On the other had, she hadn’t been attracted to any of the boys at school and had never felt the slightest spark between herself and any of her male white colleagues at university. In her naïveté she had imagined that it meant she simply wasn’t attracted to white men…and then Dominic had walked into Armstrong’s.
She didn’t have a problem with interracial dating or marriage—she just thought that the motivation should be love, not the prospect of greater social acceptance or the purpose of genetic engineering. Both parties had to be proud of their own racial heritage and fully accepting of the other’s.
She didn’t doubt the love she felt for Dominic. She was quite happy to be a member of the working classes. She was proud to be black and would have no problem if their children were replicas of her or Dominic, or a combination of both.
What she didn’t honestly know was if her head had influenced her heart—did Dominic’s wealth, after years of financial struggle, have anything to do with the way she felt about him?
If she couldn’t convince herself her love had nothing to do with his money, how could she convince anyone else?
Chapter Ten
“Mr. O’Brien would like to see you in his office immediately.” Angela didn’t sound her usual bubbly self. The fact that she’d used Dominic’s title didn’t bode well considering the company’s creed that they were all part of one big family so there was no need to stand on formality.
Chantelle hoped that she wasn’t the cause of the woman’s uncharacteristic solemnity, though she suspected she was. Dominic must have just read her letter of resignation.
“Tell him I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Chantelle tried to make her voice sound coolly professional, but butterflies were dancing in her stomach.
Let him stew in his own juices for a little longer.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted her legs and swung her chair in half a dozen complete circles before she remembered that she could be seen from the outside.
It wasn’t as if she planned on leaving tomorrow. She had just politely informed him that she would work out her three month notice period effective from today.
Her iPhone immediately beeped.
Get up here now. Or I’ll come down and get you!
She stood up and immediately headed towards the lifts. He was crazy enough to come down and haul her upstairs by her hair…or kiss her senseless in front of everyone.
Angela looked up in relief when Chantelle tapped on the door.
“Hi Angela, I finished what I was doing a little earlier than expected.”
“No problem, Chantelle.” The woman’s frowning face broke into a smile and Chantelle wondered if she knew more than she let on. The woman reached into a drawer and pulled out a handbag that Chantelle had seen priced at several thousand pounds. Dominic must pay the woman a fortune. “He’s expecting you. Go on right through. I’m popping out for lunch now.”
Dominic stopped his pacing when she pushed the door open.
“What the hell is this?” he demanded, shaking the paper he held crushed in his hand at her.
God, he’s even more gorgeous when he’s angry!
“Dominic, I told you I was going to leave.”
“And I told you that you weren’t going anywhere!”
She’d come up with several reasons to convince herself that she was better off leaving him and the company. Just one look at his beloved face made her wonder if she could honestly bear to tear herself away.
“Dominic, it’s better this way,” she began, backing away to the door as he advanced. “If the media find out about us, Shawn and the girls could get teased or bullied by the neighborhood kids…even their own friends.”
“That’s why I want you to move.”
“I don’t want them to get used to a certain lifestyle and then have to go back to what we have now when our relationship is over.”
“Who said that it would be over?” He challenged. “I’ve made some enquiries and it’s not too late for them to change schools for the new school year. Shawn wants to go to Oxford next year, but realistically he has a very slim chance unless he’s attending a private school. My brother Edward lectures there, but he doesn’t have enough clout to influence the admission board. I’ve found an excellent school for him and they will arrange extra tuition if he needs it. Cerise can board at the school I’ve found for her, or she can live at home and get a lift there daily. There are plenty of schools Charmine can attend. She’s little and you know her better, so you can choose which you think will suit her best.”