Safe Place Series

by Shani Greene-Dowdell

  Channing and Kemara were headed there too. I was sure it wasn’t a coincidence. “That sounds like the getaway that you need, baby. Are you going with Channing and Kemara?” I asked.

  “Yes, and don’t call me baby.”

  I raised my hands in the air. “Okay.” For now. “I’ll leave and let you finish packing. As long as you know, I’m not sorry about coming to see you, even though you accepted the apology I didn’t give.”

  “We’re good, Jeb,” she said on a sigh, and I could feel her eyes on my back as I was leaving, so I turned around and gave her a genuine smile.

  “Have a nice trip, Tameka.”

  She nodded, her lips never breaking into a smile. My next call would be to Channing. This Aruba trip was about to turn into a full-on family affair.

  ***

  “Are you seriously trying to get me killed?” Channing asked as I sat on his couch, trying to convince him to let me tag along on the trip to Aruba.

  “No, we can pull this off without Kemara getting upset. I don’t have to stay at the same house as you guys, but I need this chance with Tameka, man.”

  Channing chuckled. “This is crazy, but you really like her, huh?”

  “Like? The way I feel about her is indescribable. I’m ready to show her that I care about her a lot.”

  “If I do this, Kemara might make me stay in Aruba, but—”

  “Why should it bother her if I come? She doesn’t know about me and Tameka, right?” I asked.

  “Oh, she knows everything. Tameka told her.”

  “Oh, really now?” I asked.

  Channing sighed. “Damn, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to say that. This intermixing of family business isn’t working well for me.”

  I chuckled. “Tameka telling Kemara about us means she’s still thinking about me. I should go on this trip. I’m going crazy without her.”

  Channing sat back on the couch, appearing to think about my idea.

  “Okay, man. I’ll talk to Kemara about it,” he said and yelled out, “Kemara, baby, can you come in here for a second?”

  Moments later, she waltzed into the room, smiling. “What’s up?”

  I didn’t know if I should stay there or make myself scarce, but I wanted to know the answer, so I remained seated. Channing tossed me an annoyed look, but I didn’t budge from that spot.

  “Jeb was wondering something. Turns out, he’s planning to take some vacation time soon and was looking at places to go. Would it be a problem if he came along with us to Aruba?”

  Kemara’s eyes darted back and forth between Channing and me. “Tameka will be there,” she acknowledged.

  I remained quiet as Kemara looked from me to Channing. I humped my shoulders when her eyes landed back on me.

  “I have no problem with you going, but if she’s going to be uncomfortable with it, we’ll have to make other sleeping arrangements,” Kemara said, giving me that one ounce of leeway I’d been hoping for.

  “Deal. If there is any problem, I won’t stay at the vacation house. I will get a hotel,” I assured her, but my bet was that Tameka wouldn’t deny me once we were stuck thousands of miles from home in another country.

  Chapter 9

  Tameka

  I couldn’t contain my excitement as I boarded the plane for Aruba. I already missed my kids terribly. I messaged them earlier, and they assured me everything was going fine. The plane seemed overly crowded when it took off. I looked across the aisle where Kemara and Channing sat. Kemara glanced my way, and we exchanged a sisterly smile. I reclined in my seat and tried to relax. The person next to me was someone in their late teens. He was engrossed in the music playing through his earbuds, so I knew he wouldn’t be a bother to me on the long plane ride. I yawned and closed my eyes, preparing to take a long, relaxing nap.

  Two hours later, my eyes were glued to the back of the seat in front of me, and sleep was nowhere to be found. Several hours of being on the stuffy plane, unable to sleep, made me fidgety.

  “Hey, Tameka,” Kemara motioned for me to take over Channing’s seat when he went to the bathroom. I walked over to her row and plopped down beside her.

  “Thank you! I was going stir crazy over there.”

  Kemara smiled. “Kind of figured that just from looking at you.”

  “There’s only so many crossword puzzles a girl can do before she goes nuts. I’ve spent the last ten minutes staring at the seat in front of me, wishing I could go to sleep. I guess I need to talk,” I admitted.

  Noticing her Kindle cradled in her lap, I asked, “What book are you reading? Maybe a good book would put me to sleep.”

  “Oh, I’m reading this new book, Slim and the Lady, by Tonya, an author I found on Facebook,” she responded.

  “It must be good. You’ve been flipping through the pages over here.”

  “It is good, girl! Let me tell you…” Kemara laughed and told me a little about the characters before saying, “You should just download it, so we can read it together.”

  “I will when I get back to my seat.” I looked over my shoulder to see if Channing was still in the restroom, but he was coming our way. “I guess I should be heading back to my seat. Your man is on his way back.” I started to get up, but Kemara grabbed my arm.

  “Babe, do you mind trading seats with Tameka for a while?” she asked.

  Channing stood over me arching a brow with a faux menacing look on his face. “Better be glad I like you, Tameka,” he scoffed.

  “Is it because you like her or because you love me?” Kemara said sweetly.

  “That too, baby.” Channing gave Kemara an ‘I’ll make you pay for this’ look and eased across the aisle into my seat. I giggled as he looked at the teenager sitting by the window. The young man was none the wiser that I’d left the seat and Channing had replaced me.

  “Good save, Kemara.”

  She shrugged. “That’s what sisters are for.”

  I sat back in my seat and relaxed, and before I knew it I was asleep. When I awoke hours later, I scanned the plane for the gazillionth time.

  “Tell me about this condo we’re staying in, and where’d you find it?” I asked, anxious to know how we’d be living for the next week.

  “I’ve never been, but Channing worked on a housing project with the owner, and he offered this place up for us to have a getaway. I hear it’s amazing. There’re twelve bedrooms and six bathrooms.”

  “Twelve bedrooms?”

  “Yes. They were going to make it into a bed and breakfast but decided to use it as a vacation home. The owner has a large family,” Kemara said.

  “Sounds amazing. Channing is lucky to work with people with long pockets like that.” I imagined the mansion having top of the line furniture, fancy decorations, and sleek carpet I could sink my feet into.

  Kemara nodded as if she were validating my visions of the place. Taking a deep breath, she said, “So—” She paused, and anxiety settled on her light brown features.

  “Yeah?” I nudged her. “What’s on your mind?”

  “There’s something I have to tell you.”

  “Well, did somebody die? Because the way you’re looking is scaring me.”

  “No, no. It’s nothing like that,” she assured me by touching my hand.

  “Good. Stop looking like we’re about to have to plan a funeral then.”

  “It’s about Je—” Kemara paused when the stewardess came over the loudspeaker, directing everyone to put their seatbelts on as it was time to land. I buckled my seatbelt and looked at Kemara who was securing hers. “It can wait,” she said and smiled.

  We were about to land at my dream vacation spot, and I wanted to experience every second, including the landing. I looked out the open window with child-like joy. I was about to explore a new country!

  ***

  I sat in the backseat of the rental on the way to the mansion. The blue skies, sandy beaches, and gorgeous landscape were heaven’s paradise. It felt as if the other cars were passing by in slow
motion.

  Channing pulled up to a humongous castle and drove around a semi-circular driveway. I stepped out of the car and gasped at the palace before us. It was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, an absolute fantasy. Pristine white stairs led to the front door. Perfectly shaped bushes were in line with the stairs, and not one leaf was out of place. With the outside’s appearance of elegance, I couldn’t begin to imagine what awaited us inside.

  “Come on, ladies,” Channing motioned for Kemara and me to walk up the stairs. He removed the keys from his pocket and opened the door.

  We were greeted by marble floors that spanned across an open foyer and into the great room. The great room was in the center of the mansion. On both sides of the foyer were stairs I assumed led to different living quarters.

  “I did the virtual tour, so let me show you ladies around,” Channing said.

  Every room had a crystal chandelier that accented either modern cream-colored or light pastel pink furnishings. The beds felt like fluffy cotton. I knew because I plopped down on the bed in each room to test them out. There were hot tubs in four of the bathrooms, and the bathrooms looked comfortable enough to sleep in, as well.

  My room had a fireplace in the center wall, a King size bed, and a mini living room sitting off to the side. “This is royalty,” I mumbled, tossing my suitcase onto the bed. Rifling through my things, I found a two-piece bikini and dressed for the beach. I grabbed my phone and dialed Eva’s number. After a few rings, the call was answered, but it wasn’t Eva’s voice.

  “Hello?” Rodney answered.

  I was still reeling off being in Aruba, so I asked in a pleasant tone, “Hey, is Eva around?”

  “Nope, and why are you so happy?” he asked, sounding salty.

  “You’re on her phone. Where is she?” I asked, ignoring his question.

  “She’s at a friend’s house,” he said.

  “If she’s with a friend, then she needs to have her phone. That’s the point of me buying it so that she could phone home if she has an emergency. Who is she with?” I asked.

  There was hesitation on the line, before he responded, “Fine. She isn’t at a friend’s house, but she’s in the middle of her chores.”

  What kind of games was Rodney playing? What chores could Eva have to do that would keep her away from her phone?

  “What about Kevin? Is he also working on chores?” I asked.

  “Yep!” he replied quickly.

  I could always count on Rodney to fuck up my mood. “Rodney, I’m going to call them back in an hour. You need to hand the phone over to my kids, or I’ll call the police.”

  The very least he could’ve done was let me hear their voices, so I would know they were okay, but he hung up. I tossed my phone onto the bed. I hoped for the best when it came to my kids spending time with their father. He never gave me any indication he would hurt them, but with each passing day, he became harder to read.

  I stood up and checked my reflection in the mirror. Not bad for a mom of two. I grabbed a big beach towel, wrapped it around me, and left out to start my Aruba adventures with plans to call the kids back from the beach.

  Chapter 10

  Jeb

  Worry lines wrinkled Kemara’s face when she looked at me. For the first time since I hatched this idea, I was starting to think it might not have been the brightest one. “What’s got your wife so scared?” I asked Channing.

  “We all know how Tameka can be. You’re the only one that seems to think she’s not a walking timebomb. I learned to tread lightly around her the first day I met her,” Channing replied.

  I chuckled. “You guys don’t have to worry about Tameka with me. I’m here to convince her that we belong together, and she will agree before this vacation is over.” I winked at Channing.

  “You just need to make sure you’re not BS-ing with her and not rebounding from Rochelle,” Channing said.

  “Chan, I am—” I began to argue, but he raised his hand to stop me.

  “Look, you wanted to be here, and you’re here. Let’s try to have a good trip, okay?” he said.

  “Alright Channing, damn man. I thought you had my back.”

  “I do, but I’m just saying.”

  Kemara put a finger to her lip to quiet us. “You’re talking too loud,” she said.

  “She’s going to eventually find out I’m here. It’s not like you can hide me the whole trip.” I arched an eyebrow at Channing and Kemara. “Or were you planning to keep me away from her the whole trip?” I chuckled. “That’s not happening.”

  “No,” Channing said. “Tameka will know you’re here, but don’t make her uncomfortable.”

  “She’ll find out when we go to dinner later tonight. She said she’s going to go swimming, right now, so I’m going to go check on her,” Kemara said.

  “I see my girl has everyone walking on eggshells,” I said to Channing after Kemara walked off looking uneasy.

  He shrugged. “Like I said, if your intentions are pure, no one has anything to worry about, right?”

  “I have nothing but good intentions. You will see.”

  Channing smiled. “That’s all I needed to know. What're your plans for today?”

  “Since Tameka’s swimming, I might just go swimming.” I rubbed my hands together as I thought about her in a bathing suit.

  Channing shook his head. “You’re a brave man. Be careful out there,” he said.

  I went to my room and pulled out a t-shirt and swim trunks. Locating Tameka was my number one priority. I was about to go after what I wanted, and God knows I wanted Tameka. I grabbed a towel, in case I decided to take a swim, and left the oversized bedroom and all of its beautiful amenities behind. I walked down the stairs opposite Tameka’s room, careful not to be spotted leaving the house.

  I glanced up and down the shore to see if I could spot her, and it didn’t take long before I did. She was patting down a long, pink towel on the sand. My eyes traveled to her bikini that left little to the imagination. Her rounded breasts had me envisioning my hands all over them.

  Tameka looked around, surveying the people at the beach. She sat on her towel, reached into a bag, and took out a bottle of sunscreen. As she applied it to her body, I was mesmerized until a guy walked over and offered his assistance.

  “What the hell? She’ll just let anyone put sunscreen on her back?” I stewed.

  Tameka pulled her knees up to her chest. He started out rubbing her back slowly. Then, his hands traveled down to just above her buttocks, and he leaned over to say something in her ear. She shook her head, and he walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief when he was away from her. She glanced around the shore, nearly catching a glimpse of me when she looked at the big palm tree near me.

  I darted behind a nearby food truck and peeked out. She had walked to the water’s edge and put her feet in. She knelt down and ran her fingers through the shallow end. I wanted to be there beside her, but I stood at a safe distance watching her until dark clouds covered the sky.

  Tameka gathered her things and headed toward the house. Once she was inside, I slid through the back door. I ran up the staircase to my room, where I grabbed a change of clothes and went to take a shower. It was possible to spend an entire week in this big mansion without ever running into her, but I couldn’t wait to see her again.

  I ditched my clothes, leaving them in a pile as I walked over to the gold-plated shower and started it up. I stepped under the steamy spray and closed the shiny, glass door. I sucked in a breath of air and closed my eyes, relishing the sensation of the heated shower falling all over me. After a refreshing shower, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me. I reached for my boxer shorts that were on the back of the toilet, and my towel dropped to the floor as the door flung open.

  “Jeb!” Her mouth hung midair when she saw me…all of me.

  I followed the trail of her eyes to my manhood and quickly pulled up my boxers.

  “Tameka, hey…” I smiled. It was inevitable for us to have a run-in, but
I didn’t expect it to be this soon or to happen while I was naked.

  “Hey—What are you doing here?” she asked. Her eyes dropped to my boxers once again. “Nobody told me you would be here.”

  “Surprise?”

  “Kemara? Channing? Where are you?” she screamed as she made a beeline for the stairs yelling her sister’s name. “Kemara!?”

  Chapter 11

  Tameka

  I was so annoyed. No, I was pissed. My sister and brother in law were in on this. They were all laughing behind my back. Of all the people to invite here, Jeb was the worst choice.

  “Kemara? Channing?” I yelled out. I wasn’t able to get down the stairs fast enough. “Kemara! Where are you guys?” I rounded the corner heading to the kitchen.

  Kemara and Channing were sitting at the table talking in hushed tones. My sister looked up at me with a smirk on her face.

  “Are you serious? Jeb is here?” I asked her. “How dare you double-cross me…and with a smile on your face?”

  Channing looked at me but remained quiet.

  “It’s only a week, Tameka,” Kemara said softly.

  I took a deep breath in attempt to control my raging temper. “Just a week? We’re only going to be here a week, so that’s the entire time we’re here!”

  “He promised he wouldn’t bother you,” Kemara replied.

  “The least you could have done was told me he was coming. This is not even cool,” I said as I glared at my sister. I honestly couldn’t believe she went along with this.

  “If I would have told you he was coming, you would have backed out. Besides, he hadn’t planned to stay in the house with us, so it’s not some conspiracy against you. The man didn’t have anywhere else to stay in Aruba because the hotels were booked,” Kemara reasoned.

  “How about this? He could have stayed in Alabama!” I rolled my eyes. “And you didn’t feel the need to tell me once we got on the plane that Jeb…Jeb was going to be sleeping across the hall from me?” I asked, trying to mask the weakened sound of my voice.

  “I planned to tell you, but the plane landed,” she said.