Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [77]
She cleared her throat. “Did you seek out employment with Remington Oil?”
Larry smiled. “No, and that’s the funny thing about all of this. According to the personnel manager at Remington Oil, I came highly recommended, but he wouldn’t say who recommended me. As far as I’m concerned, whoever recommended me is truly my guardian angel.”
Syneda returned his smile. She had a funny feeling his guardian angel was none other than Clayton. The words he had spoken that last night in her apartment suddenly came back to her. “…Somehow you have this notion that me understanding certain things is the same thing as me endorsing them. You were wrong in believing that about Cassie Drayton and Larry Morgan, and you’re wrong in believing that about us….”
“Ms. Walters? Are you all right?”
Cassie’s soft voice cut through Syneda’s thoughts. “Yes, I’m fine. How did your father handle the fact that Larry has found a job? Especially when he’d gone to a lot of trouble to make sure he wasn’t hired anywhere.”
“Not too well. In fact, Larry and I found out that he called Mr. Remington personally and made threats. But believe it or not, he met his match.”
“Really? What happened?”
Larry chuckled. “I heard Mr. Remington advised Cassie’s father that he would be faced with a lawsuit if he tried anything. He further advised my father-in-law that he was considering diversifying Remington Oil and that the clothing industry would be the first avenue he looked at for a possible merger.”
Cassie laughed. “I guess the thought of anyone attempting a corporate takeover of Drayton Industries was enough to make Dad think twice about carrying out his threats.”
Syneda nodded in agreement. “Well, I’m glad things have worked out for you two.”
“We’re glad, too,” Cassie said. “People in love deserve to be together. It’s no fun being alone. Everyone needs someone to love and someone to love them.”
“It’s been a while, Clayton. Welcome to Sisters. You were missed.”
“Thanks,” Clayton said to the hostess. He leveled a long, hard look around the restaurant. Sisters was a place he used to frequent quite a bit. It was known for its good food, lively entertainment and, most important, its abundance of women. It was a place women came to hang out; some to cultivate sisterhood—so he’d been told—some to be noticed, and others to do the noticing because where there were women, you were sure to find men.
“Trevor’s here and he’s dining alone. Do you want to join him?”
“Yeah, that will be fine.”
Clayton followed as she led the way to the table where his good friend, Trevor Grant, was sitting. Trevor was the head foreman for Dex’s company.
As he was being led to the table, Clayton couldn’t help noticing the number of women who called out a greeting to him or who were smiling openly at him. At any other time he would have made a clean sweep around the room, flirting with the women that he knew and getting ready to hit on those that he didn’t know. But not now. He was only interested in one particular woman; a woman who had told him in no uncertain terms that she didn’t want him.
“Well, well, well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Trevor Grant said, shaking hands with Clayton before he sat down. “This place hasn’t seen the likes of you for months. Where on earth have you been?”
“Busy.” He turned to their hostess. “Just give me the usual.”
The woman nodded. “All right.” A grin then curved her lips. “And by the way, Clayton. Kayla’s been asking about you, but Evelyn hasn’t. In fact, she’s now taken up with Al.”
Clayton gave her a dry look. “I’m happy for her.”
The hostess shook her head and walked