Chapter 27
W HEN C ARRAH TURNED into the driveway of her parents’ home, there were two cars she didn’t recognize and one in need of a tow. Trent’s continued forced insertion into her life triggered pain and resentment for her parents. She wasn’t a fool to the rank he pulled at his family’s bank, and she knew they weren’t either. However, she was done relegating her life for other people to accomplish their dreams while hers died. And she felt the same for Noir.
No longer could she pretend that what she wanted didn’t matter. Chris had opened her eyes and heart to the possibilities and made some of her wildest dreams become realities. Going back to life as it was before him was unimaginable.
With one last woosaah, Carrah exited her car. Her defenses locked and loaded as she turned the knob on the utility door to enter the house. Long gone was the use of good manners. A flair for the dramatics was necessary to end Trent’s attempts.
Raised laughter filled the downstairs, and she noted that house staff moved about as though they were prepping for something. Whatever was happening, she had intentionally been left in the dark about it, she thought as she ventured to the other side of the house to see who all were present.
She peeked around the corner and saw her father, and siblings including Dominic, dressed as though they were at headquarters. The house staff was serving drinks to two current board members, Sandra Butler and Edward Willis, and the general counsel, Marcus Peabody, who was also dressed in formal business attire. Trent, the only one in traditional summer wear, was seated at the table, which had been set for a meeting. If this was why she’d been paged, then they were in for a colorful morning as far as Carrah was concerned.
“Carrah!” her father called, moving in her direction as she passed through the archway to enter the library. “You look beautiful, darling.” He kissed her cheek. “Where did you go off to so early?”
She recoiled. Maybe he didn’t notice, but she sure felt her eyes go wide like a deer caught in headlights. No longer was she ten, needing something from him, or incapable of making her own decisions. Therefore, she didn’t owe him an answer.
However, he owed her one. Why were corporate officers infringing on their family’s summer? It was already bad enough she’d been spending her days in the lab.
Before she could ask, her father cleared his throat. “Would you mind changing into something more professional?”
“Why, and why are all these people here? I thought the Shores was our sacred time. You already have me spinning wheels for a formula I can’t solve.”
“Lower your voice,” he growled through his teeth. “Now please, go change and hurry back down. We will be starting soon.”
When he turned on his heel, she signaled for Beau. He was sometimey and as of late he’d been on her ass over work stuff. However, she hoped he would fill her in. “What is this all about?”
Her brother shrugged, panning the room before looking her in the face. “I’m in the dark like you. Dad hasn’t said anything to Aubrey either. Apparently this is a surprise announcement.”
“I don’t do those well.” Carrah folded her arms, scanning the inside of the library again.
“Nor do I,” he sighed and walked off.
Carrah relinquished her hesitation and proceeded upstairs to change. She pulled down a chic blue blazer with matching trousers. After she had dressed, she stood in the mirror noting that her lipstick was gone. Her fingers went to her lips. She closed her eyes and her mind replayed the moment she decided it would be all or nothing and kissed Chris.
The man had spoken to her core existence, whispering his innermost thoughts, which mirrored hers. Never had she craved a thing that was the base root of conflict. And yet, it set her free, unleashing her passion and fueling her desires. It was a power she never knew she was capable of owning after serving at the beck and call of Camille and Melvin’s expectations and her duty to Noir.
Once whatever her father needed her to do was done, she planned to reach out to Chris. She had to make sure he was good anyway since he left in a completely different mood than what he’d arrived in. For now she pressed pause on those thoughts and dashed back down the stairs.
There was no laughter seeping out from the library this time as she approached. However, she did hear voices. More than what she remembered before going upstairs. The second she passed through the archway to reenter the library, it was like the day the earth stood still. Chris Chennault was there standing amidst the company of her father and his.
A strange sensation whirled around Chris, and the hairs on his arms began to tingle. The thoughts in his head went silent, and as if he knew Carrah were there, he gazed over his shoulder and found her standing in the archway. Their eyes met across the room.
Her body tensed before she avoided him by glancing off in another direction. He had wanted to tell her, wanted to confess he would see her again soon, which was why he made her promise that she would not hold this moment against him. Although he was certain she had no way of knowing he meant now.
Carrah turned away and started to leave, but her sister caught her by the hand and led them deeper into the room. Chris tamped down his base instincts to go to her. It was a contradiction he had no remedy for, and it forced him to return his attention back to the old man who was the general counsel for Noir while turning his back on Carrah.
Nothing the man said registered. Not when Carrah was behind him probably thinking less of his character. Only, he wasn’t able to break his father’s confidence. Nor would he because they’d kissed. It was the very reason he’d avoided discussing family business. He didn’t want to taint what existed between them when the lines were already blurred. This morning was confirmation.
“Christopher,” his father called to him. Chris schooled his face, suppressed emotion, and walked to where his father stood along with Carrah and Melvin. “I’m certain the two of you know of each other.”
“We do,” they said at once.
Their glances met for a second before Carrah snapped her head away. He still couldn’t help looking at her, willing her eyes to connect with his again. He’d misjudged this entire situation.
“Good then,” Melvin said with a dry smile. “Well, Chauncy, if you’re ready?” Chauncy agreed and then Melvin announced for everyone to take seats at the table. Chauncy then gathered Chloe, Miles, Ms. Carolyn, and Mr. Ben. “Ah, Camille!” Melvin turned all attention to his wife as she floated in.
Mrs. Andrews reminded Chris of his mother in the way she walked with confidence and sophistication at once. She made a business suit appear elegant instead of corporate, and she commanded the attention of everyone. Without a doubt he understood how his mother had been the woman’s friend at some point in time. Mrs. Andrews stopped in front of his father. Her face revealed a myriad of emotions before she offered her hand.
“Good to see you, Chauncy.” She clutched his father’s hand as a mother would her child’s. “It’s been a long time.” Chris stretched his eyes to Miles, who stood at his side when they both reached in and embraced like old friends. “I still can’t believe Claudette is gone.” Her words hung in her throat. “She was the best of us.”
Chauncy nodded, perhaps afraid to say anything and risk a bout of depression in a place that was not home. “You’ve met my oldest, Christopher?”
She smiled at Chris, and they shook hands. “Of course, a long time ago. He’s the only one of your children that took Dette’s eyes.”
A light chuckle escaped Chauncy. “I haven’t heard anyone call her that in years.” Both their gazes scattered to the ground. Chauncy lifted his head. “And this is my nephew, Miles.”
“This is Hannah’s son?” The woman’s eyes rapidly scanned Miles. She then glimpsed over her shoulder in the direction of her husband before shaking Miles’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Miles.” She continued staring into his face. “I never knew Hannah had a child.”
Chauncy cleared his throat. “Hannah never much cared for the Florida heat. My sister prefers Oak Bluffs, after spending so many years in the North. Miles is his mother’s child and shares her sentiments.”
“How old are you… Miles?” Camille concentrated on his cousin, almost dismissing any context his father offered.
“Thirty-four, and it’s nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Andrews.” The woman reared back as she clutched her chest. “Are you okay, Mrs. Andrews?”
“Yes.” She stumbled forward, forcing a smile. “I’m fine. Let’s take our seats.”
Once everyone was at the table, Chris noticed that Carrah was seated closest to her father while her siblings came after the general counsel and board members. He considered it an interesting dynamic given that in his research of the company he’d learned the older brother was the CFO and the sister was the COO, while Carrah oversaw research and development.
His attention was grabbed by Melvin when he stood at the table and cast his gaze over everyone. “Thank you all for coming. You’ve been invited here to witness a feat I never thought possible in my lifetime. As you all know, Noir Cosmetics and Olina Chennault Cosmetics started as one over eighty-three years ago. Since then each company has revolutionized Black skin, hair, and cosmetics care. As consumer preferences have evolved, so must we.”
The man directed his gaze at his family. “A few weeks ago, I approached Chauncy with a proposal to bring the world’s two largest Black-owned cosmetics companies together again.” Gasps from the Andrews side of the table bounced off the walls while Chris’s side sat patient as monks. “Therefore, we”—he gestured to Chauncy—“are pleased to announce a joint venture in an effort to pioneer a skin-correcting foundation serum.”
Camille’s face became as hard as a statue. Carrah had some slack in her jaws, but her siblings and the board members displayed full-on outrage. The only ones who seemed content were Melvin and the attorney.
“Why a joint venture?” Beau scowled, perching in his chair.
“The joint venture allows us to work on this one specific project together. We pool the best of our resources, people… Carrah and Miles will collaborate to develop something we believe could become a global phenomenon.”
“There are risks, are there not?” The oldest sister spoke. Her shifty eyes were a sign that she was not in favor of such a strategy.
Their attorney cleared his throat. “There are risks associated with any business deal. Your father and Mr. Chennault have drawn up a contract that splits everything down the middle. The rewards from the product’s success are shared. This is also true for any loss should it fail.”
Carrah stood. She took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and stared her father in the face. “So my idea—that’s been researched and tested, nearly eighty percent ready for market trial.” Her head cocked. “You now want to punt it over to Olina Chennault?”
An ache formed at the pit of his stomach and Chris wished he wasn’t present to witness her hurt. In the same breath, all it did was make him more determined to help her get out. The fact that her father had not confided his plans to her or anyone on the other side made him suspicious to the point where he questioned his father on the deal. Except, knowing his father’s business sense meant the manipulation they were witnessing was all a part of his plan. He would use the seeds of dissention to take Noir down at the knees in the same way Melvin had done years ago. This time there would be no second chances, only ruin.
“Why is that, Mr. Andrews?” Trent piped up. Everyone focused on him. “It seems Carrah is offended by being made to relinquish her intellectual property, and as my family has a say in our investment and Carrah is to be my wife—”
“What?” Chris, Carrah, and Camille lashed out at once.
“Our engagement is postponed,” Trent murmured acidly, rising to his feet.
Chris made the motion to push up from his chair. His father gripped his hand and steadied it into the armrest. Chauncy cut his eyes at him and then gave a barely noticeable shake of his head.
Trent’s mother whispered something to him and he sat down. Her scrutiny went from Carrah to Melvin. “I’ve been clear, in fact more than accommodating, in allowing you additional time to get the product ready. It was never a secret that those repayment extensions were made considering Carrah and Trent’s relationship.”
Chris couldn’t stop staring at the beautiful girl who’d been waiting on his front porch this morning. Forget how she kissed him back and had been welcome to his innermost thoughts. She had softened the rough edges that had formed around him after his mother’s death and made him consider things beyond expanding his firm or negating duty to his family. He dreamed and thought of things the way he used to. Until now he had not realized how lost he’d been.
Trent was a mistake. He wanted to stand up and shout. Any man who used money to demand affection of a sacred promise was. Control faltered and he inhaled a tight breath to keep from telling Trent and his mother to jump off a cliff because Carrah was his—
His. Shit. This was so bad.
“Trent proposed and I said no.” The strong will of Carrah’s voice contradicted the fleeting glance she gave Chris.
Sandra then got to her feet and Camille did the same. “Just yesterday, your father and brother assured us that you were coming around.”
Both Carrah and her mother whipped their heads to Melvin, still standing at the head of the table. Instead of responding to Sandra, Carrah left. Every fiber in Chris’s being screamed to go after her. The only reason he didn’t was out of respect for her because he no longer gave a damn about the bad blood between their families.
Chauncy lifted his hand off Chris and leaned into the table, steepling his hands. He focused on Melvin. “Is your daughter unwilling to work with Miles?”
“Or marry my son?” Sandra countered. “Carrah’s agreement dictates how the bank proceeds.”
“Our daughter is not a child. Nor is she a commodity to be traded.” Camille threw daggers at Melvin, then turned like a graceful ballerina and exited the room, leaving all eyes on her crestfallen husband.
In Chris’s line of work negotiations were an everyday occurrence. This one in particular was compromised, and for once, he was happy about it. Carrah would never be able to meet the deadlines for her book while spending hours in a lab to create another product for two multibillion-dollar organizations.
His father finally got to his feet. “It seems you need time to chat with your stakeholders, Melvin. We’ll be in touch.”
Everyone on Chris’s side of the table followed suit and found their way out. Before he was outside, he pulled his phone and messaged Carrah. She didn’t reply. Once more he tried as he got into his car and received nothing. After being on the inside of her box, he saw the intricacies that could keep it closed. Only, he’d promised her, and he would do everything in his power to help her find a way out and achieve her dreams.