quarter to never,” she said.
Opal broke out into a fit of giggles.
Ebony didn’t know what her friend was tittering about. The man had been about as friendly as a bulldog. Draping her napkin over her legs, she reflected on their exchange. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Mr. I’m-Too-Good-To-Go-Out-With-You was an arrogant jerk with an unlikable personality.
Her eyes searched the banquet hall. In his tailored suit and designer shoes, Xavier Reed was easily identifiable in the crowd. He was standing near the stage and, to her shock, laughing it up with a plus-size woman with an outrageous weave. So, he can laugh with her but he can’t even give me a smile? As she scrutinized him from head to toe, her eyes narrowed in distaste.
Xavier Reed wasn’t all that. He wasn’t even six feet and he had shifty eyes.
What woman in her right mind would want to go out with a short, leery-eyed, sourpuss anyway? she thought, stabbing her fork into a coconut drop. Xavier had done her a favor by turning her down. Going out with him for dinner would undoubtedly have been the longest two hours of her life. Comforted by her thoughts, she told Opal, “He’s not all that. He might look good from a distance, but up close he’s just as cute as the next guy. The man is no Taye Diggs.” When Opal rolled her eyes, Ebony laughed. “He’s not the one to help you get your groove back, girl.”
Brushing aside Ebony’s fallacious remarks, Opal said, “Who are you trying to fool? ‘He’s just as cute as the next guy.’ Please. That man is fine. He’d turn heads in the dark. You said so yourself.” After a brief pause, she asked, “Did you at least get his name?”
“Xavier Reed,” Ebony uttered, as if saying his name made her mouth ache.
“Ooh, he even has a sexy name!”
Ebony said nothing. She sampled her piece of carrot cake, and then washed it down with some sparkling apple cider. “Can we please talk about something else?”
“Oh, you’re just bitter because he turned you down. Just goes to show you, girlfriend. You can’t always get what you want.”
“Says who?”
Ebony checked her program. Eight performances left. She plopped her purse on her lap and fished around for her car keys. It didn’t matter if Kirk Franklin & the Family were up next, after this song she was going home. If Ebony had to sit through another hymn or contemporary gospel song, she was going to scream. Holler so loud people would think an evil spirit had possessed her.
When a middle-aged Spanish woman with a beehivelike hairstyle took the microphone a few seconds later and started singing an off-key rendition of Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down,” Ebony bit down hard on her bottom lip. Most of the performers had an abundance of talent, but they had no stage presence whatsoever. The delivery was always the same. Take the mike, say a few words of encouragement, sing, give the Lord a wave offering or two and wrap it up. The first performance was tolerable, but by the sixth it was akin to slow torture.
Should have left with Opal, Ebony thought, folding her arms across her chest. Opal had departed to pick up her daughters from a birthday party, leaving Ebony to suffer through four more songs. Straightening her shoulders, she inched her chair back and swung her legs out from underneath the table. When Ebony caught her aunt Mae, she gave her a half wave and mouthed “goodbye.” One of the church sisters was giving her aunt a ride home, so Ebony was free to go whenever she was ready. She checked her watch again: 10:37. Time to bounce!
Ebony was thankful she had had the foresight to pick a table at the back of the hall. Now that she was ready to leave, she didn’t have to worry about disrupting the program when she walked out. The same time Ebony slipped her purse over her shoulder and stood, the emcee asked Brother Xavier to join him on the stage. I guess I can stay a few more minutes, she decided, lowering herself back onto the chair.
Xavier took the microphone, greeted the audience warmly and thanked everyone for coming. “On May 1 our ‘Changing Lives Through Meals’ program will kick off again. The last three years of the program have been an enormous success, due largely to our dedicated and selfless volunteers. We’re looking for people who can commit to helping out on Wednesday and Friday evenings for the duration of the summer. If you’re interested in getting involved in a worthy cause and want to give back to the community, please see me at the end of the program. I would love to discuss…”
No, thanks, Ebony thought, standing and moving briskly out of the banquet hall. Good night, sourpuss.
Chapter 3
“Where the hell are my thongs? The purchase order I’m clutching has an arrival date of April 28. That was three days ago.” Taking a deep breath, Ebony drew on every ounce of self-control she had to remain calm. But Mr. Rutherford was goading her, trying her patience like only he could. Tucking a loose curl behind her ear, she half listened as the owner of Logan Warehouse droned on about the latest problems with his business. Two of his best men had quit yesterday. He was understaffed. The warehouse security system was on the blink.
“The truck had mechanical problems while en route to your boutique, Ms. Garrett. You have to understand these things happen from time to time in business. But don’t you worry, little lady. I’ll have my best driver out there first thing in the morning with the shipment. Now, how’s that for service?”
Ebony’s eyes narrowed. He was patronizing her. She could almost see the balding man leering on the other end of the line, rubbing a stubby hand over his liver-spotted head. If she had the power to reach through the phone, she’d snatch him up by the collar and shake all two hundred and fifty pounds of him.
“Now, you listen to me, Mr. Rutherford. This is unacceptable and I refuse to tolerate your company’s incompetence any longer.” He tried to interrupt, but she swiftly cut him off. “This is not the first time I’ve had to put up with delays and inconveniences. This type of ineptitude has occurred at least a half-dozen times over the last six months. Tomorrow morning is simply not good enough. I want that shipment today.” Ebony paused, took a deep breath and waited for him to come up with a reasonable solution to the problem.
“Take it easy, little lady. Having a hissy fit isn’t going to get the shipment there today. Like I said, it’ll be there in the morning. That’s the best I can do.”
Ebony gripped the body of the receiver, the veins in her neck throbbing uncontrollably. “Let me put it to you in terms you’ll understand, Mr. Rutherford. If the shipment is not here by the end of the day, I’ll terminate our contract and find another trucking company to do business with.” Ebony calmly replaced the receiver. Truth be told, she couldn’t afford to do business with another trucking company. The larger companies charged astronomical fees, didn’t guarantee shipment arrivals, either, and forced customers to sign long-term contracts. Ebony was bluffing, but Mr. Rutherford didn’t need to know that. If he came through for her today, she would renegotiate their contract in a way that would satisfy them both. And if he didn’t, she’d kill him with her bare hands.
Ebony inspected her two-week-old manicure. She would call and make an appointment at Total Image Salon. Her French manicure was all but ruined. Chipped paint, dry cuticles and a broken nail needed tending to, and the sooner Ebony could get her nails done, the better.
Ebony buzzed her receptionist.
“Yes, Mrs. Garrett?”
“Please prepare a cancellation request
