Autumn and Summer

by Danielle Allen

  And Josh Jones Photography had a consultation with his team about photographing his buildings before I left Charlotte, I thought ruefully.

  “Yeah. He owns the Infinity building and a few of the businesses in it…along with some buildings up and down the East Coast.”

  “Oh okay. During my training for the magazine, I think I was told the Infinity Building was the first building he ever purchased.” I cocked my head to the side. Reading the hardened expression on his face, I asked, “Did something happen with him?”

  “Yeah…we don’t exactly get along because I don’t like the way he treats people.”

  “I’m not surprised. Everything I’ve ever heard about him has been very...intense.” I wrapped my arms around his waist as I hoped to do more kissing and less talking. “But how do you even know him? I feel like you’re dragging this story out.”

  “William Williams is my father.”

  “What?” I yelped, my eyebrows shooting up. I let my arms fall from around him so I could get a better look at him.

  What? I repeated internally as my stomach dropped. WHAT? William Williams is Xavier’s father?

  “Yeah. My mother kept her maiden name and when given the opportunity, I took it too.” He shook his head. “My father decided that he was going to run for office and because he’s a self-serving asshole, he has proposed two options. Either I become CEO of his most profitable business or he shuts the entire operation down.”

  “I remember you saying that your dad wanted you to run his company during our photo shoot. I thought you were going to be running the family restaurant or an auto body shop. Wow,” I said, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying.

  “It’s a lot more complicated, but we need to go back inside. I just wanted you to hear it from me because after tonight, things are going to change and I’m not going to be able to fly under the radar anymore. But hopefully, it’ll be an easier transition because I’ll have you.”

  My heart fluttered. He pulled me into his body, dipping his head to whisper, “The little time we’ve spent together, you’ve been exactly who you are and I’ve been exactly who I am and it just works. Every frustratingly sexy moment with you has only left me wanting more. I can’t shake the feeling that life keeps pushing us together for a reason.”

  “Everything happens for a reason,” I quoted Autumn as I stared up at him.

  Instead of the reckless abandon of our first kiss, Xavier kissed me softly. His mouth moved easily over mine as he took his time, tasting me. Enjoying the sensation, I whimpered when he pulled away.

  The sound of polite clapping from the ballroom alerted us to how much time had passed.

  “We missed dessert,” I pointed out as I gazed up at him.

  Leaning down, he brought his lips to the shell of my ear. “I didn’t,” he whispered causing another contented sigh to escape me. He grinned. “I have to get in there now. Can we please pick this back up later?”

  “Definitely. You go ahead. I need to cool off for a second. I’ll be right behind you.”

  I watched Xavier stroll down the maze before turning onto the cobblestone and out of my sight. I exhaled. What is happening? I wondered as I waited until my nipples were no longer hard before exiting the garden.

  When I entered the ballroom, the vibe in the room was completely different compared to when I left. The rumble of partygoers talking and laughing mixed with the sounds of plates being removed and glasses clinking creating a low-energy buzz around the room. As the band eased into place, an older man took the microphone and blew in it. I hurriedly made my way through the crowd to my table.

  They are seriously still talking about the donut place, I thought as I slipped into my chair. It seemed as if only Max noticed.

  “Hello? Good evening everyone! I’m Dr. Dennis Bell with the Community Medical Center of DC and I will keep this short and sweet so we can enjoy the rest of this beautiful event. First, I want to thank you all for being here tonight. As the President and interim CEO of CMC, I am proud to stand before you and let you know that we’ve surpassed our goal of five million dollars tonight. Please give yourselves a hand,” he enthused, eliciting a round of applause and whistles from the crowd.

  “On the first of July, Community Medical Center will change the face of medicine in Washington DC. And we wouldn’t be here celebrating our accomplishments and the money raised if it weren’t for this man. Four years ago, what started out as a passion project quickly turned into the first of many life-changing things he will do. He has spent the last few years working as CEO of CMC. Now that he has returned to the U.S., he has taken the reigns as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Please give a warm welcome to the original CEO and mastermind behind Community Medical Center of DC and the new CEO of StratFord Consulting Firm, Mr. James Ford.”

  Clapping politely, I looked around and then froze. Xavier? I thought as I watched the man I just spent the last twenty minutes making out with walk to the microphone. We just professed things to each other—things I wasn’t expecting or even wanting to feel—and somehow he neglected to tell me his real name is James?!

  “Hello, I’m James Ford,” he started to a handful of catcalls. “Thank you. As some of you already know, I’ve been transitioning into my new position with StratFord Consulting Firm. Please understand that this move is a difficult one for me because I’m used to a more hands on approach with Community Medical Center of DC. But to see how all of you have supported this endeavor and what it will do for this community has me feeling as if it CMC is in good hands.”

  Forcing my eyes from Xavier, I looked at the couple on the other side of Max as they talked about the announcement. They were saying something about Xavier I couldn’t quite hear. Bits and pieces of the conversation hit my ears and I felt myself getting worked up.

  They aren’t even listening to what he has to say before they are speculating on his abilities to run StratFord, I thought indignantly. I tried to shut them out to continue listening.

  “…CMC is committed to creating communities of healthy, hopeful, and well-adjusted individuals. This commitment is founded in our values, which teach us that each person needs to be taken care of wholly. How we organize our society directly affects the capacity of a person to grow, develop, and heal. There are many things that need to come together to create a healthy community, including access to quality health care, education, employment, affordable housing, public safety, and recreational and cultural opportunities. We are dedicated to changing lives. We are dedicated to helping people evolve. And with your generosity this evening, many lives will be changed and many people will evolve. So enjoy the rest of your night. All of us at CMC of DC thank you.”

  The crowd applauded wildly and he looked around the room. He winked and nodded when he made eye contact with me and my heart skipped a beat. And just like that, the butterflies were back with a vengeance.

  Holy shit, I thought in shock as I put my hand over my heart. Did my heart just skip a beat?

  The band started playing music and people began to move toward the dance floor.

  “So, do you think it’s true that Williams is running for office?” Mr. Reed asked the table.

  “I don’t know, but James Ford is a little young to run a major corporation, isn’t he? He’s only thirty-one!” the man right beside Max said in response. “He couldn’t even hack it as the CEO of the medical center.”

  “Yeah,” his date agreed, shaking her head. “As soon as the medical center is close to being fully operational, he quickly jumps ship.”

  “If in his twenties he was able to start a medical center in DC from somewhere in London, I’m sure he can handle taking over StratFord in his thirties,” I said sharply, almost defensively.

  “Mrs. Reed, I’m going to have the first couple of dances with Summer, and then I’m going to come back for you,” Max said, standing quickly.

  “Sounds good to me!” Mrs. Reed chirped.

  Helping me out of my chair, Max escorted me to the da
nce floor. Once we started dancing, Max started with the questions.

  “It was dark outside, but I’m pretty sure the James Ford who is hosting this event and taking over StratFord Consulting Firm is the same guy I saw you with earlier.”

  “Was it?” I scratched my temple with a finger and scrunched my face up theatrically.

  “Not my business,” he laughed and then proceeded to whisk me around the dance floor.

  “So have you seen any ladies that you’d be interested in?” I asked Max as we swayed to the music.

  “Since my date keeps leaving me with a drunken Mrs. Reed, I haven’t had the chance to scope the room.”

  Thinking about why I left Max at the table made me grin deliriously, but I was aware that I was being a horrible date. “Yeah, I’m sorry, Max,” I apologized truthfully.

  “No, you’re not. But it’s cool. It’s been interesting getting to know my coworkers with a few drinks in them,” Max said.

  “I bet!”

  Max stopped dancing and looked directly over my shoulder. Curious, I turned around too.

  “Hey!” I exclaimed a little awkwardly as I was face to face with Xavier and Camilla.

  “Max, would you mind if we switched dance partners for this song?” Xavier inquired. He looked at me as he continued, “I’d like to dance with Summer.”

  I looked from Xavier to Max to Camilla trying to suppress the grin that threatened to overtake my face.

  “No, not at all,” Max said as he stared at Camilla, awestruck.

  Camilla smiled sweetly at Max before looking at me. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight! You look beautiful, Summer.” She gave me a quick hug before allowing Max to lead her a few feet away on the dance floor.

  Wrapping his arms around me, Xavier pulled me in close. With my face buried in his neck, I inhaled deeply and took in his cologne. He smells delicious, I thought as I allowed him to lead us around the dance floor. He moved skillfully, much like when he was boxing. He floated around and I merely held on and enjoyed the ride. We didn’t say anything the entire dance. We just existed in the moment together.

  As the song came to an end, I stirred from my thoughts.

  Looking up at him, I asked the question that had been on my mind since he gave his speech. “James?”

  Running a hand down his face, he laughed. “James Xavier Ford. Everyone calls me James. The people who matter call me Xavier.”

  **********

  Chapter 20: Autumn

  After the waiter at The Blue Lounge brought our drinks, I continued, “Don’t get me wrong, it was cool that we were watching his movie at the Indie Movie House. But because a bunch of people had come out, I felt like he was on the whole time, you know what I mean?”

  Olivia nodded as she sipped her fruity cocktail. “You can’t really get to know someone in that environment anyway.”

  “Right?!” I exclaimed as I took a small, tentative sip of my own fruity beverage. “These are good.”

  “That’s why I love this place! Even though the lighting in here is horrible, you can’t go wrong with the Blue Lagoon.”

  The lounge only used blue iridescent lights that seemed to make everyone look ashy because of the freaky glow. I looked around and flagged down the waiter to order a veggie burger and fries.

  “Wait, did you two not make it to dinner?” Olivia’s big eyes opened wide.

  “No…not at all. A director wanted to talk to him about the movie and offered to take him to dinner. He apologized, but I recognized it was a great opportunity for him so I didn’t mind. I wasn’t really in the mood to go out on a date with him tonight anyway. So I texted you during the question-and-answer session after the movie and then left immediately afterward to meet you here.”

  “Ohhh okay now it makes sense. When you texted me and said ‘my mouth is watering,’ I thought you were talking about your date. I didn’t know you were hungry and your mouth was literally watering.”

  I laughed and took another small sip of my beverage. I didn’t want to drink on an empty stomach, but it was delicious.

  “So now that we’re done talking about the bad date, can we talk about the guy you’ve been swooning over?” Olivia smiled mischievously.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked, perplexed.

  “Boris Kodjoe or whatever his real name is.” She grinned.

  How did she know? I wondered as I finished off the rest of my cocktail. My heart tightened. I decided I wasn’t going to tell anyone about him until after I met him. And now that meeting him is out of the question…

  “Don’t look so shocked. You know I am good at putting things together. So remember last week when we all went to happy hour after work and you kept texting instead of girl-talking?”

  I nodded so she continued, “Well I peeked over your shoulder and saw you texting this Boris character. I didn’t read the exchange between you two, but I did notice how happy you looked. I’ve been waiting for you to mention him and you haven’t so I’m calling you out right now.”

  Olivia sat back with a self-satisfied grin and I just stared at her blankly. I didn’t expect for my eyes to water. I remember that conversation. He was quoting Nas lyrics to describe how he felt about me. It was so funny and cute and…over, I reminded myself.

  “What’s wrong, Autumn? I was just playing. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just that…things didn’t pan out with him.” I forced a smile. “And everything happens for a reason.”

  “Why didn’t it pan out? And what happened to that cutie Jordan?”

  My burger and fries were dropped off and Olivia ordered us two refills. Popping a fry into my mouth, I mulled over my answer to that question.

  “Jordan is amazing… it’s just complicated. And Boris…I don’t know what to say about him. We’ve both had some unsuccessful relationships in the past, and based on his past experiences, he thinks he can’t give me what I need in a relationship. But instead of basing it off of the past, I wish he would just…figure it out with me instead of trying to figure it out for me. But it is what it is. We aren’t looking for the same thing right now.”

  “Do you think he’s scared because of whatever happened in his past relationship?”

  I shrugged. “I mean, yeah, I think so, but it doesn’t matter. He’s convinced himself that he doesn’t have the time for relationships.”

  Grabbing one of my fries, Olivia pointed it at me. “Tell me everything. And start at the beginning.”

  With the assistance of three more Blue Lagoons and a belly full of food, I told her all about Boris and Jordan and my feelings for them both. Once I was done, Olivia was completely caught up to speed.

  “And I know it sounds crazy,” I concluded emotionally, due to the alcohol. “But what if one of them is the one? I’m not saying I’m in love or anything. I just… I don’t know, Livie. I won’t even let my head or heart go there with Jordan because he has his baggage. But Boris’s only baggage is self-imposed. I don’t know what’s worse, but I’m most frustrated with Boris because if he is the one, he’s standing in his own way. Do you know what I mean?”

  Olivia’s eyes were glassy and her porcelain skin was pink. “Totally,” Olivia pointed out with a nod. “Either one of them could be the one.”

  I smiled appreciatively. As much as I love Summer and her insight, it’s good to have someone who can get lost in the wonder and magic of love, I thought, nodding emphatically.

  “I always think about how my mom and dad met in a library during exam week and fell in love by graduation. In two weeks, they knew. And they’ve been married for thirty-four years!” I informed Olivia. “I want that!”

  “I want that too! I’m going to call Phillip right now!”

  “Wait, who’s Phillip?” Even in my inebriated state, I knew that she hadn’t mentioned a Phillip all night.

  “Phillip is Tatiana’s boyfriend’s friend. The one who got us into Dirty Dozen.”r />
  “Ohhhh,” I said, dragging the word out. “I remember him. He was cute. I didn’t know you two talked after that night.”

  “We haven’t done much talking,” Olivia giggled. She covered her face and then peeked between her fingers.

  I laughed and held up my glass. “At least one of us is getting some. Congratulations!”

  “Maybe—oh!” Olivia interrupted herself mid-thought and gasped. She stared at me in horror and my stomach dropped. “Oh my God!”

  “What? Olivia, what? What’s wrong?” I panicked, looking around. My hair bounced as I whipped my head back and forth.

  “Catfish!”

  “What?” I pointed at her plate, confused. “You ordered fries.”

  “No, not catfish,” she waved her hands over her food dismissively, and then pointed at me. “Catfish. What if you’re being catfished?”

  My mouth dropped open. That thought had never occurred to me. Yes, Summer photographed an extremely sexy model-type guy who was well-read and pretty awesome and gave him my number. But that doesn’t mean that the extremely sexy model-type guy kept my number. He could’ve passed it on to a friend. Or worse, he could’ve thrown it away. I mean, Summer can be tough and if he just wanted to shut her up, he could’ve just took the number but never had any interest in me. If he’s as hot as Summer keeps saying he is, I’m sure he encounters pretty girls all the time. So why would he spend time getting to know some girl he’s never even seen in real life? I’m the most cautious person I know and the idea that Boris could not be who Summer gave my number to never occurred to me. Oh my God! I’m being catfished, I panicked. I was close to tears as I spiraled in my full blown alcohol induced freak out.

  “We have to do something about this!” Olivia burst out, pounding her fist in the center of her palm.

  “I don’t know what to do,” I whined.

  “I know…we’ll catch him!”

  “How?” I put my head in my hands. My head was swimming, but I still felt good—loopy, but good.

  “Give me your phone. We’ll get to the bottom of this!”