Craig moved to the large wall-to-wall windows and stared out into the night, taking in the view of building rooftops and the busy streets below. Patricia knew of Toni, but not that he and Toni had reunited.
A twinge of guilt knotted his stomach. He had too much respect for Patricia not to be honest with her, and he loved Toni too much to mess around on her.
Craig turned when he heard the bedroom door open. Patricia walked out stylishly dressed in a short, long-sleeved dress that wrapped across her body and belted on one side, her wavy hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. She sauntered across the room to the mini bar and grabbed a bottle of water.
“Can I offer you something to drink?” she asked, her voice soft and tentative. Craig hated to see her like this, withdrawn and unsure. This was his fault. He knew when he got back involved with her that he wasn’t over Toni. He had hoped that spending time with Patricia would make him forget Toni, but that hadn’t happened.
“No, I’m good, why don’t we have a seat on the sofa.” He swept his hand in the direction of the sofa.
“I’d rather stand.” Her chin jutted out slightly and she gripped the bottle of water as if it were a lifeline.
Craig walked over and gently took her arm. He guided her to the sofa and they both sat. He wasn’t sure where to start. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs and his hands clasped together as he stared down at his long tapered fingers.
“There’s no sense in me asking if we’re breaking up since technically we were never a couple,” Patricia spoke softly, sadness fastened on each word.
“I’m sorry, Trish.” Craig turned to her. “I hope you know that I truly care about you and that I’ll always be here if you need me, but I’m still in love with Toni.” He turned away and re-clasped his hands in front of him, twisting the silver and black diamond ring he wore on his left pinky finger.
Silence fell between them and Craig wanted to say more, but had never been good at breaking up with women, though in this case, he and Patricia didn’t really have a commitment.
“I guess I should have known this day was coming. Good sex doesn’t promise a happily-ever-after,” she mumbled and fell back against the sofa. “You could’ve just called me on the telephone if you didn’t want to see me anymore.”
“No, I couldn’t have.” It sickened Craig to know he was hurting her. “Just because we didn’t have a commitment doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
She fingered the dangling earring hanging from her ear, her gaze on the section of the sofa between them. “Thanks,” she said simply, her eyes still lowered.
Craig turned fully in his seat. He lifted her chin with his index finger and forced her to look at him.
“You are a beautiful woman, and I know there is a great guy out there for you. Someone who can love you the way you deserve to be loved. Don’t settle, Trish. You deserve to have the happily-ever-after, and I’m sorry I can’t give you that.”
A small smile tilted the corner of her lip. “Thanks.”
Craig sat back on the sofa, glad they were able to talk like adults. Had it been anyone else, he might’ve wimped out and told her everything over the phone, but he knew Patricia would handle the news with grace and dignity. That’s who she was, and he truly hoped that one day she would find her Mr. Right.
“Well since I’m in town, can I at least get dinner or a drink?” She bumped her shoulder against his. “Or does your woman have you on a tight leash and you can’t hang out with a friend?”
Craig thought about Toni. My woman. “Nah, the least I can do is take you out for something to eat.” He stood and helped her up. “What do you have a taste for?”
“Actually, you’re in luck. Tonight I’ll keep it simple. All I have a taste for is a fat, juicy hamburger and some greasy onion rings.”
Craig grinned down at her. “Ahh, a cheap date, my favorite. I actually have the perfect place. Grab what you need and let’s go.”
***
Toni spun on the bar stool and glanced around the crowded pub. She hadn’t been there in months, but couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into a double cheeseburger with grilled onions and mushrooms.
Still glancing around the establishment, her gaze connected with a tall, chocolate muscle bound brother who looked as though he spent every waking hour at the gym. He smiled at her, revealing perfectly straight teeth and a dimple in each cheek. Definitely a cutie. She nodded and smiled back. A few weeks ago, she would have shot him her come-hither look and allowed him to buy her a drink, but that was before Craig. They’d been back together for almost eight weeks, and their love was growing stronger and stronger each day. Despite her telling Craig that she wanted to take things slowly, she wanted him in every way and right now, no one else would do.
She swung back to the bar just as the bartender asked her cousin for ID. At twenty-three, Jada didn’t look a day over eighteen and Toni laughed at the scowl she flashed the bartender.
“I’ll have you know that I’m twenty-three,” she spat out as she shoved her driver’s license at him.
A wolfish grin lit the bartender’s face when he glanced at her driver’s license. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you barely look old enough to drive, let alone drink. I meant no harm. Just doing my job.”
Jada straightened her back. Her breasts, barely hidden behind a low cut blouse stood at attention. She flashed her famous smile, the one that no man could resist. “I guess I should be flattered. Hopefully when I’m thirty, you’ll still card me.”
The bartender’s gaze raked across her body and then he leaned in close. “I’m sure I will. Your first drink is on me.”
Jada batted her long eyelashes and cupped her hand on top of his. “That’s so sweet. Thank you.”
Toni rolled her eyes. It wasn’t unusual for guys to hit on her and her cousins, but with Jada, it was inevitable. The girl was a walking billboard for anything designer, never going out in public unless her makeup was flawless, her nails were done, and she was dressed to the nines.
“Why are you leading that poor guy on when you know you’re not going to give him any play?” Toni whispered.
Jada leaned in close to her. “How else am I going to get my drinks free?”
Toni couldn’t help but laugh knowing that her cousin was serious. Jada’s life goal was to look good and marry rich. There were only two types of men she dated: Tall, good-looking and wealthy, and tall, good-looking and wealthier than the last. She expected to be wined, dined and presented with expensive gifts. If she thought a guy couldn’t meet those qualifications, she had no use for him.
“So where is everyone?” Jada asked, glancing at her diamond platinum watch, a gift from one of her recent boyfriends. “I thought we agreed to meet at seven-thirty, it’s almost eight o’clock.”
“Well, as usual, Peyton is still at the office trying to do one more thing, but she said she’d be here. MJ called and said she’ll be a couple of minutes late. She’s finishing up a job, building a porch for somebody.”
“I don’t know how that girl can leave one job and go to another. Talk about no social life.”
Martina and Peyton were two of the hardest working women Toni knew. While Peyton mainly worked the family business, as a carpenter, Martina was always working on projects for someone. Everything from remodeling a basement to building porches and decks, she was never without something to do.
“Everybody can’t be like you Jada. Some of us have to work for a living.”
Jada turned slightly in her seat. “And what’s that supposed to mean? I put in my eight hours. You think it’s easy lugging sheet metal around all day? Then I’m dragged down by a tool-belt that weighs a ton and don’t even get me started on those steel-toe boots that are murder on my pedicures.”
“Oh please, tell it to someone who hasn’t seen you in action. I’ll admit, you know your stuff when it comes to installing heating and air conditioning units, but you have all the guys who work with behaving like loafer-licking-lackeys. L
ast time I saw you on a job, some poor kid was carrying your tool belt, following behind you like a lost puppy. So don’t—”
“Sorry I’m late you two,” Peyton said sliding onto the bar stool next to Toni. “Christina called me just as I was leaving the office. She missed her flight and won’t be here until tomorrow morning.”
“Hold up,” Jada fumed, “you mean to tell me that I turned down a date to be here so that we could celebrate and her butt ain’t gon’ be here?”
“Yep, so I guess you’re stuck with us Your Highness.” Peyton called over the bartender. “Where’s MJ?”
“Late as usual,” Toni answered. “She’s on a side job but said she’d be here before eight.”
“Did you guys order yet?” Peyton glanced over the menu.
“Why are you studying the menu when you always order the same thing whenever we eat here?”
“Don’t start.” Peyton rolled her eyes at Toni before directing her attention back to the menu.
“To answer your question,” Jada piped in, “we were waiting for the rest of you to show up before we ordered, but considering you guys are always late, or in Christina’s case, rarely show up, I don’t know why we waited.”
Christina or CJ as everyone called her was a journeyman painter and Peyton’s little sister. Unlike the rest of their cousins, she was always traveling, sometimes gone for weeks at a time to exotic places like Paris and Thailand. Toni had no idea how she could afford to take so much time off and travel as much as she did on her salary.
“Don’t look now, Toni, but your man just walked in,” Jada whispered close to her ear.
Toni glanced over her shoulder and smiled at seeing Craig. What were the chances of them ending up at the same bar and grill? “I’ll be back,” she said to her cousins as she stepped down from the bar stool and pulled the hem of the red one-shoulder blouse down over the top of her black low-rise jeans. Two steps into her walk across the room, she stopped cold. A mounting rage started in her gut and spread through her body. Her fingers balled into a fist, and her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her teeth, unable to keep the bitter taste of fury from spewing out of her mouth. She willed Craig to look her way and within seconds, his eyes met her angry ones.
Toni’s gaze landed on the woman glued tightly to his arm and she summoned every ounce of control she could muster not to go over and snatch that hussy by her hair. Toni didn’t care if this woman were at least a foot taller than her. All she knew is that her stomach churned with the thought of how amazing Craig’s body felt under her touch and knowing another woman was experiencing the same pleasure made her want to spit nails. She didn’t know who she was more angry at, him or the wavy-haired vixen at his side.
So it’s like that, huh?
She spun on her heels intending to go back to her seat, but a firm grip on her arm stopped her. She glanced up to find the cutie she’d made eye contact with earlier.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked, his voice deep and raspy. His smile was sexy enough to make any woman take a second look.
Toni glanced back at Craig who whispered something to his date and then headed in her direction.
She turned back to Mr. Cutie with the deep voice. “I’d love to dance with you.”
***
Craig cursed under his breath when he saw Toni walk away with the guy who looked as if he should be on some football team’s offensive line guarding the quarterback.
“Is everything okay?” Patricia asked. “You seem a little tense.”
A little tense was putting it mildly. This was one of those moments he wanted to walk over and strangle Toni for overreacting. Didn’t she know by now that she was the only woman for him?
“Toni’s here and she saw me with you.”
Patricia followed his line of vision. “She’s cute. I can see why you’re infatuated with her. I can go and talk to her if you want.”
Craig glanced at Patricia as if she had two heads. He removed his arm from her grasp. “First of all, I’m not infatuated with her I’m in love with her. And secondly, I can speak for myself. I don’t need you to say anything to her.” The last thing he needed is for her to say anything to Toni.
He spotted Toni on the dance floor. Her hips swirled seductively in front of Muscle Head, not caring that she was making a spectacle of herself. Craig almost popped a vein when the guy wrapped an arm around Toni’s waist and pulled her close to the front of his body.
Okay, just calm down, don’t make a scene. She’s just doing this to get back at me. Craig knew he had to make Toni understand she was the only one for him, despite what the situation looked like, but right now he needed her off that dance floor.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Patricia said, her voice low and contrite. “I didn’t mean to sound flippant. I understand what it’s like to be in love with someone who might not understand how deep your feelings are.”
Craig held her gaze unsure of what to say. Was she saying that she was in love with him? How could that be? As far as he knew, he had never led her to believe that they were anything more than good friends, good friends with benefits.
“Trish, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m sure this is as awkward for you as it is for me.”
“Ya think?” she asked sarcastically. “I hope this all works out between you and Toni.” She released his arm. “You take care of yourself. I’ll find my way back to the hotel.”
“Wait.” Before she walked away, Craig grabbed her wrist. “You came with me, you leave with me. Why don’t you get us a table while I try to explain this to Toni. I’ll be right back.” He didn’t wait for a response; instead he glanced at Peyton and Jada and gave a head nod in greeting. Jada grinned, shook her head and turned back to her drink, whereas Peyton threw him a small wave. Craig appreciated them not stepping in, probably because they knew he could handle Toni.
He weaved around tables and sidestepped a few people until he arrived at the dance floor. Not bothering to say anything, he grabbed Toni by the elbow and led her away, shooting her dance partner a lethal glare.
“Craig, get your hands off of me.” Toni gritted her teeth. “Who do you think you are man-handling me like this?”
Craig didn’t stop until they were outside away from the entrance. “What in the hell is wrong with you?” he said and spun her around.
“Me?” She jabbed her finger into his chest. “You’re the one who came up in here with a woman hanging all over you.”
“She is just a friend, Toni, and she knows about you.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Toni paced in front of him, her hands on her hips and angry breaths escaping in short spurts. She stopped suddenly. “If she knows about me, I’d assume she knows that we were trying to put our relationship back together. And if that’s the case, she should have respected that fact and shouldn’t be out with you.”
“Come on Toni, you’re being unreasonable. She’s a friend who happens to be in town. I offered to buy her dinner, and that’s it.”
Toni threw up her hands. “Well then why are you out here with me? By all means go and buy her dinner.”
“Is everything all right out here? You okay, Toni.”
Craig turned to find Muscle Head standing a few feet away.
“She’s fine.” Craig started to turn back to Toni, but realized the guy hadn’t budged.
Muscle Head stared Craig down. Craig had to give him credit for not backing down, but he dealt with his kind every day. A guy who pretends to be a good guy to lure some unsuspecting female away and then has his way with her. Oh yeah, Craig knew his type.
“Actually, you can leave ‘cause this has nothing to do with you.” Craig tried like hell to maintain his cool when what he really wanted to do was slam the guy up against the wall and see if he was packing.
“He was talking to me, Craig, and I can speak for myself!” Though this wasn’t a laughing matter, Craig always found it interesting that whenever they argued, her pint-size self
would get in his face and talk tough.
“Come on Toni,” Muscle Head said, “let’s get out of here, maybe grab dinner or catch a movie.”
Craig turned fully to face the guy and stepped to him. “You must be crazy if you think I’m letting her go anywhere with you.”
“Excuse me!” Toni yanked on Craig’s arm, forcing him to face her. “You don’t get to say what I’m going to do or not do. You blew that when you walked in there with that … that … woman!”
“I’m not letting you go anywhere with this guy!” Craig roared.
“Stop it you two! You’re making a scene,” Peyton said and yanked on both their arms. “Toni, come back inside and quit being silly.”
Toni ignored Peyton and continued to glare at Craig. “No, I think I’m going to take Anthony up on his offer of dinner and a movie.”
“And I said you’re not going anywhere with him!” Craig grabbed her upper arm to keep her in place.
Toni jerked back, her eyes stretched wide. Craig couldn’t believe he saw fear in her eyes. Did she honestly think he would hurt her? He released her arm and tried to rein in his temper, his heart pumping like a ticking time bomb within his chest. He pulled in a deep breath, his lungs filled with air, and then he released it slowly.
“I know you’re mad at me and you have every right to be,” he finally said. At that moment, Patricia stepped outside. At first he thought she would approach them, but was grateful when she hung back. “Listen, baby, I don’t want you to go anywhere with him. It’s not safe. Don’t do this just because you’re angry at me.”
Peyton grabbed hold of the back of Toni’s shirt when she started to move away from Craig. “Toni, this is no time to be stubborn. “You don’t know this guy. How are you even thinking about going anywhere with him?”
Toni pulled out of Peyton’s grasp. “I know all I need to know. Besides, I’m single and can date whoever I want.” She moved toward Anthony but stopped and turned. “Oh and Peyton tell Jada I have a ride home.”
Still the Best Woman for the Job Page 12
