by Tina Martin
“Well isn’t this a surprise,” Garrison said, taking a step inside rocking a gray suit. “When did this happen?”
Calista couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face if she wanted to. “This as in me and Barringer?”
“Yes.”
“We worked some things out yesterday,” Calista said.
“I see. You may want to wear a turtleneck for a few days.” He smirked, looking at the redness on her neck.
Calista’s mouth fell open. “Gary!”
He laughed.
“I’m not paying your crazy daddy any mind, Junior,” Calista said, taking Junior from his car seat, kissing him on the jaw. “I missed you, lil’ man.”
She watched Junior smile.
“Aw, you missed me too, didn’t you?” she asked Junior. She returned her attention to Garrison. “I see you’re in a suit again.”
“Yeah. Now that your husband is sane again, and now I know why, I think we can go back to working together,” Garrison said.
“Gary, you better not be in there flirting with my wife,” Barringer quipped, stepping out of the kitchen, walking over to where Garrison and Calista were standing.
“Here we go…” Garrison grinned.
Barringer slapped hands with his brother, gave him a half hug then said, “Lookin’ good, bro.”
“You too. I take it Calista has something to do with that.”
Barringer looked at Calista and said, “She has everything to do with that.” He took a long kiss from her lips.
“I’m glad you guys are back together. Now, Barry and I can handle some business,” Garrison said. “You ready, man?”
Barringer brought his hands to a clap. “Let’s do it.”
Calista smiled. “Have fun. Me and Junior will be just fine. Say bye-bye, daddy.” She held Junior’s arm by the wrist and waved his hand at Garrison.
“Can I get a bye-bye daddy?” Barringer asked with a smirk on his face.
Calista puckered her lips and left a kiss on Barringer’s lips. “Bye-bye, Daddy.”
“Bye, baby. See you this evening.”
“Okay.”
Chapter 37
“Good morning, Candy,” Barringer said, peeping around her office door.
Candice’s face lit up, excited to see him back to work after a two-week hiatus. “Barry! You’re back!” She hopped up out of her chair and ran to him, hugging him tight right there in the doorway.
“Didn’t think you would be that happy to see me.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, you’ll be even more shocked to see who I dragged in with me.”
Before she could guess, Garrison peeped around the door. “Hey, sis.”
“Gary!” she squealed. She looked him up and down. “You’re back!” She leaped into his arms and said, “I’m so proud of you!”
“Don’t kill me, Candy,” Garrison joked.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so excited. Look at you. Did you get a haircut?”
“I did,” he said, rubbing his mustache.
“All right, you two,” Barringer said. “Meet me in my office in ten.”
Candice saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
Barringer grinned then headed to his office while Candice walked with Gary to his office.
Garrison walked inside, looked around and said, “Doesn’t look like a thing is out of place.”
“It’s not,” Candice said. “Barringer kept it locked. I think he was hoping you’d return.”
“And here I am,” Garrison said, placing his briefcase on top of his desk.
“Yes. Here you are.” Candice watched him open his briefcase, remove some folders and a picture – a picture of himself with Vivienne at the pier.
A small smile touched his lips. He took a long look at the picture and placed it on his desk. He’d taken down all the pictures of Vivienne at home. With Calista’s help, he’d packed up her things. But this picture – this picture he needed on his desk. Even when he knew it would hurt to look at it sometimes, he needed it there. “I’ll never forget her,” he said.
“None of us will,” Candice said.
Garrison swallowed hard, pulled in a breath, forcing sadness away.
“So what does Barry have up his sleeve this morning?” Candice asked.
Garrison shrugged. “Your guess is just as good as mine. I rode with him this morning and he wouldn’t talk business.”
“Wait…you rode with him to the office?”
Garrison nodded. “I did. I dropped Junior off with Calista and left my car parked there.”
Candice grimaced. “Left your car parked where?”
“At Barry’s. Are you feeling okay, sis?”
“Yeah. For a minute there, I thought…never mind.” She thought somehow in Garrison’s explanation that Barringer and Calista were back together. It was only her overeager, wishful thinking. Candice rolled her wrist to check her watch. “How was my adorable, little nephew this morning?”
“He’s good…thrilled to see Calista, of course.”
“I bet.”
“He’s going to have to get used to his new surroundings, though. And the place needs to be child-proofed. Maybe you can help Cali with that.”
Candice frowned. Now she was really confused. “Okay, wait…the apartment is already child-proofed.”
“No, not the apartment, Candy. The house.”
“The house?” Candice asked, bright-eyed.
“Yes. The house. You do know Barry and Calista are back together, right?”
“They’re back together? Calista and Barringer are back together?” she asked, already beaming from ear-to-ear before Garrison could confirm it again for her.
“Yes. Thought you knew that.”
“Yes! My prayers have been answered. I’m going to go give that big head man a hug. Be right back.”
* * *
“Hey, beautiful.”
Calista smiled. “What are you up to, Barry, calling me first thing in the morning?”
“Just wanted to hear your voice, beautiful,” Barringer said.
“You used to call me every day. Remember that? When we first got married?”
“I remember. And I’m going to start calling you more. No more taking the woman I love for granted.” He leaned back in his chair and took an appreciative look at their wedding photo.
“I’m making dinner for you tonight,” Calista told him.
“Good. I miss your cooking.”
“You’ll be here, right?”
“Baby, I will risk life and limb to be there.”
Calista giggled. “Okay, Barry.”
“Hey, call Colton and let him know what we’re going to do with those bedrooms.”
“Will do, and I’ll call the cleaning agency to schedule a full house cleaning.” I see you’ve made a mess in the family room.”
“That’s what happens when a man’s life falls apart…when he loses his woman.”
“Well, I’m here now.”
“And I’m going to make sure you stay. Love you, Calista.”
“Love you too, babe.”
“See you this evening.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.” Barringer placed the phone on his desktop, finished ordering the bouquet of roses he was having sent to Calista this morning when Candice barged into his office, smiling.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” she said during a running start before wrapping her arms around his neck.
“What are you so happy about, Candy?”
“You and Calista…you’re back together!”
Barringer smiled. “Yes we are, and for good.”
“Yes! I knew you could do it.”
“Hey, while you’re in here, I want to ask you a favor.”
“Okay.”
“Calista and I have an anniversary coming up. With so much going on, we haven’t really been focusing on it, so I want to do something special for her.”
“Okay.”
“I nee
d your help to pull off a surprise anniversary party at Mom and Dad’s.”
“That’s a wonderful idea. I will get with Mom and plan everything. Don’t you worry.”
“Thanks. Appreciate it, sis.”
After a double-tap on the door, Barringer and Candice looked up to see Garrison peep his head around the door. “Ready?” he asked.
“Candy’s already here, so we may as well be,” Barringer said. “Come on in.”
Garrison stepped in and closed the door. He took a seat next to Candice in the chairs in front of Barringer’s desk.
“Gary, not sure if you are aware, but Candice and I had a meeting with representatives from The Champion Corporation – the company Blakeney went to. Desmond Champion came here to meet with us along with Kurt Hempstead, the guy Candice couldn’t stop gushing over.”
“Stop your lying, Barry,” Candice said, withholding a smile.
“He better be lying,” Garrison said.
“Ugh,” Candice grunted, red in the face. “Thought we were getting down to business.”
“We are,” Barringer said. “So, The Champion Corporation wants to make BFSG a division of their company.”
“And Barry turned them down,” Candice chimed in to say.
“I did, but I think we need to take our time and think this through. I’ll admit to being a little hasty before, but if the situation with me and Calista has taught me anything, it’s that I can’t make life-changing decisions without consulting all parties involved. So we’re going to talk about this thoroughly…need to find out everything we can on the Champion brothers.”
“Okay,” Garrison said. “I went to college with a Champion.”
“Was it Dante, Dimitrius or Desmond?” Candice inquired.
“No. The guy I know is Harding Champion. Real smart, techy type.”
“Hmm…wonder if they’re related.” Candice said.
“Not sure, but I can find out,” Garrison said.
“Candice, since you and Kurt seemed to hit it off, you work that angle.”
“I’ll call him and use my influence to get the scoop.”
Garrison frowned at her.
“What? I’m a grown woman, Gary. Gosh. You and Bryson kill me with that overprotective stuff.”
“Wait until Bryson finds out you got a crush on this Kurt fellow,” Garrison said.
“It’s not a crush,” Candice said, unable to stop smiling. “And now that I have my assignment, I’ll be going to my office. Adios boys.”
“See ya later, Candice.” Barringer said.
After Candice exited, Garrison asked, “So you think this move with The Champion Corporation might be a good thing?”
“I think it’s worth looking into. I don’t want to hand out pink slips to these hardworking people here.”
“Me either.”
“Then we’ll take our time and make a decision. It’s not we need to resolve this overnight.”
Garrison nodded. “Well, in the meantime, I’ll work up some numbers. Blakeney has been gone for four months, and I know we’ve gotten new business since then. Let me get to work…need to see how much of a hit we’re taking.”
“Okay, Gary. I’ll have Eleanor put a meeting on the calendar for this afternoon so we can discuss your findings.”
“Make it for three o’clock,” Garrison suggested.
“Got it.”
Garrison stood up to head to the door.
“Oh, and Gary.”
“Yep,” Garrison said, turning around.
“It’s good to have you back, bro,” Barringer said.
“Good to be back.” He proceeded to his office, eager to get to work.
And Barry laid back in his chair and glanced at Calista’s picture. He ran his index finger across her face. He meant what he told her earlier. Taking her for granted was a thing of the past. From now on, she would know she was first place in his life.
Chapter 38
Garrison secured Junior in his car seat then headed to the door. In his other hand, he carried a plate of food that Calista had set aside for him. She would always remember to do so whenever she cooked. Her brother-in-law wasn’t going to survive on fast food.
Barringer threw his hand up before he drove away. Stepping back inside the house, he inhaled a deep breath, pulling in the aroma of a home-cooked meal – fried chicken, green beans, homemade biscuits and mashed potatoes. Boy was he glad his woman was back home.
“Have a seat, Barry. I got everything under control in here,” Calista said from the kitchen.
He could see her moving around in the kitchen. While she worked, he sat down at the dinner table, paying attention to the four, lit pillar candles in the center of the table along with the red roses he’d sent to her. Soft music played in the background.
“Sweetie, you don’t need me to do anything.”
“No, hun,” Calista said, stepping into the dining room with a small basket of biscuits. She placed the basket on the table before walking over to stand in front of him. “Barry,” she said, lifting his chin with her index finger.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Thanks for the roses. They’re beautiful.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Do me a favor,” she said.
“What’s that, baby?”
“You’re home now. Loosen your tie and kick off your shoes. Relax.”
Barringer did what she asked, even came out of his suit jacket.
She brought the chicken and the rest of the meal to the dining room, then took a seat close to him.
Barringer grabbed a chicken breast and took a huge bite.
“Mmm,” he moaned. “This is the best.”
“Miss my cooking, huh?”
“That, and everything else about you.”
Calista smiled. She proceeded with preparing plates. “Candice called me, elated we’re back together.”
“She’s been over the moon since I told her.”
“I told Kalina. She was over the moon, too. Seems everyone thinks we’re good together.”
“We are good together. I’m never letting you go again, Calista. I mean that.”
“Good, because I don’t want to be let go.”
* * *
Barringer walked out of the bathroom with a thick, white towel wrapped around the lower half of his body. He saw Calista sitting at the vanity, wearing a silk camisole, brushing her hair in long strokes. Through the mirror, she could see him walking in her direction. Sometimes it was hard for her to believe the tall, sexy, muscular man was hers.
Her pulse quickened when he took the brush from her hand and asked, “May I?”
A small smile touched her lips. “Yes. You may.”
He proceeded to brush her hair in the same long, slow strokes as she was brushing it. He didn’t know why he was making sure her strands were even, making sure her hair was neat when he had plans to mess it all up again.
“Calista.”
“Yes?”
“What did you miss the most about us when we were apart?”
“I missed you. Missed being in your arms.”
He placed the brush on the vanity and reached for her hand.
She took his hand and stood up, after which, he pulled her into his embrace.
“You missed being in these arms?” he asked, pulling her close to his chest, his chin resting on top of her head.
“Yes. These arms, Barry.” She released a satisfying sigh, because she was home, and it felt good to be home. So good.
“You know what I missed the most about you?”
Calista smiled when she said, “Besides my cooking?”
He smirked. “Yes. Besides that.”
“No. What?”
“Talking to you. Making love to you.” He looked at her, placed his hands on both sides of her face before leaning down to take a small kiss from her lips.
Her eyes closed when she felt his lips around her mouth, lingering there. Even when they’d made it to the bed, his warm bo
dy hovering over hers, he kissed her lips longer than he had ever kissed them, making up for lost time. He had a lot of making up to do.
While he focused on her neck, his hands did their own exploration, fingers skimming across her soft skin, up and down plump curves.
“I never knew how perfect you were for me.”
Calista giggled. “Oh, stop it, Barry.”
“I’m serious,” he said, holding her gaze to emphasize how serious he was. “I love everything about you. From this beautiful head of hair,” he said, while running his fingers through it, “To those pretty little toes. As a matter of fact, let me go say hi to them.”
Calista laughed. “Barry, what are you doing?”
His towel fell off as he kissed his way down towards her feet. He massaged her toes, kissed them softly before kissing his way back up her legs, feeling them quiver. He lingered at her breasts, using her moans and whimpers as motivation to continue his kisses. And then he couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to make love to this woman. His woman.
With his iron-clad body looming over hers, he connected their bodies, nearly losing consciousness at the feel of her. And to think he almost lost this…
That feeling would always be at the forefront of his mind every time he looked at her, every time he kissed her and every single time he felt heat between them like this.
Calista closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of him claiming her soul, loving how his body felt on top of hers. He was all the man she needed – all the man she would ever need. She brought her hands up to his face, pulling him down towards her to meet her lips while wrapping her legs around him at the same time.
Barringer kissed her harder as he moved his body slowly enough to drive her insane. Enough to drive them both to the edge of senselessness. Her muscles spasmed and his groans became thick immediately before their bodies shattered together. She held on to him when he wouldn’t let up. No. Not yet. He wasn’t done just yet. He kissed her more, stayed the course until she felt sensations stir inside of her all over again, until they both used up all the oxygen in the bedroom.
“Are you okay?” he asked through ragged breaths.
“No.” She laughed.
