Key’s apartment reflected his unpretentious style. The predominant colors were black and cream. Besides the cushiony, cream couch and chaise lounge, two black leather arm chairs completed the seating. After one look at the couch, Crystal chose one of the leather chairs.
Key’s voice floated from the kitchen. “I just got home, but the soup’s been in the crockpot all day. We can have crackers and cheese with it. You two hungry?”
“Yes!” Shonté bounded into the kitchen to get a bowl.
Crystal listened to the siblings chat as they served themselves.
“Hey, Crystal, aren’t you going to get some?” Shonté called out as she emerged from the kitchen with a bowl and spoon and perched on a chair at the glass-topped dining table.
“I’m not hungry.” Crystal scowled at her. The smells of seafood, vegetables, and Cajun-style spices wafted through the air, making her stomach rumble, but she didn’t want to acknowledge weakness of any kind as far as Key was concerned.
“Come on, Shortcake.” Key stood in the doorway of the kitchen holding out a bowl for her. “It won’t hurt for a couple of minutes, will it?” He lifted his eyebrows in a question.
“All right,” Crystal huffed. She shrugged off her jacket, walked over and took the bowl without meeting his eyes.
Key turned, got himself another bowl of soup and sat down with them at the table.
“So what have you two been doing?” he asked, breaking the momentary silence.
“We just got back from a speed dating club,” Shonté announced.
He shot a quick look at Crystal. “Whose idea was this?”
“Mine,” chimed Shonté. “I had to practically force her.”
“Did you meet anybody interesting?” Key asked, his gaze on Crystal.
Shonté shook her head. “She’s being a perfectionist as usual. Tell her she won’t meet Mr. Perfect.”
Key took a swallow from his glass of juice and set it down on the table, his hand cupping the rim. “Is that what you’re looking for, Shortcake?”
Crystal forced a mouthful of food past her suddenly tight throat muscles. She and Key were both so forcibly not looking at one another that she didn’t see how Shonté could miss it.
“I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” she managed to croak.
“Oh, come on,” prompted Shonté. “I’ll bet you have it all figured out, down to a complete psychological profile of the man you plan to marry.”
“No, I don’t.” Sweat made the back of her neck clammy. “I’ve got plenty of time.”
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun in the meantime. Come on, Crystal. What kind of man would raise your blood pressure?”
Crystal closed her eyes. Lord help me, he’s sitting across the table from me right now.
“Stop it, Shonté.” Key’s quiet voice flowed over her like a soft blanket of protection.
Crystal’s glance fluttered up and back down. Shonté subsided without a murmur.
But then she went off on another track. “Why don’t you go with us next time, Key? Maybe you’ll meet your dream woman.”
Crystal’s breath caught in her throat. Air refused to go in and out of her lungs as a picture of Key with someone else filled her mind.
“I know I’m not going to any more of these things,” Crystal announced in a loud voice.
“Don’t discourage Key,” Shonté said. “You were taking an awful lot of notes, Crystal. There must have been somebody who piqued your interest.” She darted over to the couch where Crystal had left her purse. “Let’s see what you wrote.”
Crystal jumped up with a protest of annoyance.
“Hey, put that down,” Key ordered in a sharp voice.
Crystal glanced at his face, surprised by his vehemence. What did he think she’d written in there? He couldn’t possibly be jealous. Could he?
Shonté ignored him. She flipped open the tablet and scanned the notes eagerly. Then her brows drew together while her mouth fell open. She looked at Crystal in dismay. “You were doing some kind of sociological study.”
“Are you satisfied?” Crystal demanded savagely. She stomped over to grab the purse from Shonté’s limp hands.
Shonté gave an exaggerated sigh. “That is so Crystal. You’re so clinical about everything that I don’t believe you’re even capable of falling in love.”
Fury infused Crystal as she stared at her friend. Did Shonté really think she had no feelings?
“Just because I don’t fall in love every damn week like you do doesn’t mean I can’t.” She turned and snatched up her coat. “I’m ready to go now, with or without you.” She jerked awkwardly to put her arms into the tangled garment. “Thank you for dinner, Key,” she added as she marched out the door.
Downstairs, Crystal waited, fuming, by the car. It was a few minutes before Shonté came out, her cheeks red.
Once they were both in the car, she said in a gruff voice, “Key told me I should apologize to you.”
“It’s all right,” Crystal muttered. Her anger had left her, replaced by profound apathy.
“You know I was only teasing, don’t you?” A pleading note entered Shonté’s voice.
“I said okay,” Crystal snapped. Her headache banged a slow, savage thump.
Shonté was silent a moment. Then, with forced cheerfulness, she began to discuss their plans for the next few days.
* * *
Crystal got up late the next morning and joined Shonté in their laundry room in the little alcove off the dining room. They spoke little, dodged around piles of dirty laundry or stacks of folded clothes and linens. Between loads, they read the newspaper, watched TV, tweezed their eyebrows.
This was a mundane, domestic scene, familiar as an old shoe with little need for communication. But today, a feeling of vague surrealism kept surprising Crystal.
Later Shonté perked up and suggested they ride their bikes to the nearby shopping center. The strip mall boasted several trendy thrift shops. Under Shonté’s tutelage, Crystal picked up a couple of clothing items to round out her new look, along with some vintage jewelry.
“The thrift shop is your friend,” Shonté gushed. “Instead of spending big bucks on something bland and boring at the mall, we can let thrift shops fill in the gaps in your wardrobe.”
Shonté used the same technique here which she’d used at the mall. She cruised the aisles, glancing at each outfit, pulling out one here and there for a closer look, putting most back, and handing Crystal a few to hold.
Crystal was delighted with the faded jeans and graphic print tees. They even found a designer suit, perfect for work, and only eleven dollars. Shonté nabbed a pair of glittery ballerina flats for herself and they picked up some funky jewelry. Loading all the purchases into their backpacks, they indulged themselves with lunch at a fast food restaurant.
As they finished lunch and prepared for the ride back home, Shonté’s cell phone rang and Crystal listened to some of her responses.
“I’m busy, Graham. No, I’ll be tired later. Yeah, I’ll call you. I don’t know what time. See ya.”
She clicked off the phone.
“That was cold,” Crystal commented.
Shonté hunched her shoulders. “I told you he annoys me.”
“Then why do you stay with him, Shonté? You stay with him, treat him like dirt, and cheat on him. What is that all about?”
“You said it yourself, I’m a slut.” Shonté spoke carelessly, but her return stare glittered with challenge.
“I didn’t mean it!” Crystal exclaimed. “I just don’t understand why you do these wild things.”
Shonté’s reply was cynical. “Because I’m a slut.”
“No, you aren’t,” Crystal said in a low, fierce voice. “You’d be wonderful for any man.”
“No, I wouldn’t, Crystal. You know me better than anyone. You know the dark places in my life. Do you think anyone would want to be with me if they knew everything?”
Crystal scanne
d Shonté’s eyes and saw a shadow of the unhappiness that still haunted them both. If Crystal had the power she would erase her friend’s memory. She didn’t know if Shonté had done the right thing or not, but it had happened. She wanted Shonté to forget it.
“I know the dark places and I still love you.”
When Crystal continued to peer into her face in growing concern, Shonté suddenly burst out laughing, transforming in one of her lightning mood switches.
She reached across the table to squeeze Crystal’s hand. “Thanks, Crystal. I do appreciate that.” She stood up briskly. “Let’s not argue today. I need to get going if I’m going to make it to rehearsal tonight. I’ll be home late.”
* * *
It was late, but Crystal was still awake when Shonté slipped in and closed the front door. She called out and her roommate came to the bedroom doorway. Shonté sagged against the doorjamb, pushing a hand through her heavy mane of hair.
“Kind of late for you, isn’t it?” she commented, her smile weary.
Crystal shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. What about you? You look exhausted.”
“I am.”
“You just finished rehearsal?”
Shonté shifted against the door frame, seeking a comfortable position. “No, I stopped by Key’s place on the way home. I felt like talking to him.”
“Oh yeah? How’s he doing?” Crystal kept her voice casual.
“Fine, I guess. Kind of grumpy. He had Luther Vandross playing at full blast on his audio system and he was working out with his weights.”
Crystal forced a croak that approximated a laugh. “Yeah, right.” She could picture him, sweat rolling down his sinewy back and sculpted pecs, in the spare room which was dimly lit the way he liked it when he worked out, while Luther’s silky, seductive voice serenaded in the background.
Shonté gave a little laugh. “Maybe he had just ended a hot date. You know how he is about Luther. It’s his make-out music.”
A cold lump of sludge settled in Crystal’s stomach. He had someone new already? Had all his sexy talk been a game?
“Shoot,” Shonté continued. “You’ve started going out and if Key gets a new lady, I’ll be the fifth wheel. Guess I should get busy!”
Crystal grunted in response.
“I know.” Shonté brightened, her back straightening. “We should all three sign up for the dating service and find our ideal mates together. Then we’ll all get married together and we’ll be as happy as Mom and Pop!”
Crystal closed her eyes with a shudder. “You know there’s the possibility of being too close.”
Shonté warmed to the topic. “No way. We’ll buy houses in the same neighborhood and our kids will go to the same schools and play together. We’ll keep hanging out together and go on triple dates and we’ll have dinner at one another’s houses. We’re going to be together forever!”
“Oh, great,” Crystal breathed. Shonté was too caught up in her new fantasy to notice Crystal’s revulsion.
“Friends until the end. One for all, all for one. Right? Now all we have to do is find these perfect mates.”
Yeah, that was all. Nothing to it.
Shonté laughed, pushed off the door frame and walked down the hall toward her own room.
Shonté had been kidding, but her words tolled a warning for Crystal. Were their lives really changing that much? The Emerson family had been a part of her life for years. Was it possible that bond could change? The thought left her reeling.
* * *
As Crystal left work on Monday, her cell phone rang.
Graham’s voice greeted her.
“Sorry to bother you, Crystal, but I’m really worried about my relationship with Shonté. I haven’t seen her since last week, and she still says she doesn’t have time to go out with me.”
Crystal sighed. “Graham, take this up with Shonté.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing going on, Crystal? I don’t mean to be a pain, but I care for that girl so much. You know I’ve been thinking about getting serious with her. This is really messing up my head. Could we get together and talk?”
Crystal didn’t feel like listening to Graham moon over Shonté, especially since she was pretty sure the man was on his way out. But Graham pleaded and she figured at least meeting with him would rescue her from being stuck in the condo alone. And maybe she could figure out a way to give Graham a clue as to how to woo Crystal away from Devlin, without letting him know there was a rival.
She couldn’t help wondering what he would think of her new look. She remembered the kiss he’d mistakenly given her. Had that been only a week ago? She hadn’t thought about it since being with Key. Now the memory made her nauseous.
There was nothing wrong with Graham, she reminded herself. He looked good enough, had a steady job as a car salesman, and no obvious vices. But his shoulders weren’t as broad as Key’s. And he didn’t have that little dimple in his chin. And his voice wasn’t as gravelly—
Was she using Key as a yardstick? Whoa, she’d better watch that.
* * *
The restaurant where she and Graham met was a casual place with a varied menu and a friendly, relaxing atmosphere. When she walked into the crowded entry area, Graham greeted her with a smiling double take.
“Wow! You look fantastic,” he said.
“Thanks.” Her face warmed with pleasure. She was beginning to like the reactions to this new look.
“They should be calling us for a table any second.” As he finished speaking, the electronic disc in his hand started to flash. They followed a waitress to a booth and slid into opposite sides.
Graham was already thinking of ways to entice Shonté’s interest. Immediately after they ordered, he emptied a large envelope onto the table to show her a stack of brochures. With excitement, he told Crystal he planned to invite Shonté on a Caribbean vacation and he wanted her help in planning the trip. Crystal exclaimed in delight over the hotels, resorts and cruises.
She grew wistful as they talked. Wouldn’t it be intoxicating to get away on an island fling with some man? There was no way Shonté could turn this down. She was bound to forget about Trevor Devlin.
Crystal smiled warmly at the man across from her. “You’re a treasure, Graham. This is the kind of surprise any girl would love.”
Graham met her eyes with an eager smile. “You think so? I really want to make her happy. I’m falling hard for her, Crystal.”
She patted his hand in a comforting gesture. “I know, Graham. She’s a lucky girl. She’ll see that.”
Gratitude shone in his eyes. And surprise. “You’re pretty special too, Crystal. If only I had fallen for you instead of Shonté. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Crystal pulled her hand back as if burned. Yeah, right—if they were drunk and horny.
“Crystal?” Graham faltered. He tentatively reached toward her across the table. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, no,” she murmured, suppressing her wayward memory. Couldn’t she stop thinking about Key for one hour? She patted Graham’s hand again. “I like you too, Graham. You and Shonté are a terrific couple. Let’s look at those brochures again.”
They were laughing within minutes. When a shadow fell across the table, she looked up into Key’s challenging dark eyes.
Awareness of Graham vanished, replaced with the memory of making love to Key, dark musty images of biting, sucking, panting, straining….
Oh, God. She swallowed and managed a smile. “Hi, Key.”
Graham half stood up to exchange a handshake and invited Key to join them. Key did so, dropping into the booth next to Crystal. She tried to ease away from him. Somehow his size overpowered the table. He cocked an eyebrow while staring holes into the brochures on the table.
“You two going somewhere?” he asked in a hard voice.
“Graham’s planning a trip for himself and Shonté,” she said. “It’s kind of a surprise. You won’t tell her, will you?”
“Sh
onté?” His eyebrows drew together even more.
Crystal silently willed him not to reveal Shonté’s lack of interest.
He shrugged and let his gaze travel from Graham to Crystal. “You two waiting for Shonté?”
She and Graham exchanged a look. She sensed Graham wasn’t comfortable with Key’s presence, and she wondered why Key was being so curt. When Graham remained silent, Crystal responded again. “She’s rehearsing tonight. Graham wanted to get some ideas about what she might like.”
She trailed off under Key’s steely gaze. He was definitely disapproving of something.
“You two looked like you were having a good time without her,” he said.
She stared at him in confusion. Why did he keep saying “you two” that way?
“What are you doing here?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.
“I was having dinner with some friends from the university when I saw you two over here.”
Graham cleared his throat. “Well, I guess I should be going. Will you tell Shonté to call me?”
He reached for his wallet. Crystal waved him off. “No, I’ll get it.”
Graham opened his mouth with the beginning of a protest. But Key’s glare brought him to a stuttering halt and he slipped away with a hasty good-bye.
She was alone with Key. His tension did not lessen once Graham left the table. She was aware of him in a way that engaged her whole body, from the shiver at the back of her neck to the curling of her toes. Why didn’t he move to the other side of the booth? She was having difficulty breathing.
Key turned to her, leaning one elbow on the table. She licked her lips, looking around the room at anything to avoid his unrelenting gaze.
“Do…do you need to get back to your friends? I should be going myself. I—”
He cut her off. “What are you up to?”
“He asked me to meet him so we could talk about Shonté. He’s worried because she wouldn’t go out with him this weekend.”
Who's That Lady? Page 11