“Okay. Let’s just let this go. Let’s just enjoy the moment,” Kennedy said as she felt a lump starting to form in her throat.
“No, Kennedy. Let’s not. That was always our problem. We didn’t talk enough and that’s why it was hard for us to get along after a while. You used to flip out and not tell me what the real reason was, and I used to just tune you out. We used to be good together. I just don’t know what happened or when. It was like all of a sudden we were two different people.” Jared paused to open another bottle of wine and refilled their glasses.
“I was mad because you were never home. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t handle the doctor thing. I felt like a single mother. You were never home, and you were always with that woman,” Kennedy finally admitted.
Jared spit out the wine he was drinking. Kennedy had caught him off guard. “What woman? Amanda? Are you serious? Kennedy, she was my lab partner and also a genius. She was there to help me on my shortcomings, and I did the same for her. If it weren’t for her I wouldn’t have graduated. And she’s married. Just last month she married a member of our study group. They were together all during medical school and college, I might add. They were even living together at the time,” Jared explained.
“Oh, I’m sorry. More sorry than you’ll ever know.” Kennedy closed her eyes and cried on his shoulder for throwing away a man she once considered her future.
Jared held Kennedy until her cries subsided and then he pulled her face up to his and kissed her. The feeling was warm and inviting. He seduced her like he used to, as though he were all hers and she, all his. Then he brushed his lips against her face where the tears had been and apologized for making her cry. She had never cried in front of him. She always held her head no matter how difficult the situation. As Jared was running his fingers through Kennedy’s hair, she stopped him.
“Jared, I can’t. You’re involved with someone and someone just hurt my feelings.”
“Don’t worry, I just wanted to kiss you, that’s all. I didn’t mean to. I wanted to kiss you ever since we came out here,” Jared said quietly. “And who hurt you, Kennedy? Tell me.”
Kennedy told Jared the whole story, even Michael’s name. She also told him about Simone and their argument. Kennedy and Jared talked for hours and finished all the wine. By the time they left they were both drunk and they knew it. Kennedy suggested that Jared stay over on the sofa because she didn’t want him to drive. They headed back to the hotel and Jared pushed the wrong floor button on the elevator.
“Jared, you know you shouldn’t drink. You pressed the wrong floor.”
“Ssh, just trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?”
The elevator doors opened to the top floor. Jared took her hand and guided her to the left penthouse suite and took out his key card and opened the door. Kennedy opened her mouth but Jared grabbed her, leaned her against the front door, and kissed her before she could utter a word.
Kennedy kissed Jared with a passion but felt the same butterflies she had the day she had given him her virginity. It had been a long time since they had been that intimate. Her nervousness soon disappeared when she felt his bulge rub against her. She reached down for it as they entered the doorway. Kennedy closed it with her foot.
Jared lay Kennedy down on the floor and looked into her eyes, and she nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am,” Kennedy said as she grabbed his head in both of her hands and kissed him.
* * *
When Kennedy woke up the next morning her head was pounding and she was very disoriented—definitely hung over. At first she hadn’t the slightest clue as to where she was. She hadn’t gotten drunk in years. She had made it a point not to ever drink that much outside of the house or while Kharri was home. She had heard stories of what happened to other women when alcohol controlled them and thought it disgusting.
Kennedy eased herself up, ready to get out of bed when she realized that she wasn’t on the bed but still lying in the foyer. Jared’s foyer. Kennedy shook her head in disbelief. Oh God. She was startled out of her quiet hungover daze by Jared’s loud snores. He was sleeping with his mouth open, which meant that he was in one of his comatose-like states. She smiled because from their history she knew that she had knocked him out.
When she pulled herself together and got up from the floor, she was very sore and her back was burning. The foyer was marble but Kennedy remembered that somehow they had managed to start on the marble and ended up on the carpet. Eventually, when she couldn’t take the sting of her back rubbing against the plush fibers, they had scooted back onto the marble. She laughed. She had a carpet burn like some silly young girl.
Kennedy tiptoed to the bathroom. Although she wanted Jared to get up, she couldn’t bring herself to wake him. He was so peaceful and his sleeping gave her a chance to admire him without his knowing. In the bathroom she looked in the mirror and was glad that she woke up before he did. All the alcohol, sweating, panting, and scooting had done her in. Her eyeliner resembled mud and gave her raccoon rings around her eyes and her wild hair was a shorter version of a troll doll’s.
After staring in the mirror because she just didn’t have the strength to move, she located one of the complimentary toothbrushes and brushed her teeth as though she were trying to get red wine out of white carpet. Eventually she made it into the shower. The steaming water felt like heaven. Her hair would be a mess, but thank goodness she didn’t relax it as her beautician had suggested. She nodded in silent approval of her smart decision to keep her natural curly hair in its original state. She still felt a little disoriented and her stomach felt queasy. She needed to eat.
She was greeted by Jared as she dried off. She immediately grabbed her towel and covered herself.
“Good morning, Ken,” Jared said and smiled. “What’s with the towel thing? Don’t tell me you’re getting shy. I saw all of you last night. Every nook and cranny.”
“Shut up. And how did you get dressed so fast? Don’t tell me that you didn’t wake up with dragon breath because I know I did,” Kennedy teased right back.
“Hell yeah, I did. But I took care of that. This place has two bathrooms. Glad I bought it.”
“Bought it? How?”
“I bought it. Some of these hotels around here sell suites, kind of like a time-share thing, but I don’t share my time. This is where Kharri and I stay when we visit my parents. She even has her own little room on the other side.”
“Oh, that’s nice. I didn’t know—”
“That’s because after we broke up, you stopped visiting my parents. They miss you, you know.” Jared massaged her scalp.
Before Kennedy could answer him, Jared grabbed her and kissed her, and the towel fell to the floor.
“You still got it, you know,” Jared said as he looked her naked body up and down.
“Yeah, I know,” Kennedy responded in her best sexy morning voice.
“So are you still in a yes mood?”
“Yes. A sober yes mood.” Kennedy nodded.
“Let’s do it right this time, okay. No more hard floors—”
“Well, I was thinking that since we’re already here in the bathroom . . .”
~ 9 ~
As Derrick sat at his desk he thought about how great the last couple of months had been. Courtney had been very attentive and wonderful. The trip to Rio had done them good, and Courtney had even taken some time off from work to make time for them.
Derrick picked up his phone and called the florist. He ordered two dozen irises—he was tired of the rose thing. Every man ordered roses, and Courtney deserved something different. Because Courtney was different.
As Derrick looked at the clock on the wall, he drummed his fingers on his desk. One more hour and he would be free. Free to go buy that ring he saw in the diamond district. He rubbed his palms, which sweated more by the minute.
All morning he practiced in the mirror and all he could come up with was the same three words that he used t
o take for granted, I love you. He had no idea how to propose but knew that he’d do it that night. It was their five-month anniversary, and he hoped that Courtney wouldn’t think that he was rushing. Under normal circumstances—namely someone else’s relationship—he would think it was too soon. But he had finally found an irreplaceable love, one that he wanted to wake up to every morning.
The sound of the telephone ringing woke him up from his daydream, and immediately his gaze shot up to the clock. Five on the dot. Time to go. Whoever would have to wait until Monday because Derrick was on salary—a nine-to-five salary, and he didn’t do nine to 5:01. He didn’t get paid for that extra minute, so he didn’t work it.
After purchasing the ring he headed straight home. The traffic was hell but Derrick was in heaven. He had the key to his new life in his pocket, the ring. He had the night all planned—for the most part anyway. All except the words. He knew that when he looked into Courtney’s comforting eyes the words would come. All he had to do was tell the truth and expose his heart and his love.
As soon as he got his foot in the door the telephone was ringing. He looked at his caller ID and picked it up.
“Hey,” he cooed into the receiver.
“Hey, yourself. Thanks for the flowers. You caught me by surprise—I really didn’t expect them. Everyone was wondering why I was laughing. Rio, huh. That’s your new name?” Courtney laughed.
“No, I’m still D. I just had the florist put Rio on the card to make you think about our wonderful time there. And besides, I know you don’t want your office whispering about us. I know how nosy people can be.”
“Oh, how thoughtful of you. You remembered.”
“Thanks.”
“So are we still on for tonight?”
“Yes. What did you have in mind, or is it another one of your surprises? You know I like your surprises, right,” Courtney flirted.
“Yes, it’s a surprise. But remember that you have to drive, because my Jeep is in the shop. Something is wrong with the navigation system.” Derrick laughed.
“Yeah, something is wrong with it all right. Did you tell them that you spilled coffee on it? No, never mind, I’ll see you at eight. Gotta go. Love you.” Courtney laughed and hung up.
* * *
Derrick sat on the sofa and quickly got up and walked to the bedroom, then the kitchen, and then the front door. Finally he found a comfortable spot on the sofa where he could easily look out the window. It was almost nine, and Courtney hadn’t showed up or called. He checked the phone’s dial tone. Why hadn’t Courtney called? As of lately Courtney was always punctual and had showed up every time.
At midnight the sound of the “This is a test of the emergency broadcast system” on the television woke him up. Derrick knocked the phone off the nightstand. He couldn’t believe that none of his calls or pages were returned. Courtney had really hurt him. This time was the worst, and he felt like a fool because he was going to offer the rest of his life to someone who obviously didn’t care.
* * *
Kennedy sat on the sofa and wiped the sweat from her brow. Tired, exhausted, and relieved all at the same time, she reached for her bottle of water and thought that she had done a pretty good job. Other than the delivery guys, Kennedy had no help in getting the apartment together. Miranda had gone down South and wouldn’t be back for days. Kennedy couldn’t wait on her. She had decided to go ahead without Miranda. Even if Miranda was there, she probably wouldn’t have been able to help because she lacked creative skills, so Kennedy was forced to decorate the apartment alone. She swore that she would never wallpaper, paint, or move a heavy piece of furniture again.
As Kennedy sat back and surveyed her work she was glad that she had decided on two sofas and two wing-backed chairs. She couldn’t stand the standard group furniture. A sofa, loveseat, and chair weren’t for everyone, and they definitely were not for Kennedy. Who really even used the chair anyway? It never really fit, or it always seemed like the odd one out.
Kennedy moaned and sighed loudly as she forced her tired and aching body from one of the matching overstuffed, oversized damask sofas facing the other. She nodded at her decorating skills as she walked around and fingered the two chairs, which also faced each other. Taste and flair were in the air.
Just as she finished pouring Epsom salts in her bathwater the phone rang. On instinct she was about to run and answer it but stopped. It could only be Michael or Jared. Michael had been trying to catch her for weeks, but she refused to answer or return his calls or pages. Actually she hadn’t spoken with him since a month earlier in July, when he was in China and Kennedy heard that woman in the background.
Kennedy turned off the water so she could hear who was talking on her answering machine. Just as she heard Jared leaving a number for her to call him back, she rushed and answered the phone.
“Jared, I’m here. Don’t hang up,” Kennedy answered in one breath.
“Ken, don’t tell me that you’re still screening calls. I know you can’t still be hiding from Big Mike,” Jared teased.
“Oh please, Jared, stop it. You know I don’t want to talk to him, and you better be glad that I picked up for you,” Kennedy responded, pretending not to be bothered by his mention of Michael.
“Kennedy, explain something to me. Why on earth would you give him your new number if you didn’t want to talk to him?”
Kennedy shook her head. “But that’s just it, I didn’t give him my number. I don’t know how he got it, because it wasn’t from Simone. She doesn’t even have it.”
“Oh well, I don’t know what to tell you then. But be safe, Kennedy. He doesn’t sound wrapped too tight to me. If you’ve been avoiding him like you say you have . . . just watch yourself and Kharri. Call me if you need me. I don’t care what time it is, okay. Anyway, are you dressed?”
“No, why? Jared, look, don’t start that. Don’t think you can call over here and start trying to talk dirty. I know we have had a couple of terrific nights since I was out there—”
“Correction. We’ve had a few terrific nights. Hot, sweaty nights. And no, I’m not calling to talk dirty, even though I know you want me to. I’m calling to see if you’re hungry.”
“Hungry?”
“Yes, hungry. I’m about a mile away and I wanted to know if you wanted to go get something to eat, maybe catch a movie.”
“Jared, have you lost your mind? What are you doing here, and where is Kharri?” Kennedy asked, smiling.
“Kharri’s still at my parents. I just thought I’d sneak up and visit you for a day or two. Actually, I have a couple of offers here, and I just thought it’d be nice to see you. So, you up for some company?”
When Jared arrived, Kennedy was still in the bathtub. The bell chimed and she jumped up, grabbed a towel, and ran to the front door, dripping water all through the house. When she cracked open the door Jared was standing there with sweat streaming down his forehead.
“Kennedy, are you gonna let me in or what? It’s hot as hell out here,” Jared said and smiled.
“Okay, let me run and jump back in the tub first. Count to ten and then come in. All right?” Kennedy closed the door and took off running toward the tub.
Jared walked right in. He grabbed her towel from the toilet and sat down.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Visiting.” He smiled
“I know that, Jared. But what are you doing in here?”
“Visiting. Now stop it. I’ve seen you naked before. Please, I saw you give birth before. So I even saw something that you didn’t,” Jared joked.
“Well, do you mind turning around or something? I need to get out. I was supposed to be soaking so I can relax. I just arranged and rearranged all the furniture in the house.”
“Looks good too,” Jared said, nodding.
“It should. I tore down wallpaper, put up new paper, painted, stripped floors, stained and waxed floors, put in a new chandelier in the dining room, and a carousel ceiling fan in Kharri
’s room. Please, I did it all by myself too, I might add,” Kennedy informed, smiling.
“Sounds like you needed me. You do, don’t you.” Jared licked his lips slowly.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Here, take this and wash my back.” She handed him the towel and grabbed her stomach, laughing as if she were being tickled.
Kennedy and Jared talked for hours. They reminisced about their time together in Virginia Beach. Both agreed that it had complicated their new relationship. They enjoyed being just friends. One night had taken them back to a time when they were really great friends, right before they had gotten serious.
After a couple of cappuccinos they decided that they wanted the real thing and headed to the local Starbucks. Kennedy liked the feeling of walking with Jared. At times she would stop and pretend to adjust something so she could view him from behind. Once or twice she had to give some strange woman a dirty look, a what-are-you-looking-at look. She had to remind herself that Jared was as handsome as he was. Over the years she had seen him so much that he just grew on her, like a relative or something. He really was fine; she was just used to it. The only time she used to really appreciate his looks was when he was mad at her and refused to speak, or when she thought that he might’ve been tipping out on her with his lab partner.
Sitting on a barstool in Starbucks, Kennedy sipped iced caffé mocha and rested her chin in her hand and just stared at Jared and smiled. He was on his cell phone, scheduling a meeting with a local hospital. After he caught Kennedy watching him, he blushed.
“What is that all about?” Jared questioned as he hung up.
“Oh, nothing. I was just sitting here thinking about how cute you are. Damn, J,” Kennedy flirted.
“Cut it out.” Jared blushed again, exposing his dimples. “I should be the one saying damn. You’re the cute one here, not me. Besides, men aren’t cute.”
“Sorry. Handsome then. But I still say you’re too cute. It’s a woman thing, Jared. We call handsome men cute.” Kennedy playfully kicked him under the table.
Momma's Baby, Daddy's Maybe Page 11
