Eastern Lights

by Brittainy Cherry

  “I heard a rumor about you doing an interview for Passion. Is that true?”

  I sat up a bit straighter. “Uh, yes. It’s true.”

  “And Aaliyah is interviewing you?”

  Why did I get the feeling this conversation wasn’t going anywhere good? “Yes… After the wedding she was in quite a situation with losing her job. So, her boss said she could have her position back and get a raise, if she could land an interview with me. I felt bad not helping.”

  “Oh, my goodness, of course. I’m so thankful that you offered your services to her. Jason didn’t leave her in the best situation, that’s for sure. You’re a good man, Connor. You’ve always been a good man.”

  I blinked a few times, not knowing what to say.

  She blinked a few times, giving me the most uncomfortable smile.

  I began to shift papers around my desk. “Well, I actually have a lot of work to get—”

  “Can you put in a good word?” she spat out.

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “A good word, for Jason. Can you tell Aaliyah that he made a mistake and wants her back? Because he does, he does want her back.”

  That wasn’t what he’d expressed on the day Aaliyah moved out of his penthouse.

  “Uh, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to get involved in other people’s issues.”

  “Right, of course. I get that. But, if you could just sell the idea of them getting back together, it would make the whole situation much easier. You’re a trustworthy person, Connor. People value your opinion.”

  “I’m not really comfortable doing that. I’m sorry, Marie.”

  A flash of irritation hit her eyes before she forcefully delivered a smile. A fake, big grin that was only hiding the anger behind her stare. I knew she was upset about the break up, but she seemed to be taking the over-involved mother role a bit too far.

  She stood up from her desk, walked over to me, and patted her hand against mine. “Just think about it, will you? I’m sure once you give it time, you’ll see that it’s the right choice for you to vouch for Jason.”

  How about absolutely fucking not?

  I pushed out a smile, she probably knew it wasn’t sincere, but at that point I didn’t care. “Well, you have a good day, Marie. Thanks again for the cookies.”

  “You’re more than welcome, sweetheart. Now you take care.” She pushed her purse up on her shoulder and as she began to walk away, she turned back to me. “Oh, and I heard about your finding a new place for your passion project with Walter. Good for you never giving up on your little dream.” She flashed a big grin. “I hope it works out this time. It would be a shame if this one fell through like all the others.”

  She left the room, leaving a lingering unease behind. Did she…? Did she just threaten me somehow with a big smile on her face? No. Marie wouldn’t do that. She was sweet as pie. Sweet as those damn cookies she brought me. Although, the way she spoke about my low-income apartments made it feel…dirty.

  I tried my best to shake off the feeling, thinking she was nothing more than a depressed mother who’d lost the future of having an amazing daughter-in-law. I’d be crazy, too, if I lost Aaliyah.

  Before I could fully analyze the situation with Marie, Damian came walking into my office.

  “Hey,” he nodded once before taking a seat across from me. “Aaliyah’s going to Kentucky with you?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Your mom just texted me in full-blown glee.”

  Damian and my mother were the best of friends. He hated almost everyone else in the world, except for my Mom and me. They probably talked more than I did.

  “Yeah. I figured it’s a good opportunity for the article. For her to see where I came from.”

  He blinked a few times, then said, “Okay.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “All I said was okay.”

  “Yeah, but you said it in a very non-okay way.”

  “I just think it’s weird that you’re pretending to bring her down there for work, when really, you just want to bring her to your hometown.”

  I snickered. “What?”

  “Never mind. I think it’s great you’re bringing her.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “You do?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “You’re the grave digger. You find out crap about everyone, and you’ve met Aaliyah a few times now, so, I kind of want to know your thoughts on her.”

  “Why do my thoughts matter? I’m not the one being interviewed by her.”

  “Yeah, but you’re my person.”

  “Don’t be weird, Connor.”

  “I mean it. Your opinion matters to me, Damian. Honestly, I should’ve listened to you about Rose and a few other employees in the past. So if there’s something about Aaliyah that I should—”

  “You like her.”

  “What?”

  “You have feelings for her. You’ve made it pretty obvious from the jump, but you’ve been too damn scared to admit it because you are terrified of commitment. Even so, you set yourself up to have this woman in your life because you don’t like the idea of her not being around. Exhibit A: You agree to do an interview. Exhibit B: You ask her to move in with you. Exhibit C: She’s coming to your hometown to meet your mother.”

  “She’ll be meeting other people, too,” I urged.

  Damian rolled his eyes. “You’re basically fucking her without fucking her.”

  “What? No. We’re just buddies. Pals. Roommates. That’s it.”

  Oh, the lies we told ourselves on the daily.

  “Whatever makes this easier for you, champ. Although, you could admit your true feelings for her and see where they’d take you. But alas, you’re too chickenshit. Here I was, thinking I was the messed-up one who needed therapy, but I guess even millionaires like you have some trauma, too.”

  I blankly stared at him for a few moments, blinking rapidly. “Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t ask you to tell me about myself. I was asking about Aaliyah.”

  “Oh. I already looked into her weeks ago.” He shrugged. “I like her. She’s a good one.”

  The only other person I’d ever heard him say that about was my mother, and she sent him care packages every month.

  “Anyway, I gotta get back to work. Also, did you see the email from Walter?” Damian asked, standing up from the chair. “He replied about five minutes ago about the Queens property. It’s all but a done deal. Just need to draw up contracts and sign on the dotted line. Congratulations, Con. It’s yours.”

  Holy shit.

  I got the property.

  Ever since Damian told me the good news, my mind hadn’t stopped spinning. No, the great fucking news. I’d been working for years to make this happen, and the fact that it hadn’t fallen through like all the other locations made me want to cry like a damn child.

  It was really happening, and I knew exactly who I wanted the first person I told to be.

  “Do I really need to be blindfolded for this?” Aaliyah asked, laughing. “This seems a bit dramatic, and I’ve watched a lot of true crime, so if you are going to murder me, just tell me now so I can say a few prayers to try to get into heaven.”

  I snickered. “Don’t be dramatic. If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it on Halloween night.”

  “Well, that’s comforting.”

  “We’re almost there. Luis is pulling up right now.”

  Luis parked the car, and I hopped out quickly then guided Aaliyah out of the vehicle, with only a few fumbles and hiccups. The whole time she laughed, making me chuckle, too.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I’m good,” she said, standing straight as we stepped onto the sidewalk. “Now, do I get to take it off or…?”

  “Wait. Let me set the scene. I thought this would be great for the article. You remember how yo
u said you wanted to showcase the past, present, and future of who I am?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, we’ve only covered the present day. You’ve seen me in my work element, but I wanted to share the next chapter with you for myself. The future of Roe Real Estate is here.” I moved behind her and began untying the blindfold. The second it fell, Aaliyah looked at the run-down building in front of her.

  Her eyes widened as she stared at the building, then at me. “Is this it? Is this your location for your low-income luxury apartments?”

  I nodded.

  Her face filled with a level of excitement as she began jumping up and down, grabbing my arms and forcing me into her leaps, too. “Oh my God, Connor! Oh, my God! You did it! It’s happening! Ohmygoodness!” she screeched, her excitement level rocketing from the sidewalk and straight to Mars. The way she celebrated my dream made me almost choke up. The only other person who’d ever shown so much excitement for me was my mother.

  “Shit, Red, you’re gonna make me cry,” I semi-joked.

  When I looked at her, my heart, which already beat faster whenever she was near me almost exploded. The tears I felt were falling from her eyes.

  She blushed as she wiped them away. “Sorry, but Connor…you did it.” She stopped her quick movements and placed her hands on her hips, looking up at the building, the broken windows, the graffitied walls. It looked like a disaster, but somehow, she was able to see past its current brokenness and focus on its potential.

  She turned to me, and her smile felt so warm. “You did it, Connor. You did this, and I’m so proud of you.”

  Cue the fucking tears.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose and cleared my throat. The tears were on the brink of falling. Something about her saying she was proud of me struck a chord I hadn’t even known could be reached.

  “Thanks, Red. That means a lot to me. Now, off the record, I got the seller to loan me the keys for three hours.”

  She held her hand out toward me and smiled. “Come on, then,” she urged. “Show me.”

  The skies of the city were dark, a clear sign that a storm was going to be moving in soon. Even still, I swore I could feel the sun when I looked at Aaliyah.

  I took her through the seven-story building, stopping on each floor to explore. Each level had ten apartments, so we’d be able to house seventy families. We stopped in every unit of the building, too, because Aaliyah wouldn’t allow us to do anything else. Even when she seemed short of breath, she kept a smile plastered on her face.

  Her happiness made me happier.

  “Do you see it, Captain?” she asked as we stood in the final apartment on the seventh floor. “Right over here, the family can put their entertainment center. That over there will be little Timmy’s bedroom, and over there is Sara’s. The parents’ bedroom suite will have a soaking tub with all the luxury amenities, with locks on the door so Mama can get a few moments to herself. They’ll make memories over here,” she said, dancing on her tiptoes to the dining room area. She pretend-sat as if she were at a table. “They’ll laugh here, over dinners. They’ll discuss life, do homework, and love one another right here.” She stood and walked over to me. “All because of you.”

  “This world doesn’t deserve you, Red,” I confessed. I didn’t deserve her, but each day I wanted her a little more than the last. I hadn’t really faced the fact that my feelings for and connection to her were growing more and more each day.

  “Come on,” she said. “Show me more.”

  I took her to the rooftop. The clouds were darker than when we’d first arrived. The thunder roared throughout the sky, signaling that the storm was moving in.

  She moved around the space with her arms wide open. “Is this where the community garden will go?”

  “Yes. It will be over here, and there will be gas grills and seating throughout the area. The families will be able to pick up the fresh vegetables as they please, and there will be a worker to help tend to it at all times.”

  I felt the first raindrop fall against my face, and Aaliyah must’ve felt one, too, as she looked up at the sky. Her brown eyes moved to me, and she shook her head. “Your dreams are coming true.”

  I bit my bottom lip and nodded. “They are.” I moved in toward her and took her hands in mine. “Dance with me?”

  There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation from her. She moved in close to me, and I took her into my arms. We swayed back and forth, pretending there was music as the raindrops began to fall a bit faster. I offered to run inside with her, but she declined.

  “A little longer.” She rested her head against my chest as we moved in slow motion in the rain. “I can hear your heartbeats,” she whispered.

  “They’re beating for you,” I confessed. At first, I didn’t know if I’d spoken the words out loud, but when I saw how she looked up at me, I knew she’d heard them.

  I was terrified of speaking about my true feelings for her because I couldn’t take them back once they were out there. But Damian had been spot-on about everything he’d said to me about my feelings for Aaliyah. The idea of her not being in my life drove me wild. The idea of her not being across the hall from me made my chest ache. The idea of never knowing what her lips tasted like…

  Those lips.

  Those full, beautiful, juicy lips.

  God, all I wanted to do was lean down and taste them. Suck them. Fuck them…

  I parted my lips to answer her question, to skip past my fears and let her know my secrets, but before I could, a deluge fell over us and lightning flashed throughout the sky. The pouring rain broke us away from the moment, but then I stood there, thinking about one thing and one thing only—I wanted to kiss her.

  I stood there still as the raindrops hammered over us. I didn’t care that I was getting soaked, I didn’t care that every inch of me was wet, all I cared about, all I wanted to know, was if she wanted to kiss me, too.

  33

  Aaliyah

  He was going to kiss me.

  Maybe. Or perhaps, I imagined him leaning down to kiss me in the rain. Maybe I was just hoping, and wishing, dreaming of the possibility of his lips finding mine, his tongue parting my mouth and slipping inside.

  My skin began to tremble as we stood in the rain, staring at one another without saying a word. We should’ve moved inside once it began to downpour. We should’ve ran for shelter, but we stood there, still. Dripping water from head to toe. Eyes locked, souls exposed.

  Gosh, I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to tell me his truths, tell me if what I felt were his feelings, too. I wanted to fall against his mouth and have him swallow every piece of me as I gave him my all.

  I wanted to kiss him.

  And I wanted him to kiss me, too.

  He looked down to the ground for a moment and when he brought his gaze back up to meet mine, he looked as if he were seconds away from falling apart. “You scare me, Aaliyah.”

  “What?”

  “You terrify me, because every single day, I wake up with you on my mind. Every single night, you stay there, too…I’m falling…” He cleared his throat and I knew how hard it was for him to open up to me. I knew how relationships scared him, and I knew about his hesitations. But still, he kept speaking, still, he kept speaking his truths. “I am overwhelmingly falling for you, Red.”

  My heart skipped a beat. Maybe five beats. Maybe it stopped altogether. Maybe his words healed it, all I knew was all the broken pieces of my tattered and tired heart, belonged to him.

  I looked at him, completely stunned by the words leaving his mouth. Had I been imagining them? Because everything he was saying was everything I’d wanted to hear. I didn’t know what to say because a part of me worried that by morning I’d realize it was nothing more than a dream. I was scared that maybe by morning, he’d retreat back to his fears of love.

  Then as if he knew of my worries, he kept talking. “I’m scared, because I’ve never felt this way. I’m scared because you make me want to take breaks fr
om my work. You make me want to experience things outside of my career. You make me want to live because everything about you is magic.”

  “Connor…”

  “You don’t have to say anything, really, Red. I know you just got out of that relationship. I know you are still healing, but I just…I want you. I want you more than I’d ever wanted anything else in this world. I don’t care how long it takes for you to be ready because I’ll be waiting…because this…I want this… I want—”

  “You,” I softly said, placing my hands into his. I looked down at our intertwined fingers and looked up at him. “I want you, too. I wanted you to say those words more than you know,” I said. “I thought I was the only one feeling this way.”

  “No. I’ve felt this for a while now, but I didn’t want to bring it up. I was scared to bring it up. Shit, I’m still scared, Aaliyah…but I’m more scared of not giving us a real shot.”

  “Connor?”

  “Yes?”

  “Kiss me.”

  He did so without any hesitation.

  The raindrops kept falling as his mouth fell against mine. He tasted like my favorite fairytales, fill of wonder and love. He kissed me as if he were trying to show me the truth behind his feelings, that they were real. That we were real, something powerful. Something that neither one of us expected to happen.

  Or perhaps we did expect it. Maybe we’d known all along, ever since that Halloween night when I decided to try to fall in love with a stranger.

  And there I was, two years later, falling, falling, falling.

  I kissed him back with the same intensity he gave me. His hands wrapped around me, and I moaned against his mouth as I felt one hand slowly moving across the fabric of the dress resting against my thighs. The clothes were soaked against our skin, showcasing every curve and ever muscle we each had.

  I liked how his hands wandered. I liked how his tongue danced with mine. I liked how he touched me. How he kissed me. How he sucked my lips between his.

  I loved how he touched me in the rain.