by Tina Martin
“I’ll call her now. Are you going to talk to Desmond?”
“Not now. I’m too irritated to talk to him right now. He’ll be by the house later. I’ll talk to him then.”
“Okay. Well, let me call Sherita.”
“’Kay, baby. I love you, Emily.”
“Love you too, Dante. Bye.”
CHAPTER 32
Sherita glanced at her phone seeing Emily’s picture and name on the display. She could barely hang up with Dante and Emily was already calling. And she knew why.
“Hello,” Sherita answered.
“What do you mean you’re not coming back?”
“Emily—”
“This has to be a joke. You’re joking, right.”
“No, Emily. I’m not joking. I’m not coming back. I told you I was leaving last Friday. Why are you acting like you’re surprised now?”
“Because when I talked to you a few days ago, you said everything was okay, so I thought you and Desmond had straightened things out.”
Sherita closed her eyes. Rubbed them. “I’m staying here in Myrtle Beach. That’s what I should’ve done in the first place instead of getting involved in this stupid marriage nonsense for The Champion Corporation. That’s my fault. I’m the idiot for doing that. Now, I’m doing something about it.”
“But that has nothing to do with me or our friendship. You’re punishing the rest of the family for something somebody else did to you.”
“I’m not punishing you.”
“That’s exactly what you’re doing, Sherita!”
“So we can’t be friends long distance? Is what you’re saying? I don’t understand why you’re upset, Emily.” Then she snapped. “Why do you want me to come back to Asheville? Seems everybody wants me for something, but it’s never anything genuine. I mean, are you afraid you won’t find anyone to work at your boutique anytime you need them, because I’m sure Dante will take care of that for you. You have a nanny. You don’t need my babysitting services. So why do you want me to come back?”
“Because you’re my friend, and I love you.”
A tear slid down Sherita’s face. She sniffled and brushed it away. “I’m not coming back. I’m done…done doing everything for everybody else, making other people lives happier and easier and what do I get in return? Not a thing as usual. Goodbye, Emily.”
Sherita hung up the phone and dropped her face into her hands, sobbing. She was close with Emily. She was close with Melanie, too, and then it dawned on her – what about Ezra and Grace? If she never went back, she wouldn’t see them grow up.
And they wouldn’t get to know their twin cousins she was carrying inside of her.
CHAPTER 33
How could I have been so oblivious before? Desmond shook his head, frustrated at himself for not being there for the woman he loved. She needed him, and he had all the means to help her but hadn’t done a thing to assist her. Well, he’d done a few things, but not as much as he could have. No wonder she didn’t think he loved her. His actions hadn’t been speaking louder than his words. That’s why, for the rest of the week, he’d been working tirelessly to do things he knew would help her greatly. He’d tracked down her parents, Lewis and Carol Wilkins and paid off the remaining balance on their mortgage. Now they owned their house free and clear, and Sherita didn’t have to worry about making their mortgage payments any longer.
Next, he called his realtor to line up some commercial properties that would make an excellent home for a portrait studio. Sherita would be back on Friday night and Saturday, he would take her around to look at some properties. She was upset with him at the moment, but once she saw how he had been thinking about her, the anger she felt would soon vanish.
* * *
Desmond glanced at his watch. She should’ve been here by now, he thought. Sherita told him she wasn’t coming back, but he thought for sure she’d be here at Dante’s house tonight for dinner, if for nothing else, to see Emily, Melanie and the babies.
Dante discreetly watched Desmond sit alone, withdrawn, glancing at his watch and his phone, waiting for her. He wasn’t his normal, talkative self. Wasn’t into the game tonight. And he knew why.
“Des, you want to shoot this round?” Dimitrius asked, holding a cue stick.
“No. I’m good,” Desmond said.
Dante sighed heavily. “Desmond, she’s not coming.”
Desmond sat up tall. “What are you talking about?”
“Sherita. She’s not coming back,” Dante said. “Did she not tell you that?”
“She did, but…I thought she was saying it out of anger. Did she tell Emily she wasn’t coming back?”
“She did, after she called me. She wanted me to make arrangements to have someone drive her car to the beach and drive your car back.”
Desmond stood up, turned away from Dante before turning around again. “Thanks a lot, Dante. Thanks for having my back,” he said angrily.
“Why are you getting upset with me? You need to be mad at yourself. You did this!” Dante snapped.
Emily and Melanie rushed over to see what all the commotion was about while Desmond headed for the door, kicking over a chair.
“You need to stop blaming everyone else for your own mistakes and insecurities, Desmond.”
Desmond stopped in his tracks, turned around and looked at his brother with rage in his fiery eyes.
“That’s right, I said it,” Dante continued. “I handed Sherita to you on a platter, but you’re too thick-headed to realize you actually love her because love isn’t your thing. You let the best thing that has ever happened to you slip away because you’re set in your own ways.”
Frowning, Desmond slowly walked back towards the pool table. “What do you mean you handed her to me on a platter?”
Deciding to come clean, Dante said, “I made the whole thing up, Desmond. Victor could give a crap about your marital status. I lied…made the whole thing up because I knew you liked Sherita but all you ever did was avoid her. So, I thought if I convinced you two to marry, then you would fall madly in love and realize you were soul mates…that you belonged together. But my plan failed because while she fell in love with you, you could not care less about her.”
“That’s not true,” Desmond said, shaking his head.
“It is true. If it wasn’t true, why aren’t you over there right now, trying to get her back? Why am I making arrangements to have your jeep picked up?”
“I don’t need you to make any arrangements on my behalf. I’ll go and get my own car.”
“Actually, I decided to come get my car, so here are your keys,” Sherita said.
Desmond turned around so quickly, he almost broke his neck. He watched her hold his keys out in front of her, extending her arm towards him.
No one had seen her come in and the look of surprise on their faces said they hadn’t expected to see her.
At that moment, Desmond didn’t care about the keys, the car or anything else. He only cared about her. It had been a long, lonely week without seeing her face, touching her body, holding her. He didn’t care how angry she was. Her anger couldn’t compare to how much he’d missed her. So, walking towards her, he said, “I’ve missed you.”
“Just take your keys, Desmond.”
Desmond took the keys and shoved them in his pocket.
“Where are mine?”
“At home,” he told her.
“Figures…guess I’ll have to get it with the rest of my stuff.” When Sherita turned to walk away, he reached for her arm, grabbed hold of her and said, “I know you’re bitter, and you have every right to be.”
Sherita snatched her arm away from him and said, “Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me again.”
“Sherita—”
“I have to go,” she said, walking away without speaking to anyone else. She came to the house for one reason, and that was to give Desmond his keys back and get hers. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone else.
Catching up to her in the dining room, D
esmond said, “You got a chance to scream in my ear and tell me everything you needed to tell me. Now it’s my turn to say what I need to say to you.”
“You sure? Your family is around.”
“Do I look like I care? I need to talk to you, Sherita.”
“Why? Whatever it is you have to say won’t change anything.”
Desmond squeezed his eyes together tightly. “Okay. I know I messed up with you and for that I apologize. And I know I’ve been acting crazy and doing all kinds of weird things, and everything you said about me is right. I am a jerk, and I’m sorry, Sherita. I’ve never been in love before, and I don’t know…if…” He couldn’t find the right words. “All I know is, I don’t want to lose you, Sherita,” he said, taking a step closer to her. “I don’t want to fight with you. I want to love you. I miss you.”
She shook her head. “It’s too late, Desmond.”
“Why is it too late?”
“Because I don’t love you anymore.”
An ache slammed into his chest, nearly knocked him off balance.
I don’t love you anymore.
Those were words he’d never thought she’d say. She may as well had driven a knife through his heart. For a long while, he just stood there, dazed, feeling a chill consume his core. The room was quiet, too quiet, until Grace’s faint cry grabbed Melanie’s attention.
Melanie walked away to get her.
“Well, I guess there’s nothing left to be said,” Desmond’s lips quivered. He walked outside, jumped inside of his jeep and drove away, heading for home. She hurt him to his core, and he imagined she was hurting just as equally, if not more. But if she didn’t love him, then there was nothing he could do about it. He’d never chased after a woman before, and he wasn’t about to start now. Women chased him. Not vice versa.
CHAPTER 34
“Does anyone care to give me a ride to my hotel, or are we just going to stand around in shock?” Sherita asked.
Dante frowned, not at her straightforwardness and sarcasm but at her demeanor. Desmond had done a real number on her, so much so that she was expressing her anger in ways she probably never had before.
Melanie tilted her head to the side. Who was this woman and what happened to the Sherita Wilkins she knew? The one who was sweet and loveable?
“You know what…forget it. I’ll call a taxi,” Sherita said.
Dimitrius shook his head. Desmond had dug a hole for himself, and he knew his brother had crossed over into uncharted waters where Sherita was concerned. Desmond had never given his heart to a woman, but the one woman he wanted to give it to, he had acted upon it too late. Now, she had fallen out of love with him.
“First of all, you’re not calling a taxi, and you’re definitely not staying at a hotel, Sherita,” Emily said. “Second, we need to talk.”
Sherita pushed out a bitter exhale.
“Dimitrius, let’s go check on Desmond,” Dante said.
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Once the men were out of the door, Emily said, “Let’s go in the family room with Melanie and sit down for a minute.”
Sherita followed her there, sat down on the sofa, watching Melanie rock Grace to sleep.
“I know all of this has been difficult for you,” Emily said.
“You think you know,” Sherita said. “You don’t know the half.”
“I know you love Desmond—”
“I don’t. Didn’t you just hear me tell him that?”
“I heard you, but I don’t believe you.”
Sherita hid her face with her hands, trying to keep tears at bay but to no avail. Of course she loved him. His babies were growing inside of her. How could she not love their father? “I’m so stupid,” Sherita cried.
Melanie scooted closer to her and said, “You’re not stupid, Sherita.”
“I am. I don’t know why I allow myself to keep falling for the same kind of man. The wrong kind.”
“But Sherita, he just told you how he felt about you, and you shot him down completely.”
“Because I know a lie when I hear one. He would’ve never married me if he’d known Dante set this up.”
“Maybe not, but he did, and I think he really cares for you.”
“How can he, Emily? You know Desmond as well as I do.”
“Nah…I don’t know him as well as you do,” Emily quipped.
“You know what I mean,” Sherita said, smiling through her pain. Desmond has always maintained that he never wanted a wife, and he definitely didn’t want children, and now, he has those things.”
“Wait…what?” Melanie asked.
“What do you mean he has those things? Desmond doesn’t have any children unless you’re—” Emily’s mouth dropped open. “Sherita are you—”
“Pregnant?” Sherita finished saying for her. “Yes. I’m pregnant.”
“Oh my gosh!” Emily exclaimed.
Melanie was just was excited. “Congratulations!”
“Yes! Congrats!” Emily said. Then, staring at Sherita’s stomach, she continued, “You don’t even look pregnant. Your stomach is as flat as a deflated balloon.”
“I’m only three months, Emily. You’ve been through this process. You know you don’t start showing until around five or six months.”
The women encircled Sherita with a hug.
“Does Desmond know about the baby?” Emily asked.
Sherita shook her head.
“You do know you have to tell him, right?” Melanie said.
“I do, and I will. I just need to do it on my own time. I have to figure out a plan on how we’re going to co-parent before I approach him with it.”
“So you’re still planning on living in Myrtle Beach? Permanently?”
“Yes.”
Tears came to Emily’s eyes. “It’s not fair, Sherita. I always thought our children would grow up together.”
“Me too,” Melanie said. “And I don’t care what he says. Desmond loves kids. You’ve seen him with Grace.”
Sherita smiled. “If only he could love his own child that way.”
“I agree with Melanie,” Emily said. “There’s no way Desmond would give up his child. Let’s face it…he claimed he never wanted to fall in love, but he just declared his love for you in front of us.”
“It wasn’t an actual declaration of love. He was just doing what he felt he had to do like he always does.” Sherita said. “And then Dante…” Sherita shook her head. “Dante made up this marriage thing just so me and Desmond could get together. Why is your husband always doing something behind the scenes?”
“He said it was because he knew Desmond liked you,” Emily said.
Sherita furrowed a brow. “So you knew about this all along?”
“No,” Emily said, palms up. “I thought it was a genuine concern of his…thought he really needed y’all to be married in order to secure that deal. I tried to talk him out of it…told him I didn’t think it was a good idea at the time, but he persisted.”
Sherita smirked. “I remember how persistent Dante can be.”
Emily chuckled, recalling how Dante had pursued her. “Don’t worry, Rita…I’m going to strangle Dante first chance I get.”
The women laughed.
“Leave Dante alone,” Melanie said. “He’s the reason why me and Dimitrius got together. I will always be grateful to him for that.”
Sherita cracked a half smile. “Well at least it worked out for you, Melanie.”
“It could work out for you too, Sherita,” Melanie told her.
“It will work out,” Emily said. “I doubt very seriously if Desmond Champion has ever admitted to loving anyone, and he says he loves you. Something tells me he’s not done with you, Sherita, especially when he finds out you’re carrying his child.”
Sherita sighed heavily. Something had told her the same thing.
CHAPTER 35
He drove his jeep home for the first time in a week. In the passenger seat, he saw an envelope containing th
e money he’d given her. I don’t love you anymore. He never thought it would come to that. Giving her a few days at the beach alone had driven them apart instead of doing the opposite. Now, he was paying the price for breaking a woman’s heart.
I don’t love you anymore.
Desmond poured a shot of vodka then tossed it back to his throat. Sherita was the only woman he loved, the only woman he cared for. And she said she didn’t love him…
He sat on a barstool in his kitchen, his elbow resting on the countertop, his hands covering his face.
“Des, where you at, man?” Dimitrius shouted from the living room.
“I’m in the kitchen,” he said, unenthusiastically. He didn’t even glance up when Dimitrius and Dante stepped in.
“He got the Grey Goose out. That’s not a good sign,” Dimitrius said.
Dante walked over to the cupboard and took out a couple of shot glasses. He bought them over to the island, then poured a shot for himself and Dimitrius.
“No need for you to be in here drinking alone, man,” Dante said after tossing a shot back.
Dimitrius took one down, too.
“I really screwed up with her,” Desmond admitted.
“This is all my fault,” Dante said. “I should not have tried to put you guys together. I thought I was doing what was best for my little brother because I knew you wouldn’t make a move.”
“How could you be so sure?” Desmond asked with worried, pinkish eyes, turning to the right to look at Dante.
“Because I watched you stare her down for two years without doing anything about it,” Dante said.
Desmond smirked. “Stare her down…”
“You did. Dimitrius saw it, too.”
“I saw you looking at Sherita at my wedding,” Dimitrius said, tapping his shot glass on the countertop. “And it was so obvious you liked her when you would call around to make sure she wasn’t at our houses before you would show up. I recognized that approach right away, since I did the same thing with Melanie. I avoided her for a long time before I decided I wanted her for myself.”
