Unforgettable (Arabesque)

by Byrd, Adrianne

  He frowned at that thought. Diana was mad at him. Had he forgotten to do something? Maybe it was her birthday. Nah, her birthday was December 15. Funny how he seemed to remember that.

  Di. He smiled, liking the nickname. Actually, he’d always liked the name Diana. It was beautiful and elegant. Not to take anything from his secretary, but it seemed that she went out of her way to be invisible.

  Once, he’d taken the time to study her. Which wasn’t unusual. He’d assessed most, no, all of the women working for him at one time or another. He’d found Diana to have the most beautiful skin he’d ever seen. And that was without the aid of makeup. Clean, clear, beautiful skin. Was that a commercial?

  However, her most adorable feature was her nose. It was the tiniest bit off-centered. He doubted that the average person even noticed. Who knows, maybe she didn’t know. He frequently wondered how she would look with her hair down. In the two years he’d known her, it was always pulled into a simple ponytail.

  Sighing, he pulled himself out of his daydream and realized he needed to get ready to head down to the club. It was time to be Mr. Nightlife again.

  He handed Brandy the last portion of his meal and pushed himself up from the sofa. “Time to get back to work. Who knows, maybe I’ll meet the lady of our dreams tonight.”

  Woof!

  An excited Tim clutched Diana’s hand. “Why don’t you and I go clubbing tonight?”

  Diana groaned as she loaded the dishwasher. “Not my scene. I put up with enough loud music and lurid acts at work.”

  “I know. I’m jealous, too.” He helped her out by scrubbing and wiping down the counters. “But how are you ever going to meet Mr. Right locked up in this apartment all the time?”

  “Don’t you start on me, too. I’ve already had this conversation once today.”

  “Yeah, well. If my two cents count for anything, I agree with your grandma.”

  “Color me surprised.” She closed the dishwasher and turned it on. “The thing is, I’m not so sure that a relationship is what I want right now.”

  “Of course you do.” Tim frowned. “No one wants to grow old alone. Anyone who tells you different is lying to themselves.”

  Diana remained adamant. “I don’t need a man to complete me.”

  “More lies.”

  “Tim!”

  “What?” He plopped the sponge down and faced her. ‘I’m just being truthful. Or are you really one of those women who buy into that ‘I am woman; hear me roar’ crap?”

  “It’s not crap,” she snapped with more force than was warranted. “A woman’s value is much more than being submissive to a man’s every whim.”

  He held up his hand like a brick wall. “Two is always better than one; two orgasms, two incomes or his and hers matching Mercedes. Okay?”

  Diana laughed.

  “Besides, you’re not fooling anyone, Miss Thang. I know you have the hots for Casanova Brown. Isn’t that what you said your boss’s friends call him?”

  “Not hardly.” Diana’s laugh was stiff and unnatural. “He’s the most self-centered, spoiled individual I’ve ever met. Hell, I think it’s pathetic how most of the women at the office fawn over him.”

  “Personally, if I worked there I would never get anything done. What is the name of that cologne he wears? I must buy some for Caleb.”

  “Ralph Lauren Purple Label,” she said. Looking at Tim’s lopsided grin, she added, “I’ve had to purchase it for him before.”

  “Uh-huh.” Tim crossed his arms and leaned back against the counter. “Let me ask you something,” he said, giving her a long measuring stare. “Would you admit you have a crush on him?”

  Diana hesitated and, as a result, gave Tim his answer.

  “I didn’t think so.”

  “Whatever,” she mumbled under her breath. Shaking her head, she turned and headed out of the kitchen.

  Dressed in pink pajamas, Louisa settled into her favorite spot on the sofa. She was the picture of a perfect, cute little old grandmother with a quilted blanket across her legs and a white silk scarf around her thinning hair.

  Louisa glanced up from the television as Tim and Diana entered. “Are you two going out?”

  Tim shook his head as he plopped down next to Louisa. “I’ve asked, but as usual she won’t go.”

  “I’m not stopping you from going,” Diana said. “Of course, Caleb might have something to say when he gets back into town.”

  “Is he paying you to keep an eye on me or something? That’s the second time you threatened me today.”

  “No”

  “Good.”

  “I offered to do it for free.”

  Tim rolled his eyes. “Figures.”

  “I think you should go.” Louisa clapped her hands. “Go to one of those discos and have a good time.”

  “Discos?” Diana laughed, settling into an armchair.

  “Disco has been dead for a while, Nana.”

  “There’s Bell Bottoms in midtown. It’s a seventies club. That would be a great place to play dressup.” Tim grew excited. “I’m sure I have a pair of platform shoes somewhere in my closet.”

  “Why would anyone have platforms in their closet?”

  He shrugged. “For emergencies.”

  “Then what do they call those dance halls nowadays?” Louisa asked.

  “Clubs,” Diana and Tim answered.

  “So go to one of those.”

  “I can’t, Nana. I have a lot of work to catch up on before dragging myself into the office tomorrow.” She sighed, not really wanting to work either.

  “There should be a law against working on Saturday,” Tim complained. “Corporate America really stiffs you by making you a salaried employee versus paying you hourly.”

  “What are you complaining about? You’re a housewife or househusband. Besides, it’s not like I didn’t know what I was getting into when I took the job. The music industry keeps moving seven days a week.”

  “Stop changing the subject,” Louisa huffed. “Diana, I really think you should go out to one of these club thingies. You know, I met your grandfather at a dance hall.”

  “You met him at a strip club,” Diana corrected.

  “Actually, it was more burlesque. We left a little more to the imagination.” A dreamy gleam sparkled in her eyes. “Ah, I knew quite a few moves back in my day.”

  Tim clutched Louisa’s hand. “You are my idol.”

  Louisa blushed and shooed him away.

  Diana rolled her eyes. “Both of you worry me.”

  “Don’t waste your time worrying about me.” Louisa’s attention returned to her granddaughter. “I’ve had my fun. It’s your turn.”

  “Well, maybe another time.” Diana stood. “I have other things to do.”

  There was no mistaking her grandmother’s disappointed stare, but at Louisa’s next words, Diana stopped in her tracks.

  “Tim, I think I’d like to go with you to one of those clubs tonight.”

  “Do what?” Diana blinked.

  “You would?” Tim clapped his hands in delight. “That would be great.”

  “No, it won’t.” Diana’s hard stare shifted to him. “Don’t encourage her.”

  “I think it’ll be fun.” Louisa pushed herself up from the sofa. “I wonder what I should wear.”

  “Nana, you’re not going to a club.”

  Louisa’s chin tilted up in defiance. “I don’t see why not. I’m over twenty-one.”

  Diana’s hands settled on her hips. “I’m not worried about you being carded. I’m worried about your health.”

  “I’m fine.” Louisa waved off her concern and looked back at Tim. “Let’s go see what’s in my closet.”

  He jumped to his feet. “Goody.”

  “Wait,” Diana interjected, not liking the way her grandmother brushed her off. “I can’t allow you to go.”

  Now Louisa’s hands settled on her hips. “I don’t remember asking for your permission. I’ll do what I want to do. A
nd I want to go to the disco…I mean, the club with Tim. If you’re so concerned about my health, then you can come and watch over me.”

  Diana’s eyes narrowed. “Why, you scheming little old lady.”

  Louisa grinned. “You don’t have to go. No one’s twisting your arm.” She looked over at Tim. “Let’s go look for something in my closet.”

  Smirking, Tim offered Louisa his arm and together they left a steaming Diana in the center of the living room.

  “You really are my idol,” Tim whispered.

  “Yeah.” Louisa chuckled. “Sometimes I amaze myself.”

  Chapter 6

  Club Secrets had a reputation for being one of the hottest spots in Atlanta and, judging by the long line behind the velvet rope, the hardest place to get into.

  “I don’t know about this,” Diana said, stepping out of Tim’s car. Her eyes zeroed in on what the women in line were wearing and immediately she felt overdressed.

  “Oh. This is going to be exciting,” Louisa said. Her eyes were the size of silver dollars. At seventy-two, she wore a black and gold pantsuit, gold looped earrings, and her favorite Beverly Johnson wig.

  Diana, too, wore a pantsuit, but it was a black and white number that was more suited for a business meeting than a social function. Her hair remained pulled back in its tried and true ponytail while her makeup consisted of only a single coat of ruby-red lipstick.

  Tim, however, looked as though he’d stepped out of the pages of GQ. His enthusiasm for going out for the evening matched Louisa’s.

  Everyone closed their doors and the car alarm was engaged before Tim walked around from the driver’s side. “Are you ladies ready for a good time?” he asked, offering each of them his arm.

  “Oh, my.” Louisa pointed. “Look at that one woman over there. She’s naked.”

  “Nana, don’t point,” Diana whispered. “It’s rude.”

  “And that one over there. On second thought, is she even old enough to get into this place?”

  “Probably not.” Tim chuckled and led them to the back of the line. “It’s none of our business one way or another.”

  “Humph,” Louisa said under her breath and then looked around the crowd to find more fashion victims. “Oh, look, Diana. That young man looks like a nice handsome boy. Maybe you should go and say hi to him.”

  A few people snickered around them, including Tim.

  Diana closed her eyes and shrank two inches from total mortification.

  “Oh, what about that nice young man over there?”

  “Nana,” Diana hissed. “Will you stop? You’re embarrassing me.”

  “I’m doing no such thing.” Louisa frowned. “I’m just trying to help.”

  Tim laughed. “I can tell already this is going to be one hell of an evening.”

  “I’ll agree on the hell part.” Diana sulked.

  Champagne and gorgeous women overflowed the VIP room of Club Secrets when Marcel and Solomon entered. Navigating through the room, Marcel smiled and shook hands with nearly everyone present. Most pressed him about checking out one group or another, some even handed him demo tapes.

  It was hard to get used to everyone always wanting something from him. Most days, he managed just fine. Others were a struggle—like tonight.

  “Tee Bo, my man.” He stretched his hands and greeted the ex-pro football player turned club owner. “The party is off the chain as usual.”

  “Of course, Casanova. Tee Bo always knows how to throw a party.” He slid his arm around Marcel’s shoulder and gestured to the array of women he’d chosen to entertain VIP guests for the evening. “Mi casa es su casa. If you see anything you like, you better hang on to it.”

  Solomon glided up next to them. “Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store.”

  Marcel grinned. “Too bad you’re a diabetic.”

  “This is true.” He held up his glass of champagne and the two lifelong friends clinked their glasses together.

  Being a fan of old-school rap, Marcel found his attention quickly drawn to the deejay scratching on the ones and twos. He moved to the balcony of the VIP room and stared down at the crowd below. “Hey, is that the cat you were telling me about from the radio station?”

  Tee Bo and Solomon moved next to him.

  “Yeah, bananas, ain’t he?” Tee Bo said.

  “No doubt. I need to book him to do my next birthday bash.”

  “For you, I’m sure he’d consider it an honor.”

  Marcel scanned the crowd, and for a second a familiar face caught his attention and then vanished. Frowning, he looked through the crowd again and was disappointed when he couldn’t find what he was looking for.

  “Is something wrong?” Solomon asked.

  Giving up his search, Marcel shook his head. “No. I just thought I saw someone, that’s all. It’s crazy, really. No way would she come to a place like this.”

  “Who?”

  “Di—no one. Forget it.”

  Diana, Tim and Louisa finally found an empty table midway between the dance floor and the rest room. In no time, a waitress magically appeared at their table to ask for their drink order.

  Louisa and Tim both ordered a gin and tonic while Diana declared herself the designated driver and ordered a soda.

  “Isn’t this marvelous?” Louisa shouted, leaning over toward Diana. “There are so many beautiful people here.”

  Diana rolled her eyes, still not believing that she was coerced into coming.

  Tim reached across the table and placed his hand on hers. “You’re here now. You might as well just loosen up and try to relax.”

  Her eyes narrowed on Tim while the music’s bass boomed in perfect harmony with her growing headache. Who could possibly relax with a decibel level threatening to puncture her eardrum?

  “I’m going to get you both back for this,” she shouted. “Mark my words.”

  A nice tall brother, sporting Sean John attire, stopped and stood in between Diana and her grandmother.

  “Hello, ladies. How are you doing this evening?”

  Diana stiffened and refused to meet the stranger’s eyes.

  “We’re doing great,” Louisa cooed, propping an elbow up on the table and cradling her chin in her hand. “Do you come here often?” she asked.

  Diana couldn’t believe her ears. Was her grandmother actually going to pick the guy up next?

  “I’ve been here a few times,” the stranger replied, amusement lacing in his voice. “What about you?”

  Diana glanced up at the guy and was impressed by the man’s well-groomed features. When his striking hazel eyes slid in her direction, she quickly glanced away again.

  “It’s my first time here,” Louisa shouted and smiled as if the man were Harry Belafonte. “Both mine and Diana’s first time.” She touched her granddaughter’s hand. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart”.

  Diana’s skin crawled with humiliation. “Right, Granny.”

  The old woman just chuckled and batted her eyes playfully up at him. Diana started believing that there might be something to the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, because she truly didn’t know or understand the woman pretending to be Louisa tonight.

  “By the way, I’m Louisa. My good friends call me Lou.” She batted her faux eyelashes again. “As you know, this is my grandbaby, Diana. Diana, please say hi to the man.”

  Sighing, Diana forced her gaze upward. “Hi.” For her lackluster performance, she immediately received a swift kick from under the table. “Ouch!”

  “Hello. I’m Alan.” He glanced between the women, then over at the only person yet to be introduced.

  “Oh, where are our manners?” Louisa continued to holler over the music. “This is our good friend and neighbor, Timothy Banks.”

  “Hello, Tim.”

  “Hello.”

  The men’s hands reached across the table for a brief handshake.

  “Well, I actually came over for a dance partner,” Alan said.

  “Oh, she w
ould love to.” Louisa clapped her hands.

  “Nana!”

  Louisa’s sunny smile beamed over at her granddaughter.

  “What?”

  Alan cleared his throat. “Actually…I was asking Tim.”

  Louisa’s smile flat-lined as she slowly turned her attention to her neighbor.

  Tim, however, perked up. “I’d love to.” He jumped up from his chair and tossed a wink over at Diana.

  After Tim and Alan left the table it took all the restraint Diana had not to burst out laughing.

  Louisa looked at her granddaughter. “What just happened here?”

  “Nothing that you didn’t deserve.” Diana smirked.

  Their drinks arrived at the table and Diana grumbled about having to pay for them.

  “Are you going to act like this the whole night?” Louisa asked, frowning. “No wonder you have trouble meeting men. Don’t you ever smile?”

  “Not if I can help it.” Diana flashed her teeth, but the grimace didn’t remotely resemble a smile.

  Louisa shook her head. “You get that contrary spirit from your father’s side of the family. He didn’t care for smiling too much either.”

  The barb stung, mainly because she didn’t know much about her father and she didn’t want to associate anything negative with what little she did know. In the next moment, some young buck appeared at the table and this time asked Louisa to the dance floor.

  “Nana, I really don’t—”

  “Oh, relax. I didn’t come here tonight just to watch you sulk in the corner.” Louisa stood from the chair and clutched on to the twenty-something man’s arm. “I’ll be fine.”

  There wasn’t a point to arguing, Diana soon learned, as Louisa laughed her way to the dance floor.

  Diana’s pride suffered a massive blow when she realized that a seventy-two-year-old woman was picked over her. “I’m more hopeless than I thought.” She rolled her eyes heavenward and prayed for strength to get through the evening.

  A man on the balcony of the second floor caught her attention. “Mr. Taylor,” she whispered.

  Her gaze remained glued on him while he laughed and hobnobbed with model-thin women in expensive stilettos. Jealousy hit her like a brick wall as she watched them press against him for photo ops or to slip him their numbers. “It must be nice to have the whole world on a silver platter,” she mumbled.