Finding Love Again Read online

  Copy Right 2011

  Natasha Marquis

  All rights reserved. Any use of the materials contained in this book without the written permission and consent of the author or publisher is strictly prohibited.

  This novel is a work of fiction. All characters are fictitious. Any similarities to anyone living or dead are completely accidental. The specific mention of Iraq and Afghanistan are places or venues and are not meant to be exact replicas of those places. They are only used for imagining for the sake of the stories.

  Dedications

  I would like to dedicate this book to all of the service members who have served and are currently serving our country. I would also like to dedicate this book to my late husband. Even though you are gone from this Earth, you are still with us. Also to my son who was patient with his mom so I could finish this book.

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank Amazon Kindle direct publishing for making it possible for people like me to publish my book.

  Finding Love Again

  A Novel by

  Natasha Marquis

  Chapter 1

  ♣

  "Kenny, I do not see a reason to hire a consulting firm just so they can train our employees."

  Kenny looked up from the brief that he was reading when Hunter busted into his office. It was the same since he came back from his out of town business meeting. Hunter did not see the purpose of hiring a firm just to train their employees, and why did he hire them when he was out of town. "Look Hunter we have discussed this before we need to have some training and development implemented for the firm a lot of companies are doing it and it helps to keep the employees happy. I know that you did not get to meet the firm…"

  "I did not get to meet them because you chose when I was out of town to hire them!"

  "Okay you are right I went behind your back and hired them because I knew that you would fight me on this. The least you could do is hear what they have to say."

  "What is there to hear you already hired them?"

  Kenny knew that his friend and partner could be very stubborn if he wanted to, and this was one of those times.

  "Listen to what they have to say and then you can make the final decision. Since we have not signed a contract yet, you can make the final decision."

  Hunter raised one eyebrow he knew his friend was up to something. "You mean if I do not like what I hear today we do not have to hire them?"

  Kenny rolled his eyes at his friend. "Yes that is what I am saying, but I believe you will like this firm they really know their business."

  "We will see I bet they are some old gray haired men that will remind me of my father."

  "They are not men and besides your dads hair hardly has any gray in it."

  "Whatever what time will they be here?"

  "They should be here any minute."

  Hunter sat down on Kenny's couch and waited. "I hope they get here soon I have a brief I need to get at for court tomorrow?" Kenny just shook his head.

  "I hope that you have a better attitude when they get here."

  Hunter held up his right hand. "I swear I will be a good boy. I will listen to what they have to say."

  "That is all I am asking just listen and then you can make up your mind if they are right for us." Kenny looked at his friend and knew that something was up. They had been friends since law school. If anyone knew Hunter, it was Kenny just as he knew his friend knew when something was wrong with him. "What is up with you? Your usually more open minded about ideas. What is really going on?"

  Hunter chuckled and decided to let his friend in on what was bothering him. "My family is on me again as to when I plan on settling down."

  "I do not know why that should bother you the discussion comes up at least once a month."

  "You would think that I was there only child and that they did not have any grandchildren." Just because my siblings decided to get married right after college, I guess I was supposed to follow in their footsteps."

  "I think it might be because you have not had anyone steady in your life in awhile. I mean you have been seen around town with different women, but never the same one twice."

  "I have not met anyone that I wanted to get serious with in a long time."

  "I am sure the fetish you have with older women does not make them happy either."

  Hunter rolled his eyes. His friend knew him better than anyone did. Ever since Hunter discovered girls, he had always dated females that were older than he was. When he lost his virginity, it was with a friend's older sister who was in college. He was fourteen at the time and she was eighteen. Hunter will never forget his first experience she taught him things that was not discuss in sex edu class. "I would not call it a fetish it is a personal preference."

  "Fine call it what you want I am sure they would prefer you dated and settled down with a woman that was closer to your age."

  "Yes my mother has decided to make it her life goal to find me a wife. Sunday when I went over their house for our weekly brunch she had one of her friend's daughters there."

  "Oh man that must have been awful. I mean you had your mommy setting you up for a date. It makes it look like you cannot find a date. I have to know what you told your date."

  "First off she was not my date, but when we were along I told her that I was not currently looking to get into a relationship."

  "How did she take it?"

  "I do not think that my mom and her mom are friends anymore. Besides, I do not want a socialite who only wants to be photograph every time we go somewhere."

  "Do you know how many guys would kill to be in your shoes?"

  "Well if they want some gold digging eye candy they can take my place. When I find someone I want to have a relationship with, I will make sure everyone gets the memo."

  "The only ones who need to receive the memo are your parents." Hunter was getting ready to agree when Kenny's assistant phoned to tell him there nine o'clock appointment is here. Kenny told her to send them in. "Well they are here remember be open minded and give them a chance before you send them off."

  "I said that I would be nice."

  "I am going to keep you at your word." Just then, the door opened and two African American women walked through the door. The first was of medium height with caramel colored skin with medium length hair and wearing very expensive designer clothes. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties. She was not bad looking to the eye. It was the second female that caught Hunter's attention. She was shorter than the first one. She could not be any taller than five two or five three. Her hair was styled in a short bob, and her skin tone was a darker shade almost the color of a Hershey bar. She was wearing a skirt and that was when he noticed her legs. Even though she was shorter than her partner, he could tell she worked out. She had the legs of a runner. She looked younger than her partner maybe around his age if not a little younger. Hunter never went for a younger or a woman that was around his age, but with her, he could see himself making an exception. She was beautiful no she was breath taking he wanted to get to know this Nubian goddess. It was then that Kenny started making the introductions. "Aaliyah, Chantelle it is good to see you again."

  So his little goddess name was Chantelle. Beautiful name for a beautiful woman, Hunter looked to see if he saw a wedding ring and noticed that her ring finger was bare. Maybe this meeting was not going to be as bad as he thought. He rather be here in a meeting with her than reading some boring brief.

  "Well you have not met my partner he was out of town when we had our first meeting. Aaliyah Jones and Chantelle Brown I would like for you to meet my partner Hunter Jameson."

  Aaliyah spoke first and told him that they had some wonderful plans for their org
anization.

  "I am happy to finally meet you I have heard nothing but wonderful things from you. I am anxious to hear what you are proposing."

  "Well Chantelle actually develops all of the training she is mostly behind the scene, but she has wonderful ideas."

  Hunter turned to look at the object of his affections and smiled. At first he was at a loss of words, finally he found his voice and spoke. "I look forward to hearing your ideas." Among other things, I look forward working with you.

  Chantelle had to do everything not to stare at the man. Hunter Jameson was one fine looking man for a white man that is. He was tall and lean with an athletic built. He had jet black her that was short in the back and the top was longer and wavy. She could tell the man had money the suit he was wearing was expensive as hell, and custom tailored for his body. Just listening to him talk, she could tell that he came from money. Oh, this man probably had females on stand-by. He was younger than her maybe late twenties early thirties. Hunter Jameson could mean trouble with a capital T and trouble was something Chantelle did not need. She gave him her best smile and greeted him. "Mr. Jameson I think that you will like what we have planned for your organization."

  "Hunter."

  "What?

  "You called me Mr. Jameson, that is my father my name is Hunter."

  "Mr. Jameson I like to keep this on a business level and if you do not mind I would like to address you as Mr. Jameson."

  "I do mind as I said before Mr. Jameson is my father I am known as Hunter. If you keep calling me Mr. Jameson I am going to keep telling you to call me Hunter."

  Chantelle looked at Hunter Jameson smiling at her. She could tell this man was use to getting what he wanted. Chantelle knew if this was just about her she would have told him where he could take his smug look, but since she had a partner, she would play nice. "Okay Hunter."

  "Now see that was not so bad was it."

  It took everything within Chantelle not to roll her eyes. She just smiled at him. Chantelle could tell that he was pleased with himself for getting his way. Chantelle also knew that she was going to have to be careful around Hunter. He was very attractive, Chantelle bet that he could make a woman wet her panties to bad she did not do white guys anymore. Her late husband was white, and even though she loved him very much she had more problems with his family than anything. She swore never would she get involve with another white guy there was too much drama. She did miss him even though it had been five years since his death not a day did not go by that she did not think about him. At least she had their son who was the spitting image of his dad. She had not been involved with anyone since his death. Aaliyah was always trying to get her to start dating again, but Chantelle said she was not ready. However, Hunter Jameson was one fine looking man. He was tall six two or six three very lean but athletic. Chantelle liked a man who took care of his body. Chantelle was a runner and worked out five days out of the week. What really caught her attention were his green eyes, and Chantelle loved the color green. Her late husband had green eyes with a hint of blue. They were lighter than Hunters. The man had dark green eyes. He wore his hair short in the back but longer on top and wavy. Chantelle figure he kept it longer on top to show off his waves. She itched to run her hands through them. This was the first man since her husband died that she has been attractive to. Chantelle did not have the time to get involved with someone like Hunter Jameson besides she had her son to think of. Chantelle realize the sooner this job was over with the better because being around Hunter could become a problem.

  Chapter 2

  ♣

  They had managed to take the presentation to the conference room. Both Chantelle and Aaliyah made presentations of what they would include with their service. Hunter only listened to Chantelle. After listening to them for an hour, they went over the contract and decided that they would start Monday. That way they had a week to set their office up, they were to use while they were working with them. The only problem they could not agree with was who was actually going to do the training. Hunter wanted Chantelle to do some of the training, and Chantelle did not want anything to do with the training or Hunter Jameson. She needed to make him understand that she was not interested in training or being near him. "Mr. Jameson as we mentioned before Aaliyah does the training."

  "My name is Hunter, as I mentioned before Mr. Jameson is my father."

  "Right Hunter, Aaliyah does the training."

  "I feel that our organization will benefit more if both of you train."

  "How so Hunter I just do not see what difference does it make who does the training."

  "If it makes no difference than you can do all of the training."

  Chantelle looked at Aaliyah for help. The last thing that Chantelle needed was to get involved with the training with Hunter around. She knew that Aaliyah would have her back and support her on this.

  "Hunter I think that we can arrange for both of us to train your staff. We can work out the details and have it in the contract."

  "I think that we can make the changes, Kenny you have the contract on your computer."

  Kenny gave Hunter that look that he knew his friend was up to something. "Yes my assistant can type the changes. Also I will show you the office that you will work out of."

  Chantelle could not believe what had just happened. Her best friend just sold her out and she left her alone with this hunk of a man. She had to get out of there so she started packing up the equipment. She could tell that Hunter was staring at her from the corner of her eye. The last thing she needed was a young rich white guy. That was trouble with a capital T.

  Hunter could tell that Chantelle was in a hurry to leave the room. For some reason he was making her uncomfortable and he wanted to know why. "Do I make you nervous?"

  "Why would you think that?"

  "You seem to be in a hurry to get out of here. I was thinking that we could go over in detail what you will do on Monday."

  "I thought that was what we had just done."

  "Maybe I just wanted to see your smiling face."

  "Look Hunter I think that we need to get a few things straight before I get started."

  Hunter sat down in one of the seats in the conference room. "I am all ears."

  "I am here to do a job and nothing else. After the job is done, I will go on my way and never see you again."

  Hunter slowly rose from the chair and came within an inch of Chantelle. "I am afraid that I cannot agree with what you are saying. You see I plan to get to know you."

  Chantelle took a step back she could not believe this was happening to her. Here she has been a widow for five years and during that time, she had done a very good job of keeping men at a distant. She could tell that Hunter was not going to go away so easily. Be strong girl you can stay away from him. "Look Hunter I am sure that you are use to having women fall at your feet, but I am not interested. I am here to do a job not hook up with someone."

  "Neither am I. I would like to get to know you better. We could have dinner see a play or go to the movies."

  The man was serious. She had to stop this before it got out of hand. "I do not date white men, or men that are younger than me and I especially do not date rich playboys."

  Hunter was at a lost for word for a minute. He had never had a woman turn him down because he was white or rich, and especially being younger. Although Hunter did not think that, Chantelle was older than he was. "What do you have against white guys?"

  "It causes too many problems and I am too old for drama."

  "Have you ever dated a white man?"

  "Actually I was married to a white man."

  Now that was a surprise to Hunter. "How long were you married?"

  "I was married for twelve wonderful years."

  "If you do not mind me asking what happen?"

  After five years, it was still hard to talk about her husband. However, she also knew that the more she talked about it the easier it became.

  "He had a seizure in the mid
dle of the night and he stopped breathing. That is what the autopsy said."

  "He couldn't be revived."

  "There was no one there except my son and he was only four at the time plus he was asleep."

  "You mean your son woke up and found him."

  "Yes."

  "Where were you?"

  "I was in Iraq at the time."

  Hunter was confused as to why Chantelle was in Iraq. "Why were you in Iraq?"

  "My unit was sent there for deployment."

  "You were in the Military?"

  "Yes Aaliyah and I were both in the Army. That is where we met."

  "How long were you in?"

  "We both did twenty years then retired."

  The last thing Hunter expected was to find out that, Chantelle was in the Army and that she was in harm's way. "I have to admit you stating that you were in the Army came as a shock to me. Well thank-you for serving your country, I admire anyone male or female that makes the sacrifice to serve their country."

  "You are welcome."

  "How is your son?"

  "He is fine I had him in therapy for awhile, and now he goes to a group for kids that have lost love ones. He enjoys going there and he has made a lot of friends."

  "That's good. I also have to say that I did not think that you were older I thought that you were younger than me."