by Carrie Macon
She was still in shock and her anger was just at the boiling point.
“Why are you talking to me like this?”
“Because it seems as though it’s the only way to get your attention. I didn’t force you to come out here. You could have said no.”
She tried to snatch her hand out of his but he wouldn’t let go.
“Don’t ever talk to me that way again. You don’t know me like that. And if you did you’d know that I don’t take kindly to people talking to me like I’m some kind of idiot or using that type of language because trust me I can curse like a sailor too but I choose not to. Now let me go.”
“No.”
“No? Did you just say no?”
“That’s exactly what I said.”
“Zackary, I am trying really…hmm.” She pinched the insides of her eyes together. “Please let me go.” He could see that she was getting more upset but it was at least some kind of reaction. He let her go but they weren’t finish yet.
“Why are you acting as though last night meant nothing?”
“It was just a dance and a kiss Zackary.” She knew it was more than that but what good was it to acknowledge when she had no intentions of responding to it, should it happen again.
“Just a dance Shyla? Just a kiss?” he shook his head. She couldn’t have meant that. “So it meant nothing to you right?”
“That’s right. It meant not-”
He grabbed her before she could continue her sentence and before she could react he forced his lips upon hers. She didn’t pull back or try to get away. In fact she gave to him as good as he gave to her. The kiss meant more than what she was letting on. They both felt it. They both wanted more. She opened her mouth to him and let his tongue explore her mouth just as she did to his. She moaned and moved in closer. He pulled her farther into his embrace and she welcomed it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, he threaded his hands through her curls and latched on, not ready to let go. They were hungry for one another. This was just the beginning. He would have her completely. When he pulled back and looked into her face her eyes were closed and her lips were swollen, her face gleamed. She was beautiful, looked like she had just been made love to.
“That one meant nothing either?”
She had to catch her breath while wiping the smudged gloss from around the outside of her lips. Why couldn’t he just leave it where it was? He had to question her and she had an answer for him.
“Nothing.”
“You’re a liar and a coward. No one kisses another person the way you just did if the kiss meant nothing.”
She turned and walked away. He called after her.
“Shyla? Shyla? Damn.” He cursed. “So you’re just going to keep walking?”
She never turned to acknowledge him. She started to run and after a while he no longer had her in his view. The tears rolled down her face. She couldn’t stop crying. What had she done?
Zackary kicked at the sand. Why didn’t he run after her?
Chapter Five
The rest of the trip was a bust for Shyla as well as for Zackary. For the next couple of days he went back to the Lounge where he saw Shyla the first day of his trip. She never showed. He stayed around the bar talking to anyone he thought who may have seen her. The bartender said he hadn’t seen her since the night at the club. He was the bartender there too. Zackary went as far as going to her hotel and sitting in the lobby waiting for her but she never came out. He knocked on her door a few times. When he decided to give up the door came open. It wasn’t Shyla.
“Hey Zackary.”
“Hey. How is she?” he looked over Kemah’s shoulder into the suite.
“She hasn’t left the hotel since she left you on the beach.” Kemah looked towards the bedroom door. “She hasn’t eaten very much either but she’s okay.” She wouldn’t tell him that she’d been crying since that day. “I’d ask you in but I already know how she’ll react.”
“I understand. I just wanted to make sure she was okay. I should have gone after her when she took off but she would have welcomed it a whole lot less.”
“Maybe! Just give her a little time. She’s been through a lot, but for what it’s worth, I think she’d be very lucky to have you.”
“Well, I want to thank you for saying that, but I think I would be the lucky one. Did she get the flowers?”
“Yes she did. They are beautiful.” He didn’t see them around and he wondered if she had kept them or threw them away. Kemah saw his wondering eyes. “She has them in the room with her.”
He nodded. At least that was something. “Okay. I’m going to go. My old school mates are having a bonfire tonight and I said I’d make an appearance. It was really nice meeting you Kemah,” he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“It was really nice meeting you, too. Do me a favor, don’t give up on her.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” They smiled at one another then he left.
Shyla was standing in the door way of her room when Kemah closed the door.
“That was Zackary. He came to see how you were doing.”
“I heard. Thank you.”
“For what, Shy? You can’t keep doing this. If I thought he was a jerk like Simon I would be the first to tell you so, but he’s not and he really care for you. Please don’t let this opportunity pass you by.”
They both stared at one another for a long while. Kemah was pleading with her eyes but Shyla wasn’t ready to give in. She turned on her heels and went back to her room.
Kemah dropped onto the sofa. She had to find a way to help her friend. She didn’t see this kind of thing happening for her own self. No her time had passed. But Shyla needed Zackary and Zackary needed Shyla.
Three days later Shyla and Kemah were back at home, tending to their busy lives. Shyla jumped into her work with both feet taking on more clients than her normal share. She received voicemails from Zackary at least twice daily, several times a week for two solid weeks and then they stopped. After a month she started missing Zackary and his calls to try and get her to go out with him or just spend an evening at his home in town or the one at Napa Acres in Napa, California. As much as she wanted to call she decided against it. She didn’t want her cousin and her cousin’s husband to know what was going on.
“Hey girl? It is going to be hot today.”
“Hey Kee.” Shyla seemed tired and out of sorts.
“What wrong, sweetie?” She walked up to her rubbing her back.
“Nothing.” she winced as if she was in pain.
“You’re sure? You look tired and worn out. I know that you have been taking on a lot more work than you would normally do so I know that something is up.” She pulled up a chair next to Shyla but Shyla wouldn’t look at her.
“Look at me and tell me what’s wrong. It’s not like you to just sit around day after day not saying anything, not wanting to go anyplace. Something is wrong and I want you to tell me what it is right now.”
She huffed and blew out some air. “I miss him Kee. I don’t know what to do. He stopped calling me.”
“I know. I know. Did you ever return any of his calls?”
She put her head down because she knew Kemah was ready to fuss. “You already know that I didn’t return any of his calls. And before you start lecturing me I’ve already done that a million times. I just didn’t think one day he’d up and stop calling.”
“Of course you didn’t think that. In fact you didn’t think at all.”
“Okay Kemah I know this already. I asked for no lectures. I’ve done that to myself, remember.”
“Yeah, but it sounds so much better coming from someone else. More effective, don’t you think?” Shyla dropped her head back on the table. “Why don’t you call him and invite him to lunch today?”
“I don’t think he’ll talk to me.”
“You won’t know if you don’t call to find out.”
“The man called me two weeks straight after we returned from Jamaica and I wouldn’t ev
en return his calls. I find myself dreaming about us being together, daydreaming about him, throughout the day. Do you know that sometimes when I’m massaging people I fantasize that it’s him lying on the table, completely nude and ready to take me in his arms and fill me with him. Damn. I would make him feel so good,” she confessed. She was so miserable.
“Ugh. Snap out of it girly. That’s a little bit too much information even for me. But I do understand what you’re saying. Shy you look so sad. Take the rest of the day off and get some rest. Pamper yourself and invite him over or out to dinner. Do something, dear heart. I know he would appreciate it and you would feel so much better when you do.”
“And what reason would I give that I had not been able to return his calls?”
“Tell him the truth. That you were being a complete ass and that you’ve come crawling on your hands and knees begging for his forgiveness.” Kemah laughed at her own joke. “Okay, no. You tell him that you have taken on such a large workload that you haven’t had time to yourself let alone anyone else.” She looked at her amusingly. “Well it’s not the complete truth but it’s also not a complete lie. You have taken on a lot more clients than you normally would have.” Kemah picked up the phone. “Call him.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Now Shy,” she handed her the phone. “Your next appointment is at 1:30 so you have plenty of time. I still think you should take a few days off. It will do you some good.”
“What about my other clients? I can’t just cancel on them. We just got back from vacation.”
“That’s been over a month. You’re entitled to take a couple of days off work for yourself especially since you are the owner. You have a complete and competent staff working for you that will help with your workload. Besides, you have worked every day of the week in the past six weeks except for Sunday. That isn’t healthy.”
“I know you’re right. I’ll go and use the phone in my office and then I’ll take the rest of the day off. Do you mind doing Mr. Pickett when he gets in?”
“No. Mr. Pickett is one fine man,” Kemah stood back licking her lips.
“He’s also dating Mr. Branchard.”
“Ugh. That’s not good.” Shyla shook her head. “Oh well you win some you lose some.”
“Thanks Kee.”
“No problem. You’ll owe me when I get into this same rut.”
“I’ll look forward to repaying you.”
“And I’ll be happily reaping the rewards.”
“Good afternoon, Zack’n’Felt Veterinarians, how may I help you?”
“Good afternoon. Is Dr. Trellis in?”
“I’m sorry but Dr. Trellis is out of the office until the 15th but Dr. Childress is in. Would you like to speak with him?”
“No!” she said in a rush. That was the last person she needed to talk to. “Thank you very much. I’ll try him on his cell phone.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am. Enjoy your day.”
“You do the same.”
The operator thought Shyla was very pleasant but she rushed off the phone before she could ask who she was.
It was like her world had just been put on hold. What will she do now? Zackary had left and there wasn’t any way to reach him. She had gambled and lost. Not a very good feeling. Shyla waited a few minutes to compose herself she had to have another number for Zackary. He had hers, not sure how he got it though. She looked through her cell and there it was his cell number. She really did have it. But how did she get it? Had she saved it one of the times he had called? At this point she didn’t care it was there and she was going to use it. She dialed and waited for the phone to ring. Please answer, please answer. It was the third ring when it was answered, but Zackary wasn’t on the other end. Her hopes plunged even more.
“Hello,” the silky sultry voice said. Shyla was hoping for a wrong number. “Hello,” came again through the phone line.
“I’m sorry. I must have the wrong number.”
“This is Venice. Who are you trying to reach?”
“I am trying to reach Zackary. Zackary Trellis.” Please, please, please be the wrong number, she thought.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Shyla was relieved, but it was short lived. “I must have picked up his phone by mistake this morning. This is his number. He must have mine. He’s not available at the moment would you like to leave a message? I’ll make sure that he gets it.”
“No. Thank you just the same. I’m sorry to have disturbed you.”
The woman thought she heard a whimper. “Are you alright, Miss?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I better let you go. Again, I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” She hung up. “Well it sure didn’t take him long to find someone else. That definitely wasn’t a white woman’s voice.”
“It’s not a…hello…hell…o!” Venice shrugged her shoulders and closed the phone. “That was strange.”
“What was strange?” Zackary had just walked into his parent’s family room.
“First I have to apologize. I took your phone by mistake this morning. It looks so much like mine.”
“Yeah, I figured that out. Braxton called. When I answered he said ‘hey baby, what are you wearing?”
Venice laughed. “And what was your answer?”
“I told him he didn’t want to know.” They both laughed.
“Anyway, I answered your phone and I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Who was it?”
“That’s what was so strange. It was a woman but she wasn’t sure it was your phone. When she found out it was she apologized for disturbing me and hung up. I could have sworn that she was holding back crying. She didn’t leave a name or number just hung up.”
“Huh. That is strange. What about the caller I.D?”
“Private.” She glared at him. “Is there something going on that you don’t want anyone to know about?”
“No!”
“Come on now. Are you sure? A woman calls your phone and crying because she can’t reach you. Or maybe she thought I was your woman. Now that would be a disaster. Did something happen in Jamaica that changed your mood when you got back? Brax said you called one night and you were so happy, even he was happy. But you’ve been down since you’ve been back. What’s happened since then? Is it a woman?” She winked. Venice was a character and she didn’t let up until she got answers. She grew up with the Trellis children. They were not the best of friends in the beginning but as they got older they couldn’t let one another go. It was taking Zackary too long to answer. “Well?”
“Yes. It’s a woman.” He fell into his father’s easy chair.
“You don’t sound all that happy about it.”
“Nothing happened the way I wanted it.” He was quiet for a minute.
“You know, Zack, I’m a very good listener if you want to talk. Ask your brother, he can vouch for me.”
He smiled. “I know you are, sis. I guess I shouldn’t have expected this woman to be any different than Gloria. She’s not committed.” Zackary scratched his head. “Who am I kidding? Shyla is nothing like Gloria. Besides I’ve already fell for her. She seems to have a problem with me. Sis, am I boring or something, a square. I was a little nerd back in junior high and high school.”
“Stop it.” Venice tried to control the laughter that was bubbling up inside her. “What kind of problem? What could she possibly have against you? And no there is nothing wrong with you. And I definitely can’t picture you ever being a nerd.”
“Well I was. Ask the fellas. They’ll tell you. It was only because of them that I didn’t get bullied. Would you mess with my brothers?”
“Hell no! They both scared the heck out of me when I met them. Now you, were an angel, but Bren and Brax, I think they got excited every time I came around just so they could pick at me.”
“You were easy. Braxton picked on you because he liked you, Brennan picked on you because he knew that Braxton liked you.”
“Is that right?”
Zackary laughed. �
��Yeah. You see it didn’t last very long. Braxton told Brennan it was time to stop the clowning because you were going to be his woman.”
“That’s why they stopped picking at me?” Zackary nodded. “I never knew.”
“Yep that was the reason. So now back to my problem. I can feel the connection and I know that she can too but she acts as though she wants to be left alone. I was sure that those kisses we shared in Jamaica would seal our fate but looks like it only scared her farther away.”
“You’ve kissed her?” Venice fanned herself. “It must have been nice.”
Zackary smiled. “It was very nice. It almost floored me. I think she got a little scared when that first kiss, almost turned into something more. We were on the dance floor.” He shook his head. “If we had been anywhere else I wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation with you.”
“Why don’t you try to call her, Zack? Maybe there’s something she wants to talk to you about.”
He shook his head. “Why would she? She hasn’t wanted to speak to me since before we left Jamaica. I’ve called her several times since then, left message after message, even sent flowers. She hasn’t responded. This is the first time she’s contacted me in over a month, if that was even her. Let her stew a little while. When I’m ready, if I ever get ready to call her again, I will.
“Zack. I can tell you have strong feelings for this woman. I see it in your eyes every time you mention her name. Even if the incident wasn’t pleasant your eyes light up when you think about her. What’s her name again?”
“It’s Shyla. Shyla Wilkes.” He grinned, almost laughed. “She’s a pistol.”
“Is she as pretty as her name suggest?”
He nodded. “She’s beauty at its finest, more beautiful than one can imagine. And I mean inner beauty as well as outer beauty. She doesn’t wear make-up. Maybe a little mascara at times but nothing more, she doesn’t need it. She has the perfect mouth, a perfect set of white teeth. Remember that Colgate commercial when we were growing up and the woman brushed her tongue across her teeth? Those are the kind of teeth Shyla has. Beautiful.” He was hooked. He seemed to be in a faraway place.
