by Honey
“It’s cool. But why did you rush home?”
“I . . . um . . . I didn’t. I was tired, and I had a feeling that Jeremiah had something more exciting to do on a Friday night than to babysit me. So I called it a night early and came home to hang out with my little divas. When they got sleepy, I put them to bed and decided to do some work.”
“Well, put your laptop up. You shouldn’t be working this time of night. I’ve got a vintage bottle of Merlot I want to pop. It’s a 1997 Frescobaldi Merlot Lamaione to be exact. Come on,” he insisted, pulling Gypsie by the hand.
They descended the stairs in silence and headed straight to the den.
“Get comfortable. I’ll be right back.” Josiah exited the den with a million thoughts about his sudden attraction to Gypsie tumbling through his head at once.
When he reached the kitchen to gather the wine, corkscrew, and wineglasses, he mentally told himself that he and Gypsie were about to enjoy an innocent nightcap while listening to some neosoul music. What would be the harm? Nothing was going to happen. An employer and his employee could chill together away from the office without crossing the line even if there was a one-sided attraction on his part. So Josiah uncorked the wine, grabbed the wineglasses, and returned to the den. Gypsie was sitting on the sofa flipping through an Essence magazine.
Without a word, he placed everything on the coffee table before he headed over to the Bose system, which sat on a handcrafted shelf on the other side of the room. He fired up the state-of-the-art stereo with the sounds of his favorite local artist and colleague. Deviny “CoCo” Love and the Bishop twins had attended the Emory University School of Law together. They were a tight trio back then, and they were still as thick as thieves today.
“Wow! She has a crystal clear voice, and it’s filled with so much soul. Who is that, Mayor Bishop?”
Josiah smiled and picked up the wine and a glass. “I’ll answer your question if you call me Josiah or JoJo. We’re not at work or in the presence of any of our colleagues, so it’s cool. Now try it. Ask me the question again.” He poured a glass of wine and handed it to Gypsie.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“I’m waiting. Ask me the question again, Gypsie, but say my name this time.”
Josiah watched her closely as she took a sip of wine. Why is she so nervous? His mind couldn’t help but wonder. Her body language told him that she was scared to death, and that puzzled him. Finally, Gypsie looked up, and when their eyes met and locked, Josiah noticed something else. It struck him like an electric current. He wasn’t an arrogant brotha by any means, but he knew when a woman wanted him, and Gypsie did. There was so much pent-up lust in her eyes that her raven orbs appeared glazed. Josiah panicked at the realization. Words abandoned him, and instantly he had a testosterone rush. The attraction was no longer one-sided. The feeling was now mutual.
“Who is the singer, Josiah?” Gypsie finally asked in a voice so sweet that it sounded like a seductive serenade.
“Her name is CoCo Love. She’s a local artist. Jeremiah and I attended law school with her at Emory. We’re still good friends today. She’s a bad girl in the courtroom.”
“Well, she has an amazing voice.”
Josiah poured wine in the other glass and threw back a long sip before he took a seat on the leather chaise away from Gypsie. He quietly sipped more wine and vibed to the music, determined to get through the night a faithful, married man.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’m as comfortable on the Native American reservation with my mother’s side of the family as I am kicking it with the Robinsons in Cedarburg and Milwaukee. My dad’s mom still lives in Madison. I like it there too.”
“Both sides of my family are from Atlanta, but I’m closer to my dad’s folks, though. My mama came from a small family. The Bishops are like a whole village.”
“I remember meeting some of your family members at your and Jeremiah’s birthday party last year. They were really nice to the rest of your staff and me.”
“Yeah, they’re cool people.” A lazy smile crept across Josiah’s face, and Gypsie’s heart fluttered.
It should’ve been against the law for one man to possess the sex appeal of an entire army of soldiers. The private, laid-back Josiah Bishop was more intriguing than the politician. He was smooth, impulsive, and funny too. Gypsie felt herself slowly falling under his spell, and it was scary. She couldn’t . . . She wouldn’t go there no matter how badly she wanted to. She wasn’t built for the side-piece game.
“More wine, Gypsie?”
“Oh no, I’ve had too much already.”
By now, Gypsie was enjoying a soothing, red-wine buzz. Another glass would push her over her limit, and she was afraid it would break her restraint. So she watched Josiah raise the wine bottle to his full, kissable lips and chug down the remainder of the vintage cocktail. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stifle a yawn, but it also prevented a lustful moan from escaping her lips.
“You’re sleepy. Let’s call it a night.” Josiah placed the empty bottle on the end table and stood.
Gypsie followed suit. Once on her feet, the full effect of the wine kicked in, and she stumbled a bit. Quickly, Josiah made his way to her side and placed an arm around her waist to steady her. His simple, caring gesture ignited an instant flicker of desire throughout her body that was more powerful than electricity. Gypsie shivered in response to his masculine heat.
“Are you okay?”
She laughed nervously. “I think I had one glass too many. I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t be. We were relaxing over a good bottle of wine and music. I enjoyed your company.”
“I enjoyed yours too.”
Without further conversation, Josiah released Gypsie and led the way from the den and up the stairs. When they reached the guest bedroom that had served as her temporary sleeping quarters for several weeks, they faced off.
“Sleep well, Gypsie. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Josiah.”
* * *
Gypsie, Gem, and Treasure were already seated at the table eating breakfast when Josiah entered the kitchen the next morning. The aroma of crispy, country bacon and freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air. Giggles mixed with animated chatter made him smile. Josiah embraced the peace and stability in his home, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss Mink. The intense chemistry he and Gypsie now shared wasn’t strong enough to destroy the love buried deep inside his heart for his wife. Mink was the love of his life, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
“Good morning, Daddy. Miss Gypsie made cheese eggs, bacon, and toast for us. It tastes so good!”
“It smells good too, Gem.” He kissed her on the cheek and pecked Treasure on hers as well. “You must’ve been hungry, baby girl. Your plate is almost empty.”
“I like bacon and eggs, Daddy,” Treasure replied.
“I can tell.”
A heat wave swept through the room when Josiah looked at Gypsie for the first time this morning. She smiled at him, and he felt brand new. The look in her eyes told him that he hadn’t imagined the connection between them last night. They definitely had a secret, reciprocal attraction.
“Good morning, Mayor Bishop. Would you like me to fix a plate of food for you?”
“Good morning. Yes, I would like that. Thank you.”
Josiah sat down at his normal place at the head of the table. He was pleasantly surprised to find the newspaper, a thin stack of printed emails, and other correspondence next to it in front of him. As he flipped casually through the papers, he stole glances of Gypsie with his peripheral vision. She floated around the kitchen like she was in her normal environment, preparing his plate. He watched her pour coffee into his favorite mug before she added the perfect amount of his favorite French vanilla creamer and sugar. She knew him so well. Josiah diverted his eyes back to the emails when Gypsie approached the table carrying his food and coffee.
&
nbsp; “Here you are,” she said, placing the plate and mug on the placemat in front of Josiah.
“Thank you.”
After a quick grace, Josiah started pigging out on the delicious food Gypsie had prepared while his daughters continued eating and talking. Gypsie sat quietly sipping coffee and scrolling through her iPad.
“I’m done,” Treasure announced and slid from her chair.
“Me too.”
The girls left the kitchen in a hurry, heading in the direction of the den. Instantly, Josiah felt an acute awareness that he was sitting across the table from a woman he had fresh feelings for who was not his wife. Life was so unpredictable. Nothing could’ve prepared him for Mink’s drug addiction, their separation, or this present moment.
“I think we need to talk, Gypsie.” Josiah placed his fork on the edge of his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“If it’s regarding one of the events I selected for you to attend, you’re not officially committed yet.”
“I think you know that what you and I need to discuss has nothing to do with work.”
“Did I do something wrong concerning the girls?”
“You haven’t done anything wrong, but I may have. I brought you into a dangerous situation. It wasn’t intentional, but I consider it dangerous, nonetheless.”
“Mayor Bishop, I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.”
“This conversation is between Josiah and Gypsie,” he clarified, pointing his finger back and forth between them. “And you damn well know what I’m talking about.”
The phone rang before Gypsie had a chance to admit or deny that Josiah was right. They sat quietly looking into each other’s eyes as the phone rang several times before it stopped. It immediately started another series of rings that Josiah soon found too annoying to ignore.
“Hold tight. I’ll get rid of whoever it is quickly because we’re going to have this conversation.”
Gypsie nodded in agreement.
Josiah stood and hurried to the counter and removed the cordless phone from its cradle. “Hello?”
“JoJo, I want to see my children today. You’ve kept them from me ever since you kicked me out of the house. I want to see my girls today.”
“You’ve kept yourself away from our daughters, Mink. I told you that I wouldn’t allow you to see them while you’re still using. I’ve encouraged you to get the help you need, but you refuse. So don’t blame me because you haven’t seen Gem and Treasure. You made the choice. Heroin always trumps everything else.”
“I haven’t shot up or drunk a drop of alcohol in a few days. And Lena’s working on getting me in a detox program somewhere around here. She’s sitting right next to me. You can ask her.”
Josiah heard movement in the background seconds after Mink stopped talking. He peered over his shoulder at Gypsie who was still seated at the table watching him with an unreadable expression on her face.
“Mr. Bishop, this is Lena Avery.”
“Good morning, Lena. How is she honestly?”
“Well, she’s been staying at my house for the past three days. She called me over Wednesday while she was going through violent withdrawals. Her apartment was filthy, and there wasn’t even a slice of bread in the kitchen to eat. So I brought her home with me, cleaned her up, and force-fed her. We’ve been like Siamese twins ever since.”
“Do you think it’ll be a good idea for the girls to see her today?”
“I seriously think it’ll be great for Mink to see her children. She misses them. They’re all she talks about.... And you too, of course.”
“Where do you suggest we meet? Should we come to your place?”
“No, sir. I think a restaurant or the park would give the children more freedom to interact with their mother. It’ll be more like a family outing instead of a supervised visit.”
“Maybe we could meet at McDonald’s on Cascade. What do you think?”
“Give me a time, and I’ll have her there.”
“The girls and I will be there at three o’clock sharp.”
* * *
Gypsie entered her apartment, tossed the stack of mail on the coffee table, and walked directly over to the fish tank. Her neighbor, Mrs. Jefferson, had volunteered to feed her assortment of exotic fish and water her plants while she was away. But now that she was home for a few hours, she could tend to her pets, philodendrons, and African violets.
“Did you guys miss Mama, huh?” Gypsie sprinkled a small amount of food into the tank. Then she walked around her living room, inspecting all of her plants. They were as healthy as ever.
It felt weird returning to her lonely and quiet apartment after spending weeks with Josiah, Gem, and Treasure. The two environments were totally opposite. There wasn’t a quiet or dull moment at the Bishop house until after everyone had retired for the night. And even then, Gypsie’s dreams about Josiah brought her lots of excitement well into the night before she would finally drift off to sleep.
Gypsie grabbed the stack of mail from the table, kicked off her shoes, and settled in the recliner. Bills, magazines, and sales papers made up the bulk of the mail. She dropped it all on the end table and relaxed. Her mind shifted to the conversation that she and Josiah were about to get into before Mrs. Bishop called this morning. If he had intended to discuss the subject Gypsie suspected, she now considered herself saved by the bell.
Something magical had sparked between them last night. It was forbidden but still magical, just the same. No doubt, Josiah had sensed her true feelings for him, and he wanted to shut down all possibilities of an affair between them before it ever got a chance to start. That’s what real men who loved their wives did. And everyone who truly knew Josiah was aware of how much he loved and cherished Mrs. Bishop in spite of her flaws. That’s why he and his girls were spending time with her this afternoon. They were a family, and there was no room for another woman in the equation.
Chapter Seventeen
“Eat your french fries before they get cold, Treasure.”
“But I want to save some for Mommy,” the child whined.
“I’ll buy your mother her own fries and anything else she wants when she gets here, so eat.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Daddy, may I have an ice-cream cone?” Gem asked.
“Sure. You two sit here while I get the ice cream.” Josiah stood to walk away, but he paused when he saw Lena jogging toward the booth.
“I need to talk to you in private, sir.” Lena patted her chest and took a few deep breaths.
Josiah noticed that she seemed upset. Sweat covered her brow, and her face was flushed. Josiah cupped Lena’s elbow and led her away from the booth. They stood in the middle of the restaurant’s floor several feet away from Gem and Treasure.
“She’s not coming, Mr. Mayor. I’m so sorry.”
“Damn it,” Josiah growled through gritted teeth. “What the hell happened?”
“I left Mink in my living room while I was taking a shower. She was fully dressed and excited about seeing you and the girls, sir. When I stepped out of my bedroom ready to leave the house, she was gone. I found my purse on the kitchen table with everything scattered about. My wallet was on the floor, but every penny to my name was gone. I had to borrow money from my neighbor for gas so that I could make it here to tell you the bad news face-to-face.”
“I’m so sorry, Lena. You didn’t deserve that.”
“It’s okay, sir, but I feel sorry for you and them.” She turned and looked at Gem and Treasure with tears in her eyes. “They’re so precious. Promise me that you’ll protect them from their mother.”
“How?”
“Don’t ever let Mink near them again until she’s been clean from heroin, alcohol, and all other drugs for at least six months. Get a restraining order. Do whatever it takes to keep her from ruining their lives. I know firsthand how a parent’s addiction can destroy their children. I have to face the results of my sins once a month when I visit my son, Montrez, in pris
on. He’s there because of me, sir. I messed him up. He saw too much as a child. He was just 5 years old the first time he saw me crashing down from a high. He still remembers it like it happened yesterday.”
Josiah reached out and drew Lena close for a hug. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect my girls by any means. Thank you so much for everything, Lena.”
* * *
Gypsie ran downstairs when she heard Josiah and the girls enter the house. She met them in the kitchen. Gem walked over and hugged her. A sleeping Treasure was in her father’s arms.
“Mink didn’t show up. My baby girl cried herself to sleep on the way home.”
“I’m so sorry. I’ll take her upstairs and put her to bed,” Gypsie told him in a hushed tone. She reached for Treasure.
“No!” Josiah snapped. “I’ll do it.”
Gypsie’s body bristled at the sharp edge in his voice. She grabbed Gem’s hand and backed away from Josiah. She stood in place, glaring at him before he disappeared from the kitchen. She held her breath and counted to ten before she took a timid step forward. The tiny hand inside of hers squeezed her fingers.
Gypsie looked down at Gem’s frightened face. “Are you okay, darling?”
The child slowly nodded as tears streamed down her face.
* * *
“Eeeeek!” Gypsie covered her mouth over a screech when she collided with Josiah. She had just turned out the light in Gem and Treasure’s room and closed the door. The moment she turned around, she came face-to-face with their father.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He jiggled the set of keys in his hands nervously as if he was searching for the right words to say next. “Please forgive me for taking out my anger on you in the kitchen earlier. I apologize. I was wrong.”
“I accept your apology.” She stepped around Josiah and walked away.
He reached out and grabbed her arm and gently turned her around. “I’m about to leave and meet Jeremiah at a sports bar to watch a fight. He thought it might be a good idea for me to get out of the house to clear my head. Plus, there’ll be a lot of male voters there I can connect with. I can kill two birds with one stone.”
