“Don’t worry,” Gloria said with a smile. “The absolute last thing I plan to be pursuing in this, my new life, is some trifling man. I’m trying to make a name for myself, away from my father, and no way is that name going to be as the whore of some . . . some gigolo!”
Lucinda laughed at her use of such an old term, and they both high-fived. “I knew you were a smart girl all along,” she said. “I could tell it when we first met. Good for you, Gloria. Good for you!”
CHAPTER NINE
Inside the storefront office next door, Alex was just walking up to the desk that his wife, Kari Grant-Drakos, was seated behind. He walked behind the desk and kissed her on the lips. He’d only seen her briefly since arriving back in town from a business trip, and he’d missed her terribly. But, like usual lately, she had to take a backseat to him checking on his kid brother. But she never complained. She was his ride or die forever.
And that was why a kiss that was supposed to be a peck, became passionate. He placed his arm on her back and rubbed it as he kissed her. He wanted her beneath him desperately. But it had to wait.
“I know,” she said when they stopped kissing. “I want you too.”
Alex smiled. Kari was blunt like that.
“Where’s Oz?” she asked, as she looked past him. “They didn’t release him?”
“They released him. He’s outside.”
“Doing what?”
“Gawking at a woman, what else?”
Kari smiled and shook her head. “He will never learn. Who this time?”
“The latest new thing in town. I think she’s the new owner of Lucinda’s diner.”
“Reno’s cousin?” Kari asked.
Alex looked at her. “Reno’s cousin? Who says she’s Reno’s cousin?”
“Lucinda said Reno called her and asked if her diner was still for sale. He said something about having this cousin, a female, who was looking to buy a small business.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Reno didn’t mention it to you?”
Alex shook his head. “No. But I haven’t seen him in a while. We’ve both been busy.”
“You’d better tell Oz to leave that one alone,” Kari said. “Those Gabrinis are nobody to play with.”
“Oh, he’ll like the challenge if I told him she was related to Reno. That’s my brother. He’s odd like that. You can’t tell him anything. He has to find out for himself.”
“If he breaks that child’s heart,” Kari said, “he’s going to find out, alright.”
“Hey, Sister-in-law!” It was Oz walking in with his big, loud, boisterous voice and personality. “How are you doing, Kari D?”
Kari smiled. “Better than you,” she said, and Alex laughed. “I see your brother got you out of trouble again.”
“Here you go with that he got me out of trouble nonsense” said Oz. “I got myself out, thank you.”
“I said it because Alex’s name carries weight around here,” Kari said with a smile. “The only thing your name carries is women.”
“Speaking of women,” Oz said as he leaned over Kari’s desk, removed his sunglasses, and looked her in the eyes. “What do you know about the new owner of Lou’s diner next door?”
“I know you’d better leave her alone like Alex told you.”
“She’s new in town, that’s the only reason I’m asking.”
“That’s the only reason, really?”
“Yes! I have a woman. I’m not even looking.”
Both Kari and Alex, who dreamed of Oz settling down, looked at him. “You have a woman?” Kari asked. “Who?”
“Girl named Jennifer. Gorgeous girl. She was with me last night.”
“At the bar?” Kari asked.
“Yeah.”
“Well, where is she?” Alex asked.
Oz hesitated. “I don’t know. She left when the fight broke out.”
Alex couldn’t believe it. “She left you when you got in trouble, in other words?”
Oz hesitated. “Something like that, yeah.”
“And she’s your woman?” Alex asked.
“She’s a woman I’m interested in seeing again, yes.”
“What do you mean seeing again?” Kari asked. “Are you telling us you just met her last night?”
“Yeah. So?”
Kari leaned back. Alex shook his head. “You’re hopeless. Just hopeless!”
But Oz started smiling. “I might be hopeless,” he said with a roguish grin, “but at least I have fun!”
“Boy bye,” Kari said. “You and your fun got you in jail. But that’s probably fun to you too. Especially in the shower room. How was Bubba?”
Oz’s grin left. “What? Bubba? Not me!” he declared.
Alex laughed. “Yeah, I’ll bet plenty Bubbas in that place wanted your ass.”
“Literally,” Kari said as she stood up, and they both laughed again.
“Very funny,” said Oz, failing to see the humor.
“Ready?” Alex asked his wife.
Kari grabbed her purse. “I’m ready.”
But as they began heading out, Oz, following them, was still curious. “But about that girl,” he said as they walked.
“Odysseus!” Alex admonished. “Give it a rest will you please?”
But Kari was staring at Oz. “What about her?” she asked.
Oz turned to her. “Know anything about her?”
“She’s Reno Gabrini’s cousin,” said Kari. “Is that enough?”
Oz was surprised. “His cousin?” They all made it outside. Kari began locking up the place. “Are you serious?” Oz added.
“Is my wife ever not serious, Oz?” asked Alex.
“Now that’s a good question,” Oz said. But as they walked to the SUV, Oz was still curious. “His cousin, hun?” he asked. She was a Gabrini, he inwardly thought. Which meant, to him, that she wouldn’t be spooked when she found out about his other life. All of those Gabrinis were known to have mob ties too. That wouldn’t be anything new to her.
He smiled as he got into the SUV with his brother and sister-in-law. Their revelation, that she was related to Reno, not only didn’t bother him, but it spiked his curiosity. Spiked the hell out of it.
CHAPTER TEN
Oz stepped into the shower, turned on the water tap, and leaned his head back as it drenched his tired, sinewy body. When he turned slightly, to grab the soap, he winced. His ribs were still sore from that bar fight. His back was still sore too. He put the soap back and placed one hand against the shower wall as he let the water flow down his hair and body. He knew he was getting too old for bar fights and sleeping it off in filthy jail cells like he was still some twenty-year-old. He was a grown man now who needed to settle his grown ass down.
Which made him think of her again. The one that turned him down. That relative of Reno’s whose name he couldn’t even remember. But he remembered what she did.
And even after he bathe and got out of the shower, and looked at his nakedness in the full-length mirror, checking out the bruising he suffered from that bruiser of a fight, he was thinking about her. When he saw her at Lucinda’s Diner today, something ignited within him. It was as if he was seeing somebody that he knew, and cared about, when it couldn’t possibly be true. But that was how he felt when he saw her again.
He knew he needed to settle his ass down. He needed a wife, and children, to anchor him. When he saw that woman today, he wondered, for the briefest of moments, if she could be the one.
Which, he knew, was beyond irrational!
He stared at his body as he continued to stand naked at the mirror. Why did she turn him down, he wondered? He looked at his big, thick, dangling penis. He was big where women loved big. He looked at his ribbed abs and broad chest. He was tight where women loved tight. Who did she think she was turning down a man with his gifts? And why, he also wondered, was he obsessing about a rejection so minor that he couldn’t remember the woman’s name who rejected him. What was his damn problem?
But e
ven as every fiber of his brain was telling him that his feelings made no sense, he still couldn’t stop thinking about that woman. And her big, sad eyes. And why somebody so young would want the headache of running some small-town diner. And why somebody so vibrant would leave a hip place like Philadelphia to come to a not-so-hip place like Apple Valley. What was she running from, he wondered, or who was she running from?
It shouldn’t matter to him whatsoever, he thought, as he began drying off his massive frame and sensually stroking his massive member. None of it should matter to him.
But it did.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She opened her eyes early that next day, and she was still adjusting to her new surroundings. She’d taken rooms at the local B & B, mainly because it was in walking distance to her brand-new business, as she had no wheels. But she had plans. And one plan was to eventually to get wheels, and a permanent residence. The other plan was to make her new life the success story she’d always hoped to have in her father’s corporation, but it never happened.
She smiled and stretched when she realized today was the first day of that new life, and she couldn’t wait to get started. The painters were coming, and so were the electrical people. She had a full plate already.
She kicked the covers off of her, went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and showered, and then she dressed quickly. She barely looked at herself in the mirror as she tossed her big hair back and into a ponytail, put on minimal makeup, small earrings, grabbed her briefcase, and then hurried for the exit. Her employees were ordered to return to work in two weeks, approximately one week before her grand opening, so she didn’t have to deal with that aspect of her business right away. She wanted to learn more about the business first so that she didn’t have to rely on them telling her what the deal was, but on what the books were telling her. What was in black and white. Studying that place inside out was going to be her job in the meantime. And she couldn’t wait to get started.
But before she could walk out of the door of her room, her cell phone was ringing. When she saw who it was on the Caller ID, she smiled. And answered happily. “Hey, girl,” she said.
“Still in business?” It was Leyla, her best friend. “Or have you shut the doors already?”
Gloria laughed. “You’re wrong for that. I haven’t opened the door yet and you know it.”
“I know, girl. How are you feeling? This is the first day of the rest of your life.”
“And I’m feeling good, thank you very much. I’m heading to the diner now.”
“I won’t hold you then. Just wanted to say congrats, and our next girl’s trip will be a visit to that diner place of yours.”
Gloria laughed. “That I’ve got to see.”
“Oh, we gonna visit The Drakos casino, too, now. Or, I hate to tell you, none of us will show up.”
Gloria laughed.
Then Leyla turned serious. “Does your father know yet?” she asked her.
“No. Not yet. I plan to go down there after my grand opening. I’ll tell him then.”
“Good luck with that,” Leyla said. “But I’m supportive, whatever it’s worth.”
“Thanks, Ley. I know you are. I appreciate it.”
“Alright then. But let me go. My boss is giving me the side eye like I’m some damn rookie. But since he’s the boss, I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Bye,” Gloria said, and both friends ended their call.
CHAPTER TWELVE
He entered the penthouse at The Drakos in his suit and tie and alligator loafers, and with sunglasses over his still bloodshot eyes, and he headed for the kitchen. He was subdued, for Oz, and everybody knew why.
Alex was just leaning back from kissing on Kari at the kitchen table when Oz walked in. Jordan, their son, was still eating his breakfast vigorously because he knew they were running late.
“Ready?” Oz said to his teenage nephew, who was seated at the center island, his back to his parents, finishing up a plate of eggs.
“I’m ready,” Jordan said, rising, even as he began to hog up the remaining eggs and his last slice of bacon.
Alex and Kari sipped their cups of coffee. “You look hungover, Oz?” Alex said.
“Good morning to you, too, brother,” Oz said.
“Hello, Oz,” said Kari.
“How are you lovebugs doing?” Oz asked.
“Isn’t it lovebirds?” Alex asked.
“You’re bugging me. I got the name right.”
Alex and Kari smiled. “I bet you weren’t laughing last night,” Alex said, “when Bubba came to visit.”
Jordan, laughing, spit out the juice he was about to drink.
“Keep laughing,” Oz said to Alex, “I’ll send his ass to visit you.”
“Send him!” said Alex. “He could tell us what happened last night. He can give us, get this, a blow-by-blow,” he joked, and Kari and Jordan laughed heartily.
Oz was not impressed. “You’re ready or not, Jordan?” he asked with some anger in his voice. He did not like that line of jokes at all.
“I’m ready, I’m ready,” Jordan said, grabbing his bookbag from off of the stool, and then hurrying to his parents. “Bye, Mom,” he said as he kissed Kari. “Bye Dad,” he said as he hugged his father. “Remember, I have an Honor Society meeting today, so I’ll be late.”
“Call me when you’re ready,” said Alex. “I’ll pick you up.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Jordan said as he pushed his glasses up on his face, and then hurried behind his hungover uncle, the man used to being the teller of the joke, not its brunt.
The drive to school was slow because of the rush hour traffic, and Jordan kept switching channels on Oz’s radio. Oz hit his hand for the second time, and switched it back. “Didn’t I tell you to leave my radio along, child?”
“But I want to hear some brothers, Uncle Oz. Don’t you listen to any black people?”
“Who do you think I’m listening to right now?”
“According to that screen you’re listening to Hootie and the Blowfish,” Jordan said.
“Right,” said Oz. Their song, Let Her Cry, was blaring over his car’s sound system.
“Who the heck is Hootie and the Blowfish?” Jordan asked. “What the heck is Hootie and the Blowfish?”
“They’re a great band, that’s what. And they’re black. At least Hootie is.”
“Quit lying, Unc! Black? Him? Why he sounds like Johnny Cash or somebody!”
Oz shook his head. “You don’t know anything about good American music.”
“Like Hootie and the Blowfish?” Jordan asked. “You are so right!”
And that was when Oz, stuck in traffic, saw her. She was walking on the sidewalk right near a construction site. She held a briefcase in one hand and was munching on a bagel she held in her other hand. He nearly ran into the back of a car, and had to stop suddenly, when he saw her. Jordan looked where his uncle was looking after that sudden stop, and then smiled. His uncle couldn’t keep his eyes off of a good-looking woman if his life depended on it, he thought.
And Oz couldn’t stop looking at her. She wore a form-fitting dress that stopped just above her shapely legs, and heels so high that they made her appear as if she was walking on the tip of her toes. Her hair was thick and curly and down her back in a ponytail, and her smooth, dark-brown face looked radiant.
But just as he was admiring that face, one of the construction workers was admiring a different part of her. Her ass. He winked at his coworkers and then grabbed it with one of his hands, and squeezed. His coworkers laughed.
Gloria, who was walking to her diner from the rooms she rented at the local B & B, stopped and turned around sharply when she felt his hand on her butt. Then she took her briefcase and clobbered it over his head. “You perv!” she angrily yelled as she hit him.
But if she thought he was going to laugh it off the way his buddies were doing, she was wrong. He took his hand and slapped her so hard across her face that she fe
ll down to the ground.
As soon as Oz saw it, he couldn’t believe it. He quickly pulled to the curb, slammed on brakes, jumped out of his car, and then ran as fast as he could run across that sidewalk and over to that worker. He took his fist and knocked that worker on his own ass so hard that the man bounced when he fell. Then, as the worker’s colleagues ran to help get him up, Oz hurried to Gloria.
“I’m okay,” Gloria said quickly as she was standing back up.
“Are you sure?” Oz asked as he helped her up.
“I’m sure,” she said, as she gathered up her briefcase. “Thanks.”
“You should press charges,” Oz said.
“Charges?” said the worker. “What are you talking? She hit me!”
“After you grabbed my ass, you perv!” Gloria shot back.
“You know you liked it!” the worker said, and as soon as he said it, Oz took his fist and knocked him down again. He moved to jump down there and continue the beating, but the man’s colleagues stepped in and kept Oz at bay.
“Thanks,” Gloria said again. “I’ve got to get to work.”
She seemed apologetic to Oz, as if she had no interest in making any waves in her new town. And he understood that. “Okay,” he said.
“Thanks again,” Gloria said again, and then began hurrying away, looking angrily at that worker as she left.
Oz looked at the worker, too, when she walked away. “Touch her again,” he warned, “and you’ll see me again.”
Then he went to his car and got inside. Jordan was staring at him. He’d never seen his uncle go out on a limb like that for somebody who wasn’t a member of their family. It was shocking to him.
Oz looked at his nephew. “What?” he asked him.
“Nothing,” Jordan said quickly. Then he smiled as his uncle drove away.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Three weeks later, Gloria was in the penthouse at The Drakos after having dinner with Alex and Kari.
“Thanks for the invite,” she said as they sat around, their bellies full, in the living room. “Dinner was wonderful.
Oz Drakos: Loving Mick the Tick's Daughter Page 4