“Okay,” Tanya said, “enough of the mutual admiration society. I’m ready to eat. Who else is hungry?”
Preacher called the boys to the table. Then he asked Barnard to bless the food. After he finished, Tanya said to the group, “I just realized that Preacher and I are the only ones in this group with children.” She nudged Serena, who stood next to her, with her hip. “What are you and Barnard waiting on, girl? You’d better get busy.”
Serena met Barnard’s gaze and forced a smile. “Soon,” she said.
“Well, it’d better be,” Tanya said. “You two aren’t getting any younger. Kids will run you ragged. Trust me—have them now so you will still have some time for yourself after they’re out of the house.”
“Amen to that,” Natalie said.
“Did you hear that, Dante?” Andre teased. “I think somebody is sending you a message.”
Natalie took Dante’s hand in hers before saying to Andre, “Stop causing trouble. You’re going to scare my guy away.”
Andre shook his head. “This guy is not going anywhere, Natalie. You want him; he’s yours.”
“Remind me to stop telling you my secrets, Andre,” Dante said. “A man has to have some leverage with his woman and you’re giving away all of mine.”
Tanya chuckled. “Rarely does a man have the upper hand with a woman.” She winked at Serena. “We just let you think you do. Isn’t that right, Serena?”
Serena glanced at her husband. “What do you say, Barnard?”
“In the better relationships, the upper hand shifts depending on the situation.”
Tanya laughed. “Good answer, Barnard.” She turned to Serena. “Good going, girl. You’ve trained him well.” Then she turned to Preacher. “You’ve done a great job picking friends, Preacher. I think we’re on to something good.”
Serena marveled at how far off base Tanya was in her analysis. Preacher’s eyes told her his bewilderment matched hers.
CHAPTER 17
Keeping his attention focused on the conversation between Andre and Natalie, who seemed to have become fast friends, Preacher resisted the urge to check his watch again. The last time he’d done it, Tanya had sent him one of her “I can’t believe you” glares. No doubt, in her eyes, this little get-together was a major success. He just wanted it over before some major catastrophe occurred.
Serena had been covertly watching him all afternoon. So he’d been covertly watching Barnard to make sure that he wasn’t watching Serena watching him. Tanya may have been having a good time, but he felt as though he’d worked a double shift in a factory.
If his instincts were right, Loretta was the powder keg. He knew his sister, so he watched and waited for her to make her move. She’d spent a little time talking with Natalie and joking with Barnard and Dante. They all loved her. His sister could be charismatic when she wanted.
She smiled at him now as she made her away around to Serena. Preacher put his drink on the table and stood, preparing to follow her. Barnard intercepted him before he reached them. “Nice party, man,” he said.
“I’m glad you and Serena could make it.”
From the sour look on Barnard’s face, Preacher knew he’d made the wrong comment. “I’m sorry we were late,” he said. He began shaking his head. “I don’t understand it, but Serena absolutely doesn’t like you.”
Preacher braced himself. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he didn’t.
“I know you’ve felt it and I apologize.”
“No need for apologies.” He shrugged. “Sometimes people don’t click.”
“But this is so unlike Serena. I have to be honest with you and tell you I’ve asked her if you’ve gotten out of line with her.”
“Barnard, I’d never—”
“I know,” Barnard said. “She told me you hadn’t. But she’s my wife and it’s not like her to be unreasonable about a person, so I have to ask you, do you have any idea what her problem is with you?”
Until this point all of the lies between Preacher and Barnard were lies of omission, things he’d kept from his friend. To lie now would be a bald-faced lie, man-to-man, face-to-face. To tell the truth would betray Serena. “Look, Barnard,” he said. “You need to talk to Serena. The answers you want are hers to give, not mine.”
“Is that a yes or a no?”
“It’s neither. It’s merely some advice from one friend to another. Serena’s your wife. You should be having this conversation with her. I’m sure she’d be upset if she knew you were having it with me.”
“You’re right, man. I know you’re right, but I don’t seem to be able to get through to her. She has put up a wall where you’re concerned and she won’t take it down.”
“She’s here,” Preacher said. “That’s a step. You have to give her credit for trying.”
“Maybe,” Barnard said, but he didn’t sound too convinced. “So many things aren’t right with us lately. This is only one of them.”
Preacher didn’t want to hear this. “Have you thought about seeing a counselor?”
Barnard nodded. “We’ve talked about it, but that’s as far as it’s gone.”
“Maybe you need to pursue it, for your marriage and for your sanity.”
“I hear you, man,” he said. “I’m sorry to bring this up when we’re supposed to be relaxing.”
Guilt overwhelmed Preacher. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, making a show of his smile. “Hey, I’ve got some horseshoe stakes and horseshoes. How about we set up a court and challenge Dante and Andre to a game? They look entirely too smug after beating us at darts.”
Barnard answered with a smile.
Before heading off to the game, Preacher glanced in Tanya and Serena’s direction to make sure all was well with them. Upon seeing the two of them laughing together instead of glaring at each other, he allowed himself to relax a bit. A quick look in Loretta’s direction indicated that she was also on her best behavior. “The challenge is on then,” he finally said to Barnard. “Let’s beat them like they stole something.”
“Your husband and my brother get along like they’ve known each other for years,” Loretta said to Serena. The two women sat alone at the picnic table. Natalie and Tanya had joined in the game of horseshoes.
“Well, if you want to be technical about it, they have known each other for about two years. But I know what you mean. Preacher’s friendship means a lot to Barnard.”
“And vice versa. But I’m surprised.”
“I guess their friendship is odd. A straitlaced guy like Barnard and the anything-but-straitlaced Preacher. They make an odd couple.”
Loretta shook her head. “That’s not what surprises me.”
Serena didn’t want to do it, but she had to. She met Loretta’s gaze. “Then what surprises you?”
Loretta chuckled. “Let’s not play games, Serena. I’m surprised your husband doesn’t know about your past relationship with Preacher. He doesn’t know, does he?”
Bile rose up in Serena’s throat and it was all she could do to keep from spitting it at Loretta’s feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t. I knew something scandalous was going on in this pious little group of Christians trying to take my brother away. Isn’t there a commandment about lying? I’m sure there’s one about adultery.”
“Adultery? What are you talking about?”
Loretta laughed. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. There has to be a reason you haven’t told your husband about a relationship that supposedly ended years ago. Maybe you still have a thing for Preacher. Or maybe it hasn’t ended between you two. You’ve been watching my brother all night. I hope your husband hasn’t noticed.”
“You’re talking crazy.”
“Deny. Deny. Deny. Now I don’t think that’s in the Bible.”
Serena moved to get up. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this.”
Loretta gave her a fake smile. “You sure don’t. Why don’t we both go joi
n the others? I’m sure they’d be interested in this conversation, especially that husband of yours and the sister-in-law business partner who trusts you so much.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Preacher’s your brother.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
Serena sat back down. “What do you want from me?”
Loretta leaned close to her. “I want you hypocrites to leave my brother alone. I want him out of your church and out of your life.”
The hypocrite moniker stung, but Serena couldn’t refute it. That she and this woman who called her a hypocrite wanted the same thing left a bitter taste in her mouth. “I can’t control Preacher,” she said. “You ought to know that.”
Loretta sighed. “So you’ve already tried to get rid of him?”
Am I that transparent? “Let’s just say my life would be a lot less complicated if Preacher were not in it.”
Loretta eyed her. “Ahh, so what went on with you and Preacher was pretty serious.” Serena’s surprise must have shown on her face because Loretta added, “All I knew was that it ended badly. I have no idea why, though you can fill me in on the details if you like.”
Serena didn’t even bother to respond. “If you’re finished, I’d like to leave now.”
“For now,” Loretta said. “But this conversation is far from over.”
“Are you sure you have to go?” Tanya asked Natalie, who had told her that she and Dante would be the first to leave. In reality, Tanya couldn’t wait for Natalie to get out of her sight. She wanted them all off her property, had wanted them all gone since she’d overhead the conversation between Loretta and Serena, and it took every ounce of self-control she had not to kick them out. Preacher had disrespected her by bringing his women, ex-women, whatever, to her home. That she would not tolerate. Had it not been for her ego, she’d have put him on blast in front of these so-called saints and let the chips fall where they may. But she had too much self-esteem to let the men here know what Preacher had done to her. Besides, Loretta would have taken too much satisfaction in seeing her react to Preacher’s misdeeds. She had other ways, better ways, of getting back at her fiancé. He’d regret the day the thought even crossed his mind to disrespect her.
“I’m sorry,” Natalie said. “Dante needs to go in to work for a few hours and I don’t like it when he works late.”
“I understand,” Tanya said, tired of the fake smile she wore. “You’ll have to come over again.”
Natalie shook her head. “Next time, you, Preacher, and the boys will come to my place. It’s not as nice as yours but I think you’ll be comfortable.”
Over my dead body. “I look forward to it.”
“Okay, everybody,” Tanya called to the group. “The first party poopers are leaving. Say good-bye to Natalie and Dante.” She hoped the others would follow their lead and pack up as well.
As luck would have it, that first departure started a round of good-byes that ended with Loretta saying, “We’d better get out of here as well. If Dante’s going to work, I know Andre is going, too.”
Tanya wanted to wipe that smug smile Loretta gave her off her face. She knew Loretta took great satisfaction in thinking she knew something Tanya didn’t know. Tanya couldn’t wait to return the kindness. “Not everybody at one time,” she said, unable to summon up a stronger protest.
“Serena and I will stay and help you and Preacher clean up,” Barnard offered.
If you don’t get that wife of yours out of my presence now, you’re going to see something that’ll make WWF SmackDown seem like a kid’s game. “I want you to stay,” she forced herself to say, “but cleanup isn’t necessary. I hate to admit this but we catered the event and the cleanup crew will be arriving any minute now.”
“Then I guess we should take our leave as well,” Serena said.
Tanya couldn’t look at the woman, had no graceful words to give her. She was relieved when Preacher stood next to her and said, “We’ve certainly enjoyed having you two. We hope you come again.”
“Next time you’ll have to come to our place,” Barnard said.
When the two men clapped each other on the back, Serena took a step toward her. Unable to take her acting any further, Tanya took a step back and seared the woman with her stare. Serena wisely stepped back and turned with her husband to leave.
Tanya walked alongside Preacher as their last two guests got in their car. Preacher waved to them as they drove away; she didn’t bother. “What’s up with you and these church women?” she asked Preacher before Serena and Barnard’s car was out of the driveway.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Preacher said, heading back to the backyard.
Tanya followed him. “I thought I’d dealt with this problem when I put Natalie in her place. Now this Serena comes to my home and spends the entire afternoon watching you. At first, I didn’t think she liked you too well, since she had a frown on her face most of the time. But now I’m thinking that look meant something else. You’ve slept with her, haven’t you?”
Preacher’s eyes widened in surprise and his response was a couple of beats too late in coming. “You’re letting your imagination get the best of you.”
“Don’t try to play me, Preacher,” Tanya said, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop and deal with her. “You didn’t answer my question. Have you slept with Serena, who’s supposed to be your new Christian sister?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Tanya,” he answered, but he didn’t meet her eyes when he did.
“You lying hypocrite,” Tanya said. “You dirty lying hypocrite.” She lifted her hand and slapped him with an open palm. “You have the nerve to bring your women up to my home, like I don’t matter. I’ve told you before and I’m telling you again, Preacher, I won’t have it.”
Preacher rubbed his jaw. “You’re crazy. I don’t have any women. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Talk is cheap,” Tanya said, itching to slap him again. “Actions are what counts. The next time we have a cookout I’ll invite some of my male friends and old boyfriends and see how you like it.”
“I can’t believe you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous, Preacher, but I’m not going to let you disrespect me in my own home. That will never happen again. If you want to pursue other women, let me know and me and the boys can make other arrangements.”
Preacher’s hand stilled on his jaw. “What are you talking about—make other arrangements? This is your home, the boys’ home.”
“Well, if that’s true, then maybe you’ll have to make other arrangements. You’re not going to live here with me and the boys, even in the garage apartment, if you’re seeing or pursuing other women.”
Preacher sat down in the nearest chair and pulled a resisting Tanya down on his lap. “I’m going to tell you this for the last time. I’m not interested in any woman but you. I don’t know how else to make that clear to you.” Tanya stiffened at his words. “What can I do to put you at ease?”
“You can get those church people out of our lives,” she said. “Can’t you see they’re causing trouble between us?”
Preacher shook his head. “I can’t do that. You know that Barnard is my sponsor. You’ve got to get over these suspicions of yours. These people are in our lives, at least until my probation is over.”
“Ask for a new sponsor.”
“It’s not that easy.”
Tanya scoffed. “I bet it’d be easy if that Barnard knew you’d slept with his wife.”
“I’m not sleeping with Serena,” he told her. “How can I get that through your thick skull? You’re the only woman in my life, the only woman in my heart.”
Tanya decided to change tactics. She leaned in close to Preacher, resting her head on his shoulder. “You can come to bed with me tonight. Maybe all this sexual electricity I’m seeing is a result of my own frustration.”
Preacher brushed
his hand down her hair. “When do you want to get married?” he asked her. “I wanted to wait until my financial situation was more stable, but if we’re going to live like married people, we may as well get married. What do you say?”
“I’ve already said yes.”
“Then why don’t we just do it. We can go down to the courthouse tomorrow.”
Tanya sat up and away from him. “Courthouse? Tomorrow? You’ve got to be joking. I’m not getting married in some stupid civil ceremony. I want a big wedding, with all my family and friends and a few of my enemies. I want the grand white dress and the huge wedding party. I want it all.” With her eyes, she dared him to question her choice of white.
He picked up her left hand and kissed the finger wearing the engagement ring he’d given her. “How about we compromise and have a medium-sized wedding here at the house?”
Tanya pouted the way she always did when she was determined to get her way. “I’m going to have to think about that. You know I’ve always wanted a big wedding, Preacher. You seem to want to change everything up now. You promised I could have a big wedding and now you’re reneging.”
“I’m not reneging,” he said, releasing her hand. “I’m only trying to speed things up.”
Tanya got up from his lap. “I’d rather wait until I can have the wedding I want, the wedding of my dreams. We don’t have to wait until we’re married to sleep together again but if that’s the way you want it, that’s the way it’ll be. I’m not giving up my wedding.”
Preacher nodded. “We’ll have the big wedding then.”
Tanya left him sitting there and went into the house. She knew he thought he’d gotten her back in line with his lame concessions about the wedding. Unfortunately for him, marriage was the last thing on her mind. No way was she going to tie herself up with a broke ex-convict who had so little respect for her that he’d lie straight to her face. Preacher may have thought she was a fool, but she’d show him.
Andre waited until they got back to Loretta’s townhouse to question her. “So what was today about?” he asked, following her down the hallway to her bedroom.
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