by Tina Martin
“I’m just teasing you, girl. How is Tennyson doing by the way?”
“He’s doing the best he can. I’m doing all I can to help him.”
“I’m sure he appreciates it.”
“He does,” Zoya said and around the same time, she felt Tennyson’s arms fold around her from behind. Those ‘guns’ he referred to made her feel warm all over.
He whispered in her ear, “Tell Savannah you’ll call her back.”
Zoya nibbled on her lip then closed her eyes, soaking up his caress and that deep voice that reverberated through her body like a bone-chilling shiver from the cold. “Savannah, I’ll—um—I’ll call you back shortly.”
“Okay, girl. Bye.”
She set her phone on the counter and said, “I thought you were still sleeping.”
“I was until I smelled bacon and coffee. That’s not something I normally wake up to in my house, but I like it. And you,” he said leaving a kiss on her neck.
Zoya smiled while turning around to look at him, noticing he hadn’t put on a shirt before he came down. She sucked in a breath as she took in the magnificence of his torso and broad shoulders. The man had muscles for days all tightly compacted in a well-maintained physique. Her fingers ached to run across the bulge of his chest muscles, but instead of actually doing it, she kept her eyes trained on his when she said, “Good morning.”
“It’s a very good morning,” he said before taking a kiss that nearly rendered her spineless. She rose up on her tiptoes and he gripped her head tighter to deepen the kiss.
“Mmm…” he hummed. “Your lips have to be the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time.”
“If you don’t let me go, your real breakfast going to be burnt.”
“I suppose I’ll let you go,” he said, loosening his grip on her.
When breakfast was done, they sat down and begin eating.
“I meant what I said last night, by the way, in case you were wondering,” Tennyson said.
“About what?” Zoya asked.
“Marrying you.”
Her pulse quickened as the blush came back to her face. “Tennyson...”
“Don’t tell me you don’t feel the chemistry between us.”
“I do, but you act like this is something you’ve never felt with a woman.”
“I have never felt the way I feel about you with another woman. Some things in life, you don’t question. You just know when it’s right. I know you’re right for me. I’m fully aware of that fact. But you—you won’t make that same declaration. Even though you know we have this surreal connection, you won’t make the leap because you don’t trust men. Right?”
“It’s more complicated than that, Tennyson. Besides, I’m the kind of woman who needs to be sure about things. I don’t just jump up and do something on a whim no matter how right it is or how good it feels.”
“Maybe you should start because I like the way this feels. No one has ever been there for me like you have.”
“That’s because you don’t let anyone into your world.”
“Then you should consider it an extra honor that I let you in.” He tossed a piece of bacon into his mouth. “What do you want out of life, Zoya? Do you even want marriage?”
“I think so.”
He lifted a brow. “You think so?”
“Yes.”
“But you can’t say for certain.”
“I can. Okay. Yes, I do want to get married, and I want children.”
“That means you have to trust somebody, and that somebody may as well be me.” He smiled.
She smiled back, then took a sip of coffee. “I have to go help Savannah do a few things today.”
“I know. After all, that’s why you came to Asheville right—to help your sister-in-law—not fall in love with me, but somehow you’ve managed to do a little of both.”
She couldn’t dispute what he’d said. She did like him and was definitely falling for him no matter how much she didn’t want to. Still, the thought of loving someone frightened her. That meant her heart had to be involved, and no one had ever impressed her to the point of involving her well-guarded heart.
* * *
She thought about this while she helped Savannah assemble a high chair Friday night. At what point does a woman truly know she can trust a man with her heart?
“We can take a break, Zoe,” Savannah said. “You look like you’re in deep thought.”
“I am.”
“Tennyson?” Savannah asked.
Zoya smirked. “How’d you know?”
“Only because you’ve been spending so much time with him.”
“I know and I’m not even sure why.”
“What’s there not to be sure about? You like him.”
“I do like him. I just don’t know why I like him so much. I’ve never felt anything close to what I feel when I’m with him. It’s confusing.”
“It could be a sign that he’s the one.”
“After two weeks? That’s crazy.”
“Hey, people fall in love in mysterious ways and if he makes you feel like you’ve never felt before, maybe you should give it a chance.”
“You sound like him. He wants to marry me, Savannah.”
“What!” she screeched. “He proposed?”
“No. He didn’t propose. He just said he wants to marry me and that he was glad his mother got a chance to meet me before she died because she met the woman he would marry.”
“Tennyson said that?”
“Yes.”
“Tennyson Tillman?”
Zoya giggled. “Yes.”
“Amazing. I’ve known Tennyson longer than you have and I just didn’t think he had it in him. Who knew?”
“Okay, but did you hear what I said?” Zoya asked.
“Oh. Right.” Savannah thought for a moment then said, “It’s obvious that you like him, too, so why not see how this thing plays out?”
Zoya’s phone interrupted Savannah’s advice. She glanced at it and said, “Shoot, it’s work. I have to take this.” She stood up and answered, “Hello?” while pacing the kitchen.
“Hey, Zoya. How are you?” she heard Myra, the district manager ask.
“I’m doing well. How are you, Myra?”
“Oh, another day—another session of pulling my hair out.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Yes. When are you due back at the office?”
“Monday morning. I plan on leaving here sometime Sunday afternoon.”
“That’s perfect.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“We’re being audited by the state.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“That makes the second time in four years,” Zoya commented. “Do they think we aren’t doing something right?”
“No, I don’t think that’s what it is at all. It’s greed—their way of making sure they don’t miss a penny. The auditors will be here around nine on Monday.”
“Okay. I’ll be there. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“Good. I was beginning to panic. No one knows the systems like you do. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Zoya ended the call deflated. So much for requesting an additional week of vacation as she’d planned. She felt like she needed an extra week, not only because there were still a ton of things Savannah needed help with but also because she wanted to see how the time with Tennyson would play out. Then again, maybe leaving was for the best. She had a life back home. A job. Her family. There wasn’t much room for being mentally seduced by a lawyer.
Chapter 20
Tennyson hadn’t spoken with Zoya since she left his house on Friday and it bothered him how much time had gone by without hearing from her. The entire weekend flew by and not a word. He called her several times and, no answer. Was she avoiding him again, and if so, why?
Taking matters into his own hands, he drove to Harding’s place Sunday night but felt a nagging sense
of loss upon arrival when he didn’t see her car in the driveway. He got out anyway and walked up to the door.
Savannah opened the door and said, “Hey, Tennyson. Come on in.”
He took the invitation and followed her inside.
“I’m so sorry about your mother,” Savannah said. This was her first time seeing him since his mother had passed and she deemed it appropriate to offer her condolences.
“Thank you,” he said. “Is Zoya here?”
“No. She had to go back home. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you.”
“Back home as in Wilmington?” he asked, frowning, hoping the answer to his question was no, but somehow he knew it wasn’t.
“Yes. Something came up at work and she had to leave.”
Tennyson stood there looking dejected. “What time did she leave?”
“Um…it must’ve been around one.”
Tennyson scratched his head. Okay so she had to leave – that still didn’t explain why she didn’t make him aware of that or why she wasn’t taking his phone calls. “Alright, well, thanks,” he said.
“Hey, Tennyson,” Savannah said before he could reach the door.
“Yes.”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“Well, you just lost your mother and then after the meeting the other day, I didn’t know how the managers were going to react to your idea about Blakeney and Blackstone.”
“Let me let you in on a little secret, Savannah. I don’t care how they react,” he replied.
“But you should care, Tennyson. It’s your job, and you said it yourself—it’s a good job. The managers, who happen to be my half-brothers, treat everyone fairly and they pay you well, so why were you so testy in the meeting?”
Tennyson kept his frustration at bay. Besides, this was Savannah he was talking to. He had a good working relationship with her and he wanted to keep it that way. “Just because a company can buy this corporation or that corporation doesn’t mean they should. There’s no need to jump on everything, and that’s all I was trying to convey to them. Of course, I got pushback. I was expecting it, but everyone should be entitled to their opinion…doesn’t matter what their job title is. It wouldn’t matter if I was a janitor. My opinion is my opinion.”
“Do you not like working at TCC?” she asked him.
“I like working there. I don’t have a problem with the company. I think I just need some time off and it’s too bad it took my mother’s death for me to realize that.”
“Well, take all the time you need. I’ll fill in as much as I can, Tennyson.”
“Thanks, Savannah. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Hey, maybe since you have some time off, you can take a trip out of town. Like…let’s say somewhere like Wilmington, for example.”
Tennyson smiled. “You’re reading my mind.”
Chapter 21
“I’m starving. What’cha cooking, Mama?” Zoya asked as she entered her mother’s house.
“I got some steak and potatoes going. There’s plenty if you want some. Your sister is supposed to be stopping by, too.”
Zoya stepped out of a pair of nude pumps and continued on to the kitchen. She sat down at the table and smiled while watching her mother at the stove. The aroma of good food and spices filled the house. There was nothing more comforting than a mother’s love and a house that smelled like soul food.
“What are you smiling about?” Florence asked, placing a glass of sweet tea on the table.
Zoya’s fingers instantly wrapped around the glass. “I was thinking about the crazy day I had—then I get here and can feel all of my anxiety melting away.”
“That’s how you know you’re loved,” Florence told her, “But Mama is not going to be around forever.”
“Don’t talk like that, Ma.”
“It’s the truth, girl. Whether we like it or not, death is going to catch up with us one way or another.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Amira said coming into the house. When she walked into the kitchen, she kissed her mother on the cheek then nearly choked Zoya with a welcome home hug. “Welcome back, sis.”
“Thanks,” Zoya said. “It’s good to be home and back into my regular routine even though work was a killer today. Ugh.”
“What? You had to get used to everything all over again?” Amira asked.
“No. We were being audited. Again. But I don’t want to talk about that. Mama’s in here cuttin’ up…talking about death and whatnot.”
Amira poured herself a glass of tea. “Death? What’s Zoya talking about, Ma?”
“I simply said we are all going to die someday and ignoring that fact won’t make you live any longer.”
“Goodness,” Amira said after she swallowed a gulp of tea. “How’d y’all get on that topic?”
Zoya shrugged. “I told her how happy I was to be here right now and it grew legs and became about death.”
“That’s only because I wanted to make a point and that point is, I want you girls—I want all of my children—to be happy when I’m dead and gone. You can’t depend on me for happiness. You have to create it for yourselves.”
“And let me guess—by happiness, you mean a man,” Amira commented.
“No, not necessarily, but I do think love brings a measure of happiness. For all I know, you two don’t have any prospects.”
Zoya glanced up at Amira to notice Amira looking right back at her. She also got to thinking about Tennyson and how he tried calling her but she didn’t answer the phone and didn’t bother telling him she was leaving. Since he was already heavy on her mind, she said, “I met someone.”
“You did what?” Florence asked.
“I met someone,” Zoya repeated.
Florence set their plates on the table, then took her plate from the counter to join them.
“Tell us about this someone,” Florence said all ears and giddy with excitement.
Amira already knew a little about Tennyson, but Zoya proceeded to tell her mother, “His name is Tennyson. He’s a lawyer. He works for The Champion Corporation with Savannah and Harding.”
“Is he a good prospect, or are you telling me about him just to get me off of your back?”
“He’s a—he’s a man who’s captured my interest. You know that’s hard to do.”
“You ain’t never lied,” Amira quipped.
“Anyway, he’s a good man but I can’t grow anything between us.”
“Why not?” Florence asked.
“Because I’m not marriage material. I’ve come to realize that.”
“Who said anything about marriage?” Amira asked.
“He did actually. This man told me he was going to marry me.”
“Dang. He’s bold,” Amira said. “Just what you need.”
“Seriously, Amira?”
“Yeah. You need a strong man, not some wimpy pushover.”
“It really doesn’t matter because I’m not seeing him again.”
“Why not?” Florence asked. “He must have made a heck of an impression on you since you brought him up.”
“He’s a good guy, Ma, but he’s just not for me.”
“Then who is?” Florence asked.
Nobody. That’s what Zoya wanted to say, but she didn’t say a word. She didn’t want to open that can of worms. Somehow, she knew it would be opened, anyway.
“Zoya, my precious daughter...don’t let your mother’s mistake dictate the path of your life.”
“I’m not, Ma.”
“You are. I know how you feel about your father and my relationship with him. Both of you. But you cannot allow that to hold you back.”
“But—”
“No buts,” Florence said, stopping Zoya from coming up with an explanation. “Listen to me. Your father was a special man.”
“But he wasn’t yours,” Amira said. “He had another life.
“He did. We all know that now, but who has the ability to go back in
time and change the past, girl? I know I don’t.”
Zoya sighed while stirring potatoes around on her plate. “I don’t want to be in that kind of predicament. To know that, at any given time, my man whoever he might be, could have another woman on the side—another whole family—and still profess to love me.”
“So, you think every man is like your father?”
“I don’t want to think that but—”
“Dear, let me tell you something and you listen too, Amira. People—men and women alike—are going to do what they do. That’s just how it is. That doesn’t mean every man will be unfaithful. It just means you cannot control the actions of another person. Now, if you meet someone and you trust that person to the point where you feel like that could be the person you want to start a life with, then, by all means, do it. Don’t hold yourself back because of your father’s actions.”
“You’re right Ma,” Zoya said.
Amira agreed.
Chapter 22
He knew she was right for him. He felt it all the way to his bones. Why couldn’t she feel it, too? Or did she? Was that her reason for running back to Wilmington? To avoid him? He smiled just barely at the thought of her actually running to get away from him especially when she could be so easily found.
As he sat in the parking lot of her job, he strategized how he would approach her. Should he wait for her to come outside or go in? He wasn’t much into waiting, so he emerged from his car with the bouquet of spring flowers he’d purchased on the way there. Standing tall, he walked to the building with all the confidence in the world, anxious to see his woman.
Approaching the receptionist, he got information on the suite where Zoya’s company was located then took the elevator to the third floor. Once he stepped off, he saw the name of the company on a silver plate mounted on the wall outside of double glass doors so he knew he was at the right place.
He was immediately greeted by a woman at the front desk when he opened the door.
“How can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m here to see Zoya Champion.”
