by Jordan Marie
“It’s more than big enough for our area—if that’s what concerns you,” Mr. Graves says.
“What about upstairs?”
“It’s a complete home really. There’s even a deck off the back that leads down into a yard. It’s an open floor plan, so you feel as if there is more space. It’s a great starter home. “Shall I take you through the tour?” he asks when I don’t answer right away.
“You’re positive this place is mine, if I want it?”
“I wouldn’t have called otherwise, Black. Your family and I go way back. And to be quite frank, this property has been bank owned for three years. I’d like to get it off my records and I’d consider it an honor to help you purchase your home.”
“Can I call Addie and Mom to come over and look at it?” I ask, suddenly feeling better about things than I have since this whole mess with Linda started.
“Sounds good,” he smiles. “If you’re wanting your young lady to be a part of the decision you can’t hardly buy it until she gives her approval. I actually thought she’d be here with you,” he says as I take my phone out to dial.
“I wanted to make sure it was okay and that there wouldn’t be any issues if she fell in love with it first. I don’t want Addie to have any more disappointments.”
“That happens when we fall in love,” he says, smiling and I don’t argue… because it’s true.
“Hey Mom? Can you bring Addie over to the old Collins Building?” I ask the minute she says hello.
“That I can do my boy. Especially if this means what I think it does.”
“Yeah… Well if Addie likes it,” I tell her grinning into the phone.
“Praise Jesus, I guess miracles still happen,” she says and if I wasn’t too busy grinning and thinking about Addie’s reaction I’d grumble at her.
“Mom—”
“My boy finally stopped dragging his di—”
“Mom, Mr. Graves is waiting with me,” I remind her, cutting her off.
“We’ll be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. We just finished the last of the tomatoes.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
I hang up the phone and look at Mr. Graves—still smiling.
“Maybe I could see the upstairs, since that’s the part I’m most concerned with,” I tell him.
“Sounds good,” he says walking me toward the entrance. “I must admit, I am curious about one thing,” Mr. Graves says, ushering me back towards the kitchen where there’s an entrance door that leads to a stairway.
“What’s that?” I ask, taking in the old oak stairwell and liking everything about it. If Addie and I decided to move out into a house later on, we could rent the upstairs out for extra income, maybe even convert it into apartments which might entice staff to live there…
“Why didn’t you ask Ms. Harrington’s father for help when it came to finding a place. He does own several banks, after all.”
“It’s really something I wanted to do on my own. I don’t really want my future father-in-law helping me find a home. It’s my job to provide for Addie now,” I tell him. “It might be old-fashioned, but that’s who I am.”
“I like that,” he says. “The world moves too fast these days,” he adds just as he opens the entrance to the home. I take one look at the open living area and large kitchen with marble counters and I know Addie is going to love it. I love it…
Most of all I love that I’ve found mine and Addie’s home. Things are definitely looking up.
If only I could close the book on Linda…
Chapter Fifty-Six
Addie
“You’re sure about this?”
I snuggle up to Black, my ear pressed against his heart, listening to it beat. The sound makes me happy.
Black makes me happy.
“If I wasn’t sure, sweetheart, I never would have shown you the place.”
“Living over top of a restaurant isn’t an ideal home. It’s not good for babies or dogs or…”
“Addie, we’ve discussed this. You want this. Your own restaurant might not be what you had in mind. I know you were set on working your way up with a prestigious name. But, you can build this one to whatever heights you want. You have that ability.”
“You have that much faith in me?” I ask, more than a little awestruck.
“Sweetheart, I have all the faith in the world in you. Plus, I eat a lot of your cooking. Trust me, if anyone can put Mason on the map as the place for culinary excellence… It is you.”
“It’s a lot of money, Black,” I remind him and it is.
The building itself might be a bargain, but we’ll be taking out loans for renovations, and staffing… so much that it makes my head spin.
“It’s an investment,” he argues and looking at him, I feel his confidence in me and it makes me feel powerful.
“You don’t have to do this you know?” I’ll be fine working for a small restaurant. I don’t even care if it has a big name. As long as I have you to come home to, I’m fine.”
“I know,” he says, kissing along the side of my neck. “I want you to have a restaurant, Addie and to be honest, I kind of want to remain in Mason.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. I love it here, I love being close to my family and I enjoy my job. This is where I want to raise a family and this is where I want to grow old with you.”
“Me too,” I whisper.
“Then we’re doing this right? We’re buying the building and my woman is going to be the most kick-ass Chef this side of the Pecos.”
“We’re doing this,” I giggle, then I flip so I’m straddling him and kiss him. It’s a kiss of hope, promise and love… definitely love.
“I only have one question,” he asks.
“What’s that?”
“Did you say that tomorrow is the day that Petal is going to take the pink out of your hair?”
“Yep, by this time tomorrow night you will be sleeping with a blonde again,” I tell him. “It’s starting to grow again too, thank God.”
“Then, I guess I better get busy,” he says.
“Busy doing—” I never finish my question; it breaks off into a squeal instead. “What are you doing?” I laugh as he flips me over on my back and then he straddles me, a knee on each side of me.
“I’m running out of time,” he says, grabbing the ends of his t-shirt that I’m wearing and pulling it over my head. I help him get it off—it’s not like I have much choice… or that I want one.
“For what,” I ask, still laughing even as he wraps his hands under each of my breasts, kneading them.
“To have wild sex with a girl with pink hair. It’s on my bucket list.”
“Then I guess you had better hurry,” I smile, as I reach down and circle his cock in my hand.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he grins, right before he sucks on my breast.
Heaven.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Black
“Do we really have to go over this tonight?” I groan, looking at the different waiter/waitress uniforms that Addie has in pictures. They’re strung out over one of the new tables in the restaurant.
We’ve been in our new home for two months. We’re in the middle of renovations and the expense is making my head swim. Addie’s father insisted on giving us a big chunk of the renovation as a housewarming gift and Addie asked my mother to help her in the kitchen and organizing the restaurant. I didn’t think my mom would want to work outside the farm, but her and Addie have become super close and she jumped at the chance. Which means, my mother also put in on the renovations. We’re still spending a huge chunk of change, but it could have been much worse.
Life has been good. Every day with Addie just keeps getting better and better. We still haven’t heard from Linda. I keep hoping that means she’s given up, but somewhere in the back of my head I know she’ll show up again. It’s just the waiting for it that’s driving me insane.
“This is important, Black,” Addie says, looking up from the pictures.
“I’m tired, sweetheart. I want to go to bed.”
“Then—”
“In our bed, with my woman.”
“It’s not even dark outside, crazy man.”
“Is this what we’ve come to, Addie?”
“What?”
“A couple who can’t go to bed and have sex until it’s dark outside.”
“You said you were sleepy, not that you wanted to have sex,” she laughs.
“Would it have made a difference?”
“Damn straight. Let me just lock the door and—”
“Jesus, it’s hotter out there than a hooker’s doorknob on nickel night,” Mom says coming in like the hurricane that she is.
“Hold that thought, Princess,” I whisper to Addie.
“Hey, Ida Sue,” she responds, giving me a sneaky grin as Mom comes over and hugs her.
“Hey, Orchid. What are we doing tonight?”
I hold my head down, because if Mom’s here to work there’s one thing clear. I’m not about to get sex tonight.
“We’re deciding on the wait-staff uniforms. Black’s being zero help.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me? Hey son, how are you?” she says, hugging me.
“Hey, Mom.”
“So have we picked our favorites?” she questions, sitting down beside me.
“We’ve just started,” Addie explains. “These are my four favorites and Black was just about to tell me his.”
“I was?”
“I’d like to finish this before bedtime tonight,” she says, giving me a pointed look.
Score!
“I like this one,” I tell her picking one out without really looking at it.
“Good Lord! That’s a no, son. We want couples to come in for food—not a divorce.”
“What are you talking about?
“Those shorts are so short on that girl that I swear you can see parts of her hairy critter.”
“I swear, Mom,” I laugh, because I can’t stop myself. “Hairy critter?”
“Exactly. We don’t want none of that in my Orchid’s restaurant. It needs to be classy not a petting zoo free for all.”
“Petting zoo?” Addie asks, but I shake my head no. You really shouldn’t encourage my mother.
“These outfits will show off the girl’s barns. You make the barn look that enticing and everyone will want to pet the…”
“Hairy critters,” Addie finishes for Mom.
“There you go,” Mom answers.
“Okay, these are out of consideration,” Addie giggles.
“Either of the three remaining works. You figure out which one you like, Orchid. That’s what matters.”
“I’m too tired to think about it right now,” Addie sighs. “I’ll tackle it again tomorrow. I have to be up early. The ceiling fans are coming in and I have to sign for them.”
“Oh! I know a guy who can put them up,” Mom says cheerfully.
“He needs to know what he’s doing. I have a number for a certified electrician and—”
“Pfft. That’s a waste of money. My Chocolate Thunder can do it and he won’t charge a dime.”
“Titan?”
“He’s amazing at this kind of thing, Orchid. You take my word for it,” Mom croons, patting Addie’s hand.
“Jensen will not be happy if he comes over and finds you staring at Titan without a shirt again, Mom.”
“Then he can punish me later and it will be a win-win,” Mom laughs.
“Shoot me now,” I moan, putting my head down on the table, hearing Addie’s laughter.
“Not yet. I kind of like having you around,” Mom responds with that sly grin she gets sometimes. “I am wondering, however, what you’re doing to find that psycho-ex of yours.”
“Not a damn thing. I have people everywhere looking for her and it’s like she’s just dropped off the face of the earth. We’re finding nothing.”
“I think that’s good. Maybe she got afraid and decided to cut her losses and go—hopefully to another country, but at least another state,” Addie says cheerfully.
“You’re being too optimistic, Orchid. No, with that kind of crazy you know they’re not going to give up easily. I think she’ll rear her head soon.”
“You do?” Addie asks.
“She wants to make you pay for taking what she deems as hers,” Mom says and I frown.
“Bullshit. I was never hers,” I growl, still pissed at myself over even being with Linda in the first place.
“Not the way she sees it, boy,” Mom corrects me. “In her eyes, you were her property and she’ll want you to pay for leaving, but she’ll want Orchid to pay more.”
I know she’s right. Anger and fear mix inside of me. I’m running out of time to find Linda. I feel it.
“You think she’ll attack when she can hurt me the most,” Addie says, frowning.
“Yeah, I’m afraid so, Orchid.”
“Then the most likely time will be the opening of the restaurant,” Addie says.
Mom looks at me and we’re both thinking the same thing.
“Or sooner,” I murmur along with Mom. Shit.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Addie
“Let’s go, Lovey,” Jansen practically orders.
Jansen has a hold of Ida Sue’s hand, practically pulling her out of the restaurant. I’m standing by the entrance with Titan and Faith, doing a really bad job of holding in my laughter. Titan has been putting up the new ceiling fans and Ida Sue—along with Faith and I—have been enjoying the show. Hey, what can I say? I’m only human and he’s a fine specimen of why God created men.
Tonight was the first night Ida Sue got really upset with me. I wouldn’t turn the heat up to eighty-five. Now I admit, the urge to do it was there, but I’m not about to give myself heat stroke to admire Titan sweating.
“CT, you promise to bring my sweet little Faith over to see me with that precious Eris Sue?” Ida Sue asks, sounding entirely too sweet.
“You got it, CL,” Titan says easily and I have to giggle then—which was probably a mistake.
Ida Sue narrows her eyes at me and if I didn’t know her well enough to know that tomorrow she’d love me again—I’d be worried.
“You and me, Adelle. We have problems. Don’t think we don’t. You broke my heart.”
“What happened to Orchid?” I can’t help but ask.
“That name has been revoked,” she huffs. “No child of mine would break my heart like you did. There I was just freezing and you refusing to turn the heat up. I’m old. These bones get settled into the cold and I could die of pneumonia. Of course that’s probably what you want. You want me to die of—”
“That’s it,” Jansen growls and he picks Ida Sue up and throws her over his shoulders—a pretty impressive feat for the man. I hope Black is that athletic when he hits his sixties, because Ida Sue isn’t exactly small. She cooks good and enjoys it.
Jansen doesn’t bother saying goodbye, he just starts walking away. Ida Sue practically raises her upper half up, instead of resting on Jansen’s back. The three of us step closer to the door so we can watch them walk up the street.
“I’ll see you tomorrow CT!”
“What about me?” Faith asks her.
“Oh you too, darlin’,” she says, but her eyes are glued on Titan. “Bye CT!”
“Bye, CL,” Titan says, rubbing the side of his face and hiding his smile.
“Bye, Ida Sue,” I call out and she sniffs at me, not bothering to answer.
“Children, Jansen. They walk on your feet when they’re little, but when they get older they walk on your poor feeble heart,” she moans.
“I wasn’t around you when I was little to walk on your feet,” I call out.
“If you had been, you would have!” Ida Sue yells back as they round the corner and disappear out of sight.
“White people are damn crazy,” Titan laughs, his arm wrapped around Faith.
“Hey now,” Faith giggles.
/> “You’re crazy too, Babe. It’s just I like your kind of crazy.”
“Don’t lie, you like Ida Sue’s crazy,” I laugh at Titan.
“Can’t lie. That woman is as whacked as they come, but I love her deep. She’s got soul.”
“Does she know that CL stands for Crazy Lady?” I ask out of curiosity.
“She don’t care, but yeah. Thinks it’s sweet we have pet names for one another. Thanks, by the way, for not turning the heat up. Faith always goes along with her.”
“That’s because I like it when my man sweats,” Faith giggles.
“How about we get home and I’ll see what I can do to help you out?” Titan asks.
“Like that’s going to happen. Eris never sleeps through the night,” Faith moans hugging me. “Will you be okay, Addie? Do you want us to stay a little longer?”
“What? No. You get home to your girl. I’m not sure how long I’d trust Cyan to babysit,” I joke.
“He’s a wild one, but surprisingly around babies, he’s the best, so sweet and tender.”
“I like him,” I tell her, just in case she thinks I don’t.
“You like the whole family. You’re one of us now,” Faith grins.
“I do feel like I’ve been adopted by everyone, that’s for sure,” I laugh.
“It’s a good feeling,” Titan says. “If you’re sure you’re okay, we’ll head out. What time does Black get home?”
“In about four hours, which is early for him, but he wasn’t happy about having to work tonight, so Danny said he’d come in and let Black come home early.”
“That’s good. You make sure you lock your doors, though,” Faith says as her and Titan go outside.
“Will do. Thank you again for all of your help. I truly appreciate it. Hopefully Ida Sue will forgive me in time to help me do the last minute touches in the kitchen this week and we’ll be ready to open Monday.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Titan says. “But, thanks again for having my back,” he adds and I wave goodbye and then lock the door.
I turn around to look at the dining area and I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. The ceiling fans really just set the whole place off. The pendant lights are white with a brushed antique look to them and have two small gold lines around the bottom and the insides are gold with a steel wire guard. They look like something you’d find in a country home in France and I’m in love with them.