by Anna Black
“So, I’ll call you when I make it in.”
“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”
He backed away, not taking his eyes off of her. When he reached his car door, he stopped, and she knew he was waiting for her to get on the other side of the door.
“Good night, Chase.” She opened her door.
“Good night, Madison.”
She shut the door and fell back against it. Chase Storm had her heart pounding. He was so easy to talk to, so chill, so laid-back, so damn delicious, and she enjoyed looking at him. She climbed the stairs singing, wondering where their relationship would go.
She finally climbed into bed when she finished talking to Chase after midnight. She picked up her late husband’s picture from her nightstand.
“He’s nice,” she said. “I miss you, you know I do, but I need someone. I hope you understand. I’ll never stop loving you. I just want a chance to have a family again. Losing you and the boys was the hardest thing, but I think I’m ready to love again.” She smiled and kissed the picture. “Don’t worry; I will never forget you guys. I promise.” She put the photo down and got under the covers.
“God let him be sincere. I don’t want to hurt anymore.” Those were her last words before drifting off to sleep with Chase on her mind.
Chapter Ten
Chase hung up the phone wondering what in the hell had come over him. Aside from the fact that Madison was a plus-sized woman, he had never before been that attracted to one woman in his life. He had never taken the time to converse with a woman enough to even get to know her to like her. He’d meet a woman, lay out what he wanted, and she’d be willing to provide anything he requested. He had begun to believe some weren’t too bright to allow such foolishness from him. Yes, he was loaded, good looking, and a beast under the sheets, but so many had allowed him to treat them like whores instead of women, and that moment Chase felt ashamed for how he had treated them. “Man, you must get yo’ shit together. Madison is too good for that.”
Madison Madison Madison, he thought. “What are you doing to me, woman?” he asked, readjusting his shaft in his pants. He was turned on, but he didn’t just want to fuck her. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to feel her, tease her, please her, and then hold her afterward. She’d get breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
He shook his head. “No no no!” he said out loud. “I’m not going there. Chase, when you marry a woman, when you fall in love, she is going to be Beyoncé-fine. No one is going to envy you with a big girl on your arm.” He ordered himself not to like her.
He had followed that order until the next day when she opened the door for him. They were to have a picnic lunch by the lake. He had brought the wine, and she prepared the food.
Again, she was radiant. Her hair had a wet look, with her natural curls popping, and her makeup was again flawless. She had on a peach ankle-length summer dress that hung loosely around her curves and some sparkling flip-flops, with bright red toenail polish. He had a boomerang flashback and noted she didn’t have corns on her toes, and he laughed inside.
“Wow, you look amazing,” he said before he could stop himself.
She smiled. “Thank you. Come on into the kitchen. I’m almost done packing the basket. I hope you like tuna.” She made a funny face, scrunching her nose.
“I do,” he said and leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
“Good, I made tuna melts. Got some fruit, and my mom provided the peach cobbler.”
“Sounds good,” he said. A few minutes later, they were all set to go out and enjoy lunch by the lake. “Let me carry that,” he offered, taking the picnic basket. As they headed for the lake, Chase kept falling a step behind her to watch her walk. She was full and perfect.
Once they chose a spot, she laid out the blanket, and they both removed their shoes. She opened the basket and began to unload their lunch.
“Oh shit, I forgot to get the wine opener.”
“I can go for it,” Chase offered.
“Do you mind? It’s on the kitchen island.”
“No, I don’t mind.” He stood and hurried back to her house and went to the kitchen. He paused to look around and noticed a lot of photos of a man and two identical twin boys. Her late family, he thought.
He headed back and found Madison resting on her elbows under the shade tree. “Wine opener,” he said and handed it to her.
“Thanks, but the flies out here are crazy. This may not have been a good idea.”
“Afraid of flies?” Chase teased.
“No, not at all, but I don’t want to keep fanning them away from the food.”
“How about we take this inside and have a picnic on the living room floor.”
“You know what? That is an awesome idea.”
They repacked everything and trekked back to the house. It was much cooler in the air-conditioning, and they both felt better. They moved the coffee table and laid the blanket out on the area rug. Madison grabbed a couple of throw pillows from the sofa. Chase opened the wine and poured them both a glass.
“So, what made you want to turn in your player’s card?” she asked, taking him by surprise.
“That’s a good question, and I’ll be honest,” he said, hating that he was going to tell a lie. “My family kept dogging me about the company I kept, and I got tired of defending my singlehood. I just thought maybe if I did try this exclusive thing, I might get to know the right woman. When Damon introduced us for what, the third or fourth time,” he chuckled, “I decided to get to know you. We talked, and you were interesting. Why you? I don’t know,” he lied and sipped his wine. “But I’m glad it is.”
“Me too.”
They ate and chatted, and then Chase helped her clean up. He helped her in the kitchen and noticed she had a piano in the corner of the formal living room.
“That’s a baby grand. You play?”
“Yep. My mother had dreams of me being Alicia Keys or Chrisette Michele,” she giggled. “I mean, I love music, but I’m not a limelight kinda girl.”
“So you sing?” Another amazing surprise with Madison. He was starting to think this was a setup, and his brothers were playing an evil trick on him for how he dogged so many.
“Yes, and if you weren’t in private schools, you’d have seen me in all the talent shows and so forth years ago.”
“What? Come on; you have to play something for me.”
She dried her hands and looked at him. “Nah, I haven’t played in a long while.”
“Come on, Madison, I want to see what you got.”
She took off her apron, and he followed her to the piano. She sat, and he stood near the piano. “Now, I haven’t messed with this thing in a long time,” she said. “I used to always play for my husband and sing to my boys all the time,” she said sadly. “Maybe I shouldn’t,” she said getting up, shaking her head.
“No, Madison, please. I want to hear you sing. I wanna see yo’ skills, woman,” he said playfully. He didn’t want her to get all sad. He knew she had lost her family, and he wasn’t trying to stir up sad memories.
She slowly returned to the bench. “It’s been so long,” she said and wiped the corners of her eyes.
“I’m sure it’s like riding a bike,” Chase encouraged.
She forced a laugh, dabbed her eyes again to dry them, and messed around with the keys, then began to play “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore” by Prince. She knew that one by heart. It had been one of her favorites. “I keep your picture beside my bed,” she sang. “And I still remember everything you said. What I wanna know, baby, if what we had was good, how come you don’t call me anymore?” Chase applauded. She was good. He had no idea she had that kind of talent.
“I can see why your mother wanted you to become a singer, baby; you sound good. You can sing, girl,” he said smiling brightly at her.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to chase any singing dreams. Only a handful are fortunate, so I was in touch with real dreams.”
“Lik
e?” He joined her on the piano bench.
“Business. I always said I’d be this big CEO of a Fortune 500 company. What product, I had no idea, but I wanted to be this person young girls admired and looked up to. I worked for a major electric company in Houston with advancement opportunities bursting out of the seams, but then the accident happened, and my life, all of my dreams were just snatched away from me,” she sighed.
Chase caressed her face. “We don’t have to talk about it, Madison. I didn’t mean to make you sad, babe.”
“It’s okay. I’m okay to talk about it. It helps to talk about it. I mean I should have talked about it more way back then, but I shut down, Chase. I moved back home with my parents, and I was a mess. I ate my way through the pain. It’s like food became my source of comfort. I missed them so much.” Her eyes welled. “Now, almost five years later, I’m stuck with a bunch of unwanted pounds, and my family is still gone.” She let the tears fall.
“I’m so sorry about your family, Madison.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her as close as he could to him.
“It’s okay. I know that God has this master plan, but at the time, I was angry and so confused, and for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why he’d give them to me, only to take them away.”
“I don’t know, babe. I am not a big religious guy, but I do believe that the big guy in the sky has it all under control, even when we think things are a mess. He has a way of restoring stuff.”
“How would you know, Chase? You’ve never lost anything in your life,” she said and wiped her eyes.
“You’re right, certainly nothing as big as a spouse and kids, but I’m sure I’ll go through losing something. I mean, Madison, I can’t sit here and tell you I know what it feels like, because I truly don’t, but I will tell you that I will do my best to help lift you up when you’re down. If ever you want to talk about your husband and your boys, I promise to listen, and I promise always to try to make you smile.” He kissed the back of her hand.
“Thank you, Chase. I haven’t talked about them much to anyone other than Deena and my momma. I’m okay. It doesn’t get me down the way it used to. I’m a lot stronger now and in a better place. I have made peace with it.”
He sat with her for a little while longer in silence and just held her hand. She finally stood. “I’m going for more wine. Do you want a glass?”
“Yes,” he said.
While she was gone, he examined the photos on the mantle. He saw a picture that looked like Madison, but a smaller version. She had on a fitted dress, and her body was amazing. There were more photos of the same sexy-ass Madison look-alike.
She came back and handed him a glass. “So, is this your sister?” he asked.
“Sister?” she frowned. “I’m an only child.”
“Who are these photos of?”
She sat back at the piano. “All the sexy, slim pictures are of me before I lost my husband and my boys. The body before you now is my postaccident body.” She gulped some wine.
Feeling like he was offensive again, he sat next to her. “Well, I think the old Madison was gorgeous, and I think the post-Madison is just as gorgeous.”
“You don’t have to say that, Chase. I’m fully aware that I’ve changed.”
“I’m sure there was only a physical change. Your bright smile is the same, and I can tell that the person inside is just as smart and beautiful as you were then.”
She smiled. “I’m still me,” she said and sipped.
Her smile melted his heart. He wanted Madison. He really wanted her. It was early, though, and he didn’t want to come on too strong, so he said, “Sing another song for me.”
She put her glass down and stroked the keys. He wondered what she would sing to him next. She continued to play a melody, and he recognized it. It was Alicia Keys, “A Woman’s Worth.”
He listened as Madison’s voice filled the room. She was breaking him down. The player in him was subsiding. He wanted to pursue this woman on his very own resolve, and he couldn’t wait to tell his brothers that the wager was off. Then he thought about it. Three million bucks. Nah, he’d stick to the original plan. There were no rules about him not falling in love. That’s what they wanted him to do.
A little later, after their romantic and conversation-filled lunch date, he stood in her doorway to leave. “So, when can I see you again?” he asked after kissing her.
“Wow, a third date. I must be dreaming.”
“We both are, so please don’t wake me.”
She laughed softly and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t know. I’ll be busy with the shop’s remodel soon. I know I’m not a contractor, but I want to be a part of the entire process.”
“That’s right; my family is going to redo your mom’s place.”
“Yes, and I’m so excited.” Her eyes danced as she gave him a quick description of some of the changes that would be taking place.
“That sounds nice, Madison. You should be excited.”
She grinned. “I am.”
“Well, it’s still early. How about dinner tonight?”
“Dinner? We just had a great lunch. I can’t even think of food right now.”
“You say that now, but around seven or eight, your stomach may feel different.”
“Okay, I’d like to have dinner with you, Chase Storm.”
“That’s great. Since you’ve welcomed me into your lovely home, I’d like to invite you over to my place this time.”
“You cook?”
“Nope. Can’t fry an egg.”
Her eyes widened, and they both laughed. “Seriously, I don’t,” he said. “I’m the baby of the family and never learned, but I think I got this under control. Trust me.”
“Okay, I trust you.” She beamed. “Text me your address, and I’m there. Say, seven thirty if that’s a good time?”
“Perfect.” He pulled her in closer and planted another soft kiss on her lips before he left. The first place he headed to was Deena’s office.
“Get out, Chase,” Deena said. “I told you what Travis said. I can’t let you use any of the model properties anymore, so don’t even ask.”
“That’s not what I came for.”
She raised a brow and looked up from the paper she was reading. “Come again?”
“That’s right, sis, I’m here to ask you about Madison.”
“What about Madison?” Now her eyes narrowed at him. “Chase Storm, I forbid you to go anywhere near my friend.”
“Too late, I’ve already gone out with her,” Chase boasted.
“You’re lying. She would have called me.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know why she didn’t tell you. But what I do know is I really like her.”
“Ha!” Deena laughed. “You are incapable of liking anyone other than the whores you keep. I’m warning you, Chase,” she threatened.
He held up a hand. “Listen, I know what you’re about to say. Yes, I know you will ‘roast me like a pig,’ ‘gut me like a fish,’ or my favorite, make me ‘come up missing.’” He leaned forward and looked his sister-in-law in the eye. “Deena, I like her. She is . . . she . . .” He looked away from her, gazing into space.
“You’re serious? Are you really serious? Chase, never in my life have I seen you gaze at nothing. And to openly admit that you like someone is . . . It’s-it’s-it’s,” she stuttered, unable to find the words.
“I know, it’s new to me too. I need your help. Madison is coming over for dinner tonight, and I want to know what her favorite cuisine is.”
“Gee, Chase, I don’t know. I mean, we’ve never discussed that before, but I know she doesn’t eat shellfish. She’s allergic. She loves butter pecan ice cream.” She paused. “Who’s cooking this meal? Your ass can’t cook.”
“I know. I’m going to call Mom or Gina. I’m sure one of them will hook me up.”
“Why don’t you hire someone? That would be so romantic, Chase.”
He loved the ide
a. “That’s a perfect idea, sis.” He hopped up, went around to her side of the desk, and planted a wet one on her cheek.
“Go on, Chase. I’ve told you about putting your nasty lips on me. I don’t know where they’ve been.”
“On your best friend,” he teased.
“Oh my God. Get out of here so I can call her.”
“Love you, sis, and thanks.”
He headed out and got into his car. “Siri,” he said, “find a chef.”
Chapter Eleven
“Hello?” Madison answered.
“You are not seeing my brother-in-law,” Deena said.
“Hello and good afternoon to you, Deena.”
“Greetings, happy afternoon, and all of that shit. Now, tell me about you and Chase Storm.”
Madison laughed. “I was going to tell you, honey nut; I just hadn’t had a chance.”
“Sure, you were. Madison, do you know who you’re dealing with? Chase is no altar boy. He’s broken many, many, many hearts. And I’ve never seen him with women like us.”
“Women like us?”
“Don’t play with me, Madi. You know, big and beautiful. He’s up to something no good; I know he is.”
“Deena, he’s been a gentleman. He says he wants to change and try something new and different. I mean, I’ve had a great time with him. And, oh my God, Deena, he can kiss. Had my lips swollen and craving for more after he left me this afternoon.”
“Chase?” Deena asked in disbelief.
“Yes, Chase.”
“Chase? Chase Storm, a gentleman? How does he look doing that? I’ve never seen him in gentleman form.”
Madison laughed at her friend. “Well, I’ve never seen this playa you and my mom have described.”
“Miss Martha warned you too?”
“Yes, the very first night. She told me he had a reputation. Listen, he told me everything, Deena. And I believe he wants to change. He says he’s looking for wife material, and since all of his brothers, and father, I might add, married women that look like us, maybe that’s the image or example he has in his head. I don’t know his motives, but I believe he’s sincere. I mean, he’s so sweet, and we have endless conversations when we talk. I think I like him, Deena, like really like him.”