The Perfect Love Storm

by Anna Black

  Madison looked at Deena, and she nodded. “Okay, we’re coming. See you in a bit.” They hung up, then headed out to their cars and hurried inside when they got to Gina’s. “Hey, ladies,” Gina called out when they walked in.

  “Hey,” they said in unison. The women exchanged hugs and kisses. “Madison, let Momma see that ring again.”

  Madison held up her hand. “This is a ring. You ladies ought to be on your men for an upgrade. Chase put all of them to shame with this one.”

  “Well, I happen to love my ring,” Tasha said.

  “I love mine too.... But an upgrade wouldn’t hurt,” Gina said.

  Deena agreed. “You ain’t never lied. I mean, Chase did do it big. That ring is gorgeous, Madison.”

  “That means she got some good coochie,” Mom kidded. They all laughed.

  “Hold on, hold on. I got some good coochie too,” Deena said.

  “So do I,” Tasha and Gina echoed at the same time.

  “Well, I don’t know about all of that, Mrs. Storm,” Madison said. “All I know is I ain’t mad at him, because this ring right here is gorgeous.” They all giggled and high-fived.

  They poured wine, discussed party plans, and everyone’s dishes were assigned. When Lance walked in, they all got quiet.

  “Don’t get quiet because of me. I’m going straight to my man cave.” They all snickered. “Baby, come here,” Gina called out.

  “Yes, dear,” he said, pretending to be annoyed.

  “Have you gotten a good look at Madison’s ring?”

  “No, can’t say I have.”

  “Show him the ring, Madi,” she said with a little smile. Madison held up her hand. “Do you see that stone, baby?”

  “Yes, I see it. If I was across the room, I could see it.”

  “And Chase got that ring; Chase, your baby brother. How long we been married?”

  “Almost ten years. Baby, where is this going?”

  “You know how you go and get a new car or buy a new television because you want to move with the times?”

  “Yes,” he said, raising a brow.

  “Well, I think you need to hit the jewelry store tomorrow.” She threw her left hand up in front of his face. “I think I need an upgrade,” she said. The women laughed.

  “Baby, your ring is fine,” he tried to protest.

  “And so is the bed in the guest room,” she countered.

  “Point well taken,” he said. He kissed her forehead and hurried out of the kitchen.

  “Oh hell, I’m getting an upgrade too,” Tasha said, grabbing her handbag and keys. I gotta get home and inform Damon that the guest room will be his permanent room if I don’t get more bling on this finger.”

  “You guys are so wrong,” Madison said. “Now, they are going to be mad at Chase.”

  “No, they won’t,” Mom said. “Hell, they ain’t broke. They spend money easily on cars and golf clubs and stupid shit like that, so a bigger diamond is in order.”

  “I know that’s real,” Deena said and stood. “I’m going to head home too and make my demands.” She and Tasha left, and Madison walked out with Mom.

  “Madison,” Mom said.

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “Thank you.”

  “What for?”

  “For whatever you did to win my baby over. I was beginning to worry that he’d be out there for the rest of his life, but you . . . I don’t know what kinda coochie you got, but it locked my boy down. He loves you, Madison. A mother knows. I’ve never seen a look of love in my son’s eyes until you, so thank you.” She gave Madison a tight hug before they separated, and Madison headed to her car.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chase paced back and forth, wondering what in the hell Hope was talking about. He had just sent her a revised budget report for the upgrades and changes she and her family had made. She said that the numbers didn’t match the quote and that her figures didn’t agree with his. That was bullshit. Chase was a lot of things outside of the office, but when it came to numbers and his job, he was a whiz. What she was saying wasn’t making any sense.

  “Hope, I’d love to go over this line by line and item by item, but I can’t tonight.”

  “Well, maybe we should take our business elsewhere, Chase, since your clients are not important to you,” she griped.

  Chase’s nose flared, his jaws clenched, and he balled his fists. He wished his family would have never taken on the Gardeners’ project. Working with Hope was like working with a horny mule. She wanted him and tried to seduce him every opportunity she had. She was too heartbroken and astounded that he was with Madison, and there was no chance for them. He knew that was her lifelong dream since college, but it wasn’t going to happen, and he wished that she and her family would accept that he had proposed to Madison.

  In some conversations with the bitter one, she’d talk shit about Madison and Martha like they betrayed her family in some way or she’d make mention of how Madison was always jealous of her since they were kids. She’d go on and on about Madison only wanting what belonged to her, and he couldn’t comprehend for the life of him how she thought his and Madison’s love and marriage was a big scheme to get back at her over some childhood vendetta. Only he knew why it was Madison and not her, but he didn’t care to enlighten her on his family’s business, so many times, he’d just let her ramble on like a fool while he chuckled inwardly.

  “Hope, you know that’s impossible, right? Construction is already underway. If you pull out now at this stage, your dad’s company will lose more money than it’s worth. Now, I want to figure this out, but I can’t do this tonight.” He looked up when Madison walked in. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “If you come by my office in the morning, we can go over this line by line.”

  “I have to go to our finance board in the morning, Chase, so this has to be done tonight,” she pressed.

  He sighed with much frustration. Hope Gardener was definitely his least favorite person in the world. “Fine, meet me at my office in an hour.”

  “That’s more like it,” she said. He hung up.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” Madison asked.

  “Hope Gardener. She’s a pain in my ass.” He threw his phone on the sofa.

  “What does she want now? That chick is relentless.”

  “She swears the numbers I sent her are not matching up, and this . . .” He paused. He wanted to say bitch, but he’d never call a woman that in front of another woman. “She wants a line-by-line.”

  “Okay, so we go and give her a line by line.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we. Do you think for a second I’m going to allow you to go in at what, eight forty-five at night alone?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  She raised both brows high. “So, I can’t go?”

  “I prefer you not to go.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “And why not?”

  “First, because you should trust me. If you go rolling in there with me, Hope will know she has you shook. Second, as a man, I don’t need my woman tagging along to make sure I behave. You’re going to have to trust me, Madison. I don’t roll like that. I go alone. I will handle my business and then come back and handle you.”

  “Oh no, wrong answer. Either I go, or I go home.”

  “Seriously? Madison, I don’t do chaperones or babysitters. If I tell you I’m going to handle business, that’s what I mean.”

  “Really? And with your track record, I’m supposed to believe that?”

  Stunned by what she said, he laughed a little. “You’re not serious, are you?”

  “Dead serious.”

  “Okay. Well, if that’s what you think of me, go home. After all this time, my past has never had any effect on our relationship, but now you want to hit me with that bullshit. Do what you gotta do, Madison!” He walked away and headed to his room to get dressed.

  She ran after him. “Chase, you’re blowing me off because I don’t trus
t you going to see Hope alone?”

  He stopped and turned to look at her. “Nope. I’m just not dealing with this bullshit, Madison. I’ve never cheated on you. I’m with you because I want to be with you. I put a fucking ring on your finger, and I’ve committed myself to this relationship. You didn’t even know me in my running days, but you come at me with that? Like I’ve ever given you a reason not to trust me?” He shook his head. “I’m just not that guy to deal with bullshit. I cater to you; I love you; I shower you with love and affection. What you are doing right now, I don’t deserve it. Now, I’m going in to work to handle Miss Gardener’s account, and as I said before, then come home and handle you. If you are here when I get home, we’ll make love, sleep well, and wake up in each other’s arms. If you want to leave, leave, and I’ll see you later.” He brushed past her.

  Madison stood in one spot and listened to the water run as her man brushed his teeth for his meeting with the other woman. She wanted to move, but her feet were frozen. He came out a few moments later, dressed in a pair of slacks and a V-neck shirt, smelling as good as he normally did.

  He walked over and planted a kiss on her lips. “I love you, Madison, and only you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  * * *

  Even after he left, Madison was still planted in the same spot. She was angry as hell, but everything he said was right. Chase had been a gentleman from day one and had only shown her kindness, love, and affection. She stepped out of her shoes and undressed, then went into the master bath and started the water in the tub. She wanted to be hard core and leave like she didn’t give a damn, but the truth was, she did. So her ass knew leaving wasn’t an option. She was going to welcome her man home and give it to him all night if he wanted it.

  She went into the kitchen, poured a glass of red wine, and used the remote to turn on the speakers in the master bath and bedroom. She put her favorite station, Joe’s, on Pandora. Back in the bathroom, she stepped down into the tub and relaxed and waited for it to fill.

  “Please, Chase, don’t let that bitch come between us,” she said out loud. She had a great relationship with Chase, she had no reason not to trust him, but that damn, sneaky-ass, man-chasing bitch Hope was an entirely different story. Hope was just one of those types that had no problem doing whatever it took to get whatever she wanted. “You conniving whore. If they all only knew your family’s secrets and why our mothers stopped talking years ago when you stopped being my best friend, no one would respect your ass anymore,” Madison said and took a sip of her wine. She had sworn to her mother that she’d never utter a word to a soul because Martha was a woman of grace and didn’t believe in slinging mud.

  When her mom decided she wouldn’t speak to Hope’s mother again, Martha said that no matter what, she’d never tell anyone what she knew. Her mother knew Mrs. Gardener had her reasons for staying with her husband, but her word was her word. “Hope, you are such a fraud,” Madison said and then decided to put Hope Gardener to rest. She wanted to enjoy her wine, bath, and R&B and be ready to please her man when he got home. “No matter how many tricks you have up your slimy sleeve, Chase is in love with me, so I’m good,” she declared and then relaxed in her bath.

  * * *

  When Chase arrived at his office, he went inside and powered on his computer. Hope walked in ten minutes later. She looked as good as she always did, and her dress looked as if she planned to hit a night spot after their meeting.

  “Okay, Hope, it’s after nine, and I don’t want to be working this late. Show me the reports.”

  “All business and no play makes Chase—”

  He cut her off. “A dull boy,” he finished. “I’ve heard that before, my dear. Let’s go over these numbers so I can get home to my fiancée.” At that point, he didn’t give a rat’s ass about her feelings. It was late and dragging him down to the office at that hour was just it for it, and he was on the verge of telling Hope to pull out and let her family lose whatever they’d lose.

  She pulled a file out of her bag and spent thirty minutes rambling and complaining. Forty-five minutes later, he found the error.

  “Okay, here is where the discrepancy is. This says one hundred grand when it should be ten grand. That’s why you’re coming in over budget. I’m not sure how this happened, but if it was our mistake, I apologize. We will get it taken care of first thing in the morning.”

  “But I need the report tomorrow.”

  “Hope, just point out the discrepancy, and we will have new files sent over ASAP.”

  She stood and smiled. “Fine, but if I get shit for this, I’m going to blame you.”

  “Fine, I’ll take full responsibility.” He stood. “Now, can we go?”

  “Not so fast,” she said.

  “Hope, it’s after eleven. I promised Madison that I’d wrap this up fast. What is it?”

  “Why did you lie to me?”

  “Lie to you? I’ve never lied to you. What in the hell are you talking about, Hope? I’ve never lied to you about anything.”

  “You did, Chase Storm. You said that you’d wife me when you were ready to settle down, but I hear that you’ve proposed to Madison after all of these years that I’ve waited for you.”

  He let out a breath. “Hope, I said that when I was twenty-four or twenty-five years old. No way did I think you’d hold me to it, let alone take me seriously.”

  “Well, I did. I’ve held out and waited for you, Chase, and Madison, of all people in East Texas. I’m not saying she’s not a good woman, but she’s not me, and she’s fat as hell. I mean, when did you start loving the big girls? I know your family loves them brick house women, but you, Chase? Why are you doing this?” Hope cried.

  Chase knew Hope was upset, so he didn’t check her on the name-calling. It was an immature statement, but he understood why she was upset with him. “I’m sorry, Hope, but I fell in love with Madison. I didn’t plan to fall in love with her, nor did I think it would be her, but it’s her. I’m sorry for feeding that crap to you back then. I knew it was bullshit when I said it, but I honestly didn’t think you’d hold me to that. We were young, and I wasn’t thinking about my future or actually having a future with you, and I’m so sorry.”

  “So, this is it? Are you really in love with her? It’s not a rouse or a joke?” she asked with tear-filled eyes.

  Chase didn’t want to be cruel or hurt her, but it was a done deal. “It is her, Hope. There is no chance for us. I’m marrying Madison. She is the woman I fell in love with. She is my choice, and I am not ashamed of it or embarrassed. Yes, my baby is a ‘big girl,’ as you say, but she is so gorgeous and sexy to me, and no matter what you or anyone else in this town thinks of her or me, we are in love, and we’re getting married.”

  Tears fell, and she swiped them with the back of her hands. “Well, you’ve been heard. Loud and clear, Chase Storm. Goodbye, Chase.” She grabbed her files and hurried out.

  Chase powered everything off and rushed home. Madison’s truck was still parked in his driveway, and he was so relieved. He hurried inside and was happy to find her naked under the sheets.

  He climbed in bed and held her tightly from behind. “I’m happy that you’re still here.”

  “Me too,” she whispered.

  “I’ll never hurt you, Madison. I’m not that guy anymore. You have nothing to worry about. You can trust me with your heart. Hope is old news, and I don’t want her. Even before we met, I didn’t want her, Madison.”

  “I know.”

  He squeezed her tighter. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, and I’m so sorry, baby.”

  “For what, Madi? Why are you apologizing, baby?”

  “For how I treated you earlier. You have never given me a reason to doubt you or to feel insecure, and how I acted, and the things I said were unfair, and, Chase, I’m sorry. I know you love me, and I know you’d never hurt me like that, and I’m sorry for how I acted.”

  “I accept your apology, Madison, and I’m
glad you truly know me better. My past isn’t far behind me, but I’ve never wanted the old me to interfere with the new me. I fell in love with you so quickly, and things moved so fast that sometimes, I have to stop and breathe and pinch myself. A year ago, nobody could have told me that I’d be in love, engaged, or even be with a plus-sized woman. I don’t hate who I was, because I did me, and I never lied or pretended to be someone I wasn’t, but I’m glad I changed when I did, and I’m glad Damon introduced us again, Madison. Tonight, I had to apologize to Hope,” he said, and her head popped up.

  “For what?”

  “For lying to her. Madison, I know it was stupid, but I did promise her a ring and marriage. I did tell her years ago that it would be her when I was ready to settle down, but I swear that I never in a million years thought she’d believe me, but according to her, she did. I can tell you, that I never meant a word of it, but I shouldn’t have said that shit.”

  “I can’t believe she thought you were serious,” Madison said, resting her head back on his arm.

  “Neither can I; but she did, and I told her tonight that you are my choice, my love, my heart, and my wife.”

  “How’d she take the truth?”

  “Better than I expected. I mean, she didn’t cuss, fuss, or break anything, so I’d say it went well.”

  “I hope it went well enough to leave us alone. Our town is small, and every time I see Hope, she gives me a look or a snarl. Hope and I were inseparable once, and to think we can’t be in the same room now is just crazy.”

  He pulled her to his chest and held her closer. “What happened with you two?”

  “When our moms stopped talking, Hope’s mom decided that Hope and I would no longer be friends. Shortly after that, they went away for a long summer out of the country, and Hope and I never spoke again. Years later, after my family died, Hope came by my mom’s to offer her condolences, and after that, we went back to being strangers. I hadn’t seen her again until our first date, and since then, it’s like I see her crazy ass everywhere I go,” Madison said with a chuckle.