An Unexpected Love (Women's Fiction/BWWM Romance)

by Stacy-Deanne

  “He wants to fuck you.” Corrine tossed Cross’ sandwich back in the basket. “And you’re divorced now, so it’s no big deal right?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “What?” Corrine smirked. “You can’t fuck in here?”

  “Girl, shut up.” Layla playfully hit her. “Ain’t nobody gonna be fuckin’ anyone in here.”

  Corrine snickered. “Did you tell Cross that?”

  “I told you for the last time: we’re just friends.”

  “And you know you’ve always liked white boys.” Corrine rocked her foot. “That’s all you dated in school. That’s why everyone was surprised when you brought home Patrick.”

  “You’re getting on my last nerve with this. Nothing is going on between me and Cross.”

  “I bet he’s the only person you’ve hung with since you got here.” Corrine put her chin in the air. “Say I’m wrong.”

  “Yeah, we sit out here and talk. So what? We also play in the rec room, and sometimes we watch TV in each other’s rooms.”

  “Ooh.” Corrine waved her finger. “You can tell yourself you’re just friends all you want. But that man wants you, and you want him.”

  Layla rolled her eyes. “And I’m the crazy one?”

  “I saw how you were looking at him when he walked away, and I saw how he looked at you. You know you’re attracted to him.”

  “Okay, maybe I am.” Layla leaned back on her elbows. “I won’t lie and say he isn’t gorgeous. You saw him. But, I don’t wanna be with the man if that’s what you’re thinking. No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Hello?” She snapped her fingers in Corrine’s face. “I’m in here for a schizophrenic breakdown. I didn’t come here for a date.”

  “Layla, you of all people should know that life is short. Did you ever think that Cross might become a special person in your life?”

  “No. For God sakes, I’ve only known him for a month.” She sat up. “We’re just friends, Corrine. Can we drop this, please?”

  “I’m just saying, I see something between you two. I mean, look at your face. You haven’t looked this happy in a long time. If Cross has something to do with that…is that a bad thing?”

  “I’m trying to get my life together. The last thing I need is to jump into another relationship. Please, let’s talk about something else.”

  “Okay.” Corrine looked around the yard. “You said you’ve been depressed lately? Been lonely?”

  “No. Mom and Val came by last night, and we hung out for a while. It was fun. Shanti came to see me twice last week. I’m not lonely.”

  “Momma and Val visited you last night?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh and they didn’t think to tell me?” Corrine sucked her lip. “I might’ve wanted to come.”

  “You know you and Val don’t get along. I’m sure Momma didn’t feel like playing referee all night, and I sure as hell didn’t.”

  “And whose fault is it we don’t get along?”

  “Yours.” Layla pointed. “Must I do a rundown of all the shit you did to Val when we were growing up?”

  “This has nothing to do with us not getting along as kids. She’s still trying to blame me for her not having a baby. You don’t think I pushed her on purpose do you?”

  “No.”

  Layla avoided eye contact. At least I hope to hell you didn’t.

  “I don’t know what to do.” Corrine sighed. “I’ve tried to reason with her. I’ve asked Momma to talk sense into her. I even prayed about it, and you know I don’t ever pray unless something’s really bad.”

  Layla broke off a blade of grass and twisted it around her finger. “That’s true.”

  “I swear on everything that’s important to me.” Corrine lifted her hand. “I swear on Daddy that I did not push her down those stairs. I would never do that. God, how can she even think this?”

  “Let me ask you something, and I want you to be straight with me. Are you attracted to David?”

  “Of course I am.” She laughed. “Are you nuts? He’s a great guy. Any woman would be attracted to him, but I would never hurt Val. I cherish David’s friendship. I wouldn’t jeopardize that. And no matter how conniving people might think I am, I’d never sleep with my sister’s husband.”

  “I’m glad to hear that because this isn’t like when we were kids, Corrine. Back then you did shit to Val, and it was overlooked a lot.”

  “I didn’t do anything to Val.”

  “Corrine.” Layla rolled her eyes. “I was there, remember? You were always jealous of Val, and you did some nasty things. All I’m saying is the consequences would be much higher now. Val loves David more than anything, and she wouldn’t ever forgive you if you got in the way of that.” Layla stood. “And honestly, I wouldn’t either.”

  “When it comes to Val’s marriage, it’s not me she should be worried about.” Corrine stood and straightened her dress. “It’s herself.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  David knocked on Patrick’s office door, which stood ajar.

  “Hey, Mr. Accountant.”

  “Hey, man.” Patrick looked up from his computer. “What are you doing here?”

  “On lunch break.” David walked in, unbuttoning his blazer. “Figured you would be too, so maybe we can catch some lunch at that Japanese place down the street.”

  “It’s good to see you, man.” Patrick stood and shook David’s hand. “You look good.”

  He hit David’s arm and then sat back down.

  “You too.” David glanced around the pristine office and sat on the chair across from Patrick. “What do you say?” He wiggled his fingers. “Up for some sushi?”

  “I wish I could.” Patrick focused on his computer. “I gotta finish this stuff up. I’d planned to just skip lunch.”

  “Oh.” David poked his lips out and nodded. “Guess I should’ve called before popping in.”

  “No, it’s cool with me.” Patrick took off his reading glasses and leaned back in the leather chair. “I’m always glad to see my…my…what the hell are we?”

  David laughed.

  “You crazy. I guess we’re brothers-in-law-in-law.” Patrick guffawed.

  David’s laughter eased. “See, this is why I like talking to you. You make me smile. You make me forget shit, you know?”

  “Uh-oh.” Patrick rocked on the back legs of his chair. “How come I get the feeling you didn’t come down here just for sushi?”

  David pointed to the door. “You got a minute?”

  “Sure.”

  David jumped up and closed the door. “You’re right. I came down because I needed to talk to you.” He sat down. “Brotha to brotha.”

  “Okay.” Patrick leaned forward. “I’m glad you’re here. I need to talk to someone, too. I can’t think of anyone better than you.”

  “You wanna go first?”

  Patrick rubbed his chin. “No, go ahead.”

  “You already can guess that it’s Val.” David let out a huge breath. “I don’t know how long I can deal with this, man. We fight constantly over the silliest little things.”

  “That sounds familiar.”

  “Can you believe this morning we had a forty-five minute argument because I left toast crumbs on the butter?” David grimaced. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

  “That is kinda gross, though.”

  “I’m serious, man. It’s getting to where I’m scared to walk up in the house. We got this big marketing campaign I’m leading. I’m glad as hell I’ll have to work late some nights just so I don’t have to hear her mouth.”

  “I hate to see you two going down this route.” Patrick clasped his fingers in his lap. “But the good news is that you and Val are still communicating. Sure, you’re fighting all the time. But when you both stop fighting, that’s when you should be worried. It means you’ve both stopped caring.”

  David reflected on the insight. “I never thought about it like that.”

  “Silence is the killer of ev
ery marriage.” Patrick rocked in the chair. “She loves you. You still love her?”

  “I wouldn’t put up with her shit if I didn’t.”

  “But is it just her shit, though?”

  David scooted closer to the desk. “I’m not following.”

  “I notice you tend to put the blame on Val a lot, but you gotta look at what you’re doing too.”

  David pointed to himself. “I don’t do anything.”

  “Maybe you don’t realize that you do it.” Patrick nodded. “That’s what I did with Layla. I blamed everything that went wrong about our marriage on her illness.” He stared at his desk. “She wasn’t perfect, but I had problems too.”

  “These Oates women…I tell you.” David shook his head. “They’ll drive a man as crazy as hell.”

  “But it’s worth it.” Patrick sipped from his coffee cup. “It’s worth it just to wake up next to that beautiful woman and hold her in your arms. You’re so damn lucky, David. Hold on to Val before you lose her for good.”

  “Wait a minute.” He laid his hand on the desk. “What’s going on? You act like you’re missing Layla.”

  “I’ve been missing her since we first separated.” Patrick touched the keyboard. “Now I’m wanting her again…I mean really wanting.”

  David propped his right leg on his left. “Are you saying you’re still in love with Layla?”

  “I never stopped being in love with her.”

  “You were the one who wanted the divorce.”

  “I didn’t want it.” He hit the desk. “I fucked up. I never intended for things to go that far. I was stressed out and upset. I never thought that when I told her I wanted out that she wanted the same thing.”

  “I don’t understand this at all. You guys just got divorced a month ago. How the hell can you not be sure?”

  “I never wanted the divorce. I told her that to push her into shaping up.”

  “Shaping up? She did the best she could.” “I see that now.” Patrick held his head. “I’m such an idiot.”

  “Let me get this straight. You told your wife you wanted a divorce but didn’t. But because you’re so damn stubborn and you saw she really wanted a divorce…you let it happen?”

  “Yes,” Patrick whispered. “I gambled with my marriage. I didn’t know Layla felt the way she did. She was more tired than I was, and she wasn’t in love with me anymore. If she had been, I’d have fought for her. But how can I fight for someone who doesn’t want me?”

  “Man, this is tripping me out. You want Layla back?”

  “More than anything.”

  “Jesus.” David stood. “I thought Val and I were fucked up. But like you said, at least we communicate. It’s like you and Layla live on two different planets from each other. Does she know you still want her?”

  “She figures I care because of the girls and the history we got together, but she doesn’t know I want her back.” Patrick moved his glasses to the side. “And I do. I want her back. I want my wife back. What do I do?”

  “I came down here to get advice from you.”

  Patrick glared at him with his head to the side. “David.”

  “What do you expect me to say?” David hunched his shoulders. “Patrick, you threw away your twenty year marriage to prove a point. How could you do that?”

  “I don’t know.” He looked at his desk. “How do you get your wife back after you just got divorced?”

  “I can’t help you on that.” David held up his hands. “All I can say is: this time, be honest and open. Stop treating relationships like competitions. Layla’s a good woman. How could you just throw that away?”

  “I gotta let her know how I feel.” Patrick bounced in the chair. “I’ll think things over and make my move.”

  “Good luck with that.” David went to the door and then stopped. “Uh…” He turned around. “Never mind. See you.”

  “Hold on. You got something else to talk about?”

  “No,” he lied.

  “Come on. Didn’t you just scold me on not being open?”

  David rushed to Patrick’s desk. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. But I’m struggling with something, and I’d like to know your opinion.”

  “Okay.” Patrick put on his reading glasses and started typing. “Shoot.”

  “Have you ever been attracted to another woman while being with Layla?”

  “Course I have.” He chuckled. “That’s normal. Is that all?”

  “Hell no, it ain’t all.” David lowered himself into the chair. “We haven’t even scratched the surface yet.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Patrick glanced from around his monitor. “Are you having an affair?”

  “No.” David fidgeted. “I swear.”

  Patrick scooted away from the computer. “Do you want to have one with someone?”

  “No, I...”

  Patrick glared underneath his glasses. “David.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know if I want to or not.”

  “Bullshit.” Patrick snatched off his glasses and laid them down. “If that was the case, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You can be honest with me. I’m not gonna tell Val.”

  “Okay, I’m very much attracted to another woman. But I love Val more than anything. I’d never risk my marriage to have an affair.”

  “But…”

  “But I can’t stop thinking about this woman.” A wave of relief flooded within him. “It feels so good to say it.”

  “You haven’t said shit yet.” Patrick propped his elbow on the desk. “Who is this woman?”

  “She’s kind, compassionate, and funny. I’m so comfortable with her…like I was when I first met Val. We can talk, and I don’t have to worry about an argument.” He touched his blazer. “She seems so wrapped up in me. She’s concerned about me. She asks me questions about my day and how I’m feeling.—stuff Val doesn’t even think about these days.”

  “Who…is…this…woman?”

  “And she’s hot.” David whistled. “Woo wee. She stirs up things inside of me. I mean, we have an emotional connection, but it’s physical too. I can’t deny that anymore.”

  “Anymore?” Patrick picked up his glasses. “How long have you known this woman? Is it someone you work with?”

  In answer, David looked at the carpet.

  “Do I know her?” Patrick probed.

  “Yes, very well.”

  Patrick seemed to contemplate the mystery. “The only women I know very well that you know are Layla, her mother, Val, and Corrine…” Patrick’s mouth hung open. “You got the hots for Corrine?”

  “Uhhh…”

  Patrick grabbed him. “You got the hots for Corrine?”

  David pushed him off. “You gotta broadcast it, man?”

  “Oh no.” Patrick walked in a circle. “No…David…”

  “I know it’s wrong to feel this way, but I can’t help it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve tried to stop thinking about her, but I can’t.”

  Patrick stopped in front of him. “You have to.”

  “You just said it’s normal to be attracted to someone other than your wife.”

  “Not your wife’s sister!” Patrick slumped back behind his desk. “This is dangerous.” He sat down. “You have to let it go.”

  “I’m trying…but…”

  “Forget trying. You have to.” Patrick put his glasses back on. “Do you realize what could happen if this turns into something more than an attraction? Not only would you lose Val, but she’d kill both of you. She hates Corrine. She thinks she caused that miscarriage.”

  “Which is ridiculous. Corrine wouldn’t have wanted us to lose our baby.”

  “Too bad Val doesn’t agree. If she knew you had these feelings for Corrine—of all people—she’d be devastated. It would hurt her to the core.”

  “I know.” David closed his eyes. “It’s not like I want to feel this way. Ever since we met, Corrine and I had a connection. I always said if
I hadn’t met Val first, I think Corrine would be the one.”

  “Well, you did meet Val first.” Patrick pointed at him. “You can’t even put yourself in this position. You have to stay away from Corrine.”

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  “Brotha…” Patrick pulled the keyboard closer to him. “You don’t have a damn choice.”

  ****

  Layla laughed. “Stop, Cross!”

  He chased her to her room with a handful of confetti.

  “Don’t throw that on me!” She opened her door. “That stuff will be all in my hair.”

  He moved his hand as if he were going to throw it on her. “I think it’ll be pretty.”

  “Don’t you dare.” She grinned and backed inside of her room. “Where did you get that from, anyway?”

  “The staff is throwing one of the nurses a birthday party tomorrow night.” He poured the confetti from one hand to the other. “They’ve been decorating the gym all day.”

  Layla sat on the bed and took off her sneakers. “I hadn’t heard.”

  “Yep, it’s gonna be fun.” He swiped his hands together, placing the confetti into the trash. “Some of us can go.” He winked. “The less violent of the insane ones, that is.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

  She turned on the lamp next to her bed and grabbed her Kindle.

  “You gotta go, Layla.” He sat beside her. “I’m going.”

  “I’m not the partying type.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  He made a silly face and she laughed.

  “Stop it. I feel like I’m having too much fun…like I’m not doing what I need to be doing.”

  “Living is what you need to be doing.” He scooted closer to her. “You know how you said your husband held you back? You’re doing that to yourself now. Just because you’re here…it doesn’t mean you gotta act like you hate it.”

  “I don’t hate it. I just feel guilty.”

  “It’s sad that someone has made you feel like you don’t deserve to have fun.” He moved her hair out of her face. “I like spending time with you. You make me laugh.”

  “Ha.” She poked his arm. “You’re the one. I don’t think I’ve laughed this much in years…especially not here. Thank you.” She kissed his cheek, desperate to linger in the moment but knowing that she should stop. “You’ve made me feel so much better. When I first came here, I thought it would be the same old shit: I’d go through therapy, be put on different meds, talk to the doctor, and stay in my room like a zombie.” She touched her hair. “You’ve made me want to be here. That’s amazing.”