I Do... NOT

by Kimolisa Mings

  “Everything smells good,” I said, leaning against a counter.

  “Yeah, well stop smelling and go help Toni set the table,” Toya said over her shoulder as she stood at the stove.

  “And tell Naomi that dinner is ready,” Luisa added, skirting around me.

  With the table pretty much taken care of, I went to our room. When I opened the door, she spun around where she stood by the window.

  “Um, I've got to go,” Naomi held up a manicured index finger. “I'll go over the figures and get back to you.”

  “Dinner's ready,” I said, watching Naomi end the call and put her phone to sleep.

  “Yeah, I'm coming,” she replied, not making a move. “I just have to check on something,” Naomi held up her phone.

  Crossing my arms, I leaned against the door jamb. “I've... Are you planning on working during the weekend?”

  “No,” Naomi looked away, pulling out her tablet and its keyboard attachment. “This just popped up and I have to take care of it.”

  I could have pointed out the obvious but it felt like a waste of time. It just underlined that it was a bad idea having Naomi here. Holding up my hands, I turned, knowing the reaction I was going to receive when I returned to the dining room.

  “Alexa.” I looked over my shoulder. “It's just this, I promise.”

  I nodded and walked towards the laughing voices of my friends. She would keep the promise but why was Naomi lying? Why didn't she want me to know that she had a man in her life?

  As I walked, an idea began to form. It was just a speck, a dust mote floating through my consciousness, but each step it became more substantial until it was a pea. A pea tucked in the folds of my mind.

  Stepping into the dining room and seeing Toya, Luisa and Toni chatting, I tried to forget about the idea, but like a princess in a foreign land, I couldn't ignore the nuisance.

  “What is is, Alexa?” Toni studied my face over the rim of her wine glass.

  I shook my head and smiled, “Naomi is coming, but we can go ahead get started.”

  I wasn't supposed to see it, the look exchanged between Luisa and Toya. A quick glance, a slight shake of a head, so much said but what was being said? Whatever it was, it was replaced with talk of hikes, visits to the spa and the various ways we were going to spend the weekend.

  In spite of Naomi, we were going to have a good time. She never came, but no one seemed to notice.

  Chapter Ten

  “They don't like me,” Naomi fell into the sofa beside me, pulling me out of a world just when the amateur detective was going to confront the villain.

  “Hmm?” I tried to continue reading, maybe, just maybe, I could do both.

  “Alexa,” her tone of voice took me back to a time when I was elbow deep in term papers and my oldest friend in the world had a dire problem.

  Tucking the bookmark into the book with a handful of pages left, I looked up at Naomi, trying to convey concern instead of annoyance that was tugging at my patience.

  “The others don't like me,” she repeated.

  The others were out, Toya and Luisa had gone into town and Toni had gone on a hike, leaving Naomi and me home alone. As Naomi had been holed up in our room, again, I took advantage of the quiet to catch up on the novel I had been reading for what felt like forever.

  “The others,” Oh God, I was sounding like a mother talking to her child, fearing a tantrum if the wrong word was used. “Don't feel that way towards you.” They just wish you weren't around, I kept to myself. “The... are still getting to know you.”

  Naomi tucked her legs under her and played with the hem of her open knit sweater, “I suppose... it's just...”

  I turned fully towards her, not accustomed to Naomi being at a loss for words. “It's just what it is,” I said. Maybe I should have told her the truth, but why destroy the weekend?

  “So,” Naomi looked up at me. “Are you and Malachi getting back together?”

  “What?! No!” It was over and I appreciated everyone not bringing up the subject, but then again, Naomi hadn't been around everyone much. “Malachi and I are over,” I said, slipping my finger between the pages of my book.

  Nodding her head, Naomi seemed satisfied with my answer, almost relieved. “So what are your plans for this afternoon?”

  I held up my book, then opened it to the bookmarked page.

  “Ugh, come out with me, we can go shopping and maybe eat in town,” I would say my friend was whining.

  “I'll pass,” I said and leaned back into the soft cushioning of the sofa. I was more than content with where I was.

  “Come on, Alexa. When was the last time we hung out? Just the two of us?”

  She had a point, it had been a while. A tinge of guilt shot through me, but I also saw an opportunity. Bringing up Naomi's new man in front of the others would only result in her clamming up, but if it was the two of us, she might speak freely.

  I paused for effect, staring at the words on the page yet to be read, then I moaned, “Fine. Go ahead and get ready while I finish this section off. I’ll leave a note for Toni.”

  “Great,” Naomi got to her feet.

  “Great,” I mumbled before reading that the villain in the novel was the amateur sleuth’s best friend. I only hoped that life didn’t imitate art.

  ###

  “So,” I looked at the shelf of tchotkes in the little gift shop off of Main Street in which we found ourselves. “What is this project you are working on?”

  Naomi was reaching for something on the shelf when she paused, “Oh, it’s nothing major,” she said, taking up a box. “A design job that someone put me onto.”

  “Hmm,” I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. She was looking a little too intently at the box of crystals. “Well if it isn’t major, how come you are spending so much time on it this weekend?”

  “Because it could lead to something more substantial,” was her reply before she replaced the box and began to walk down the aisle, browsing through various gift items.

  I was about to follow her but I knew better than to proceed with this line of questioning. Turning in the opposite direction, I nearly bumped into someone turning the corner.

  “Oh sorry.”

  “’Scuse me,” he said at the same time. “Oh, hey,” thick lips curled into a smile as dark brown, almost midnight, eyes met my gaze.

  I shouldn’t be staring, reason spoke up in my head as I gawked at the tall, dark skin man with a medium build that was crafted in a gym and a smile that had appeared in many a female’s fantasies. “Um, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” I looked away, but my eyes still made their way back to his lips. I was a sucker for lips.

  “It’s cool,” he juggled the boxes in his arms. “I wasn’t looking either.”

  “Well,” I licked my own lips. “I’ll just get out of your way.”

  I began to skirt around him, when he said, “Um, are you busy? I mean, can I ask your opinion on something?”

  “No, yes,” I giggled. I giggled?. “No, I’m not busy and yes, you can ask my opinion.”

  His face lit up and he turned, “Let me put these down first.”

  I followed him to a counter where he unburdened himself. Then he held up two boxes, “I’m buying a gift for a friend and I'm undecided. Should I get her this glass ornament or this aromatherapy set?”

  I looked at the ornament, then at the set and then at the man who was clearly taken. “Neither,” I admitted. I looked around, then picked up a box from behind me. “If I was getting a gift from a male friend, I would want this.”

  “Huh,” he took the box and inspected it.

  “It’s practical without being too uninteresting,” I explained. “You care without going overboard.”

  “That makes sense,” he looked at me. “Oh, my name is Julian, Julian Cole,” he extended his hand.

  “Alexa, Alexa Marsh,” I shook his hand.

  “Alexa,” he smiled. “Well, thank you, Alexa, for your advice
. I hope Yasmine will like it.”

  “It’s nothing,” I waved away his thanks.

  “Are you from around here?”

  “No,” I shook my head. “Some friends and I are renting a cabin off of Coleman Road for the weekend.”

  “Coleman Road? That’s not far from me.”

  “Are you from around here?” I took in the well-worn jeans, the navy blue sweater under a brown sports jacket. He could have passed for a hipster if his beard was a tad more shaped out and he wore a fedora tilted at the back of his head.

  “Not really, a friend and I bought a cabin out here as an investment.”

  “Oh.” They must be serious. “Yasmine.” Her name was pretty, exotic even, and it made sense that they were together.

  “Yasmine?” his brow furrowed, then he shook his head. “No, Joshua. A college buddy of mine. We bought the cabin as a place to escape from the city. We just check in with each other to see if the other will be using the place.”

  “Oh,” I said. “How does that work out for you?”

  His brows relaxed and a small smile appeared, “Yasmine is just a friend and I think her husband wouldn’t like the idea of us buying a secret hideaway together.”

  I ducked my head, “I guess I was being presumptuous.”

  “It’s cool,” I could hear the smile in his voice.

  “So here is where you are,” Naomi came up behind me.

  Turning slightly, I said, “Yeah, Julian, here, was asking my opinion on a gift for a friend. Naomi, this is Julian, Julian, this is Naomi.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Naomi gave him her signature limp handshake.

  “The same.”

  “He has a place near to where we are staying,” I explained but Naomi’s attention was lost to the ping of her cell phone. Great, we were back to that.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you, Julian,” I turned back to him, hoping he would ignore my friend tapping away at her cell phone.

  “What are you doing tonight?” he asked.

  “Cooking, tonight is my night to cook with Toni, one of my other friends,” I replied. “How about this? Why don’t you come over to our place for dinner? That is if you don’t mind spending the evening with five women.”

  “I think I can struggle through it,” Julian grinned.

  We exchanged contact information and I gave him the address of the cabin. We agreed on the time and he insisted on bringing a bottle of wine.

  “You’re moving fast,” Naomi said as we walked down Main street in the direction of where we parked Toni’s minivan.

  “It’s not like that,” I kept walking.

  “It’s less than two weeks and already you’ve met someone,” Naomi continued.

  “So because I broke up with Malachi, I’m supposed to become a nun?” I glanced across at her. “Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if Malachi has already found someone else.”

  She missed a step, slowed a little, but Naomi acted as though it was nothing. “He loves you, though.”

  “And I loved him, but it’s not the kind of love that will lead to marriage,” I walked over to the driver’s side of the minivan. “And with Julian,” I looked in the direction from which we came. “He’s an attractive man, why deny myself the experience of a man’s company because I just broke up with someone. I’m not looking for another relationship, I’m not trying to replace Malachi.”

  “Then what are you doing?” Naomi asked over the hood of the van.

  “I’m exploring the possibilities,” I unlocked the van and got in. “It’s not a big deal.”

  It wasn’t and yet, I was curious as to where this would lead. Julian seemed interested and I was interested. When I told Toni, Luisa and Toya, I got mixed responses, the most notable was Toya’s. The instant I saw the Cheshire cat curl of her lips, I remembered our bet.

  The game was on, but now I wondered if I wanted to win or lose. I guessed it all depended on how the evening went.

  Chapter Eleven

  I was filling a bowl with steamed vegetables when I heard the knock at the door. Toni and I were finishing up in the kitchen and Toya and Luisa were setting the table, this left Naomi to open the door. By the way, she was preoccupied with her phone, I doubted she would be much of a hostess.

  “Go ahead,” Toni said, turning off a burner. “I’ll finish up here.”

  “Thanks,” I said, already halfway across the kitchen. I was wiping my hands on my apron’s skirt when I entered the living room. Julian didn’t see me, but I saw a lot of him. His broad shoulders were defined by the waistcoat that hung from them and his slacks did his backside justice.

  “Oh, here’s Alexa,” Naomi said, catching sight of me. “I’ll go see what the others are up to.”

  “Yeah,” I said, watching Naomi walk in the direction of the bedrooms. Turning to Julian, I said, “Hi.”

  “Hey… I hope you like red wine,” he held up a bottle.

  Taking it, I read the label and said, “You just won brownie points with most of us. Come, we’re almost ready.”

  “And it was okay for me to come?” Julian hesitated.

  “Yes,” I walked over and looped my arm through his, pulling him forward. “You are more than welcomed at our table and we will keep our conversation tame for you.”

  “Oh,” his arm tucked mine closer. “Don’t be nice on my account.”

  We were laughing when we entered the dining room. Toni was placing a small bowl of rolls on the table and Luisa and Toya were in their own conversation. It was soon brought to a close when they say our dinner guest.

  “Julian,” I motioned to him. “This is Toni, Toya, and Luisa,” I pointed out my friends.

  They came over and shook hands as I pulled away, saying I was going to open the bottle of wine.

  “Mija,” Luisa came into the kitchen as I uncorked the bottle. “He is cute.”

  “He is, isn’t he,” I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Well, if I was going for a rebound guy, I would want one to look like him.” When I didn’t respond, Luisa asked, “He is a rebound guy?”

  “If he isn’t I’ll be collecting on our bet,” Toya came in and folded her arms.

  “Bet?” Luisa looked at Toya then at me.

  “It’s just a little bet,” I tried to brush the topic away.

  “I bet Alexa that she won’t make it to the end of the year without entering into a new relationship,” Toya shared.

  “Oooh,” Luisa’s eyes grew huge, “I want in. What is the wager?”

  “One hundred.”

  “I’m definitely in,” Luisa sang.

  “You’re definitely in what?” Toni came in and picked up a jug of water.

  Between Toya and Luisa, she was brought up to speed.

  “I’m in, too,” she said. “And I’m rooting on Alexa making it,” she added before disappearing into the dining room.

  “No offense, Alexa, but I’m going with Toya,” Luisa shrugged. “Your record speaks for itself.”

  “Oh, does it?” I pouted, crossing my arms.

  Stepping forward, Luisa picked up the bottle, “Yep, and lover boy out there has good taste. Definitely a keeper.” She waggled her eyebrows before leaving the kitchen.

  “Definitely,” Toya said with a smirk.

  “Thanks, Toya,” I groused, unscrewing the cork from the corkscrew and tossing it into the bin.

  “You’re welcome, love,” she walked over and leaned on the counter beside where I stood. “He’s a great guy, don’t get me wrong, but do you really want to get into a new relationship? Or do you want to have a little fun?”

  Her stare was unnerving as though she was delving beyond the bullshit I could throw at her and see my true intentions. My true intentions? I wanted something real, something stable, something that would last and those would make me lose the bet.

  Looking at Toya, I knew she wanted me to win. With a sigh, I said, “Fun.”

  “Okay then,” Toya pushed off from the counter and walked towards the dining room
, “But at some point, you are going to have to stop lying to yourself.”

  Returning to the dining room, I saw a seat left vacant beside Julian. As he spoke with Luisa on the other side of where he sat, his hand rested casually on the top of my chair. When he saw me, he smiled and stood up, pulling out the chair. The nods of approval and the exchanged looks were subtle and largely went unnoticed by Julian.

  “For a minute there, I thought you left me to fend on my own,” he said in a low voice.

  “But it looks like you are doing a very good job,” I said settling into my seat as he took his seat.

  He actually did better than a good job. He blended seamlessly into our group and it was almost as though we had known him for ages. His bottle of wine finished in no time and halfway through a second bottle, we were in a heated debate that hand Julian and Toya pitted against Luisa, Toni and I. Naomi was disinterested at best. It was light hearted and informative, but we were unable to bring them over to our side.

  When the meal was finished, we lounged in the living room with a third bottle.

  “So are you here for just the weekend, Julian?” Toya asked from where she lay on the floor.

  “No, I’m here for a little over a week,” he replied. “I’m heading back to the city Monday after next.”

  “I guess that’s one of the luxuries of having a place out here,” Toni sighed.

  “Don’t you get bored out here?” Naomi asked.

  “Far from it,” Julian answered. “Between the trails, peace, and quiet, it’s rather nice.”

  “Hmm,” Naomi got to her feet. “Well, as lovely as it was to see you again, Julian, I am tired. Goodnight everyone.”

  “Goodnight Naomi,” was more mumbled than said. I knew I was going to hear about it when Julian left.

  “It is late,” he said, looking at his watch. “I guess I better get going.” Although he said the words, Julian didn’t get to his feet and for the most part, I didn’t think anyone wanted him to leave.