No Place Like Home

by Trina Crooks

  “Okay.” She shrugged her shoulders with indifference. “I think I am going to go take a shower and get in the bed. Good night.” Sonya started toward the and Antonio followed her, stopping her before she could enter her room. He turned her around and pressed her back to the wall while she looked right into his eyes. “Is there something else Mr. Randall?”

  “Yeah,” he answered as he leaned forward and laid a soft kiss against her lips before taking a step back. “I couldn’t go to bed without a small kiss. Good night Sonya.”

  “Good night Antonio.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Baby. Are you almost ready?”

  Antonio stood in the full-length mirror he had in his living room that he used before he went out for any big event. He straightened out his black tux jacket and made sure his bow tie wasn’t crooked. He then stood back and admired himself. Antonio smiled. Yeah. He had to admit he was looking pretty handsome tonight.

  “Sonya!” The sound of heels on his hardwood floors could finally be heard.

  “I’m coming.” She slowly came down the stairs and finally came into view, looking absolutely gorgeous. “I hope this dress is cute enough. This was all I had.”

  She stood in front of him where a silver shimmering dress that hugged every curve on her body. “You are beautiful as always.”

  Sonya smiled before she came to stand in the mirror with him. “I bought this thing online a few years ago but really didn’t have anywhere to wear it. Figured it would work for tonight’s party.”

  Antonio came behind her and they looked at themselves in the reflection for a moment. “It’s perfect for tonight.”

  “Who all is going to be there tonight?”

  “A mixture of family, friends and employees from the corporate office here in New York.” Antonio went over to his coat closet, pulled out a long heavy coat and brought it over to her. Sonya stepped back.

  “Whose coat is this?”

  “Yours. I ordered it and had it delivered for you. I didn’t think you would have a lot of heavy coats considering where you live.”

  “Sorry. I thought you were trying to give me a coat that someone left behind.” Sonya turned to let him ease the coat onto her shoulders and then they went out to get into the limo he rented for the evening. He and Sonya chatted on the way while his mind wandered to the party. Antonio wanted her to have a great time and he hoped like hell no drama jumped off.

  “I’m surprised your parents would allow a party of this size to be in their house.”

  “They lock off the important rooms and nothing of value is really present. And there is security. They’ve had it for the last five years and there has never been an issue.”

  The coat check was right at the front door so they handed over their coats and received a ticket. They walked toward the living room and stood at the top of the stairs of the sunken area. It was packed with people who all looked like they were ready for a good time.

  “For some reason I feel like I am going to end up by myself so can you at least find me later because I want to dance with you tonight.”

  “I will definitely dance with you later but I am not leaving your side. I didn’t invite you to a party just to leave you.” Antonio put his hand in the middle of her back and guided her farther into the festivities. No sooner had they entered the living room where most of the attendees were gathering did his father come over to them.

  “I have been waiting for you two. Hello Sonya. You look absolutely beautiful.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Randall,” she said with a smile. “I suppose you need this handsome man for a moment.”

  “I do. I am so sorry.”

  Antonio couldn’t believe it. “Dad. I didn’t want to leave her alone tonight. You are not supposed to be doing business this evening.” That was a rule his mother tried to establish at every Christmas party and his father never seemed to be able to abide by it.

  “Just a quick introduction. Please excuse us Sonya.”

  Antonio grabbed her hand before he allowed himself to be dragged off. “I will be right back.” He followed his father over to Mr. Guthrie and then stood there while the two talked business that didn’t involve him at all. But he was over here now and couldn’t very walk away from them so he stood and acted like he was listening when in fact he was looking at Sonya across the room. She was just standing there all alone and he didn’t like that. He was just about to excuse himself to go be with her when Angela came over to her. That made him feel better.

  “Antonio.”

  He turned toward the sound of his name to find Michaela, his ex-girlfriend. She was the daughter of his parent’s good friends and that was the only reason that she would still be invited to this party. He hadn’t seen her in almost a year which was fine with him. “Hi Michaela. How are you doing?”

  “Great. This party is always a good time.”

  “Mm hmm.” He looked around the party for anyone else he could talk to besides her but she continued on with the conversation.

  “What have you been up to lately? It’s been a long time since we have seen each other.

  “I haven’t been doing much of anything. Just working and traveling a bit.”

  Michaela nodded before she sipped the wine she had in her hand. “Your mother told my mother that you went south visiting some small town and that was where you met a new friend.”

  Antonio glanced over at Sonya who was laughing with his sister-in-law and then brought his attention back to Michaela. “Yes. I did meet her down there and I want her to be more than a friend.”

  “But you haven’t known her long.”

  “It doesn’t take that long when you find the right person,” he commented before he searched for somewhere else to be. He noticed his brother across the room and decided he would go talk to him for a moment. “If you will excuse me.”

  **~~~**

  This party was turning out to be a great time. A lot of the people in attendance were nice so I didn’t feel too out of place at all. Most of the time Antonio was in my sights and always tried to come back to me every so often which I appreciated. Right now, he was off talking to a beautiful woman that was dressed in an exquisite red dress. This lady was smiling at him while he appeared not to be smiling back as much. I didn’t know who it was but it didn’t look like he wanted to talk to her much.

  I moseyed over to the food selection and it was the best layout I’d ever seen in all of my life. Usually there was a lot of finger foods of meatballs and cheese slices at the parties I frequented but this was to a whole other level. There was an assortment of items that I had never eaten before or had at least seen, but never tried. The saving grace was the shrimp cocktail and mini egg rolls that were present. Even though I put a fair amount on my plate I still felt that I was going to have to talk Antonio into stopping for something on the way to his house.

  “That’s all you are eating,” he asked as he came over to me. I couldn’t help the smile that came across my face. I missed him for even the short time he was away.

  “These are the only things I have ever tasted,” I answered honestly. “I have a very vanilla palate.”

  “Oh okay. Let’s try this.” He picked up a tortilla wrapped thing and put it to my mouth. “This is an empanada. They have all the ingredients I have seen you eat—meat, cheese and the like. You will like this.”

  I gave him my worry eyes which made him smile like only he could. “You sure?”

  “I wouldn’t steer you wrong baby.”

  So, I took a small bite. “Mm. That was not so bad.”

  He turned it to his mouth and ate the rest of it. “I told you.” I grabbed another one to give it a second try when his mother came over to them.

  “Hello you two.”

  “Hello,” we both responded. Antonio swiped an egg roll from my plate to eat and his mother just looked at him.

  “Get your own plate.”

  “But the food tastes better from her plate.”

  Mrs. Ra
ndall chuckled. “I’m sure. Anyway. Luther Dobson is looking for you.”

  “What does he want?”

  “I don’t know. But go find him,” she said as she pushed him away but not before he turned to me.

  “I will be right back.” He walked away and Mrs. Randall turned to me again.

  “Are you having a good time?”

  “Yes ma’am. Everyone has been really nice to me. Thank you so much for inviting me.”

  “You’re welcome sweetheart,” she said before she saw someone motioning to her. “I have to go put out a fire. But have a good time tonight.” Mrs. Randall ran off and I was alone again. I was almost on my way to escape to the bathroom for a couple of hours when I was approached by a woman with a kind face.

  “Hello there. You looked like your mind was somewhere else for a moment.”

  I chuckled. “It was. I don’t know a lot of people at this party so I am spending quite a bit of time daydreaming. My name is Sonya.” I extended my hand to the woman who speaking to me and she took it.

  “Lydia Johnston. I know most of the people in the room and I still daydream. I heard that you are visiting our lovely city for the first time. How do you like it so far?”

  “I like it. It’s very different than where I came from but I am enjoying the change.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “Jasper Springs, TX. It’s a small, intimate little town where you know most of your neighbors and can probably leave your front door unlocked but I wouldn’t recommend it.”

  “Me neither,” Mrs. Johnston answered with a chuckle. “I spoke with Antonio and he told me that you are thinking of relocating here.”

  I should have known that Antonio was the one who discussed my impromptu visit. “Yes I am. I think I need a change. I never wanted to spend my whole life in my hometown and if you are going to make a change, you might as well make it a big one.”

  “That is exactly how I felt when I left my hometown forty years ago. It was a sleepy little town in Alabama and I knew I was destined to be somewhere else. I packed my duffel bag and only had three hundred dollars to my name when I moved here.”

  “I couldn’t imagine.” I kept trying to save thousands of dollars before I even thought about moving. Three hundred wasn’t a lot at all.

  “But I made it. I had a couple of rough years but I made it.” Mrs. Johnston grabbed a plate and started filling it with food items. “Antonio told me you run a vacation rental place back at home.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “I own a real estate company. And we deal a lot with rentals there. I just might have a spot for you if you are interested in it.”

  “Really? But you don’t even know me.”

  “I know Antonio and he is very smitten with you. I could tell that in just the three minutes we spoke. And any woman that has his nose open like this after just knowing you for a few weeks has to be a woman of decent caliber.”

  I smiled as I looked at Antonio across the room. He was engaged in a conversation and looked so handsome as he was talking. He finally got to a stopping point and glanced in my direction which he did for most of the night. “I hope I am.”

  “Send me your resume.” She handed me a business card.

  “I will do that. Thank you so much.”

  Mrs. Johnston went off to rejoin the party and I did make a visit to the little girl’s room. When I exited I found Antonio standing there. “I wanted to hang out with just you for a little while.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  Antonio grabbed my hand and led me to a door that was closed. After punching in a five-digit code, he pulled down on the handle and escorted me down some steps into the basement. Once we reached the bottom, Antonio flipped a switch and the large area was lighted, allowing me to see in front of me. It was clear that this was a casual hanging out area for the family, equipped with an oversized sectional couch and projection screen television against the wall.

  “This is nice.”

  “Yeah. This was Rashad and I’s hanging out space. We spent a lot of time down here.”

  I was standing in front of a family portrait on the wall that had to have been taken when Antonio was in college or something. “Your mother loved these family portraits, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, she did,” he answered. “But this was our last one. Right after it my mom found out my dad cheated on her so needless to say, taking more pictures together was not high on her list.”

  I just looked at him. “They look like they are doing okay to me.”

  “Oh, he has been working his way back into her good graces for years now so they are on good terms. I guess she has chosen to forgive him.”

  “Hmm,” I said as I walked away and took notice of the popcorn machine in the corner.

  “What do you mean “hmm”?”

  “My father stepped out on my mother also. With one of her friends, no less, which is why she doesn’t have many friends.” After my father hurt my mother in the worst way imaginable, Janet Cummings turned her back on all of her friendships and she picked me up as her closest confidant to avoid that hurt again.

  “Well now I certainly understand why she doesn’t want you to leave her.”

  “But I am not going to let her guilt me or scare me into making decisions based on what she thinks is best,” I said as I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m definitely moving here and I can’t wait.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  We arrived in the house and I immediately stepped out of my heels. I was tired and ready to get into my pajamas but not necessarily sleepy. “The party was nice.”

  “I’m sorry I had to work more than I anticipated. When my father is around, he always pulls us into working whether we want to or not.”

  “It’s alright. I met a couple of interesting people. Mrs. Johnston introduced herself,” I said as I leaned against a wall. Antonio smiled.

  “I was just being helpful. I know you don’t want to feel like you are dependent on me when you move here so I thought I would put out a few feelers for you. I hope that doesn’t upset you.”

  “Not at all and you are right. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Well I am not ready for bed yet so you want to hang out for a while.”

  Antonio untied his tie and left it hanging around his neck. “That sounds good since I didn’t get to spend much time with you tonight. How about a movie in the basement?”

  “You got a basement here? You didn’t show me that,” I said as we both started climbing the steps to the second floor. I turned to wait for his answer to that but his eyes were fixed squarely on my ass. After a moment of my silence he looked up at me with a crooked smile.

  “Caught me. It was mesmerizing me.”

  “You are terrible,” I replied with a giggle as I jogged up the rest of the steps and into my bedroom. Antonio stopped at my door before going to his.

  “I will meet you in the basement when you get done changing. You will find the stairwell in the kitchen.”

  “Okay.” I quickly shoved the dress off of me and jumped into a hot shower to wash off the night. I then pulled out my comfortable pajamas to dress myself in and started making my way down the stairs to the basement. Antonio was already down there setting up the projection screen for a movie. “What movie did you pick?”

  “It’s ladies’ choice. Go ahead and take a look around the place while I finish up.”

  The open area was large and with ample seating for almost twenty people to watch a movie. There was a fireplace off to the side and a pool table right where I was standing. I ventured off to the laundry room area that was almost as big as my whole house and then to a bedroom that was very stylishly decorated. I ran my hand over the soft duvet and noticed silk sheets underneath. Over on the dresser across the room there was a sign that read ‘Love Den’ and let me know exactly what room I stumbled upon. The whole room oozed sex, all the way down to the bowl of colorful condoms on the night table.
r />   “Lovely home you have here,” I said as I entered the large room again with the bowl of condoms in my hands. “Look what I found.”

  Antonio looked like he could have sunk into the floor. “Uh…”

  “I think I found where you take all of your women.” I sat down on the sofa and set the bowl on the table in front of me.

  “Well, honestly, it is. I have never slept with a woman in my actual bed, not since I have lived in this house for the last three years.”

  “What about Michaela? Wasn’t she your girlfriend?” I asked. I was curious about that answer.

  “No. We mostly stayed at her place because it is close to my job and hers.”

  “Oh. Okay.” I sat back on the enormously oversized couch and pulled a cover over my legs.

  “What would you like to watch?”

  “The Best Man Holiday. Laughter. Friendship.”

  “Tears. You can’t watch that movie without crying Sonya. I don’t want you to see me cry,” he stated with a smile as he punched some buttons on the remote and pulled the movie up. It began with Christmas music playing and I smiled. I never thought that for this holiday that I would be spending time with a great guy who treated me wonderfully. This Christmas was already starting off better than any other before this one. I pulled the cover up over my arms and Antonio looked at me.

  “You can’t possibly be cold. You are fully covered with long sleeves and pants like you are a nun or something. I, on the other hand,” he said as he pulled on the cover, “I’m cold.”

  I pulled the cover back. “Get your own.”

  “Really? You are not going to share with me,” he said softly as he came close to me.

  I felt my heart pounding. “What do I get if I share with you?”

  Antonio pulled my legs so that I was laying down and he laid down next to me. He tugged at the cover and I held on. He then placed a soft peck on my lips and looked at me with sexy ass eyes before pulling again. “You can have anything you want.”