by Katie Dowe
“You read up on me?” he asked her teasingly, trying to steer the conversation away, if only temporarily.
“I did. I love you Garrett, and I never thought I would love someone the way I love you, but I'm not going to let you or anyone let me be ashamed of who I am. That happened in the past and I'm not going to allow it to happen again.” She told him about her first and only boyfriend and his eyes narrowed angrily.
“I;m sorry,” he muttered. “I need time.”
“How much time?”
He shrugged restlessly. “I don’t know. All I know is that I can't be without you for even one day. I need you Afiya, but I'm asking you to give me time.”
“And if it comes out that we're together?” she asked him.
“Then so be it,” he said fatalistically.
“Garrett, is it so bad that you're with me?” she asked him softly.
“No,” he whispered as he switched positions and climbed on top of her. “When I'm with you I feel wonderful and fantastic. When I'm away from you it’s like I've lost my most vital organ,” he admitted shakily.
Afiya wrapped her arms around his neck and felt the thundering of her heart at his words. “Then it's not so bad,” She whispered.
“Afiya,” he reached between them and put his erection inside her. “Tell me if I'm too much.”
“You're not, you're just enough,” she told him huskily as she took her lips with his.
Chapter 9
The secret affair went on into January. Somehow no one was the wiser that billionaire Garrett King was seeing the local owner of the Treasure Trove, Afiya Lowe. He'd started sneaking her over to his apartment when he was sure that the occupants had gone down for the night and she would go home very early in the morning to settle back into her place and get ready to open the store. They hadn't talked about coming out with the affair yet and even though Afiya hated the secrecy she loved him too much to give him an ultimatum. He'd bought her a platinum necklace for the Christmas, which suspended a beautiful diamond solitaire. She wore it beneath her sweaters, not wanting anyone to see it. If they did, there would be questions. It was too expensive for her to have afforded it on her own.
He would come over to her place and they would have dinner together.
He called her one afternoon in late January and said that he wanted to prepare dinner for them. It had snowed heavily the night before and the clouds had a foreboding look about them that indicated that they were in for more.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked him softly as she restocked the shelves. It was almost closing time and she could hardly wait to close up the store and go to him.
“It’s a surprise.” His deep voice was tinged with amusement.
“Want me to bring anything?”
“Just you.” His tone sent a shiver up and down her spine. She could almost pretend that they were in a real relationship.
“See you later.”
She finished tidying up and went to look around the place to make sure everything was in order. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost closing time. She looked up in annoyance as the bell tinkled. She forced a smile on her face when she saw Mrs. Logan come in.
“My dear, I know it's near closing time but I have an emergency.”
“Of course Mrs. Logan. What can I do for you?” She forced herself not to look at the clock.
“My Goddaughter’s birthday is tomorrow and I didn't remember! You do remember Lauren, right?”
“High school cheerleader with a sunny disposition?”
“The same.” Mrs. Logan said with a smile. “What do you think I can get her?”
“I know she likes jewelry.” Afiya hurried around to the showcase where the unique jewelry was displayed. “How about this one?” she took out a cute little silver earring set that shone in the light. She'd picked them up at an antique sale just a week ago. Mrs. Logan took them from her and peered at them carefully. “She'll love this!” She looked in the glass case and pointed to a silver necklace. “That too I think.”
“Good choice. Would you like them gift-wrapped?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Afiya hurried to get the paper and boxing them up she made short work of packaging them. She then put them into a small gift bag and handed them it to the woman.
“Thank you my dear, you are a life saver.” Mrs. Logan handed her a card and Afiya rang up the sale.
“I'll see you next week, dear.”
Afiya locked up hurriedly, realizing that she was a little bit off schedule.
Her phone rang just as she was getting into her car.
“Where are you?”
“On my way. Last minute customer,” she said breathlessly.
*****
He was waiting for her at the door and when she got there he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his. He pressed his body against hers, his tongue grappling with hers as he deepened the kiss. He pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, his breathing shallow. “I promise to control myself until dinner is over,” he said huskily.
“I don’t mind,” she passed her hands over his face.
He moved away from her and, taking her hand, he pulled her to the kitchen. “Have a seat.” He indicated one of the stools. She shrugged out of her jacket and placed it on a hook near the counter. She'd been inside his apartment several times and had been impressed by the simple elegance of the place. He'd made it a home with little treasures here and there. There was a photo of a woman who looked like him on the wall of the living room and he'd told her that it was his mother. He hadn't said anything else and she hadn't asked.
He put the bowl of salad in the middle of the counter and then the broiled chicken. Afiya looked at it with a frown.
“What?”
“I don’t like broiled chicken, Garrett.”
“I thought we could work on you losing some weight,” he said casually.
Afiya felt the pleasure she'd had all day melt away from her. “You want me to lose weight,” her voice was scratchy as she tried to stop the tears from coming.
“Not for me,” he said hastily as he looked at her. “But for you.”
“I'm quite fine the way I am.” She got to her feet. “I don’t think we're working out.”
“Hey,” he came around and took her arm. “I didn't mean to offend you—”
“You just want to change me,” she said dully.
“What’s the matter with wanting to lose a little weight?” he demanded angrily. “I've put some on since I came here and I'm trying to take it off.”
“I was born this way Garrett,” she said quietly. She'd been fooling herself and now that he'd shown her that he could never accept her the way she was she realized that she was going to have to find a way to go on without him. “I've tried to lose weight because people like you think that’s the answer to the supposed problem I have.” She turned to reach for her jacket. She refused to cry in front of him.
“Please don’t leave,” his voice was a whisper behind her.
She turned to face him and put on a brave face. “When you're ready to accept me for who I am I'll be waiting, but until then it's goodbye. Please don’t call me or come over until you're ready to let the entire town know that we're together.” She walked away from him swiftly and prayed that he would come after her. It was only when she reached her car and got in that she gave in to the tears that threatened to tear her apart.
******
“Grace is here,” Gertrude made the announcement over the intercom. It had been a week since Afiya had left his apartment and a week that he hadn't slept much or been able to concentrate on work. “What?”
“She's here Garrett, outside your office.”
“She never told me that she was coming,” he said with a growl.
“Don’t kill the messenger.”
“Send her in.”
He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to come in. She sailed in looking exquisi
tely elegant in a black silk blouse and orange pants with a fur coat over her arm. Her lustrous brown hair was brushed back from her face and her sapphire blue eyes were sparkling. Diamonds glistened at her lobes and on her wrists but Garrett realized that he felt nothing for her. He got to his feet and came forward to kiss her cheeks. Her exotic scent enveloped him and he felt the ache for the fruity scent Afiya wore.
“What are you doing here?” he asked her, forcing a smile as he stepped back from her.
“I just finished an assignment in the Bahamas and decided that I would come and check out the town to see what all the fuss is about. Its’ cute darling! No wonder you don’t want to leave.”
“Have a seat,” he went back around his desk. “How long are you staying?”
“Darling, why are you rushing me out the door? I just got here! I was thinking that I should stay for Valentine’s Day and we could go to a restaurant.” She paused and crossed her long, slim legs. “Do they have any good ones here?”
“I'm sure they do. I'm incredibly busy Grace. I wish you had called first.”
“And you would have told me not to come,” she pouted. “Darling, I missed you. We left things in an uncertain way the last time and I want us to try again.”
“It’s not—” he looked up as Gertrude came into the office.
“I'm sorry to interrupt but there's been an accident at the site.”
“How bad?” Garrett asked tersely.
“One of the men fell from the second floor to the first. He's been rushed to the hospital.”
He got up immediately and then hesitated as he looked at Grace.
“Go,” Gertrude urged. “I'll make sure she is settled in.”
*****
It was all over the news and was even picked up internationally. The man, a local laborer, had fallen through a crack that had widened without them realizing it. The man by the name of Clifton Hawkes suffered a concussion but was thankfully okay otherwise. His stay in the hospital would be a short one. Garrett had to make a statement saying that he would certainly get to the bottom of it and all the hospital expenses would be covered by the company.
“Mr. King, is it true about the rumors that the contractor was using inferior material?” A reporter piped up as he was about to turn away and leave.
Garrett forced the anger from his expression and responded. “My company’s reputation has always been above board and this is no exception.”
“What caused the accident?”
“The investigation is still going on but we will get to the bottom of it.”
“What does this mean for the December deadline for the opening of the mall?”
“Still on as far as I know. Thank you.” He nodded and walked away. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and made a call. “I need to see you in my office as soon as I get back and there better be an explanation!”
*****
“What a delightful little place!” the woman exclaimed as she pushed the doors open and came inside. Afiya looked up from some items she was examining and stiffened as she stared at the tall chic model dressed in tight fitting black jeans and a rose pink blouse. Her coat was sable and fit her very well. Everything about her shrieked cosseted, beautiful and expensive. It had been two weeks now since she'd left Garrett’s apartment and three days since the accident at the building. She'd watched him on the news and had of course seen him with Grace, the model. Afiya forced a professional smile and came forward. “May I help you?”
“Garrett told me he bought the earrings here and I told him I had to come and see the place,” she wandered around. “How long has it been around?”
Afiya wanted to tell her to get the hell out of her store but she couldn't do it. “A number of years. Is there anything you would like?”
The woman turned and give her a cool stare, taking in the fitted jeans and bulky white sweater. “I have more jewelry than I could ever wear,” she said with a breathless laugh. “I'm just going around and familiarizing myself with the place. It’s starting to grow on me. I want to see if I can maybe make it here.”
“You're staying?”
“Garrett refuses to leave,” she said with a wave of her hand as she wandered over to pick up a pretty globe. She shook it and the flakes swirled all around the man sitting on a stone. “I think I'll buy this for his desk at work. How much?”
Afiya told her and the woman fished out a platinum card. “Here you go. Is there a special restaurant you could recommend? I want to surprise Garret and order takeout. He's been so preoccupied with that incident at the construction site that I want to take his mind off it.”
Afiya almost doubled over with defeat. He'd moved on so quickly and here she was pining over him. “La Claire’s,” she said faintly as she handed the woman back the card and the package. “It’s pretty good.”
“Thank you.” She took the things and started to leave. “This is a really nice place.”
Afiya waited until she left before rushing to lock the doors before going into the bathroom to sob uncontrollably.
*****
“I come bearing dinner and a gift,” Grace held up the packages as she came into the office.
He barely looked up at her before returning his gaze to the report at hand. He'd gone over everything and found that it was truly an accident and not inferior material. The work was back on track but he was making sure that what happened never happened again. It was late afternoon and he was alone at the office.
“What is it?”
“I went to this cute little store, the one where you bought my earrings from and bought this for you.” She took out the snow globe and put it on his desk.
“You went to the Treasure Trove?” This time she had his attention.
“Is that the name of it?” she wrinkled her small nose. “I suppose so. The owner is this overweight woman, pretty I suppose, but too bulky. I asked her if she could recommend a suitable restaurant where I could buy us dinner and she did.”
“Her name is Afiya.” His expression was glacial as he looked at her.
“What an interesting name,” she did not notice the obvious anger. “So darling, what do you think?” she indicated the globe.
“What did you say to her?”
Grace frowned at him a little bit. “I told her that I wanted to do something special to take your mind off things. Why?”
He got to his feet. “I think you should leave in the morning.”
“Darling, what’s wrong?”
“You've been here for the past week Grace, and I've been trying to let you realize that I'm not interested in you romantically. I haven't touched you since you got here. I'm not interested.”
“Darling, how can you say that?” she cried as she came over to him, a hurt look on her face.
“Because I'm in love with her!” he almost shouted.
She stopped and stared at him in shock but he didn't notice. He plunged his fingers through his hair. “Oh God! I'm in love with her.”
“Who is this woman?” she demanded.
“The same woman whose store you bought this from,” he picked up the globe and held it tenderly in his hand. “I've been such a fool. I allowed my prejudices to rule over what I feel for this incredibly wonderful woman and I am praying that I haven't lost her.”
“You're in love with that woman?” Her lips curled.
“Yes,” his light green eyes shone. “I'm sorry, I have to go.” Without saying anything else to her he headed for the door, then turned back to her. “I'm sorry Grace. I'll see to it that you have someone to help you leave in the morning.”
“Don’t bother,” she said coldly. “You do realize that people are going to laugh at you, to be seen with someone like her, right?”
“I strongly doubt that. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.” he grinned at her. It was as if a burden had been rolled off him.
*****
Afiya moved around lethargically, putting things back on the shelves. A family had come in e
arlier and the kids had been walking around touching everything. She'd almost snapped at the five year and told the parents to keep the kids in check. That wasn't like her and she'd been horrified at herself. Ever since that bitch had left she'd felt as if her entire world had come crashing down around her. They were together now and would probably be living in the same town where she was. How was she going to move around and be herself when she ached for him every single day? How was she going to bear seeing them together? She'd stared at the model and realized that she was even more beautiful in real life than she was in magazines. She was his type and there was nothing she could do about that. Somehow she had to find the fortitude to move on and pick up the pieces of her life. She sat on one of the stools and clasped her hands together. She missed him so much that it was like a permanent ache inside her. Straightening her spine she got to her feet and, taking a deep breath, she went to close up. It was almost the end of February and the snow had been coming down hard. Usually she loved the winter and the snow but these days she was starting to hate the cold. She was even beginning to resent her store and wondering if she should give it up.
She walked to the door with the intention of locking it when she saw him at the door. She stared at him, unable to believe her eyes. He must be a figment of her imagination. Surely he couldn't be standing there at her door.
*****
He opened the door slowly and stood there looking at her. He loved her, this wonderful woman who he had been so blinded with bias to really see.
“I want you to leave,” her trembling voice denied the conviction she wanted to portray.
“I'm afraid I cannot do that,” he said gently. “You see, I have this problem. I have discovered that I'm in love with this absolutely gorgeous woman and I've made a fool of myself by driving her away. I want to know what to do to make it up to her.”
She stared at him and felt the tears blur her vision. “You hurt me,” she whispered hoarsely.
“And I promise you that I would pull my right arm off before I ever do that again,” he said solemnly.
