with the selfish, money-grabbing women he had become used to reinforced his nickname of “The Wolf,” in both the bedroom and the boardroom.
But in the boardroom, his former superiors had started to second-guess him and question his actions in unproductive ways. Chase refused to be stifled. So, he landed a sweet new position based on a tip from his old college buddy, Leonard Stone. He planned to start the new job just as soon as he took a trip to Dahinda, the island he’d been born on and the place he still called home.
His narrow focus on work and only work had caused him to miss the chance to be at his grandmother’s bedside when she’d passed away. He felt more than a little guilty about missing her passing and missing the chance to tell her how much she had meant to him. He planned to use the trip home to reevaluate his priorities and reconnect with what was important. He wouldn’t let work keep him away from the rest of his relatives, especially his mother, Margie.
The job at Mainstay was slightly different from Chase’s former job. He would still be in charge of mergers and acquisitions. However, the “corporate raider” aspect of his former job would be missing. He would be more hands-on in development instead of swooping in and gobbling up struggling companies so that they could be taken apart and sold off piece by piece. He would be building things now.
“You’re going to love it at Mainstay, Yearwood!” Leonard slapped him on the back and let out a chuckle.
Leonard hadn’t changed all that much in the years since college. He was tall and still somewhat lanky. He had what some would call a swimmer’s build. His formerly thick, wavy hair was now making a slow creep away from his forehead, but he hadn’t gone the shave-it-all-off route that most men went when faced with balding. He had a weird comb-it-all-to-the-front thing going on that really did nothing to hide the fact that he was going bald. His hazel eyes were still astute and focused and didn’t give anything away about the man behind them.
“And I’m going to love the fact that everyone knows I was instrumental in bringing you to Mainstay. It gave me major points with the boss, and as long as you do your thing the way you’ve done it in your previous job, I’m sure we’ll both be moving on up to the vice president slots soon.”
Chase squinted a little. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Leonard lumping their possible future promotions together like that. He had always been a man who went by his own merit, played by his own rules and made his own way. When he’d pledged Omega as an undergraduate, he’d earned the line name “The Lone Wolf” because he’d pledged solo with no line brothers, just himself. He had been an only child. He always had been, and always would be, his own man.
He hadn’t needed Leonard to get the job, and he certainly wasn’t going to allow Leonard to ride his coattails to a promotion. Leonard telling him about the position was not equivalent to his hard work and preparation giving him the experience and tools he needed to get hired into the position. He didn’t like at all what Leonard was insinuating.
But rather than spoil the celebratory mood, Chase just made a mental note to watch Leonard.
“It’ll be great, man. Just like old times when we ran the student government at FAMU,” Leonard added.
Chase frowned. “I’m looking forward to the new job and developing my strengths in other areas. The change will be nice, and it will keep me sharp, help me keep my edge.”
“There aren’t many men sharper than you, Yearwood, that’s for sure. Aside from that unfortunate election for president of the student government back at FAMU, you’ve pretty much accomplished everything you ever went after.” Leonard chuckled.
Chase felt the veins in his neck pulse just a little as he arched his left eyebrow.
Leonard laughed. “Hey, we all have to lose sometimes. You’d been on top all through undergrad. And you’re making big moves all throughout the business world now. Who cares about something as insignificant as the student government race from our undergraduate days? Although…” Leonard opened his mouth and closed it.
Chase’s nostrils flared. Now he knew Leonard was trying to start something with him. Everyone who knew him back in college and still had the privilege of being in his inner circle of associates knew he did not talk about the student government association election that took place at the end of his junior year.
Ever.
It wasn’t just that he had lost the election.
It was so much more than that.
So. Much. More.
It was personal, very personal. And he didn’t like anyone bringing it up.
Rather than tell off an old friend he was now going to have to work with, Chase opted to change the subject. “So, Leonard, what can you tell me about Mainstay and the day-to-day work environment?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find it interesting. In fact, I’m betting you’ll find it more than interesting.” Leonard took a swig of his beer. “With the two of us there now, having each other’s back, it’ll be a lot like old times. A lot like old times…”
“Our college days are over. We’re grown men now. Those days are long behind us.” Chase heard the slight edge in his own voice and wondered yet again if he was doing the wrong thing by joining a company where his old friend was also employed. Corporate politics could be complicated enough without bringing in the extra drama or building alliances before he even got a chance to learn the lay of the land.
Friend or no friend, Chase wasn’t about to let Leonard pull him into any mess. “Well, I’m a quick study. I’m sure I’ll be able to assess the situation once I start in two weeks.”
“Must be nice to be able to take a vacation,” Leonard said with a smirk.
Chase paused because he thought he detected a slight shade of snide and a small dose of snark in Leonard’s voice.
“I haven’t taken a proper vacation in so many years I almost don’t remember what a vacation is, and I haven’t been home to Dahinda for a visit in so long my mother has threatened on numerous occasions to disown me and find herself another son. I think two weeks on my home island is just what I need before starting a new job with a whole new set of demands.”
Leonard rolled his eyes. “I’ll hold down the fort until you come on board. Once you’re there, I’ll fill you in on all the dirt and all the stuff you really need to know. But for now, it’s good to be working with you again, my friend.”
Chase simply nodded and hoped that he wouldn’t walk into Mainstay in two weeks and find that he had made a huge mistake by taking this job offer instead of one of the countless others that had been offered to him when the business world got wind that The Wolf was ready to make a move.
Cicely placed the pillow over her head and tried to block out the noise. Someone kept playing the same six bars of a song over and over again. It took her a couple of minutes to realize that it was her cell phone’s ring tone that was disturbing her sleep.
She was at the Wyndham Hotel by Miami International Airport because that was the only hotel with a vacancy. The upcoming holiday and some teachers’ convention had the other local hotels filled to capacity.
The singer’s voice and the song that used to be one of her favorites blared out yet again, and Cicely grabbed the phone. If it was that cheating, no-good Isaac, she was going to lose the little
