“I can’t ask Daddy to do that. He worked so hard to buy this brownstone, I don’t want to shove him in the basement apartment.”

  But her dad was smiling. “I like it . . . great idea. It’s just me, so this apartment is plenty big enough, and I won’t have to climb stairs to get to my bedroom or if I need something from the kitchen.” David then used his index finger to poke at Kennedy’s nose. “And I’ll still be able to spend time with my granddaughter.”

  Lisa never would have thought to ask her dad to move into the basement apartment so she could have the house, but he seemed happy with the idea. “If you really mean it, then okay, but I don’t want you lifting a thing. We’ll get a moving company to switch out the bed and the furniture.”

  “And we will take over the mortgage and pay your utilities,” John suggested. “You won’t have to come out of your pocket for anything.”

  David was still smiling. “I appreciate you, son. You’re a good man. I trust you with Lisa and Kennedy, so I don’t mind helping you all out in your time of need.”

  “Thank you, sir. We won’t let you down. You have my word,” John told him.

  * * *

  Later that night as Lisa and John were preparing for bed, she told her husband, “I don’t think I say this often enough, but I agree with my dad. You are a good man. Thank you so much for what you did today.”

  He turned down the covers on his side of the bed and climbed in. “I know how important this house is to you. If we have to pay it off and then take out a home equity loan to give your father the money due to him for the house, then we’ll do it.”

  “He only has two years of payments left on the mortgage, so I’m thankful he’s willing to let us take those bills off his hands.” Lisa climbed in next to her husband.

  He turned off the light on his nightstand. She reached up to turn her light out, but then turned back to John. “Do you really think I could win a city council seat?”

  John reached for her, brought her so close she could feel the heat between them. “I do, baby. It’s your calling. All you’ve ever talked about is how much you want to do for this community. Maybe this is the time for you to go after your dream from a different angle.”

  Chapter 19

  Since Vida pulled that most recent disappearing act, Dana closed herself off to everything but growing her business. Jeff was a great guy, but he would never understand her struggles, nor did she want to put him in a position to be taken advantage of by her mother.

  She had received an order from a major grocery chain. They were placing orders for all eleven hundred of their stores and featuring her in the Black hair-care section. The marketing people she hired had earned their pay almost immediately. Now she was working to get her production up.

  Dana found a building available for lease in Bed-Stuy on Nostrand Avenue. When she left Bed-Stuy eleven years ago, Dana had no desire to ever see this side of Brooklyn again. It was the place where life went so wrong for her. But when all was said and done, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring a business to the community she grew up in. It was like her old friend Lisa once told her: somebody had to be a change agent in their community.

  She was now purchasing all the equipment needed to produce her products in her own building as she did when she began this business. Granted, Hair Fabulous had started in her kitchen. And she had been the only worker. She now had a product development team and a marketing team, and as soon as she had all her equipment in the new location, she would hire a few manufacturing employees to produce the products in-house and ship them out to their new grocery chain account and beauty supply stores all over the country.

  Dana could have reduced her costs by a small margin if she continued to outsource production, but providing a living wage for the people in her community was another part of being a change agent. No doubt, Lisa would be proud of her.

  Jeff had taken a chance on her and helped her find financing for her business, so she was going to pay it forward. As long as she was making money, her employees would be able to feed their families and not have to turn to the streets in order to survive.

  Thinking about Jeff caused her heart to hurt. She had been ignoring his phone calls for weeks. She told herself she couldn’t do romance while building her business, but every single day she woke up, she felt that familiar ache in her heart until she set her nose to the grindstone. When she was working, she wasn’t thinking about her feelings.

  “Ms. Jones, are you ready to review the commercial?” Sierra, the marketing manager, asked as she stood outside Dana’s new office.

  Dana was sitting behind her desk reviewing the reports her accountant had provided. The accountant did not work in her office. Jeff had set her up with someone she could outsource her accounting to so she didn’t have to focus on the numbers and could work on growing the business. She looked up and waved Sierra in.

  “The commercial is done already?” One of their marketing strategies—and the reason they had convinced the grocery chain to distribute Hair Fabulous products—was to not only do commercials but also put ads in magazines like Essence, Ebony, and Black Enterprise to promote the products.

  “The production company we’re working with is a beast. They get stuff done.” Sierra sat in the chair across from Dana and handed her the CD.

  “We cut this commercial last week. I didn’t expect to see a final until the end of the month.”

  “Well, let’s be happy that things are going our way,” Sierra told her. “If you approve this version, we can have the commercial running within two weeks.”

  Dana put the disc in her computer and watched the thirty-second clip of a girl using the products to wash and condition her hair, then walk down the street with bouncy hair and a man smiling and snapping her photo as she passed by.

  The image of the camera and the photo of the woman brought back fond memories of the last summer Dana spent hanging out with her girls. It was like beauty in motion. Dana missed her camera.

  At the end of the commercial, the scene switched to a set with Dana holding the shampoo and conditioner in one hand and a jar of hair grease in the other. She smiled and said, “I created these products to help you look fabulous.” Then the commercial ended with the logos of everywhere the products could be purchased.

  “Is it really necessary to have me in the commercial? I thought it was fine without the ending.”

  “Did you see how they put your name on the screen and the CEO title as you spoke? A Black-owned business is gold in the markets where we’ll be running those commercials, so yes, we need you front and center.”

  Dana was nervous about being the spokesperson for her brand. What if someone recognized her from the time she spent in prison? What if they trashed her and turned people off her products? Her employees knew nothing of her past. She wished she could confide in someone and get some advice on how to handle her past as she moved forward in the business community.

  Jeff was so savvy about business, she had wanted to confide in him, but she still remembered the look on his face when she handed Jasmine that money. It was as if he thought Jasmine didn’t deserve anything in life due to her current situation. What would he think of her if he knew the things she had done?

  Better not to think about Jeff—keep working.

  Dana approved the commercial. Sierra left her office and Dana went back to reviewing the reports her accountant had sent over.

  “How long do you think you’ll be able to avoid me?”

  The rich baritone of his voice sent shock waves down her spine. She’d been replaying one of his recorded messages from her answering machine at home each night for weeks so she could hear the voice she had grown so attached to.

  But now he was standing at her office door, looking as scrumptious as a piece of Junior’s cheesecake. Why was he here? Didn’t he know by now she was not the one for him? With a calmness in her voice she didn’t feel within, she said, “Jeff, what brings you to this side of town?”

  “You.” He sat down in the spot Sierra had vacated.

  Dana put her hands on the desk. She sat ramrod straight. She was becoming a woman of power; she now had five in-house employees and would soon have at least twenty when they added the manufacturing piece. She was strong, focused, and totally in love with the man sitting across from her.

  “Why have you been avoiding me?”

  She glanced around at the walls of her office, then back at her computer—anywhere, everywhere but into those eyes that spoke of love. “I have a lot of work to do to grow this business. I thought I could do both—date you and run my business—but it’s too much.”

  She glanced at him as she finished her sentence. His eyes radiated with sadness. She looked away.

  “Is that all we’re doing . . . dating?”

  Why was he doing this to her? She was trying to protect him. Couldn’t he go find some nice girl who didn’t have the baggage Dana carried? But he had a point. “We weren’t just dating. You and I had a relationship. But it’s not a good time for me . . . I’m busy.”

  “You’re hiding, Dana. I wish you would talk to me. Don’t you know I want to be with you forever? I want to marry you, but if you won’t talk to me, things will never work between us.”

  His words ripped her heart. She wanted to be with him, too, but how could she? His people were good and kind . . . stable. But all she had known for such a long time were people who destroyed rather than built up. She heaved a sigh as she leaned back in her seat. “I’m not the one for you. You deserve so much more.”

  Jeff stood, walked over to her door, closed and locked it, then turned back to Dana. “Talk to me.”

  She lowered her head and wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to block out what she was feeling and what she knew about the love she had for this man. She would destroy him. And she loved him too much to do to him what the people in her life had done to her.

  But Jeff wasn’t taking no for an answer. He walked around her desk, got down on a knee in front of her, unwrapped her arms, and took her hands in his. “I’m here, babe. I’m not going anywhere, so talk to me.”

  “You wouldn’t understand.” Dana was convinced that no one could understand her pain unless they had been through the things she had.

  “Try me.”

  He was so persistent, so unyielding. He wouldn’t let it go, so she decided to give him a dose of what life was really like for her. “My mother didn’t eat the cheesecake I took home for her.”

  He shrugged. “No big deal. I hope you ate it. You loved it so much.”

  Dana nodded. “I left it on the kitchen counter for her along with a cell phone I purchased so I could keep in touch with her.” Dana’s chin quivered as she looked at him. “My mom is on drugs so bad she disappears for months on end. I wanted to be able to reach her.”

  “You did a good thing, hon. Why are you so upset?”

  Dana closed her eyes tight. She wished she could block out her past and everything that had ever brought pain into her life, but she wasn’t living a fairy tale, not with a mother like Vida. “My mom was still asleep when I arrived home. I climbed in bed with her, like I used to do when I was a kid.” Dana didn’t want to cry; she wanted to harden her heart so her mother’s actions didn’t affect her anymore, but the tears kept coming.

  “I had planned to tell her about how you helped me get the loan so I could grow my business. I wanted her to meet you, but she woke up before I did and ransacked my house, stealing my jewelry, money from my purse, and the cell phone. I doubt she realized it was hers anyway.”

  Jeff pulled Dana into his arms. She felt so comfortable in his embrace, like this was where she belonged. As her face nestled at the curve of his neck, she inhaled his scent of lavender and sage and got lost in the smell she had come to know so well.

  “I’m so sorry that happened to you, but you can’t shut yourself off from the world because your mother keeps hurting you.”

  He wiped the tears from her face. Dana nodded. “I know I shouldn’t, but I don’t want to hurt you. All I’ve ever experienced has been disappointment. You deserve someone better than me.”

  He broke their embrace and stood. “You’ve experienced more of life than disappointments.” He waved a hand around her office. “Look at you. You are the CEO of your own company. Has your business been a disappointment?”

  “No, but . . .”

  “There’s no buts about this. You are not your mother, and we deserve each other.” He took her hands again, lifted her out of her seat. “I want to marry you. I love you and we belong together.”

  Dana lowered her head. She wondered whether he would still say this if he truly knew her. She wanted to tell him about all her struggles, but something told her he would look at her like he looked at Jasmine when she approached them outside Junior’s. And Dana didn’t know how she would get back up from a knock like that.

  He lifted her head with his index finger. “Take a chance on me. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

  She wasn’t worried about him hurting her as much as she was worried about all the bad in her life rubbing off on him. “I know you won’t hurt me.”

  “Then let’s do this, baby. Marry me.” He greedily kissed her lips as he added, “I want to do life with you.”

  He was so beautiful to her. He had made this life she was now living possible. She wanted him. Needed him. Dana still felt as if she was all wrong for him, and he deserved a woman who didn’t have so much baggage, but now that she was in his arms again, she couldn’t give him up. She couldn’t go back to life without Jeff. “Okay.” Laughter bubbled up in her heart. “I will marry you.”

  Chapter 20

  Since losing the position with Liberty, Lisa had been working temporary assignments that she found unfulfilling. Her dad and her husband’s encouragement to run for the city council had been a godsend.

  In order to get on the ballot, she had to collect signatures from the people in her neighborhood, but she easily received double the signatures needed.

  Then, after she registered with the Campaign Finance Board, her name was officially added to the ballot. She was running on the Democratic ticket for the special election, which would be held in late September, three months away.

  John was the first contributor to her campaign. She used his money to purchase flyers. They read, If you care about change in your community, vote for Lisa Coleman. She took those flyers to her church.

  “Hey, Sister Lisa, how are you doing?” Sister Betty asked when Lisa walked in.

  “I’m doing really well. I’m excited about running for city council.” She handed Betty a stack of flyers. “I brought these to see if we could put them in the fellowship hall.”

  Sister Betty’s lips pursed. “We can’t support one candidate over the other, but nothing says you can’t put these flyers on cars in the parking lot during Sunday service.”

  Smiling, Lisa took the flyers back from Betty. “I like the way you think.”

  Betty winked at her. “We need you on the council. And I’m sure several people in our church will help you pass out flyers around town.”

  Lisa snapped her fingers as an idea struck. “We can turn this into an event like we do during Evangelism Week.”

  “Absolutely,” Betty agreed. “And don’t forget to stop in at all of the local corner stores and bodegas. Leave some of those flyers.”

  “Sister Betty, it sounds like I need to hire you as my campaign manager.”

  “You’re running for local office. You won’t be able to collect enough donations to pay for a campaign manager, but I’d love to volunteer my time to work on your campaign.”

  Lisa stepped behind Betty’s desk and hugged the woman. “Thank you so much.”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Betty told her. “And from what I’ve heard, Mike Barnes is running in this special election also. You’re going to need as much help as you can get to beat that snake.”

  Mike Barnes was well known in the community. He had been a police officer and the county commissioner. He left Bed-Stuy to take a job in another borough a few years ago, but he was back and Lisa was about to go against him in the primary in order to win the seat. Mike Barnes had been involved in a lot of dirty politics, but if she truly wanted to help her community, then she would simply have to beat him at his own game.

  Lisa left the church and headed home, making stops at each store she passed by.

  “Hey, Mr. Phillips. How is business?”

  Mr. Phillips owned the only store with a butcher within a five-mile radius, so most of the meat business in the neighborhood came to him. “I’d be doing a lot better if the city stopped allowing these discount grocers to take business away from me,” he grumbled.

  Small, family-owned stores couldn’t compete with the chain stores popping up outside of the neighborhood. Lisa handed him her flyers. “I can help you with that. I’m running for city council, and like you, I want things the way they used to be in our neighborhood.”

  “Wonderful news, Lisa. You’ve got my vote for sure.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Phillips.” She pointed to the flyers she had handed him. “Do you mind laying those out on your counter so customers can pick them up?”

  “Not at all.” He wiped his hands on his apron and walked around the counter to a table by the entry door. “I’ll put them right here by the door. I had the pleasure of watching you grow up, so you certainly have my support.”

  She received similar responses with each store she stopped at. These community stores were the lifelines of the neighborhood. Word would get out about her candidacy. She prayed the voters would truly show up for her.

  As she was walking down the street, she saw Mrs. James from Lewis Avenue. “How are you doing?” Lisa said as she approached. “I haven’t seen Renee or Raven around town in a while.”

  “They were offered jobs in the South, so Renee now lives in Atlanta, and Raven is in Charlotte, North Carolina, but if you hadn’t tutored them when they were struggling in high school, they never would have received scholarships for college and be doing so well now.” Mrs. James put a hand on Lisa’s shoulder. “Thank you, Lisa. You were truly a godsend.”