“My mouth is dry,” she said, picking up a container of salt. “I’d love a dirty martini right about now.”
Phillip laughed. “Experts say that water is the best thirst quencher.”
“Fuck the experts. I’m an expert on me, and my throat is saying a dirty martini would set me straight.”
As they pushed their carts from aisle to aisle, picking up boxes, cans, and containers of food, he learned that Donetta was quite the cook because she knew where everything was located in the store. He paid close attention to the little things about her, like the way she held her head to the side when she was questioning something he said, the way she put her hand on her hip when she was trying to make a point, and the way every move she made was graceful, like a ballet dancer’s, and smooth like flowing water, and it turned him on. But most of all, he paid attention to her eyes. They were large and expressive, and looking into them he realized that the longing he’d seen earlier was actually sadness. He didn’t know what had happened in her life to make her that way, but he hoped she would give him the opportunity to find out, and possibly to change it.
Phillip purposely tried to prolong their shopping adventure because he knew they were nearing the end of his list. He’d added a few items that his mother didn’t need in order to spend more time with Donetta.
“We should get in separate lines so we can check out faster,” Donetta said as she pushed her cart toward the checkout lanes.
Phillip nodded, reluctantly. “Okay, that makes sense.”
He stood in line and glanced over at Donetta in the next aisle. She’d picked up a chocolate candy bar and then put it back down as she shook her head, no doubt talking herself out of the delicious indulgence in favor of watching her slim waistline. He smiled to himself and noted that she had a sweet tooth. He could see that her checkout line was moving much faster than his, and before he knew it she’d paid the cashier and was pushing her cart full of groceries toward the exit door.
She was walking slowly, and it made him think that maybe she was contemplating whether to stay or go. Slowly, she turned around, smiled, and waved good-bye before walking out of the store.
“Damn it!” Phillip said out loud, drawing a few stares from other customers. He’d hoped that he and Donetta would finish at the same time so he could get her number, and if he was lucky, continue their conversation later tonight over drinks. While they’d been browsing the aisles, he’d learned that she didn’t have a boyfriend, which had been hard for him to believe, and that she hadn’t been on a date in more than six months, which was nearly impossible to imagine. When he’d asked her why, her short response had been, “It’s complicated.” He’d wanted to know more, but now that she was gone, so was his chance.
Phillip’s thoughts were interrupted when he heard a text alert come through on his phone. It’s probably Mom wondering how much longer it’s gonna take me to bring home her chicken marsala, he thought. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and frowned when he saw that the message was from Sabrina, an attractive anesthesiologist he’d been seeing on and off since last summer.
Dr. Sabrina Matthews was a cultured woman, and well-known among the who’s who of DC’s young urban professional sect. She had the right credentials, came from a prominent family, had a lucrative career, and was easy on the eyes. But for all her seemingly great attributes, she couldn’t hold Phillip’s attention for long, because everything about her screamed of a life he didn’t want—proper, dull, and devoid of passion. He needed something more than simple window dressing.
He also didn’t like the fact that Sabrina was overly concerned with outward appearances and social status, and that she was trying to pressure him into a deeper commitment. He’d told her from the very beginning that he wasn’t interested in a serious relationship, but he could tell she had other plans. Last month she’d even hinted that she was ready to settle down and start a family, to which he’d told her he wasn’t. Phillip knew that Sabrina was the type of woman who was willing to use anything at her disposal, including her body, to get what she wanted, so he had to be careful with her. He had to admit that sex with her was good, but not good enough to claim his heart, let alone warrant an engagement ring.
“I’ll deal with her later,” Phillip said as he slid the phone back into his pocket and looked out the exit door. He hoped that Donetta was still within sight, but she wasn’t. He looked through the large glass window in front of him that provided a view of the parking lot, but he didn’t see her out there, either. He figured she must have parked on the side of the building because if she’d been out front she’d still be loading her car with grocery bags right now. Phillip didn’t want her to slip away for a second time. He looked at the cashier, who was moving as if he was stuck in quicksand. “Hey, man, can you speed it up? I’m trying to get out of here.”
After the bag boy put the last item in Phillip’s cart, he paid the cashier and quickly pushed his cart toward the exit. He walked out the door, and a smile returned to his face when he saw Donetta leaning against the side of the wall with her shopping cart in front of her. “You’re still here,” he said in a low, sexy voice, happy to see her.
She smiled back at him. “You didn’t think I’d leave without saying a proper good-bye, did you? After all, I’m not a rude person . . . at least not anymore.” She laughed and it made him laugh, too.
He moved his cart next to hers. “I’m glad you didn’t leave.”
“Five more minutes, and you would’ve missed me because it’s freezing out here.” She shivered, rubbing the sides of her arms to keep warm. “The temperature dropped while we were inside.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right. I wish I had a jacket to offer you.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Thanks, but once I get to my car I’ll be fine.”
Phillip wanted to wrap his arms around her to warm her up, but he knew he couldn’t do that . . . at least not yet. “I’ll walk you to your car. Where are you parked?”
She hesitated, and then pointed her slender, perfectly manicured finger. “Over there. Follow me.”
Now Phillip was certain that Donetta didn’t want their time together to end, either, because instead of briskly walking to get out of the cold, she was taking her time, pushing her cart at a snail’s pace. When they finally reached her car, he wasn’t surprised to see that she drove a sleek BMW, similar to the one he owned that was parked in the garage of his town house. “I’ll put your bags in your trunk while you sit inside and warm up,” he offered.
Phillip quickly loaded her bags and then returned her cart to the stand in front of the store. As he walked back to her car, he could see that Donetta was staring at him, the same way he imagined he’d been staring at her in the restaurant. When she realized that he could see her watching him through her windshield, she averted her eyes. He knew that was a good sign. When he came up to her driver’s side door, she had the window rolled down and the heat turned up high.
“You getting warm yet?” he asked.
“Yes, but I can’t say much for my food. It’s going straight into the oven when I get home.”
“The oven? You don’t microwave your food?”
Donetta tilted her head and flipped her long tresses to the side as she spoke. “Not with chicken marsala. The sauce they make it with is delicate and the chicken breast can dry out in the microwave. It’s best reheated, on low, in a conventional oven. That way it retains its moistness and flavor.”
Phillip loved that she was a woman who knew a lot about food. He was a firm believer that one of the best ways to a man’s heart was through his stomach. “You sure do know a lot about cooking.”
“It’s my second passion. My customers at the salon rave about my cakes and pies.”
“I bet they’re delicious.” Phillip paused, then licked his lips. “I’d love to taste them one day.”
There was a short moment of silence that passed between them. He could see that Donetta wanted to say something, but instead she re
mained silent. He paid attention to her eyes, which darted around, trying to find a comfortable place to land. Even though he could tell she was unsure of what to do next, it was clear to him that Donetta was just as interested in him as he was in her. He was a decisive man of action, and he didn’t want to stand in the cold hemming and hawing when he knew what he wanted, so he told her. “Donetta, I enjoyed meeting you tonight, and I’d like to get to know you better. I want to see you again. Do you think that’s possible?”
Donetta looked down and then back up to him. “Anything’s possible.”
Phillip drove back to his mother’s house feeling as though he’d just won a big case. He couldn’t believe he’d been so persistent with Donetta. Normally, he didn’t have to be aggressive in his pursuit of a woman because they flocked to him. But with Donetta, things were different. It wasn’t just her striking beauty and unchecked boldness that made her stand out, it was the fact that she was one of the most genuinely authentic women he’d ever met. She didn’t try to put on an act to impress him, which he found refreshing.
As he turned into his mother’s driveway, Phillip’s mind went back to the question he’d asked himself back at the restaurant, and was now begging to be answered. What would his mother think of Donetta?
In all the years that Phillip had been dating, and of all the women he’d been with, what his mother would think of them was a question he’d never really pondered because he’d never had a relationship that he thought was serious enough to consider. But he also recognized the strength and comfort of what it could mean to have the right person by your side.
After two trips back and forth from the car to the house, Phillip had unloaded all the bags and was now putting the food in the pantry and the refrigerator. He was surprised that his mother hadn’t answered back when he announced that he was home, or that she hadn’t come to help him put things away. He could see that the light was still on in the family room, which meant she was probably so involved in whatever movie or documentary she was watching that she didn’t hear him. He reached into the cabinet and pulled out two dinner plates. “Mom, are you ready to eat?” he called out in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire downstairs. She still didn’t answer, so he walked into the family room, where he’d left her sitting earlier this evening.
Phillip was startled when he surveyed the scene before him. His mother was stretched out on the coach—still wearing her tailored skirt, silk blouse, pantyhose, and jewelry—fast asleep. His eyes roamed over to the empty bottle of wine sitting next to an empty glass. He couldn’t believe she’d drank an entire bottle by herself, let alone that she’d fallen asleep, fully clothed.
“Mom,” he said gently. “I’m home.”
She didn’t move a muscle, and he realized she was out cold. He knelt beside her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. “Mom, I’m going to take you down the hall to your bedroom, so I need you to stand up, okay?” He tried to gently nudge her to help her get up. But instead of rising from the couch, she simply repositioned herself to get more comfortable.
Phillip knew his mother needed the rest, so he decided to leave her where she was. He walked over to the decorative basket she kept in the corner and retrieved a soft, chenille blanket. He knelt beside her again and gently covered her with the warm throw. He leaned in and kissed her on her forehead, the same way she used to do to him when he was a little boy. “Good night, Mom.”
He was about to walk away when his mother began to speak.
“I didn’t mean to do it,” she mumbled in a low, slurred voice. “But I had to . . . I had to stop him.”
Phillip could see the tension covering his mother’s face. He’d initially thought she was simply talking in her sleep, but as he continued to look at her he could see that it was much more than that. It appeared as though she was having a nightmare, and he wondered what was going on in her life that was bad enough to make her drink an entire bottle of wine and then fall into a bad dream.
“Mom, are you all right?” he whispered. A line of tension was streaked across her forehead that matched the pained look on her face.
Phillip didn’t want to overreact, but he knew his mother well, and he was sure that something wasn’t right. He watched and listened as her mumblings became incoherent. Then she turned onto her back, pulled the warm throw close to her face, and began to snore. “Whatever’s going on with her, I’ll have to find out in the morning,” he whispered.
He knew she’d be out for a while, so he quietly left the room. He returned to the kitchen and placed his T-bone steak and baked potato in the microwave. A few minutes later he was sitting at the table barely touching his food as he continued to think about his mother. The first thing that came to mind was his father. “That’s gotta be it,” he said aloud. “Dad’s the only person who can rattle Mom’s nerves like that. Damn, I wonder what he’s done now.”
Phillip imagined that his father probably wanted to come around for the holidays, and heaven forbid if he’d been bold enough to ask if he could bring a “friend” with him. That would have surely set off his mother, and he didn’t even want to think about what Lauren’s reaction would be. But after giving the idea more thought, Phillip dismissed it. “Dad’s not that stupid,” he reasoned as he rubbed the light stubble on his chin. “I can’t worry about what I don’t know, so like I said, I’ll just have to wait to talk to Mom in the morning to find out what’s going on with her.”
Phillip covered his half-eaten plate and put it in the refrigerator along with his mother’s. He walked upstairs to his room and sat on the edge of his bed. He had to admit that although the home he’d grown up in was beautiful, and it had held precious memories of holidays and celebrations, his mother’s new home, in a more trendy location, was now his favorite. It was large, but not grandiose. She’d created her own renovation design and had hired an independent contractor to help her bring the rooms to life, which resulted in a chef-grade kitchen, ample entertaining space, a beautiful main-level master suite, and a custom home office that was comfortable and chic. Each of the three bedrooms upstairs had its own private bathroom, complete with a rain showerhead. Phillip was still decorating his luxury town house, and he was looking forward to his mother coming up in two weeks to help him finish in time for a Christmas party he planned to have.
As he lay back on the bed and reflected on his day, his mind immediately went to thoughts of Donetta. Even though he’d just met her, he knew without a doubt that she was special, and she’d intrigued him enough to want to get to know more about her. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and pressed the contact button that he’d entered for her that read, BEAUTIFUL.
Donetta picked up on the second ring. “I wanted to give you time to eat and get settled in before I started blowin’ up your phone,” Phillip said.
“Thank you for that courtesy.”
He could hear the smile in her voice, and that gave him encouragement. “You’re welcome. And I’m glad you made it in safely.”
“Thanks, you too. How was your dinner? What did you order, by the way?”
“Steak and a baked potato. How was your chicken marsala?”
“It was divine. Did your mother enjoy hers?”
Phillip thought about his mother still asleep on the couch downstairs. “When I came home she was knocked out. She had a really long day and was pretty exhausted.”
“I know how that can be. I had a long day myself.”
“Me too. But my night’s been great.”
“Really?” she giggled. “So . . . tell me, what’s been so great about it?”
Phillip walked over to the window and looked out at the small flower garden and brick-paved patio below the deck in the backyard. “For starters, I met a beautiful woman. Actually, she was stunning.”
Donetta giggled again. “Tell me more.”
“Sure, I’ll tell you all about her over drinks tonight, if you’re up for it.” Phillip heard her breathe into the phone, and he imagined she was d
ebating whether or not she should meet up with him. “Listen, Donetta, I really enjoyed our conversation and I want to get to know you better. I was thinking since both of us had a long day, what better way to wind down than with a nice, relaxing drink at the Roosevelt?”
Donetta remained silent on the other end, and Phillip immediately realized his blunder, so he quickly corrected it. “I’m not trying to get you into a room.”
“Uh-huh.”
He laughed. “Seriously, I only suggested the hotel because their bar is open later than any of the restaurants in town, and I want to have plenty of time to tell you all about the amazing woman I mentioned.”
This time Donetta didn’t hesitate. “What time do you want to meet up?”
Phillip walked over to the closet, removed a black blazer from a black velveteen hanger, and laid it across the bed. “Can you meet me in thirty minutes?”
“The Roosevelt is a good twenty minutes from my house, and I need to change clothes. How about forty-five?”
He smiled. “Forty-five it is. I’ll see you then.”
Phillip hung up the phone feeling rejuvenated. He walked over to the bathroom on the other side of the room and removed his shaving cream from his black leather grooming kit. He wanted to look extra good for Donetta, and he was going to pull out all the stops to make an impression. He lathered his face with the citrus-smelling cream and realized that not only was he excited, he was actually a little nervous, which was something he rarely, if ever, experienced. He couldn’t explain how he knew it, but he was certain that his date with Donetta was going to be the beginning of something special.
Chapter 10
GENEVA
Geneva filled her stainless steel teakettle with water, placed a chamomile and lavender–flavored tea bag in her cup, and sat on the bar stool at her large island while her water boiled. It was late, and she should’ve been lying beside Samuel, sound asleep after having made passionate love. But instead, she was sitting in her kitchen, feeling worried, shocked, and confused. A half hour ago she’d awakened after a terrible dream about Johnny that had seemed so real she’d almost screamed out loud. She was puzzled about what the dream had revealed, and she didn’t know what to make of it.
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