LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter 1

      Michael Jane, also known as MJ, yawned as she leaned back in her office chair while reading over the latest edition of the local newspaper. It wasn’t that the story was boring—she just hated Monday mornings, and this one was particularly difficult. Mimi had talked her into a three-mile run, and then a green smoothie for breakfast.

      No wonder the caramel beauty was tired and ready for a power nap. MJ looked at her reflection in her compact mirror. Her light brown eyes were sparkling and her auburn curls were actually in perfect form today, despite her run this morning. MJ was often complimented on her full lips, especially when she smiled. It was the one trait she’d got from her mother that she appreciated. Her lips and the beauty mark near her bottom lip.

      “Miss Jane,” her assistant said. “You have a visitor.”

      “Who is it?” Michael stifled another yawn. She knew she didn’t have any appointments this morning, which was the only reason she’d allowed Mimi to talk her into that crazy run.

      “Nicolas Prince.”

      Michael groaned and tugged at her auburn tresses. “Send him in.”

      Before the door opened, Michael smoothed the corners of her mouth then sat up straight in her chair.

      Nicolas Prince used to be the man of her dreams, the man she’d seen standing at the altar on her wedding day. Now he was simply the client she wished she’d never signed to her marketing company. Nic, who’d always had a healthy dose of confidence, leaned on the strength of their friendship to show up without an appointment. It wasn’t a good look.

      “Good morning, beautiful,” he said as he walked in and took a seat in front of her desk.

      “What do you want, Nic?” She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. MJ played with her bouncy curls when she was annoyed. Nic’s unannounced visit was very annoying. Granted, there was a time when seeing Nic would’ve sent her heart fluttering and made her smile. She’d even gone so far as to fantasize about a future with him. But that was before he’d made it clear that he didn’t have the same feelings for her that she had for him, leaving her crushed. Nic had used her to get what he wanted and she vowed that she’d never be used by another man again. Mimi Collins-Daniels, MJ’s best friend, had tried to warn her that Nic was a player, but Michael had wanted to see the best in him. She wanted to believe that she could be the one to bring out the love in him, like a princess in a fairy tale. Unfortunately, life wasn’t a fairy tale and neither was her one-sided relationship with Nic.

      At least she’d learned her lesson. She’d never make the mistake of falling for a player again.

      “What’s up with the attitude this morning?”

      “Why are you here without an appointment? Mondays are busy days for me.” She raised her right eyebrow. “You could’ve at least brought coffee and bagels if you were going to come in here unannounced.”

      Nic shook his head. “Well, I apologize, but I have an amazing idea and I need your help to make it sizzle.”

      MJ sighed. “I’m listening.”

      “Are you?” He rolled his eyes. “Stayed out partying last night?”

      Michael gave him a look. “Get on with it. I have another appointment.” The sooner he said what he had to say, the quicker she could get him out of her office. “And how I spend my nights aren’t your concern. What’s your idea?”

      “The Great Atlanta Jazz Fest. A two-day citywide event to spotlight the growing scene here and give New Orleans a little competition.”

      MJ perked up in her seat. “Go on.”

      “Of course my spot would get the most publicity because I’d be a main sponsor and host all of the after-parties.”

      Michael gave him an icy glance. “Yeah, I imagine you would expect that. What about the artists?”

      “I have a few ideas. A few of the groups I’ve had at the club would be great headliners. But we need some big names.”

      “Okay, so how are we going to work this event and get the city on board?”

      Nic nodded. Michael turned to her computer and pulled up her internet browser. “We need to make sure we don’t have any of the same artists who were in New Orleans headlining here. We want Atlanta’s jazz fest to be different, our own thing.”

      Even if this festival was Nic’s idea, MJ knew having her company attached to a successful event like this would put her business at the top when it came to landing multimillion-dollar accounts. She needed this to work, even if it meant working with Nic.

      Nic slapped the edge of her desk with excitement. “And this is why I came to you. I knew you could make this work. You’re one of the only other people I know who can take an idea and make it as big as it needs to be.”

      “Me and my staff...”

      “No, MJ, I’m only working with you on this. I know your people are sharp, but you’re the best.”

      “Everyone here is capable of making this a stellar—”

      He interrupted her. “We have a contract, remember? It says that we—”

      “Clearly, I know what it says,” she snapped. “Give me a couple of days to get a proposal together. Then we can start firming up plans.”

      “Miss Jane,” her assistant said over the intercom. “Mimi Collins is here for you.”

      Nic rose to his feet. “My cue to leave. I’ll call you to make an appointment so that we can go over this in more detail.”

      “Please do,” she replied as Mimi walked in.

      There was no love lost between Michael’s best friend and Nic. Ever since they were undergrads at Spelman and Morehouse, Mimi and Nic had butted heads. MJ could never put her finger on why, and at this point she’d chalked it up as one of life’s unexplained mysteries.

      “Ooh,” Mimi said, giving Nic a cool glance. “Am I, hopefully, interrupting something?”

      “Hello and goodbye, Mimi. I was just leaving.” Nic strode to the door.

      “Don’t let me stop you.” Mimi took the seat that Nic had vacated.

      “Guys, this is my office, not the quad,” Michael said. “Nic, we’ll talk soon.”

      Mimi made a face and crossed her legs as Nic walked out the door. “Please tell me that was about business.”

      “It was and you’re rude!” MJ broke out into laughter. “I don’t get you two.”

      “Whatever. Are you in as much pain as I am?”

      “Not you, Miss Marathon Queen.” MJ rolled her eyes. “Let me just go on record and remind you that this morning’s run was your idea.”

      Mimi yawned. “Well, I had a bit of a workout last night with my loving husband, so three miles was a bit much this morning.” Mimi stretched her left foot out. “And these heels are murderous. But I had to show up at the Blog-Her conference looking like a million bucks.”

      “Umm, TMI, Mimi! How’s the conference going so far?” Michael asked,

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