“Why is that?” I wondered aloud.
“I don’t think he ever got over the fact that they were so close and then this thing happens and there was nothing he could do to fix it.” The corners of her mouth turned upward in a small, hint of a smile. “I don’t know if you know this, but he’s a fixer. Once he decides that you’re someone that he wants to invest in, he does whatever he can to make sure you’re okay. He’s very protective and he was that way with Aja. He knows what happened wasn’t his fault, but I think a small part of him feels guilty for leaving and starting a new life in Philadelphia.”
My heart constricted as I thought about the sadness and guilt that drove his decisions and attachments. He was such a good man and I wished I could rid him of the guilt and pain that clearly lingered behind his rigid façade. Just thinking about the look on his face, the sound of his voice, the shallowness of his breaths as he talked about his sister and her suicide made my heart break for him. Even though he had dealt with the loss, he still kept so much buried inside.
I bit my bottom lip. “That’s why he doesn’t talk about her?”
“Not to anyone.” She quirked an eyebrow. “Not to anyone but you, apparently.”
I felt heat creep up my neck and flush my cheeks. “It was late and we were exchanging stories.” I finished my drink and returned the glass to the edge of her desk. When I met her eyes again, I felt the knots developing in my belly. “I feel honored that he confided in me.”
“To my knowledge, he never even told Vanessa about her.”
I hated how my entire body tuned in to her words at the sound of CJ’s ex-girlfriend’s name.
Do not try to pump Addy for information. Do not do it.
“They dated for two years, why wouldn’t he tell her?” I asked, unable to help myself.
“She was…” Addison made a face. “I don’t know. There was something about her. She was pretty and nice enough, but they didn’t really click well. Or at least that’s my opinion. I just felt like she was too much like him so she didn’t bring out a carefree side of him. If anything, he seemed more stressed being with her. I think she stressed him out and I didn’t get the feeling that he enjoyed himself in that relationship. She just didn’t get him or his vision…or his family. And to top it off, she really wanted to be married and start a family. I don’t think he ever let his guard down with that one.”
That’s enough. Stop prying.
I scratched my temple. “I’m surprised he would be involved with someone for so long that was so different than him.”
What is wrong with me?
“She was a go-getter. She had her own business. She didn’t need him, and you have to understand, Addo is the heart of everything he touches. His parents were a mess because they also blamed themselves for Aja’s death so he had to take care of them. I was a mess because I… I was her best friend and I should’ve known she shouldn’t have been alone. So I fell apart and almost dropped out of school for good. My mom is a single mom and I didn’t want to burden her with my stuff while she was making sure my sister got into college and my brother was starting his senior year. I didn’t tell my family I was drowning. Addo picked me up. His best friend almost died of a drug overdose and he got him to rehab. His other best friend, well I don’t know all the details, but when Jamel did a toast at our opening, he said that he wouldn’t be where he is without Addo. So with him shouldering all of that responsibility, I think he just flowed with Vanessa because she was easy. She didn’t need him to be her rock even though he would’ve been, you know?”
I nodded unhurriedly, taking in all of the new information I’d just received. “Wow. It’s like the more I know about him, the more I want to know. I have so much respect for him… He’s amazing.” I tried to contain the swooning, but even I heard it in my voice.
“There’s a little drool on your chin,” Addison giggled. “But seriously, he is amazing. He can be a hard ass, too, though. He’s great, but he’s human.”
“I believe it.” My laughter mixed with hers and it felt good not to be in a serious space anymore. “But that’s awesome that you had that kind of quality man to look up to, you know? Gives you the gold standard to which all men are held.”
“Yes! Exactly! And with my dad not being around, I always looked up to the Addo men.” Leaning her elbows on her desk, she added. “That’s another thing... Vanessa didn’t understand why he was friends with me. Since we weren’t blood related, she always tried to cause problems.” She gave me a look. “So just to be clear, I don’t want Addo. He’s like a brother to me. No scratch that. He is my brother. There is and will never be interest there. And on top of that, my man is the most perfect man on the planet. I’m so good. And who has a thing for their best friend’s brother?”
Sahara.
I laughed. “Actually, my best friend and my brother definitely had a thing going on…” I let the sentence trailed off and I made a face.
Addison’s jaw dropped. “What? Stop! You’re kidding!”
“Yeah…” I stretched the word out as long as possible.
She squealed. “I love it! I want to hear the whole scandalous tale!”
“Well first, tell me about your fiancé,” I insisted, changing the subject. Sahara’s complicated love life was something I didn’t feel comfortable sharing with anyone else. She bounced between two men that she loved and then she finally chose one.
And now…
“Oh, Emily!” Her face lit up and with a wistful look in her eyes, she sighed, “My fiancé…” She giggled. “I still love calling him that! My fiancé is the sweetest man in the entire world. He’s an amazing businessman and he’s so smart. Actually, that can sometimes get annoying.” She smiled. “I love him. I’ve never been happier. I loved my life before I met him and I didn’t think I was missing anything. But when he came into my life, it was at a time when I wasn’t interested in a relationship. I was enjoying single life. But that’s the thing about life… it doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It just happens and you have to be ready to roll with it.”
“He sounds amazing. I’m really happy for you, Addy.”
“Thank you.” She closed her eyes and smiled like a little kid. “He’s the best. We dated for a year and eight months and then he proposed the first week of December.”
“How did he do it?” I asked, genuinely interested, caught up in the romance.
“He took me to Los Angeles to visit Natasha. We had a fantastic weekend and I thought we were leaving Sunday at check out, but he said he had one more surprise. We go to this upscale restaurant and lounge place—I don’t know if I mentioned it, but he’s really into that scene too, so it works for us. So anyway, he arranges for us to have dinner on the roof and Emily, oh my God. It is beautiful. I mean, absolutely beautiful. The view of the city skyline and the temperature was not cold like here. But he had heat lamps surrounding our table. He arranged for our favorite meal to be prepared and then after we ate, a violinist came out and we danced.” She put her hand over her heart. “The violinist then started playing this random 1990s song by the Counting Crows. It was playing when we met and I almost didn’t recognize it, but the moment I did, he got on one knee and told me that I was the reason it never worked out with anyone else.”
My heart skipped a beat listening to the story.
And I thought my proposal story was romantic. Wow.
“I love everything about this.”
“I’m happy.” She grinned. “And I’m happy for whatever is happening between you and Addo.” Suddenly, her face fell and her bottom lip poked out into a pout. “Why do you have to go back home? How far is—where are you from again?”
“I’m about three and a half hours away. Well, without traffic. I’m in Thomasville.”
“Have you ever thought about moving to Atlanta?”
“I have actually. I was going to open my studio in Atlanta.”
I thought back to the space that I’d found in downtown Atlanta a few years ago. It was pe
rfectly priced and was in an ideal area. I got into a bit of a bidding war over it, but I lost. A month later, I met Anthony and I figured everything happened for a reason. I would think about the space every now and again, but since I loved my studio in Thomasville so much, I never felt regret.
Until now.
Addison cocked her head to the side and tapped her chin dramatically. “You told me you were a dancer and taught dance and you had a studio, but I must have missed when you said that you own your own studio. As in, you’re the owner. That’s bad ass!”
“Thank you, thank you,” I grinned, leaning up to grab my bottle of water and tapping it against the bottle she had in her outstretched hand. “You’re pretty bad ass, yourself. December is amazing.”
She looked around her brightly lit office with pride. “Aja would’ve loved this.”
I sat in silence with my new friend as her words hung in the air. Although there was a hint of sadness, the room was reflective and contemplative.
“Addy!” CJ burst in the office startling both of us. “Did you—“ He stopped his sentence abruptly and looked between us. “What’s going on here?”
Addison checked her watch. “Ah!” Hopping out of her seat, she grabbed a pen and a notepad. “Seems like break time is over.”
“I don’t even want to know what you two have been in here talking about.” He shook his head as he comically narrowed his eyes at Addison. “Did you at least call about the lights?”
“Of course I did! Come on, Addo.” She put her hands on her hips. “When have I ever dropped the ball regarding December?”
“I’m just making sure.”
“I know, I know.” She looked at me and smiled a wicked little smile. “Actually I just wanted to spend some quality time with Emily since she’s leaving tomorrow. Since I got everything covered here, when she’s ready to go, you can leave too. You know… just so you can make sure she gets to her car safely.”
I gave her a subtle look that probably was a cross between ‘why the hell did you do that?’ and ‘thank you!’ before I took a sip of water.
The room fell quiet. I turned to look at CJ who seemed to give Addison the same look I had given her.
My face heated immediately and my gaze dropped to the floor. “You don’t have to. I will be fine getting to my car.”
“No, I’m making sure you make it back safely. I just hope you aren’t ready to leave yet. I have to speak with the dancers when they’re done.”
“Oh, the dancers are out already!?” Addison exclaimed in apparent shock. She checked the clock on her wall and then her cell phone. “Oh my God!”
“They just got started.” CJ looked at me. “I was hoping you would be here for this.”
We left Addison’s office and the DJ was playing a sexy tribal beat that made me want to move as soon as the baseline kicked in. On an elevated platform, three women in leotards did a sexy choreographed dance. I watched for enjoyment, but I couldn’t help but be a bit critical as one move wasn’t flawlessly executed by everyone. But overall, it was a decent performance.
“How did you like it?” CJ asked in my ear as the crowd applauded around us.
The feel of his breath on my neck sent a tingle down my spine. Swallowing hard, I tried to regroup. I wasn’t sure if he wanted my opinion as a dancer or as a spectator, but either way it was hard to focus with his mouth so close to my skin. “It was solid,” I answered breathily.
He pulled away for a second to look into my eyes. “This friendship is all about the truth, right?”
I smirked, pulling his ear to my lips. His hands settled on my hips instantly and for a second, I lost my train of thought.
“The blonde was a half-step behind, but it wasn’t enough to distract from the entertainment value. The one with the ponytail didn’t fully commit to the moves. I didn’t feel it from her. But the one in the front, she was captivating. She pulled it all together.”
His fingers flexed against my hips as he moved his head and our eyes met. There was a smile dancing on the corners of his lips. “Tell me how you really feel.”
I knew he was making a joke regarding my critical analysis of the dancers, but the way his eyes burned into me, I felt like he wanted me to confirm that I was feeling the spark that existed between us.
“I don’t think either one of us is ready for that,” I murmured aloud. Realizing I’d spoken out loud, I backed out of his arms. “I need to get back to the hotel and pack up. I have an early checkout tomorrow.”
Blinking hard, CJ let out a breath. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he just nodded.
Tearing my eyes away from him, I turned and scanned the vicinity for Addison. “I’m going to go say bye to Addy.”
“I’ll go get your coat.”
The dry, emotionless tone of his voice sliced me open. I didn’t have it in me to look in his eyes, but I knew that would’ve broken me. Between whatever energy was generating between us and the flood of hormones that was in my system, I knew that spending any more time with him was a bad idea.
I need to go home. I need to sort out my feelings.
Locating Addison, I made a beeline to the main entrance. After she finished welcoming a couple to December, she winked at me.
“I’m surprised to see you without your escort,” she joked.
I looked at Roberto as he took the couple’s money and he didn’t seem to be listening, but I couldn’t be too sure. Grabbing Addison’s elbow, I pulled her closer to the stairwell that headed up to the street.
“I’m about to leave,” I informed her. “It’s been so good to just laugh and joke and talk and not have to deal with everything back home. Thank you for that.”
She threw her arms around me. “Thank you! I don’t get face-to-face girl talk that often with Natasha being gone. A lot of my other friends are more like associates so I don’t tell them a lot of stuff. It was good to be able to talk about my fiancé”—she paused to giggle which made me smile—“and not have to worry about telling you too much or you’d go after him.”
I leaned back so I could see her face. “Are you kidding?”
She shook her head. “I found a gem and it’s cutthroat out here. Good men exist and are still around, but instead of doing the work to find their own, some of these bitches out here would rather go after someone else’s.”
“It’s the responsibility of the person in the relationship to not cheat,” I pointed out, steeling myself from the wave of emotions that threatened to come over me regarding the topic. “But I agree, it takes a soulless bitch to knowingly pursue a man in a relationship.”
We stepped out of the hug as she gave me a long, hard look. “That’s what happened, isn’t it?” She lowered her voice. “Your boyfriend cheated on you?”
“Husband.”
Her mouth fell open. “Your husband cheated on you? On you? Wait… this happened recently. So you’re married?!”
I nodded. “Well, not for long. But technically, yes. I’m separated. I told him we were over and then I took a week to gather my thoughts. We’re going to hopefully hash out the details tomorrow, because I’m done.”
“Does Addo know?”
I nodded again. “He does. I told him. And that’s why nothing happened between us last night.”
“Oh something happened. It may not have been sexual, but something definitely happened. It’s written all over both of your faces. So what does this mean? Are you getting divorced? Are you—see this is the shit we should’ve been talking about in the office. I could’ve told you about my boring love life anytime!”
“Call me tomorrow. I have a couple of stops I need to make before I head home and then I have a long drive. I’ll tell you the whole sordid story then.”
With wide eyes, she asked, “You’re not on the run from the police and tomorrow you’re turning yourself in, are you? Because we just became friends and I would like to continue being friends. But if you go to jail, I don’t think we’ve invested enough time in this
friendship for me to put money on your books every week for a crime of passion.”
I laughed so hard, Roberto and the group of people he was collecting money from stared and laughed as well. The security guard, who was stationed in a small room behind Roberto that I hadn’t noticed before that moment, stuck his head out of the door, too.
“Would you at least write me letters?” I asked between gasps of air.
She held her belly as she started to double over with a case of the giggles. “I’ll totally be your pen pal, but we have to know each other for at least a week for money to be on the books.”
“Deal!”
We cracked up more, but at that point, we were laughing because the other was laughing so hard. It was a cycle of happy laughing that I missed so much.
“No, I’m not on the run. I didn’t commit a crime of passion.” I shook my head profusely, still giggling. “I’m not a violent person so I wouldn’t do that. As angry and as hurt as I am over what he did, I wouldn’t do anything like that to get back at him. I believe in karma. And I didn’t do anything to her because I don’t believe in fighting over a man.”
“Me either! Even if the bitch knew he was in a relationship, he was the one who was in the relationship, not her. If you were a good woman to him and she wants the cheating bastard, her karma is for you to let her have him. If he cheated on you, he’ll likely cheat on her, too. And his karma will come when he realizes there is only one you.”
I lifted my arm in the air. “Amen!”
“My ex actually married the woman he cheated on me with. We were together for four years and he had been with her for three of those years off and on. I was devastated when I found out he was cheating, but I got over it. Not even six months after I broke up with him, he was engaged to her.” She made a face. “I was sick. I felt so many mixed emotions about it. And the thing was, I didn’t want him back and I for damn sure didn’t want to marry him. But he was posting pictures on social media and making comments about how she was the best woman ever and all this other bullshit. It was hurtful and I felt traumatized all over again. Addo pulled me out of that spiral, too, now that I think about it. We started talking about Aja and the place to go to just feel good for a few hours and that was that. I threw myself into finding a spot for December, and of the many property tours and real estate events I attended, I happened to lose out on the original spot I wanted to the handsome man who, two years later, is my fiancé.” She looked over my shoulder and in her eyes, I could tell someone was approaching us. Her voice lowered. “The point is, everything happens for a reason. Everything. And all of those reasons mean something. It may hurt now, but believe me, you’re not the one losing out on anything. You lost a cheating bastard. He lost a good woman. Your loss is a win. And then for you to take time off to come to Atlanta, you were looking for a dive bar and found December…where you met me and…” Her voice trailed off, but her head nodded in the opposite direction.
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