The Perfect Love Storm

by Anna Black

  “What’s up, babe? I’m on my way in to the office, and I swear I’ll be back before lunchtime,” he said. It was a Saturday morning, and Chase never worked the weekends, but since he had just recently gone back, he was trying to get back on track.

  “That’s not why I called you, babe. I had a deposit to go into my account yesterday for $590,000. The exact amounts for my home and my spa renovations from your company. Is this some kinda mistake? Did something happen with the checks that I wrote to your family’s company?”

  “No, it’s not an error or anything like that. I went to my family and told them that I wanted the money that they owed me,” he said.

  “Why would you do that?”

  “Because, Madison, it was a solid wager, and, technically, we won.”

  She was quiet. Something about that made her uneasy again, like it was really about the money. “Chase, I thought you said the money wasn’t important.”

  “It’s not important, Madison. I don’t need it, but I won it fair and square.”

  “Unbelievable,” she expressed and shook her head. “I don’t want this money back, Chase. I don’t want any part of the bet that was placed on me like I was a charity case.”

  “Madison, please, don’t say that. We both know you’re not some charity case, and I don’t need the money, but they owed it to me—owed it to us. I told you that I had plans to tell you everything after the wedding, so, please, take it. It’s the least my family can do for all the craziness they put us through,” he pleaded.

  Madison said nothing; she just looked at him. He looked so sexy in his shades, and his charming smile almost made her say okay, but she said, “I don’t want it.”

  “Madison, you’re ridiculous. You know my family has money—lots of it. You are marrying into a pretty wealthy family, and we do things like bet millions, go to Vegas or New Orleans, and wild out. We work hard, and we play hard, and either you have the money back in your account this way, or you have it back when we get married. Either way, it’s yours.”

  She bit the corner of her lip. “This just makes me feel like . . .” she said but had no words.

  “You will soon be a millionaire’s wife, Madison. You see how we live. So, please, keep it.”

  She didn’t say anything at first, but then she said, “I will keep it, but I plan to give it away . . . well, after I give my mom back her portion.”

  “It’s yours to do whatever you want.”

  “Whatever I want?”

  “Whatever you like, and I know we don’t carry on like superstars, nor do we take anything for granted. My brothers and I can never step foot up in our company’s walls, but we appreciate everything our grandparents started for us, and we’ll never let anyone outside step in and do what we do. Our children will be the next generation to run this company, and we all pray that our offspring will love and dedicate as much love, blood, and sweat as my brothers, cousins, father, uncles, and I have. I believe we are as successful as we are now because we work hard every day.”

  “Well, I suggest you go in and do what you gotta do because I want to make a change in plans.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m going to call your momma and the girls and see if we can have brunch today because you and I need to take a trip.”

  “A trip? Where do you want to go?”

  “You’ll see. Let me check on some flights. I have someone I want you to meet, and I want to give her this surprise in person.”

  “I’m game. How should I pack?”

  “Just casual. If we need anything, Mr. Millionaire, we’ll just have to buy it.”

  “I’m in,” he said, and they ended the call.

  “Siri, call Nakia,” Madison said. The phone rang, and she picked up.

  “Hey, girl, how are you? How did it go with Chase?”

  “Honey, we are good. I’m calling to see what you have planned for this weekend.”

  “Girl, not too much. I’m just doing some charts for work. Some of my clients get on my last nerve.”

  “I hear ya, but I was thinking we should take a trip.”

  “Take a trip? Take a trip where, girl? I can’t afford no getaways right now. You know I’m saving to move to Cali.”

  “I know, but just a couple of days. I want you to meet Chase; besides, I’m paying.”

  “Just say when and where.”

  “Hold on, love. I’m going to make the arrangements and send you an email. Just pack a bag. I’m going to try to get us flights for tonight.”

  “I’m game, girl.”

  “Good. I’ll call you back in a few.” They hung up. Madison began to search for flights, and then it hit her.... She should make it a couples’ thing. Do a girls’ getaway, and let Chase and his brothers do their thing at the same time. “Yes!” she said.

  She dialed Deena, filled her in, and asked if they could get away. Deena said they were in, and then they called Gina, Gina called Tasha, and they all decided to meet up at the main house to discuss it and book their flights together. Before heading to Chase’s mom’s, Madison made a pit stop to her bank and transferred funds into her parents’ business account, then got a cashier’s check for $300,000 that was eighty grand less than the cost of her home, but she figured it would be a generous enough amount to give to her closest friend other than Deena.

  Even though she had sent Nakia a few hundred here and there over the years when she was in a bind, this would ease a great deal of her friend’s financial strain. She smiled when she walked out of the bank and couldn’t wait to see the look on Nakia’s face when she opened the envelope that housed the check.

  She made it to the main house, and they all pulled out tablets and gadgets to book flights. The other wives informed their husbands of the last-minute getaway, and since it was four couples going, they had to take two different flights to score four first-class tickets to leave that night. Estelle declined the trip. She said Vegas was too fast for her and Legend, but she wished them all well as they departed. They all met up at the airport together in two cars and then parked. Deena and Madison and their mates were on one flight, and Gina and Tasha and their mates were on the other. All were leaving on the same airline, but leaving two hours apart. Madison made sure that Nakia had a first-class ticket out of Houston, and she’d arrive shortly after she and Chase would.

  Madison fastened her seat belt. “You good, baby?” Chase asked.

  “Better than good.”

  “This was a great idea, you know. To get away for a couple of days.”

  “Yes, indeed. I love Tyler and its Southern charm, but it is some messy folks in our town.”

  “Yes, and I can’t wait until we’re married, and everyone sees that our union is real.”

  “You know what, babe? I don’t even care anymore what folks think. I mean, every damn body always got to have an opinion or two cents or a say-so in someone else’s life when they need to tend to their own house. I go out to the store and even at my salon, I know they are still whispering and laughing behind my back.”

  “Yes, they are. I had to say something to that chick Joss yesterday. It’s just petty.”

  “Yep, we live in a petty world, so we have to stay in Chase and Madison’s world. A place where drama doesn’t exist.”

  “Exactly,” he agreed.

  “Would you like a drink?” the attendant asked.

  “Yes, we would,” Chase answered. “What would you like, babe?”

  “Chardonnay would be perfect.”

  “And I’ll have a vodka and cranberry,” Chase said.

  “No problem,” the attendant replied; then she turned to Deena and Travis. They put in their orders, and the two couples drank, laughed, and chatted until they landed in Vegas.

  They arranged for car service and were taken to The Palazzo where they had two, two-bedroom-connecting suites on the same floor and a one-bedroom suite a couple of rooms down for Nakia.

  Shortly after they got settled into their room, Nakia called a
nd said she had just landed. Madison told her she had a car there to pick her up and to call her when she was in the lobby. Once Nakia arrived, Madison insisted that Deena accompany her to greet Nakia. She and Nakia only met once at her family’s funerals, and she was hoping they’d hit it off and get along.

  “Nakia,” Madison yelled when she spotted her. She had just seen her a few days ago, but they hugged like it had been ages. “You remember Deena,” Madison said.

  “Of course, I do,” she said and reached in to hug Deena, which took Deena by surprise.

  “Oh, okay, hi, Nakia. Lovely you made it,” she said, and Madison raised a brow. Why was Deena acting all stuffy all of a sudden?

  “Come on, girl, let’s get you checked in. I have you a suite not too far down from us, and we are going to have a blast, girl.”

  “Oh, hell yeah,” Nakia cheered, and Deena sorta frowned, but Madison took Nakia by the hand and went to get her checked in.

  “Once you get settled, come down to our suite. I’m dying for you to meet Chase.”

  “Okay. Let me take a tinkle, check out the wet bar, and I’ll be right over,” she said.

  Deena and Madison headed back to their suite, and as soon as they walked in, Madison asked, “Deena, what’s up with you? Why were you giving Nakia the side eye?”

  “A little rowdy, isn’t she?”

  “Oh no, Deena, don’t you get all Hope Gardener on me. Where is this stiffness coming from?”

  Deena let out a sigh. “A’ight, a’ight, I’m a little jealous. I mean, on the way to the airport, you were like Nakia this, and oh, Nakia that, and I can’t wait for Nakia this and Nakia that.”

  “Aaaaaaw, honey, stop. I’ve known you since middle school, and when I went off to college, Nakia was my roommate and the only friend that I left college with, but I love you two equally.”

  Deena swatted her arm. “See what I mean?”

  “Okay, I love you more,” she said and opened her arms to hug her. “But don’t tell Nakia,” she whispered, and then the men walked in from the terrace.

  “Baby, you have to see this view,” Chase said.

  “Yes, baby, it’s spectacular,” Travis added, and before they walked out, there was a tap on the door.

  “Wait, babe, that has to be Nakia,” Madison said and rushed over to the door. She opened it and pulled her in. She introduced her to Chase and Travis, and they all enjoyed drinks and the view until the rest of the Storms made it to the hotel. Then they all decided to split up. The guys were all set to go their way, and so were the girls when Chase stopped them and pulled Madison into his arms.

  “Really, Chase, don’t you ever get enough?” Deena said.

  “Yes, Chase, the way you two have been carrying on, y’all might as well stay here,” Gina said and then polished off her glass of wine.

  “I want my baby to know how much I’m going to miss her tonight. Y’all know it wasn’t my idea to split up,” Chase griped.

  “Look, baby, give me your phone.”

  He reached into his pocket and handed it to her. “Why do you need my phone?”

  “Type in your password,” she instructed, and then he did.

  She took the phone. “Now, I’m going to turn on my location for you on my phone and turn on your location for you on your phone, so when you wanna know exactly where I am, just check it.”

  “Y’all give me a break,” Lance moaned, and they all burst into laughter. “This is Las Vegas, not North Korea. We don’t need to trace y’all location.”

  “Shut up, Lance. This is between me and Chase,” she barked at him, and everyone continued to laugh.

  “Yes, this is our thang,” Chase defended.

  “Oh, how I miss that newness,” Gina sighed.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever, guys; let’s do this,” Damon said, and they all began to file out of the suite. Chase and Madison tried to exchange one last kiss, but the girls and the guys pulled them apart in two different directions.

  Chapter Thirty

  The next day everyone slept in. The first one up was Madison, so she crept out of bed and allowed Chase to continue to sleep. She kissed him softly on the forehead and then grabbed her robe and purse. She went out into the living room and looked toward the other end of the suite. Deena and Travis’s door was still closed. She made her way to the front door and went down to Nakia’s room. She wanted to give her the check before they started their day, and she wanted to give it to her in private. She tapped on the door lightly, but there was no answer, so she figured she was also still asleep. Next, she rang the bell. After a couple of moments of nothing, she dug in her purse and pulled out her phone. Before she could dial Nakia, she heard. “I don’t need service!”

  Madison laughed softly and then rang the bell again. “Are you sure, madam, because we must give service every day,” Madison faked in a foreign accent.

  “Oh Lord, hold on,” she heard Nakia grumble. A moment or two later, the door was snatched open. “Ma’am, please, I—” she paused and laughed. “Madison, what in the pure hell! Do you know what time it is?”

  “I do, and this couldn’t wait.”

  “Somebody better be bleeding or on fire,” Nakia said and dragged herself to the sofa and flopped down. “Girl, it’s, it’s, it’s . . .” she said squinting at the digital clock on microwave which they had a view of from the living room.

  “Almost one p.m.,” Madison said. She could see twelve forty-eight.

  “Well, I don’t have my contacts in, heffa. What are you doing up? Goodness, we shut it down at what . . . seven this morning?” Nakia yawned and stretched.

  “We did,” Madison said and then took a seat on the sofa beside her.

  “Then why aren’t you still laid up with Chase, who is fine as all get out, Mrs. Madison? And he is so sweet. Just the way he looks at you. Oooooh, I can’t wait to have that with someone.”

  “What about Charles? I thought you two were doing well.”

  “We are, Madison, but you know how I am. I mean, he’s supersweet, gives me any and everything I want, and I know he’s crazy about me, but—”

  “But what, Nakia?”

  “It’s like he’s too good to be true, and I’m so scared, because I’ve never felt this great in a relationship before, and you know I can be a major bitch. I’m scared I’m going to run him off.”

  “Now look who sounds crazy.”

  “I’m serious, Madi. Listen, let me give you an example. I wanted to go to this vineyard the other weekend with two of my coworkers, but he had made plans for us to go to Dallas and meet his daughter. I knew he wanted me to go, but the company was footing the bill for me, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. So I go to him, right, and I was like, ‘Babe, I know we were supposed to go to Dallas, but blah blah blah came up at work, and I wanna go.’ And he was like, ‘That’s cool, baby, go. We can reschedule Dallas.’”

  “Really? What an asshole,” Madison said sarcastically.

  “He didn’t dispute it; he just went with it.”

  “And please tell me what is wrong with that?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just if he had done that to me, I’d be pissed, and I would have cussed his ass out.”

  Madison laughed. “Now look who sounds crazy as hell. Nakia, you finally met a nice guy, and I’m so sorry all the ones before him gave you such a rotten experience that you can’t accept that he’s the real deal.”

  “Girl, I guess you’re right. I really like him, Madison, like I like him, really like him. Like I think I love him like him.”

  “Well, just accept you’ve found a sweet guy who is willing to put up with the bitch in you and be happy.”

  She nodded her head. “Yes, you’re right, because I’ve clowned him, and he still takes good care of me and makes me laugh. And, oh, Madison, when we’re together, he makes me laugh, and even when I attempt to lose it, he has this way of calming me down. I think he’s made me soft,” she laughed.

  “Thank God for Chuckie. Let’s please kee
p him around. Don’t let your inner bitch tarnish him.”

  “Okay, okay, I hear you.”

  “Good, now, let’s get to why I woke you.”

  “Can we order up some breakfast first? I am starving,” Nakia said, getting up and going for the hotel’s menu.

  “Nah, you go ahead. I want to wait and have breakfast with Chase.”

  “Suit yo’self.”

  “Well, anyway,” Madison continued, and Nakia took her seat back on the sofa, “you know about the whole entire story with the bet and all that jazz.”

  “Indeed,” she said scanning the menu.

  “Remember when I told you Chase declined the money?”

  “That was a dumbass move for sure, but, yes, I remember.”

  “Well, it turns out he changed his mind, and he refunded me the cost of my home and the renos on my mother’s salon.”

  “Get the fuck outta of here, Madison! That is awesome. You are too blessed. Is this why you brought me out here to Vegas? This was a much-needed trip, and I just wish Charles was here; then all would be perfect. He’d die if he saw this suite,” Nakia said, excited for her friend.

  “Yes, that’s just one of the reasons why I brought you out here.”

  She put down the menu. “Bitch, you better not be pregnant,” she said with her eyes and mouth wide open. “Oh my God, Madison, you are pregnant.” She hopped off the couch in excitement and started doing her happy dance. “I’m going to be an auntie,” she sang, and Madison had to reel her back in.

  “No no no, Nakia, girl, I’m not pregnant. Sit your crazy ass down. You think if I was pregnant, I’d be throwing back shots last night with y’all?”