“Ms. Jones?”
Geneva’s mildly irritated voice cracked through Cheri’s exasperation.
Cheri started moving towards the door without thinking. She couldn’t think, not clearly anyway. Cheri experienced a gamut of perplexing emotions that rendered her baffled and bewildered. Who was that woman? Did Ameer call her by name? Did she say her name? Where did she come from and why, why did he kiss her? Cheri stood in front of the elevator bank, waiting for the car to arrive. Her stance was stiff and steady, but her spirit riled in chaos. When the steel doors slid back into the wall, opening to her, Cheri stepped inside, slowly pivoting on her heels to face the door. Then she remembered. She remembered who that woman was. Cheri’s brow creased again as she felt a strange sensation, wetness on her face in a single droplet. She hadn’t cried in years.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Ameer uttered as he closed the door behind them.
“Well,” Siobhan cooed. “You’ve managed to surprise me at my place of business a few times. I thought I would surprise you at yours.”
“Nicely done,” Ameer approved.
“And I brought breakfast,” Siobhan added.
“Oh, a one-up, huh?” Ameer chortled.
“Something like that,” she purred.
“Come, let’s sit,” Ameer suggested, placing a firm but gentle hand to the center of Siobhan’s back, guiding her towards a conference table near the window. She followed Ameer’s lead. He pulled out her chair, but Siobhan didn’t sit down right away.
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, opening the lid on the basket.
“I am,” Ameer replied.
“Go ahead and have a seat. Let me serve you.”
He did as Siobhan suggested. And again, Ameer’s eyes never left her. His eyes, sizzling with pure masculine interest, raked over Siobhan with a fiercely possessive look. Ameer felt such a severe magnetic pull of his masculine to her feminine. There was something he instinctively liked about Siobhan. Ameer wasn’t sure what that thing was, but his like of her intensified exponentially. She was attracted to this daringly handsome man, and his admiring gaze gratified her and flattered her and intrigued her.
She laid out a picnic-style placement in the classic red and white check. She pulled out her finest white china and silverware, along with two glasses. Once the table was properly set, Siobhan padded around the table, close to Ameer. There was an intense physical awareness of each other. They both seemed to be in the process of discovery, but in more than a physical way. It had been a while since a man noticed Siobhan; correction, since she noticed a man. And boy did she notice Ameer. She liked the curve of his sexy mouth, the gentleness and fire in his eyes, the strength of his hands, especially when he held her when they danced.
“Any allergies I should be aware of before I serve?”
“No allergies,” Ameer replied, keeping his focus on her, spellbound with sensations that were compelling and new.
Siobhan smiled as she prepared his plate, vegetarian omelets she made herself, fresh sliced fruit, and muffins she baked, just for the occasion. Siobhan leaned over him slightly as she picked up his glass, half-filling it with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Her nearness, her appeal was devastating, stirring Ameer deep in his core. She was so compelling, her aura so potent. After rounding the table a second time and preparing her plate, Siobhan sat across from him.
They shared a moment of unbridled star gazing. He was her star, and she was his.
“Will you bless the food, Ameer?”
“Of course, beloved.”
Ameer placed both hands upturned on the table, inviting Siobhan to fold her hands into his. Their connection sent another wave of warmth along her pulses and his. Ameer had to take a moment to think clean thoughts before blessing the food.
“Father God, we come before you with thanksgiving in our hearts and gratitude on our lips. Thank you for bringing Siobhan and Messiah into my life. Thank you for her heart. Bless the hands that prepared this food. Let it be nourishment to our bodies. We ask these things in your name, amen.”
“Amen,” Siobhan agreed.
“So, what brought this on,” Ameer asked, picking up his fork and taking a bite of food. “Mmm,” he hummed, very good,” he commented in response.
It pleased Siobhan that Ameer was pleased.
“Did something have to bring on me wanting to surprise you?”
“I would think,” Ameer replied.
“I guess I should have asked you something similar when you surprised me,” Siobhan mused. “I guess I was just glad you thought enough of me to do so.”
“Does that mean you’ve been thinking about me?” Ameer crooned.
“I have,” she said calmly and matter of factly, heat stealing into her face. Acknowledging those feelings internally was one thing, but articulating those feelings aloud was somewhat embarrassing.
“Good, because I can’t stop thinking about you,” Ameer admitted, a sensuous smile coming to life on his full lips.
The staggering challenge of Ameer’s nearness was one thing, his touch, gentle and compelling, was another. But hearing such sweet words from his mouth caused the woman inside Siobhan to come alive. He reawakened her sensibilities before. Maybe that had been a fleeting moment, one she could dismiss. That was the intellectual side of Siobhan’s brain thinking and reasoning. Yet, she thought about him long after his touch; she felt the power of his baritone voice send shivers down her spine, long after he stopped speaking. She thought about him more and more, and every time Siobhan smiled as a result. But Ameer wasn’t dismissible, nor could her response to him be denied. She didn’t want to, honestly.
Ameer’s words lingered between them as they both enjoyed the breakfast Siobhan prepared.
“So where do we go from here,” she dared to ask.
Ameer smiled. “Wherever we go, I hope we go together.”
“I’d like that,” she answered.
Chapter Eighteen
One Month Later
Siobhan wore a permanent smile, at least that’s how she felt. And it was all Ameer’s fault. Just thinking about him kept the smile on her face. The past month had been a whirlwind of dates in the middle of the day, phone calls that lasted long into the night, and stolen moments whenever she and Ameer had the chance. Yet, even as fond as Siobhan was of Ameer, she was careful when it came to her son. Sure, Messiah was already familiar with Mr. Ali from the engineering program, so she wouldn’t be introducing her son to a stranger. But Messiah had never known his mother to have a special friend. Siobhan wasn’t sure how he would respond to a man being in his mother’s life. She and Messiah hadn’t really talked about it. Before Ameer, there hadn’t been a reason to have that conversation. The closest they came was talking about instances when their family composition was questioned.
“You know best,” Ameer replied. “However, you want to handle the situation, beloved, I’ll respect,” Ameer offered as they had had the conversation before.
“I just don’t want to move too soon, you know?” Siobhan expressed.
“Introducing your son to someone you’re not sure will be around long term,” Ameer finished her thought.
Yet, hearing Ameer say exactly what she thought brought their current relationship status into sharp focus. Maybe it was too soon? Maybe Siobhan needed assurance that she and Ameer were serious before making Messiah aware? There were too many maybes to consider. More than anything, Siobhan didn’t want to make the wrong decision when it came to her son. She’d been so careful up until this point. She couldn’t afford to act recklessly now despite how Ameer made her feel.
Could Siobhan have her cake and eat it, too?
That was the stuff of fairy tales. Safiya thought she was living her dream, her fairy tale. Look how that turned out, Siobhan thought silently. Although Ameer made her feel dreamy in so many ways, this was real life. Dreams, fairytales didn’t always have happy endings. Siobhan knew that to be true. Her momentary musings were interrupted by a welcomed voic
e.
“Siobhan?”
“Beautiful?”
Ameer’s baritone rumblings brought Siobhan back to their conversation.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “What’d you say?”
“Where did you go, beloved,” Ameer asked.
She guffawed embarrassedly. “Inside my head,” she smiled. “I do that some time.
“I do, too,” Ameer affirmed.
“What did you say, though?” Siobhan redirected, turning attention back to something hopefully much more pleasant.
“I said I would love to take you out,” Ameer repeated.
“That would be nice.”
“Friday, say eight o’clock?” Ameer asked.
“Yes, Ameer. That sounds good,” Siobhan smiled.
“Is casual okay with you?”
“Definitely,” she agreed.
I can’t wait to see you,” Ameer crooned.
“Likewise.” Siobhan was surprised by her own eager response. But it was true. She enjoyed being with Ameer.
“Good night, beloved.”
“Good night.”
Siobhan thought about Ameer long after that evening’s conversation. There was a part of her that felt sure about him, that he was a good man with only the purest intentions for her and Messiah.
“It’s not like he’s a total stranger,” Siobhan reasoned with herself as she peeked in on her son, who had long since been asleep. He looked so peaceful lying there, slightly snoring, with his covers tucked up by his ears. And it was true. Messiah saw Ameer practically every week during the engineering program at the school. They seemed to get along. But how would it be for Messiah seeing Ameer outside of the context of the program, seeing Ameer with his mother, in their home, in his?
As Siobhan crawled into bed, she still didn’t know what to do, what was the right thing to do for Messiah. That was the thought that was on her mind when she drifted off to sleep.
Friday Evening
Sometimes casual was harder to do than dressy. Well, at least for Siobhan, it seemed to be. If it was dressy, Siobhan could fall back on her little black dress. That was every woman’s go-to outfit, right? But casual didn’t necessarily leave room for a go-to, which left Siobhan combing her closet for just the right casual something to wear. Truth be told, Siobhan spent most of her time in leotards and ballet slippers. Putting on real clothes happened on rare occasions. But tonight, her comfy dance gear wouldn’t work. She had to find something to wear; an outfit that made it look like she wasn’t trying too hard but also an outfit that said she did care.
“I don’t wanna go to grandma and grandpa’s house tonight,” Messiah fussed as he traced Siobhan’s footsteps while they were both in her walk-in closet. He was pouting. Sometimes Messiah’s pouty face was the cutest thing ever. But with Siobhan already scrambling to find something to wear, tonight the pouty face wasn’t so cute.
“Why don’t you wanna go, Messiah?” she asked, still combing her closet for the right something to wear, not too sexy but a little sexy.
“Because, there’s nothing to do there,” Messiah complained. “I just want to stay at home with you.”
Even though Siobhan knew that wasn’t the case, that he was bored at her parents' home, she read between the lines. They already spent most of their days apart, and with all of her classes and Messiah’s extracurricular activities, she could understand why he didn’t want to go. Messiah was pulling at her heartstrings.
“Let me make a call, okay?”
Messiah was right on her hip when Siobhan padded from her closet into her bedroom, picking up her cell phone from the bedside table. When she sat on the bed, Messiah climbed on the bed and sat down next to her, resting his head on her shoulder. A sigh passed through Siobhan’s lips as she dialed Ameer’s number.
“Hey, there, pretty lady. I was just thinking about you.”
Ameer’s compliment didn’t make what Siobhan had to say next any easier.
“Hey there.” She hesitated to say Ameer’s name. “I hate to have to do this, but I’m going to have to cancel tonight.”
“I understand. Is everything okay, though?”
“Yeah, nothing major. Messiah is just not feeling up to going to my parents.”
“Mommy,” Messiah said, “who is that on the phone?”
“A friend,” Siobhan replied guardedly.
He was temporarily satisfied with her response and rested his head back on her shoulder, snuggling in.
“I’m sorry,” Siobhan continued, addressing Ameer. “I was really looking forward to it.”
“Me, too,” he replied. “But hopefully, we’ll have another chance to get together soon.”
“Mom, is that Mr. Ameer? He sounds like Mr. Ameer from engineering class.”
Siobhan was stunned and didn’t quite know how to respond.
“Let me speak to him,” Ameer suggested.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Siobhan questioned.
“It sounds like he already recognized my voice,” Ameer trilled. “I wouldn’t want you to feel like you have to be dishonest with the young king.”
Ameer definitely appealed to the parent in her. Siobhan taught her son to be honest. It would be hypocritical for her to then be dishonest. She wasn’t the kind of parent that preached ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ She tried to lead by example. Siobhan relinquished the phone.
“Here, man,” she said, putting the phone on speaker and handing it to Messiah.
“Hello?”
“Hey Messiah, I’m surprised you recognized my voice. This is Mr. Ameer.”
“I thought that was you,” Messiah replied.
Siobhan noticed her son was smiling. That was relieving to her. Still, she was somewhat apprehensive about what Messiah would think or say.
“So, you talk on the phone to my mom all the time?”
Siobhan’s cheeks warmed. Children have no filter, she thought to herself as she turned her head away so Messiah didn’t see the beginnings of a smile infiltrate her lips.
Ameer chuckled. “Not all the time, but some time. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes, that’s fine,” Messiah answered rather matter of factly. “I’ve been working on my project for the group.”
“Oh, you have? How’s that coming along?” Ameer asked amusedly.
“Good,” Messiah smiled. “You wanna see it?”
Both Ameer and Siobhan fell silent, both unsure of how to respond. The smile that had been on Siobhan’s face was erased when her mouth slightly fell ajar.
“Umm,” she hummed, trying to think on her feet.
“I would love to see it Messiah, but that’s up to your mom.”
Ameer put the ball squarely in Siobhan’s court.
“Please, mommy,” Messiah turned to her with the biggest puppy dog eyes she’d seen in a while. “Can Mr. Ameer come and see?”
Now, her son joined in, putting her on the spot.
“Well,” Siobhan pondered, trying to decide on the best course of action. “I guess that would be alright.”
“Mr. Ameer, she said yes,” Messiah confirmed.
“Is it okay if I speak to your mom for a minute?”
“Sure, I’ll see you later, Mr. Ameer.”
“See you later, Messiah.”
Satisfied, Messiah handed his mom the phone and climbed down off her bed. Siobhan waited until he left her bedroom before taking the phone off speaker.
“He put you on the spot, didn’t he,” Siobhan sighed.
“Not at all,” Ameer countered. “But I won’t come if you don’t want me to.”
“I want you to come,” Siobhan admitted.
“We can make a night of it,” Ameer suggested. “I’ll bring pizza, salad, and some wings if that’s cool. We can watch Messiah’s favorite movies and just get to know each other better, the three of us.”
Siobhan loved the way that sounded. She didn’t have to figure out a casual outfit, so it was a win-win situation.
“See
you in an hour?” Ameer asked.
“Do you even have my address?”
“Well, I figured you’d text it to me, if you really want me to come,” he teased.
“See you in an hour,” she purred.
Siobhan had a smile on her face that couldn’t easily be erased. That smile remained as she texted Ameer the address. What she had been so concerned about her son cut right through. Leave it up to Messiah to make the complicated simple.
Chapter Nineteen
Siobhan put things in high gear after speaking with Ameer. This was the first time he was coming to her house. First impressions tended to be lasting impressions.
“Okay, Messiah,” she said, padding back to his bedroom. “Let’s get your bath and put on your PJ’s before Mr. Ameer gets here, okay?”
Messiah voiced no opposition. Siobhan ran his bathwater and made sure he was okay before she headed out.
“Call me when you’re done, okay? Mommy’s going to straighten up a little.”
Siobhan moved quickly from room to room, making sure things were neat and tidy. She wanted her house to look lived in because it was. Still, it needed to be presentable for Ameer’s arrival. He was coming to her house. Who would have thought? Once she was finished, Siobhan looked down at what she had on.
Ugh,” she groaned. It certainly would not do. As she made her way back to her bedroom, Siobhan snuck a peek at the clock. She didn’t have much time to get herself together. When the doorbell rang, Siobhan instantly felt butterflies in her stomach. Ameer made her feel that way, excited, and nervous at the same time.
“Is he here, mommy?” Messiah asked, trotting to the front.
“Yes, Messiah, I think so,” Siobhan replied, fluffing her messy ponytail and folding her lips in to smooth out her gloss before answering the door. Messiah was right there with her.
Ameer (The Brothers Ali Book 5) Page 12
