by Tina Martin
Tyson stood up when he heard Gabrielle coming downstairs. She had on a pair of black slacks, a long-sleeved, low-cut pink blouse that showed cleavage and a pair of black loafers.
“Wow. You look stunning.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t you think you’re a little too overdressed to be working in a garden?”
“We’re going to talk about the garden...don’t think we’re working in it today.”
“Oh, okay. Well, if you’re ready, we can go.”
“I’m ready,” Gabrielle told him.
* * *
The thirty minute drive to Padma’s house was a quiet one. Tyson was at a loss for words when usually he was conversational. He was thinking about he kiss he shared with Gabrielle, how he could still feel the warmth of her lips against his mouth.
She hadn’t said a word either, Tyson noticed. She just stared out of the window, probably doing the exact same thing he was doing – reliving every second of their kiss.
He pulled up behind Padma’s car, shifted his Range Rover in park and asked, “I know it was a rather wild morning, but did you remember to grab your phone?”
Gabrielle rummaged around in her purse looking for it. “Yes, I have it, although I’ll probably get Padma to drop me off.”
“Okay. Well, you know the routine...call me if you need me.”
Gabrielle smiled. “I will.” She reached for the door handle and Tyson grabbed her left hand.
“Wait,” he said.
She looked at him.
“We need to talk about this morning,” he told her.
She nodded. “Yeah. We do.”
Tyson kissed the backside of her hand, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted her lips again, as evident by the way he lifted out of his seat and went after them, tasting them with the same fervor as he had in her bed this morning.
When they separated, he said, “Call me if you need me, Gabrielle.”
“I will.”
Tyson watched her open the door, get out and walk up the stairs. He smiled, then put the car in reverse and drove away.
CHAPTER 22
Gabrielle
- - -
Sitting across from Dilvan gives me so many bad memories. Why did I even agree to meet him for dinner? And why had he chosen a romantic restaurant, one with dim lighting and candles – the type of place one would have to make reservations in order to get a table.
He’d ordered dinner. My stomach was too nervous for me to eat. And why would I want to break bread with my enemy? I opted for a glass of wine instead.
“How have you been?” Dilvan asks.
Ignoring him, I swish the wine around in my glass, enjoying the aroma of it. Coming here was a mistake, I realize, because all the things he did to me are flashing in my head like visions. Reminders...
“You can look at me, Gabrielle.”
I frown. Oh, now I can look at you, when before, I wasn’t allowed to make eye contact with you.
“Did you hear me?” he asks.
I nod and take a sip of wine.
“Then look at me.”
“No thanks,” I say.
He sighs heavily. “I asked you here because I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve treated you. You didn’t deserve it and I’m sorry.”
I roll my eyes. His apology means nothing to me. It can’t change the past and his mistreatment of me. It won’t undo the name-calling, the pushing and shoving, the way he forced himself on me and my two miscarriages. I’m sorry are just words, and for a man like Dilvan, there is no meaning behind them.
CHAPTER 23
Tyson
- - -
“Been a minute since I’ve been over to your bachelor pad,” Heshan said.
Tyson nodded.
The men were sitting in the living room, drinking beers and watching ESPN.
“Wait...I take that back...it certainly is not a bachelor pad anymore, now that Gabrielle is living here. How has that been going?”
Tyson forced a smile away from his face. “It’s going good.”
“Yeah, but I know you must want your house back to yourself.”
“Um...haven’t really thought about it. It’s actually been nice having her here with me.”
Heshan sat up straight. “Really, now?”
“Yeah.”
Heshan gave Tyson a hard stare. “Wait...you like her, don’t you?”
“Of course I like her. How else were we able to get along for three months?”
“No, I don’t mean that kind of like. I mean, you got the hots for her.”
Tyson smiled, then turned up the beer bottle to his mouth. “And if I said I did?”
“Wow. I knew it!”
“Heshan, chill man. That was a hypothetical question.”
“Sounds more like an admission to me. I thought, after Desiree, you were done with relationships.”
“Who said anything about a relationship?” Tyson asked, unable to remove the smile from his face.
“You don’t have to say it, my brother. It’s written all over your face. How long has it been since Desiree anyway? Four years?”
Tyson shrugged. “Not sure. All I know is I like spending time with Gabrielle, but she’s hella young.”
“How young?” Heshan inquired.
“You don’t know how old your sister-in-law is, man?” Tyson quipped. “She’s twenty-one.”
“How did I not know that?” Heshan asked, and after thinking about it for a moment, he said, “Well, whatever the case, you can help yourself with the love thing...I’m not going there.”
“You better before Aunt Padma makes you marry somebody of her choosing.”
“Nah...she won’t do that to me.”
“But isn’t that your culture? What people back in your homeland do?”
“Yeah, but we’re not there anymore.”
“So how did she get Dilvan to agree to marry Gabrielle?”
“Easy. She told him she would cut him out of the will. He’s always been somewhat of a shark when it comes to money.”
“Interesting...”
“No...here’s where things get interesting. Get this, Dilvan and Gabrielle aren’t even married.”
“Say what?” Tyson asked, turning to look at Heshan so fast, he could’ve fractured his neck.
“Yeah...Mom said that even though they had a marriage ceremony, the license was never filed with the state...therefore, they aren’t legally married.”
“Hmm...” Tyson rubbed his chin.
“I’m curious...what is it about Gabrielle that you like?”
“Why did you ask the question like that? Like there’s something wrong with her?” Tyson asked.
“Didn’t mean anything by it...I’m just curious.”
Tyson took a sip of beer. “Well, she’s interesting...she understands me, and I understand her. I enjoy her company, and I haven’t felt this way about a woman in a very long time. My only issue with pursuing her is—”
“That Dilvan is your cousin.”
“It’s not even that...not trying to diss your brother or anything, but I could care less about Dilvan or his feelings. My issue with Gabrielle is, I think she may still have some feelings for Dilvan.”
“I think you might be right.”
Tyson frowned. “Why you say that?”
Heshan took a swig of beer and, while gesturing with beer bottle in his hand, he said, “Okay...so this morning, we had brunch at Dilvan’s place...he was going on and on about how sorry he was for all of his wrongs...said something about not being perfect...that he made mistakes with Gabrielle, blah, blah, blah...long story short, she’s having dinner with him as we speak.”
“She who?” Tyson asked, frowning so hard, he could make the muscles in his face burst.
“Gabrielle...she’s having dinner with Dilvan.”
Tyson shook his head. “No she’s not. She’s with your Mother. I dropped her off there myself.”
“Yeah, she was with Mom earlier, but Dilvan tol
d us this morning that Gabrielle agreed to meet him for dinner today.”
Tyson glared. If Gabrielle was meeting Dilvan for dinner, she would’ve told him about it, right? He’d even mentioned to her, a while ago, that whenever she was ready to face Dilvan, he would be right there to support her – to make sure she was comfortable. That was before he had feelings for her. Now that he cared for her, the thought that she was spending time with Dilvan incensed him. Did she really go to meet Dilvan alone, over dinner, after all the things he did to her?
CHAPTER 24
Gabrielle
- - -
I don’t like the way I feel in Dilvan’s presence. One glass of wine down and I continue to maintain a sense of nervousness, like he’s going to reach across the table and slap me if I don’t accept his apology. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I glance up at him and he’s staring at me with his intense gray eyes like he wants to have his way with me, like he misses the Tuesday and Thursday trips to my bedroom.
“Did you hear me?” he asks. “I said I’m sorry.”
I shrug.
“You have nothing to say to that?”
“Nope.”
“Come on, Gabrielle...I’m trying here.”
He has some nerve, and with his statement, he’s struck a nerve. He’s trying...
“You’re trying what?” I ask.
“To make amends with you.”
“Dilvan, all the apologies in the world won’t be enough for me to forget the things you’ve done to me. You humiliated me. You abused me and—”
“Listen...we have to start over from somewhere.”
I frown. “No we don’t. What makes you think I want to start over with you? I’m not good enough, remember? I’m too ugly, too black, too stupid to be your wife.”
“And I just apologized to you for the things I’ve said and done.”
I shake my head and cross my arms in defiance.
“Look, Gabrielle. I know the things I’ve done are probably unforgivable.”
“Probably?”
Dilvan blows a frustrated breath. “If you give me a chance, I promise I will make things right and be a better man for you.”
This conversation baffles me...makes me wonder what’s behind his change of heart. Before, I wasn’t good enough. Now he wants to give me the world. “Why now?” I ask, not because I’m seriously considering getting back with him, but for my own knowledge. “Why do you want to be good to me now?”
“When I found out what you did for my Father it made me realize how stupid I am and how special you are. I don’t deserve you, Gabrielle. I don’t. But I’m asking you for a chance to prove my love.”
Before I can stop myself, I’m laughing out loud. He didn’t just say the word love, did he?
“You’re right about one thing, Dilvan...oh, wait...I’m sorry...you still want me to call you My Lord or is Dilvan acceptable now?” I ask him, eyebrows raised.
He sighs.
Meanwhile, I’m inwardly smiling. I have what it takes to stand up to him now. If only I would’ve done this months ago. I continue, “You said you don’t deserve me and that’s precisely the reason why you don’t have me.”
“So you don’t love me? You don’t feel anything for me?”
“I used to,” I say honestly, because I did care about him, confusing his abuse with love. I foolishly thought the way Dilvan treated me was how he loved. But I realized it wasn’t love for me. It was love for himself.
“Do you feel anything for me now, because if there is a microscopic bit of love in your heart for me, we owe it to each other to give this thing another go?”
Another six months of torture...no thanks. “No. I don’t feel anything for you anymore,” I tell him as I stand. “Goodbye, Dilvan.”
“Gabrielle, wait...”
“Goodbye,” I tell him. It actually feels freeing to walk away, to officially end this virulent relationship that has been hanging over my head for months. Now it’s over. For good.
CHAPTER 25
Tyson
- - -
Tyson paced the deck, waiting for Gabrielle to come home. Heshan left a few minutes ago after spilling the beans about Gabrielle’s plans. It bothered Tyson that she’d kept her dinner with Dilvan a secret.
Was it any of his business what Gabrielle was doing?
He thought so. He cared for her and had been taking care of her for three and a half months. He was falling for her. Even before the kiss they shared this morning, he thought about what it would be like to make her his woman. And he had a serious dislike of Dilvan.
If he touched a single hair on her head...
Tyson watched as taxi pulled up next to his car. Gabrielle emerged from the back seat.
As he watched her climb the stairs to the deck, he wondered if that’s why she dressed so nice today and why she had her hair straightened – because she was going to see Dilvan tonight.
“Hey,” he told her. “Why didn’t you call me? I told you I would come and pick you up?”
“It’s okay. You do enough for me already, Tyson.”
Tyson’s jaw tightened as he followed her in the house. “So how did it go today?” he managed to force out.
“It went well.”
Tyson frowned, watching her take a bottle of water from the fridge. He wanted her to tell him about her dinner with Dilvan without having to ask about it. Why was she being secretive?
“So is everything going well with the fall garden plans?” he inquired.
“Yep...perfect.” Gabrielle took a sip of water. “The students are really excited about it.”
He finally caught her eyes, shooting her an intense glare.
“Is something wrong?” she asked him.
He shrugged. “You tell me.”
She looked puzzled. “O-kay, I’m going to head to bed.”
Tyson’s anger intensified when he watched her walk away. He cared for this woman, and she was having dinner with Dilvan behind his back. As much as he liked Gabrielle, he wouldn’t stand in her way if she really wanted to be with Dilvan.
CHAPTER 26
Gabrielle
- - -
I feel exceptionally well this morning. Meeting with Dilvan last night made me realize how much I don’t miss him, how much I could care less about him and how grateful I am to be living here with Tyson. I’d intended on telling Tyson that I’d met with Dilvan last night, but I was so exhausted, I just wanted to go to bed.
* * *
It’s a little after ten this morning and the aroma of coffee has me getting out of bed. I shower quickly and while I’m standing under the running water, it occurs to me that I’d totally forgotten to set my alarm for 4:00 a.m., which means I missed my morning run with Tyson.
Ugh...
I love spending time running with him in the mornings and I could beat myself up for not setting my alarm. I hate myself right now.
When I make it downstairs, I see Tyson sitting on the couch sipping on his coffee, atypical for him. He’s usually in the kitchen, perched on a barstool with his laptop in front of him or busy cooking something. Today, he’s comfortable in the living room and he looks troubled, the same way he looked last night as if something is bothering him.
“Hey, did you go jogging this morning?” I ask, standing at the bottom of the staircase.
“Yeah, I did.”
“I forgot to set my alarm. Why didn’t you wake me up at four?”
He shrugs. “I figured you didn’t want to join me, so I went alone.”
“Why would you think I didn’t want to join you?” I ask, lightheartedly, because now I know something is wrong. I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I know Tyson has an issue with me. He’s never been so flippant and standoffish with me.
“Well, you haven’t forgotten to set your alarm before. But last night, for some reason, your mind was elsewhere.”
“Tyson—”
“It’s cool. Don’t stress yourself over it. I’m kinda glad I went alone b
ecause it gave me time to think.” He takes a sip of coffee and sets his mug on the table.
I sigh. “Okay, did I do something to you?”
“Where were you last night, Gabrielle?”
I walk around the coffee table and sit on the couch with just enough space separating us to have a conversation. “That’s what I meant to tell you...I met with Dilvan last night.”
“You mean you had dinner with Dilvan last night.”
I shake my head. “No. Dilvan asked me to dinner to discuss some things with me, but I didn’t eat with him. I just wanted to hear what he had to say.”
“Why? After everything he put you through, why meet him for dinner, Gabrielle?”
Tyson is upset. I don’t recall ever seeing him this way, but I can see the anger in his clenched jaw.
“Tyson, you told me I needed to talk to him.”
“Yeah, and I also told you I would come with you in case Dilvan tried to hurt you.”
“I knew he wasn’t going to try to hurt me.”
Tyson stood up and, “Oh, and you know this how? Since you’ve known him, all he ever did was hurt you and now, all of a sudden, you trust him.”
“No, Tyson! I don’t trust him. I just went to see what he had to say.”
“And what was that? That he loves you. That he’s sorry, and he hopes you’ll go back to his torture chamber so you two can live happily ever after?”
I shake my head. He’s being irrational now and I know nothing I say is going to calm him down.
“You still love him, don’t you?” he asks me. “That’s why you didn’t tell me you were going to meet him. You love him.”
“No, I don’t!”
“Well, I think you do. Who am I to stand in the way of you and your relationship with him?”
“Tyson...”
“Here,” he says, handing me a small, brown envelope. “I took the liberty of finding you an apartment, and I paid the lease up for a year.”
