Love Becomes Her

by Donna Hill

  Ann Marie waved her hand. “Like I said, keep the ring. Hard times hit and you have it made.”

  “It’s a lot to consider,” Elizabeth said. “I know you’ll make the right decision.”

  “But that rock can sure help,” Ann Marie said, and took another swallow of her drink.

  Stephanie was unusually quiet.

  “What do you think, Steph?” Barbara asked, hoping to draw her out from the place she’d retreated.

  Stephanie focused on Barbara. “Sis, I’m the last person to ask questions regarding love and relationships. I’m sure you will do the right thing.” There’d be time, she was sure, to tell them about Anthony. Tonight wasn’t the night, especially since she had no idea what she was going to do.

  “Well, now that we have our personal dramas out of the way, let’s get down to business,” Barbara said after returning from her bedroom to put the ring away.

  Stephanie started first, giving them all the details about her campaign plans and target dates. Starting next week she would begin contacting the newspapers and local television stations about the grand opening and sending out invitations. The flyers and business cards would be ready to be picked up in a week and she could start soliciting for clients. The target: businesses. She tossed out the idea of running some ads on radio stations, and the women agreed. Ann Marie said she could definitely come up with a list of potential clients from her database. Elizabeth told them that she wanted to be responsible for the day-to-day operations and since she would be living on-site, it would work out perfectly. They all unanimously agreed. And she would work with Desiree and Dawne to plan the menu for the grand opening, as well as with Raquel in planning the layout and decor. Barbara brought them up to speed regarding the purchase of the equipment and asked Stephanie, the techie of the bunch, to check into getting at least three computers. She added that to her list of tasks.

  By the time they’d finished hashing out the details and setting a timeline it was nearly midnight and they hadn’t eaten, something that had never happened before. Barbara offered to order pizza from Dominos, but the ladies declined, needing sleep more than food.

  Barbara said her good-nights and prepared for bed. Things were really coming together, she mused as she got undressed. In a matter of weeks, the plan that sounded so outrageous only months earlier would be realized.

  Just as she slid under the covers the phone rang and her life took yet another turn.

  The baby wasn’t his.

  She lay awake for the better part of the night repeating over and over his words. “The baby isn’t mine.” She had a proposal, a ring and no baby mama drama. He said he’d be back to New York in time for their grand opening. He wished that he could come back sooner but he couldn’t, as the team would be on the road. They would talk when he got into town. Remember that I love you, he’d said before hanging up.

  She reached over to her nightstand and picked up the velvet box. She opened it and stared at her possible future.

  What was she going to do now?

  The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity.

  The construction crew put the finishing touches on the house and Raquel oversaw the delivery of the furniture—everything from curtains and towels to couches, equipment and kitchen supplies. Dawne and Desiree had special menus printed up and worked on preparing the dinner for the grand opening, scheduled for September first.

  As promised, Stephanie secured radio spots on two major stations in New York, and the all-news channel New York 1 had agreed to cover the grand opening. She successfully managed to sidestep Tony’s offers of breakfast, lunch or dinner, sticking to her mantra to stay away from married men.

  Ann Marie compiled an impressive guest list of who’s who and Stephanie added to it from her treasured Rolodex. Barring a natural disaster, the opening would be the major hit of the season.

  Elizabeth, with a lot of help from Ron, moved into her new digs on the top floor and ran the comings and goings of the setup like a seasoned captain. With her divorce finalized, she had no qualms about inviting Mr. Powers up for a nightcap at the end of the day.

  Barbara secured the services of two interns from the Swiss Institute who would offer complimentary massages during the opening. If they worked out and they acquired the number of clients they anticipated, she planned to hire them on a full-time basis.

  Now all that was left to do was wait on the big day.

  Chapter 40

  “I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” Barbara said as she paced the gleaming parquet floors. She peeked out the window for the umpteenth time, praying that the weather would hold up and not give in to the deluge that the forecasters had predicted.

  “I know what you mean,” Elizabeth said, wringing her hands. “How do I look?”

  Barbara turned away from the window. “Beautiful,” she said, her smile reaching her eyes. “You wear love well.”

  Elizabeth walked up to Barbara and took her hands. “And what about you?”

  Barbara drew in a breath. “I’ve made my decision, and if Michael shows up tonight I—”

  “They’re here!” Ann Marie shouted. “The news van just arrived. And cars are pulling up out front!” Her three-inch heels beat out a rapid path to the front door.

  Stephanie, looking model beautiful, came running out from the back room, her newly done weave bouncing and behaving on her bare shoulders.

  Barbara and Elizabeth looked at each other, their expressions beaming with anticipation.

  “This is it, girl,” Barbara said.

  “Let’s do it.”

  During the next two hours the house was filled with men of every ilk: short, tall, dark, light, young, old, in shape and out. It was a boutique that every red-blooded woman could only fantasize about—men, men, men! The pure male scent and essence of them filled the rooms as they freely roamed about, getting the grand tour. It may have been raining water outside but it was raining men inside of Pause.

  Desiree and Dawne were the perfect hostesses, ensuring that their special guests were adequately fed. Raquel pointed out the benefits of the contemporary but ergonomic furnishings that helped to not only relax the mind but the body, all set against the historical structure of the building.

  “This is incredible,” Ron whispered in Elizabeth’s ear when he was finally able to steal a minute with her.

  “I can hardly believe this is really happening.” She stepped close to him and pressed her palm against his hard chest. She was finally ready to take the leap. “Let’s celebrate, later…at my place.”

  He smiled. “Say no more.”

  Upstairs, Stephanie was in deep conversation with a potential client when she felt a presence behind her. She turned to see Anthony watching her. She wrapped up her talk and gracefully excused herself.

  “Well, hello. I wasn’t sure if you would make it.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.” He looked around. This is really something. You all should be proud.”

  “We are. The artwork and photos that you did were a major help.” She drew in a breath to keep herself in check. “I really should get back to the guests. Thanks for coming. Enjoy yourself.” She made a move to leave.

  “Steph, wait.”

  Her heart pounded. “Yes?”

  “I think there’s something that you should know about me…. I’m not married.”

  Barbara tried to concentrate on the conversation between two gentlemen who’d just signed up for Pause, but her eyes kept drifting to the door. Michael had yet to arrive. Maybe it was a sign, maybe it was just as well. Then why did she feel so let down?

  Out of the corner of her eye she caught a flurry of activity and flashbulbs began going off in rapid succession. He stood head and shoulders above everyone else and she suddenly felt like a young girl whose prince had just rode in on a white horse. Her heart was racing so hard and fast that she felt light-headed.

  “Go rescue your man,” Ann Marie whispered in her ear.

  But she couldn’t seem
to move and she didn’t have to. He was walking her way. And like the Red Sea, everyone parted to give him space, following him with their eyes and with their cameras.

  He looked down into her upturned face with a love so strong burning from his eyes that she thought she’d cry from the pure beauty of it.

  “I told you I’d make it,” he said only to her.

  Ann Marie felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned.

  “Mama, you have a phone call.”

  “A call? Did they say who it was?”

  “I could barely hear them over all the noise.”

  “Thanks, sweetie, I’ll take it in the back office.” She excused herself and went to the office and closed the door.

  A red light was flashing on the multilined phone. She pressed the button.

  “Hello, this is Ann Marie.” She pressed a finger to her free ear to drown out the last of the noise.

  “Annie, it’s Terrance. I’m coming to New York and I want to see you…and Raquel.”

  Chapter 41

  “Well, ladies, I think we did it,” Barbara said as they all sat exhausted in the lounge area of Pause.

  The last of the guests had finally departed and Desiree, Dawne and Raquel volunteered to clean up. Close to one hundred men had signed up on the spot, paying with cash and credit card for exclusive membership. They were on their way, and with all the publicity the spa would get they were on the map, as well. They had clients that would be coming from as far away as Washington, D.C. The sky was the limit.

  “I think you’re right,” Elizabeth said, laughter lifting her voice.

  “We need to get good and drunk more often. No telling what we could come up with next,” Stephanie quipped.

  “I could sure use one,” Ann Marie said. She looked from one to the other. “Terrance called. He wants to see me.”

  “And?” they said in unison.

  “And…I’m a big woman now after all, right? It’s time that Raquel met her pop.”

  “Absolutely!”

  “Go for it, Annie,” Stephanie said. “How often do we get second chances?”

  “Yes, Annie, take it from me. It’s always better the second time around,” Elizabeth said, her mind already envisioning her night with Ron christening her bed.

  “I’m going to take a chance, too,” Stephanie announced. “With Tony.” She told them about how she’d stuck to her guns when she believed he was married and how he’d told her tonight that he had been, nearly five years earlier. After he lost his wife he’d never taken off his ring. He saw no reason to until now.

  “Steph, I’m so happy for you. Just take your time, okay?” Ann Marie said.

  “I will.” She hesitated a moment then looked at her friends. “And I want all of you to meet my sister…soon.”

  They were all silent for a moment, understanding the importance of Stephanie’s trust in them.

  “I have an announcement to make,” Barbara said, standing up, breaking the poignant silence.

  The trio looked at her in anticipation. She held out her left hand and the diamond snapped, crackled and popped in the light.

  A collective gasp filled the room an instant before they swarmed around her for a group hug. Everyone began talking at once, making plans for her wedding, what they were going to wear, what roles they would play, who to invite.

  All Barbara could do was laugh, her joy so complete she had no words. What more could a woman want? She had what was sure to be a thriving business, a handsome young man who adored her, and she had her friends.

  There were definitely some rocky roads ahead for all of them. The paths they’d each chosen were uncertain: she and Michael, Ann and Terrance, Elizabeth and Ron, and Steph and Tony. But one thing they could always count on was each other.

  “Hey, do you think we’ll ever make this place coed?” Elizabeth asked as they prepared to leave.

  They all looked at each other.

  “Naw!”

  Their laughter mixed perfectly with an unpredictable and exciting future.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-5407-1

  LOVE BECOMES HER

  Copyright © 2006 by Donna Hill

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