No. I’m just trying to figure out how I feel.”

  “Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me what happened at the party.”

  Tatum explained the whole thing like she was recounting a crime to a police officer. Her tale was jumbled, with important information rearranged. Dr. Bev didn’t respond right away. Instead, she studied her.

  “You sound scared.”

  “I was. All I wanted was to be comfortable. He wouldn’t let me be comfortable.”

  “Let you? You feel like this Seth was controlling the situation?”

  “Of course. I wanted to enjoy myself, not be…controlled.”

  “Are you sure you weren’t letting him control you?”

  “No,” Tatum asserted

  “Did you tell him you wanted to be left alone?”

  “No.”

  “Did you give him any indication you wanted to be left alone?”

  She hesitated. “No.”

  “Did you want him to leave you alone?”

  “No…yes. I mean, yes I did.”

  “Which one is it?”

  Tatum sighed. She was at a loss. She’d told the truth for the first time and was embarrassed by her response. “I don’t know.”

  Dr. Bev tried again. “How did he make you feel?”

  “I feel controlled.”

  “Forget about the situation for a moment and tell me what you felt toward him.”

  Tatum hesitated again. She didn’t want to be honest with herself, but that was why she was there. She reminded herself she was paying this person too much money to be reluctant in her answers.

  “At first, I told myself he was going to ask me out, but I felt that something was wrong. Later, he made me feel alive again.”

  Dr. Bev wrote something down on the notepad. “I’d like to focus on two words. You said wrong and alive. First, explain the word wrong.”

  “Like I said, I think he was going to ask me on a date, but something was wrong. He seemed not to be in the position to be…” Tatum grasped for the best words.

  “But he asked you later?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you think he’s gay or involved with someone?”

  “I would hope he would be involved with someone rather than gay, but I don’t know. He didn’t act like he was involved, but I felt like something was…wrong.”

  Dr. Bev nodded. “Now explain the word alive.”

  “Well, I know it was just a hug, and it hasn’t been a long time since I had any contact with a man. But I loved the hug. He made me experience all the sexual feelings I wouldn’t let myself respond to before.”

  “He’s a white man. Did you feel the usual guilt?”

  “No. I didn’t think about it.”

  “Why?”

  She struggled to find the right words. “It wasn’t important.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged, now uncomfortable. “I think I was too wrapped up in the moment. It was like everyone disappeared except for us.”

  “So, you are attracted to him?”

  “Yes.” Tatum didn’t hesitate. “Very.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Are you sure?”
<
br />   “Yes. Nothing will change my mind.” She boasted, proud she could still be so stubborn.

  Karla was going to be sick. No, she was sick. She was sick in the head for thinking about Seth’s deal. She wasn’t going to accept it. She wouldn’t sacrifice her friend for a job. There was no way in hell.

  “How in the hell am I going to get this account then?” she said aloud and rolled her eyes heavenward. She wanted to bang her head against her desk until she had a new plan. The walls were closing in on her, telling her she was in trouble.

  “Karla.” Trouble walked through the door. Her boss happily confronted her. This was a man who always smiled, even when he was mad. This wasn’t good.

  She put on her best overly strong and convincing front. Then she prayed for the best. “Mr. Gault, how are you this morning?”

  “Good, but I’d be doing great if you told me you bagged the Carter account.”

  “I’m working on it,” she said with confidence…while fidgeting with her pen.

  “You know,” he happily remarked, “working on it isn’t enough.”

  “I know, sir,” Karla said quickly. “You know Mr. Carter is very fond of Mr. Page. He’s been representing him for the last ten years.”

  “Karla, please. I know the bio.” He was still smiling.

  Now, she was fearful. She desperately tried to change the conversation to a more positive tone. “I went to Score the other night and officially met Mr. Carter.”

  “I know. I sent you there.”

  “I…of course,” she stammered. “Then, I met Mr. Carter for breakfast. We talked…about the account and he was…positive.”

  “Positive?”

  “He was very, very receptive to all my ideas.” She smiled.

  Her boss studied her, obviously looking for any hint that this was not the truth, and she squirmed. He didn’t question her anymore but instead told her, “I fully expect that you know the importance of the Carter account. We, Karla, you and I will become very successful if we lure it away from the competition. Page is retiring and this is our chance.”

  “I am very aware, sir.”

  “Good. If you don’t get this account…”