Open Your Heart

by Cheris Hodges

  “Is everything all right?” he asked.

  “For the most part,” Alex replied. “Sorry you ordered all of this food, but Robin and I are leaving. Family emergency.”

  Chuck raised his eyebrow. “Is Mr. Richardson all right?”

  “Please, if this was about Daddy, we’d all be leaving,” Nina said as she reached for the food. “But, since you look like you can fight, why don’t . . .”

  Robin walked into the kitchen and Nina stopped talking. “All right, Alex, let’s go.”

  “Don’t rush me. Charles, why don’t you hand us the shrimp fried rice and the veggie fried rice so that we won’t have to stop for food.”

  “Isn’t it a little late to . . .”

  “Alex!” Robin bellowed. “Can we go?”

  “I guess we will be stopping.” Alex and Robin bolted out of the town house and Chuck followed them to the car. Yolanda held her breath until she heard him return. No gunshots. Her sisters were going to make it home safely. That is, if Alex was able to pull off the miracle of talking Robin out of going to Richmond.

  “So,” Nina said. “What’s Milan like? And what have you learned about fashion while you’ve been there?”

  Yolanda shrugged and opened one of the bags of sushi. “A lot,” she said before stuffing a California roll in her mouth.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Yolanda nearly choked. “What?”

  “You haven’t been in Milan; you’ve been in hiding. At some point you’re going to have to tell Robin and Alex what’s really going on.”

  “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. Nina, I’m trying to focus on your wedding and all the happiness you deserve. Once you and Clinton are on your honeymoon, we’re going to go to the police. Just let it go,” she said.

  Nina rolled her eyes and grabbed a roll of her own. “What’s with the chill between you and Chuck all of a sudden, though?”

  “Go interview somebody else. I’m trying to eat.”

  “You can act like you aren’t into him, but I know you. I see how you look at him. The last time I saw you act like this was . . . never.”

  “Shut up, Nina!”

  Chuck walked into the kitchen. “Y’all good?”

  “We are,” Nina said. “Are you good? Have you been good to my sister in Milan?”

  “Ask your sister.”

  “Nina,” Yolanda said. “Why are you being such a brat?”

  “So, you’re saying I should sit here and eat my food?”

  Chuck laughed and Yolanda wanted to punch him and Nina. She grabbed the rest of the California rolls and several packets of soy sauce. “I’m going to my studio. Try not to talk about me too much while I’m gone.”

  “Oh, she’s big mad,” Yolanda heard Nina say as she climbed the stairs.

  Walking into her studio, she thought about how much had changed since she was here last. How Chuck made sure the house looked lived in and whisked her away to his home to be safe. But why did she get so mad at him for no reason?

  Yolanda didn’t want to admit it, but she had fallen in love with him and she did not like the feeling. Maybe it was because she didn’t know how he felt about her. He was still doing his job and trying to protect her from the killers who were stalking her in the shadows. As much as she wanted to make sure her sister got married and had a wonderful wedding, Yolanda knew this thing wasn’t going to be over anytime soon.

  “Are you up here sulking?” Chuck asked from the doorway.

  “Why aren’t you downstairs eating? I wanted to be alone. I’m sure you and Nina had some things to laugh about.”

  “Yolanda, what’s your problem? You’ve been acting strange since we left your shop and I’d like to know why.”

  “Because you really sat there and pretended that I’m the cause of the arguments between me and Alex. You’re the one who created this lie.”

  “I’m doing what I have to do to keep you safe. You’re the one who decided not to tell your sisters the truth about what happened. It’s been a month and I still don’t know where the threat is. So, if you have to pretend that you’re traipsing around Europe then you’re going to do it.”

  “Well, if I’m going to do it then you could at least be on my side.”

  Chuck smiled as he crossed over to her. “Listen, I’m always on your side. But you have to admit, starting an argument with your sister is not the way to keep the charade going.”

  “Is that all this is—a charade? Chuck, what happens when we go to the police or this guy gets arrested and the danger is gone? Are you just going to disappear?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Yolanda took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “What the hell do you mean you don’t know? So, this past month has still been just a job to you?”

  “Yolanda, we don’t need to do this now. You know, when this is over who says that you’re still going to want anything to do with me? You can’t let me protecting you be confused with anything else.”

  “Oh, that’s how you feel? I’ve got it. Why don’t you go run a security check or something? I still want to be alone.” She turned her back to him because she didn’t want him to see the tears welling up in her eyes. Had she been that much of a fool to think there was something more between them because they shared orgasms every now and then? Well, not just every now and then. She could have sworn they were connecting on a deeper level. When had this become more than sex to her and why did she allow it to happen? When she turned around Chuck was gone, and she realized she had been a fucking fool.

  * * *

  Charles knew he had messed up again. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t just tell Yolanda the truth about how he felt for her. Maybe he was haunted by Hillary more than he cared to admit. Every time he wanted to tell her that he was falling for her, something stupid came out of his mouth. But he didn’t know that a disagreement about how she was dealing with her sisters would cause all of this. Yes, he had created the ruse to hide her away, but it was for her safety. Whatever she and Alex had going on he had no idea that it was that serious. But he knew the way he felt for her was serious and that scared him. It made him think that he could lose her, and he couldn’t go through that again. So maybe he did do things to push her away. And if he kept doing it, he was going to lose her after all. He looked up toward the studio and thought about going inside and kissing her senseless, but that would only reinforce what she was thinking, that he was just using her for sex. And that couldn’t be further from the truth. Spending this last month with her and falling into a routine together made him happy. Happier than he had allowed himself to be in a long time. Yolanda had to know that she meant more to him than just a piece of booty.

  He couldn’t tell her now. Not until the danger had passed. There was no way he could make the same mistake twice and lose another woman he loved to a bullet. Why was it so hard for him to make that clear to her? Easy—he didn’t want Yolanda to think that she was taking Hillary’s place or competing with a ghost.

  Charles returned to the kitchen and wasn’t surprised to see Nina there waiting for him.

  “So, did you calm her down?” Nina asked.

  “Your sister is eating and designing,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure you know that she likes to be alone when she draws.”

  “Seems like the two of you have gotten a lot closer over these last few weeks. I told you to take care of my sister, not to sleep with her.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I have taken care of your sister—she’s still breathing, isn’t she?”

  “I’m not blind and I know there’s something going on with you two. But tell me this, Chuck Morris, do you know who’s trying to kill my sister?”

  Chapter 25

  Yolanda was almost tempted to let Nina grill Chuck, but even he didn’t deserve full-on reporter Nina mode. “Leave people alone,” Yolanda said as she walked into the kitchen.

  “Then people ought to answer my questions,” Nina said. “
And I know you didn’t eat all of those California rolls.”

  “If you want them, they’re upstairs, go get them.” Yolanda tilted her head toward the stairs. “And stay for a while to enjoy them.”

  “If you wanted to be alone with him, you should’ve just said so. I’m taking the spicy tuna, too,” Nina said as she snatched the box from the countertop.

  “I was eating those, too,” Chuck said, trying not to laugh.

  “Too bad, too sad,” Nina called out as she left the kitchen.

  Once they were alone, Yolanda realized that apologizing wasn’t her ministry. It wasn’t even something she’d done often. And there were plenty of times when she should have.

  “You’re just going to stand there and stare at me or are you going to speak your mind?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry that I’ve been a total bitch to you when you haven’t done anything to deserve it. Everything about us is new to me. These feelings are new to me and I don’t handle change well unless we’re talking about wardrobes.”

  “Why did you say that like it hurt?”

  “I’m being serious and pouring my heart out and you want to make jokes?”

  He pointed to his face. “Do I look like I’m smiling?”

  Yolanda folded her arms across her chest. “This is why I make it a rule to never apologize.”

  “Let’s agree to never do anything that would need an apology again.” He pulled out another box of sushi and opened it, revealing spicy tuna rolls.

  “Aww, you do care,” she said as she grabbed a roll.

  Charles did care more than she knew, and he wanted to tell her. Instead, he asked, “When do you want to go back to Charleston?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’ll make sense to go when Nina leaves since she is about to be in full-on wedding-planning mode. I have to be there to help her.”

  “I imagine so. Do you plan on staying at the bed-and-breakfast? Can’t keep pretending we’re going back and forth to Milan now.”

  “Should I?”

  “I wouldn’t recommend it, but I know that would cause more conflict with you and your sisters. I’m just going to have to stay with you and be your shadow. Same rules apply.”

  She eased closer to him. “And what are those rules?”

  “You have to do what I say. Let’s not forget that there are still people out there chasing after you who want to put a bullet in you.”

  “You know we blurred the lines of these rules of yours a month ago.”

  “And that was my mistake.” Charles regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth. Yolanda’s face was contorted with anger and disappointment.

  “I wish you could teach me this party trick.” Her voice was a slight hiss.

  “Wait, I . . .”

  She shook her head and threw her hands up. “I’m so over this little game with you. One minute you act like you care and then it’s ice-cold Chuck. What do you really want from me?”

  “My priorities haven’t changed; I have to keep you alive. And we made an agreement that after your sister’s wedding you would go to the police about Danny and the murder.”

  “I know what I said. But how do you do it? You act as if nothing that happened between us these last thirty days means anything. That’s not how I roll.”

  “What do you want from me? Yolanda, I have a job to do.”

  “Great, then do your fucking job and don’t you ever touch me again!” She flipped the last three spicy tuna rolls into the trash can and stormed into her bedroom. Charles wanted to follow her, but he knew better than to try to talk to her with both feet in his mouth. He’d gotten too close to her and now he was paying for it. The last thing he’d wanted was to hurt Yolanda. But things had gotten out of hand and he knew where this road led. There was no way he could go there again. Even if it meant losing a chance to love an amazing woman like Yolanda Richardson.

  You’re just going to let fear run your life forever? He hadn’t heard Hillary’s voice in a while. But there she was whispering in his ear. He headed toward Yolanda’s closed bedroom door, and as he lifted his hand to knock, the door swung open.

  There was less anger on her face, but she was wearing a mask of disappointment. “What do you want?”

  “Can we talk?”

  “I’m tired of talking to you. I’ve had better conversations with a brick wall.”

  “I deserve that.”

  “There are a lot of things you deserve, and my conversation is not one of them.”

  Charles placed his hands on her shoulders and massaged them gently. “Yolanda, it scares me to think about how I feel for you. And maybe I don’t deal with it properly, but you have to understand that this was unexpected.”

  “You think I wanted this to happen? That I wanted to . . . I think we should keep it professional. I mean, in a few days we’re going to be done with each other, right?”

  “No.”

  “Once I turn Danny in this whole shitshow will be over. At least that’s what you’ve been saying all this time, right?” she said as she shrugged his hands from her shoulders. “I don’t want to keep reminding you of the ghosts haunting you.”

  “There are no ghosts,” he said. “Yolanda, please understand that . . .”

  “What’s going on here?” Nina asked from the stairs. “And don’t give me that nothing bullshit.”

  “How about it’s none of your business,” Yolanda snapped.

  “Do you know how scared I’ve been for you? And if you are letting your hormones put you in danger because you and this guy can’t keep your hands off each other, then that is a problem. And don’t you dare say that it isn’t my business.”

  “But it isn’t,” Yolanda said. “And let’s not forget that it’s your fault he’s here.”

  Nina crossed over to Yolanda and glared at her. “Let that shit go.”

  “I’m not,” she snapped. “You created this whole mess.”

  Charles shook his head as Nina and Yolanda went back and forth.

  “Yeah, ’cause you dying was a much better alternative!” Nina’s voice vibrated through the house. Yolanda grabbed her sister and gave her a tight hug.

  Nina pointed her index finger at Charles and shook her head once she and Yolanda broke their embrace. “You’d better take care of her.”

  “That’s the plan. If she allows me to do my job.”

  Yolanda rolled her eyes. “Since there’s still shrimp fried rice in the kitchen, we should eat it.”

  “Maybe you should; I was thinking about going for a walk,” Nina said.

  “No,” Yolanda exclaimed. “Get on the treadmill or something.”

  “Yolanda, this was my neighborhood before it was yours. It’s really safe out there.”

  “Nina, your sister is right,” Charles said. “One of the reasons why we left was because somebody was watching her. And the last thing Yolanda wants is for something to happen to you guys because of this.”

  “Wait. What? Those people know that you’re here now? I thought you were supposed to keep her safe from them finding her!”

  Charles threw his hands up. “Unfortunately, Yolanda posted about her new business and I think that’s how they found her. It’s also another reason why the shop hasn’t been opened officially.”

  Yolanda turned away from them as they spoke about her stalker. Charles wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay. But after what she had said to him, he knew that was not a good idea.

  “I didn’t know all of this was going on, and of course Alex doesn’t know either. Yolanda, why do you want to hide everything from us? You know we could help you.”

  “Because this is my problem and I’m trying to solve it. I get tired of everybody thinking that I’m the flaky one who can’t handle herself and I always need Dad’s help. You know, if I hadn’t been designing my window for summer fashions none of this would have happened. I could have gone on with my life, ran my shop in Richmond, and not be stuck in
here with this guy.”

  Charles bristled at her comment. Now she was stuck with him? “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m going anywhere, not while the threat is still out there.”

  “You’ve made that painfully obvious,” Yolanda said as she turned on her heels and headed for the kitchen.

  “This just means she really likes you and you must have done something to piss her off,” Nina said, then followed her sister into the kitchen.

  Charles felt like now was a good time to go and run a security check.

  * * *

  Yolanda dug into the cold shrimp fried rice and realized that she was being a jerk. More than a jerk, an asshole. And for what reason?

  Because you love that man and he clearly doesn’t feel the same way.

  “I know you’re not going to eat all of that rice, and I hope you heated it up,” Nina said. “Or do you still eat cold rice when you’re mad?”

  “Why don’t you leave me alone?”

  “Because I never listen to what you say, and I want answers. When did you fall in love with Chuck Morris?”

  Yolanda slammed the container of rice on the counter. “I’m not in love with that man.”

  “Sure, you’re not, Jan,” Nina mocked. “I know one thing. You don’t get mad at people that you don’t give a shit about. So, what did he do and why are you so upset?”

  Yolanda reached for one of the containers of vegetable fried rice and rolled her eyes at her sister. “He thought I was being too hard on Alex at the shop.”

  “Yep, you like him a whole lot. You actually got mad at this man because he told you the truth. You haven’t been in Milan this past month, have you?”

  She didn’t see the point in lying anymore. “No.”

  “Where the hell have y’all been, then?”

  “At his place in Charleston.”

  Nina’s mouth dropped wide open. “So, did Daddy know or was . . .”

  “Don’t tell Alex, but yes. He knew and was on board with it.”

  “I can’t believe he kept this from us. But wait, you and Chuck Morris—”