“Did Alec tell you what he spoke to your father about?”
“Yes, basically my father apologized to Alec. He said that if he didn’t jump my ass for dating a white boy all those years ago, I might not have broken it off with him to be with Carter. And . . . I would be alive and happy with him. Alec said he was stunned by the apology because my father wasn’t a man who was sorry for anything. That’s when my father told him that Tina and my mom were gone, and he didn’t expect to see them again.”
“Do you think the experience changed your father for the better?”
“I don’t know. I don’t suppose it matters much now. I hadn’t been in communication with him since I dropped out of school to move to New York to be with Carter.”
“Do you want to contact your father?”
“Not really. But one day, I would like to speak to my mom and sister. I’m hoping I can remember more about them before I do.”
“Are you willing to consider reaching out to your mom and sister for the sake of jogging some of your memories?”
Layla shrugged. “I’ll think about it.”
Victoria wrote on her legal pad. “Does Alec keep in touch with your parents?”
“He calls my mother once or twice a year to see how she’s doing. He’s not close to Tina because she was still pretty young when we were together before. The last time Alec spoke to my father was three years ago.”
“We’re out of time for today. And after today, I’m cutting down my hours until after the New Year.
“All right.”
“But, if you need me before then, just call, and I’ll squeeze you in if necessary,” Victoria said.
“I will,” Layla assured her.
Chapter 34
Layla and Katelyn Austin’s Christmas parties were on the same night, so the ladies came to a compromise. Layla would host hers from six to eight, and Katelyn’s party would start at eight and last for however long the guests stayed.
It was fine with Layla because it was her first time hosting a fancy party. She didn’t want to dive in too deep considering that most of the appetizers she was serving she had only made once as practice. She knew Katelyn would have a full meal. Layla’s party was like an appetizer to the grand finale, and she was fine with that.
At least half the guests arrived at five forty-five. Layla had the foresight to rent a champagne fountain to place on the dining room table. She had splurged on a case of Ace of Spades. She also had white and red wine and bottled water on a temporary table she had set up in the dining room. She had placed snacks and hor d’oeuvres on the living room table.
She had taken Izabella and Keisha to the tree farm to get a real pine tree two weeks ago. Keisha had loved the experience. The tree was almost to the top of the ceiling. Damien had gotten on a ladder to place the gold bow on top of the tree. The ends of the bow flowed to the middle of the tree. They had decorated the tree with white lights and gold bulbs.
Layla was definitely in the Christmas spirit, and she had a lot to be thankful for. She hadn’t enjoyed a Christmas like this . . . since she and Alec had spent Christmas together at his parents’ house before they broke up. Shaking the thought away along with her longing for Alec, she turned her attention to her guests.
****
Alec had arrived a bit early to Margo’s house. She suggested they have a quick drink before walking to Lana’s party.
Margo handed him a rum and Coke and sat down on the sofa. She was wearing a red, strapless dress that showed an ample amount of cleavage, and the hem was to her mid-thigh.
He sipped his drink as he relaxed in the chair.
“Have you prepared yourself for tonight?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
She crossed her legs. “I mean that you’ll be in a room with the woman you love, and she . . . won’t be with you. You’ll have to keep your composure there. She’ll be with her husband. He may have his arm around her shoulder or waist. He might kiss her under the mistletoe.”
Alec swallowed. “As long as it doesn’t go overboard, I’ll be fine.” He believed he would be.
“Uh huh. Look, I’ve been dying to ask you this, and I hope it doesn’t come off as rude. But do you really think she is going to leave her husband for you?”
“Yes. I made it clear to her that this wasn’t just a fling for me. Why do you ask?”
“Well, it’s just . . . you’re a great guy, Alec, but considering that you couldn’t pay a thirty-eight-hundred-dollar dinner bill . . . will you be able to provide the lifestyle that she has become accustomed to?”
“We’ve discussed that, and she doesn’t care. She told me that.” But it played in the back of his mind that she had given him up once before for a man who could provide a ritzy life for her.
No, she wouldn’t dare do it to me again.
****
Keisha was wearing a dark red dress with white stockings and black shoes. Her dark brown hair was in pigtails that were held with red ribbon. Izabella held Keisha as Lacey, Corey, and Enid cooed at her. Her little girl was being a ham tonight.
Layla and Damien watched proudly.
“She is so cute,” Damien said with a big grin.
“Of course she is,” Layla replied.
He laughed. “This is turning out well. Kudos, my dear.”
“Thank you,” Layla said.
“And did I mention that you look beautiful?” he said.
“You did, but you can say it again,” Layla joked. She wore a long, red dress with a split to the top of her knee. The straps were thick and hugged her shoulders, giving her cleavage a nice boost.
He laughed again. “You look beautiful.”
Margo St. John approached them. “Hey, you two.”
“Hey, Margo,” Damien greeted and sipped his virgin eggnog.
“Margo, thanks for coming,” Layla said.
“I wouldn’t have missed your first party in the neighborhood. Looks like it’s going great. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, but it isn’t over yet,” Layla said.
“No, it is not, but I’m sure things will continue to go well. I love the champagne fountain,” Margo said.
Layla realized Margo was alone. “Oh, Margo, wasn’t it you that called me and asked if you could bring a date?”
“Yes, and—” Margo looked around. “Oh, he’s talking to Keisha and Izabella.”
Layla and Damien followed Margo’s gaze. Layla gasped at the sight of Alec shaking Keisha’s little hand.
“Are you all right?” Damien asked.
“Oh yes, I just got something caught in my throat,” Layla struggled to get out.
Margo’s eyes sparkled. “How sweet. I didn’t know he liked kids.”
Layla’s shock and horror at Alec being there faded away as she watched Alec talk to Keisha. She seemed to warm up to him. Alec pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a piece of candy. Keisha smiled and took it out of his palm.
Layla didn’t usually let Keisha have candy after four o’clock, but it was a special occasion, and a special man had given it to her.
“Well, my little pumpkin seems to like him,” Damien examined. “He looks familiar. Is he the same guy you were at the country club with a few weeks ago?”
“He sure is,” Margo answered sweetly.
“Well, call him over so we can meet him,” Damien said with a grin.
Oh, shit.
“Alec,” Margo called out.
He looked over and smiled.
“Come on over, I want to introduce you to our hosts,” Margo said.
Alec nodded. He said his goodbyes to Izabella and Keisha and walked to them.
Margo placed her hand on his shoulder. “Alec Peterson, this is Dr. Damien Miles and his wife, Layla.”
“Nice to meet you,” Damien said and offered his hand to Alec.
Layla blinked at the awkwardness of the situation. She struggled to smile as the men shook hands.
Then Alec’s hand reached out t
o her.
Is he serious?
She took his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Layla. This is a lovely party.”
“Thank you,” she said softly as their hands touched.
“So how long have you two known each other?” Damien asked.
“What?” Layla said.
“Oh, a few weeks now,” Margo answered.
Geez, girl, pull yourself together.
“Great. What do you do, Alec?” Damien asked.
“I’m an agent with the FBI,” Alec answered.
“Wow,” Damien said. “I thought my job was stressful.”
“It can be. It depends on the case,” Alec said.
Layla felt like she couldn’t breathe. This was just too bizarre for her. “Will you guys excuse me? I have to make sure we have enough pate out.”
“Sure, baby,” Damien said. “So, Alec, are you a field agent or in management?”
Layla walked to the kitchen. She didn’t know Margo followed her until she spoke.
“Hey,” Margo said.
“What are you two doing?” Layla asked in a loud whisper.
“He wanted to see you, and I needed a date that I didn’t have to fight off all night,” Margo replied.
“Oh, good grief,” Layla groaned.
“You’re the one who is going to blow it if you don’t pull yourself together,” Margo chided.
“Can you blame me? Out of the blue, my lover shows up at my house while a party is going on, and now he is making small talk with my husband,” she said defensively.
Margo shrugged. “Well, things like this happen when a wife is hiding something from her husband. It comes with the territory. I’ve been married twice, so I know what I’m talking about.”
Layla rolled her eyes.
“You’ll be fine. Just act natural,” Margo said and left the kitchen.
“Just act natural,” Layla repeated sarcastically.
Chapter 35
The party continued as Christmas songs played on the living room stereo. It was a quarter till eight. Layla and Damien kissed Keisha goodnight so Izabella could take her upstairs and get her down for bed.
The landline phone rang. Layla made her way to it in the living room. She answered it on the fourth ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey, are you all right?” Carter asked.
Her eye widened at the sound of his voice. “Um, yeah.”
“I haven’t heard from you in a while, so I called your cell, and it went straight to voicemail – twice.”
“I’m having a Christmas party,” she said. Then cleared her throat and willed her voice to be lower. “How did you get my home number?”
“The phone book.”
She could hear the smirk in his voice. “Are you in Tampa?”
“No, but I made some friends down there during my last trip. They had a phone book.”
She wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not. It really didn’t matter because she didn’t want anything to do with him.
“How’s your daughter?”
The question made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “Fine? Why?”
“Just wondering. I know that girl is the light of your life. Perhaps when I’m down in Florida again, I can meet her.”
Like hell.
“So, you’re planning a trip here?”
“Yes, after the new year. I would love to see you, Layla,” he oozed.
“I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea,” she said.
“Look, I know you’re married, but you can’t deny that there is something between us.”
“I . . . I can’t talk now. I have guests,” she whispered.
“All right. If anything, I called to make sure you were okay. I’ll call you back in a few days. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” she said and hung up. And good riddance.
“Was that the hospital?” Damien asked behind her.
She jumped as her head jerked back.
“Oh, sorry, honey. Was that the hospital?”
“No. Why?”
“I just got a text from them. A patient was brought in by an ambulance. He fell down the stairs. He can’t feel his legs, so the ER doctor had the staff page me to come in and consult. I don’t think it can wait.”
“Aw,” she said. Damien was on call, but they had hoped that the hospital didn’t need him tonight.
“I know, but we both knew this could be a possibility,” he said with a sorrowful look.
“Yes. Be careful driving.”
“I will,” Damien said and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Then he started walking to the front door. He had parked his Denali on the street so he wouldn’t be blocked in the driveway if he had to leave. People asked him where he was going on his way to the door.
Layla made her way to the laundry room. It was the only place that wasn’t crawling with people. She entered the room and closed the door. She looked at her watch. It wouldn’t be long until people started leaving to go to Katelyn’s house.
She sighed. What a night.
The door opened, and Alec swiftly entered.
“Alec,” she hissed as he closed the door quickly.
“No one saw me coming in here. Who was on the phone?”
“What? You'd risked starting gossip to ask me who was on the phone?”
“I noticed how your body stilled. It was someone you didn’t want to talk to,” he said as he got closer to her.
She looked down at the hardwood floor.
“You know I’m not going to let it go,” he said seriously.
“It was Carter,” she whispered.
“Why in the hell is he calling you?” he asked with simmering anger.
“He said that he wanted to see how I was,” she said.
“How did he get your number?”
“He said the phone book.”
“You exchanged numbers with him during that lunch you two had a while back, didn’t you?”
“Um.” She didn’t want to lie. “He gave me his number, and a week or two later, I called him on my cell. I told you about it when I came to your apartment the first time.”
His face scrunched up with confusion. “Was that the only time?”
“Yes. I thought if I talked to him, it would jog some memories for me. The conversation got more . . . intimate than I intended for it to get. I think that’s why Carter called me this time.”
“How intimate?” he asked as he glared at her.
“Oh, well, sexual things were said . . . from both of us,” she admitted sheepishly.
“What?” he said a little too loudly.
“Shh.”
They looked at each other in silence.
“Do you want him?” he asked as his jaw hardened.
“No,” she answered quickly. “And I can’t believe you asked me that considering what you know I know now.”
“Well, you knew he was a criminal when you left me for him.”
“That was different. I’m . . . somewhat sure I thought he was just a little corrupt, not evil.”
He walked forward, backing her up against the washing machine. “What about Damien?”
“He’s on call. He had to go to the hospital.”
“That’s not what I mean. What I’m asking you is, are you leaving him to be with me – like a real couple?”
“Yes,”
“When? What’s the hold up?” he asked as he stared into her eyes.
She looked at the intensity in his gaze. It was like he was trying to intimidate a witness. “You don’t trust me,” she said with realization.
“I . . . Lana, you’ve got Carter contacting you. Damien is walking around like it’s business as usual. You haven’t said a word about when you are leaving him.”
Anger simmered inside her stomach. “Alec, I love you. But I love my daughter, too. And I have to think about her. I’m not leaving her father before Christmas and ruining the holidays for her. And despite what you think about Damien,
he deserves respect because he is Keisha’s father, and he has provided for her and me. I’m not breaking his heart during the holidays.”
“What did you say?” he asked with awe.
“I said I’m not ruining the holidays for—”
“Not that part. The part where you said . . . you loved me.”
She did love him. She had realized it a week ago when she had missed him so much that it hurt, but she didn’t mean to say it out loud. “I . . . I . . .”
“Did you mean it?”
“Yes,” she admitted hesitantly. She was afraid that it was too soon for her to say it.
His hands snaked around her quicker than a boa constrictor wrapped its prey. “I love you, too,” he said in a deep voice as his steel-blue eyes bore down on her. He lowered his head to kiss her.
She placed her fingertips over her mouth. “No, you can’t kiss me.”
“Why?” he mumbled against her fingers.
“Because if you go back out there with my lipstick on, everyone is going to know,” she explained.
Alec backed away from her fingers. “All right. I understand that you want to do this right. So with that being said, when are you going to leave him?” he enunciated the last few words.
“After New Year’s Day, I’ll tell him everything then,” she said. “And just so we’re clear, Keisha is part of the deal.”
“I know that. I like her. She’s like a mini you,” he said with a grin.
“She’s a lot better than me.”
He glided his hands down her hips. Then he got on his knees.
“What are you doing?”
Alec smirked as he slid his hands under her dress. “I’m not leaving until I get a kiss.” His hands glided over her garter belt and then his fingers hooked the sides of her thong.
“Alec, don’t. Neither one of us can be gone long,” she protested in a whisper.
“We won’t be gone long if you cooperate,” he said as he pulled her panties down to her ankles. “Step out of them.”
Layla did hesitantly.
He quickly stuffed the red lacey article in his pocket and lifted her dress. His lips pressed against her warmth, his tongue tickling the tip of her. Going deeper between her folds, he gently suckled her button.
Blank Slate Page 22