When Tamika returned, she stepped onto the platform and both Dana and Layla gaped at the stunning picture she made. Instead of the voluminous skirt of the ball gown, the saleswoman picked a mermaid design. The dress hugged the contours of Tamika’s hips in lace before the almost sheer skirt flowed to the floor with a lace-trimmed hemline. In addition to the neckline of the lace bodice dipping to her waist, a lace cape covered her shoulders and added drama to an already breathtaking concept.
“She can remove the cape for the reception,” the saleswoman said, and proceeded to do so, which showed off thin lace straps and left Tamika’s back exposed.
“What do you think?” Tamika asked in a thick voice. Her emotion-filled eyes were shiny with tears.
Both Layla and Dana left the sofa and went to stand on either side of her.
“Anton’s definitely going to cry. Heck, I want to cry,” Dana laughed, wiping her wet eyes.
“You were right,” Tamika said to the saleswoman.
The redhead simply smiled.
“You look amazing,” Layla said, blinking back tears.
Both she and Dana hugged Tamika, pressing their cheeks to hers.
They all three stared at their reflection.
Tamika nodded with finality. “This is it. This is the one.”
18
Dana had never gone tubing on the Chattahoochee, and as Omar pulled into the gravel lot of the tubing company, she wasn’t convinced she’d made the right decision. She couldn’t swim, and her doggy paddle skills were questionable at best, but Omar insisted she would enjoy the outing, so she accepted his invitation when he mentioned taking his son for the first time.
Today he drove his less conspicuous gray Honda Accord. As the three of them climbed out of the car, Prince’s face lit up with excitement because on the drive over Omar let him watch a video of tubing on YouTube.
After a debate, they agreed on using closed tubes for the two-hour float down the river instead of letting their bottoms drag in the cold water. After Omar paid, a shuttle took them to the outpost where tubing company employees strapped life vests onto Dana and Prince and launched all three of them into the water on bright yellow tubes tethered to each other.
“Oooh, the water is cold,” Dana said, dipping her feet in the frigid water.
“After a while, you won’t notice. You okay, big man?” Omar tapped his son’s tube, which was tied between theirs.
Prince was leaning back, staring up at the sky. He nodded with the vigorous enthusiasm of a typical child. “This is fun, Daddy.”
They all wore shorts and water shoes, and Dana wore a tank and bikini top underneath. When they started down river, Omar removed his shirt and stuffed it beside him. His exposed skin reminded her of the passionate nights she spent in his arms the past couple of weeks, and when he caught her looking, she blushed but blew him a kiss.
Omar chose a morning trip in the middle of the week because the river would be less crowded. Nonetheless quite a few people floated around them—couples, families, and individuals. Along the banks were nothing but trees and bushes containing forested trails which drew hikers and nature lovers. The sun’s warm rays weren’t too bad at that time of the day, and Dana figured when the temperature increased later, the water would cool down the tubers.
They meandered slowly down the river, their positions changing every so often as they turned in a circle. Dana was glad they were tied together, because the people who weren’t drifted apart from each other or struggled to stay close.
She, Omar, and Prince laughed, chatted, and teased each other. At one point, a speed boat zoomed by going upriver. Everyone waved, but mostly, the relaxing activity was filled with the quiet of the outdoors cut through by the sounds of people laughing and talking to each other.
“Look over there,” Omar said, pointing.
A duck waddled to the edge of the water, jumped in, and headed straight for them.
“It’s coming over here, Daddy,” Prince said excitedly.
“We should have brought a camera,” Dana said.
The duck unexpectedly jumped up on Prince’s tube.
“Whoa,” the little boy said, jerking away.
“Shoo.” Dana tried to brush away the bird with her hands, but it was aggressive and flew at her. She screamed and dipped her head, but the tip of its flapping wing brushed the bun she had fixed her hair into.
“What the hell?” Omar said.
The duck landed in the water and then swam toward them again.
“It’s coming back,” Prince shrieked, but he didn’t look afraid. There was a big grin on his face. He welcomed the confrontation.
The duck pecked at Omar’s tube.
“Hey! Hey!” he said, flicking water at the animal.
“I don’t think he wants us on the river. He’s acting as if we’re invading his territory, and he wants us to leave.” Dana twisted around to watch the duck swim by.
“Why us?”
The duck quacked loudly as it swam toward a family of four.
“Bye, Mr. Duckie,” Prince said, waving.
Dana and Omar looked over his head at each other and laughed. Something passed between them—a deeper sense of camaraderie and intimacy.
“I hope we don’t see him again,” Dana said.
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the duck coasted overhead, so low they all dipped their heads to avoid getting hit. He landed on the other side on dry land and stared at them.
“I think he really hates us,” Omar muttered.
“Mr. Duckie hates us,” Prince said.
They all busted out laughing at the angry duck, who waddled away into the bushes.
Afterward, the rest of the trip downriver was pleasantly uneventful. Dana let her fingers trail in the water, and several times she initiated a splashing contest with Omar and his son.
A group of people stood on top of a bridge spanning the river, and as they sailed underneath, they waved and the spectators waved at them as well. A little farther along, and they were finally at the end of the journey.
As the young male worker pulled them toward the bank, Prince said, “Yay! Can we go again?”
Omar chuckled. “Not today, big man. Another day, okay?”
When they disembarked, Prince moaned and pouted, and Omar lifted him into his arms. “What are you pouting about, huh? I’m gonna toss you right back in the water.”
“No!” Prince shrieked, giggling.
“Yep, gonna toss you right back in since two hours wasn’t enough.”
Omar swung his son toward the water, and Prince shrieked louder.
“No?”
“No, Daddy,” Prince said, vigorously shaking his head.
“You sure?” Omar held him at arm’s length and pretended he was about to throw him in again.
“No! I’m sure.”
“All right then.” Omar set him down. “You hungry?”
“Yes!”
“What do you want to eat?”
“French fries!”
“French fries for the big man.”
Omar patted his bottom and Prince skipped ahead of them. Omar flung an arm around Dana’s neck and asked, “And what do you want to eat?”
“Where are you taking us?”
“A spot where we can get french fries, apparently. I have to do a better job of expanding my kid’s palate.”
“Actually, fries don’t sound too bad. A nice fat burger and a chocolate shake to go along with them would hit the spot.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“Man, you’re a cheap date.”
Dana affected a British accent. “That’s what I want you to think, but once I’ve sucked you in with my humble choices, I’ll use my feminine wiles to get private-jet rides to Paris for dinner where we’ll dine on foie gras, filet mignon, and only the best caviar, dah-ling.”
“I knew it!”
Laughing, Dana threw her head back and Omar gazed at her as if she was the most beautiful
woman he’d ever seen. His features softened, and then he planted a hard, wet kiss on her lips, as if he couldn’t help himself.
The shuttle took them back to the main building, and while Omar lifted Prince from the vehicle, a teenager nearby did a double take at Omar. They retrieved their belongings from the lockers and were on their way to the parking lot when the boy approached.
“Excuse me, are you Omar Bradford, who used to play for the Falcons?”
“I am.”
“It’s him!” he said to his friends. “Do you mind if we take a selfie with you?”
“Nah, I don’t mind.”
The boy waved his friends over, and Omar handed Dana the tote bag with their belongings. Omar took the selfie with the teens, but their posing brought attention to him and kicked off fifteen minutes of having to sign autographs and take more pictures with other fans. A couple of the women became a little grabby and flirty, but Omar laughed good-naturedly and dutifully took photos with them as well.
This wasn’t the first time Dana was with him when adoring fans swarmed, but this was the first time she’d done so after sleeping with him. Jealousy reared its hideous green head with a vengeance. She wanted to slap their hands from his biceps and tell them to shut the hell up when they made remarks like I would love for you to tackle me.
Instead, she gritted her teeth and patiently waited nearby with Prince until the last person received their autograph.
“Sorry about that,” Omar said as they walked back to the car.
Prince walked between them, each of his hands holding on to one of theirs.
“No big deal. It’s not as bad as it used to be.”
“True.”
Before he retired, he could easily get cornered for an hour or longer, but nowadays the fandom remained at a manageable level.
They climbed into the car, and Dana snapped on her seatbelt. “I can now check tubing off my list of accomplishments. I’m glad we came. It was very relaxing.” Once again, Omar had expanded her horizons.
“Except for the part where a damn duck almost decapitated us,” Omar said, talking low so his son couldn’t hear him curse.
“Damn duck!” Prince shouted.
“Hey, boy, watch your mouth.”
Dana giggled at them, stuffing down her jealous anger from earlier. “The duck did try to kill us, but that part was fun too.” She placed a hand on Omar’s thigh, and he lifted her fingers to his lips before starting the car.
They stopped at a diner for lunch and then spent the afternoon at Piedmont Park where they spread a blanket on the grass and Omar and Prince ran and jumped and tossed around a Nerf football.
After a while, Omar called out to Dana. “Come join us,” he said.
“Yes, join us,” Prince said.
“No way. I don’t know the first thing about playing football,” Dana said, shaking her head.
Prince ran over and took her hand. “Come play with us,” he said, pulling on her.
With such an invitation, how could she refuse? She stood up and followed behind him. They split up into two teams, with her and Prince on one team against Omar.
Prince scored the most points simply because they let him. Imitating his father’s cocky attitude every time he scored a touchdown, he spiked the ball and did his own version of the Falcons’ Dirty Bird dance by flapping his arms like wings.
On the last play of the day, Omar flew into the end zone, and when Prince caught up, he tackled his legs. Omar tossed himself to the ground and Prince and Dana piled on top of him with a series of giggles, wrestling and punching until he handed over the ball in defeat.
Later, dinner was at a favorite barbecue spot before Omar took Dana home.
Standing at her door, he kissed her good night, reluctantly releasing her before he returned to the car.
After a shower and a cup of juice, Prince finally settled down for the night.
Omar tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead. “Have a good night, big man.” Omar straightened.
“Daddy, do you love Miss Dana?”
The question took him aback. He hadn’t fully examined his feelings for Dana, but kids were so perceptive. Prince probably noticed how Omar behaved around her.
“Yes, I do.”
His son grinned. “I love her too. She’s nice.”
“She is. Go to sleep now, okay?”
Prince turned on his side and closed his eyes.
Omar gave him another kiss on the cheek and quietly left the room.
19
Dana busied herself making breakfast in the kitchen of Omar’s condo. She whisked eggs and chopped vegetables for a frittata with the intention of having breakfast waiting for Omar and his son when they woke up.
The kitchen opened into a spacious living room with huge windows taking up most of one wall. Every type of gadget imaginable was in the kitchen—food processors, mixers, an espresso machine. She laughed to herself. Omar didn’t know the first thing about cooking, but his chef used all these devices to prepare elaborate meals for him on a regular basis.
Over the past couple of weeks, she spent the night a few times. A “sleepover” was the explanation they gave Prince. During those periods, she, Omar, and Prince watched movies, made pizzas, and played games, and they became closer. She even tucked Prince in one night.
Last night Omar left his phone on the counter, and it beeped again, the second time in five minutes. Dana poured the egg mixture into a pan and ignored the notification, but then another one came through.
Don’t do it, she told herself.
When his phone beeped a fourth time, she could no longer ignore the sound, telling herself she would simply turn off the volume. Except, she didn’t.
She should mind her own business, but instead, she clicked on the last message and almost dropped the phone at the sight of an explicit photo of a woman’s genitals on the screen.
Do you miss it? was the text forwarded with the graphic photo.
Her eyes widened, and she scrolled upward to see the other messages with images from the same woman, showing off bare breasts and flaunting her voluptuous body in a red bikini with a beach in the background.
Dana set down the phone and went back to cooking. The photos dampened her morning high and reminded her of the risk she took by sleeping with Omar.
They didn’t exactly flaunt their relationship, preferring low-key activities like going to the park, quiet dinners in a restaurant’s private dining room, or simply staying in and watching movies on TV. Few people knew they were together, thereby limiting the publicity around his dating life. The height of his popularity had passed, but he was nonetheless a celebrity, which meant who he dated was news, and women would always make passes at him. This particular woman was clearly from his past and might not know about him and Dana.
She paused in the midst of putting the pan in the oven. What was there to know? She and Omar never defined their relationship. They slept together, but what were his expectations? She knew hers. She expected them to be in a monogamous relationship, so having another woman send him naked pictures was completely unacceptable.
Should she speak up or not?
Of course she needed to speak up. She wouldn’t be Dana Lindstrom if she didn’t.
She was almost finished with breakfast when Omar and Prince came into the kitchen.
“Smells good in here.” Omar sounded cheerful and in a good mood.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear—which he did frequently nowadays. Nonetheless, she stiffened, but he didn’t notice, walking over to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup.
“Breakfast almost ready?” He added sugar, took a sip, and grunted his satisfaction.
“Yes,” Dana answered.
Omar poured three glasses of orange juice and then picked up his phone to check his messages. She watched him surreptitiously and wondered what he must be thinking of such tawdry images on his screen first thing in the morning.
He must have guessed she looked at the messages because they had been read, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he acted as if nothing was amiss while the three of them ate breakfast at the table in the kitchen. With Prince present, Dana held off on asking Omar about the naked woman texts and behaved so normally she was proud of herself. She deserved a freaking Academy Award for her restraint.
After breakfast, Prince went to play in his room, and Dana placed the dirty dishes in the sink. When Omar reached for her, she pulled back.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Your phone was beeping on the counter earlier. I went over to turn it off, and I saw the four texts you received this morning.”
His eyes narrowed a fraction before returning to their normal size. “Okay.”
“That’s all you’re going to say? Okay?”
“What would you like me to say?”
“Is it normal for you to receive those kinds of pictures? How many do you have in your phone?” Dana asked.
“You mean you didn’t check for others? If you’re going to invade my privacy, why do it halfway? Why not check every text I have?”
Her face flamed. “I know I didn’t have any right to go through your phone, but that’s irrelevant.”
“I didn’t ask her to send those pictures, Dana. She sent them unsolicited.”
“I understand, but she’s one of many. Women regularly chase after you.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Omar said irritably.
“I’m not, and I knew this would happen,” Dana muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You knew what would happen?”
“Nothing.” She looked away from him.
“All of a sudden you can’t speak your mind? Tell me what you’re thinking because I already know it’s some bullshit.”
Dana straightened her back. “What I think is not bullshit. You’ve been with a lot of women, and I’m supposed to believe you and I are going to work because I’m somehow different?”
The Friend Zone Page 10