by DL White
“Get off my back, woman. I’m on vacation; don’t be worrying about how much bourbon I drank.”
Mama huffed and climbed out of the car, then opened Daddy’s door. He leaned over and brushed a kiss against my cheek. “We’ll come by the shop tomorrow. I want to take a look around, see how things are running. Offer some of that unsolicited advice you talked about earlier.”
I laughed through remnants of tears. Daddy got out of the car and nearly tripped on the curb. They grumbled and fussed at each other, but shuffled arm in arm toward the front door of the hotel.
When they were inside, I pulled away, still in a little bit of a shock at how the evening had gone. I pulled into my driveway in no time at all and put the car in park. I rarely drove on the island— most everything I needed was in walking distance, so I would park the car for another few weeks. I got out and locked it, then out of habit glanced toward the big house on the corner. Knowing Wade would be back to town the next day and wanted to see me filled me with anticipation. And a little confusion.
We’d slowed things down, stayed away from each other, cooled things off a bit. Was he asking to see me to officially break things off?
Or was he asking to see me because we hadn’t seen each other in a few days and he missed me?
Not that it mattered what the next day would bring. The next few weeks would bring Wade’s departure from the island. I needed to keep that in mind.
18
Wade
I hopped on a flight out of New York the next morning, more than ready to hit the road. As the nose of the aircraft pointed to the sky and we shot into the clouds, I felt like I was leaving the city a little lighter than I’d left the last time.
Ruben wasn’t hanging over my head anymore. In fact, I was sure I would never see or hear from him again. He hadn’t learned a thing from his long residency at Fishkill Correctional Facility. I didn’t want to be, nor could I afford to be wrapped up in him, in his history, in whatever was in his blood that kept him doing shady things with shady people.
I’d made something of myself, picked me and Ma up out of what could have been abject poverty. I would not, could never risk that. Not for a man that risked nothing for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard that he was back in jail in another few months.
Besides the situation with Ruben, I’d had a good visit with my mother and a well-meaning heart to heart about Ameenah. She’d been amused by what she’d called that look on my face when I talked about her. I still wasn’t sure what the future held for us, but I realized I wasn’t going to just cut it off when I left the island for good.
Short and uneventful, the flight landed a few hours later at the airstrip. The day was perfect — sunny, not a cloud in the sky, already warm but a pleasant breeze winding through to cool things off. I got into my car and headed straight for the house to drop off my car and my bag.
And find Ameenah.
It was early afternoon, just past her usual lunch rush. I stood in the shop's door and took in the view of Dionne deep in conversation with a woman in a long yellow sundress and curly hair that reminded me of Ameenah’s.
Ameenah stood alongside an older man with more salt than pepper in his dark hair, in knee-length shorts and a golf shirt, an open toolbox between them. “So when I press this lever,” she was explaining to him, “the slushie mix is supposed to come out, but it’s been sticking. If you press it enough times, you eventually get something, but I can’t use it if it doesn’t work right every time.”
“Looks like this mechanism here is what’s sticking. It’s not catching every time. If I can get to it…” He peered into the broken down machine, his glasses slipping down his nose, and grumbled to himself.
I considered backing out before anyone saw me, but then Dionne noticed I was there and let out a short whistle to alert Ameenah, nodding her head toward me. “Mr. Handsome at two o’clock.”
She turned around, her eyes wide and mouth open in surprise. She’d said her parents were in town, but I hadn’t expected to see them hanging out at the shop in the middle of the afternoon.
I wasn’t sure what to do, but I was happy to see her, even happier to see the white sleeveless sundress that loosely hugged her hips. It was shorter in the front than the back so it showed off long, golden brown legs. She wore slip on sandals and had her hair tied so that her curls spilled down her back.
“Wade!”
She moved across the shop in a few steps, beaming a huge smile at me. I met her halfway, grabbing her when she was close enough and pulling her to me, winding my arms around her waist. I could admit to myself how much I’d missed her and her habit of burying her face in my neck. She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me — extra tight — before releasing me.
“I was waiting for a phone call. Did I miss you? I don’t even know where my phone is...”
“I was going to call you, but I’d rather see you. I kind of wish I would have called, though. I guess I didn’t expect your parents to be hanging out with you today.”
As if she’d forgotten about them, she glanced over her shoulder, made some kind of motion with her hands and turned back around when they’d occupied themselves with pretending to be busy and not eavesdropping on our conversation.
“They showed up a while ago. I taught Mama how to make a smoothie and Daddy is in fix-it mode. It’s him versus the used slushie machine. I uhm…”
She stepped closer to me and lowered her voice. “It’s okay if you want to run away right now. I completely understand.”
“I was just hoping to make plans for later—”
“Well, no wonder she don’t want to go to Houston or back to New York.” The older gentleman had abandoned the machine he was attempting to fix and loped to the front of the shop. He offered a hand to me with a wide smile. “Russell Porter. Meenah’s daddy, since she wasn’t gonna introduce us. I heard her tell you to run.”
I stepped forward and gripped his hand. “Wade Marshall. Pleasure to meet you. Ameenah has shared a lot about you two and Porter Restaurants. I’m a fan.”
“I wish we could say we’d heard about you,” her mother said, coming from behind the counter. “We’ve heard about everything except this handsome young man. I’m Elise Porter.”
She offered me a hug instead of a handshake which I accepted. After a hearty squeeze, she stood back, her hands gripping my shoulders. “Please excuse us, Wade, but Ameenah likes to keep secrets. Do tell us about yourself—you know, the usual. Where are you from? How long have you been on the island? Do you plan to...err… stay through the fall and winter?”
“Oh, uh… well, Mrs. Porter, I—”
“So Wade has to get going. Don’t you Wade? Got work to do.” One eye winked at me as she stepped between me and her mother and gently pushed, walking me back toward the door. “And Daddy has to put that machine back together since ya’ll are leaving tomorrow. So much to do.”
“Nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Porter.”
“You too, son. Hope to see you again,” her mother called, before Ameenah pushed me out of the door and out of sight.
I was laughing loudly by the time she’d stopped pushing. We’d ended up well past the shop, in the middle of the street. “I am so sorry about them. You’d think I hadn’t dated in… well…”
“Since before Obama’s second term?” I’d remembered her comment about the last time she’d been kissed.
She cocked her head and pursed her lips. “Something like that. I’m happy you stopped by though, despite my parents acting like fools.”
“I’m glad I stopped by, too.” I made it obvious that I was checking her out in that dress. “When do you think you can shake them?”
“We’re supposed to do a sunset dinner cruise tonight. I’ll come by after I drop them at their hotel. Be ready, if you know what I mean.”
“If I know what you mean? Girl…”
I gripped those glorious hips and pulled her close to me, close enough for to feel that I was already there. T
hough we were out in the middle of the street, I dipped my head and lowered my mouth to hers, intending to give her one of those soft, airy kisses...but I hadn’t kissed her in days and I was craving those thick, pillow soft lips.
The kiss quickly escalated to a passionate swirling of tongues and quiet moans. My hands traveled up her body until I held her head in my hands, my fingers in her hair, her body pressed up against mine. It was a moment that I didn’t want to end.
But when the sound of “woooo” from down the block reached my ears, I knew we had an audience. Reluctantly, I broke the kiss but held her close to me. “Text me when you’re on your way. I’ll be waiting.”
She nodded, mumbling something incoherent with kiss-swollen lips and a heavily lidded, glassy gaze. I smoothed her hair back since I’d messed it up, then ran my hands down her shoulders and arms until I held her hands in mine. I couldn’t resist another quick brush of lips on hers, and then I stepped back.
That seemed to break the spell she’d been under. She blinked a few times, fanned herself with her hands, then glanced up at me with a small, sexy smile. “I need to get back. But I’ll let you know when I’m on my way. Remember what I said.”
“I told you, I stay ready so—”
She laughed and gently pushed me further away. “Yeah, yeah. I know the rest. I’ll see you later.”
And then, as if she had to force herself to do so, she turned around and walked back to the shack. Dionne and her parents were standing in the door, not even ashamed at how they’d been watching.
“Don’t ya’ll have something to do? Anything?”
I chuckled, waving to everyone standing in the doorway, then turned to head back to the house. I hoped I could get some work done, but if I was honest with myself, I’d mostly be thinking about seeing Ameenah later that night.
Today, I’d let her be a distraction.
19
Ameenah
The entire day was throwing me for a loop. It had taken a few hours to get my parents to stop asking questions about Wade and talking about that fiery passionate kiss he’d given me in the middle of the street.
“Really, Mama. It’s… not that serious,” I’d told her for the tenth time, over a generous helping of filet mignon, shrimp and baked potatoes with a backdrop of the rosy glow of sunset on Black Diamond Bay. The dinner cruise had been amazing, full of music from my parent’s era. We barely felt the movement of the sea craft as it floated along the coast.
“That kiss seemed serious to me, Ameenah.” Mama glanced at me over her plate, then popped a forkful of potato into her mouth. Daddy nodded, already a drink or two into the evening. “Open your eyes, sweetheart. A man doesn’t kiss a woman like that, look at her like that without meaningful intention. Do they, Russell?”
“Woman, I told you, don’t get me involved in this girl talk mess,” he grumbled. “But since you’re asking me,” he added, leaning forward a little. “The man is more than a little sweet on you.”
“And if I’m not mistaken, the feeling is mutual. Mmm?”
“I… I mean. I care about him—”
“Come on, now, Meenah,” Daddy said. He pierced a slice of steak and shoveled some baked potato onto his fork. “There was a lot more than care in your face today. Reminds me of when I met your mama. She had this look, see. This look that told me I was more than just some nice boy she met, that she might entertain for a minute.”
“Russell, I had no such thing—”
“Please don’t make it two Porter women lying at this table. You tellin’ Ameenah she looks like she’s in love with the boy. I’m saying I saw the same thing in you when we met.”
I felt a blush crawl up from my chest and inflame my cheeks. I didn’t know anything about this look they were talking about, but I was never so anxious for dinner to be over.
Sort of. Because for the first time in a long time, my parents and I were getting along. More than getting along… we were on our way to being close again.
After dinner the evening before, the air between us had been stiff, thick with tension and unsaid words and perhaps misunderstood motives. I was proud of myself, though. I’d stood up for myself and made it clear, once and for all and unequivocally what my life’s goal and dream was about.
Now that we were back on good terms, I could breathe easier… except for the conversation I still needed to have with Wade.
Seeing him earlier today told me that my heart and my body were not in agreement with my mind. Every nerve ending from my hair to my toes crackled with heat and longing for him. I felt like it had been weeks, not days since I’d last seen him and he looked as tall, dark and handsome as the first time I’d met him.
I’d spent the day trying not to think about him, the scruff of his goatee between my thighs, his lips on me, the taste of him. But I’d seen my parents off, complete with teary goodbye and promises to return to the island soon and was headed back to my house to shower, put on something a little more… seductive... and see this man that had turned my world upside down when it was the last thing I really needed.
I rushed into the house and flew through my bedroom, turning on the shower and letting the bathroom steam up. It would be a quickie, no time to get myself all worked up about Wade… I’d be seeing him soon enough.
Speaking of… I pulled my phone from the bag I’d dumped on the bed and unlocked it, scrolling to Wade M in my VIP list.
On my way in a few. Moments later, three small dots appeared in the display window.
Wade M
Good. You want anything when you get here?
I snickered, my fingers moving across the keyboard. He knew what he was doing. And I knew that he knew what he was doing. I already told you to be ready. I’m not gonna tell you again.
Wade M
I meant something to drink… but I see where your head's at and I been ready for you.
Besides, you don’t need to get me drunk. I’m a sure thing.
Wade M
Woman I’m just trying to be nice and offer you something to drink but you got jokes. Bring them hips over here.
I laughed out loud, updating him that I would be over there as soon as fucking possible, then tossed the phone back into the bag. I grabbed up the bag I’d been taking back and forth to Wade’s house, grinning that I hadn’t even emptied the stuff I usually keep in it — toothpaste, deodorant, a little perfume, condoms, a pair of flip-flops, a few pair of clean bras and undies, and a swimsuit. I threw in a pair of capris and a long tee shirt and headed to the shower, noting the pep in my step.
And the smile on my face. I didn’t even roll my eyes at myself. I was in love with Wade and whatever happened between us, he would go back to New York knowing it.
A half hour later, I stood at his front door, wondering if I should knock or ring the bell or… just walk in. I tried the knob, and it gave easily, so I walked into the house.
It was dark, but not completely. A path of lit tea lights led me from the door, down the hall toward the family room. I heard music pulsing at low volume from the speaker system that ran throughout the house.
“Wade? I’m here…”
I heard shuffling a few rooms away and Wade came around the corner. As usual, he was underdressed, but I didn’t mind the way his sweats hung so low on his hips that I could see the Adonis lines — the V — and the way the hem of the worn t-shirt curled up so I could see said V. He was barefoot and casual and since I had just thrown a t-shirt and leggings over my hurriedly lotioned body, I was all the way into it.
“Hey, pretty,” he said, his voice so low I just barely heard it over the music. He opened his arms, and I realized I was still standing at the door, my overnight bag hanging from my fingers. I dropped it and forced my feet to move down the hall toward him.
I exhaled a deep breath as his arms closed around me. His lips brushed my forehead, then my cheek, then settled on my lips for a long moment before he stepped back, grabbing my hands. He held them behind his back as he pulled me toward th
e family room, where we usually hung out if we weren’t on the patio. Or the bedroom.
“Hope you don’t mind the sound track. I just figured out how to pipe music through the house and I liked the vibe.”
“I like the vibe, too. It’s nice and cozy in here.”
The room was dark except for the low light of a lamp in the corner of the room and a couple of candles in crystal holders flickering on the coffee table. Two bowls sat in the middle of the table and when I saw them I smiled.
Wade led me to the couch, and we sat, settling against the plush cushions that we’d shampooed together weeks before, after our last tryst on the couch. We’d established a rule after that — no more sex on porous surfaces.
And that we wouldn’t tell Sheree what we’d done on the kitchen counter.
He reached forward, grabbing a bowl and handing it to me, then picking up the other. We ate our ice cream in comfortable silence. It was chocolate cheesecake — decadent and smooth and sweet. I devoured every spoonful with moans of pleasure, knowing Wade was watching me eat it.
“You got a little chocolate on your bottom lip,” he mumbled, taking my empty bowl and setting his half-eaten, abandoned bowl on the table in front of us.
“You should lick it off,” I suggested. It seemed, though, that he already had that idea, since his lips were on mine before the spoon could settle in the bottom of the bowl.
When he was satisfied that my lips were free of chocolate — and lip balm, he settled us back into the couch. Janet Jackson’s The Way Love Goes floated through the room.
“You think she’s pregnant? At 50?”
“I have no idea,” he said dryly, giving me a look that told me that thoughts about a pop icon’s rumored pregnancy did not run through his mind.
“You don’t hear the inside track on stuff like that?”
“I mean… I’m sure somebody that I know, knows somebody that knows her. But I don’t pay attention to that talk. That’s shit Sheree keeps up on.”