Lovers Premiere (Kimani Romance) (3 page)

“J
ust who in the hell does he think he is?” Sofia fumed as she stormed back down the hallway to her office, feeling as if smoke was coiling out of her ears. Ramell had the nerve to insinuate that
she
worked for
him?
Had the world gone crazy? What was up was now down and vice versa? “Give him my client list? It'll be a cold day in hell!”

An intern looked up and then rushed to move and jerk his mail cart out of Sofia's path before they were both bowled over. The practically comical scene caught everyone's attention, except Sofia's. She was too busy challenging the strength of her Christian Louboutin heels as she continued to pound them against the agency's marbled floor. Never in her professional life had she allowed
anyone
to strong-arm her, and she wasn't about to let Ramell Jordan be the first.

Her boss. Ha! That would be the damn day. The more she thought about his smug attitude back there in the conference room the more she wished that she had said something that would've put him in his place. Anything to wipe that satisfied look off of his face. Sure, he might be decent looking or even handsome by industry standards. Six foot one, close-cropped hair, sexy goatee and fit enough to bounce a quarter off any portion of his body—but none of that meant she was going to allow his well-honed charm to work on her.

No sir.

So what if most industry insiders liked him and she had a few unsuccessful tries at poaching a few of his clients. It just proved that he was good at fooling people. And she didn't even want to get started in thinking about the harem of women he'd collected over the years, never settling down with one for longer than a few weeks. That's a major red flag.

Never mind that she hadn't been able to maintain any serious relationship herself. Circumstances are different for women. Men usually run off screaming from professional women. It had been her experience in Hollywood that men tended to like their women young and dumb, or at the very least women who put in the effort to pretend to be dumb around them. She didn't play that game.

Sofia reached her uncle's office and breezed inside without saying a word to his assistant, Elisa, who was just a little too slow to stop her.

“Um, Ms. Wellesley,” she called out feebly as Sofia marched right past her.

“We need to talk,” Sofia declared, interrupting Jacob in the middle of his practice golf swing.

Her uncle let out a long breath. “Meeting over so soon?” Jacob glanced at his watch. “I figured that it would be at least another five minutes before Ramell pissed you off.”

“I'm sorry, Mr. Wellesley,” Elisa said from the door.

“It's all right.” He waved her off. “Just shut the door behind you.”

“Yes, sir.” Elisa rushed to do just that.

“What? Was she supposed to play goalie and block me from coming in here?”

Jacob sat aside his golf club as he admitted, “She was at least supposed to give me a heads-up.”

“Very funny.” Sofia folded her arms. “Just like I find it
hilarious
that Ramell Jordan seems to be under the illusion that he's my boss.”

“Oh good Lord.” Jacob headed over to his desk and removed the bottle of Tums he kept in the bottom drawer.

“Want to tell me what that crap is all about?”

“Well, I guess
technically
he is sort of…kind of, your boss. Technically speaking.”

“Come again?” she asked, cupping her ear. Sofia wanted to make sure that she heard her uncle correctly before she snapped, crackled and popped off all up in his office.

“Sofia, just listen. Now, I know that you're upset.”

“Try pissed. In fact, I think I've just discovered a whole new level of pissed off. I've been busting my butt for years now trying to make full partner, or even take
over the family business, and now you go and throw a monkey wrench like this at me. That man out there now has more pull and say in my own father's company than I do! How could you?” She stomped her foot, feeling a tantrum coming on, which was completely unlike her. Sofia prided herself for always being calm, cool and collected, but today's surprises were making that impossible.

“Calm down, Sofia. When I retire, I fully intend to turn the presidency over to you. Ramell knows that and he knows that he will remain vice president.”

“But until then…”

“Until then…well, yeah, I guess
technically
—”

“There you go with that technically stuff again.” She tossed up her hands. “This isn't going to work. It's just not going to work,” she said as hysteria started creeping into her voice. She had worked too hard to cut Ramell Jordan out of her life only for her uncle to undermine all of her efforts now.

“Sofia, what's the big deal? Ramell is a fine businessman with a lot of good and creative ideas to help take this company to the next level. We've known his family for years. They're good people.”

“Ha!” She rolled her eyes.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Emmett and Ramell Jordan are not to be trusted. I know that for a fact. They have always had their eye out for this company and now you've just handed it over to them on a silver platter without so much as a fight.”

“Yes. Emmett Jordan has always expressed an interest
in merging our two companies together. And there has always been an interest on our end to do so.”

“Not by my father.”

“I think I'm a little more qualified to know what my brother wanted and what he didn't want,” Jacob charged back. “I did, after all, start this company with him. I'm also the one who kept the business afloat long before putting you on the payroll.”

“Why do I keep getting the distinct impression that you're trying to force me out of the company?”

“Because you're too stressed out and it's making you paranoid.” He marched over, turned her around by her shoulders and directed her back toward the door. “This discussion is over. Just trust me on this one. Now get back to work, and try not to stress yourself out too much.”

“But—”

“No buts. Just do me a favor and
try
to get along with Ramell.”

“I don't know if—”

“That's all. Thanks,” he said, pushing her out the door and then closing it behind her.

“How rude.” Sofia huffed and stormed off toward her office.

Sarah glanced up from her desk and caught the look on Sofia's face. Instantly she was on her feet, anticipating a list of duties to be rattled off to her.

“In my office,” Sofia barked, breezing past her assistant so fast that a small gust of wind ruffled the stacks of papers on Sarah's desk.

“Yes, ma'am. Right away.” Sarah grabbed her iPad and rushed in right behind her boss. When they entered
the office Sofia seemed content to just pace in a circle. It wasn't just a regular
oh, I'm trying to think
kind of pace. No. Sofia Wellesley looked more like a dangerous wild animal plotting her next attack.

“Is everything all right?” Sarah asked, backing up. If Sofia was going to pounce she didn't want to get too close.

Suddenly, uncharacteristically, Sofia stopped pacing and began to smile. “Sarah!”

“Yes, ma'am?” Sarah asked, taking another cautionary step backward.

With her smile still abnormally wide, Sofia walked over to her assistant and linked her arm through hers. “How do you feel about taking a vacation?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I want you to leave. Take the rest of the month off.”

“A month?” Frowning, her assistant's brows started to stitch together.

“Yes, a month.” Sofia insisted as she brightened. “You deserve it. How long have you been working for me?”

Sarah shrugged and stammered, “Um—five years.”

“Five years,” Sofia repeated. “And you get what—two weeks vacation a year?”

“Well, actually I haven't actually had a vacation in three years.”

“Three years?”

“We both haven't,” she reminded Sofia.

“Humph.” She frowned at that for a moment. “Well there's no time like the present, don't you think?” Sofia
started out, directing Sarah back to her desk. “Now you grab your things and I'll just see you next month.”

“What? You mean leave right now?” Sarah double-checked.

“Absolutely.”

Sarah stopped and dug her heels in. “Okay,” she said tentatively. “Am I being fired? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Sofia reassured her. “It just occurred to me that I've been working you too hard. Your family lives in New York, right?”

“Y-yes. But—”

“Then it's a perfect time for you to go drop in for a visit.” Back out at Sarah's desk, Sofia helped the girl by grabbing her purse and leather laptop bags. “Oh, and I need to change your computer pass code.” Sofia rushed around to her assistant's computer and started keying in numbers.

Sarah's eyes glossed over. “Are you sure I'm not being fired? Whatever I did wrong, I can fix it.”

“You're not being fired. You have my word on that.” Sofia popped back up and started escorting her toward the door. “Go. Have a good time. I want you nice and refreshed when you come back.”

“Um. Okay,” Sarah said. What else could she say? But Sofia didn't just walk her to the door, she walked her all the way to her Honda Hybrid and even stood in the parking lot and waved goodbye.

When Sofia returned to her office, she couldn't help but dance around her office like she'd just scored the final touchdown in a Super Bowl game. Hips shaking
and arms waving, she couldn't wait to see the look on Ram's face when she told him that Sarah wouldn't be available to compile him her prized client list and she'd changed the pass code to ensure that no one else could generate the list, either.

“I feel bad that I don't have any cash on me so I can make it rain up in here.”

Sofia jumped and spun around to see her new
boss
leaning against her door frame. “What are you doing in here?”

“Well I was enjoying the show. I think you missed your calling. You should've been a dancer.”

“And you should have been a jerk. Oops! I forgot. You are a jerk.” She rolled her eyes and marched to her desk. “Now if you're finished annoying me…I'm busy.”

“Busy getting that list together, I hope.”

Sofia cocked a smile. “Tell you what. Why don't you hold your breath and just wait for it?”

“All right. Five o'clock.” He tapped his watch.

“I'm not sure if that time frame is going to work for me,” she said, flashing him a smile. “I'm really very busy, so you're going to have to wait for Sarah to prepare it.”

He glanced over his shoulder to Sarah's empty desk.

“But don't bother looking for her. She's on vacation…for a while.”

“Aww. Well that was awfully nice of you, seeing how you work her about as hard as you work yourself.”

“Thank you, vice president,” Sofia said, before adding under her breath, “of the peanut gallery.” She motioned for him to leave her office. “Now if you don't mind.”

He didn't move. “Well, I hope Sarah has fun wherever she's going. I'm so glad I got her to compile that list before she went.”

“What? You did what? When?”

“After our meeting while you were in the office with Jacob.”

Sofia's jaw nearly hit her desk.

“You know, I see why she works for you. She's fast and efficient.” Ram winked at her. “I'll review it and get back to you.” And with that he strolled off, whistling.

T
he Latin Grammy Awards were being hosted in Las Vegas. Limelight Entertainment Management represented a number of Afro-Latin musicians that were nominated for everything from Best New Artist to Best Latin Album of the Year. The awards were always held in November—a good six months after the crazy award season in Los Angeles. It doesn't mean that it was any less hectic—and this year it was doubly so for Sofia because she had foolishly sent her assistant on vacation and she was dealing with a temp, Stewart, that seemed permanently hyped-up on caffeine, had dyslexia when it came to writing down numbers, and had a habit of dropping more calls than a crummy cell phone provider.

If there was one silver lining to this dark cloud, it would have to be that she had managed to avoid Ramell
Jordan for the past seven days. How on earth her uncle thought she was going to be able to control her blood pressure with him around, she never knew.

After Stewart screwed up with Armani on which date she needed her awards dress to be delivered and failed to mail out an e-vite to the nominees for Limelight's pre-award private party, Sofia's patience was pretty much ready to snap when the car that was supposed to take her to the airport never showed up.

“What the hell? Did he think I was supposed to hitch a ride?” Sofia yelled, rushing to throw her bags in the back of her sister's car.

“Calm down,” Rachel said, laughing. “It's all good. I don't mind dropping you off at the airport.”

Ever since her engagement to Ethan Chambers, it seemed like nothing bothered Rachel anymore; not the drama of working on the set of
Paging the Doctor
or the hectic pace of putting a wedding together or even having her love life splattered across the pages of every tabloid across America. Growing up, Rachel wanted nothing to do with the spotlight so of course life dealt her a hand where she'd fallen in love with the hottest star on television. But when push came to shove, love triumphed.

Rachel glowed like a woman in love and Sofia was surprised to feel a prick of envy. That was unlike her too since she truly wanted the world for her baby sister. And if there was anyone who could give her the world, it was Ethan. Her future brother-in-love was a rarity in this city: a genuinely good man who valued family.

“I got to get Sarah back here pronto or I'm going to
pull out every strand of hair on my head dealing with Stewart.”

Rachel laughed and started up the car. “Sounds like you've finally met your match with Ramell Jordan.”

Sofia's eyes nearly rolled out the back of her head on that. “Puh-lease. That'll be the day.”

Rachel glanced over at the passenger seat while Sofia hooked her Bluetooth on her ear and started powering up her iPad. “What's the deal between you and Ramell anyway? You act like the man is our sworn enemy or something.”

“There's no deal. Trust me. I just have to put up with him until Uncle Jacob comes to his senses. And I hope to hell it's soon because the two of us in one office isn't going to work.” She tapped her ear and immediately transitioned into her professional voice. “Hello, Akil. It's Sofia. How's it going? Are you and Charlene going to make it to the award ceremony this weekend?”

“You know it,” Akil Hutton boasted. “My first nomination for that joint I produced with Pit Bull. I'm all over it, baby.” Akil and his label Playascape were the hottest players in the game at the moment and Sofia was thrilled that her newest client, and Rachel's best friend, Charlene Quinn's debut CD was going to drop this spring on the label. Then the surprise of all surprises; while Charlene was down at Akil's Miami home studio she won the mega-producer's heart and landed an engagement ring.

“Good. I trust you're bringing Charlene?”

“Of course. Every man needs someone gorgeous on their arms. In my case it's going to be my beautiful fiancée.”

Sofia felt another twinge of jealousy, but she covered it by saying, “That's great. I can't wait to see you both there. Make sure you swing by the pre-award ceremony. Maybe we can set it up for Charlene to do a set. Give the people in Las Vegas a little teaser of what's to come.”

“Yeah. Yeah. We can make it do what it do,” he laughed.

“Good deal. Catch you later. You can reach me on my cell if you need anything.” Sofia tapped her ear and rushed to finish her fourth counteroffer to Larry Franklin for Ethan's next contract.

Rachel shook her head. “Does your brain have an Off switch?”

“Not that I'm aware of,” she laughed, but then suddenly experienced a wave of vertigo. “Oh, no.” She pressed a hand against the side of her head.

“What's the matter?” Rachel asked, glancing back over at her sister.

“Nothing. I'm…I guess I just got a little dizzy there.”

“Are you sure you're all right? Do I need to pull over?”

“Don't you dare. I have to make this flight. I'm probably just dizzy because I skipped breakfast. I'll grab something on the plane.” Her finger went back to zooming across the tablet on her lap.

Rachel went back to shaking her head. “Did you get your prescription filled?”

Sofia looked over at her.

“Uncle Jacob told me,” she said, answering the unspoken question.

“Figures. I love him dearly, but lately I swear the man is trying to run my life.”

Rachel shook her head. “He's just concerned about you. We all are. Your workload—”

“Oh, Rachel, not you, too.” Sofia pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Yes, me, too. You're the only sister I have and I'd kind of like to keep you around a little longer…or at least until you fulfill your duty as maid of honor at my wed ding later this month.”

“Figures.” The two sisters laughed. After another twenty minutes of navigating through L.A. traffic, Rachel pulled into the private airstrip in Burbank where Limelight usually shared a chartered private jet with a list of other high-profile industry insiders. Given how her day was going so far, she had no idea why she was surprised to find that her wonderful temporary assistant
didn't
book her on a flight to Las Vegas.

“Please say that you're joking,” Sofia moaned. She had already had her bags unloaded from her sister's car and Rachel had already taken off.

The pretty, plus-size woman behind the counter fluttered a sympathetic smile at her. “No. I'm sorry. And we're all booked up. Everyone is trying to get to the awards ceremony for the weekend.”

“I know. That's where I need to get to.” She let out a sigh and then tried to rein in her mounting frustration. If she got her hands on Stewart, he was a dead man. “There has to be something we can do. The chances of me getting out of LAX today will be close to impossible.”

“I don't know, ma'am. Like I said, every flight is completely booked.

“Are you sure? There has to be some room. I can sit in the back with the stewardess. Hell, I can be a stewardess. Anyone want some time off? How hard can it be to serve drinks?”

Still shaking her head, the lone booking agent held firm.

“I don't believe this,” Sofia said, jerking away from the counter only to come face to face with a smiling Ramell, dressed casual in a pair of black jeans and a white short sleeved top. Instantly, Sofia's gaze zeroed in on his arm's bulging bronze muscles. What Ram looked like in a suit versus what he looked like dressed down were two totally different animals; this one much more dangerous to her peace of mind.

When her eyes shifted across the wide span of his chest, her hand started twitching at her side. She had a sudden curiosity of what it would feel like to run her fingers across it or even lay her head against it.

Ram cleared his throat and Sofia's gaze jumped up to his mirrored aviator sunglasses. “Is there a problem?” he asked.

“No,” Sofia lied.

“Yes,” the woman behind the counter contradicted. “Ms. Wellesley is looking for a flight to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, we're all booked up.”

“Oh, is that right?” Ram's smile stretched wider. “If you're looking to hitch a ride, you're more than welcome to ride shotgun with me.” She hesitated.

“It's not a private jet. It's just my own personal plane.”

“What? You're a pilot?”

He chuckled. “I got my pilot license before my driver's license.”

“I think I'll pass,” she said and then tapped her ear to place a call. “Stewart, I need a car.”

Ram shrugged his big shoulders. “All right. Suit yourself.” He turned and started for the hangar.

“You know what, Stewart. Just give me the number. I'll call them. You just call the airline and—scratch that—get me the number and I'll call them, too.” She asked for a pen from the frowning woman behind the desk and jotted the numbers down. “Thank you.” She tapped her ear and pulled out her phone to start dialing.

“Excuse me,” the counter girl said, interrupting her.

“Yes.”

“Let me get this straight. You'd rather call and wait for a car to come get you so you can fight traffic over to LAX where you'll wait for a flight that may or may not be available to Las Vegas rather than just get on the plane that's
right there
in the hangar and can have you in Las Vegas in less than an hour?”

Sofia opened her mouth to confirm that was exactly what she preferred to do when the ridiculousness of such a response hit her. She was a busy woman with a million things to do before Sunday night's award show and she was about to throw away a whole day just because she didn't want to be on a plane with Ramell.

“I think I see your point,” Sofia acquiesced. She handed the woman back her pen and then rushed out of
the hub. “Ramell! Ramell!” Sofia raced as fast as she could in heels. “Did anyone see where Ramell Jordan ran off to?”

A few of the guys in the hangar just looked up and smiled as she darted by. When she finally spotted Ram strolling casually toward a white and red single-engine plane, she sped up, screaming his name. “Ramell, wait!”

“Seems like I've been doing that half my damn life,” he mumbled under his breath before he forced on a smile and turned around. “Yes? What can I
not
help you with now?”

Sofia pulled up, out of breath, which once again drew Ram's attention to her heaving breasts. Good thing his eyes were hidden behind his shades or he would've really embarrassed himself.

“About that, um, flight…?”

“Yes? What about it?” He was not going to make this easy for her.

“Well, I was thinking…” She smiled. “Since you're here and I'm here…?”

Ram folded his arms. “Yeah?”

“Well…I guess it would be pretty silly of me to try to book a commercial flight and fight traffic and whatnot.”

“That sort of crossed my mind, too. Well, I actually thought it was more like ridiculous…childish…juvenile.”

“All right, all right. I get the picture.” She frowned. “So can I hop a ride or not?”

It was definitely her attitude that rubbed Ramell the
wrong way so he said, “No,” before he turned away and continued toward the plane.

“No?” she echoed and then had to chase back after him again. “What do you mean ‘no'? You just offered me a ride back there in the hub.”

“That was then. This is now.” He reached the door of his beloved plane and pulled it open.

Sofia huffed out a frustrated breath. “What's the difference between now and then?”

Ram tossed in his lone overnight bag and turned to face her. “Back then I sort of felt sorry for you. Now—not so much.”

“W-what?” she sputtered.

Taking a deep breath, Ram crossed his arms. “Has any one ever told you that you really have a nasty attitude?”

She blinked.

“Well, it can't be towards everyone, I suppose. Seems that most people I talk to actually like you. Your clients and studio executives—they all rave about your work and your professionalism. So that must mean this frosty routine is designed just for me. Though I can't imagine why. I've never been anything but nice to you.”

Sofia's eyes narrowed. “Is this about to become a sermon?”

Ram pulled in a deep breath, shook his head and turned away from her. “Goodbye, Sofia. Undoubtedly, I'll see you in Vegas.” When he started to climb up into the cab of the plane, Sofia panicked and grabbed him by the arm.

“Wait!”

Carefully removing his shades, Ram turned his head and looked down at the slim fingers that were clutching his biceps.

Sofia tried to swallow what felt like a sharp-edged rock in the center of her throat while an intense wattage of electricity singed through her fingertips she could practically see the fine hairs on her arm stand up.

“Do you mind?” he asked.

His warm baritone managed to break whatever weird trance she'd fallen into, but just barely. “All right.” She lowered her hand and forced on a smile, but Ram just frowned and stared at her suspiciously. “You're right. I've been a little…”

“Bitchy,” he supplied.

“Short,” she corrected. “I was going to say
short
around you.”

He rolled his eyes and waited for her to finish.

“It's just that…you know a lot of this…merging stuff…I don't like it.”

“Actually yes, you made that pretty clear. But it still doesn't excuse…let's compromise and call it rude, shall we? It doesn't excuse you for being
rude
.” He glanced at his watch. “Now if you'll excuse me. I have a ton of things to do before the pre-award party
our
company is throwing for our nominated clients.” He turned to climb back into the cab.

“Wait!” Sofia grabbed his arm again. “Are you really
not
going to give me a lift?”

Ram continued to pretend that he didn't feel the heat blazing up his arm when he shrugged off her touch.
“Are you really
not
going to apologize for your rude behavior?”