Too Little, Too Late Read Online Free PDF Page A

mind. “No can do. I have a full day,” she said, scurrying to the bathroom.
    Inside, she hopped into the shower, sighing as the warm spray soothed her. Leaning against the pebbled tile, she closed her eyes and relaxed under the water’s massage.
    Go.
    Jasmine’s eyes sprung open. She glanced through the foggy glass. She heard nothing more than the shower’s rain. She leaned back, closed her eyes again.
    Go.
    Gentle. Guiding.
    Jasmine tilted her head. Called out, “Hosea!”
    He opened the bathroom door. “Yeah?”
    “Did you say something?”
    “I didn’t say a word, darlin’. Watch out now, don’t be hearing things that aren’t there.” He chuckled and closed the door.
    She turned off the water. Stepped cautiously from the stall onto the heated floor. She listened for a moment, then pressed the button to turn on the in-wall speakers. If she was going to hear voices, she wanted them to be real.
    But even through Brent Jones singing Hosea’s favorite song, “My Heart’s Desire,” she heard it again.
    Go.
    Is that it? Jasmine wondered. It was the first time that she’d heard that voice. That voice that so many others spoke about. Especially Hosea—he said that God talked to him all the time. But she’d never heard a word from above. So how was she supposed to know if this was Him?
    Go.
    “Go where?” Jasmine asked the air. She stayed in place for a minute, then opened the bathroom door.
    “Babe, what time is the luncheon?”
    Hosea stepped from inside his closet. “You changed your mind?”
    She thought about the voice. “Isn’t that a woman’s prerogative?”
    He laughed. “It’s in the Rainbow Room at noon. Want me to pick you up?”
    She shook her head. “No need for you to come all the way downtown. I’ll call for a car.” She closed the door and wrapped herself inside her towel. She wasn’t sure if it was God she heard, but she wasn’t taking a chance. If God was talking to her, she was certainly going to listen.

SIX
    “H EY, DARLIN ’.” H OSEA OPENED the Town Car’s door.
    Jasmine stepped out and into her husband’s arms. “I didn’t expect you to be waiting for me.”
    He kissed her. “Whenever I get the chance, I walk side by side with my wife.” Slipping his hand into hers, the two weaved through the lunchtime throng outside of Rockefeller Center.
    Chatter and laughter greeted them when the elevator doors opened on the sixty-fifth floor. Jasmine and Hosea mingled with the Bring It On team, until the restaurant’s staff directed the guests to sit for lunch.
    “I’m glad they put us at a table together,” Jasmine whispered to Deborah Blue. “I thought they were going to have a dais or something.”
    “This is so much better,” Deborah agreed as she sat at the table set up for four. Then she called to her husband. “Honey, you and Hosea see each other every day, but you’re worse than me and Jasmine.”
    Hosea and Triage—the other executive producer of the show—turned toward their wives and laughed.
    “We’re busted.” Triage kissed his wife, and as he sat, he turned to Jasmine. “Hosea just told me you’re not going to L.A.”
    Jasmine stiffened. “I can’t get away right now.” She took Hosea’s hand. “But I’ll be visiting when I can.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” Deborah said. “I’ll be in L.A. the entire summer recording a new CD and I was looking forward to showing you the city.”
    Before Jasmine could tell Deborah that she was born in Los Angeles, Stephen Hager, one of the top executives with the network, stood at the microphone. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming today. This is an exciting time for the show. Our ratings have steadily increased, which means more advertising dollars.” He paused. “And those Emmys we got earlier this year certainly helped.”
    Applause filled the room.
    “This is a good time for a celebration. That’s what this lunch is about. No long speeches, just an enjoyable time with colleagues. Now,