by Anna Black
“Well,” he finally said, “on paper, November, everything looks good, but I don’t know. I need to check this cat out, babe.”
“So I can do it, babe?” she said, getting excited.
“Hold on now, I’m not saying yes. I’m saying let me meet with this cat and talk to him and look him in the eye. I have a few questions, and I need to check out his background, get some references on his character, and a few other things. And then, maybe,” he said.
November smiled. Maybe was good enough for her.
“November,” he continued, “I love you, babe, and even though I don’t think the time is right, I can see in your eyes how bad you want this. So, if this guy checks out . . .” He paused and looked at her. “Maybe, baby. Maybe.”
“Maybe is good enough, Tracy. You just don’t know how excited I am. I love you, baby, and I need your support.”
“Listen, if this cat checks out and you take this on, you can’t put us, our family, or our home on the back burner. I want a wife and a mother for my son. All this career and living out loud shit is cool for a single woman, not a married one. I’m not trying to hold you back, but you are my wife, and I need you to be here for us.”
“I understand that Tracy, and I can do both. I just don’t want to let my life pass me by without at least giving it a try.”
“I know, babe. We’ll see,” he said, turning his attention back to his food.
November watched him eat, happy that he was at least going to consider it. She was ecstatic that he hadn’t just said no. She knew in her heart that she would be able to work and take care of her family.
She knew she could do it.
Part Two
Chapter Twenty
“Listen, Trey, man,” Kendell said, “I can’t do this anymore. For one, it’s not right. Two, you are taking this too far. Three, I’ve done everything but rape her, so face it, man, she isn’t the one to cheat.”
“No. This is not over. It hasn’t been that long. I know she will break,” Tracy said.
“Look, man, I’m tired and I’m done. I look like a desperate idiot who has no morals, no values or respect. If I make another pass at her, she is gonna quit, Tracy. And November is a creative woman. I don’t want to lose her. Our business is doing well, and it is too important to the both of us to lose her now.”
“I won’t let her resign, Kendell. All I’m asking is for you to just take her out of town on this business trip and see if she gives. And if she doesn’t, that is it. I will leave it alone, and I will back off. I just gotta know that my wife is not gon’ let some man sweep her off her feet.”
“Why, Tracy? Why can’t you trust her and believe that she is a good woman? Tell me, why can’t you relax, man, and accept that your wife is not Brianna? You need to realize that that was one woman, and that bullshit was so long ago.”
“And what about Ana?”
“Man, you knew Ana was feeling Mike. She and Mike were off and on, on and off, so don’t even try it. Now they are happily married, not thinking about your ass, and you are stuck in the past, miserable, letting what went down with those tricks interfere with your life. Come on, Trey, something else has to be bothering you, man. You have a son with this woman. November is a good woman, and you are playing with fire, man. Dude, let it go. This has gone too far.”
“Oh, now you got a conscience? Back when you needed me to front you the dough to start your little business and get your company off the ground, it was all good. Now your shit is going well, and you wanna back out. I put up a lot of money for you, man. I put in your half and the half my wife brought to the table to make this dream of yours happen.”
“I know, Trey, and I will pay you back every dime. Back then, yes, I did go along with it, but all it was supposed to be was a little flirting and to try to seduce her. I did, and she didn’t go for it. Now you want me to take her out of town on some bogus business trip. That’s taking it too far. Now that I’ve gotten to know her, she is an awesome woman who loves you to death, and everyone but you can see that. Even if I ask her to go out of town, she’ll never go for that.”
“You don’t understand, Kendell. I love November, and I know she is a good woman. I just wanna be one hundred and ten percent sure. I just need to be absolutely sure.”
“By what means, Trey? You are setting her up and trying to make her fall for another man. I have pulled every trick I can think of, and she won’t give in. I’m telling you, if I cross the line again, she will resign. I will not let that happen. I am not doing this to her anymore.”
Tracy’s eyes narrowed. “You will do what you agreed you would do when I invested my money into your business. This isn’t over ’til I say it’s over, you got it?”
“Sorry, dawg, I’m done. And if you want to continue to do this to November, you go right ahead. She is a good woman. What man in his right mind would want to continue to play these games with his wife? I understood back then that you had some doubts and thought she was up to no good, and I understood your motive to want to put her to a test. But she didn’t fail, and somehow, I think for your own sick pleasure, you wanted her to so you could prove your little theory. But guess what, Trey, not all woman cheat.” Kendell got up to leave.
“Sit down!” Tracy demanded.
Kendell turned and looked at him. Tracy was obsessed. “Man, you have a problem.”
“You think I have a problem?” Tracy asked. “Man, you don’t know shit about me or what goes on in my life. You don’t know me like that, and this is business. You gon’ do what I tell you to do!” He stood up like he was challenging Kendell to walk out.
“I ain’t doing shit, partner!” Kendell retorted, not backing down. He looked Tracy square in the eye. He wasn’t interested in his games, and he didn’t want to continue to do what he was doing to November.
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Tracy asked. “That’s the real reason you’re backing out of our deal. It’s written all over your motherfucking face.”
“Trey, you are crazier than I thought you were. You need to get some help and stop creating all of these delusions in your head.”
“I’m not crazy, Kendell. I can see it in your eyes. You’re in love with my wife.”
“Whatever, man. I’m outta here.”
Kendell walked out of Tracy’s office. Why would Tracy say something like that? Yes, November was an exceptional woman. She was beautiful, intelligent, ambitious, and creative, and she had a great sense of humor. But above all things, she loved Tracy. Although he was an insecure, delusional idiot, she loved him.
Tracy had no idea what he had. November was faithful and true to him, and he wanted to turn her into a harlot. Kendell wished he had a woman that loyal to him in his life. He’d take care of her for sure and would never push some other man on her to prove a foolish point. If Tracy truly knew what he had, he’d stop the madness and appreciate it. He’d stop and thank God for sending him such an honest and dedicated woman.
In the beginning, when Kendell first agreed to do this, Tracy had him thinking that November was a scandalous, trifling adulteress he was trying to set up and catch in the act. After the first couple of weeks, however, Kendell started to see and realize that she was the exact opposite. She loved her family and her marriage, and she adored her son. All she talked about was her family, and she spoke highly of her husband. She always said how she was so proud of him for being such an honest, successful businessman.
At times, it made Kendell want to throw up when she spoke so highly of the man who paid him to seduce her. He wanted to just tell her, “Shut up. Your husband is slime, and the only reason you’re here is because he paid me.” He wanted so many times to just give her a hint or a heads-up, or send her an anonymous e-mail telling her the truth about the man she adored and respected so much, but at the same time, as he got to know her he didn’t want to hurt her.
If Tracy made her happy the way she said he did, that was all Kendell wanted for her. He began to look at November fo
r what she was, a good woman, and he knew she deserved better than Tracy. As much as he tried to fight it, he did start to have feelings for her. He got to a point where he avoided going into their office just to avoid her. He no longer wanted to go along with Tracy’s plan, because it was useless anyway. November would always set him straight. The last time he went for the so-called gusto that Tracy had masterminded, she had threatened to resign if he ever crossed the line with her again.
Tracy didn’t want to believe that it didn’t work. Trying to kiss her on the lips after a late dinner they had with a client got him a slap across the face. She had made it clear that she wasn’t going to tolerate his inappropriate behavior. She threatened to file suit for sexual harassment after slapping the shit out of him. She also told him, “If you ever try that shit again, I will tell my husband.” That made Kendell feel horrible, and he knew at that point there was no chance of him seducing her.
He regretted ever taking any money from Tracy, and he wished he would have never agreed to do what he did. None of it was worth it. He had grown to respect November, and he didn’t want to continue to look her in the face and be a part of her husband’s foolish schemes. He decided that he would give Tracy back his money by any means necessary to get him off his back. He knew that it was a stupid thing to do, but it was done, and he had to figure out something to fix it . . . without hurting November.
Chapter Twenty-one
“Hey, Kendell,” November said when he picked up the phone. “Tracy told me you called me and said something about a business trip to New York.”
Kendell was totally blown away that Tracy had proceeded to do what he had just told him earlier that day he wasn’t going to do. “A trip to New York?” he asked, taken off guard.
“Yes. I just got in, and Tracy said you called earlier.”
“Oh yes, the New York thing,” he said, trying to think of something to say. “Well, that isn’t set in stone yet, but there’s a possibility that we may have to fly out to New York for a couple of days. I’m still trying to work out some details, but I don’t know right now.” He had no intention of going to New York. Who in the hell does Tracy think he is? he wondered, looking around his office for his cell phone. He was going to call him as soon as he was done talking to November.
“Who is it for?” November asked.
“Um, it’s a potential client who is opening a new business in a few major cities. He may want us to handle his ads and slogans. He is swamped, and he may not be able to make it out here to Chicago so, like I said, I don’t know right now.”
“Okay, just keep me posted. I’m a mommy first, and I’ve got to talk to Tracy about it if I have to go out of town.”
“I’m sure you do,” he said sarcastically. She had to clear every second of her life with her crazy-ass husband, Kendell thought. “I will. Let me make a few calls, and I’ll get back to you soon, okay?”
“Okay, bye,” she said and hung up.
Kendell slammed the phone down and called Tracy immediately. “Man, what in the hell are you doing? I told you that I wasn’t going out of town and I told you that I’m not going to be a part of your sick games.”
“I am warning you, Kendell,” Tracy said, “you will finish what you started, or your so-called business will be over. Done. I will fuck things up so bad for you, you’ll be lucky to pump gas at Shell.”
“Tracy, what are you trying to prove, man? You think you got so much pull in Chicago that I’m supposed to just do what the fuck you say?” Kendell asked. His grip tightened on the phone.
“Do you not hear what I’m saying, Kendell? You know who I know, and you know what the fuck I can do to you and your little agency, newbie. So don’t try me, rookie.”
“Tracy, man, listen. I am not trying to go there with you, man. I just want you to leave it alone. November doesn’t deserve this. Man, she loves you.”
“And I guess we’ll see how much after this trip, won’t we?”
“After this trip, Tracy, I’m done. I swear, after this trip, I’m done. I did what the fuck you asked me to do, and I’m telling you it doesn’t matter if I take November to the moon. For some reason, she is hooked on you.”
“Well then, we won’t have anything to worry about, will we?”
“You’re right, we won’t.” Kendell hung up the phone. He was so fucking mad that he threw his cell phone and broke it. He looked at the phone for a moment or two, wondering what the hell he’d agreed to. Then the phone on his desk rang out, jerking him back to reality, and he felt like shit.
“Kendell Gordon,” he answered.
“Yeah, it’s me, Trey. I will be sending a package with your itinerary. When you get it, you call Novey and tell her the flight info. When y’all get there, there’s gonna be a mix-up with the reservation, and you’re gonna end up having one room.”
“Trey, man, November is never gonna go for that.”
“Don’t worry about her. Just don’t let her make another reservation. You make her think that you’re gonna call around and get another room. Let me handle November.”
“Then what?” Kendell asked.
“Then you romance her. I know you know how to do that, Casanova.” Tracy laughed.
“Tracy, for the record, if your marriage goes to shit, keep in mind that it was you, not her.”
“Let me worry about that. I’ll be in touch.” Tracy hung up.
Kendell got up and went over and picked up his broken cell phone. Taking a break, he left the office to buy a replacement. When he got back, the package was on his desk. He figured the receptionist had left it there for him before she left for the day.
Inside the package, he found a flight itinerary, the hotel confirmation, and $3,000 in cash. Tracy pulled out all the stops for Kendell to show November a good time, and that was exactly what he planned to do. He secretly hoped November would give in so she could be his and Tracy would leave her and get the hell out of the picture.
Kendell sat down and dialed November. She didn’t pick up her cell phone, so he dialed her house. Tracy picked up: the last person he wanted to talk to.
“Tracy, this is Kendell,” he said.
“Oh, hey, Kendell. What’s up, man? How are things?” he asked like they were the best of friends.
“I’m fine, Tracy. Where is November?”
“Oh, she’s right here. Hold on, I’ll put her on.”
November’s soft, sweet voice came on the line. “Hey, Kendell. How are you?”
“I’ve had better days,” he said and took a deep breath. “Um, listen, we are gonna have to go out to New York after all. This client is mad busy, so he agreed to pay for our flight, hotel, meals, et cetera. Are you up for a trip?”
“Not really, but if you really need me to go, I guess I have to, huh?”
“Actually, the client is requesting you. He says that you come highly recommended.”
“Oh, really?” November said. “This could be just what our company needs to compete with the heavy hitters.”
“Yes, ma’am. So, you’re going?”
“Of course. I just need to run this by Tracy, which won’t be a problem, because I told him earlier that there was a chance and he was okay with it.”
I’ll bet he was. “Well, we are scheduled to leave tomorrow. He’ll let us know when he can fit us into his schedule when we get there.”
“What type of company is it? So I can prepare.”
“Cosmetics is all I know for now. This client is so big he only wants to deal face-to-face.” It killed him to keep on lying to her.
“Okay then, what time tomorrow?”
“Early. Our flight leaves at eight a.m.” he said, reading from the itinerary.
“Okay. I’ll have Tracy bring me to the airport.”
“Well, I can pick you up if you like,” he offered.
“That’s up to you.”
“I’m just saying, so he doesn’t have to drag your son out that early. We have to be there two hours before departure.”
<
br /> “Okay. Well then, I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “Oh, Kendell, for how long?”
“Well, the reservations are for three days.”
“Three days? Damn.”
“I know, right?”
“Well, I guess that’s just the way it is. I sure hope this client is worth it,” she said.
Kendell wanted to say, “Nope. He’s your typical asshole,” but he resisted.
Chapter Twenty-two
November hated to kiss her son good-bye the morning she left for New York, and she had to drag herself away from her husband’s embrace. Kendell picking her up was a good idea because she didn’t want to get TJ up that early. She rubbed his sleeping face for the final time and headed for the door. Tracy had loaded her bags into Kendell’s Lexus.
“I’m gonna miss you guys,” November said, giving Tracy another soft kiss and a tight hug.
“I’m gonna miss you too,” he said, giving her a warm smile.
“Are you sure you guys will be okay?”
“Yes. I can handle my son for a few days, Novey,” he assured her. “Stop worrying.”
“I know, but I’ve never left him for days before, Tracy. What if—”
Tracy cut her off. “Shhh,” he said, putting his finger over her lips gently. “We will be fine. If I need help, I’ll call your sister. She’s a baby professional,” he joked.
November smiled. “Okay, okay. I’m just gon’ miss you guys.”
“And we are gonna miss you. Now go before you miss your flight,” he said, opening the car door. “Now, Kendell, you take care of my wife. I don’t wanna have to kill you.” He winked at Kendell.
Yeah, you want me to take care of her all right. “I gotcha, Trey,” he said.
“I love you, baby,” Tracy said, giving November a final kiss.
“I love you too, Tracy,” she said.
Kendell looked away to avoid watching them interact with each other. He felt like slapping the shit out of Tracy’s phony ass.
“Bye,” he said to Tracy and shut the door.
