He’d called Vivana last night to remind her about this event, and because she was due back in town by midday, there was no reason why she wouldn’t be able to attend. It was the first scheduled event of the school year, and he’d even managed to get a local television reporter to cover the evening’s festivities. Although he knew it was unlikely that Vivana would actually make an appearance, he still felt it was worth a try. But Vivana hadn’t bothered to call him back, and now he was glad she wasn’t there tonight because after the disrespectful way she was treating him, he knew they’d have heated words that could turn ugly.
Vivana had recently begun the neglectful habit of not bothering to respond to him when he called, texted, or emailed her, and it pissed him off. Not only was it rude, it was unsafe. Last night he’d been concerned because she was traveling alone on business to the bank branch in Clinton, which was a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. But what worried him most and made him uneasy was that he didn’t even know the name of the hotel where she was staying. If something happened he wouldn’t know where she was. It was a dangerous world and anything could happen.
Samuel was becoming more and more frustrated by his wife’s behavior, which was eroding the love he’d once had for her. But he knew he had to put those worries out of his mind until he got home tonight, when he planned to address it once and for all. Right now he had to make sure he exercised the type of focused leadership that would motivate his staff and volunteers and build excitement about the new projects he’d planned for the upcoming year. He thanked God for his job because at this moment, it was a ray of sun among the clouds.
Samuel was drawn away from his thoughts when he saw a welcomed and familiar face. “Hello, Mr. Saddler,” Samuel said with a smile and a firm handshake. “How are you?”
“I’m doin’ great, Dr. Owens,” the older gentleman said, returning Samuel’s smile. “How you doin’ this evenin’?”
“I’m feeling well, and I’m excited. The summer’s just about over and the new school year is here. It’s hard to believe this is my seventh year at Sandhill.”
“Time flies.”
“Yes, it does, and each year I look forward to all the great things we do for the kids.”
Mr. Saddler nodded. “Keep that enthusiasm long as you can. You done made a mighty big change here and I’m proud of you, son.”
Samuel nodded. “That means a lot to me coming from you. You’re an institution.”
“I can’t believe this gon’ be my last year at this here school. I had me some mighty good times walkin’ these halls, mighty good.”
Mr. Saddler had been working at Sandhill for fifty years. He’d started as a custodian and over the years he’d worked his way up to become head of maintenance. He was a hard-working man who loved the students and teachers at the school just as much as he did his actual job. All four of his children had graduated from the school, as well as several grandchildren and a smattering of nieces and nephews. He was a genuinely kind man who helped out in any way he could, offering advice to some, support to others, and guidance to anyone who needed it. Whatever problem arose, Mr. Saddler was always there to the rescue.
Samuel was going to miss the old man, not just because he was one of his most loyal and trusted employees, but because he’d become a personal friend and confidant. Mr. Saddler had taken Samuel under his wing during Samuel’s tumultuous first year at Sandhill, helping him navigate the school’s social and political waters. He was without a doubt the greatest mentor Samuel had ever had. And outside of work, Mr. Saddler had listened, without judgment, to Samuel’s troubles at home, offering honest and caring advice. And with what Samuel could see as new problems on the horizon, he was going to miss Mr. Saddler more than the old man knew.
“I don’t know what Sandhill’s going to do without you,” Samuel said, “or me either, for that matter.”
“You gon’ be just fine, son. You smart, ambitious, and you got a good heart. You know what you doin’.”
“Thanks,” Samuel said. “But knowing what to do and knowing who to trust are two different things. With all the changes I want to implement this school year, that’s going to be my biggest challenge.”
Mr. Saddler nodded. “Trust in God. He won’t steer you wrong.”
“Amen,” Mrs. Johnston said.
Samuel and Mr. Saddler both smiled when they saw Mary Johnston standing beside them. She was the school secretary and had been working in the front office for twenty-five years. Aside from Mr. Saddler, she was Samuel’s favorite employee. She knew where the bodies were buried, and she always had Samuel’s back.
“You need to listen to this man,” Mrs. Johnston said. “God will always guide you in the right direction. Lead with your heart, because that’s where He resides.”
“You a smart woman, Mary,” Mr. Saddler said.
“Well, thank you kindly.”
“I do trust and believe,” Samuel said with assurance. “I know that change is good and when you’re trying to change things for the better, it will all work out.”
Mrs. Johnston smiled. “That’s right. And this is going to be one of the best school years yet. Enrollment is at capacity, test scores are up, students and parents are happy, and new volunteers are coming in by the droves.”
Samuel was about to agree, but he temporarily lost his train of thought when his eyes caught sight of a woman standing at the registration table. She was medium height and slender, with luscious curves in all the right places. Her erect posture reminded him of a dancer, down to the way she stood with one leg slightly in front of the other, as if she were striking a pose. Her jeans hugged her tight, but not in an obtrusive way, and the strappy red heels she wore gave her a sexy look that pulled him in. She was completing the volunteer form, and Samuel immediately wondered who she was. He knew most of the parent volunteers, but he’d never seen this beautiful woman before.
“I see someone has your attention,” Mrs. Johnston said, following the trail of Samuel’s eyes.
Samuel laughed nervously, embarrassed that he’d been caught ogling a woman in public. “Well, um, uh,” he stammered, trying to form his words. “I was trying to figure out who she is.” He quickly averted his eyes from the woman. “I don’t remember seeing her at any of our events last year. She must be new.”
Samuel couldn’t help but glance in the woman’s direction again. Her smooth, nut-brown skin looked as though it was glistening and her smile lit up the entire area where she was standing. He watched as she politely handed the pen and clipboard back to the volunteer coordinator and smiled as they chatted. He wanted to walk over and inspect the information she’d provided on the form, and personally welcome her to Sandhill. But given the state of his nerves, he knew that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.
Samuel felt a rush of heat engulf his body. He couldn’t remember ever having this kind of reaction to a woman on first sight, not even when he’d met Vivana. Then a thought came to him: I wonder if she’s married? Almost immediately he wanted to kick himself for allowing the idea to enter his mind. Whether the beautiful woman was married or not didn’t matter because, regardless of her status, he had a wife, and although his marriage was in serious trouble, and deep down he knew it was just a matter of time before it came to an end, he knew he must still act like a married man.
He looked in the woman’s direction again and took a deep breath when he saw her walking straight toward him.
“Looks like you gonna find out ’zactly who she is,” Mr. Saddler said, “ ’cause she comin’ this way.”
Samuel’s nerves had initially been rattled, but now he was excited. This was the first time in a long time that he’d felt the kind of carnal desire that only a woman could elicit. He paid close attention as she walked toward them. He noticed that she carried her large black handbag in the crook of her arm, like the models in magazine ads. She looked hip and trendy, yet elegantly classic, and that turned him on even more. Her head was held high, her back was straight, her shoulders were s
quared, and her body language emanated a strength that was at once sexy and powerful.
“Hello,” the beautiful woman said. “The volunteer coordinator said I should come over and introduce myself.” She smiled brightly, letting her eyes land on Mrs. Johnston and then on to Mr. Saddler, before finally settling on Samuel. “My name is Geneva Mayfield, and I just signed up to volunteer with the morning reading program,” she said, exposing white teeth that made her smile appear even more radiant.
She extended her delicate, well-manicured hand in the same order that she’d greeted them, first to Mrs. Johnston, then to Mr. Saddler, and again ending with Samuel. When her hand touched his, he noted the softness of her palm and the warmth it carried. He wondered what she did for a living.
“Nice to meet you, young lady,” Mrs. Johnston said. “Thank you for volunteering. What grade will your child be starting this year?”
Geneva smiled as she shook her head. “I don’t have children.”
“Oh, please excuse my assumption,” Mrs. Johnston said.
“That’s quite all right, it’s a normal question. I love children and I’ve wanted to volunteer for the longest time, but my busy work schedule has made it difficult. Then a few weeks ago I saw an ad in the newspaper for volunteers, so I decided to sign up, because if I keep putting it off I’ll never do it. I’m always going to be busy, but the opportunity to volunteer might not always be here.”
Mr. Saddler smiled. “Well, young lady, I need to correct you on two things. One, you won’t always be so busy, least I hope not, ’cause er’body needs a break. And two, as long as Sandhill’s doors is open, you gon’ always have a opportunity to volunteer.”
“That’s right,” Mrs. Johnston chimed in.
Samuel was silent. He wanted to coattail on what had just been said, but he couldn’t find his voice. In less than ten minutes he was going to take the stage and speak to an auditorium full of people, but looking at the woman in front of him, he couldn’t manage to form a single word. What the hell is wrong with me? he asked himself.
Geneva smiled. “In that case, I’m looking forward to a busy but great school year.”
Samuel felt her enthusiasm and he knew he had to figure out something to say in response. “Yes, likewise. I mean, I am, too.”
One would never suspect he’d won the National Spelling Bee his senior year in high school, or that he knew the definition of nearly every word in Webster’s dictionary, because right now he couldn’t string together a single word that contained more than two syllables. He knew he wasn’t impressing Geneva, and he wondered what she must think of him. He wanted her to know that he was smart, and capable, and funny, and quite charming when he was his normal self.
The next few minutes passed with Mr. Saddler and Mrs. Johnston carrying on a lively conversation with Geneva while Samuel listened and interjected—again, no more than two syllables at a time—when he could.
Then suddenly something amazing happened. Samuel got up the nerve to look directly into Geneva’s piercing eyes, and when he did, he saw attraction mirrored back at him. She gave him a bashful smile, which confirmed that he was right. Both Mr. Saddler and Mrs. Johnston excused themselves to go mingle with the crowd, leaving Samuel and Geneva standing together.
Samuel searched for something to say. “I’m glad you responded to the ad, Ms. Mayfield. We’re always in need of good volunteers and we’re honored you chose us.”
She nodded and smiled. “Thank you, but the honor is mine. I feel blessed to be able to do something meaningful, and I’m looking forward to working with the children and teachers.”
Samuel listened not only to the words that Geneva spoke but to the sincerity in her voice. Working as closely as he did with a very diverse range of people had made Samuel a good judge of character—not to mention the lesson in deception he’d come to learn through his wife—and he could see that Geneva was a genuinely sweet woman with a giving heart, which made him even more attracted to her. As they stood next to each other, he could feel a natural chemistry starting to develop between them.
“I admire what you do,” Geneva said. “Educators, especially in administration, have an important but difficult job. The passion you have for what you do is commendable and I can tell you love it.”
“You can . . . how?”
She smiled and glanced back at the volunteer table before aiming her eyes back on him. “I watched you while I was filling out my form, and you looked happy and excited.”
The fact that she admitted she’d been watching him excited Samuel, and further confirmed what he’d read in her eyes. He knew it was a gamble to say what he was about to tell her, especially in the setting he was in, but everything about this moment told him to trust his instincts. He waited for a short pause in order to give his words more weight. “You’re right, but I must confess that half of my reactions came from watching you, too.”
She blushed and smiled with a sexy innocence that made her even more irresistible to him. Samuel couldn’t believe that he was straight-up flirting with a volunteer, which he knew was inappropriate. But at the same time his gut told him that everything about this was right. Just then Mrs. Johnston walked up to them, breaking the mood.
“Dr. Owens, it’s time for you to take the stage now.”
Samuel nodded, then smiled at Geneva. “Please excuse me, I have to make my speech now.” He cleared his throat. “I hope we get a chance to speak again before you leave.”
Geneva smiled. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Later that night as Samuel lay in his king size bed all alone, he replayed the evening’s events in his head. He’d been on a natural high after the success of the open house. Even though he didn’t get a chance to speak to Geneva at length as he’d wanted to because of the rush of parents, volunteers, and teachers who took up his time after his speech, he was glad that she’d waved good-bye to him through the crowd before she left the building.
Geneva’s beautiful smile had him floating on a cloud until he walked through his front door, but he became pissed as soon as he saw Vivana. She was sitting in the family room, tapping away on her laptop, sipping on a glass of wine.
“We have a serious problem,” he said.
“And what’s that?” She never bothered to look up from her screen.
He walked up to her and closed the top of her computer.
“What the hell are you doing?”
He could see that he’d startled her. Normally he’d let her go about her business of whatever she was doing, but he’d had enough. “I’m trying to talk to you, so I need your attention,” he said with a hard edge in his voice. “We don’t have a marriage anymore. We don’t communicate, and I feel like what we had is gone. We’re broken, Vivana.”
Vivana rolled her eyes. “If this is about me not going to the open house . . .”
Samuel cut her off. “It’s about everything. It’s about how we’ve grown apart. It’s about how we don’t even speak a word to each other for days, and then when we do, it turns into an argument.”
“Like now,” she said sarcastically.
Samuel shook his head. “I’m not arguing with you, I’m trying to have a conversation, Vivana.” He looked into her eyes the way he’d peered into Geneva’s tonight, but as he focused in on his wife, what he saw reflected back at him was emptiness. He knew he was wasting his energy and his time trying to find or build anything, a love that wasn’t there.
“What?” Vivana said with irritation. “Are you gonna just stand there and stare at me, or are you gonna talk?”
Samuel knew when to cut his losses, so he told Vivana good night and went upstairs to salvage what was left of the great evening he’d been having up until he’d come home. Once he was out of her presence, he was able to refocus his mind, and take pleasure in knowing that tonight’s event had been the most highly attended, well organized open house he’d experienced since coming to Sandhill. Not only did everyone have a good time, the energy and spirit of the school was show
cased in a clip on the late night news, which was set to rebroadcast tomorrow. But above all the accomplishments of the evening, the one thing that stood out to Samuel was the woman he’d met: Geneva Mayfield.
Geneva had captured his interest and managed to hold it, even during his presentation to the open house attendees. He’d found himself glancing in her direction and each time he did, her kind smile and nods of approval made him feel like he’d just been handed a winning lottery ticket. After he left the stage, she’d found him and let him know that his speech had inspired her. He wanted to tell her that she was equally inspiring, but he couldn’t find the words.
Samuel reached over to his nightstand and cut off his light. He didn’t mind that Vivana hadn’t asked him how the open house went when he came home, and it didn’t bother him that she was asleep on the couch downstairs, at this very moment, where she’d be spending the rest of the night. He wasn’t concerned, because Geneva had taken his mind off his troubles and had replaced them with possibilities. He smiled at the thought.
Geneva was like a breath of fresh air, and he couldn’t wait to see her when she came to volunteer at Sandhill this Monday.
Chapter 9
GENEVA
“Thank God it’s Monday!” Geneva said with a smile.
Unlike most people who dreaded Mondays, it was Geneva’s favorite day of the week. Monday was the universal day off in the salon world, and it was the one day she didn’t have to worry about demanding clients, overbookings, shop gossip, or standing all day until her feet and legs hurt. Monday was her day to relax and do absolutely nothing if she so chose. But because Geneva was active and liked to keep herself busy, the one simple luxury she allowed herself was to sleep in until nine o’clock. Once she rose from bed, she split her time between cleaning up around the house, washing clothes, cooking and sampling new recipes, and running errands. After her many tasks were complete, she’d round out her day by getting lost in a good book until she fell asleep.
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