“But I thought,” she swallowed hard then paused, “or was it just me?” Suddenly the dream she had fantasized for months had vanished right before her eyes as the finality in his voice shocked her into reality.
He shrugged. “All good things must come to an end.”
“That’s lame even for you.”
“I have something for you.”
“A parting gift, how sweet,” she said dryly as she stepped away.
J.T. reached into his pocket and pulled out the check from last night. He offered it to her. “It’s the check from last night.”
“I don’t want it. Give it to your next decoy.”
He offered it to her again. “You need it, for the school or studio or whatever you’re going to do next. Take it.”
“No, you keep it, donate it, give it away, whatever, I don’t care.”
“Take it, you earned it.”
The seriousness of his tone gave her pause. A quick intake of breath sent Juliet’s head spinning. How could she have been so blinded, of course, this was the big break up. She glared at him as a heavy feeling sank to the pit of her stomach. “You’re right, I did earn it.” She reached out and snatched the envelope. “Anything else?”
“Just to say thanks for your assistance.” He began walking toward the door.
“My assistance,” she repeated. “Was that all it was?”
“That was the deal.”
“And I supposed everything else that happened between us was also part of the deal.”
Here it comes, the big emotional scene. “No strings, no attachments, no expectations, no exceptions, remember that. I told you, my work is my sole commitment. I was never looking for a relationship.”
“Yeah, I remember that, cash for services rendered.”
“It wasn’t like that…” he began.
“…Really, then how was it?”
“You make it sound…”
“…Exactly what it was, a business proposition,” she replied and fingered the envelope in her hand. “Thanks for the payment in full. I don’t suppose I got a tip for service beyond the call of duty.” she added sarcastically.
“You’re being irrational.”
“On the contrary, I think I’m handling this quite well.” She began tapping the envelope against her hand. “You know I’ve been considering what I would do after I leave ballet in a few weeks. Thanks to you I’ve opened myself up to a whole new career opportunity.”
“This is exactly my point. You’re not being logical about this.”
“Oh please, your magnanimous compensation and donation to my new career is more than enough.”
“Juliet this relationship has never been about guilt. We both went in with our eyes wide open.”
“Relationship?” she questioned, “the word implies that emotions were involved and we know that wasn’t in the deal. So saying relationship is bit misleading, don’t you think?”
“Juliet…” he began.
She held her hand up to silence him. “I think you’ve said everything that needed to be said.” She smiled painfully and chuckled. “Funny, the last time we made a deal you walked out. And now here you are again at the same place. I guess I was right, after all some things never change.”
“There are extenuating circumstances.”
“There always are I’d bet. Now if you’ll excuse me I have another engagement this evening.”
“There’s no performance tonight.”
“I never said there was.”
“Juliet.”
“Good bye J.T.” She walked over and held the door for him to leave. He did. She refused to cry.
Chapter Twenty-One
If you’ve been to one political function, you’ve been to them all. Dry food and plastic people, either way Juliet was bored stiff. She looked over at Patricia who was having a lively, animated conversation with a senator about school vouchers and privatizing public schools.
She looked across the room to see Randolph speaking pointedly to one of his constituents about his opinion of something she was sure they had no idea what they were talking about. She shook her head, he was definitely a charmer. Politics was truly his calling. In a lot of ways he was so much like her father.
Maybe that’s why she always came when he called and needed a date for a particular function. She was his safe date and he was hers. At first the papers made a thing of it, but now it was customary that she would be on his arm whenever he needed her.
The stuffy air inside was beginning to make her dizzy. Juliet walked over to the patio doors and stepped outside into the night air.
J.T. felt more than a little possessive. As soon as he walked into the room he noticed her standing by his side.
Tall and stately, Senator Randolph Kingsley was just as he appeared on the TV news. A rising star in his political party, he was distinguished and it seemed Juliet was just as enamored by him as everyone else. He smiled warmly and graciously laughed and joked with those around him.
In contrast, Juliet was not smiling or seemingly enjoying herself, she just stood around for most of the evening. Time, she needed time. And like a fool that’s what he was giving her.
J.T. finally tore his eyes away when he felt a hand on his sleeve. He looked down to see a familiar face smiling up at him. “Nice to see you again, J.T.”
“Vanya, how are you?”
“Good.” She paused seeing his eyes drift across the room. “So, J.T. are you into politics?”
“No, not much.”
“I just wondered since you’re here.”
“I came with my cousin,” he said nodding to Trey, who was casually leaning on the bar talking to two pretty women.
Vanya’s interest elevated. “He looks familiar, would I know him from politics?”
“No Trey’s an investment banker.”
“Oh, I see. He does the money.”
“Yes.”
“He must be very smart.”
“He is.”
J.T. found his interest in the conversation waning quickly. Vanya said something, some small talk about being at a political function then asked if he was enjoying hiumself. He said no then excused himself seeing Juliet go out on the patio alone.
She stood by the edge of the garden path alone.
“Too crowded inside,” he said as he stood a few feet behind her.
She knew the voice, she turned, “J.T.,” her heart pounded wildly, he was the last person she expected to see tonight. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same question,” he said keeping his eyes firmly on hers. “I noticed you’re here with your senator friend.” He knew she’d know to whom he was referring.
“I see you’re here with your dancer friend.” Juliet watched as Vanya stepped outside, looked J.T. up and down, plant her fists on her thin hips then returned to the party.
J.T. turned around in time to see Vanya glare at him angrily then huff inside. “It’s not what you think,” he responded turning back to face her.
“Ditto,” she said pointedly.
“I came with my cousin,” he said quickly.
“I came with my brother,” she tossed back just as quickly.
Hearing her lame excuse and lie, he shook his head. Everyone knew she was seeing Senator Kingsley. “I just wanted to tell you that New York wasn’t just another night for me. Our time together was special. I felt something, you got to me and it scared the hell out of me.” He took a step back to walk away the paused. “Our deal is done, but I thought, I hoped, we could remain friends.”
Seeing the hurt on his face broke her heart. “J.T.,” she called out then walked toward him as he turned. “I felt it too. You have a restless spirit. You’re always searching for something, in your computers, in your life and in your heart.”
“Does he make you happy?”
“I hope someday you find what you’re searching for,” she said instead of answering his question.
“I have.” He took a step t
oward her then stopped cold.
“Good evening.” Both Juliet and J.T. looked surprised. Senator Randolph Kingsley walked up beside Juliet and placed his arm around her waist protectively. He reached out with his free hand to shake J.T.’s. “How do you do? Senator Randolph Kingsley.”
J.T. obliged, “J.T. Evans.”
“Yes, of course, it’s good to meet you. E-Corp has very generously contributed to my campaign and been a welcome partner in a few of my public school computer programs. Thank you for all your support, it’s greatly appreciated.”
“Don’t mention it.” J.T. nodded but kept his eyes on Juliet.
“Juliet, are you ready to leave?”
“Yes,” she looked at J.T.. She could have explained everything right now and end this misunderstanding, but having J.T. believe that she was involved with Randolph was better. That way he’d let go easier and she could get back to her life. “Goodbye J.T.. All good things must come to an end. An old friend told me that.”
A muscle visibly tightened in his jaw. He nodded curtly while accepting Randolph’s hand again.
“A pleasure meeting you,” Randolph said and guided Juliet back into the main hall. They met Patricia standing, waiting in the doorway. She’d caught the last part of the conversation. She leaned toward Juliet as they prepared to leave. “What was all that about?”
Juliet sighed with boredom. “That was the aftermath of J.T. dumping me earlier this evening.”
“Are you okay?”
“Probably not.”
J.T. turned his back and stared out at the darkness. Women. He was beginning to think that Trey and his many theories about women and love were beginning to make sense. How desperate was that?
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Five card stud, play ‘em like you see ‘em, nothing wild,” Trey said as he tossed cards around the circular table as four red chips piled into the center.
“J.T.?”
“J.T., yo man, you all right,” Dennis Hayes asked. J.T. finally looked up. All eyes around the table were staring at him as Trey continued dealing the cards. He looked at Dennis questioning.
Trey looked up. His eyes connected with Raymond Gates sitting right next to him. Raymond nodded, questioningly. Trey smiled and shook his head sadly. He knew exactly what was up.
“The pot’s light,” Dennis said as he pointed to J.T.’s stack of chips.
J.T. nodded and tossed a red chip into the center of the table. It rolled several times then stopped and fell alongside the others. He picked up his cards and absently glanced at them.
The conversation quickly turned back to Raymond, the recently returned newlywed. Tony had led the pack in teasing him mercilessly all evening. “Black men do not go to Switzerland on a honeymoon,” Trey said as he dealt the last five cards to those sitting around the table. He placed the remaining cards in a neat pile near him. “It’s just not natural. Tahiti, Brazil, Hawaii, even Paris as a last resort, but not Switzerland.”
“Why not Switzerland,” Raymond asked.
“Simple, Switzerland is cold with a lot of chocolate and a lot of watches. A honeymoon my friend,” Trey said, “means having your new bride in as many skimpy outfits as possible one hundred and fifty percent of the time.”
“Another theory,” J.T. asked plucking two cards from his hand and tossing them in the center of the table. Trey replaced his two cards with those from the pile.
“Precisely,” Trey confirmed and pointed to Tony.
A collective moan sent the room in a loud, boisterous debate on the perfect honeymoon location led by Tony and Raymond, the only two married men in the room.
“I hear Buenos Aires is perfect for a honeymoon,” Trey said pointing across the table to Dennis.
“St. Thomas.” Dennis followed suit tossing three cards in. Trey replaced them from the pile.
Tony tossed two cards down. “A honeymoon can technically be on the moon as long as you’re with the woman you love,” he said as Trey pointed and gave him two in return.
“Switzerland was perfect,” Raymond smiled knowingly. He tossed two cards and accepted two in return. “Snow-capped mountains, beautiful scenery, crisp fresh air, skiing in the morning, shopping in the afternoon, and sitting close by the fire drinking champagne and eating chocolate while coming up with interesting ways to warm each other. Cold nights, hot love, sexy, and sensuous, believe me Switzerland was the perfect honeymoon spot.”
Trey pulled three cards from his hand, tossed them aside and replaced them with cards from the pile. He collected all the tossed cards and set them aside. The room hushed as each man looked at the cards in their hand studying and calculating the possibilities as they nodded, grudgingly admitting that Switzerland might not be bad location after all.
“I’m in,” J.T. said and tossed two chips onto the pile.
“I’ll see you,” Dennis said, following suit with two chips then added another two, “and I’ll raise you ten more.”
Tony eyed the men at the table and glanced at each one’s face card. He shook his head conceding “too rich for my blood. I fold,” he tossed his entire hand into the discard pile. “Egypt,” he continued to the silent room, citing his own honeymoon location. “The Pyramids, the Sphinx, Cairo Museums, treasures from ancient times, floating on the Nile by moonlight and following in the same footsteps as our ancestors, Egypt and Africa was perfect.”
“No way. Who wants to honeymoon in a thousand degrees? You and Madison got that roaming the desert on a camel stuff. Give me a cool breeze, but not Switzerland’s twenty below,” Trey said pointing to Raymond. Raymond tossed four chips into the pile. Trey continued, “…And give me warm temperatures, not Egypt’s hundred and ten degree weather. I’ll take something nicely tucked in the middle maybe with a little gambling just in case I get adventurous, maybe someplace like Aruba or Rio,” Trey said and tossed his chips into the pile and pointed to J.T.
“We’ve decided to go to St. Thomas,” Dennis added.
Heads nodded. St. Thomas was an excellent location for a honeymoon they all agreed, although Trey added that to party, a short ferry ride to St. John would definitely be in order.
After the conversation finally slowed, Tony looked at Trey. The poker game had come to a complete halt.
“J.T.” Trey said. Getting no response, he shrugged and nodded his head toward his distracted cousin.
“J.T.” Tony said.
“J.T. yo man, you all right man?” Dennis asked. J.T. finally looked up. All eyes around the table were staring at him again.
“J.T. man, what’s up? You feeling okay, you’ve been distracted and moping around here all night,” Raymond said.
“I know that look,” Tony said.
“Don’t mind him,” Trey answered. “He’s got a virus.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Raymond said as he laid his cards on the table face down. “What kind of virus?” The doctor in him immediately took over.
“Call,” J.T. said as he added two chips and turned his hand over. Each man followed suit revealing their cards. After sizing up the hands, Dennis chuckled and pulled the chips towards him. “I knew you were bluffing,” he said as Trey gathered the cards, shuffled and prepared to deal again.
J.T. glared at his cousin sitting beside him. Trey instantly began laughing as Raymond cut the cards. “Doctor, gentlemen,” Trey began, “My dear cousin here has contracted the worst of all viruses, no cure, no medicine, no treatments, no known antidotes and always completely fatal.” He began dealing the cards. “It leaves you mindless and whipped for the next seventy plus years. Two words my friends, lovicuois jonesious.”
“What?” Dennis asked looking at J.T. concerned.
“Love Jones,” Raymond said deciphering Trey’s attempt at Latin.
“Exactly, and he caught if from Ms. Juliet Bridges.”
“Who’s Juliet Bridges?” Raymond and Dennis asked.
“You two have to get out more,” Tony said jokingly. “She’s a dancer.”
&n
bsp; “Ooh, a dancer,” Dennis said tossing three cards to Raymond. “Nice.”
“Not bad,” Raymond said as his fist tapped lightly with Dennis’.
“Actually she’s a ballerina, and she’s infected our poor comrade here,” Trey said.
J.T. glared at Trey. “Can we please just play the game?” He said suddenly interested in playing their monthly game of poker. His annoyed tone only aggravated the situation as the four men sitting at the table burst into laughter.
“J.T. we’re not laughing at you man. We’ve all been there. We’re laughing with you,” Raymond said picking up his three cards and arranging them in his hand.
“Speak for yourself, I’m laughing at him,” Trey said as he tossed two cards toward Tony.
“Okay, wait, guys let him talk,” Tony said. “How’d you meet her?”
“Mamma Lou, how else,” Trey said.
Laugher erupted instantly as finger-pointing and howls of amusement surrounded J.T. Dennis pulled out his blackberry and started scanning to see who’d won their wager. “I knew you were next, I knew it,” he repeated several times.
“Now it makes sense, my grandmother strikes again,” Tony said well aware of his grandmother’s expertise in matchmaking with his wife Madison. “She’s got a better batting average than Hank Aaron.”
“My advice,” Raymond began, “Mamma Lou’s matchmaking is like going down in quicksand, the harder you struggle the quicker you fall in love. You wind up fighting a losing battle. Just relax and let it happen.”
Laughter continued as each man reminisced about Mamma Lou’s matchmaking and the ultimate reward of finding their soul mates.
“Well sorry to disappoint you all, but not this time,” J.T. shouted above the laughter. “Mamma Lou had nothing to do with me meeting Juliet, so all the bets are off.”
“That you know of,” Raymond said remembering how Louise got him and Hope together by purposely eating almonds and winding up in the emergency room under her care. “My grandmother can be very sneaky.”
“True that,” Tony began as he reached his beer bottle across the table to tap Dennis and Raymond’s bottle lightly. “Remember Madison came to Crescent Island and stayed at the cottage for rest and relaxation. Even she was in the dark when it came to Mamma Lou’s plans for the two of us.”
Irresistible You Page 23