Gotta Get Next To You (4 page)

“Come on, baby.” Gran snagged Jamal’s hand
before she could be hauled off. “There’s plenty seats.”

He glanced at Andrea, pressing his lips
together, apparently to keep from laughing. Andrea ground her teeth
in frustration. Gran’s blatant matchmaking was galling. Yet the
only thing she could do was follow them. With the grace of a ballet
dancer, Gran maneuvered herself so that he was placed between
them.

“Perfect,” he said, grinning at her.

Andrea’s stomach fluttered. Somehow she’d
become susceptible to that dam dimple! She did her best to ignore
him. Her heart had only just healed from the bruising Ellis had
inflicted. He, too, had a smile that could melt icebergs, the liar.
Andrea had gone back to using her maiden name before the ink was
dry on the divorce decree. One whole week had been devoted to
changing her credit cards and driver’s license. It was a move to
obliterate Ellis Reeves from her life. Andrea vowed to be in total
control the next time, if there was a next time. Jamal Turner was
not going to change her mind. Neither would her crafty
grandmother.

As though reading her mind, he turned to look
at her again. Some kind of force snatched away her thought of
resistance. His gaze traveled down her face to her neck and beyond.
Andrea’s breathing now matched her in-creased heart rate. There was
no denying the raw sexual energy this man could put into a simple
glance. Andrea squirmed in her seat as a pleasant aching need
stabbed her pelvis. When he looked up into her eyes again, she felt
pure desire. She glanced at his hands. A vivid picture of him
reaching up to unbutton her blouse popped into her head. Her head
was swimming at the thought of his fingers on her bare skin. Andrea
looked from his hands back to his face and swallowed hard. She put
a shaky hand to her forehead and rubbed hard to break this
disquieting spell he had woven.

She was obscenely happy to be introduced by
the time she was called. When asked to give a statement, she did
not mind at all. Anything to distract her from the way her body
kept responding to Jamal. She was brief. Andrea made broad mention
of problems, but did not spend much time on them.

“I look forward to working with everyone to
make the clinic one we can be proud of.” Andrea said.

“Thank you. I’m sure you’re going to do a
fine job.”

Fred Hilliard, the president of the board,
looked at the other officials. “Y’all got any questions?” When no
one spoke, he moved on to other business.

“You did great,” Jamal said when she slipped
back into her seat.

Andrea let out a long breath. “Thanks. I need
all the support I can get.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” He grinned at
her.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, but
he put a finger to his tips.

“Listen.” He nodded toward the aldermen.

“And, Ms. Noble, we know inventory and the
books at the clinic are in a bad way. Mr. Jamal Turner there is
going to help you get it all on the new computer.” Mr. Hilliard
smiled. “He’s just what you need.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Gran burst out. She
clapped her hands with glee.

Andrea stared at Jamal in shock. “But what,
how—”

“They interviewed me two weeks ago. The
clinic needs my services; I needed a job, and bam! You got me.

“In my office?” Andrea whispered to
herself.

He dipped his head in a mock bow. “Jamal
Turner, at your service.”

Andrea sat stunned. She gazed at Gran and
then back at the dimple that kept yanking at her pulse. This was
incredible. All her plans to keep out of his line of fire shot
down! He’d be within reach. Trouble already. Just the thought of
being close to him brought on the urge to feel those muscular arms.
Was her armor strong enough?

He tilted his head to one side, an impish
glint in his dark eyes. “I look forward to working with you, Nurse
Noble.”

No place like home,” Andrea murmured.

She stood on the far edge of her
grandmother’s land and gazed into the distance. Tall grass moved in
the muggy breeze of late spring. From a mile away, Andrea could
smell the wet earth that surrounded the bayou. Snowy egrets floated
in the blue sky gracefully, white wings stretched wide like glider
planes. In imitation, Andrea spread her arms and turned in a
circle.

She stopped spinning and faced the spacious
house where she’d spent so many happy days. The cypress walls were
a weathered grayish brown color that blended with the scenery. A
porch wrapped around half the house. On it were cane-backed wooden
rocking chairs. These had been made by her grandfather and father.
She could remember the secure feeling of sitting in her father’s
lap while he crooned and rocked her. Interspersed between the
chairs were several small tables. Of course, potted plants and
hanging ferns were plentiful. Gran had to have her greenery. Andrea
smiled as she remembered her grandfather teasing Gran that she
lived in a jungle. Being with Gran here and now seemed natural, as
though she’d never grown up and moved away.

As though she knew Andrea was thinking of
her, Gran appeared at the kitchen window and beckoned to her.
Andrea waved back as she strolled across the yard. She smiled as
she took one last look around her. Even after being here for two
weeks, she still could not get over how much the beauty of Bayou
Blue cast a spell over her.

Andrea was hardly through the back door when
Gran started talking.

“Sit yourself down right here and let me wait
on you.”

Gran bustled around the kitchen, adjusting
the flame underneath pots and stirring. Cousins, uncles, and aunts
filled every available space in the wood-frame house on Basin Road.
The sound of laughter came from a group of her relatives on the
porch. In the living room, another crowd sat in front of the color
television, intent on a baseball game. Andrea was still trying to
adjust to the constant stream of adults and children. She’d become
accustomed to a quiet, almost isolated life with Ellis. One of her
young cousins was shooed from her lap by Gran. The
sixty-nine-year-old dynamo placed a plate piled with red beans and
sausage in front of Andrea.

“Go play outside with the other children,
Cher6. Andrea’s not gonna disappear.” Gran patted her head, full of
pigtails and colorful barrettes.

“I know you don’t want to miss the ball game.
Be-sides, I live here now. I’m not company.” Andrea breathed in the
smell of red pepper, onions, garlic, and bay leaf.

Gran put a wedge of cornbread on a saucer and
placed it next to Andrea’s plate. “I’m having more fun in this
kitchen, as usual. Hey, Leonard. Get you some more, darlin’.” She
pinched the cheek of her tall, husky grandson.

“Hey, Drea. Heard you gonna run the clinic.
That’s great.” Leonard grabbed another can of soda, plopped a link
of hot sausage on a bun, and winked at her before leaving to go
back to the game.

“That Leonard is a mess. Always stuffing
himself. Don’t know how he stays so thin.” Gran chuckled. “You know
he worked on fixing the clinic up. He’s a master carpenter like his
daddy.” She looked proud as she always did when talking about her
sons.

As though he’d been summoned, the nut brown
man came into the kitchen. “Mama, you got some more potato salad?
Hey, now, little lady.” Uncle Curtis gave Andrea an affectionate
pat on the head as though she were still ten years old.

“Yeah, cher. Best slow down, though. You know
what the doctor said.” Gran did not try to stop him from getting
thirds despite her warning.

“I lost seven pounds,” Uncle Curtis
protested.

“And you gonna put ’em back on in one day,”
Gran quipped with an indulgent smile.

“This little bit won’t hurt. Ain’t that
right, Drea?” Uncle Curtis leaned against the counter and scooped
up some potato salad. He chewed with a look of pure satisfaction.
“Hmm, can’t nobody cook like Miss Mavis Ricard.”

“Go on now.” Gran blushed with pleasure.

“I understand the clinic is comin’ along
great,” Uncle Curtis said. “Gonna be like new.”

“Just needs a few finishing touches,” Andrea
said.

“Good thing, too. Folks need a decent clinic
around here. Talk was those folks stole more than they helped the
patients.” Uncle Curtis shoved more potato salad in his mouth.

“That’s right,” Gran agreed. “But with Andrea
taking over, things gonna turn around. She’s got some good new
employees. Like that nice young man.” She glanced over her shoulder
at Andrea.

“For sure.” Uncle Curtis nodded and
chewed.

“Now that you mention it, I don’t appreciate
the board hiring staff without my input.”

Andrea scowled at the thought of a handsome
face wearing a smug expression. Irritation mixed with an odd tingle
of attraction.

Gran cleared her throat. “If he’s qualified
and likable, what’s the harm? Besides, I can tell he’s the right
man for the job.”

“From talking to him for five minutes? Sure
you can,” Andrea said dryly.

“I don’t know why you meet a nice, single man
and get your back up,” Gran said, both hands on her hips.

Andrea pointed a forefinger at her. “Stop
right there.”

“What?” Gran assumed a look of pure
innocence.

“None of your tricks, Gran. I’m not kidding.”
Andrea scowled at her, hoping to look fierce.

“All I’m saying is you don’t have to give up
men for-ever just because your husband was no good.” Gran turned
back to the stove.

“I don’t want to have this talk again, so let
me say this clearly. I’m concentrating on my career for now.”
Andrea walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder. “Got
it?”

“I saw the way you were looking at him.” Gran
put the lid on the pot of red beans and faced her again.

“Gran—”

“Fine, be by yourself,” Gran grumbled.

“I’m going to enjoy my homecoming and get the
clinic in shape. That’s more than enough.”

“If you say so.” Gran lifted a shoulder.

“I do say so,” Andrea added firmly.

“But you gotta admit, that Jamal is sure
gonna dress the place up. Such a fine-looking young man.” Gran’s
dark eyebrows arched.

“I need competent, qualified staff. Not
window dressing.” Andrea clenched her teeth. “But I’m stuck with
him, I guess.”

“He didn’t take the job just to get on your
nerves. Right, Curtis?” Gran said.

Uncle Curtis choked on a bit of potato salad.
He shook his head. “Hmm... ahem, dunno,” was his garbled
answer.

“Don’t you think he’s a nice young fella?”
Gran pressed on.

“Yeah, umm, I, er...” Uncle Curtis blinked
like a deer caught in headlights.

“Ellis seemed like a nice young fellow, too.
So do half the serial killers on death row,” Andrea retorted. “The
man’s got ’player’ plastered all over him.”

“Now, that’s plain silly to judge the boy so
fast. Ain’t that right, Curtis?” Gran turned to her son for support
again.

“I’ve got tire marks all over me from the
last hit-and- run. Trust me, I know the type.” Andrea waved a
hand.

“Curtis, tell her she’s being unreasonable,”
Gran said. She fixed him with a hard look.

“Leave me outta this. I didn’t have nothin’
to do with it.”

“Nothing to do with what, Uncle Curtis?”
Andrea looked from Gran to him.

He shook his head as though warding off
danger. “Not me, uh-uh.”

‘Tell me what—” Before Andrea could finish,
her cousin Leonard came in, talking to someone behind him.

“Don’t worry. If my grandmamma invited you,
then you can come in the kitchen with the family.” Leonard grinned.
“Ain’t that right, Gran?”

Jamal strolled in behind him. “Boy, sure
smells good in here. Nothing like down-home cooking.”

Andrea’s mouth dropped open. She gaped at him
for five seconds, and then turned to Gran with a scowl. The woman
had more nerve than ten busybodies put together.

“We’re so glad you could come, sugar.” Gran
pointedly avoided looking at Andrea. She strolled over and took him
by the arm. “You have a seat right here.” “Thanks, ma’am.” Jamal
sat at the kitchen table and beamed at Andrea. “Good to see ya
again.”

Jamal looked perfectly at home with his
elbows propped on the table. Andrea squinted at him. The man was so
annoying. She was determined not to be affected by him. Let him
parade around in front of her. So he looks okay. So what? Andrea
lifted her nose in the air and continued to gaze at him.

His broad shoulders were covered by a dark
blue cot-ton knit shirt with a white stripe on the collar and short
sleeves. Andrea tried not to notice how his powerful brown arms
bulged even at rest on the table. He wore a leather belt the color
of dark wine around his trim waist. The shirt was neatly tucked
into khaki pants that fit snugly and molded to his thighs. He
shifted his legs to get more comfortable, and that one simple
motion made her blink. When he rumbled a deep laugh at something
her cousin said, Andrea felt heat course through her body. Jamal’s
voice, rich and melodious, hinted at secret pleasures. His full
mouth curved up when he turned to her. An image of his lips against
hers blossomed in her mind.

“You excited?”

Andrea drew a ragged breath. “What?” she
asked, mortified that he had seen into her thoughts.

“About the clinic, I mean.” Jamal wore a half
smile. “You must look forward to starting in a few days.”

Andrea leaned against the countertop to get
her balance. “The clinic, right,” she blurted out.

“Right, the clinic,” he echoed. His brown
eyes glittered with mirth. “You know, that place where you’re the
boss?”

Jamal wore a sexy smile. Could he see the
lusty images that had formed in her mind? Andrea took a deep breath
to clear them away. Annoyance took over again at the conceit he
seemed to radiate. He was sure of his ability to charm her. His
appeal evaporated at that instant. The last thing she would do was
give him the satisfaction.