Rae’jean smiled, remembering. “Yeah, I did, didn’t I? I’m glad Grady got too tired to hang and went upstairs to bed. I wouldn’t want him finding out just what a softy I am. When it comes to caring and being concerned about people’s welfare, he’s soft enough for the both of us.”
Taye nodded. “I really like Grady, Rae’jean. He’s a swell guy. Besides, anyone who can hold their own with Victor Junior can’t be too soft. In my opinion, that means Grady is made of some pretty heavy stuff.”
Alexia glanced around. “Speaking of Victor Junior, where is he?”
Michael bit his lip to keep from grinning. “I saw Evelyn drag him upstairs a few minutes ago. I can only assume they called it a night.”
Rae’jean leaned back in her chair grinning. “I’m glad Brandy and her crew called it a night as well. Jolene couldn’t keep her eyes off you, Michael. The woman was downright salivating at the mouth.”
Michael shrugged. “I didn’t notice.”
Alexia looked at him pointedly. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me? For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never noticed girls checking you out. I remember how that very thing used to make Taye cry a river of tears.”
At that moment Taye wished there was some way for her to slide under the table. Michael, however, seemed a bit confused.
“Why would me not noticing girls who were checking me out bother you, Taye?” he asked, turning to her with a bemused look on his face. He then turned his attention back to Alexia when it was apparent Taye had no intention of enlightening him.
“It wasn’t you not noticing other girls that bothered her,” Alexia said, all too happy to explain things to him. “She cried her eyes out because you didn’t notice her checking you out, either. Surely you had some idea Taye had a huge crush on you back then.”
Michael’s jaw dropped open. “But we’re cousins.”
“So?” Alexia said in a casual voice. “When you’re young and in love the fact that you’re related means nothing.”
If looks could kill, the one Taye slanted Alexia would have made her a goner. However, Alexia chose to ignore the look and kept right on talking. “Michael, I can’t believe you never figured it out,” she continued. “Taye was hooked on you something awful. It lasted almost three years, from the time she turned thirteen. Poor thing cried her eyes out during the entire family reunion after you announced you had enlisted in the air force.”
For the first time in her life, Taye wanted to kill her cousin. “I did not cry my eyes out, Alexia,” she said in a voice filled with anger.
“Yes, you did, Taye. Don’t you remember? You cried yourself to sleep that last night. How on earth can you forget something like that?”
Michael turned in his chair and looked at Taye. She refused to look at him. Instead, all of her attention was focused on the water glass in front of her. “I didn’t know,” he said, not taking his eyes off Taye.
Taye felt Michael’s gaze on her and was compelled to lift her eyes to meet it. She forced a bright smile to her lips, shrugged, and said cheerfully, “Alexia is exaggerating, Michael. It wasn’t that big of a deal. Besides, that was a long time ago.” She then gave a pointed look at Alexia, aiming a command for her to keep her mouth shut for the remainder of the night.
That look was wasted.
“Actually, Taye, it was a big deal,” Alexia said. “It was always ‘Michael did this’ or ‘Michael did that.’ You used to take oodles of pictures of him. I bet you probably have tons of photo albums just filled with nothing but his pictures. Then there were those love letters you used to write him that you never got the courage to give him.”
“Well, what do you know? They’re finally playing a song from the eighties,” Rae’jean said quickly, breaking into the conversation in an obvious attempt to change the subject. “Isn’t that ‘Control,’ by Janet Jackson?” she asked, knowing darn well that it was.
Once again Alexia did not take the hint.
“Michael, I remember one letter in particular. If you had read it, it would have really opened your eyes as to how Taye felt.”
“Really?” Michael said smoothly, still watching Taye. She had resumed her interest in the water glass. He tried to force his mind back fifteen years and for the life of him couldn’t remember a time when Taye could have had a crush on him. In all his recollections what he remembered about Taye was that even with the three-year difference in their ages, the two of them had been close and had hung out together a lot. She had always been his favorite girl cousin because she’d had such an easygoing disposition, and no matter when he came to visit Poppa Ethan and Gramma Idella, Taye always had a smile for him. Even now he could remember that day he’d left for the air force. She had stood on her grandparents’ porch with tears in her eyes. But then everyone had been crying that day. Even he had gotten kind of weepy-eyed at the thought of leaving Macon.
“Well, Alexia,” Taye’s voice cut in with a sharp edge. “Since you’ve wasted the last half hour discussing my business like I wasn’t here, I think I’ll just retire for the night.”
“You’re leaving?” Rae’jean asked, seeing the anger in Taye’s eyes and wishing she had kicked Alexia under the table like her mind had told her to do earlier.
“Yes, I’m leaving,” Taye responded, standing. “I don’t appreciate being talked about to my face.”
“Would you have preferred for me to talk about you behind your back?” Alexia asked good-naturedly, not put off by Taye’s anger.
“No, I would have preferred you not talk about me at all,” Taye responded.
“Wait. I’ll ride the elevator up with you,” Michael said, placing his wineglass on the table and getting to his feet.
Taye forced herself to look at him, feeling totally embarrassed that he knew how she had felt about him back then. “That’s not necessary, Michael.”
“It’s no problem,” he said, placing an arm underneath her elbow. “I was about to call it a night myself.”
Taye nodded. “Good night, Rae’jean.” The look she gave Alexia indicated she was not speaking to her at the moment.
“Good night, Alexia and Rae’jean,” Michael said, before turning to walk off with Taye.
As soon as Michael and Taye were out of hearing range, Rae’jean turned a deep, dark frown on Alexia. She threw up her hands, completely disgusted. “What the hell was that about, Lex? Taye swore us to secrecy back then. What on earth possessed you to say those things in front of Michael? Do you know what you’ve done?”
A smug smile touched Alexia’s lips as she watched until Taye and Michael were no longer in sight. “Yes, I know what I’ve done, Rae. Hopefully I’ve finally opened Michael’s eyes.”
Rae’jean frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Alexia leaned back in her chair. “I’m talking about the fact that if you had been paying attention, you would have noticed that Jolene Bradford wasn’t the only one who couldn’t keep her eyes off Michael. Taye was right there giving the woman plenty of competition, since she couldn’t keep her eyes off Michael, either. It’s just like it was when we were teenagers, but now I think it’s even worse.”
Rae’jean lifted a brow, seriously doubting that, but decided to ask anyway. “How can it be worse?”
A smile touched Alexia’s lips. “Because now Taye’s a woman with clearly defined urges and desires that haven’t been tapped in ten years and Michael’s a good-looking, hot-blooded male who probably could use some constant loving from a good woman. And unlike before, there’s the fact that in truth they aren’t really blood kin, which makes it perfectly acceptable if they decide to hook up.” She took a sip of her Diet Pepsi before continuing. “I think Michael is just who Taye needs and Taye is who Michael needs.”
Rae’jean gave Alexia a look of disbelief, wondering how on earth she had figured that, but decided not to ask. She herself had thought about the idea of Taye and Michael getting together and had even mentioned it to Taye the night of the welcome reception. She had notic
ed Taye checking him out that night as well but had put the episode to the back of her mind. Her main focus of concentration had been on finding out her father’s identity. “The family will have a hissy if something develops between Michael and Taye,” she finally said.
Alexia grinned. “Let them. They will have a hissy anyway when they find out I plan to have a baby without the benefit of a husband, so what’s another hissy for them to endure?” She shook her head, grinning. “With your white man, Brandy’s rich Jamaican, Taye and Michael getting it on, and me and my daddyless baby, this family will have enough to talk, grieve, and moan about until the next reunion.”
Rae’jean couldn’t do anything but nod her head in agreement. It seemed that things were about to get real interesting in the Bennett family. Real interesting.
For the first time since the reunion, Taye felt uncomfortable being alone with Michael. And here they were as alone as two people could get, since they were the only ones in the elevator. They hadn’t said anything to each other since leaving Alexia and Rae’jean.
Taye decided to be the first one to speak, since she was the reason there was now an uneasiness between them. She could just imagine what Michael must think of her. And just earlier that evening he’d been singing her praises. But of course that was before Alexia had spilled her guts, telling him everything.
She cleared her throat. “Umm, Michael, about what Alexia said back there.”
Michael, who had been intently studying the closed elevator door, lifted his gaze and looked at her. The gaze that met his seemed shy, almost embarrassed. “Yes? What about it?”
“I’m sorry if any of it bothered you.”
He shrugged, feeling slightly awkward, but a smile tilted the corners of his mouth nonetheless. “None of it bothered me, Taye. In a way I’m sort of flattered. To be honest with you, I’m glad I was told about it. I just wish I’d known then.”
Taye looked at him. “Why?”
He looked at her intently. “Because I wouldn’t have felt so guilty about the time I came close to kissing you.”
Taye’s eyes widened. Her heart jolted and her pulse pounded. “You did? When?”
“It was that last night of the family reunion when you and I were talking under that big sycamore tree in Grampa Henry’s backyard. Of all the people who I was going to miss when I left for the air force, you were the one I knew that I would miss the most, and a part of me wanted to kiss you, but not like a cousin kissing another cousin. I wanted to kiss you like a guy kisses a girl who means something to him. I felt guilty as sin for thinking that way. You were only fifteen and were my cousin. I had always protected you from older guys, and here I was with a sudden urge to come on to you myself. I felt like a pervert for even thinking about doing such a thing.”
Taye wasn’t prepared for this and a part of her lit up inside knowing there had been a time when he had felt something, even if it had been just that one time. Ever practical, she said, “I was closer to sixteen than fifteen, Michael.”
“Yeah…well, that may be true, but the fact remained that you were still my cousin.” He smiled. “So as you can see, Octavia Louise Bennett, you aren’t the only one who kept secrets all those years.” Slowly Michael’s smile wavered. “But that was some years ago, wasn’t it?”
Taye nodded. “Yeah, fifteen years to be exact. People change and their feelings change.”
Michael nodded, accepting and understanding what she had said. That was then and here was now. Just because she’d had a crush on him as a teenager fifteen years ago, that in no way was indicative of how she felt about him now. Before he could tell her that he understood, the elevator door opened.
“Well, this is my floor. I guess I’ll see you later,” Taye said. For once she was glad to part from his company.
“Are you coming down for breakfast in the morning?” he asked.
She couldn’t help grinning. “Have you forgotten that I’m the one who has two daughters with healthy appetites? So yes, I’ll be at breakfast in the morning. What about you?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there. I’d better get a good meal. I have a feeling Reverend Overstreet will be long-winded at church tomorrow, which means it will be a long service.”
“Probably,” Taye said, smiling.
Michael smiled back. “Take care, Taye, and have a good night’s sleep.” No sooner had he said those words than he thought about the sensual image of her tossing around and getting all tangled in soft cotton sheets, and for the first time since things had ended between him and Stephanie he felt drawn to a woman. But Taye was a woman he should not be drawn to. For years he had considered her a blood relative. And although he now knew that wasn’t the case, since he had been adopted into the Bennett family, a part of him felt he should still consider her kin. But he was finding it hard to do so and wasn’t certain as to why.
“Good night, Michael, and I hope you have a good night’s sleep, too.”
He nodded. “I’ll keep the elevator door open until I see that you’ve gotten inside your room.”
Taye nodded and walked quickly toward her room door, which was in full view of the elevator. Taking out her room key, she had to force herself to enter without looking back at Michael one last time before closing the door behind her.
Later as she got ready for bed she was grateful that she had the entire hotel room to herself, since the girls were doing a sleepover in Cody’s room.
As she placed her head on her pillow, numerous thoughts tumbled through her mind—of the very cute young man of eighteen whom she’d had a crush on at the last family reunion…and now of the very handsome man of thirty-three he had turned out to be.
In a way nothing had changed. Even after fifteen years Michael still managed to capture her fantasies and creep into her dreams.
Rae’jean glanced around when she heard someone call her name. She inwardly groaned when she saw the “Mod Squad,” the name she, Taye, and Alexia had given the three nosiest women in the Bennett family. “Yes, Cuzin Sophie, Aunt Lulu, and Aunt Lenora, what can I do for you?”
It seemed Cuzin Sophie was going to be the spokeswoman for the group. “We feel it’s our duty to discourage you from marrying that white boy, Rae’jean. All it’s going to do is bring you heartache later. Just think of the children the two of you are bound to have.”
Rae’jean blew out an exasperated sigh and wondered if any of the three had somehow spoken to Grady’s sister and brother-in-law. “Grady is a decent person and—”
“We didn’t say he wasn’t decent, Rae’jean,” Aunt Lenora piped in. “What we said was that he was white. We’ve never had an interracial marriage in our family before and we’d prefer it didn’t happen now.”
“Why?”
“It just ain’t right. Black folks are supposed to be with black folks and white folks are supposed to be with white folks. We tried telling your mama the same thing, but she didn’t listen.”
Rae’jean raised a brow. “So you know who my father is?”
There was complete silence; then Cuzin Sophie spoke. “If we do, we ain’t talking.”
It will be a first, Rae’jean thought, shaking her head. She felt a severe headache coming on. “I appreciate all of your concerns, but the family needs to understand that I believe love is color-blind and—”
“Has he taken you home to meet his family yet?” Cuzin Sophie asked, interrupting.
“Yes.”
“And?”
Rae’jean frowned. “And what?”
“And you want to try and convince us that even with your light skin, they’re overjoyed about him marrying you?”
Rae’jean’s frown deepened. “It doesn’t matter how anyone feels. Grady and I are getting married and that’s that. Now if you ladies will excuse me, I’m rather tired. It’s been a long day.”
Without giving them a chance to say anything else, she walked off.
Chapter 20
“Good morning, Taye. I notice you’re sitting alone. May I join you?”<
br />
Taye glanced up from her plate of grits, eggs, sausage, and toast and glared at Alexia. As much as she loved her cousin, she had nothing to say to her after that stunt she’d pulled the night before. When Taye refused to say anything to her Alexia sat down anyway with her own plate.
Taye ignored Alexia and looked beyond her to the beautifully landscaped yard outside the hotel. After a few minutes Alexia said, “OK, let’s have it out now and get it over with. I know you’re upset about last night, but I had my reasons for doing what I did.”
Taye drew her attention away from the scenery and placed it on her cousin. She narrowed her eyes. “What reason could you possibly have had for deliberately humiliating me in front of Michael the way you did?”
Alexia placed her fork down. “I did not deliberately humiliate you, Taye, and I apologize if you think I did. What I did last night was something you should have been doing yourself.”
Taye’s eyes darkened. “And just what might that be?”
“Finally getting some guts and letting Michael know how you feel about him.”
Taye looked at Alexia and actually gritted her teeth. “Alexia, my crush on Michael was fifteen years and two daughters ago. It was old news, news that I trusted you with. How I felt about him as a teenager wasn’t even worth discussing.”
Alexia fingered the crisp bacon in her hand before saying, “It was if you feel the same way about him now that you felt about him back then.”
“I don’t.”
Alexia placed the bacon back down on her plate and met Taye’s gaze squarely. “You, Octavia Louise Bennett, are a bald-faced liar.”
Taye sat up with anger flashing in her eyes. “What did you just call me?”
“You heard me loud and clear, Taye,” Alexia said without flinching, her own eyes narrowing. “Who do you think you’re fooling? I know when a woman is interested in a man. I can read the signs as well as I can read a Donna Hill novel and enjoy it just as much. I see sparks of interest in your eyes whenever Michael walks into a room. I see you trying to pretend you’re not looking at him when it’s plain to see that you can’t keep your eyes off him. And I enjoy seeing you break out in a cold sweat like you did last night when he came and sat next to you at the table.” Alexia took a sip of her orange juice. “So please, girl, don’t insult my intelligence by denying any of those things. If you want to lie to yourself, then go ahead and do so, but don’t lie to me. I would not have done what I did last night if I didn’t know for certain that you’re still interested in Michael—fifteen years and two daughters later. I know what I see, Taye.”
A Family Reunion Page 16
