by Jada Pearl
“Hey man, what’s with that look?” Dennis started to tell him but decided against it. He wasn’t sure if it was his place to say anything. If he did, would it even matter? He didn’t have any proof it was her. He was just going off a hunch. So he just told him, "Nothing." He was interested in hearing David’s response to Nico being in Shontell’s room, though. “So I ran into Nico coming out of Shontell’s room this morning,” he told him.
“Really? Was he dressed?” David inquired, smiling in anticipation of the answer.
“Yes, he was dressed. You’re silly. But I did ask him what he was doing, and he just said he was just getting to know her.”
“Wow, you asked him that? Why does it matter to you anyway?” David quizzed him.
“I guess it doesn’t. I was just asking him. I mean, you know how these women can be sometimes. He has already been hurt once. I guess we can’t all be like you. You just lucked out with a good one.”
“Yeah, I did. But that almost didn’t happen, if you recall. You almost made me lose her. But anyway, how do you know that Shontell isn’t a good one?”
Before Dennis could answer, the elevator door opened and the rest of the group was standing there waiting for them. He gave David a look but still didn’t answer his question. He chided himself. He needed to learn to keep his mouth closed. He followed the rest of the group to the waiting limo, where Shontell was already seated. She was giving directions to the driver. He stared at her, trying to recall the picture to determine if it was her. When she smiled at Nico, who was sitting next to him, it was confirmed. Her smile verified her identity. Now he wondered if he should mention it to Nico. For now, he would just sit back and be quiet.
Shontell
It was nearly one in the afternoon, with all the radio promotions done. It was time to eat. She was starving. She hadn’t been able to eat anything that morning but some fruit. She had just been served her food when a group of six women walked up to the table and asked the group for autographs and pictures. The group obliged. One woman stood off to the side and waited until the others got what they came for. She had seen the woman earlier that morning as they were getting into the limo. She had been watching them, but she didn’t seem like she was a typical fan, like the others. She stood out, just by the way she was sharply dressed. She was wearing a black dress that snugly fitted her body, and her makeup was flawless. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she was a model. Once the others left, she walked over to Nico and spoke softly. She could feel the air in the room change at that moment. The woman looked up and addressed everyone at the table but her; the woman made sure not to even turn her way. They all seemed uncomfortable…especially Nico.
Shontell suddenly had an uneasy feeling in her stomach. He must have sensed that she was looking at them and turned toward her. She quickly turned her head. She was glad that her cell phone rang at that moment. It served as a distraction for her as she excused herself to take the call. When she returned a few moments later, Nico wasn’t at the table. She excused herself and told Martin she had to take care of some last minute loose ends for the group. She assured him that she would meet them in the hotel hospitality suite in the evening for dinner. As she was walking through the lobby, she saw Nico and the woman in deep conversation. Neither of them looked happy. She tried not to let it bother her as she proceeded through the lobby to the elevator.
Once she reached her room, she called her assistant. She had her fax over the final contract and bus company details for Martin and the group. She stood near the balcony door, allowing the warm air to come into her room. A part of her was mad at herself for reacting the way she had. She wasn’t a jealous person. The woman’s presence just threw her, as well as the way Nico and the others responded to her. Something was up with that, but she wouldn’t ask…that’s for sure.
She rubbed the back of her neck as she felt that old tension creep up into her body. She didn’t know what to think about them, but what she didn’t want to do was assume. She needed to do something. Getting up, she picked up a file and walked over to the balcony. Shontell had just opened the file when her phone buzzed, scaring the mess out of her. She laughed at herself and peeked at the screen. It was her partner, Ebony, texting her with a question about a client. She sent her a reply and then set the phone down on the table. After everything that had transpired, it would be impossible for her to concentrate on work. She closed the file after making one small note for later. Then she stood up and leaned over the railing, letting her mind wander. What was she thinking to even imagine that Nico saw her as anything other than the event planner? Still, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have been in her room this morning. She shook her head and was getting mad at herself for putting herself down. That was something she worked hard on. She beat up on herself so much after Jesse. She had wondered why she wasn’t good enough for him, when the truth was that he wasn’t good enough for himself. She didn’t have anything to do with his cheating. She was a good woman. Jesse had messed up; not her.
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and felt the goosebumps on her skin.
She also knew that she still struggled with trust. Why did she have to trust him now, anyways? It was too soon. She didn’t want to repeat her past mistakes, that was for sure. Having to trust Jesse, so early in their relationship, is how she got her heart broken. She wouldn’t do that this time. She was going to hold on to some good feelings about Nico until she felt or saw otherwise, but Nico was going to have to earn her trust.
Nico
Nico couldn’t believe his eyes. What the hell was Tina doing here? She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. He felt nothing. He could feel everybody watching them. When he turned around and saw Shontell watching them, he gave her a side smile. He needed to get Tina away from this table and see what she wanted.
“Let’s walk,” he told her, as he took her away from the table. The surprised and uncomfortable looks that were present at the table increased his uneasiness. Tina noticed it, but she still needed to make her presence known. She had cut her hair and was wearing a bob cut. Her makeup and clothes were flawless as always. He wondered who the sucker of the month was now. Then he quickly thought about how much he didn’t even care.
“Ouch, do you have to be so rough?” she scolded as she pulled away from the hold he had on her arm. She stood still, and then her face transformed. She smiled and touched his shirt collar. He stopped her hand as it was heading toward his face. He stood there waiting on her to tell him why she even spoke.
“So what’s up, Tina? What are you doing here?”
“Last I heard, this is a hotel. Why do you think I’m here?”
“I don’t know, and I couldn’t really care less.” He saw Shontell walking their way. She glanced in their direction, but kept going. The look of confusion on her face almost made him run after her. Tina noticed him watching her.
She guffawed, “So that’s your squeeze now?”
Nico glared at her with a look that was meant to send daggers. He decided it was best to just diffuse this and walk away. Tina was someone else’s problem now. He needed some air. He started to walk away when Tina touched his arm.
“Nico, wait for a second please,” she said to him, as she leaned against the wall and blocked his path.
“What is it, Tina? I am not in the mood for this. I have nothing against you and we said all we needed to say. You told me you were leaving me for someone else with more money than I have.”
“Is that what I said?” she asked, him giving him a look of shock.
“You sure you want to put me in that place, Tina?”
“Wow, I…I didn’t realize you had so much anger towards me,” she said sincerely for the first time since they began talking. She looked like she had been hit with some revelation. Regaining herself, she looked at Nico and saw what she had destroyed with him. He was the only man who had treated her like a woman and not an arm piece.
“I just wanted to say that
I’m sorry. You deserved better than me.”
Nico’s eyes almost bucked out in complete surprise by her statement. He put his finger into his ear to make sure he heard her correctly. He looked her up and down. He needed to make sure he was standing in front of the same shallow person he used to be in love with.
Finally, he spoke to her, smirking. “Really? Is that what you wanted to say to me? You’re sorry?”
“Yes, I mean, I saw you this morning. I was pretty shocked. I know that we don’t run in the same circles. Detroit was not a place I thought we would cross paths.”
Nico half listened to her. He knew she had something else up her sleeve. He just didn’t feel up to entertaining it. He was ready to end this conversation. He knew the fellows were all watching them without even turning around. Tina had him sprung back in the day. She was what every man wanted: smart, sexy, and beautiful. By the time he saw who she really was, it was too late. He had already fallen in love with her. Her cheating and leaving him was something he didn’t expect. In the end, he knew he was better off. She was selfish and self-centered but, most of all, just money hungry. Right now, he knew she couldn’t hold a candle to Shontell.
“Tina, if it makes you happy, I forgave you a long time ago. It was nice seeing you, but I have to go.”
“You’re going after your friend, I am sure. Thank you for taking time to hear my apology. I will see you later…I mean on the anniversary cruise.” Glaring at him, she strolled away before he could say anything. Nico stood there watching her walk away. He knew the extra sway in her hips was for him. She was one of a kind and at that moment he wasn’t impressed.
Instantly his thoughts went back to Shontell. When he looked around and didn’t see her, he thought that she must have headed to the elevators. She was probably going up to her room. He headed back over to the table to get his things. The guys all watched him; they were waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, Martin cleared his throat. He looked up and saw Martin and his brothers with expectant looks on their faces.
“Son, are you okay?”
“Oh, um…yes, I am okay. She claimed she saw us this morning and wanted to catch up and talk.”
“And why would she think you would even want to talk to her?” David asked, getting mad. He didn’t like her then, and he liked her even less now. He didn’t want Nico to go backwards with her. He twisted his face, waiting for Nico to finish.
“Beats me, man. Get this…she actually apologized for the way things ended with us.”
“What?!” all three men chorused in unison. They were completely shocked by what he just told them. He almost laughed. That is all he could do anyways since he didn’t want to put much thought into it. He picked up his phone and told them he would be back in a few minutes. He started in the direction of the hallway and was stopped in mid-stride by his name being called by Dennis. He exhaled hard and tried to keep a straight face because he didn’t want to start this conversation with him again. He waited for what he already knew was coming next.
“Nico, do you really think that you should be going to her room? I mean your ex just walked in here after four years, and you act like it’s not bothering you. Maybe you should just let this thing with Shontell go,” he told him as he gripped his arm.
Nico looked at where he had just touched him. He took a few steps in his original direction but then stopped in his tracks and looked at Dennis, realizing what he said to him a few seconds ago.
“Excuse me? What do you mean let her go? Why in the hell should I care about seeing Tina? We have been over for several years now. That’s not a road I would ever travel again. So I’m going to ask you again; why am I letting her go?”
Dennis saw the look on his face. At that moment, he regretted saying anything. He had never seen him give him that look before. He cleared his throat and then began to explain. “I am just saying…I may be out of line…but don’t you think it’s too much of a coincidence that she just happened to be in the same hotel where we are staying? Maybe it’s a sign you are moving too fast with Shontell. I think you are doing too much already when it comes to her. You don’t even know her, man.”
Nico stood there for a minute trying to understand Dennis’ comments before he addressed him. “Doing too much? I am curious about what you think I am doing. I thought our conversation was clear earlier. Stop confusing my wanting a friendship with Shontell with the women you have come across. This doesn’t even come close…and if we have to discuss this again, I won’t be as nice,” Nico told him. He began to walk away once again. He didn’t even bother to turn around when he heard Dennis calling after him. He stared Dennis down as the doors closed. Nico wondered why Dennis cared so much about him talking to Shontell. Dennis was being a little extra intense, and even with his crazy ways, it was out of his character. He needed to find out what was going on. But for the moment, his immediate concern was with Shontell. Walking down the long hallway, he reached her door and knocked.
Dennis
Dennis turned around as John walked over to where he was. “Man, what was that all about?” he asked him softly. He was the only one who had noticed the heated conversation between him and Nico. Dennis hesitated because he knew that the guys often got on him about his critical ways. When he still didn’t say anything, John gave him a look that told him to tread lightly. He didn’t want this to be an issue with him and Nico. Dennis was a mother hen, and they all knew it. He was the worst of them all when it came to the ladies. John was always being the peacemaker, so he turned back to Dennis to give him a little warning.
“Dennis, if this is about what I think it is…whatever Nico told you…you may want to take heed. It’s a battle you don’t want to fight. Nico hasn’t dated a woman in years, and it doesn’t matter if Tina so happened to be here. If he is showing interest in Shontell, let him. You don’t have a right or a reason to try and stop him from getting to know her,” he told him, patting him on the shoulder.
John left him there with his thoughts.
“Humph, if you knew what I know,” Dennis mumbled, putting his hands in his pockets. He was glad that no one heard him.
Dennis wanted to be mad, but he couldn’t. He walked over to the table and sat back down, trying to pay attention to what was going on around him. Everyone was making plans for the evening. Dennis knew how much they were a unit. They were more than just a group. They have become more like brothers than lifelong friends. Maybe he was wrong about them, but he just couldn’t help it. He just had a gut feeling. He decided to stop focusing on it and joined the others in talking. They made plans for the rest of the day, but he watched the elevator doors in spite of himself.
Always follow your instinct
Shontell
Shontell pulled her sweater from the back of the chair and put it around her shoulders. It was a nice afternoon, but the wind from the water was making her feel chilled. She could hear people talking, and she was getting a little restless. She didn’t know what time it was. Sighing, she wondered if she should call Sandy. Sometimes she just needed to hear a voice of reason. She hated that Jesse took away her trust because this was so unlike her character; she always gave people the benefit of the doubt. She made up her mind to call Sandy. Standing up, Shontell’s sweater fell to the floor. She reached down and picked it up. She was about to turn around when she was startled by someone touching her shoulder.
“How…how did you get in here?” she asked Nico, surprised to see him standing there.
“You left the door slightly open. Guess you didn’t close it all the way. I knocked, but you didn’t answer. I apologize for scaring you.”
She twisted her hair, which was one of the bad habits she used to overcome her shyness. Realizing what she was doing, she stopped.
“I saw you head up here, and I thought we needed to talk.”
“Talk? Because of what, Nico? You don’t owe me an explanation for anything. I am not your girl. You have the right to talk to anyone you want,” she said, not lookin
g at him.
Nico put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. She tried to turn, but he held her firm.
“Shontell, that woman is not anyone I would want to be with…at least not anymore. That was my ex, Tina. We broke up nearly four years ago. I haven’t seen her since she left. She claimed she just saw me this morning and didn’t know we were staying here.”
“Do you believe her?”
“I don’t know yet. But the thing you need to understand is that I don’t care. She’s in my past. I don’t go backwards…ever,” he told her, never breaking the eye contact they shared.
Shontell didn’t say anything, but inside she let the breath go that she was holding. Her insides were doing flips. Shontell watched his expression. At that moment, it was a little amusing. Maybe he could see her turning inside out. She shifted her weight to her other foot. She was completely caught off guard by what happened next. Nico leaned in toward her and kissed her slowly at first. Shontell felt his tongue part her lips and she stepped in closer to him; they kissed deeply. Shontell was the first to break the kiss and move away. She needed to regain her thoughts quickly.
“I’m not so sure you should have done that...,” she said, looking at him, “...as good as it felt.” She touched her lips with the back of her hand. Nico laughed, and she wanted to fall through the floor because she knew he heard what she said.
“Listen, I don’t know what it is about you that has me so drawn to you. I would like to find out if you will let me. Please don’t let what happened earlier stop that. I can more than guarantee that Tina will never be an issue. Just hear me out first. Even when you did the meet and greets, I wanted to say something. I didn’t want you to think I wanted you as the fan of the night. I still have every last one of your cards. I always wished you had left a number or something. The words in your cards told me that you weren’t that type of person. I know this might be a lot to take in, so I will give you some time to give me an answer. I’ll see you at dinner,” Nico said. He walked the few steps that separated them and kissed her softly on the forehead. He then left her room.
