LaCasse Family Series

by Ju Ephraime

  As Foxx conversed with his brother, she waited quietly in their private room at the restaurant. She couldn’t help peeking through the curtain that separated the room she was in from where Foxx and his brother were deeply engrossed in conversation.

  This gave her an opportunity to look her fill at Foxx without his being aware of it. From a distance, they appeared to be identical twins, but if she looked carefully, she could spot the differences in their appearance.

  But they had similarities too. They talked and moved with the exact same mannerism. They used their hands a lot and appeared to have their own private jokes because they would burst into laughter at some amusing comment they shared only with each other.

  She could not help thinking, although they laughed a lot with each other, Wolfe was not as free with his gorgeous, sexy smile as Foxx was. Foxx always had a ready smile, although since she’d returned, she’d seldom seen it until recently.

  Wolfe, on the other hand, maintained a serious expression at all times until he gifted you with one of his rare, dazzling smiles. They were so infrequent she couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t smile more often. Sitting there, she was able to observe the brothers at her leisure.

  Although she couldn’t hear their conversation clearly, she caught a snippet here and there. Also she could tell from watching Foxx’s body language that the conversation had taken a more serious turn. All of a sudden, Foxx was no longer smiling and carrying on. He had a melancholy look on his face as he glanced at his brother, who gave him a questioning stare.

  “Therèse is a beautiful woman. Has she gotten married since her return to England?”

  “No, she’s not married.” Foxx stared moodily into the glass of cognac he held in his hand.

  “I suppose this would make things easier for you if you were thinking of taking up with her again.”

  Foxx’s broad shoulders twitched in the barest of shrugs.

  “It won’t really matter to me because I’m trying to fight the physical attraction between us, but it’s proving to be very difficult. Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to get it?”

  “Had you asked me this before I’d met Daphne, I’d have answered with a resounding no, but after being in such similar circumstances, I can sympathize with you and fully appreciate your dilemma. But if I were you, I’d tread cautiously.”

  “I am.”

  “Did she tell you what brought her back to the island after two years?”

  “Yes, but I can’t discuss it with you now because I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it, still trying to understand. I can only tell you she had been writing, but I never read any of her letters. I burned the ones I kept, unopened. But I returned most of them to sender.”

  “Why did you burn some? Why didn’t you return them all to her?”

  “It made me feel good watching them burn. Don’t ask me to explain it.”

  “So why are you taking up with her again?”

  “I’m not taking up with her again. I’m trying to prove a point. I knew you wouldn’t understand. That’s why I didn’t want to discuss it.”

  “Okay, Foxx, go ahead, prove your point; just be careful. Remember, you just might get caught in the trap you set.”

  He quickly changed the subject. “What did you find out at the farms you visited?”

  “Well, Vernon said they had an outbreak of caterpillars destroying his crops on the tomato farm, but he has it under control now. The other two just reported a shortage of farm workers, making it a slower process to harvest the crops, but they all promised to have everything back to normal in a few weeks or so.”

  “I hope so. I don’t like getting our supplies from the supermarket; it’s not the same, either in terms of price or quality.”

  “Well, now that we have this settled, how’s Daphne doing? I had to leave before I had an opportunity to talk with her when I was last there. I didn’t even say goodbye. I had practice that morning. Speaking of which, I have to make tracks soon. I have a game this afternoon, and I have to take Therèse back to her hotel. So, how’s my favorite girl doing?”

  “Daphne is doing great. She is handling the pregnancy very well; in fact, she is thriving. I swear, she positively glows, or maybe it’s me, seeing her through a glow.”

  “She glows?” Foxx said with a smile. “Are you certain it’s not you seeing her through your ‘love’ glasses?”

  “You could be correct, but all I know is the pregnancy has not stopped her from doing anything.

  “Did I just hear you say you have a game this afternoon? If you have a game, I could take Therèse back to her hotel for you,” Wolfe offered. “She could hang out here until I’m ready to leave. I’ll drop her off at her hotel on my way home.”

  “I’ll take you up on that offer under one condition. No interrogating her. I don’t want to upset her. If you can control your curiosity, then I’ll go give her the good news,” he said facetiously.

  Giving his brother a playful swipe across his back, Wolfe responded, “You’re such a punk. Go on with yourself. Just go tell her.”

  Therèse was okay with the arrangement, though she was a bit disappointed. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with Foxx, but she also recognized he had a life that didn’t stop just because she happened to be there.

  She could have returned to her hotel, but there was no one there and nothing to do. Also, she much preferred remaining in Wolfe’s restaurant. There was always a lot of excitement at the restaurant, and Foxx had not invited her to the game.

  Remaining at the restaurant with Wolfe proved to be an eye-opener for Therèse. She was able to observe him interacting with his workers. He did not have the easy joviality Foxx had with his workers, but she could tell they respected him as a boss. He didn’t have to raise his voice or get upset, but things moved at a smooth pace. He greeted some of the customers and even mixed drinks behind the bar.

  When she thought he had forgotten about her being there, he came over to her.

  “How are you doing, Therèse? Is there anything I can get you? Do you need something to eat? How’s that drink holding up?

  She told him she was fine and didn’t need anything for now.

  “I see you are busy; you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll keep myself entertained until you are ready to leave.”

  “Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything,” he said with one of his rare, genuine smiles.

  She was immediately disarmed by the effect of his smile. Thank God that man does not smile often; that smile is a weapon. “I’m okay for now, but I won’t hesitate to tell you if I happen to need anything.”

  chapter

  TEN

  For the next two days, Therèse could find no opportunity to get Foxx alone. He was busy practicing, playing soccer with his team, or managing his restaurant. There was little or no time to try and pursue a meeting with him.

  On the few occasions when she attended his games, she wasn’t surprised to see everyone flocking around him when he finished playing. Foxx drew people to him with his infectious personality and his excellent skills as a soccer player. He was usually the one who scored the most goals for his team. This gave him celebrity status on the island among soccer fans.

  She had watched him flirt with the women who seemed to throw themselves at him. She could not tell whether he was encouraging them or not, but the sight of them touching and hugging him was enough to make her stomach curl. She wanted to walk up to those women and tell them, “hands off,” but she had forfeited that right when she’d left two years before. Her status had been reduced to that of bystander.

  She was thankful; this was the last game of the season. But because of that, a large crowd had gathered to see their favorites play. Some people congregated around the entrance of the park while small groups drifted around their favorite team or player. But as was usually the case, the largest group was around Foxx.

  She had attended the game because she couldn’t
stay away. Not knowing where she stood with Foxx, she hadn’t told him she would be at the game, so she had kept away from the crowd. Now, she stood on the sideline watching as Foxx was congratulated and celebrated by his fans and teammates. His team had won this game, six to zero, and they were ecstatic.

  She was just about to turn away when the crowd parted and there was Foxx staring at her. She stood as if paralyzed; she didn’t know how he would react to seeing her there since he hadn’t invited her.

  He recovered first and came toward her in rapid strides. “Therèse.”

  Hearing him call out to her brought her out of the paralysis that held her, and she began walking toward him. This was the second time they would be together in such a large crowd, and she was a bit apprehensive. She was always on her guard after the threats she’d received when she was last here but told herself to be strong.

  Holding her head high, she met him halfway and brought her hand up to congratulate him, but he ignored her outstretched hand and grabbed her in a big hug as he gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, not on the cheeks, as was the custom in public.

  “It’s good to see you here today, Therèse. This is the last game of the season, and I’m in a mood to celebrate. What are you doing later?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Do you want to celebrate with me?”

  “Do you have to ask? But don’t you usually celebrate with your teammates?”

  “Yes, but tonight, I much prefer to celebrate with you. Are you up to it?”

  “Yes, I believe I am.”

  “How did you get here?”

  “I took a taxi. Matter of fact, he just returned to take me back.”

  “Okay, I was going to take you back, but why don’t you go with him? It will give me time to go home and grab a shower. I’ll pick you up at your hotel in a couple of hours.”

  “Oh, all right. I’ll see you then.”

  Therèse walked over to the taxi, feeling as if she were floating on air. She knew something momentous would take place this night. She intended to make an all-out move for the man she loved. She’d never done anything like that before, so she could barely contain her excitement. Looking at her hands, she saw they were shaking. She could hardly wait.

  Arriving at her hotel, she walked into her room and began undressing as she ran a bath. She sprinkled it liberally with her favorite peony scent. Stepping into the tub, she allowed her body to relax and luxuriate in the water. She had plenty of time. Reaching over, she picked up the glass of wine she had placed there and proceeded to sip as she visualized the events she hoped would take place later.

  She was so relaxed she didn’t want to get out of the tub and only decided to do so because the water had grown tepid. She shampooed her hair, and after wrapping the thick mass in a towel, she stepped out of the tub. Today, she didn’t have the time to blow-dry it because it was a time-consuming task, and today she wanted to be ready when Foxx came to get her. She didn’t want to be late.

  Going through her limited wardrobe to find something appropriate to wear took very little time. The decision was easily made, and she picked out a simple cream sleeveless linen shift. Accessorized with a pearl necklace and earrings, it would do.

  Stepping into tobacco-colored wedged sandals that had a matching clutch bag, she was almost ready. Her makeup was miniscule, a touch of face powder and her favorite lipstick in deep coral. She was ready with ten minutes to spare.

  Taking the elevator down to the lobby, Therèse chose to wait for Foxx.

  She didn’t want him coming to her room because she wasn’t strong enough to resist the temptation of greeting him at the door wearing nothing but skin. She would be good and see how this evening played out.

  chapter

  ELEVEN

  Walking into the lobby fifteen minutes early, Foxx made a beeline for the bar. He needed something strong to take the edge off. Hard as a rock, he was wearing his shirt outside of his trousers hoping no one would notice his state of arousal.

  After downing the first drink, he was nursing the second one a bit more slowly when he felt a hush come over the room. The back of his neck began to tingle. Without looking, he knew Therèse had walked in. He took his time turning when he felt her presence behind him. Even though he was familiar with her appearance, it never ceased to amaze him what a beautiful woman she was.

  He turned fully to face her and caught her staring at the opening of his shirt where a few strands of chest hairs were visible. Their gazes met, and suddenly it was difficult for him to remember they weren’t alone. He could no more hide the hunger in his eyes than Therèse could conceal her own powerful attraction to him.

  Taking the seat next to him, she reached for a glass of island punch, which was always set out for the guests. The slight tremor in her hand as she brought the glass to her lips was the only other indication she was rattled by being this close to him.

  “Are you ready to leave?” he asked.

  “Yes. Where are we going?”

  “I’m taking you into the city. There is quite a lot of activity downtown; a large Cunard cruise ship is in port, so the whole town is out. We’ll take a stroll and window shop and have dinner at one of the restaurants on the pier.”

  “That sounds excellent. Let’s go.”

  By the time they arrived at the pier, the ship had docked and the passengers were busy milling about. The place was ablaze with lights. A band played live steel pan music, which was attracting quite a crowd of onlookers as well as exuberant dancers.

  There was a proliferation of tents with vendors hawking their wares. Everything was on display, food, clothing, the eternal T-shirts, and, of course, the locally made souvenirs.

  All kinds of eatables were on sale by the various vendors and some restaurant owners. The aromas coming from the food vendors were pungent. There were dishes like poulet boukané, a delicacy not to be missed! Chicken smoked over sugar cane and served with a lightly spiced sauce was a popular dish offered by most of the vendors. The irresistible aromas from this dish let people know when it was time to stop and savor the goods.

  Therèse was impressed to see there was even a psychic tent where people were forming a line to have their fortunes read.

  Seeing her fascination with the entire thing, Foxx glanced at her curiously. “Do you recall when we used to spend hours just walking here without a care in the world?” She nodded as she gave him a quick glance. “It seems such a long time ago,” he said.

  “Yes,” she agreed with a hint of sadness in her voice. The beauty of those nights, the sense of being alive and being on top of the world…Suddenly she was filled with a sense of urgency.

  The feeling coalesced inside her until her heart began to race, as she felt more alive than she had in a long time. Being here with him, listening to the steel pan music she hadn’t heard in two years, hit her like a kick in her stomach. The feeling of déjà vu was so overwhelming she almost gasped.

  Stealing a surreptitious glance at him, she saw that he, too, was affected by the moment. He wore a slight smile as he looked about him, blending in with the crowd as if he were himself a visitor. People in the crowd jostled one other as they tried to get closer to the band. Foxx placed his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to his body as they continued making their way through the crowd.

  To Therèse, it felt completely natural to be held like this by him, and she relaxed her body into his as they eventually left the larger crowd behind and arrived at the section of the pier where several restaurants were located.

  Some were international, and some offered only local fare. She loved the local food, but tonight she’d left the decision on where they ate to Foxx. She was not too particular.

  Foxx chose The Hungry Grill, which catered to tourists. As they walked through the door, he was immediately embraced by the manager and some of the employees of the restaurant.

  She could not help asking him, “Do you come here often?”

  “No, I don’t come here often,
but I do come here more than to any other restaurant. Also, the manager is an old family friend. What would you like to have?”

  “I have to look through the menu before I can decide.”

  “Robert can prepare anything you want. He cooks to order. So if you think of a favorite dish, he’ll make it for you. He went to school in England and lived there for several years.”

  “Really? In that case, I’ll order some lamb with vegetables and Yorkshire pudding.”

  To her surprise, it took about forty-five minutes, but sure enough, she got her English dinner, and it was fabulous.

  Foxx watched her as she savored every mouthful. “I’ve never seen anyone enjoy a meal this much. Were you missing your usual English fare?”

  “No, but it’s good to have it once in a while, and having it this far from home makes it doubly special. I have to thank the chef.”

  “I’ll call him over before we leave. Do you have room left for dessert?”

  “Not really. I’ll pass on dessert, but I’ll have a cappuccino while I watch you enjoy the double chocolate cake with chocolate sauce you just ordered. I never got the chocolate thing. Just looking at all that chocolate is making me sick. I don’t know how you do it.”

  They completed their dinner, thanked the chef, and made their way toward the crowd still milling around the band. Foxx was stopped several times before they finally left the crowd behind and returned to the car.

  They were just about to get into the vehicle when a woman came rushing up to Foxx and hugged him. She greeted him in Creole and spoke so fast that Therèse was not able to follow the conversation. All she could understand was the word stranger, and not seeing him, everything else went over her head. She stood to the side, waiting for the woman to acknowledge her or for Foxx to introduce her.