“You’ve got two very good options,” Monique said.
Kacey raised a brow, curious to know her so-called options, but just then Monique’s phone rang. Her sister pulled the phone out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. “I’ve got to take this.”
“Then take it.” Kacey leaned against the counter and smiled at Monique.
Monique’s eyes narrowed before she turned and answered her phone. “Hello?”
Kacey frowned at her sister’s tone. She’d used her I’m trying to impress the caller tone. The one their momma used when she’d talk to bill collectors, teachers, and sometimes a new guy she’d met. Monique again disappeared behind the doors into the kitchen. Kacey straightened and started to follow, but she stopped herself. Instead of worrying about who her sister was talking to, she reworked the floor setup to cover for her cousin.
Several minutes later, Monique came back out from the kitchen. “Okay, so you’ve got one doable option and another good option.”
Kacey looked around the empty dining room, then back to Monique. “Are you talking to me?”
“Umm, who else would I be talking to? I’m finishing our conversation from earlier.”
Kacey pointed to the phone in Monique’s hand. “You’re not going to enlighten me?”
Monique ignored the question. “Your doable option is to call up Howard and get old but reliable sex.”
Kacey was too through with Monique’s words to even care that her sister had ignored the question. “Not happening.” One fantastic night with Aaron and now Kacey doubted she’d ever be able to accept mediocre sex again.
Monique grinned and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Or…” She dragged out the word. “You can waltz up the stairs to the apartment above your place and give Aaron a try.”
As if she hadn’t thought of that several times already. The only thing stopping her was the fact that he’d only be here for a few weeks. And that he’d bragged to her brother about getting laid his first night in town. And that he was a ladies’ man who probably had a woman in every town he visited. Her life was good, and she had more important things to do than becoming another notch on a bedpost. Like figuring out how to make the professor from hades not hate her thesis project.
“Also not happening,” Kacey said. “Look, I’ve got a vibrator, I’ll be okay.”
Monique grunted. “You’re always so busy working and studying you probably won’t even take the time to use that.”
“Not all of us have secret callers to take care of our needs,” Kacey said, again pointing to Monique’s phone.
Monique slid the device, now in a purple case that matched her new nails, into her back pocket. “Are you really planning to keep your hands off of Aaron? You two had definite chemistry the other night.”
Kacey decided to let the subject go. Monique would tell her who her secret caller was eventually. “Yes, I’m going to stay away from Aaron.” Interest lit up Monique’s eyes, and Kacey pointed at her sister. “We both are. Reggie is really excited about this partnership, and you know he’ll stop the entire process if Aaron so much as touches one of us.”
Monique shrugged and leaned her back against the bar. “Fine, we’ll both stay away. Though I wasn’t really that interested anyway. Do you think your professor will eventually get over her heartburn about your thesis project?”
Monique changed the subject so fast Kacey frowned. Normally her sister loved to find ways to get under Reggie’s skin. For her to so readily agree that she would stay away from Aaron meant she had other things occupying her mind. Which only increased Kacey’s concern about the secret calls. She really hoped Monique wasn’t going down the road to becoming a side chick. Her sister deserved so much more than that.
But she didn’t want to get into another fight. “Don’t get me started on my professor,” Kacey said. “I did finally find some new references after she tossed out two-thirds of the ones I previously had.”
Monique patted Kacey on the shoulder. “You’ll do great.”
“I’m not so sure this time.”
“You always worry and freak out, but in the end you pull through with an awesome GPA. I know you can do it this time.” Monique hugged Kacey. “We’re all counting on you.”
“Gee, thanks for not pressuring me,” Kacey deadpanned.
Monique lifted a shoulder. “That’s what I’m here for. If you don’t mind, I’m going to use the office computer for a second before you go in.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Okay, thanks. It’ll just be a minute, so occupy yourself.” She waved her hand around the bar.
“Does that mean I can’t come in while you’re on the computer?”
Monique strolled to the door. She waved her hand but didn’t look back. “You can find something to keep you busy for ten minutes.”
Kacey did, but keeping busy didn’t keep her mind from wondering what her sister was up to. And her curiosity was only piqued more when Monique finally did let her into the office and Kacey realized the history on the computer had been deleted.
• • •
After Kacey and Monique interviewed three potential waitresses to help out during the busy weekend shifts, Kacey dashed out of the restaurant to make her way to the school’s library. She’d wanted to stay and help out. The Saturday lunch crowd had been thicker than usual, and she always hated leaving the place when things were busy. Monique had hastily pushed Kacey out of the door with a sly “Don’t you have more references to look up?”
Kacey hopped on her white Northwoods women’s bicycle and started her trek across town to the school. Monique might recommend sex for stress relief, but riding her bicycle around town allowed Kacey to work out her frustrations with every turn of the pedal. By the time she reached downtown, her heart was pumping and much of her frustration had lessened.
She eased around a corner onto Main Street. She spotted Aaron strolling down the side of the street in her direction and tilted her head to the side. Common sense said to wave and keep going, but he’d grinned at her and raised his hand in a friendly wave, the afternoon sun bringing out a reddish tint to the edges of his curly Afro. Well, ignoring him would be rude. Kacey looked both ways before crossing to his side of the street.
“Where are you going?” she asked. Her voice was breathless, not just from the bike ride but from the effect of his dark gaze on her.
“To the library. You?”
“The same.” His eyes lit up and she shook her head. “The school’s library. I’m still looking for references for my project.”
He turned and walked down the sidewalk in the direction she was heading, not fast enough to say he wanted the conversation to end, so Kacey slowly pedaled beside him in the bike lane.
“How’s the hunt for references going?”
“Frustrating as hell. Let’s talk about something else.”
He nodded. “Fair enough.”
“What are you going to do at the library?”
“Check out a book.”
Kacey twisted her lip and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “But you don’t have a card.”
He stopped and faced her. “Do you?”
She stopped as well. “Yeah.”
“Then let me use yours.”
“So you can go out of town with books due and I get hit with the fine? Uhh, no.”
Aaron chuckled. “I wouldn’t do that. Let me use your number to check out e-books instead.”
“Can you do that?”
“Yeah, I do it all the time. Since I’m not in one place long enough to get a library card, my friends usually let me use their numbers.”
Female friends? she wondered. “Why don’t you just buy books?”
“Most of the time I do, but sometimes if I’m unsure about a book, I’ll check it out at the library first.”
“Ah, so selective.” She started cycling again and he picked up his steps to follow her.
“So, can I use your number?”
“I do
n’t think so. My library card number is only for serious commitments. One-night stands need not apply.”
He chuckled. “Oh, really?”
“Really.”
“How do I become a serious commitment?”
She snorted. “You? Never gonna happen. But in general, buy a house here, love my family, be ready to settle down and have a few kids.”
He cringed. “You’re one of those.”
She stopped the bike again. “One of what?”
Aaron faced her. “All or nothing.”
“I guess I am. Anything wrong with that?”
“Not at all,” he said, shaking his head. He slid his hands into the back pocket of his navy blue shorts and gave her a no big deal kind of shrug. “All-or-nothing women are the best type, for an all-or-nothing guy. I’m just not there yet.”
She grinned at him. “I pretty much know you’re not.”
He got a weird look, as if her words may have struck a nerve, before he turned his head to glance down the street. “What are you doing when you finish at the library?”
“If I find what I need, start working on my literature review.”
Aaron met her eyes, his carefree, friendly look back. “Nope, wrong answer. After hours in the library, and I know it’ll be hours because you drive yourself ragged, you’ll need a break.”
“I take breaks on Sunday afternoons.”
“No reason why you can’t take a break this afternoon with me.”
His teasing smile and bedroom eyes were so very tempting. “I won’t have time,” she said in a weak voice.
“Just a few minutes with me at the county museum.”
She stopped in the middle of getting ready to pedal again to give him a disbelieving look. “Museum?”
“It looks interesting, and it’s between the college and the library. Meet me there in three hours.”
“Why would I want to go to the museum? Why would you want to go?”
“Why not? It’ll be fun.”
“Aaron…”
He placed his hand over hers on the handlebars. “Just thirty minutes at the museum and that’s all. Then you can go back to driving yourself crazy with school and work, solving the world’s problems, or whatever else it is you stress about.”
She put her hand on her hip, mostly because the feel of his on hers was sending crazy flutters through her midsection. “If you’re going to be insulting, then I won’t meet you.”
He gave her a smile that would liquefy iron. “I think you will.”
She shook her head and started pedaling down the street—but not fast enough for him to not keep up. “You’re so cocky.”
“And you’re very sexy when you’re trying to pretend like you don’t like it.”
She rolled her eyes, and her heart rolled in her chest. “Whatever. ’Bye, Aaron.” She pushed ahead, leaving him behind.
“See you in three hours, Kacey,” he called out.
She waved a hand but didn’t turn back. She should leave him waiting. But deep down she knew she’d be watching the clock to count down the hours until she met him again.
Chapter 13
Two hours and fifteen minutes later, Aaron checked his watch and grinned. Forty-five minutes and he would meet Kacey. Maybe not the smartest decision given his last conversation with Reggie, but the moment he’d seen her on that bike smiling and glowing in a pair of short lavender shorts and an orange top, he’d known he wanted to see her again. Besides, he didn’t have much to entertain him that day.
Reggie had plans for the day with Camila, plans Reggie didn’t sound thrilled about. Aaron also could have unhooked Bertha from the trailer and driven over to Chattanooga for the day, but he wasn’t in the mood to do that. So he’d chosen to do what he normally did when in a new city, play tourist and visit the sites listed on the town’s Chamber of Commerce website. Hence the reason for asking Kacey to go with him to the county museum. It might not be exciting to most people, but he always enjoyed learning the little quirks about the history of the various places he visited. No better place to do that than the museum.
He strolled toward the college so he could catch Kacey when she left. He didn't doubt she would find an excuse to skip out on hanging with him. He passed a ball field with a group of boys playing baseball, and he stopped to watch. His cell rang about ten minutes after he’d leaned against the fence.
He pulled out the phone and raised a brow when he saw his sister’s best friend Liz’s number.
Aaron cringed. Normally he wouldn’t mind chatting with Liz, but with Janiyah’s grand expectations about Aaron and Liz’s few hookups, he worried what this call was about.
“Hey, Liz,” Aaron answered.
“I’m just giving you a heads-up about Janiyah.” Liz’s straightforward drawl came through the phone.
Aaron chuckled. “Too late, Kareem called a few days ago. Is this about her getting it into her head that you and I are a couple?”
“Yes. I think this pregnancy has gone to her brain and now she wants everyone married and happy.”
Aaron leaned forward and watched the boys playing baseball. They appeared to range in age from ten to twelve, and they spent more time arguing and stumbling through plays than actually playing.
“Did you tell her we’re just friends?” Aaron asked.
“I did, but she barely listened. I figured I’d call so you wouldn’t think I put the idea in her head.”
“I didn’t think that. We both knew what was up when we hooked up.”
“Yeah…but you know Janiyah. When she goes in, she goes hard.”
“Tell me about it. Don’t worry, I’ll set her straight.”
“That would be great. I’ve talked till I was blue in the face.”
Liz sighed and Aaron pictured the redhead rolling her eyes behind her purple square-framed glasses. Aaron liked Liz, and not just because they’d hooked up several times. She’d been Janiyah’s sensible anchor for years, and she kept his sister from making too many mistakes. But behind her dry sense of humor and straitlaced exterior, she had a fun side that she only let out on few occasions. It had been enough of a juxtaposition to pique Aaron’s interest in her. And when things ran their course, she’d agreed to move on with no hysterics or drama. They’d remained friends, which made her even cooler in his book.
“How are things with you and that architect?”
Liz grunted. “Going. Where, I don’t know, but for now we’re kinda on again.”
“You can do better, Liz.”
“Now you sound like Janiyah. She thinks you’re better, so watch you who say that around.”
Aaron nodded, even though she couldn’t see. The boys on the field started arguing again. Aaron frowned; there was enough talent on the team for them to be playing better. He wondered where the coach was. If they had direction, they could be decent.
“I’ll do that. Hey, Liz, I’ve got to go.”
“Sure, I’ll talk with you later.”
Aaron agreed, then hung up the phone to watch the kids. One boy hit a foul ball that flew to where Aaron stood. Aaron easily caught the ball. He jumped the chain-link fence and jogged over to the kid who’d hit the ball.
“Thanks, mister,” the kid said. He was short and thick with dark skin and a head full of dark, curly hair.
Aaron tossed the ball over to him. “You guys aren’t bad.”
The kid snorted, and another boy who played umpire behind him snickered. “How long have you been watching us play?”
Aaron shrugged. “For about twenty minutes.”
The umpire shook his head. “Then you definitely haven’t watched long enough to know that we suck.”
“You don’t suck. Most of you hit pretty well, and you’ve got some speed on the team. You’re just not utilizing your strengths.” Aaron looked around for another adult. “Where’s your coach?”
A few other boys ran over. The tallest, a lanky kid with sandy skin and green eyes, sized Aaron up. In the few minutes Aaron watched them p
lay, he’d noticed the boy naturally took the lead on the field. “That’s my dad.”
“Is he here?”
“He got deployed. Two weeks ago. He did a good job coaching us.”
Aaron held up his hand and took a step back. “Hey, I’m sure he’s a great coach. He played ball?”
The kid kicked the dirt and glanced away. “Not really, but he watches it a lot.”
“You can learn a lot from watching, and even more from playing.”
The kid’s head snapped up. “You played?”
“A little. All of high school and in college for a year. I tried out for the minors, but changed my mind before signing the contract.”
The stocky kid’s eyes widened. “Why in the world didn’t you sign the contract? Are you crazy?”
Aaron laughed. The kid sounded a lot like David had back when he’d turned down the contract.
“I guess you can call me crazy. It just wasn’t for me. I still play games here and there.” Not as much as he’d like. Aaron did miss playing sometimes.
The unofficial leader of the group leaned his baseball bat over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at Aaron. “So, what, you offering to coach us now?”
“Whoa, hold up, I’m not saying all that,” Aaron said, holding up his hands. “You guys have talent. I’ve just got a few suggestions on how to utilize that.”
“Like what?” the boy asked.
The rest of the team surrounded Aaron and stared at him with a mixture of interest and skepticism. There was no way he was going to coach the team, but spending a few minutes helping them out wouldn’t hurt. Especially since their coach was away.
“Well, for one you’ve got the wrong guy playing shortstop. He’d do better as a first baseman. Then you can put your first baseman in that position.” Aaron pointed to another tall kid who’d run the bases in no time earlier. “You’re fast, and you’d do well there. Your shortstop should be fast and have mobility.”
The tall kid frowned. “But I’ve never played shortstop.”
“Trust me,” Aaron said. “You’d make a great shortstop.” The kids appeared skeptical. “Come on, let me show you.”
Aaron ran the kids through a few defensive drills with the tall kid, named Lenny, at shortstop instead of first baseman. When Lenny easily accomplished a double out, where the previous shortstop had struggled, the team immediately perked up and asked Aaron for other suggestions. Aaron got caught up in helping the kids. Laughing, running, and listening to the good-natured rivalry between the kids brought back the happiness he’d once felt when he played. He’d liked to win when he played ball, but even more, he liked the camaraderie that he’d gotten from his team. The feeling that no matter what, win or lose, the team had his back.
From One Night to Forever Page 10