Smoldering

by Tiffany Aleman

  I give her an embarrassed smile as I nod. “Yes, ma’am.” As I stack the dish I ask, “What charity is this benefit for tomorrow night?”

  “It’s called Calloway’s Eyes for the Blind. I sit on the board and it is near and dear to my heart. I’m not sure if Riley told you, but his grandmother, my mother, passed away ten years ago, ” she says with wistfully sigh. “God rest her soul, she lost her sight at the age of thirty. In the blink of an eye, she was no longer able to read, write, drive, or even move about her own house. It was like her livelihood was stripped from her.”

  I’m saddened by what Lana is saying. I couldn’t imagine seeing everything in vibrant colors, watching my children and grandchildren grow, only to have it all stripped from me.

  “What made her lose her sight?” I ask.

  A stray tear rolls down her cheek and she quickly wipes it away at the remembrance of her mother. “Diabetes. She was older when I was born.” She shrugs. “Anyhow, it took her a few years to finally come to terms with her vision loss. She hired a tutor that helped teach her and Riley braille.”

  My eyes widen in shock at her statement and she laughs. “I take it he hasn’t told you he can read braille?”

  I shake my head.

  “Figures.” She chuckles. “It’s one of those secret talents that he never talks about. His grandmother insisted that he learn. She said that if he ever lost his vision, being able to read would be his saving grace.”

  “She was a very smart woman.” I smile.

  Lana sniffles back her tears as she nods with a smile and goes back to doing the dishes. “That she was,” she whispers. “Now, back to this dress. We’ll need to get up early so we can make it to Birmingham and go shopping. Since we have a home on the outskirts of Birmingham, time is on our side. Do you have a color in mind?”

  She hands me another plate to dry.

  “I’m really easy to please, honestly.”

  “Okay. I’m sure we’ll find you something.” She winks.

  “Where’s the benefit being held?” I ask, curious to know.

  “At an estate we own right outside of Birmingham.”

  Lana pulls the drain and begins rinsing both sinks. As she finishes, she turns to me, taking my hands in hers. “I know this is completely off topic, but I love my son and I can see you do, too.” She grins. “This is not some attempt to tell you not to hurt my son. Cherish him. We may be a bunch of jokesters but he is a good man. I can guarantee, if you give him everything you have, he’ll do the same and then some.” Her tone is sincere and genuine. She really wants what’s best for her son. I love this woman.

  “What do you think?” Lana asks from beside me.

  We awoke early this morning to drive into Birmingham to shop the boutiques for my dress for the benefit. After a couple of hours, I found the perfect ensemble. Lana tried to pay for it, but there was no way I could accept. Then tears welled up in her beautiful eyes as she told me that she had always wanted a daughter to do things like this with. Not that she wasn’t thrilled about Riley or loved him any less, but she couldn’t take him dress shopping, enjoy a spa day with him, talk about boys, or any of the things that a mother and daughter did together. This was her plea to let her pay and who was I to turn her down.

  Then the last two hours, we’ve spent having soothing, deep tissue massages, getting our nails done, and I’ve been waxed and exfoliated. If there was one thing I miss about my old life, this would be it. But this has actually been so much better. Lana has welcomed me into her home with open arms, no questions asked, and has treated me more like a daughter than my own mother ever has. I know that I was a nervous wreck and let all the various scenarios play out in my mind when Riley asked me to meet his parents, but I’m so glad I came.

  After spending half the day shopping and the other half at the spa, we go back to the estate where, wrapped in plush, thick, white robes, we rest as we have our hair done and makeup applied.

  “Isn’t this place perfect for the benefit tonight?”

  I look up into the mirror in Riley and my en suite at her reflection. Riley has been instructed to get ready in his parents’ suite per his mother’s request. She says that the dress and shoes we’ve bought will drive her son crazy. That the element of surprise will be well worth it to watch his jaw hit the floor.

  “Yeah, it is. This benefit is going to be amazing.”

  When we pulled up in front of the house, my breath caught at the sight of the southern, antebellum-styled architecture with a rotunda front. A paved, circular driveway wraps around a white, stone fountain. Lush landscaping consisting of lush white and red, and tall yellow and orange flowers sit on each side of the terraced steps. Large open windows adorn the first floor of the house while the second floor has smaller ones. When we first arrived, I was too nervous to notice the beauty of the home.

  The smell of food cooking assaulted my senses as soon as we stepped inside the grandiose home. Unlike their home outside of Talladega, this house is much larger and more exquisitely decorated. Each of the bedrooms has its own style while the downstairs meshes well together. As soon as we entered the home, a large round, polished entryway table sat in the center of the room. A lavish floral arrangement of white gardenias and hydrangeas, with hints of green foliage peeking through the white flowers, sat atop it. Just behind the table is a set of staircases, curving to the left and right, and leading to the second floor of the home.

  Lana grins back at me. “You just wait until you see the outside.”

  “Just a couple more pins here, annndd, you’re good to go,” says Stacey, my makeup artist/ hairstylist, her beaming smile reflecting from behind me in the mirror.

  “Now go on and get yourself dressed in that stunning Jiovani number you found earlier.” Lana beams at me while Stacey finishes her sleek, timeless chignon.

  I walk to the closet, retrieve my garment bag and shoes, and head into the room to change. As I sit on the bench at the foot of the bed, I slip my feet into my new Valentino, satin evening pumps with crystalized straps, alluring cutouts, and peep toes.

  Picking up the garment bag, I stand to unveil the beauty of the dress. After unzipping the side of the dress, I step into the rich hues of purple satin. The fitted bodice hugs my curves in the only way a designer dress can. The strapless dream with a sweetheart neckline flows to the delicate fabric that crosses over one side to gather on my left hip. The smooth material falls in waves from my waist down and it separates an inch above my knee.

  I walk over to stand in front of the floor length mirror as I zip the dress. My hands slide down the soft material while I closely inspect the woman looking back at me. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. Tendrils of hair hang in all the right places from the soft braid that wraps around one side of my head before disappearing into the messy updo behind my right ear at the base of my neck. My cheekbones are rouged slightly pinker, eyes smoky with charcoal and grey eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara, and pale pink tinted lips are the finishing touches of my ensemble.

  Collective gasps garner my attention and I snap my gaze to Stacey and Lana standing with appreciative smiles on their faces in the entryway of the suite.

  “You look absolutely stunning,” Lana whispers.

  “I’d say she looks sensational,” Stacey states with a cocky smirk gracing her lips. She leans against the wall, feeling as if she’s just turned rags into riches. The thought alone is comical, especially since she has no idea where I come from.

  I beam at them both as I turn to look back at my reflection. When I left my life of high-end designers, more money than I could spend in a lifetime, and notoriety behind two years ago, not an ounce of sadness washed over me. Even now, I don’t miss it, but standing here in this designer dress and shoes, I’m surprised how easy it is to slip back into this lifestyle. I’m standing taller, with more poise and grace than I’ve felt in the past twenty-four months.

  “Okay, then. Kelsey honey, why don’t you come here and help me into my dress, pl
ease?” Lana asks as she turns around.

  I hold out the floor length, Armani evening gown for her to step into. The ivory satin drapes over her bust and separates around the neck, resting over her shoulders and falling into a scoop plunge back. The flowing fabric gathers at her lower back and trails down into a barely there train. The sleek chignon accentuates her slender neck and leaves her diamond, teardrop earrings visible. Lana turns around and a smile spreads across my face as I stare at her gorgeous features accentuated by a light dusting of bronzer that makes her face glow. The combined colors of grey and white coloring her eyelids along with eyeliner and mascara make her stunning clear blue eyes pop.

  “Ron is a lucky man,” I whisper through an admiring smile as I step back to give her room to slip on her black satin Manolo Blahnik pumps.

  “You bet your ass he is.” Lana laughs out as she drops her dress back down, the hem barely sweeping the floor.

  A burst of laughter escapes me at her choice of words until a knock resonates from the other side of the room quiets me. I gasp and my head turns towards the door. “Are you ready?” I ask hurriedly.

  “Dear, those men on the other side of that door could care less what we’re wearing as long as we love them,” she says over her shoulder as she makes her way to the door.

  Summersaults wreck havoc in my stomach as I wait with bated breath for Riley’s reaction to how I look. The sound of the door as it opens echoes throughout the room as the men file in. Riley kisses his mother on the cheek as he asks curiously, “Where is she?” just as his eyes find mine.

  This moment in time stands suspended as we drink each other in. His cerulean eyes caress my body as his gaze rakes over me. Donning an Armani, fitted black tux, folded purple fabric sticks out of his right breast pocket, and a Cheshire cat-like grin pulls at the corner of my lips. We match. With determined steps, he makes his way to me. The predatory gleam in his eyes makes me feel as if I am the prey and he is the hunter who has found his next meal. The aura around him screams dominance and I’m ready to bow down on my knees in submission as long as he looks at me like that for the rest of my life.

  Riley comes to a halt with only an inch between us. Slowly, he leans in, his lips brushing my ear. “You look absolutely ravishing,” he whispers huskily as he places a kiss behind my ear.

  “So do you,” I groan.

  Riley pulls back, breaking the temporary spell he’s cast on me. He tucks a hand in his pocket and he holds out his other arm for me to take. I smile a shy smile at his chivalrousness as I grab hold of his elbow.

  “Shall we?” He winks.

  “Your parents did an excellent job of putting this together,” I comment as we pass by the pool. Numerous candles in miniature votives rest in the center of white flowers attached to lily pads floating on top of the pristine water, giving off a fairytale ambiance. A few yards away sits a three tiered, white tent large enough to cover at least two hundred people. Pale yellow, sheer drapes covering the poles billow in the light nighttime breeze.

  “My mom put this together. My dad just opened the checkbook.” Riley chuckles as he pulls me in closer to him.

  “Either way, this is lovely.” My voice has a wistfulness to it that even I haven’t heard in a while.

  People stop us as we make our way towards the tent. Actors, politicians from the state of Alabama, and women and men from different charities all coming together to support this great foundation are here. Many of Riley’s extended family members are in attendance, as well. I’ve met more aunts, uncles, and cousins than I’ll probably remember, but I’m doing my best to commit them all to memory.

  “How many people are here?” I ask quietly as Riley and I step inside the tent.

  “Probably two hundred and fifty or so.” Riley shrugs. “Mom doesn’t like to invite too many people since it’s on our property.”

  “Two hundred and fifty?” I deadpan.

  “Yeah, and just think, you’ve only met a handful of them.” Riley chuckles. “At the end of the night, tickets for next year’s benefit will go on sale. Every year, it’s for a different charity, but the ticket price remains the same,” he explains.

  We bypass several tables and chairs. Each round table is topped with lavender linen and lavish topiaries of densely packed lavender hydrangeas and yellow roses on top of Eiffel Tower vases. White linen covers the seat, and strips of lavender fabric fashioned into a bow at the back of the seat complete the look. Pale yellow, sheer, fabric bows along the top of the tent hide the strings of small fairy lights. In one corner of the tent on a makeshift stage is a three string quartet. The two violinists and one cellist play a haunting melody that is sad yet played beautifully.

  Waiters in black tuxes walk around carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Silently, Riley reaches out to pick up two glasses as a waiter passes by and hands one to me. I tip my glass in his direction with a nod and smile.

  “And what’s that?” I ask before taking a sip of my champagne as Riley directs us to our seat at the head table.

  “Twenty thousand dollars a plate.” The nonchalance to his tone tells me he’s used to this. Hearing this dollar amount doesn’t faze me in the slightest, either. After all, it is the lifestyle of the rich and famous, and at least the money is going to a good cause.

  As we sit, Riley scoots his seat closer to mine, takes my hand in his, and lays it on his lap. His gesture alone causes me to sigh with a content smile.

  “When my parents and I still spoke, which wasn’t often, they told me how they went to a benefit with a silent auction and wound up spending a hundred grand,” I tell him.

  “I’m sure my mom will surpass that by at least ten times as much tonight,” he states with pride.

  “Are you having fun, dear?” Lana asks as she and Ron approach the table, drinks in hand.

  “Very much so.” I smile. “I was telling Riley how you have done such an amazing job.”

  “Thank you.” The genuine smile on her face lets me know that my words of praise mean so much to her. “It’s all for a good cause.”

  Lana and Ron take their seats across from us.

  “Speaking of.” I turn to Riley. “Your mother told me you have a hidden talent.”

  “I have many.” He winks with a smirk.

  “The one I’m referring to is reading braille.” I squeeze his knee with our joined hands.

  I nod as his lip screws up in thought.

  “Awww… yes, that one. My grandmother made me learn when she did.” An easy grin pulls at one side of his mouth. The first book we read together was Charles Dickens The Tale of Two Cities, one of her favorites.”

  Now there’s another thing to check off of my list of things I love about Riley. He read classic literature with his blind grandmother in braille.

  Riley leans into me, his arm around my shoulder, his thumb stroking a flame inside me as he caresses my shoulder. “Dance with me?” he whispers against my ear, his breath dancing across my neck.

  I tilt my head up to look at him, a smile growing on my lips as I nod. “Sure.”

  He stands and, taking my hand in his, helps me up. With our hands clasped together, we make our way out onto the dance floor, making sure that we don’t interrupt the other couples dancing. The orchestra plays a waltz number. With a grace that not even Todd carried, Riley spins and glides me across the dance floor like we own the damn thing.

  My hand travels from his shoulder to the hair at the nape of his neck where I begin to massage the back of his neck. Our gazes lock and I’m taken back to another time.

  “Have you been attending that dance studio I paid for?” Todd asked as we stepped out on the dance floor.

  I groaned in protest as my feet slid further into my heels. Another charity fundraiser I was forced to attend. Of course I had been attending the damn dance lessons he insisted I take. I had the blood and blisters to prove it.

  “This one is a Waltz. Follow my lead and don’t screw it up,” he growled as we assumed our positions.<
br />
  As soon as the music began, I did what was expected of me, what I learned to do, until I stepped too soon and wound up stepping on his toes.

  “Ow. How fucking stupid are you?”

  With eyes wide, I began apologizing quickly. “I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean it.”

  “Babe, what are you apologizing for?” Riley asks, concern etched across his face, his tone pulling me out of my memories.

  I shake my head once, then a second time, trying to shake the memory of the last time I danced this same dance. “I’m sorry. Did I step on your foot?” My eyebrows lower as I frown, looking down between his feet and mine.

  “Look at me,” Riley uses his thumb and forefinger to lift my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. My wide eyes meet his worried ones as they search my face. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” I nod while taking a deep breath. “I, uh… I just think I need some water.” I try to pull back but he tightens his hold on me.

  “I’ll help you then.” I nod as Riley leads me off the dance floor. “What happened to you out there?” he asks softly with his hand pressed to my lower back.

  “I was just remembering a time—”

  “You danced beautifully out there.” The warm blood in my veins freezes. My feet are paralyzed, no longer moving and I’m rooted to the spot where I stand. It’s that same deep voice that I left behind two years ago. It belongs to the same man who degraded me¸ tore me down, and left me to wallow in nothingness.

  Todd.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Riley asks with an edge to his tone, as he turns us to face the man I thought I’d never see again.

  Nothing about him has changed. He’s still tall, has shit-brown colored eyes, and wears his brown hair exactly the same as two years ago, short on the sides, longish on the top, and perfectly styled. His smile still causes bile to rise up and threaten to expel. Even a Valentino, custom-made tux can’t hide evil. After all this time, he shows up with Claire Jones on his arm, the same woman he was sleeping with while engaged to me. It’s nice to know they worked shit out.