Her Second Chance Read online

  Her Second Chance

  Bette Ford

  Copyright

  This book is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be sold, shared, or given away.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  * * *

  Her Second Chance

  Copyright © 2018 by Bette Ford

  Ebook ISBN: 9781641970587

  * * *

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  * * *

  NYLA Publishing

  121 W 27th St., Suite 1201, New York, NY 10001

  http://www.nyliterary.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Also by Bette Ford

  About the Author

  Proverbs 16:3 (ESV) “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.”

  Dedication

  Honor and glory to the heavenly Father,

  To the dedicated readers who never gave up, who hung in there with me and encouraged me. It has been a long rough road, but thanks to your prayers and God’s blessings I did it!

  To Michelle Ray, whose friendship has come to mean the world to me.

  To Johnna Lynn Johnson, thanks so much for running countless errands so I could focus on writing.

  And to Carla Fredd, Beverly Jenkins, Crystal Hammonds and Mary Pittman, just because.

  1

  When Trenna McAdams stepped off the elevator, she ran smack into a hard male chest and bounced. The only thing that saved her from falling onto the thick

  carpeting was a pair of large hands that gripped her shoulders to steady her.

  “What the…” she stopped, managing not to let loose a word her beloved, sweet mother would have never approved.

  “Are you all right?”

  Her petite body stiffened at the sound of the familiar deep, throaty voice. She had to lean back and tilt her chin up in order to look into a pair of twinkling, midnight-blue eyes. Darrin Morgan! She detested the prominent attorney and smooth-talking womanizer. Fuming, she used both hands to push him away.

  Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to push him out of her dreams at night or the wild fantasies that crept into her daydreams when she least expected it. Just the thought warmed her cheeks, causing her deep, coffee-bean skin to flush with embarrassment.

  “Trenna, are…” Darrin repeated.

  “I’m perfectly fine. Thank you,” she said politely. “You can let go of me.”

  Darrin’s generous lips curved upward. “Always the lady. Do you ever get flustered?” Before she could respond, he said, “Tell me, how may I help you, Ms. McAdams.” She must have looked as baffled as she felt, judging by his next comment, “You came to me, remember.”

  Cognizant of his warm, ivory skin and startling good looks, she inhaled his clean, male scent. The waves in his thick, close-cut, black hair, his strong nose and generously curved mouth left no doubt of his African heritage.

  Trenna didn’t need to use her imagination to know there was no shortage of females in Darrin’s life. The women in the Morgan-Green Building had nicknamed the Morgan twins the ‘Ivory Princes’. Darrin was labeled Number One and Douglas was Number Two. Both were lawyers and business partners, but they were also good-looking, smart, with the advantage of having well-toned muscular bodies and wealth.

  She could never forget their first meeting when she had just moved into the building. She and her BFF Maureen Hale Sheppard had been working hard to get her nursery school up and running. During a break for lunch they were seated in one of the building’s most popular restaurants, Cheezy’s Grill. The third floor sandwich shop was packed, with no empty tables. Douglas and Darrin came in together and helped themselves to the empty seats across from them. Maureen made the introductions.

  When Darrin’s dark blue eyes locked with Trenna’s, she felt her heart pick up speed. Her breath seemed to be lodged in her throat at the jolt of awareness. The attraction was immediate and so unexpected that it scared her… No, he scared her.

  Darrin Morgan was big, full of confidence, virile, and utterly male. He was too much…he unnerved her. His dark eyes missed nothing as they slowly moved over her. Normally when a man started flirting, she ignored it or laughed it off, but she couldn’t with Darrin.

  He was a strong, determined man, used to being in control and perfectly suited for his chosen career. She decided then and there she didn’t like him. Evidently, he didn’t get the message. At the first opportunity he asked her out. Unfortunately for her he saw her refusal as a challenge. Trenna had had her fill of controlling men. Following her instincts, she knew she had to stand firm. From that day to this, as far as she was concerned he was off limits.

  Trenna knew about loss. First, she’d lost her parents and then later her husband, Martin. It had taken time to adjust to the change. The young widow valued her hard-won independence and had no interest in remarrying. Unfortunately for her, Darrin made it no secret that he found her attractive and persisted in asking her out. The nonsense had gone on for nearly three years now.

  What annoyed her to no end was that the mere sight of him caused her heart to race with awareness and her temper to flare. No matter how many times she asked herself why, of all the men in the city, did the chemistry have be so strong with him. There was no answer that made sense her. Everything about him made her uncomfortably aware of his masculine appeal. It was grossly unfair considering how much she disliked the man.

  Had he ever had to work for anything in his life? Judging by the way he’d stepped up to head the family-owned firm after his father passed, her answer was a decided no. Following in their father’s footsteps, the twins attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. and practically flew through college and then law school. They finished in five years and graduated with honors.

  Darrin certainly looked the part of being spoiled and rich, dressed in a custom-made, navy blue suit that he’d teamed with pale blue shirt, navy and white stripe tie with a matching pocket square. It disgusted her the way women of all ages chased after him as if he were the last man standing.

  Samuel Morgan and Adam Green started the biracial law firm back in the fifties. The two had met in law school and became fast friends despite the racial climate of the country at the time. The firm was very successful handling many civil rights cases. It wasn’t long before they expanded, buying a modern high-rise in downtown Detroit, Michigan near the waterfront. Morgan and Green were visionaries, taking the top floor for their offices, and then bringing in a top chef to open a first-class restaurant, and then trendy nightclub with live entertainment. Both had proven to be very successful.

  The partners had passed their love of law onto their sons. Andrew Green, like the Morgan twins, was full partner and part owner.

  After losing her
husband, Martin, Trenna needed to put her life back together. She’d moved from her hometown of Charleston, N.C. cross-country to Michigan in order to be near her best friend, Maureen Hale Sheppard.

  Maureen recommended the Morgan-Green Building because she certain it was perfect for the Little Hearts, Trenna’s nursery school. The fact that the Morgans and Sheppards were longtime neighbors and friends had clearly swayed her friend. Plus, Trenna would be less than a mile from the Valerie Hale Sheppard Women’s Crisis Center that Maureen owned and ran with her grandmother. The Center had been named after and honored Maureen’s late mother.

  One of Trenna and Maureen’s friends, Sherri Ann Weber was a lawyer, who worked for Morgan-Green. Trenna rarely saw her during business hours. There was no doubt that Sherri Ann was a hard-worker and on the fast track to make partner.

  “Well?” Darrin prompted, his dark eyes moving slowly up from her high-heeled black booties to the black pantsuit, which she’d teamed with a pink ruffled blouse.

  “Well what?” Trenna blinked, lost in thought. It seemed that every time their paths crossed, the tension between them was palpable and her awareness of him soared. She decided early on to be sensible and stay as far away from him as she could. Why wouldn’t he take the hint and leave her alone? She wasn’t about to change her mind.

  He pointed out, “You came to me.”

  “I did no such…“ Trenna stopped so quickly her teeth clanked together. She only then noticed she stood in his firm’s opulent lobby. The firm’s name was mounted on the wall in large gold block letters behind the receptionist desk. Embarrassed, she said, “I pushed the wrong button. Instead of going down, it went up. Good day.”

  Spinning around, she headed back to the elevator. So annoyed when he kept pace with her, she broke a nail when she jabbed the call button. Swallowing a frustrating scream, she stared straight ahead, pretending he wasn’t there.

  The domineering, over-confident, arrogant jerk set her teeth on edge. He reminded her of a past mistake. Unwilling to get involved with a man she knew was wrong for her, she had become an expert at avoiding him. No doubt he saw her actions as a challenge. Unfortunately for her, he seemed to thrive on challenges.

  “How much longer?” Darrin asked softly.

  He tried, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her petite beauty. She was tiny, barely five-one, and, at six-two, he towered over her curvy form. His mother had said she reminded her of true African beauty. To Darrin she was a queen…his beautiful queen. Although her delicate small, features and luscious full lips were gorgeous, it was her warmth and kindness that he found irresistible.

  He wanted her, and that had not changed since the day he first saw her in the crowded sandwich shop. He had made the mistake of asking her out immediately. Her refusal was swift. It was his bad luck that the most desirable woman on the planet was not only a recent widow but had also taken an instant disliking to him.

  He had tried to show her the proper respect. He had given it a year before he tried again. She’d refused and hadn’t stopped saying no. Nothing he said or did since had managed to crack her protective bubble. And it had gone on too long. He needed answers and wanted them, now.

  She snapped, “Excuse me?”

  “Don’t play games with me, Trenna McAdams. You’re a very smart lady, an excellent educator and top-notch businesswoman. You’ve managed to keep your business thriving in spite of hard economic times. There’re plenty of private nursery schools closing their doors all over the city, yet you have a waiting list of parents willing to pay through the nose to get their little ones in your school. How long do you plan on avoiding me?”

  When she frowned, he reminded himself that she came to him. He was no saint and was not above using her mistake of getting off on the wrong floor to his advantage.

  Trenna sighed. Darrin was right about her work. She had been ecstatic the day Little Hearts Nursery School opened their doors. She liked the building, loved the space, from the big windows to the large airy rooms. The facility was perfect, located on the first floor in the east-corner and was both bright and sunny. They had converted the small parking lot on the side of the building into a gated playground.

  She soon found out what it was like to be pursued by such a charming, smooth-talking male. The main thing she knew from having been married to an attorney was that they were skilled and determined to win at any cost. She was not flattered by his persistence. But she was determined to protect herself and not to let him get too close. Her instincts screamed for her to keep her distance. He was dangerous.

  He repeated, “How long…”

  “I heard you!” she snapped.

  “Well, well.” Chuckling, Darrin drawled, “I finally got a rise out of you. You forgot those lady-like manners your mama must have drilled into you. It’s about time you slipped up, considering how easily you’ve gotten under my skin,” he whispered close to her ear.

  “Don’t start with me.”

  “Start?” Darrin laughed without humor. “I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve asked you out. Are you ever going to give me a reason? Or don’t you date light skin brothers?”

  “No you didn’t go there!”

  “Yeah, I did. The least you can do is tell me why.”

  Trenna glared at Darrin as if she had serious doubts about his sanity. “Now who’s playing games? I said no.”

  A muscle jumped in his cheek, as if he were grinding his teeth. “Tell me why, Trenna.”

  She propped a fist on her hip and said tightly, “Maybe I’m sick of your inability to take no for an answer? Perhaps I think it’s time you realized you are not irresistible to every female on the planet? You think I don’t know that I’m nothing more than challenge to you? Darrin, you really need to deal with that huge ego of yours. And even if I could look beyond all that, I haven’t forgotten you are responsible for getting the rapist who attacked my friend off free.”

  “You’re wrong, Trenna. You’re more than a challenge to me. My ego is not the problem. The last time I checked, there was nothing wrong with a man showing his interest in a beautiful woman. And my work…”

  “Don’t! Clearly, you’re either spoiled rotten or ruthless.”

  “That’s a bit harsh.” He stared at her, then asked, “What are you afraid of?”

  She stiffened, but before she could respond, the elevator bell chimed, signaling its arrival. It was a good thing that it was empty, because as soon as the doors slid open, Trenna dashed inside intent on reaching the control panel. As if anticipating the move, Darrin blocked the panel with his broad frame.

  Frustrated by his antics, she hissed, “Move!” She jutted out her small chin and folded her arms beneath her breasts.

  Then there was a shout, “Hold the elevator!”

  Darrin’s arm shot out, preventing the door from closing.

  Thoroughly ticked, Trenna tapped a small, high-heeled foot on the floor. Pointing to her wristwatch, she said, “Some of us have to actually work for a living.”

  Darrin grinned as if she had told a joke.

  Captivated, her heart picked up speed. “Why?” she muttered beneath her breath. Why couldn’t he be ugly? “Why…” She clapped a hand over her mouth.

  Good grief! What was her problem? No! It was his fault! He had her so flustered that she was not only talking to herself but doing it aloud too.

  “Put a move on it, bro,” Darrin called.

  Douglas Morgan hurried inside the elevator with a briefcase in hand. He too, was dressed in a chocolate brown custom-made suit and a bronze silk tie and shirt.

  “Sorry,” Douglas said. ”I thought you’d be halfway to the courthouse by now.” After he punched the unlit button marked “L” for lobby, he spotted Trenna hugging the back wall and grinned. “Hey, Trenna. How are you? Stopped in for a visit or business?”

  “Hi Doug,” Trenna relaxed, responding to his warm smile. She was able to laugh when she admitted, “I wasn’t paying attention and hit the wrong button after leavin
g Trader’s.” She referred to the restaurant that was on the floor below. “When the doors opened I got off. I ended up in your lobby. Very nice, by the way, who’s your decorator?”

  The twins exchanged a look and then smiled.

  Douglas admitted, “Our mother, she …”.

  Darrin finished his twin’s sentence, “…did our offices as well.”

  ”I didn’t realize.”

  Trenna liked Tina Morgan. They attended the same church and Bible study. Plus, they served on several of the same committees.

  “I should have known,” she laughed, unconsciously slipping into the charming,

  lady-like demeanor she’d grown up with thanks to her southern mother. Although, she refused to glance his way, Trenna could almost feel the heat of Darrin’s dark gaze. For a moment she was startled, surprised by what she had seen in his eyes. No, she must be mistaken. It couldn’t be sadness. No, it had to be anger or frustration. She shivered, struggling to concentrate on the decreasing floor numbers. She broke the awkward silence by asking, “How is Megan?”

  Douglas grinned, his dark blue eyes sparkled. “Great!”

  “Wedding plans all set?”

  Chuckling, he said, “Mine are. I plan to show up when and wherever she tells me.”

  Trenna giggled, “Good idea. I received my invitation to the bridal shower. I’m looking forward to it.”

  Douglas nodded happily.