Eva was stunned to see him as she stepped back. She was also quite surprised to hear Harper call Quentin by his name. The two of them knew each other? Was this a setup of some sort to see how she would react to him and then he would run back and tell Harper a bunch of lies?
Quentin nodded and said, “Of course.” He gave Harper dap. “I…uh…didn’t know this was your wife,” Quentin apologized, as if he had some reason to. “I heard you got married a while back. You finally tricked someone into marrying you.” Quentin and Harper laughed.
Harper said, “You mean you didn’t tell this guy you were married?” he looked at Eva quizzically.
“I…”
Quentin quickly spoke up, “It’s the first thing she told me when I asked her to dance. She just didn’t tell me she was married to you, bruh, and I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t tell anyone I was married to you either,” Quentin joked and the men laughed again as Harper pulled Eva in close to him.
“Well, thanks for the dance,” Quentin said, smiled and turned to walk off.
“Hold up, Quentin,” Harper said as the song ended and the band began playing an upbeat tune.
Quentin turned back around and looked at Harper and at Eva. She looked like a frightened kitten.
“You look confused, my darling,” Harper said, looking down at his wife. “Let me explain. Quentin’s grandmother is Emma Winters. She and I are longtime friends. She is one of Adverse General Hospital’s biggest donors. She funded the Winters Cardiology Trauma Center which was a multimillion-dollar addition to Adverse General. She’s also a well-known philanthropist known throughout Adverse City and Miami. And this guy here,” Harper said, pointing to Quentin while the music stopped and people began filing to their assigned seats, “is a renowned chef and an animal activist. I don’t know exactly how he mixes the two but, hey, it is what it is. I guess you could say he’s one of the good guys, but I wouldn’t tell him that,” Harper teased.
“It’s nice to officially meet you, Quentin, and learn so much about you and your grandmother. Harper, I’m so glad you were able to get away from the hospital and come to the party. If you’ll excuse us…Quentin, we should go find our seats,” she said as she grabbed Harper’s hand.
“Well, the lady speaks and I listen,” Harper said to Quentin. “Let’s talk soon. We haven’t had a chance to catch up since I heard you moved back to Adverse City.”
“Sure thing,” Quentin replied. “And thank you, Mrs. Harper for the pleasure of dancing with me.” He smiled and did a half bow before he turned and walked away.
“You arrived just in time for dinner,” Eva remarked as they walked toward the tables with silver nameplates of each guest engraved in deep bold black letters. They found their names and sat at their assigned table, which was the same table that Avery, Ryker, Meesha, and Carlton were seated. Derek and Peyton were seated at a head table along with Emma Winters, her grandsons, and Derek’s brother and grandfather, who were well-respected investment bankers and financial wizards residing in Jacksonville. Peyton’s parents did not attend for whatever reason, but Derek didn’t seem to mind. He looked like he was having the best time of his life.
It was almost two thirty in the morning when the party came to an end. “Did the limo service bring you?” Eva asked Harper.
“No, I didn’t park in the designated garage. Since I knew the party was well underway, I drove directly here and parked on the grounds. You can ride home with me. We’ll pick up your car from the garage tomorrow after church.”
“Okay,” Eva agreed. “She would have rather taken the ride back to the garage with the limo service and drive her own car home, but now was not the time to ruffle Harper’s feathers. He could wear the perfect mask for others but she never knew what real colors were laying underneath his public persona. She could tell from the tug on her elbow when she was dancing with Quentin that he was perturbed, but again he put on a real first class act in front of him. She prayed that tonight he would be kind, sweet Harper, and not the monster she had discovered he could swiftly turn into.
The drive home started off with the both of them being quiet. It was minutes before three o’clock in the morning, so there wasn’t much to say. They were both exhausted. “It was a nice party,” Harper said, breaking the thick, uneasy wall of silence between them.
“Yes, I think Derek really enjoyed himself. He and Peyton were all over the place, dancing, laughing, mingling, and having fun. I can’t believe she was able to dance like that with those things on her legs.” Eva chuckled.
“Yeah, she was getting her dance on for sure,” Harper said and smiled as he stopped for the red traffic light. “And the food was perfect. Maybe you’ll be able to have your own catering company one day. You are still enjoying your culinary classes, right?”
“Yes, I love school. I’m learning so much. We’ve started preparing a variety of meat dishes. It’s so much fun. I can’t wait until I can have my own restaurant.”
“You haven’t mentioned having your own restaurant before,” Harper replied and looked at Eva before driving off after the light turned green.
He was right; she hadn’t said anything to him about opening up a restaurant and that was her intention since this monster side of him had revealed itself. She didn’t want him to know any of her future plans, but she had said it before she knew it. “Yeah, it’s just something I’ve thought about after one of our instructors brought it up. She was telling us some of the avenues we could take as a chef.”
“As long as you have the proper financing, I’m sure you could do it. But I know you, Eva, I’m sure you’re going to make sure you have the money you need.”
“What does that mean?” Eva asked, looking at him and hoping this wasn’t going to lead to where she thought it might.
“Did you know Quentin Winters is a five-star chef? He owns several highly successful restaurants both in Paris and in New York?”
“No, really? Then again, how would I know any of that? I mean, I barely know the man’s name. We had one dance, Harper. We didn’t discuss our life history. I didn’t know you were friends with Emma Winters. I’ve heard you mention her name a time or two, but I didn’t know you had a relationship with her.”
“Yes, Lady Winters, that’s what I call her, and I are very good friends. I am also her cardiologist. I don’t have a private practice anymore because of my other responsibilities, but who will turn away Emma Winters? The woman has done so much for my medical career and for Adverse General. Heck, she’s done a lot for Adverse City period. I performed open-heart surgery on her, saving her life about twenty years ago. She’s never forgotten it.”
“I’m sure she hasn’t. You’re a great doctor, Harper.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Harper looked at Eva again, reached over and kneaded her hand with his, and smiled before refocusing his attention back on the road. The car became silent once again and Eva relaxed her head against the seat of the car, closed her eyes, and drifted off into a light sleep.
She woke up as they entered their community and Harper turned onto their street. He drove into their driveway, pushed the remote above his head to open the garage, and steered his black on black Range Rover inside.
Turning off the vehicle, he looked over at Eva.
“What?” she said.
“Oh, nothing. I was thinking about the first time I saw you. You were beautiful. So innocent looking. I think I fell in love with you instantly,” he said.
Eva smiled but inside she was cautious, wondering where this was leading.
Harper opened his door and hurried around to Eva’s side, and opened the door wider just as she opened it for herself.
“Tell me something, sweetheart.”
Eva stepped down out of the car. “Yes, what is it?”
“How long have you been doing Quentin Winters?”
Chapter 21
“To be wronged is nothing…unless you continue to remember it.” Confucius
“Thank you, Babe.”
“Did I have a good time? Do you even have to ask? It was the best party I’ve ever been to, even though it was mine.” He chuckled as he removed his clothes and hung each item in its proper place inside the closet. He was a stickler for organization, but so was Peyton—when she wasn’t drinking. Those items that needed to be washed he opened the small door inside his very own humungous walk-in closet and dropped them down a built-in laundry chute.
Peyton stood inside the door of the closet, watching his every move, as they engaged in pleasant conversation like they were the happiest married couple on earth.
She laughed along with him. “I’m glad you had a good time. It seems like everyone enjoyed themselves.”
“And you asked if I was surprised, yes, I had no idea. I mean, you know I usually don’t like surprises, but this was an exception. The people were the ones I would have invited had I planned it myself. I don’t know if there were any you invited that didn’t come, but it was just the right amount of people and everything was absolutely perfect. The food, the band, and seeing my brother and grandfather was the icing on the cake. Oh, and Miss Emma came, too. That was special. When I walked into the house and I saw that light from the family room, I was thinking someone broke into our house. But then, I said to myself that was highly unlikely with all the security systems we have installed. I would have received a notification of the house being breached or something. I didn’t know what to think. Then when I went to check things out, pulled the door back, seeing and hearing everyone screaming surprise…man, it took a minute for me to digest what was going on. It was crazy.”
Derek was down to his boxer briefs. Peyton looked at him hungrily.
“Aren’t you going to get undressed?” he asked and walked out of his closet.
“Yes.” She backed away and slowly walked towards her own closet on the other side of their bedroom. She had become accustomed to walking in her mobilizers, but she looked forward to next week when the doctor would give the okay for her to wear regular shoes again.
“Do you need my help?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m going to take a shower then.”
“Sure you don’t want to wait on me?” she casually teased, not expecting him to agree.
“Yeah, I’ll wait.”
Peyton stopped dead in her tracks when he agreed, but said nothing. Everything had been perfect up until now and she did not want to do or say anything that might ruin that.
Undressed down to her red bikini bottoms, she picked out a sexy piece of lingerie. With gown in hands, she stepped out of her walk-in closet with her perky full mounds in full view of her husband. From the look she saw on Derek’s face, he was quite pleased with what he witnessed.
Before losing close to twenty pounds, she was considered thick. She would never be a size two, four, or even a size eight like the other ladies, but she was still pleased with her body. Even as a full figured girl, Derek never once complained.
Dang, she looks sexy as all get out. Derek’s thoughts and his manhood betrayed him. Even if he wanted to, and he didn’t, he couldn’t deny his desire for his wife. Since she had stopped drinking, he entertained the thought of staying in the marriage. The only thing was he still had doubts and trust issues when it came to Peyton. As much as he wanted to believe that drinking was a part of her past, the other part of him was still leery. He couldn’t deal with it if she returned to the bottle.
If you’re going to pray don’t worry if you’re going to worry, don’t pray, the voice in his head reminded him. He had done his share of praying for his marriage, for the whole thing with Liam, for his wife’s drinking, and so much more. God had come through every time in one way or the other. It wasn’t always as he hoped but he could always rest assured it was for his good. This was no different. He couldn’t worry about what tomorrow might bring. It was time to thank God for the changes Peyton had already made and forget those things that were in the past. He reached for his wife’s hand, and led her into their bathroom.
“I had a good time at the party, did you?” Meesha asked as she and Carlton lay in their bed.
“Yes, Peyton really outdid things. If she called herself pulling out all the stops to save her marriage, then I’d say tonight was a big plus for her. It was grand.”
“Yeah, it was. Derek couldn’t have looked happier. I’ve been praying for their marriage and for God to completely deliver Peyton from drinking.”
Carlton embraced his wife, wrapping her underneath the crook of his arm, as they lay against the plush, thousand thread count sheets. He nestled her closer and kissed her on the temple close to her hairline.
“You’re such a good friend. Probably a better friend than any of the other housewives.”
Meesha looked over at him. “I wouldn’t say that. I think they’re just as good-a-friends to me as I am to them. I mean, we all have our shortcomings and hang-ups. I’m the last one who can throw the spear at any of them.”
“What about Avery?”
“What about her?” Meesha asked, shifting slightly so she could see her husband.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just saying, I talked to Ryker tonight. He was saying that she’s been dealing with some issues since having their son. Postpartum depression from what he said.”
“Yeah, she has, but she’s getting better. She even seemed to have less of an attitude with me.”
“Attitude with you?” Carlton eased up in the bed a bit, and looked down at Meesha. This was the first he’d heard of Avery having a problem with Meesha. She better not even think about saying anything to Meesha about their brief hit and run. The broad was looney and he was getting fed up with her foolish antics. “You’ve never mentioned this before. Why on earth would she have an attitude with you?”
“I didn’t mention it because it’s not worth mentioning. I mean, Avery, is Avery. She can get attitudish at times with all the ladies.” Meesha shrugged. “I don’t know why she acts like she hates me sometimes. Like I said, I guess it’s just Avery being Avery. Even before she gave birth to RJ she had started treating me with a cool hand, but I didn’t let it bother me then and I won’t let it bother me now. It is what it is. Has she approached you about more counseling?”
Clearing his throat, Carlton responded, “Ummm, no…no she hasn’t.” She just better keep her mouth shut or she’ll be sorry. Some of these women are crazy and I just happened to mess off with one that tops a lot of these fools out here. “Enough talk about your friends. Whaddaya say we concentrate on you and me, Mrs. Porter.”
“If you insist, Mr. Porter,” Meesha cooed.
Carlton’s hands slipped across her belly and her thighs. His mouth connected with hers as they started their own private party.
Chapter 22
“Trust not in him that seems a saint.” Thomas Fuller
Her cell phone rang almost as soon as Avery got into her car after dropping Heather and Lexie off at school.
“Hi, there. What’s up?”
‘I…I need someone to talk to,” Eva cried.
“Sure. What’s wrong? Are you okay. Are you at school? You sound like you’ve been crying.”
“Can I come over?” Eva asked, not answering Avery’s line of questions.
“Uhhh, sure. I just dropped the girls off. I’m on my way home. You can meet me there in about twenty minutes.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you then.”
The call went dead. Avery drove out of the school parking lot and headed home. She had planned to run a few errands, but from the sound of her friend’s voice, she knew that she needed her. What could have happened? She hadn’t talked to Eva since the night of Derek’s surprise party. She thought everything was well. Harper had surprised Eva by showing up at the party, and it seemed like they had a good time. What possibly could have happened between then and now, four days later?
Eva stood in front of the bathroom mi
rror and made up her face. Harper was gone and for that she was grateful. He actually left early that morning to film several shows. From there, he was off on a month long book tour.
When he showed up at the party the other night, she was surprised. He had told her that he had emergency surgery, so she had no idea that he would be done in enough time to make an appearance. They spent the evening dancing, eating, talking to friends, and enjoying the birthday celebration. Harper was always good at socializing whether he was the host or the guest.
He mingled with people, many of which knew him already and didn’t require official introductions. He spent time after they finished eating talking to Emma Winters and also to her grandsons. During the course of the evening, Harper, Derek, Ryker, and Carlton spent time huddled together laughing and talking, too.
When Quentin came back up to her and asked for a second dance, she looked out the side of her eye and saw Harper’s accusing stare and politely excused herself from his presence, and hurriedly ran off to rejoin some other people she knew at the affair.
After the party ended and they were on their way home, he talked about the party and how much he enjoyed himself. Eva felt relaxed and relieved that he wasn’t going to go off into one of his rampages. Everything was normal until they arrived home—that’s when Lucifer himself showed up and all hell broke loose and he accused her of sleeping with Quentin. The more she denied it, the more he questioned her about how long she’d known him, how long they had been sleeping together, and on and on he went until the sun came up. She begged and pleaded for him to stop accusing her of things that were not true. They argued for hours until he finally relented, and practically ordered her to bed because they had to ‘get ready for church’ in a few hours.
Eva undressed, showered, and got into the bed while Harper did the same. When he exited the shower, she had given in to sleep. Her body and mind exhausted.
The Real Housewives of Adverse city 3 Page 13
