“I am in a great mood, Ida. It’s a wonderful morning.”

The C.E.O. excused herself from the two women and continued into her office, placing her briefcase next to the desk. She then turned on her computer. “So, Ida, any calls this morning?” Brooke called out as she typed in her network password.

The woman walked up to Brooke’s office door, sticking her head into the office, “Nothing important. Someone has been calling since 8:00 this morning but he hangs up when I tell him you’re not here.”

“Thank you, Ida. I think I’ll be fine now by myself. I remember how to answer the phone.” Brooke grinned at the older woman in her doorway.

“Thank you, Ms. Gordon. Will you be needing anything else?”

“No, thank you. I’m just fine.”

Ida smiled in return and walked out. Melissa joined her as they made their way to the break room for a refill on their coffees.

“Wow, I don’t think she’s ever been late on a Monday. Then again, I don’t think she’s ever been late,” Ida pointed out as she poured the hot beverage into her mug.

“Yeah, she must have finally broke down and got some.” The two women laughed as Melissa refilled her mug as well.

“Lucky girl. I wonder who could have turned her head. Hell, who turned her on? I know a lot have tried.” Ida chuckled to herself as she added cream and sugar to her coffee. “Did she sign anybody new to the label?”

Melissa thought for a moment before answering. “Some band from New Jersey over the weekend but, I’ve already had the paperwork on each individual member. All men and knowing our boss, she’s not going there.” The accountant marveled at how open her new boss had been when hiring her. She left nothing to mystery about her sexual preference for the office rumor mill and no one seemed to have a problem with it. “Does she have any old flames? I mean, you would know, you’ve been here the longest.”

Ida thought about the question as she took a sip from her mug. “None that I can remember. But, you know, she doesn’t seem like the type anyway. She seems very private and honorable when it comes to real love.”

Melissa considered this for a moment and started to walk back to her office.

She stopped at the door and turned around to face the older woman. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

Ida looked up at the young accountant with a raised eyebrow nodding in agreement. She watched as the woman walked down the hall, then raised her cup to her own lips and pondered who could have been the one to turn the business woman’s head.

Brooke was sitting in her office going over some new contracts when her phone rang. Without taking her eyes off of the documents in front of her, she picked up the receiver and placed it against her ear. “Brownstone Records, Brooke Gordon.”

“What’s up, Sis? Didn’t see or hear from you all weekend and you didn’t show up at Mom’s for dinner yesterday so… what gives?”

Brooke set down her paperwork and leaned back in her chair. She placed one booted foot against the edge of her desk and began to swivel from side to side. “Hey, C.C., nothing much is going on. I just uh…hung around the house over the weekend, pretty much.”

“Oh, just curious since we didn’t see you yesterday.” C.C. cleared her throat as she planned her attack, “So uhm…Brooke, did you happen to find a bag in your car this morning?”

Without thinking, Brooke began to answer. “Yeah, I did, Sa…” Brooke stopped short.

C.C. realized that she had her answer and mentally pumped her fist in the air. “Sorry, Brooke…what was that?”

“Uhhh…ah, nothing. Sa… Say, how about you and I go get a beer on your birthday? Sound alright?”

The younger sibling smiled at the way Brooke decided to cover her slip. “Yeah…that sounds great, and you said I wouldn’t make it to see twenty-one.”

“Well, Chase, just remember that you’re not there yet. Hey, uhm…if Sam’s not doing anything…why don’t you ah…bring her along.”

The younger sibling couldn’t believe her ears. Oh my God, this is just getting too good. “Sure, Brooke. You sure you don’t mind?”

“Positive. I think I can survive another night around her.” More like several nights.

“That sounds great, Brooke, thanks. I’ll talk to Sam about it but right now I’ve got to get to class. So, I’ll talk to you later this week?”

Removing her foot from the desk, Brook sat up straight in her chair. “Yeah that sounds good. I’ll talk to you later. Bye, C.C.”

“Later!”

Brooke hung up the phone and noticed Ida standing in her doorway. “Yes, Ida?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Ms. Gordon, but a young lady by the name of Sam called while you were on the other line. She said she’d try to call you later.” Ida wondered exactly whom Sam was when she noticed the instant smile that appeared across the face of her boss at the mention of the young woman’s name.

“Thank you, Ida. You know, I’ve told you several times that you can call me by my first name, Brooke. You’ve known me for years and ‘Ms. Gordon’ just seems too formal.”

Ida’s response was to smile warmly at the younger woman and answer, “Yes, Ms. Gordon.”

Brooke simply shook her head at the older woman, then picked up the papers on her desk and resumed her work.

With her coffee mug in hand, Brooke returned to her office from the break room.

“Yes, oh…she just walked in. Just a moment, please.” Ida motioned Brooke into her small office as she put the call on hold. “Ms. Gordon, the caller from earlier is on line two.”

Brooke’s heartbeat sped up. Sam. “Thank you, Ida. I’ll take it in my office.”

The executive walked into her office, shutting the door as she entered, and sat at her desk. Taking a calming breath before picking up the phone, Brooke hit the flashing button for line two before leaning back in her chair.

“Hi…I wondered when you would call,” Brooke spoke quietly into the phone.

A shocked voice answered, “Oh really? Since when did I move onto your good side?”

Brooke straightened her posture as she spoke seriously into the phone, her eyes narrowed and glared. “James?”

“Yeah. Who did you think it was? I’ve been trying to call you since eight this morning.”

“I didn’t know. I just got into the office a little over an hour ago and Ida mentioned that someone had been calling but didn’t leave a name. How was I supposed to know it was you?”

“Hmmm…must have been a good one then for you to just dump your routine. Now I know why you answered the phone like that. Obviously, it wasn’t for me.”

Brooke began to rub her temples. She could feel a headache coming on by just talking to her former band mate. “Not now, James,” she warned. “You have no idea what you’re talking about so I suggest that you just not say anything at all.”

“When then?”

With irritation evident in her voice, she snapped. “When what? To listen to your line of bullshit about my routine as you call it? Never. Now, if you’d like to tell me that you actually have a reason for calling…”

Laughter could be heard across the phone line. “Just like you, Brooke. You’re always hiding from the truth. Face it, Babe, you’re just like the rest of us.”

As hard as she tried, Brooke could not hide the anger from her voice. “I am nothing like you. I never have been. Now, either you tell me your reason for calling or I’m hanging up.”

“You forgot already, didn’t you? You were supposed to get back to me.”

“I didn’t forget anything. I told you I’d think about it.”

“Well, what’s it going to be, huh? Dammit Brooke, I can’t sit around here waiting for you to think it all through. The bottom line is I want the best and you’re it. So, what’s it gonna be?”

“James, you know, I thought I could work with you and Peter again but if you’re going to be pulling this kind of shit…” Brooke was cut off by the deep voice on the other end of the line.

“So what’s the hold up? Too scared to come out of retirement?”

“I was never scared. And I’ll do it but, it’ll cost you.” There was silence on the other end of the line as she waited for James to speak, curious as to what his answer would be.

“Yeah, what’s the price then because I’m not going to say that I’m sorry. If that’s your price, forget it.”

Brooke searched through her desk drawer for some aspirin. She found the bottle and shook it. Unhappy to discover it was empty, she made a mental note to go get some as soon as she got off the phone.

“Well, for one, if we do this, you leave the bullshit attitude at the door, you and Peter, both. Before you walk into that studio, leave the egos at the door. Do you understand that?”

“Is that all?”

“No, I want one night.” Brooke couldn’t believe she was actually going to ask for what was on her mind.

“One night for what?” James smirked as a thought entered his head. “I didn’t think you were a switch hitter but if that’s what you want, no problem.”

The angered woman swore she could actually hear James smile. “I’m not.”

“Into threesomes then? Cool. That’s fine too.”

The actual thought of what James had indicated made Brooke physically ill. “No, wrong again. I want one night of Anti-Zero, for a…a friend.”

“Anti-Zero is dead. You should know that, you killed it.”

Brooke could hear the venom dripping in his tone of voice. “You know, James, I really don’t want to get into this with you right now. We’ll just re-vive it long enough for one night.”

“Why? What’s so damn important about Anti-Zero to your friend?” As much as he didn’t want to do it, James was interested to hear exactly what Brooke had in mind.

“God knows why, but she loves the band.”