The One, page 16
We’re polar opposites of each other in every way. She’s tall, svelte, and model thin with chocolate brown unblemished skin that even my dermatologist would kill for, whereas I’m pasty white with freckles across my nose and not so thin. But we work together and have since our middle school days.
Nat is one of the only people in my life who never put me down because of my weight and who never even seemed to notice. She’s closer to me than most of my family members, which has caused friction in the past. But no matter what, I’ll never give up my Nat for anyone.
So, as distracted as I was with my own budding relationship, I still wanted to be sure that hers was doing fine as well. That’s why I pick Mace for information on Jaxx, just to be on the safe side, and it appears she’s been doing the same.
“Have you heard from that petrified turd today?” I almost choked on my spit. I didn’t have to ask for clarification as to who she was referring to. Nat never liked my ex-mother-in-law, and this wasn’t the first time she’d called her something unappealing.
“No, thank heavens, or it would’ve dampened my mood. I want to hold onto this feeling for as long as I can.”
“I know a good way to do that, block the twit’s number once and for all. You’re no longer related to her. I don’t see why you still answer her calls. You know she and her son and just keeping tabs on you.”
“I know, but I can’t bring myself to be that rude. I don’t know; I’m not like them, you know, so I won’t do to them what they did to me.”
“I can do it for you. You know I won’t mind tearing her a new one.”
“I know, but it’s not necessary.”
“Well, if you say so. By the way, I think Mace has been trying to get information on her. Jaxx keeps asking me things on the sly like he forgets I’m a lawyer and can see through his shit.”
“Really? Why would he do that?”
“Didn’t she call you lately and piss him off?”
I’d forgotten all about that.
I didn’t pay much heed to her words, though, before we hung up the phone. My mind went immediately to tonight and what delights Mace had in store for me. I didn’t have time to think about my ex-in-laws or anything else. Nothing that would mar this happy feeling.
MACE
I was fine all day until the last hour before I planned to knock off and go to her. I’d never kept such regular hours before she came into my life. I never delegated so much to the people I’d hired to do their job either, something they’d never been pleased about but had no say since I’m a micro-manager and know it.
I like doing things myself and using the people I hire as backup; it’s always been that way. Since I own more than one place, most of them restaurants, I need the extra help, but I’ve always made it a point to visit each place at least twice a week just to stay on top of things and make sure I’m not being robbed blind.
The club is my baby and my most profitable business to date, though the others aren’t too shabby, so I spend most of my time there during the day in the office I’d outfitted for my comfort. While the other restaurants and bars had a team of managing staff that pretty much took care of things, I’d only hired a couple of managers to be here on the busier nights.
But now I think I might have to change that as well because now I can’t wait to put work aside as soon as the clock hits five, when before I’d pull all-nighters almost every day of the week. That’s because I know she knocks off at that time unless something comes up and sits at home alone most nights, which I don’t like.
I can’t give my girl too much alone time; some asshole might snatch her up when I’m not looking. Like hell! I’m not about to let that happen, so I’ll have to do something about my long work hours starting now. She might not know it, and from what I’ve gathered so far, she’s not accustomed to being treated the way she deserves.
She always seems so surprised when I do the littlest things for her, almost as if she doesn’t expect to be treated well. I don’t have to think too hard to figure out that it’s because of her ex, and that’s why he’s her ex. I don’t plan on making the same mistake that idiot did, so I’ll have to rearrange some things going forward.
I found myself smiling like an ass again when I walked to the car, as I’d done more than once throughout the day. Every once in a while, a memory from the weekend would flash through my head, and I couldn’t help myself. I think I even zoned out a time or two, just staring at nothing with a silly grin on my face and a warm feeling in my chest. I won’t lie; I’m the kind of guy who’d forget a face minutes after I’d seen it. I’m not proud of it, but it’s true.
Because I knew that the women I took to my bed in the past weren’t going to be staying, I never really put too much effort into remembering certain things about them. They were there for a purpose that lasted only a couple of hours and, if some were lucky, a few days, but not this time.
With Stephanie, I remember every damn thing, her laugh, her smile, her scent, the way the wind blows in her hair, that light in her eyes when she’s happy, the little hitch in her voice when she knows I want her, and most of all, that look in her eyes when she wants me.
It’s funny how people always talk about a woman in the first blush of love, but you hardly ever hear anything about what happens to the dude she’d snookered. I guess no man wants the world to know how weakening this shit is. The crazy thing is, though, that along with the weakness comes a strength all its own.
It’s hard to explain that juxtaposition, so I won’t even try. The weakness comes from realizing that there now exists someone who means more to you than you ever thought possible, almost more than yourself. Then you realize that you can’t put that person in your pocket and keep them with you at all times to ensure they’re safe from the rest of the fucked-up world we live in.
Your mind is filled with all the ways to please them and make them happy; you only want to see that certain smile on their face that makes you warm inside; at least, that’s how it’s shaping up to be for me.
The strength comes from knowing that there’s someone out there who belongs to you, that you’ve found that special someone who’s supposed to walk with you until the end. That special someone who’s going to face life’s trials and happiness with you, and that still doesn’t put all that I’m feeling into words because there are none.
I’ve been in lust before, especially in my younger days when sex was my new favorite thing, but this wasn’t it. This went beyond that but was still hard to put into words. There’s this feeling of never-ending happiness mixed with just a slight dose of fear, fear that it can’t be real, that something is going to go wrong and screw things up and take this happiness away from me.
Then there’s the need. Not just the physical need to be inside her, but to just be with her in her presence all damn day. How many times did I have to stop myself from picking up the phone to call her? How many times did I have to remind myself that we both had businesses to run, and I couldn’t just haul her off somewhere in the middle of the day?
Only one person was brave enough to mention the permanent smile on my face, which disappeared as soon as he asked and the ass-chewing he got for disrupting my daydream of my girl in that dress was enough to send him scampering to warn the others to steer clear.
That was the only instance like that, though, because the rest of the time, I was more mellow than I’d ever been. Things that would usually cause me to fly off the handle were handled with ease and understanding. I didn’t miss the looks of surprise on some of their faces when they came to talk to me about something they were sure I was going to yell at them about, only to be told that it was okay, I’ll take care of it.
I’m sure most of my staff already thinks I’ve lost my mind anyway, as much as I’ve changed in the last few days. I’d overheard some whispers about my new easy-going attitude, and more than one person had rightfully assessed that it was Stephanie’s presence in my life that had brought about the change, and they were pleased with this turn of events.
One of them even proclaimed her wish that Stephanie stayed around longer than my usual fare since it seemed she was good for me. Why couldn’t my sister be like that? Why couldn’t she see Steph for the person she was instead of going after her about something as stupid as her weight? And why the hell do I keep thinking about that shit? I can’t go more than a few hours without it cropping up to mess with my head.
It was on the ride home that I finally got what was bothering me so much about the whole thing with Roz. It wasn’t my guilt for not sharing what happened with Steph; it was my anger that it had happened at all. I was angry that someone, even my sister, had the audacity to do that shit in my place.
I was angry at the thought that my Steph had had to deal with that bullshit before when I wasn’t there to protect her. I was angry that at some time in her life, she’d heard those words, that there was no one there to shield her. I was angry because I couldn’t do shit to change people’s minds and perceptions.
Now that I knew where the anger stemmed from, it was actually easier to deal with. I made up my mind when I got home and hit the shower that since I couldn’t change other people’s thoughts, I was going to go out of my way to make sure she never felt that way with me. I’ll figure out what I have to do to make her feel like the beautiful girl she is whenever she’s with me and even when she’s not.
I’m hurt and angry because I know as brave as she pretends to be, I’ve seen the pain in her eyes from people’s callous disregard for her because she’s not stick thin. By the time I turned off the water, I’d made up my mind to break the face of the next asshole who hurt my woman’s feelings with that shit.
I’d planned to pick up dinner on the way to her place but changed my mind and decided to take her out to dinner instead. That required a phone call to tell her to get ready and for her to choose where she wanted to eat.
“I didn’t think of it before, but don’t you need to be at the club? I know it’s a Monday night, but from what I heard, your place is always packed.”
“That’s true, but I thought you might want a change.”
“No, it’s fine with me if we go there, that’s if you don’t mind. I happen to like the food there.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.” I hung up the phone and whistled as I put my watch on and grabbed my phone to head out the door. Something else I haven’t done in years. Even the feeling of lightness as I hopped down the stairs was new, and I had Steph to thank for that. I’ll be damned if I let anyone mess with what we’ve got.
STEPH
Why am I so nervous? It’s not like it’s the first time Mace has taken me out somewhere, but after his phone call, I don’t know why everything feels so different. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something in his voice, some note that I hadn’t noticed before.
It sent shivers down my spine, and even now, when the call is over, I can still feel those tingles that made my toes curl. I tried shaking it off as I got ready, but there was no escaping it. Even Miss. Kitty seemed to be swimming in a sea of calm because she wasn’t nagging me half to death.
I rifled through my closet, discarding one outfit after the other and getting myself into a state with every second that passed. I knew what I was after. That look in his eyes when he saw me in that dress had become like a drug; I wanted to see it again and again because nothing had ever made me feel as good as I did at that moment.
I settled on a black empire-waisted dress with splashes of golden floral print and trumpet sleeves, and a square neck that fell to my ankles. The gold faux belt drew the eye to my cinched waist and pert breasts, which were getting tons of help from the bra that kept them contained.
I pulled my hair back in a low ponytail leaving a few tendrils to hang at my temples and used the makeup brush very lightly for a fresh, almost innocent look. Even I appreciated the reflection the mirror sent back when I stood in front of it. And the way Miss. Kitty hummed and sighed, I guess it meant that she, too, was pleased.
There was no excuse not to wear underwear this time since the dress flowed around my hips and didn’t cling like the last one, but before I could even think about opening that drawer, she came out of her stupor. “That bra is like to stifle you to death as it is. Something’s gotta breathe, I volunteer.”
She’s getting more vociferous these days and seems to have a vocabulary all her own. I know she only says the things I wish I could say out loud, but sometimes I wonder if she’s a whole other entity on her own. Whatever, I turned away from the drawer because time was running out, and I didn’t want to waste what little I had left fighting with her.
I chose oversized hanging hoop earrings ringed with diamonds and a simple beaded necklace to match to complete the look and grabbed my black and gold clutch just as I heard him downstairs. I barely had enough time to spritz myself one last time with my favorite scent before heading out of the room and to the stairs.
“Hey baby, you ready?” He called up without looking up because he was busy turning off his phone. I was on the third stair before he lifted his head in my direction, and there it was. That look in his eyes can only be described as pleasure, and the way his lips relaxed as if he was about to smile while his eyes remained glued to me made my tummy tremble.
I don’t think I breathed until I reached the bottom of the stairs, and he took my hands and spread them to get a better look at my dress. “Wow!” He sounded so proud and looked so pleased; meanwhile, I could feel a bout of the giggles coming on. “You ready?”
I nodded my head shyly at his question, still not sure what was going on with me. It’s a good thing he held my hand all the way outside and into the car. He was the one who locked up as well since I couldn’t seem to remember what to do. What the heck happened to me? I wasn’t this shy over the weekend on his boat when he had me in every position known to man and some that probably haven’t made their way to the general public as yet.
“You sure you want to go to the club? You’re not just saying that because you think I need to be there, are you?”
“It never crossed my mind. I really do like the food there and the ambiance. The people there are very nice.” It’s true; his staff, the ones I’d met so far anyway, have been nothing but nice and inviting.
“If that’s what my baby wants.” He pulled off, and I sat there in stunned silence at the offhand endearment. He’d just thrown it out there like it was nothing, having no idea what those few little words meant to someone who’d never heard them before and never expected to.
I kept cautioning myself all the way there not to make an ass of myself, but I wasn’t sure how long I could hold back the tears that threatened. Mace held my hand all the way inside, even stopping to greet the security guys outside who were setting up for the night. Some of them said hi, even calling me by name, and I noticed that when any of the men looked at me too long, Mace pulled me closer to his side.
I need to call Nat because I think I might be having some kind of out-of-body experience and my poor heart was about to give out from all the excitement. Just what in the world is wrong with me anyway? I stealthily checked my forehead for fever, but it was cool to the touch, and I wasn’t feeling sick anywhere else. Just this feeling of lightness as if walking on air and those butterflies that kept playing tag in my tummy.
As soon as we reached inside, one of his staff members rushed over. “Oh, good boss, you’re here.”
“I’m not here to work.”
“I know; this will only take a minute.”
Mace looked at me and started to decline, but I stopped him. “It’s okay; I’ll wait for you here.”
I took a seat at the bar, which is actually my favorite spot, and smiled at the bartender, who made her way over with a smile.
MACE
I knew we shouldn’t have come here. I didn’t even get through the door good before someone needed me for something. But if this is where she wants to be, then I don’t mind. “Okay, tell me, what is it?”
“Your sister was here earlier; she came as soon as the place opened.”
“What did she want?”
“She asked a lot of questions about your girl. Where she lived, stuff like that.”
I tightened my fists but didn’t show any other outward signs. “What did you tell her?”
“We know better than that, boss; we didn’t tell her anything. I figured if you wanted anyone to have that information, you’d have told them yourself.”
“Good man, and keep it that way. Tell the others as well. And that goes for anyone who comes here asking about her.” He nodded and left the office where we’d gone to talk.
I started to head back down and don’t know what made me do what I did next. She’d claimed that my staff was good to her, but I wanted to see for myself. I think I’ve been too lax in the past that I hadn’t given enough credence to the things she has to endure even though I’d seen some of it for myself.
I guess Roz’s behavior had opened my eyes a bit more, and now I wanted to be sure that the people I was exposing her to were treating her right. I’d feel awful if any of my people were mistreating her right under my nose. I flipped the button that would allow me to hear what was going on in that sector.
I watched the bartender approach her with a smile, but I couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not. I realize that I won’t be there to vet everyone she comes in contact with, but I needed to be sure that here, where she said she was so comfortable, remained a place she would always feel that way.
“Hey Steph, where’s Nat tonight?”
“She had to work late. I doubt she’ll be here.”
“Drats, she’s good fun. You having your usual tonight?”
“Better not; I’ve got work tomorrow. Give me that virgin drink Nat likes so much.”
“Coming right up.”
Jeannie, the bartender that was on tonight, walked away to make her drink, still smiling, still asking Steph about her weekend.
