UNBROKEN (Friends, Lovers, or Nothing Book 5)

by Jackie Chanel

  “You’ve been gone two weeks,” I said to myself. “If the man wants to have a party, let the man have a damn party.”

  When I slipped through the back door, Chef Michelle and Marisol were sitting at the kitchen table talking over cups of coffee. Despite all the noise coming from the other part of downstairs, they seemed relaxed and enjoying their conversation. The kitchen was immaculate as usual. Chef Michelle is a neat freak and Marisol, I can tell she’s one of the those “not a thing out of place” type of women. I pulled up a chair and sat down with them. Since I couldn’t have a cup of coffee, maybe the aroma of theirs would be enough.

  “Sunny, you’re getting up there,” Michelle said. “How far are you now?”

  “Almost twenty-six weeks.”

  “Do you know what you’re having? Aiden hasn’t told us.”

  “I know but Aiden doesn’t. Don’t tell him that I know.”

  Marisol giggled into her mug of rich dark coffee. “Well then, don’t tell us. The last thing we need is his nagging while we’re trying to work.”

  “What are y’all still doing here anyway?” I asked. “He’s having a party?”

  “It was supposed to be a going away dinner for Erica and her boyfriend. I don’t know when it changed to whatever is going on in there now,” Michelle explained. “I’m not staying all night. I was just finishing my conversation then I’m going home to my babies. Ain’t nobody got time to be dealin’ with Aiden’s party tonight.”

  Marisol looked up from her mug and turned to face me. For a second, I admired her high cheekbones, flawless bone structure, and the copper coloring of her skin. Marisol’s age was impossible to determine. She had to be somewhere between thirty-five and forty-five since she had teenage daughters. Aiden adores his head housekeeper which is normal. I know for a fact that Dina was completely involved in his life, however, from the way he latches on to motherly figures, it’s like he grew up without a mother.

  “He’s going to be happy to see you,” Marisol commented. “Did he know you were coming?”

  I shook my head and explained that I wanted to surprise him. I didn’t know if Aiden had told them what happened in Atlanta but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had.

  After saying goodbye, I ventured into the living room. Surprisingly, there weren’t a hundred people milling around the house; it just sounded like it. There were only about fifteen people in the house, all of which I knew where Aiden’s real friends and colleagues, not just some random people hanging around.

  Aiden was playing pool in the “lounge” as he calls it because he doesn’t know the proper names of all the rooms in his big ass house. Before I moved to LA, the room had a pool table, a bar, two couches, and a stripper pole complete with a stage. It still had the pool table and bar but the couches had been replaced with a gray leather sectional and the stripper pole disappeared. Shay probably took with her when she left.

  I walked up behind Aiden and tried to wrap my arms around his waist but my big belly prevented that. Instead, I moved to the side and put one arm around his waist. Aiden stiffened at my touch and his eyes darted around the room before uttering a nervous, “Hey. When did you get here?”

  “A few minutes ago.”

  I hated the fact that all my bitching had made him so nervous that I’d lose my shit over him having friends over. The uncomfortable look about him saddened me.

  “Uhh,” he stammered. “We were just chillin’ with E before she abandons us.” He pointed his thumb backwards to the giant vinyl banner hanging above the cake sitting on the bar that read,

  “Not all goodbyes are sad. Good luck, Matt!”

  The cake was a gigantic sheet cake that could feed at least a hundred people. It had black icing and little figurines on top staged to look like Aiden’s concert set up. There was a little blonde plastic man playing a guitar, a drummer, and a keyboard player. There was a headstone in what would have been Erica’s spot. Written across the cake in blood red icing was “Boston Sucks!”

  Poor fellas. They weren’t taking Erica’s departure well at all. We all knew Aiden hadn’t actually fired Erica for telling me about Shay and he, especially, was going to miss the hell out of the female presence in his boy band.

  “You guys are so mean,” I laughed. “You know you’re going to miss her.”

  Erica expertly banked the striped 3-ball into the corner pocket and straightened up.

  “Of course they will. They’re not going to find any other woman to travel with them and put up with their shit. They’re mean but I know they love me.”

  She walked over to me and gave me a hug. “Did Pastor Hodges straighten y’all out?” she whispered in my ear.

  “Somewhat.”

  “Good.”

  Even though I was tired and wished for a quiet night with Aiden, the old Sunny would have gone right upstairs and watched TV but I couldn’t be that person anymore. That wasn’t who I was when I met Aiden. That wasn’t who I was six months ago when we were on the road. Even pregnant, I’m a fun person and I have fun with Aiden and his friends when I wasn’t tripping.

  So I sat my ass down and ate every drop of food that Aiden put in front of me. I had a good conversation with Savannah, Cash’s girlfriend. She had me cracking up with all the drama she had with Cash’s baby mama. Aiden and I may have some issues but I’m so glad baby mama drama isn’t one of them.

  I did have to call it quits earlier than everyone else though. No one else in the house was six months pregnant and carrying an extra twenty pounds. I trudged up the stairs around one in the morning. I showered and changed into one of Aiden’s t-shirts then climbed into Aiden’s massive bed.

  I was watching House of Cards on Netflix and was two episodes into the second season when Aiden finally walked into his bedroom carrying two bottles of water, a pint of fudge brownie Talenti gelato, and two spoons.

  “I knew you weren’t sleep.”

  He sat everything on the nightstand then began to strip down to his boxers. He stumbled slightly as he kicked off his jeans, indicating that he wasn’t drunk, just slightly intoxicated. He climbed into the bed and handed me a bottle of water and a spoon.

  “Are you cool?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Because you only watch this boring shit on Netflix when you’re mad.”

  “This show is not boring.”

  “Yes, it is. And you’re messing up my recently viewed list. I’m tryin’ to finish Breaking Bad.”

  I hit stop on the remote and pulled up Breaking Bad and resumed episode four where Aiden left off.

  “Dude, you’re only on the first season?”

  “Shut up. I don’t have the privilege of watching Netflix in my studio like you and Delilah do in yours. And your child only wants to watch Home and The Walking Dead any other time.”

  “You act like you’re working all the time. But whatever. I’ll rewatch the series with you so you’ll have someone to talk about it with.”

  I’d finished that show while I was Tristan but I laid my head on Aiden’s shoulders and ate ice cream and watched his show until we both started to doze off.

  It wasn’t much but it certainly felt like a new start.

  Chapter 20: Please Understand

  “LOOK HOW FAT YOU ARE!” Daniela gasped when she entered the S.T.Y.L.E.Z studio wearing a throwback Juicy Couture tracksuit. She looked like Jenny from the Block and I did not approve.

  “You are so damn rude! And why are you in Los Angeles wearing that?”

  “I’m in LA because I have business here, which I’ll tell you about in a minute. And the other reason is because you’re too pregnant to fly so I have to bless you with my presence here.”

  I love Daniela to death. I wouldn’t have made it in New York without her. She was over the top when I met her and she hadn’t changed a bit.

  “Thank you, friend, but I’m certainly not too pregnant to get on a plane. I just got back from Atlanta. I haven’t been to New York because we’ve been pre
tty busy out here.”

  Daniela looked around my empty studio and frowned. I knew what she was thinking but this was a brief pause in an otherwise busy day. The quiet in the studio was rare and I appreciated it very much. Erica wasn’t crashing here trying to avoid band rehearsal or begging me to help her pack up her apartment. Delilah and Kirk were out accessory shopping for some fittings we have later. Candace…I didn’t know where she was.

  “You caught me at a good time,” I responded to Daniela’s disbelieving frown.

  I stretched out on the other sofa with my legs propped up on pillows. My legs and ankles were beyond swollen. Even though I knew that swelling was normal, I still felt extremely uncomfortable.

  I’m only twenty- seven weeks and I just want it to be over. There was no joy for me during this pregnancy. Aiden was enjoying the hell out of it. As Daniela and I sat around my studio talking, he was meeting with a decorator about the baby’s nursery. It was decided that Sara and Tahir would buy my house after the wedding and Summer and I would move back into Aiden’s mansion. I was too exhausted to fight the decision.

  “So, how’s wedding planning coming along? You barely talk about it,” Daniela mentioned. “Every time we talk, it’s RainDrops this and Uninhibited that. It’s still happening in April, right?”

  “April twenty-third.”

  “Girl, you sound like a wedding is the last thing on your mind.”

  “It is!” I complained. “Between my mom and Aiden’s mom, they got it all under control. The only thing I’ve had to do is pick the colors. I haven’t picked your dresses yet.”

  “Dresses?”

  I laughed. “Yes. Do you know who I’m marrying? This is not a wedding. This is a production. With outfit changes and everything.”

  Daniela swung her hair across her shoulders and smiled widely. “That coral you picked is gorgeous. Then the white and that seafoam blue…oh my God, Sunny. Your wedding is going to be gorgeous. Please say we’re having it outside.”

  We are. My mother and Aiden already decided on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Talking about the wedding that’s only a little over five months away actually made me more excited. I managed to lift my big self off the couch and grab my wedding book that Dina had dropped off earlier today. Mama had a copy of the book too. This thing is a huge three-ring binder full of everything associated with the wedding from color swatches to sample invitations. We’ve already sent out the save the date cards. We’ve actually done a lot more than it feels like, all without hiring a wedding planner.

  While Daniela was fawning over “The Book”, I waddled over to the door to answer whoever was knocking softly at the studio door. My clients, my friends, and my family never knock. The only people who knock are couriers and delivery drivers. Hell, sometimes the UPS guy doesn’t even knock anymore.

  “Yes?” I said when I opened the door.

  There was a woman standing there. She looked vaguely familiar. I recognized her as soon as she said, “Hey, Sunny.”

  What the hell was this bitch doing at my studio?

  I could not believe this girl had the audacity to show up in my place of business! I placed my hand on the doorframe and my other on my belly. Shay stood in front of me with a sheepish smile.

  “Hi, Sunny. Can we talk?”

  “Who sent you over here?”

  If my fiancé had anything to do with this, I was going to go off on him and her!

  “Apryl Cox, my manager, said you might have some good pieces for my album cover shoot. I ran it by Joey but I think it’s just a ploy to get us in a room together. I haven’t recorded any music yet. Aiden and Joey don’t think I’m ready.”

  The fact that she was rambling out of obvious nerves kind of took the edge off my emotions. I was sure Aiden had told his manager why he had to go to Atlanta. Since Roxy stays in everybody’s business, she probably set this whole thing up.

  I stepped to the side to allow Shay to enter. Shay was certainly Aiden’s type - busty, thick, and curvy. She’s pretty, and if I was her stylist, I knew exactly what I’d make over first. But I wasn’t her stylist, never would be, and still didn’t know why she was at my studio.

  The look Daniela gave Shay when she walked into the sitting area was priceless. I didn’t have to say anything. I didn’t even need to maintain my attitude. Daniela was giving enough for two or three people.

  Amongst the basketball wives, the team dancers are public enemy number one. It didn’t matter that Shay didn’t dance for the Knicks. She was Laker Girl and that was enough to ignite the Queen’s wrath.

  “Eww, what is she doing here?”

  “Hello, Daniela,” was Shay’s polite response. “How are you?”

  “Whatever,” Daniela said as rudely as she could muster. “Sunny, we gotta start thinking about your wedding dress.”

  “I’m making my dresses,” I told her. “The sketches are in the back of the binder. Shay, if you really came by here to talk then please have a seat.”

  Daniela stood up and sauntered over to the kitchen area. “Y’all got some food in here?”

  “No, but Delilah stashed all the take-out menus in the drawer where we keep the straws and utensils.”

  Anxious for Shay to get on with whatever she needed to say, I asked for the second time what she was doing here.

  “I kinda get the feeling that me and Aiden working together doesn’t sit well with you.”

  “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “Sunny, I can assure that you don’t have anything to worry about.”

  “I’m not worried about anything,” I corrected her.

  “That’s just the thing. I know you remember that Aiden and I were together for a while. What person would want their fiancé working with an ex? I mean, I wouldn’t.”

  “Then why are you working with Aiden? If you’re good enough for Steele Management to take you on as a client, you probably have your choice of labels and producers. Why my fiancé?”

  “Sunny, you know this business. It’s hard and I—”

  “Sunny, I’m ordering sushi!” Daniela yelled without any regard that Shay was speaking.

  “I can’t have sushi. Order me the steamed unagi bowl and the seaweed salad with a large iced green tea.”

  “You are so damn Hollywood! I can’t with you!”

  I turned back to Shay. “Please finish what you were saying.”

  Shay looked quite uncomfortable but she was the one who started this. Since she didn’t make the first move, my parents would have wanted me to use the common courtesies they taught me.

  “Do you want something to eat?” I grinned. “Daniela’s paying.”

  “Sure. I’ll the sushi and sashimi combo. Large green tea as well, please.”

  I repeated her order back to Daniela, twice because she acted like she didn’t hear me the first time. Then she bounced her velour-wearing ass back over to me and Shay and plopped down in a chair.

  “So, what were you saying to my friend?” Daniela asked. “And the only reason I’m getting in your business is because Sunny is too pregnant to be having someone like you stressing her out.”

  “What exactly do you mean by someone like me?”

  “It’s self-explanatory, honey. Sunny and I both have had our bad experiences with dancers. You already know that. And she doesn’t need the stress.”

  “Well, I haven’t slept with Garrett so I don’t know what your beef with me is,” Shay snapped. “But like I said before, stressing Sunny out is not my intention and never has been. Sunny, look, I know you don’t like me and I’m not asking you to be my friend. If you don’t like me because I used to date Aiden, that’s fine. But when I broke up with him, you should know that I did it so he could be with you.”

  “What?” Daniela and I said in unison.

  Shay laughed sweetly. “When you flipped out on him over us taking Summer to Disney, I could see that my relationship was coming to an end. If you had told him to break up with me right then and there, he would have. Ai
den would have done anything for you, Sunny. I knew he loved you and his love was genuine. Still is. I’m not trying to get in between that.”

  I was moved by Shay’s thoughtful awareness of my relationship, then and now. When she started telling me about her music and how Aiden, Joey, Roxy, and Apryl were teaching her so much about the industry, I felt bad that I questioned her motives in the first place.

  “I’m not a fake person, Sunny. I didn’t get with Aiden because I wanted him to sign me. Now that he’s in another relationship, I thought it was a good time for me to show him what I can do. I just want to sing and dance. I’m not trying to interfere in your relationship. I’m so happy that you and Aiden are finally happy together. You deserve one another. I have no ill intentions. Right now, Aiden and Joey have the hottest label in the business and I’m so blessed that they want to work with me too. But if you aren’t cool with it, I’ll go somewhere else if I can.”

  Before I could answer her, we were interrupted by the Kazoku delivery guy. Daniela paid for our order and rushed back to her chair.

  “Let me tell you something,” she started as she began handing out our food. “If what you’re saying is true then we don’t have a problem. Go ahead and make your music. We wish you the best. But if this is some kind of Obsessed or Fatal Attraction thing, you are messing with the wrong person. Try anything with Aiden and you won’t have a label or a dancing career. Got it?”

  “Loud and clear, Daniela. I know how the players’ wives feel about us dancers. I’m not trying to be BFFs with you or Sunny. I just wanted to clear some things up. I’m not the one she should have a problem with.”

  I knew exactly whom she was referring to and the less Ramey’s name was mentioned, the better. After all, I couldn’t do anything about her at six and a half months pregnant and as bad as I felt all day every day. I just didn’t have the energy to even think about Ramey.

  ***

  Shay left shortly after Kirk and Delilah came back from shopping. Lunchtime was over and we had work to do. We were in the workroom pulling looks for a teen pop group’s appearance on Good Day LA when it dawned on me that, after hours of talking my ear off and threatening CMG’s new artist, Daniela hadn’t told me why she was in LA. So I asked her.