The Way You Love Me

She looked up to take yet another order and stopped cold. It was Justin. He was heart-stopping in his tailored black tie ensemble. She couldn’t breathe. He was walking right in her direction with a stunning woman glued to his arm. What was he doing here? Her heart hammered, and she accidentally splashed vodka on the counter instead of in the glass. She quickly got a damp cloth to clean up the spill just as Justin and his date approached.

“Bailey?”

She shoved the rag under the bar. Her gaze jumped from his surprised expression to the cover model face of his date that looked more annoyed than anything else.

“What can I get you?”

“I had no idea...”

“I’ll have a cosmopolitan,” his date said, cutting him off.

Justin shot her a sharp look. Her brows arched as if to ask what?

Bailey got busy making the drink. Her hands shook.

“How have you been?”

“Fine,” she murmured. She finished the drink and placed it in front of his date.

“You’re chummy with the help now? That’s so like you, Justin.” She lifted her drink to her polished, plump lips.

“Jasmine!” he snapped.

Bailey was mortified.

He was about to say something to Bailey when a richly accented Louisiana drawl voice came over the microphone.

“Can I have everyone’s attention?”

By degrees the room quieted.

“I want to welcome each of you to my home to celebrate the 85th birthday of my father, Clive Lawson.”

There was a rousing round of applause.

Branford Lawson gazed out at the throng, clearly comfortable addressing a crowd. “Before we continue with the festivities, I want the members of the family to come on up.”

Jasmine tugged on Justin’s arm. Justin threw a look at Bailey from over his shoulder and mouthed, “I’m sorry,” before walking away.

“First I want to introduce the family of Clive Lawson,” Branford announced. “My sister, Jacqueline, my uncles Paul and Jake Lawson, their offspring Craig, Miles, Alyse, Sydni, Devon and Conner and my brother David’s son, Maurice.”

One by one they each stepped up onto the platform, one more gorgeous than the next.

“And my brood—my eldest Rafe, my daughters Lee Ann, Desiree and Dominique and last but surely not least, my youngest son, Justin.”

Bailey’s mouth dropped open. Justin was a Lawson. Her temples began to pound.

“My father and my mother, Sylvia, God rest her soul, made all of this possible. He set the foundation for the Lawson family, and I hope that we have made and will continue to make him proud by carrying on the great tradition of the Lawson family. Happy birthday, Dad.” Branford raised his glass as did all of the guests as Clive Lawson slowly made his way to the front of his family.

Clive Lawson, even at eighty-five, was a powerfully built man. He still had a head full of snow-white hair, and the hard lines etched in his deep brown face told of his years of intense work and struggle, but the sparkle in his eyes told the real story. Pride.

Branford handed the microphone to Jacqueline, who passed it to her father.

Clive took in the eager faces. “Thank ya’ll for coming. I ’preciate it.” He nodded his head while he formed the words. “A man’s family is his legacy, and I couldn’t be more proud of mine.” He glanced behind him and smiled at his assembled family. “I know I can’t be here forever, but when I do leave, I know that I’ve done all I could. All I’ve ever asked is that my children and their children be true to themselves and make things better for the next. Thank ya’ll again. Now, let’s party!”

The room erupted in cheers and applause as the family stepped away from the stage, and the guests swarmed around Clive to wish him congratulations.

Addison appeared next to Bailey. “Big family, huh?”

Bailey was still in stunned silence.

Addison nudged her with her elbow. “Hey, you okay?”

“It’s him.”

“Him who?”

“Justin. The Justin that I told you about.”

Addison’s eyes widened. “Say what? Your Justin is the Justin Lawson?”

Bailey numbly nodded her head. “Yeah, the Justin Lawson.”

Chapter 4

For the rest of the evening Bailey performed by rote, going through the motions and keeping a painted smile on her face, but her mind was elsewhere. She periodically scanned the room for a glimpse of Justin, but at the same time she didn’t want to see him. His date’s comment about talking to the help still stung, and it certainly made her question his choice of companions. What was clear was that this was not her life. It was so far removed from her reality. The rooms reeked of money and power. And Justin was part of it.

It was nearing 2:00 a.m., and the crowd had finally wound down. Addison was still in nonstop motion, checking on every detail that was under her supervision. She worked with drill-sergeant efficiency in getting her staff to wrap up the festivities, clean up, pack supplies and load them onto the rented vans.

“Whew, what a night,” Addison huffed as she leaned against the counter. “We did it, and thank you so much for pitching in.”

“No problem,” Bailey murmured as she stacked glasses in boxes.

“You okay?”

“Fine. Just tired, that’s all.”

Addison studied her friend’s contemplative profile. “It’s more than being tired. What’s up? Is it about Justin Lawson and that woman?”

Inside she flinched. “No. Of course not. I was surprised to see him here, that’s all.”

“And...?”

“And nothing.” She kept her gaze averted.

“Did you talk to him?”

“No. Why would I?”

“Because the few times that I did get a glimpse of him, he was looking in your direction, but his date was holding on to him like he was pumping air into her lungs.”

Bailey couldn’t help but snicker. “That she was. It doesn’t matter. If I even thought for a minute that there was any possibility for us to see each other, that went out the window tonight.”

“Why, because of that chick?”

“Mainly...and...just look at this place, the people who were here tonight. They come from a completely different place than me.”

Addison pushed out a sigh. “Girl, you don’t give yourself enough credit. Take off the diamonds and that designer gown, and you have the woman beat hands down.”

Bailey turned to Addison with a slight smirk. “You have to say that because you love me.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t make what I said any less true.”

* * *

By the time Bailey pulled into her parking spot, it was almost four in the morning. She was bone tired. All she wanted to do was take a hot bath, get into her bed and sleep for two days. Thankfully, she wasn’t on duty until seven that evening, and she intended to spend every minute of it off her feet.

* * *

The Mercury Lounge was already busy by the time Bailey arrived. Although there wasn’t a waiting list for tables, she knew that wouldn’t last long. She waved hello to her coworkers and walked through the space to her back office. She quickly reviewed the roster for the evening and verified the schedule. Satisfied that the lounge was fully staffed for the current shift and the following day, she changed clothes to her standard black blouse and slacks and headed out front. Vincent was off tonight, so she had double duty to manage the bar as well as run the restaurant. She did a quick walk-through on each of the levels, chatted briefly with the staff and floor managers and visited the kitchen to check in with the chef. Thankfully, there were no private parties going on tonight that she had to worry about. All systems go.

Addison had promised to drop in later on and hang out for a while to chat. She was looking forward to seeing her friend. They hadn’t had a chance to catch up and gossip since the party. The party. A twinge tightened her stomach. She still had a hard time believing how it all went down with Justin. First to find out that the man she’d been fantasizing about was a member of one of the most wealthy and powerful families in the state of Louisiana. Second, he was clearly involved with someone else. She shook her head in resignation. It was a nice fantasy while it lasted. She tied the apron around her waist and went to work. Soon she was fully involved in chatting up the customers and mixing drinks. And then there he was, coming through the front door, and she wanted to go through the floor.

Justin spotted Bailey right away and strode purposefully in her direction. Her feet felt glued to the ground.

“Hey.” He slid onto the bar stool.

“Hi. What can I get you?” She refused to engage in eye contact.

“Jim Beam. No ice.”

She gave a brief nod and turned to the row of bottles behind her.

“Ohhh, I see Mr. Fine is back,” Mellie said, sidling up to Bailey.

“Yep,” she said noncommittally. She reached for the bottle and nearly dropped it because her hands were shaking so badly. She managed to fix the drink and place it in front of him.

“Here you go. Anything else, let me know.” She started to turn away, and Justin grabbed her hand.

“Wait.”

She glanced down at his hand covering hers. Electricity skidded up her arm. Her lips parted slightly so that she could breathe.

“I want to apologize about the other night.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

“Yes, there is. Jasmine was rude, and her comment was uncalled for. I don’t want you to think that’s how I think or what I feel.”

She blinked. Her thoughts scrambled. She swallowed. “Whatever.”

“It’s true.”

Her heart was beating a mile a minute. If he didn’t let go of her hand, she would self-combust. She pulled her hand away. “Thanks for the apology. I’ve got to get back to work.”

“And I’ll be right here until you talk to me.”

She threw him a look, and he stared right back at her. On shaky legs she turned away and walked to the end of the bar.

“What’s the deal with Mr. Handsome?” Mellie asked. “I saw him grab your hand. Girl, you need to stop playing so hard to get. Even Stevie Wonder could see he has a thing for you.”

“Mellie, would you please stop? He does not.”

“Hmm, okay. If you say so.”

Bailey dared to glance down the length of the bar, and Justin raised his glass to her. She quickly looked away. Was he really going to sit there all night? And where in the hell was Addison?

Bailey’s cell phone chirped in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw Addy’s name on the screen. “Girl, where are you?” she asked under her breath.

“I’m running a little late. What’s wrong?”

“He’s here.”

“Who?”

“Him. Justin.”

“Oh, damn. Well, what happened?”

“Nothing. He said he came to apologize.”

“Okay, and...”

“And, I can’t talk to that man, and he said he’s staying until I do.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Obviously, he’s interested. He didn’t have to come to see you.”

“He also is obviously involved.”

“Maybe, maybe not. You’ll never find out talking to me. See you soon.”

Bailey heaved a sigh and stuck the phone back into her pocket. She glanced at Justin, who was nursing his drink. She straightened her shoulders and walked back down the length of the bar and stood in front of him.

“I accept your apology.”

He looked at her from beneath those incredible lashes. He set his drink down. “Good. That’s a start.”

“A start to what?”

“To us getting to know each other.”

“What about...your friend...Jasmine?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“You’re thinking that she and I have a real thing going on. That she’s my woman and therefore there is no room for an us.”

Her stomach fluttered at the tone of his word us. “There isn’t an us.”

“There can be. If you give me a chance to show you.”

“You still haven’t answered my question about you and Jasmine.”

“Ask. What do you want to know? I have nothing to hide.”

Her gaze darted around then finally settled on him. “What...how serious is it between you?” She ran her tongue across her bottom lip.

Justin angled his head to the side. “She is the daughter of one of the partners at the firm where I work. Her father and mine think that the two of us would make a perfect partnership.” He paused, looked beyond her defenses and seeped down into her center. “I don’t.” He slowly turned his glass on the bar top, studying the remnants of the amber liquid. He lifted his dark eyes. “I want to get to know you.”

Her heart thudded, and her flesh heated. The sound of his voice, the look of raw hunger in his eyes, had her wanting to believe whatever those luscious lips said.

She rested her weight on her right leg. “You used to getting what you want, Mr. Lawson?”

“Most of the time. But I do go after what I want...all the time.”

Her nipples tightened. She tore her gaze away. “We come from two different worlds. I’m not the kind of woman you’re used to.”

“How can you be so sure that you know what I’m used to...better, what I want?”

“I was at the party, remember? I saw the kind of circles you travel in.”

“And you think that’s all I am?”

“Aren’t you?” she challenged.

“No. And I want to prove that to you.”

“Why? Why me?”

He hesitated. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you. Day and night. I want to know what it’s like to kiss those lips of yours, to hold you, touch you, to whisper in your ear, to make love to you.” He ran the tip of his finger along her knuckles.

Her skin sizzled, and her clit twitched in response.

“I’ve got to get back to work,” she managed to eek out.

“I’ll be here when you get a break.”

And he was true to his word. Justin ordered dinner at the bar. And each time that she came in his direction, he made a joke, or shared something about himself, like how he painted in his spare time, that one of his favorite vacation spots was Sag Harbor in the summer, and that his older brother, Rafe, was one of his best friends. And Bailey laughed at his corny jokes and told him about her best friend, Addison, and how she helped her out from time to time. She told him that she really enjoyed her job and how much she wanted to get back to law school.

“You mentioned that the last time we talked. Law school. Maybe I could help.”

She stopped short. “What do you mean help?” she said a bit more harsh than necessary.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Whoa. All I meant was that maybe I could make a few calls.”

“No! If I get in, it will be on my own, not because some big shot pulled some strings.” She spun away, fuming on the inside. How dare he? But what could she expect? Clearly he saw her as some poor waif who needed rescuing by a knight in shining armor.

“Hey, girl!”

Bailey turned around. “It’s about time,” she groused.

“What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

Addison looked around and noticed Justin at the end of the bar. “Something go wrong?”

“Yeah, plenty. Be right back. We need some clean glasses.” She stormed off.

Addison eased down the bar and took a seat that became vacant next to Justin.

“Justin Lawson, right?”

“Yes.” He offered her a heart-stopping smile. His eyes cinched as he stared at her. “You’re the caterer.”

She grinned. “Good memory, especially with all the people there that night.”

He chuckled. “I try to remember faces.”

She extended her hand. “Addison Matthews.”

“Pleasure.” He reached for his drink and took a sip. “So you’re Bailey’s friend.”

“Best friend.”

“Hmm. Best friend.” He glanced in Bailey’s direction, and she was trying hard not to look interested.

“She’s hard to get to know.”

“Not really. She’s cautious, that’s all.”

He nodded. “Any suggestions?”

“About?”

“About how to get past all of her caution signs.”

Addison rested her forearms on the counter. She faced him. “Be honest. Bailey is a wonderful woman who puts everyone and everything ahead of herself. She could use someone in her life that puts her first for a change.” She offered a tight smile and slid off the stool. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lawson.”

“Justin.”

Addison glanced over her shoulder. “Justin.”

* * *

By the time Bailey returned with the rack of clean glasses, Addison was already in deep conversation with a guy who’d taken a seat next to her.

Bailey unloaded the glasses. Things were always so easy for Addison when it came to men. She was fearless. She didn’t care what anyone thought, and she went after who and what she wanted. There were times when she wished that she could be as cavalier about relationships; just get in them for the good times and move on. But she couldn’t. She wanted more than the momentary excitement. She wanted something that would last and someone that would make her a priority—for once. If there was one thing that Addy was right about, it was that she did need someone to take care of her for a change. Some days she simply wanted to get in her car and drive and keep on going. But she couldn’t. Her family depended on her. She finished stacking the glasses on the shelf and hanging them from the overhead rack, and when she turned around, Justin was standing in front of her.

“Wanted to say good night and pay my tab.”

A knot formed in her stomach. He was leaving. What if he didn’t come back? “Sure. I’ll put your bill together.” She swung toward the register. Her heart thumped, and her hands shook. The register spewed out his bill. She handed it to him.

Justin barely glanced at it. He reached in his jacket pocket and took out his wallet and handed her his black American Express card.

Bailey numbly processed the payment and returned his card. “Have a good evening,” she managed to say.

Justin stared at her for a moment. A slow smile moved his mouth. “Hope to see you again when I come back.”

She smiled in return. “I’d like that.”

Justin took a step back. “Night.”

“Night.”

He was coming back, and he wanted to see her. Bailey held on to that promise.

Chapter 5

For the next two weeks, Justin, true to his word, showed up at the Mercury Lounge at least three nights a week. Bailey quietly looked forward to seeing him, although she never told him as much. When he walked through the doors and took what had become his usual seat, all the lights came on in her world, and she sailed through the night.

On the evenings that Justin didn’t show up, Bailey experienced an incredible emptiness, a malaise almost as if she was lifting her feet in and out of mud.

Tonight was one of those nights. Every time the door swung open, her heart leaped only to stutter in her chest when it wasn’t him.

Bailey wiped down the bar top and began putting away bottles and stacking glasses for washing. Tonight made two nights in a row that Justin had not made an appearance.

He had probably gone back to his fancy life, which was fine with her. She was crazy to think that he was really interested in her beyond some casual conversation to pass the time.

* * *

Justin was in the thick of preparing a case for one of the partners where he would serve as second chair, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the night of the party and seeing Bailey. He’d wanted to see her again, but the past couple of weeks had been grueling with him clocking in twelve-hour days. But he knew that when he saw her again, he had to come right. And coming right meant dealing with the futility of his relationship with Jasmine DuBois. As if he’d talked her up, his phone rang and it was Jasmine.

“Justin Lawson.”

“Hey, sweetie.”

Justin put down his pen. “Hey, Jasmine. I’m really busy right now—”

“I know. That’s why I’m calling. You’ve been working nonstop, and don’t think for a moment that Daddy hasn’t noticed.”

Justin’s jaw tightened.

“Anyway, sweetie, I made reservations for dinner tonight. You deserve it, and it will give us a chance to talk about us.”

Justin ran his hand across his face. “Jazz, I told you before, we can only be friends...a serious relationship won’t work for us.”

“If you’re worried about what Daddy is going to say, I can handle him,” she said, oblivious to what was really being said to her.

If he ever doubted for a minute before that this relationship with Jasmine was a disaster in the making, all of his doubts vanished. Jasmine’s selfish single-mindedness was impenetrable. All she saw and all she wanted was whatever it took to satisfy her desires. The needs and aspirations of others never entered her radar. In the beginning, he felt that her superficiality was all for show, and that once they got to know each other, she would allow him to see the real her—a woman with some substance. He was still waiting. He wouldn’t wait any longer.

“What time are the reservations and where?”

Jasmine giddily gave him the information.

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Sure. See you at seven...” She giggled.

“I’ve got to go, Jazz.”

“Sure, sweetie. See you tonight.”

* * *

Justin arrived home and was surprised to see his eldest sister, LeeAnn, tinkering around in the kitchen.

“Lee!” He dropped his briefcase at the entrance to the kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

LeeAnn turned from peering into the fridge and beamed a smile of delight in seeing her brother. She shut the door and crossed the room. “Hi, baby bro.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. He held her hand.

“Long way from your new home in DC. Preston here, too?”

“He should be soon.”

Justin frowned. “Everything okay?”

“Actually, everything’s great. Desi and Dominique are going to come by also.”

“Desi and Dom? Okay, spill it. What’s really going on?” He leaned against the island counter.

LeeAnn drew in a breath. “Well, I wanted everyone here so that we’d only have to say it once, but I guess I can tell you if you swear you won’t say anything until the rest of the family gets here.”

He ran his finger across his lips in a zipper motion.

But before LeeAnn could say a word they heard the front door and the near identical voices of Desiree and Dominique in animated conversation.

“Hello, good people,” Dominique greeted as she entered the archway. She kissed her brother and sister.

“What’s all the secrecy, sis?” Desiree asked. She placed her purse on the counter and hugged LeeAnn then Justin.

“Yeah, spill the tea, girl,” Dominique said.

LeeAnn grinned. “Can we wait for my husband to get here?”

“Well, I don’t know about y’all, but I’m starving,” Dominique groused. She headed to the fridge and pulled the door open then plucked out an apple. “Are you at least fixing dinner, Lee, since you got us all over here?”

LeeAnn had always been the great cook of the family, and they’d all come to expect her to whip up one of her special dishes whenever she was home. Being the eldest girl, she’d all but taken over caring for her siblings after they’d lost their mother, Louisa, and they all still looked to her for all the things that a mother would do.

“I hadn’t planned to, but I suppose I could put something together.”

Justin checked his watch. Jasmine was expecting him in an hour. The evening was going to be tough enough. He didn’t want to add being late to the mix. But, family first. Jasmine would have to understand. “I need to make a call.” He excused himself and walked into the front room. He pulled out his phone and called Jasmine.

The phone barely rang before Jasmine picked up.

“Hello, Justin,” she said.

“Hi. Listen, something came up here at the house. I’m going to be late getting to you.”

Silence.

“Jazz?”

“Fine. What’s late?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll call you when I’m done here.”