by Beth Rinyu
“What’s she talking about?” my father asked, looking totally perplexed.
“Nothing.” I was quick to respond.
“Tell him, Gabriel!” My grandmother was persistent.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
She waved her hand and began to speak over me. “Gabriel here has a beautiful young lady working for him, and he’s taking her out to dinner for Valentine’s Day. Best of all, she’s GA.”
“What?” my father and I asked in unison, equally confused.
“Grandma approved,” she explained.
A slow grin spread across my father’s face. “Oh, are you talking about the girl who was at your house that night with her daughter?”
My grandmother nodded proudly, and I knew that was my cue to leave. There was no way in hell I was going to stick around and be double teamed by these two about my love life.
“I’ve gotta head out,” I advised before either of them got started. “You’re staying overnight. Right?” I asked my grandma.
“Are you going to dinner with Faith?” she asked.
“If she wants to,” I finally agreed.
“Oh, she will.”
I gave her a kiss and said my goodbyes to her and my dad, ignoring her as I walked out the door while she shouted, “Make sure you cover yourself up if you’re going to play.” The coughing fit she’d created from her laughter could be heard as I walked down the hallway and to the elevator.
Once I got to my car, I called Faith and invited her to dinner. She was insistent I come to her place and she would cook. She spewed off all the reasons why she avoided restaurants on holidays, or made-up ones, which I perceived Valentine’s Day to be. She claimed the restaurants would be too crowded and overpriced. I tried to argue with her that I didn’t care about the price, but she got me with the crowds. The last thing I felt like doing was being stuffed into a tiny restaurant jam-packed with people, with mediocre service. So we came to an agreement. She was coming to my place and I’d cook her dinner.
Faith arrived a little after seven. Since I had stopped off at the office and lost track of time, my plan to cook dinner went out the window. Instead, I picked up takeout from one of the best Italian restaurants around. I took Faith’s coat as she walked through the door and looked around.
“Oh, here you go.” She giggled and handed me a bottle of wine.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“Nothing really. That’s my friend Sylvia’s favorite.”
I looked at the bottle of Merlot in my hand. Yup, this was definitely a staple at my grandmother’s house. “I was planning on hanging with her tonight, watching old movies and killing that bottle, but she had a better offer. So, I guess you’ll have to do.”
“What was her better offer?” I foolishly inquired, wondering what excuse my grandmother had given her instead of telling her where she really was.
“You really want to know?” She laughed even harder, making me regret asking.
Still, I nodded, prepping myself for what was to come.
“Well, turns out she met a guy at bingo, and they’re celebrating Valentine’s Day…well, you know.”
My disgust over my grandmother’s lie must have been apparent on my face.
“What? I think that’s really great that a woman her age still has it going on.”
I shuddered, trying to get that visual of my grandmother out of my head, even if it was made-up.
“One day you’ll be an old man, and you’ll be wishing there are old ladies like Sylvia around.”
I choked on the sip of water I had just taken, needing desperately to change this topic of conversation.
She took a step closer to me and caressed the side of my face with her fingertips. “But, something tells me you’ll still be able to get whomever you want, even when you’re old and gray.” Standing on her tippy-toes, she looped her arms around my neck and planted a gentle kiss on my lips.
I didn’t know about when I was old and gray, but I did know at that moment all I wanted was her. My lips smothered hers, and she responded back just as eagerly. My lower extremities began to awaken as my hands explored her body. I was finally being put out of misery after seeing her at work all week long, trying to act as if she were just any other employee while wanting to feel her naked body pressed up against mine the entire time.
She pulled away abruptly, taking me off guard. “The food smells great! What did you make?”
What the fuck? Just a second ago she was acting like she wanted to rip my clothes off, now she was worried about what was for dinner. I took a deep breath and pulled it together. “Oh, actually, I got caught up with something and didn’t have time to cook anything, so I just ordered takeout from Marcello’s.”
“Oh, I love that place!” She turned around and scanned the area. “So, this is your place?”
I nodded.
“It’s really nice!”
“Thanks,” I managed to get out, still trying to put out the fire she had created inside of me just moments ago.
“Do I get a tour?” She raised an eyebrow and sank her teeth into her bottom lip, and if I didn’t know better, I would have sworn she was intentionally trying to lead me on. She didn’t know who she was dealing with.
I didn’t like to lose at anything. So, I’d play along and then some. No matter how badly I wanted her.
“Yeah, sure.” I took her through each room, making sure to save my bedroom for last.
“So you really are a neat freak even at home!” She threw her head back and laughed, taking a seat on my bed and pressing her hands into the mattress. “This feels like a really comfy bed.”
“It is. Ready to go eat?” I asked, trying to hold back my laughter at the look of rejection on her face.
She was failing miserably at her game. I didn’t have the heart to tell her she was way too cute to be a seductress. I moved to the doorway and watched her stand up in defeat. She lagged behind, letting out a frustrated sigh. I was happy she couldn’t see the smirk plastered on my face.
“Have a seat.” I motioned to one of the seats at the kitchen island.
I got the plates down from the cabinet and poured us each a glass of wine, turning back around to find her daydreaming with her elbow propped on the island and her head resting in her hand. She finally snapped out of it when I placed the glass of wine in front of her.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a little of everything.”
“I’d say so!” Her eyes rounded like saucers as she looked at the pasta primavera, eggplant parmigiana, and chicken Marsala. “Thought you were a vegetarian?” She quirked an eyebrow at me.
“I am, but you’re not.”
“Oh wow, you got that just for me. So sweet!” She flashed me a genuine smile that looked exactly like her daughter’s. It didn’t take much at all to please her.
She talked nonstop through dinner, and I found myself laughing the entire time. I never found much amusement in anything until Faith came along. I loved how she used humor to make the most of the negative situations in her life. The more I was around her, the more I was finding her upbeat, laid-back personality rubbing off on me little by little.
After dinner, she made me find the black and white movie marathon she’d planned on watching with my grandmother. I made it through the first one, but there was no way in hell I could endure another. I needed to create a diversion. It would mean losing at my own game, but really I wasn’t, if it was going to save myself from the over dramatization on my TV screen. Actually, it was a win-win for me all around. I was just about to go in for the kill when she turned in my direction and placed her head on the back of the couch.
“Thanks for tonight. Believe it or not, I haven’t done anything special for Valentine’s Day since Joey was born.”
I hardly thought ordering takeout and hanging around my place qualified as special, but again, Faith wasn’t like most chicks. At least not like the ones I dated. She didn’t expect much and she was always ha
ppy with the simplest of things. “You’re welcome, but it really wasn’t anything.”
She shrugged. “It was to me. It kinda felt like—” She paused and looked down at the couch.
“Like what?”
“Like a real date. Don’t get mad at me for saying that. I’m not expecting anything.”
I hated that she thought all she was to me was sex, when the reality of it was she was becoming so much more…or maybe she had always been. “Why would I get mad at you for saying that?”
“I-I don’t know. I just don’t want you to think I’m going to expect an ending like…the one we just saw in that movie when it comes to us.”
Okay, the ending of that movie was corny and totally unbelievable, but I didn’t want her to think this whole thing would end badly either. Even though when I actually thought about it, given our situation, chances were it might. But for once I wanted to concentrate on the here and now. I exhausted too much energy on stressing over the future when it came to my business. I had this beautiful, funny, sweet, caring girl sitting next to me, and the last thing I wanted to do was make her feel like I’d just been using her these past few months, because I knew deep down inside it wasn’t the truth. If anything, the way I had been feeling about her scared me immensely.
I wrapped my hand around hers and looked into her eyes. “Faith, I don’t want you to think the only reason I want to be around you is to get laid. You make me laugh. I have a really great time when we’re together.”
She licked her bottom lip and pushed her hair behind her ear. “So, what are you saying?”
Oh fuck. What the hell did I just get myself into? I was so not ready to use the G word…not even close. It had nothing to do with Faith at all. I had just promised myself after Alyssa and I had broken up that girlfriend would never be a title used in my vocabulary again.
“Can we be friends with benefits?” She giggled.
My body relaxed with that suggestion. That was the perfect title when it came to us. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Okay, friend.” She placed her hand on my leg, inching it up toward the zipper on my pants while her other hand caressed the side of my face. “Can you go over the benefit package with me once again?”
“My pleasure.” I pushed her down on the couch and my mouth was all over her. We somehow moved down to the floor, and it seemed like a matter of seconds before we were both undressed and she was lying beneath me.
Her hands worked through my hair as my tongue glided down her neck and to her tits. She arched her back, letting out a light moan when my fingers found their way inside of her. Our lips explored every inch of each other’s body, bringing out feelings in me that had never surfaced before. I had never felt this content, this alive, and this happy with any other woman as I was with her at that moment. Her heavy breaths and the longing in her voice when she called my name told me she was ready. She climbed on top of me, and as I eased myself inside of her, it was like the first drops of rain after a long, agonizing drought.
I placed my hands on her hips and gazed up at her while she took total charge of the situation, rocking back and forth as her long, loose waves cascaded past her perfect tits. She was beautiful in every single way on the inside and definitely on the outside. I took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on not ending this too soon. As she continued her movements, I continued to endure the torturous pleasure she was putting my body in, feeling as if I were about to combust. Relief swept over me when she leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Are you ready?”
“I was fuckin’ ready a half hour ago,” I muttered.
She smiled, and I almost lost it. I rolled her over and hovered on top of her, entering her once again, building up momentum as I moved in and out of her. She pulled me closer and gently dug her nails into my back as her body totally melted around me. It was only a matter of seconds before I lost it, and we were melting together.
I rolled over, and she turned on her side, resting her head on my shoulder while we both tried to catch our breaths.
“I should get going,” she whispered.
“Why?” I asked, pushing her hair behind her ear.
“Because it’s late.” She smiled and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.
I didn’t want her to go. I wanted to hold her in my arms all night long and wake up with her in the morning. Something I always avoided with all the other women in my life.
“Stay the night,” I whispered, pulling her closer and resting my lips on top of her head.
That night was the first time I had ever invited any other woman besides Alyssa to spend the night at my place. I knew I was entering dangerous territory, but I couldn’t turn back now even if I’d wanted to.
Chapter 30
Faith
The bitter cold winter was fading away, and the warm and welcoming days of spring were upon us. My amazement never ceased over nature awakening from its barren slumber each year and coming alive once again. But this year, I reflected on how the change of season mirrored mine and Gabe’s relationship. He had changed so much from that rigid, workaholic I had met back in the fall. With each day that passed, I was finding him loosening up, laughing a lot more, and spending most of his free time with Joey and me. We weren’t in a labeled relationship, and I was okay with that. With the exception of Joey, he hadn’t met anyone in my family, and I hadn’t met anyone is his. We played the game of boss/employee well at work, and my lips were still sealed to Natalia, Chad, and anyone else I associated with who had any remote connection to Gabe. The only person I could pour my heart and soul out to was Sylvia, and she was more than happy to listen.
Cole had contacted Joey once since he’d packed up and taken off with his baby mama. Every time I thought about it my blood would boil. According to his mother the baby was due in July, not that I cared to know anything about that situation. His mother was usually very good in keeping conversation about Cole to a minimum. She and her husband would focus all of their time with Joey on her alone, which I was totally grateful of. It amazed me how two awesome people like themselves could have created such an asshole of a son. Cole had distanced himself from his parents as well, and I knew it all had to do with that bitch he had procreated with. She and Cole’s mother never saw eye to eye. I could hear the hurt in his mother’s voice the few times she had brought him up. So it meant a lot to her to be able to spend as much time as she could with Joey, and I would never take that away from her or my daughter.
Joey and I were elbows deep into baking cupcakes for Gabe’s birthday when my mother decided to pay a surprise visit.
“What’s the occasion?” my mother asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the kitchen table.
“None,” I rattled off quickly.
“Yes it is, silly!” Joey looked up from her frosting job. “It’s Mr. Gabe’s birthday!” She grinned.
I didn’t respond, turning around to check the batch in the oven to avoid my mother’s glare I was certain she had cast upon me.
“Joey, didn’t you say Agnes needs her foot sewn up?” my mother asked.
“Oh yeah! She’s losing her stuffing!”
“Why don’t you go grab her and I’ll take her home and fix her up for you?”
I knew that was code for leave the room so I can lecture your mother.
“So are you ever going to introduce this guy to your father and me?” Mother asked once Joey was out of earshot.
“I don’t know, Mom. It’s really not that serious.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because your daughter talks about him constantly.”
I waved my hand in a dismissing manner. “You know Joey. She warms up to people quickly.”
“Yeah, she does, Faith. So maybe you should think long and hard about what you’re doing here. She doesn’t need to have her heart broken again by another guy whom she’s gotten attached to.”
God, I hated her negative attitude! Why couldn’t she be happy for me for once? Why did she always hav
e to bring up the what-ifs? Why did I let her do this to me? I deserved a little happiness too, so why was I now second-guessing myself? Because as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Joey liked Gabe a lot. I had my guard up constantly when it came to him that things could end in a second, but Joey did not. She was just as much involved in this thing Gabe and I had going on as I was…like it or not. All of my insecurities I had pushed away were now taking over ever since my mother set foot in my house.
“Mom, can we just—”
“Here’s Agnes, Nona!” Joey appeared with her stuffed bear in her hand, breaking up the tension.
Without even thinking, I turned around and pulled the cupcake pan from the oven with my bare hand. “Ouch! Damn!” I shouted, dropping the pan on the counter and rushing to the kitchen sink to run cold water on my hand. Just a few minutes ago I was confident and content with the relationship I had with Gabe. But leave it to my mother to strip me of all of that self-assurance and smother me with doubt and guilt.
“Are you okay?” Mother asked, getting up to examine my burn.
“I’m...I’m fine!” I snapped, pulling my hand from her.
“Do you have any aloe?”
She never listened to me. I was fine. I didn’t need her help. I didn’t need her advice, and I didn’t need any stupid aloe! She rushed off to the bathroom while I stood, staring into space as the cold water continued to run over my hand.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” Joey looked up at me sweetly, and I burst into tears.
“I love you so, so much!” I bent down and pulled her into a hug.
“I love you too, Mommy,” she replied.
“Honestly, Faith, you need to stock your first aid kit a little—” My mother paused upon seeing the tears rolling down my face as I continued to latch onto Joey. Letting out a deep sigh, she flashed me a sympathetic gaze. The same one she would always give in lieu of an apology.
Joey pressed her forehead on mine. “I’m gonna get Harriet Bear. She’s a nurse. She’ll be able to make you feel better.” She scurried off to her room to get her stuffed animal as I stood up wiping my eyes, trying desperately to pull it together.
