Love So Heavenly (A Clean Christian African American Romance)

by Shannon Gardener

  “He went away for a few hours and came back to say that he was sorry and he was with me.” She said with a shrug.

  “Okay let’s not talk about that now, it is too depressing. Tell me about the totally hot Tyrese and before you start saying that I am a child of God and I am married I am going to tell you that looking and admiring is certainly not lusting and that brother is fine!” Kathy said with shiver.

  “You need to get a hold of yourself girl,” Kayla felt herself relaxed as she spoke to her friend. Katherine had always managed to bring out the best in her and whenever she felt down and burdened she would always make her feel better.

  “I have no interest in him that way, he is just the person who is going to jump start my career for me and that is all.” Kayla told her firmly.

  “Listen to me girl. You are my best friend and I have watched you over the years hide the fact that you are one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen outside of a magazine and those horrid yet expensive clothes you wear are not doing a good job of hiding it. You are a very good Christian girl and you have been that for all your life. I am not saying you should break out and be bad but I am saying that you need to live a little and if it means it is with that totally delicious looking man then all the better.”

  “If I hear you correctly you are telling me to give up my Christian principles and have fun with a man who has women at his beck and call every day of the week?” Kayla asked, raising her tapered eyebrows.

  “I see you have read up on him,” Kathy said with a cheeky grin.

  “I like to know who I am doing business with.” She said loftily. “He is a playboy Kathy and he has been featured with actresses, models and women in the upper echelons of society and I am not about to become another notch on his belt. I am doing this because it is my dream and nothing else.”

  “I hear you my sister and I agree with you. I do not want you to become one of many; you are too special for that.” Kathy came closer and placed her hand over her friend’s. “All I am saying girl as your friend is that you need to loosen up a little and live your life.” She said softly.

  “I intend to but in my own way.” Kayla told her.

  Chapter 5

  “Are you nervous?” Tyrese asked her as she was being prepped for her first television interview.

  It had been a roller coaster ride of high success and hectic pace that had left her exhausted at the end of every day. She had not shirked her responsibilities at church and had told him firmly that her relationship with Jesus meant that he came first and foremost. Her single had come out the first week of October and had shot to first on the chart. They were planning to do a video to go along with it but in the meantime she was being declared as the girl with the golden voice.

  She remembered the first time her song had played over the air. She had been in the car with Tyrese as they were headed to the studio when she heard it. At first she had not believed it was really her and then he had pulled the car over to the curb and turned up the volume. She had screamed and launched herself into his arms, holding on tight; unaware of the effect she was having on him. It had started then and it was just the beginning. The disc jockey had told the listening public that she was an up and coming artist being managed by playboy billionaire Tyrese Malcolm and for the first time since he had been given that title he felt uncomfortable with it. He wanted to change his image because of her.

  “I am very nervous,” she said with a laugh.

  Her whole appearance had been changed starting with the cutting of her thick shoulder length hair to just a little past the nape of her neck so that it swung heavily around her cheeks. The effect was startling and made her eyes appeared more defined and her cheekbones sharper. Her makeup was put on expertly by one of the best in the business and he had her cracking up with laughter to make her relaxed.

  “I know you are used to the natural look darling but nothing is wrong with giving God a little help.” He had told her cheekily.

  “He doesn’t need any help,” she had told him dryly but could not help but laugh.

  Now she sat there in the chair as they renewed her makeup and patted down her face and she was trembling with nerves. “I wish you would come and do the interview with me,” she looked at him pleadingly and he almost acquiesced and damn the interviewer who had told him point blank that she wanted to talk to her alone for the world to know who she was.

  Ever since her makeover he had felt his senses heightening. No longer was she wearing the clothes much too big for her, now his sister in law and a professional stylist had taken her under their wings and she looked sensational. She was wearing a black and blue dress with a slit in the neck that hinted at cleavage and showed her curves without being too obvious. She had been given shoes with towering heels to give her added height and had protested that she had no idea how to walk in them so she had had to practice.

  “I want them to focus on you first, this is your time,” he told her lightly. He did not add that he wanted to be there holding her hand and guarding her against all the questions that she was going to be asked.

  They had been together almost every day for the past month and a half and he had not been on a date once during that time. He had told himself and his best friend that he was busy molding her career but the truth was he was busy falling in love with her. The problem was that she only saw him as the person who had given her a chance to be a star and his image as a womanizer and of course her relationship with Jesus. He was never going to be good enough for her.

  She reached out and took his hand in hers. “I want to thank you for believing in me and putting all the time and effort and money into making this happen for me. I have been praying for God’s continued blessings on you and that he will keep you and protect you every day.” She told him softly.

  He met her eyes and could not look away but she was looking at him; with gratitude and that was certainly not what he wanted. “It’s an investment and it will pay off,’ he heard himself saying.

  “You don’t fool me,” she told him with a light laugh giving his hand a squeeze. She was called just then and he did not have to answer.

  The woman: Paula Stevenson was a cultured and sophisticated woman in her thirties and was well preserved. She had been doing the show for the past ten years and was known as the biggest name in the business. She had gone from news anchor to having her own show and made several guest appearances in various big movies. She could make or break an upcoming artist with one word and Tyrese wondered if he had made a mistake.

  “She can take care of herself,” Lorelei assured him as he sat there gripping the arms of his chair; she had come there for moral support as well as for Kayla who had become her friend.

  “Kayla Simmons the girl with the golden voice,” Paula greeted her warmly, he coral lips parted to reveal very white teeth. She was wearing a burgundy suit that sat well on her slim frame. “Tell us Kayla as I am sure our listeners would like to know, what is your relationship with playboy billionaire Tyrese Malcolm?”

  Tyrese swore beneath his breath and wished he could charge in there and drag her out of there.

  “Give her some credit; she is smarter than you think.” Lorelei told him soothingly feeling his clenched muscles underneath her hand.

  “Tyrese Malcolm has shown me nothing but respect,” she said with a brilliant smile, looking directly into the cameras. Lorelei had warned her that Paula might try to trip her up with a question like that so she was prepared even though she was angry at the woman for trying to undermine her talent with a cheap question like that. “I am aware of his reputation and the way the press paint him. Maybe it is justified and maybe not but I am not in a position to judge another person because I am not God. I just have the utmost respect and gratitude to him for believing in me.”

  The woman looked at her for a moment as if wondering whether or not to believe her and then she laughed. “Well said my dear. That was not very nice of me to bring that up. Speaking of God you are a proc
laimed Christian and you are now becoming a part of the music industry and it happens to be a cut throat one. How are you going to balance your beliefs with being in the public eye?”

  “My beliefs have been a part of my life since I was born and it is entrenched in me, it is something I believe in strongly and when something becomes a part of you it is hard to let go of it. I intend to attend church, pray and read the word of God because it is who I am.” She said earnestly.

  “That’s commendable but my dear this industry tends to eat up a lot of your time and change you from the person you were before, I have seen it happen several times. What makes you so different?” the woman was eyeing her quizzically.

  “I am not different nor am I stronger. I am just a servant of the most high God and it is the most important relationship I have and like every relationship it takes work and I work on it every single day. I love Him and He is very important to me so I enjoy serving him.”

  Paula looked down at her notes as if she was checking them. “What about other relationships? Any other significant figure in your life?”

  “You already know that Paula,” she said with a laugh to keep the sting out of her voice. “I respect and admire you and I am a fan of yours. I fully expect you to ask me serious questions like what does it feel like to hear my song on the air or what are the plans we have for my album and then I will tell you that we are planning to get the album out by Christmas and I want to tell you and those who are watching that I am humbled and honored to be considered good enough to be recognized by so many people and I thank God for giving me the chance to be what he wants me to be.”

  The woman looked at her for a moment as if contemplating whether to blast her for what she had just said and then she laughed, a genuine laugh that had the people in the background staring at her. “You are right my dear and with an attitude like that you are going to go very far.” She turned to the camera and went very serious. “I am giving my seal of approval to this very promising young woman and I am going to ask her to grace us with her song, the one that is tearing up the charts just now: Ladies and gentleman the very talented Kayla Simmons!”

  *****

  “I am going to be sick,” she said faintly bending her head into her lap as soon as they were rushed into the limousine that had brought them to the studios. They had been mobbed outside and several uniformed police had had to back the crowd off as they screamed out her name.

  “You are not going to be sick now, the worst has passed and you are actually the first person that has ever politely put Paula Stephenson in her place. She is probably going to be your advocate or your worst enemy and it looks like it is the former.” Tyrese eased her up gently, his hands lingering. She had stood up to a very sophisticated bully and had come out the victor. She had stood up there and sang her heart out and his phone had been ringing off the hook ever since. She was being asked to headline shows leading right up to Christmas. She had arrived and there was no turning back for her.

  “You are a star Kayla and I want you to think about that, can you do that for me?” he asked her softly.

  She looked at him for a moment and it suddenly hit her. She was never going to be the same girl who went to church and who was not recognized on the streets anymore. Her life was never going to be the same anymore.

  “I don’t know if I can do this Tyrese,” she whispered, grabbing his hands and holding on tightly.

  “You can and you will,” he told her firmly, feeling the familiar feeling coursing through him. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her close and never let her go but he had no right to do so. “You are Kayla Simmons and you are a star on the rise, you need to remember that.”

  “As long as you are by my side I will be okay.” She told him with a smile. “I have wanted to ask you something for a while and I hope it is not too personal.”

  “Shoot,” he said lightly letting go of her hands.

  “You have been busy with my career, isn’t that putting a strain on your personal life?”

  “What personal life?” he teased.

  “Tyrese I am serious,” she said softly.

  He shrugged. “I am a frivolous playboy remember? I do not have meaningful relationships.”

  “You are not fooling me.” She said with a smile. “Okay fine no more questions about your personal life.”

  *****

  “You like her a lot don’t you?” Lorelei asked him as soon as he reached the manor. He had been spending a lot of time working with Kayla but he still managed to meet his obligations at the company and his brother was very impressed. He had taken the time off to go to the interview with her and he had gone into the office part time this morning because the interview had been in the afternoon.

  “What’s not to like?” he asked mildly hanging up his fall jacket on the fancy pole in the living room.

  Tariq was not yet home and his wife was curled up on one of the sofas leafing through a magazine. She had left the studio in her own car while he had gone to make sure that Kayla got home unharmed.

  “What’s not to like?” he sat next to her and pulled her feet onto his lap, rubbing her calves absently. “She is pleasant, beautiful and quite likable.”

  “You know what I mean Ty, so don’t play dumb with me.” She warned him.” I have seen the way you look at her and you have not been out with one of those ‘ladies’ since you have discovered her.”

  “I have been working hard to make her into a star and besides she just think of me as her manager.” He said with a shrug, putting her feet away and getting up to lean against the mantel. The fireplace had been cleaned out and very soon the weather would require a fire being lit and he loved sitting by the fireside and having a drink or two.

  “You want more,” It was a statement and both of them knew it.

  “It does not matter what I want, I have to be professional about the whole thing and see it through.” He moved away and went to pour himself a scotch from the fancy liquor cabinet in the corner. “Liking her that way does not come into any of it.”

  “I never knew I would see the day,” Lorelei said in amusement.

  “What day?”

  “The day my very handsome and hot brother in law gets caught in the web.” She told him with a smile.

  “I have no idea what you are talking about,” he drank down the liquor and put the glass down. “You are reading too much into it Lei.”

  “Hmm,” she looked at him thoughtfully. “I could give you some pointers on how to get her attention.” She suggested.

  “You give me pointers?” he looked at her in amusement.

  “You never know Tyrese Malcolm; you might just learn something from me.” She said with a smug smile.

  “I doubt it.”

  *****

  “Reverend Simmons how do you feel about the fact that your daughter is now a big star?” the reporter asked him just as he was about to enter the church compound. It was a blustery cold October day and he was running a little bit late for fasting service which began at ten a.m.

  The ministry had been getting a lot of publicity ever since Kayla had become such a star and they were featured in the papers very often now. Erica and his wife were right; the publicity was doing them a world of good. He stopped and turned to the eager young man who had made his way into the church compound. “My daughter is a very talented young woman and my wife and I are very proud to be her parents,” he said with a beaming smile.

  “I heard rumors that you were against her exposing her talent to the world and just wanted her to continue to sing in the church choir, is that true?” he asked curiously watching the man’s expression. But John Simmons had been in the public eyes too much not to know when he was being tested and the boy was barely out of his teens.

  “You heard wrong and I do not tolerate rumors young man,” he said with a frosty smile. “My daughter’s talent deserves to be shared with the world and as I said I am very proud of her. Now if you will excuse me I have a service to at
tend.”

  *****

  “How about this one?” Tyrese asked her. “It has three bedrooms, two baths and a delightful fireplace and most of all it is well fortified, no overzealous fan is going to be coming up and banging on your door.”

  The realtor had gone into one of the other rooms to take a call. He had been suggesting to her for the past few weeks that she was going to have to get her own apartment. Her parents place was being overrun with reporters and they were interrupting the church services. She had thought and prayed about it before agreeing that they would start looking. She had decided she needed her own space as well.

  “I like it,” she went over to the balcony and looked down, seeing the cars and people walking on the sidewalk. It was an uptown apartment and she felt like pinching herself to find out if this was really happening or it was a dream. “It has a terrific view as well.” She turned to him as he came beside her. “How can I thank you for all you are doing?”

  “By continuing to pray for me.” He said half jokingly.

  “I am always doing that,” she surprised him by saying.

  Her eyes held his and he knew without a doubt that he wanted to kiss her and he knew she felt it too. The realtor came outside just then and the spell was broken.

  “So what do you think?”

  “We like it!” they both told her.

  *****

  “So are you going to get too big for your best friend or what?” Kathy demanded. She had discussed with her parents about the apartment and her mother had told her she understood that it was time to go on her own. Her father had told her that he did not see why she had to move and she had pointed out to him that the reporters were disrupting the services.

  “So I suppose we won’t be seeing you at services anymore then?” he had asked gruffly.

  “As long as I am not performing or on tours you will be seeing me in services dad. I am not giving up my relationship with God.” She had told him firmly.

  “Maybe,” she told her friend with a grin. It was Saturday and she was supposed to be going to the studios later today with Tyrese to do some recording but for now she was free and Kathy had come over. She was going to be moving into the apartment sometime next week and had mixed feelings about it. “I feel as if I am on a roller coaster and it is spinning out of control.”