North Star

by Angeline M. Bishop

  “I agree. But we tried—”

  Graham’s words were cut by Yvette’s ringing phone. She placed a manicured finger in the air to halt him so she could take the incoming call. It seemed important, so Graham began glancing at the awards decorating Yvette Mason’s office walls.

  It was easy to see why the Toms River community was pleased with her. There were photos with the local Pop Warner basketball team she sponsored and of her smiling proudly with the Make-A-Wish children at Walt Disney World. Every photo seemed to be filled with children or young people, and every award showed Yvette’s life was not only the Mason Center, but the community she called home.

  As he continued to glance around her office, he spotted a photo of her parents at her college graduation and a snapshot of her and Caresse dressed like the screen legends Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne. It was obvious the photo was taken when they were giving supermodel attitude.

  “Mr. Sheridan, I’m sorry to take so long, but I must take this call in private. It seems the moment you mention the word ‘parents’ around here, a few of them start calling. Could you please locate Ms. Aldana in the dance room downstairs and tell her to read the article? She’ll give you the assistance you need. She already stated she’s committed to helping you and your staff.”

  Graham nodded, but he didn’t want to go to Caresse after she tiptoed out of his presence. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t shelve the article. It obviously meant so much to Ms. Mason.

  As he strolled down the hallway, he overheard a group of youth coming from downstairs. They were laughing and kidding each other. As he walked by, he heard one of the guys mentioning that if Ms. Aldana was his teacher at Ocean Community College, he would never skip a class. Graham had to fight his instinct to shake some respect into the young man, fantasizing about a woman out of his league. He could relate.

  As Graham approached the dance room, he heard the sounds of a man singing a Spanish ballad. When he peered into the dance room, he saw Caresse. As she dipped and twirled, her body seeming to melt with the male singer’s voice. She was lost in the music. He could see the sweat pouring from her body and deep emotions covering her face as her eyes remained shut. Her image captivated him. He could feel his body reacting to the sight of her slender body, hugged tight by her dance attire. When she quickly did a full split on the hardwood floor, he cursed as his body stiffened. As her hands feathered the air, he could clearly see the moistness on her face was tears. He quietly entered the room.

  The sobs were unmistakable as the music faded. When Graham turned the CD player off, Caresse’s gaze met his. He closed the space between them and offered his hand to help her stand. She rose to her feet as her chest heaved, and he could feel her pain when she stared into his eyes.

  Caresse tried to speak, but he placed his finger over her lips and traced their softness. Before she could refuse, he enclosed her into his arms. He never liked seeing a woman cry; it made him feel helpless, worthless, and tore at the very fiber of him. He needed to know if something had happened. Did one of those kids unnerve her, he thought as he regarded her quizzically for a moment.

  “What happened, Caresse? Are you okay?” he asked quietly as he held her.

  She didn’t answer, but when he tried to comfort her by stroking her hair, she pulled away. Her eyes showed a deep confusion, as if she were torn by conflicting emotions.

  “What are you doing here?” She gazed at him, head tilted quizzically to the side.

  “I had an impromptu meeting with Yvette. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine,” she stated, then moved from his arms and wandered restlessly around the room to gather her gym bag and stereo.

  “Let me get that for you,” Graham offered. But Caresse quickly ignored his gallantry as she stormed out of the room.

  She walked briskly as she lugged her equipment down the hallway.

  With each step, Graham questioned his sanity for pursuing her. He had seen a raw, vulnerable side of her and from her abrupt retreat, she didn’t want him or anyone else to see her in that state. But he wasn’t in the mood for accommodating her wishes tonight. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

  “Caresse, we need to talk! Either we can do it here, or I can follow you home!”

  She refused to reply. Instead, she continued out of the center and hurried through the parking lot.

  A car came from nowhere. The high beam headlights of a car racing toward Caresse had him shielding his eyes.

  Caresse let out a scream, and Graham grabbed for her, catching a handful of fabric, before shoving her to the ground, out of harm’s way. The squealing of tires and the crash of Caresse’s CD player hitting the pavement filled the parking lot as the car headed down a side street.

  Graham rushed to Caresse’s side, turning her around to face him so he could try to survey the damage. Her suit was torn where he’d gotten hold of her side and her foot was scraped. “Are you okay, Caresse?” He was sure his forceful grip had bruised her side.

  She didn’t answer. She began shaking as she tried to catch her breath. Yvette and a few of the dance students ran from the center and approached Graham and Caresse. “What’s going on here?” Yvette ordered.

  “Caresse was almost hit by a car. Luckily, only the CD player was damaged.”

  Yvette’s face registered shock. “Carè?” She hugged her best friend and looked for some sign of steadiness. “Carè, are you okay, or do I need to call a doctor?”

  “No, doctor, I’m fine. I-I need to get out of here.” Tears streamed down Caresse’s face and she started to walk toward her car.

  Graham said nothing, knowing she was frustrated that he had discovered her crying and had now almost gotten herself killed. For once in his life, he was unsure what to do. Seeing Caresse walk away was unbearable. There were too many answers he needed, but if he forced her to stay, she’d only resent him. Hadn’t she been through enough already?

  Yvette stormed in front of Caresse and grabbed her friend’s gym bag. She rummaged through it, then removed a set of car keys and threw the bag at their feet. “You won’t be driving tonight, Caresse! You can’t even stop your hands from shaking. Mr. Sheridan?”

  “Yes,” Graham replied as he joined the women.

  “Drive Caresse home. I’ll have her car dropped off by one of the guards. She shouldn’t be driving.”

  “I agree.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Caresse said weakly. “I’m fine.” Her pinched features belied her statement.

  “No, you’re not.” Graham felt anger build in him. Caresse was shaken and unsteady and yet she thought she could drive herself home. He’d seen the terror on her face when the car barreled toward her, and the color still hadn’t returned to her face. “There is no way you should be driving right now.”

  Caresse stared down at her hands and clasped them together to try to stop them from moving. Graham led her to his car and yanked the door open.

  “Get in and stop being difficult.”

  Yvette patted Caresse on the shoulder and pushed her forward. “Carè, let him take you home.”

  Caresse steadied herself and straightened. Graham suspected Caresse hated being outnumbered, as he did, and every curve of her body spoke defiance. “And what if I don’t? You can’t just walk in here and start bullying me around.”

  Graham mumbled something under his breath and he tossed her gym bag on his backseat. “When most people have an emotional episode, they become easily distracted on the road.”

  “You mean women.”

  “I mean people. And when said people are distracted, they get into accidents. Do you really want Yvette and your students to watch you drive off and become worried about you killing yourself on the road?”

  Caresse opened her mouth to respond when she saw two of her students grasp each other’s hands. Her shoulders slumped. Graham was right. They were already concerned, and she hadn’t even left the center’s parking lot. The fright in their eyes made her give
in.

  She limped toward Graham as he held the car door open and frowned. She wanted to scream how she knew the streets to her home like the back of her hand and how a three-mile drive with a handful of traffic lights wouldn’t unnerve a blind man. But his cool demeanor welcomed none of it. She got inside the sedan and folded her arms across her body.

  When Graham settled into the driver’s seat and put his key into the ignition, he asked, “Where do you live, Caresse?”

  Caresse glanced out of the passenger window toward the broken CD player the maintenance men were placing in the trash. It was totally crushed.

  “Did you hear me? Where do you-?”

  “Could we drive?” Caresse turned to face him as her eyes began to water.

  Graham searched her face, trying to figure out what was going on with this woman, but he couldn’t grasp her inner demons. He leaned down and placed his face inches from hers. Caresee’s breathing increased and her gorgeous eyes widened. He developed slight satisfaction at halting any additional protests that could come from her lips. If he knew her better, he would have kissed her to make her forget about being so stubborn. She was fiery when she was mad, and he bet her kisses would feel the same way if he stole a few.

  Instead, he reached over and secured her seatbelt around her body.

  Caresse adjusted her arms and sighed when his hands returned to the steering wheel.

  He put his car in gear.

  Yvette Mason knew the day would come when she would be pushed too far, but for an idle threat, given moments before, there would be a murder attempt in the parking lot made her blood boil. She struggled with the reality that her best friend had almost died because she laughed off the caller’s bullying. She swore the center would always be a haven against violence and ignorance, yet here she was letting them fester.

  She thought back to the time when she was watching the dry wall go up in the center’s newest addition. At that time, her father, William T. Mason III, was a strong, burly man with a hardy laugh. He’s been busy talking to one of the foremen when a young college-aged Yvette dropped by, after her Accounting mid-term.

  “I’m tired and hungry, Daddy. Let me borrow some money?” she whined as the foreman gathered his charts and left.

  “Why do you always ask me if you can ‘borrow’ money when I never seem to get it back?” Her father motioned her closer.

  “Aw, I’m too hungry for a lecture. Can’t you tell my brain cells are dying the longer we continue this discussion?”

  Laughter roared from his belly as he reached for his wallet. “You sure it’s only dying brain cells and not some itchy fashion virus that learned about Annual Blowout at the mall.”

  Yvette expressionistic face gave her away as she threw herself into the chair in front of him. “C’mon, Daddy! I did good on my last paper, and I want to eat out to celebrate!”

  “Then why couldn’t you say that, young lady? I prefer directness to the ‘over the river and through the woods’ routine.”

  “I know, I know.” She pouted. “I’m sorry. If you want...I’ll pick you up something, too. I know how rare it is for you get out and treat yourself.”

  Mr. Madison raised his eyes up from the currency he was counting and his grin flashed briefly, dazzling against his dark brown skin. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, Sassy.” He knew the nickname wasn’t her favorite. He only called her that when preparing to give her a punishment to make her eat her words.

  “Aw, Daddy. What now?”

  “Since you offered, so why don’t you give me and all the workers here a little treat. Everyone is a bit hungry, so take this and get some pizza pies for us.” He handed her two fifty dollar bills.

  “A pizza run, Dad? You know that icky guy in my chemistry class works at Papa John’s. C’mon, anything but pizza. Please!”

  “Ah...no can do. I think pizza is the most economical, don’t you Ms. Business major?”

  “Yes, Daddy, it is. We did the equations the last time everyone wanted lunch on you. There’s no way I can get out of this?”

  “That’s right, Princess,” he stated as he rose and escorted her to the door. “Yvette, you must remember a person is only as good as their word. So if you promise something, you must be prepared to pay the piper. I promised your mother I would love and care for her always, and I promised the mayor that this center could be a place of safely, learning, and growth. So, tell me, does your mother love me?”

  “Yes, Daddy. She told you so this morning after breakfast.”

  “Do you feel safe in this center?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did I teach you a lesson?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you feel your brain expanding and wisdom developing?”

  “No, I feel like I got duped.”

  Mr. Mason chucked and hugged his daughter tightly to his chest. “You did learn something, and it’s a lesson you won’t forget. Be a woman of your word, honey. If you say you’ll do something, then you have to do it. And know that I’ll be proud if you do.”

  Yvette remembered how her father had grinned at her as she headed toward her office. To this day, she always made a point of only giving her word if she could come through. She had assured Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher the center would be a safe haven during her position as CEO, and tonight she almost failed by not keeping her best friend safe.

  Yvette dialed the police to report the threats and beef up security. It wouldn’t take a fatal accident to make her take the necessary precautions. “He thinks he can intimidate a little woman to pack up her things and leave. Well let’s see if some detective work will reveal exactly who’s playing puppeteer.”

  “Hey, Rick, it’s Vet. I have a problem that needs your expertise.”

  Caresse was thankful Graham drove his car around the Toms River area in complete silence. The last thing she wanted was a conversation. She needed find a way to get out of his presence so she could feel more like herself. Suddenly he parked his car at the shore’s edge of the Toms River and placed the radio on an XM easy listening station.

  “We can talk if you want, or we can listen to the music until you’re ready to leave. The decision is yours,” Graham stated, his voice barely a whisper above the music.

  Caresse stared out the side window into the darkness. She felt so unsure of her feelings. What she wanted was to get far away from Graham before the tears swelling in her eyes overflowed. She opened the car door and took a few steps toward the rear of his car. Graham got out and joined her, in time to see her push the tears from her eyes.

  “Penny for your thoughts, pretty lady?”

  Caresse refused to answer and turned her head away.

  Graham stepped back in front of her and gathered her into his arms as music floated from his car speakers. Graham softly rocked her in his arms, and she felt her body loosen under his touch. She let him softly sway with her, drawing on his strength and breathing in his scent. She began to caress his back and snuggle her head deeper into his chest. Her breathing began to deepen and her heart started to race.

  Then it happened, she lifted her head and sought his lips. Tenderly she kissed him, no longer denying her need to feel his kisses numb her senses. They molded their bodies so closely together that the thought of them being strangers vanished from her mind. All she knew was that she had been lonely for too long.

  When their kiss finally ended, Graham caressed the side of Caresse’s face, then hugged her tight. Her touch felt so natural he didn’t want to let her go. But he had to know why she was always putting walls between them. He had to know why she felt she didn’t need a man. Whoever wounded her heart had made his job of trying to make her feel secure hard as hell. He had to get a straight answer.

  “First, you run away from me. And now you’re kissing me like you’re the woman I’ve sought all of my life. What’s going on?”

  Caresse shook her head at the realization of his words. He still desires me after all of this? The question made a slight grin come
to her lips.

  “Did I amuse you?” Graham questioned as he tipped her head up to meet his gaze.

  Caresse felt a blush cover her face as she grinned uncontrollably and a slight sparkle danced in Graham’s eyes as his mouth twitched with amusement. At that moment, she could feel her heart leap in her chest.

  “No. I wasn’t smiling at you. I mean, I was, but... it wasn’t at your question. Am I making any sense?”

  “Yes and no.” Graham straightened and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Start with the no,” she said, while fingering his silk tie.

  “No, you don’t make sense. If you did, I wouldn’t wonder why you get under my skin. And yes, because I could see you didn’t know you were still in the running.”

  “In the running for what?”

  Graham leaned back and sized her up. “To be America’s next top model. C’mon Caresse, you know. I’m not playing some game here. I want you to be in my life. To win that spot of my heart that yearns for my better half.”

  “You want a lot.”

  “And we both know you’re capable of giving me that, and so much more.”

  Chapter 6

  Graham sat across from Caresse and watched her fumble with the sleeve of his borrowed dress shirt. As it softly enveloped her frame, he realized it was one of the sexiest images he’d ever had the opportunity to scrutinize. He couldn’t determine if it was the fact that she seemed comfortable in the bulky garment that appealed to him or the fact that he knew she was partially naked beneath since her clothes were being laundered. He tried to take his mind off his sudden postulations by assessing the scrape on her heel.

  “It looks like you’ll live. But you were right to think iodine and a bandage were needed,” he stated as he cleaned the abrasion.

  “Thanks for the TLC. Do all of your lady friends receive such wonderful service?”

  Graham met her gaze and gave her a narrowed glinting glance. He knew Caresse was on another fishing expedition. “I can see you like to do a lot of assuming in your spare time, don’t you?”