Love In Strange Places

by Ancelli

  She looked up at him, and what she saw scared her it looked like desire. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to think you’re flirting with me.”

  He slowed his tempo and leaned down to her ear. “What if I am?” he whispered, making her shiver. He pulled her as close as he could. “If I were you, I would be careful around me.”

  “Why?” She whispered.

  “Forget I said anything.” Andrew now stared straight into her eyes. “Wait, I take that back. I meant what I said.”

  Oh God, those eyes. I wonder if he can see what he’s doing to me. They continued dancing in silence.

  Someone cleared his throat and tapped Andrew’s shoulder. “May I cut in?” Dean took the opportunity to glare at Andrew.

  He scratched her back one more time and released her. “Remember what I said.” Without another word, he stepped off the dance floor.

  Dean grabbed her waist and began dancing. “What was that about?”

  She stopped watching Andrew and gave Dean her attention. “Nothing. We were just talking about the kids.” She said, placing her hands on his shoulder. She could still smell Andrew’s cologne. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “What’s the deal with that dude? He’s nothing like Matt.” He looked down at her.

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Matt seems like a good guy, but he’s brother looks like he has an issue with me.”

  “Huh…Dean, he doesn’t know you.”

  “It’s just the way he shook my hand.”

  “You’re reading too much into it. He acts like that until he gets to know you.” Sherry said glancing Andrew’s way.

  ***

  Andrew, Matt, their father Javier, and their uncle Victor all stood together, posing for a picture. They all wore black designer tuxes and had three things in common—they were all over six feet tall, they shared the same olive skin color, and they all had piercing green eyes. But the older Johnston’s had silver-and-black hair. Matt’s was black and Andrew’s brown. Watching the photo being taken was like watching a Spanish model magazine.

  “This day is so bittersweet.” Mr. Johnston said with tears in his eyes. “Today I married this beautiful woman.” He said, taking Maria’s hand in his and kissing it. She was a Columbian in her early fifties, with black-and-gray hair and hazel eyes. She wore a long, flowing ivory dress. “But I’m also saying goodbye to my two boys, my daughter-in-law, and grandkids.” He said, looking over at his family, this time with tears running down his cheeks. He had been offered a job out of the state, and couldn’t refuse. “Sons, I’m so proud of the men you both turned out to be, and I know if your mother was alive, she would feel the same.” He took a deep breath. “Even though I will not be here, if you ever need me I’ll come running.”

  Andrew and Matt hugged their dad. “Te amo.” Andrew said.

  His dad hugged him tighter. “Los amo mas.”

  “Dad, I’m going to miss you.” Matt said, getting emotional. “I love you.”

  “Me too.” Their dad leaned away. “Andrew, can we have a moment?”

  Andrew and his dad walked away from the others.

  “Yes, Dad?”

  “Hijo.” His dad said, placing his hands on his son’s shoulders. “It’s time for you to find a good woman and settle down. I want you to be happy.”

  “Dad, I honestly want that, but I haven’t found her yet. I haven’t found the woman that makes me want to give up everything, like you did when you met mom.” He smiled, remembering the story his dad had told them.

  “When you do find her, make sure you don’t let her get away, because you’ll regret it like I did. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, Dad.”

  “I should’ve fought for your mother, but I didn’t because my pride didn’t let me, but up to the day she died she was the love of my life.” A tear escaped his dad’s eyes, and he wiped it away. “And now I’ve been given a second chance. Maria makes me happy. She makes me a better man, but no one can replace your mother’s place in my heart.”

  He hugged Andrew one more time, and Maria called him for their last dance. Andrew stood there, thinking of what his father had just said. He didn’t know his dad still loved their mother, after everything she’d done to him.

  His parents met when they were young, and got married against his mother’s family’s wishes. Her parents thought his dad was beneath their family’s social status. He and Matt were born, but that wasn’t enough for his mother. She was used to a lifestyle that his dad couldn’t give her. His father worked many long hours, trying to make her happy, but she needed more. Then she met John Phillips and fell in love with his money and the life he offered her. The life she was used to. Their dad found out she was cheating and asked her to stop, but she didn’t. She divorced him and gave him custody of the boys. They went to see her occasionally, but soon everything changed. She stopped seeing them.

  More than two decades later they learned the reason she left was because she had lung cancer and didn’t want her sons to see her die, so she decided to die alone, but she went into remission and survived. Eventually, they both forgave her and were reconciled. Just a year and a half after that, she passed away from cancer.

  As he remembered his mother, he smiled watching his dad dance with his new bride, and then his eyes met with Sherry’s and her mouth curled up to a smile, and for some reason her smile caused his heart to race.

  Chapter Two

  “Hello.” Irritated Sherry answered her work phone, maybe a little unprofessionally because it was after hours, and because no one should have known she was there.

  “That’s how you answer your work phone?”

  “Who is this?” She was a little annoyed, until she heard an unmistakable voice in the background, crying her lungs out.

  “I! Want! My daddy!” Makayla screamed. “Dad…dy!”

  “It’s Andrew.” He answered, his voice a little rattled.

  “Andrew!”

  “Your brother-in-law!” He sounded as irritated as she felt.

  “I know who you are. How did you get my work number?”

  “Does it really matter?”

  “Yes, it does.”

  She heard him take a deep breath. “I tried calling your cell, but you didn’t answer, and since I was told you’re a workaholic, I took a chance at calling you at work.” He sighed. “I need your help. Makayla has a ear infection and she won’t stop crying.”

  He still hadn’t answered her question, but she would leave that alone. “Where are her parents?” She asked shutting down her computer.

  “They had a late meeting and I told them I would babysit.” The little girl cried even louder. “I regret it now.”

  “Take her to the hospital.” She said, grabbing her purse and keys.

  “Shannon already took her and gave her medication. I think I’m doing something wrong.” She could hear the despair in his voice.

  “So you want my help?” She said, smiling.

  “You know what Sherry, forget it. I should’ve known better.” He hung up on her.

  She stared at the phone, and threw it. “No, he didn’t.”

  She got up, turned off the lights, and locked her office door. “I can’t believe he hung up on me.” She said, walking toward the elevator.

  She exited the elevator to the parking lot, and got into her car, pushed the ignition button and drove to his house.

  ***

  He tried everything, from rocking to singing, to calm his little niece down, but nothing worked. Thank God Matthew was asleep. He should’ve known Sherry would be no help.

  His doorbell rang. He walked over with Makayla in his arms and pulled it open without even seeing who it was.

  “Why did you hang up on me?” Sherry asked, passing by him and dropping her purse on the table beside the door. “Give her here.” She took Makayla from him. Makayla was light-skinned, with big green eyes and curly hair.

  “Aun…ty, my…ear…” Makayla said in between cries,
pulling at her left ear.

  “It’s okay, baby. Aunty is going try to make it better.” She said, kissing her cheeks, and then she looked up at Andrew. “Did Shannon bring pain medication?

  “Yes,” he said, digging in Makayla’s backpack. “Here.” He handled her the bottle and the measuring cup.

  Sherry took the items, opened the bottle, measured the amount and gave her niece some. Makayla opened her mouth and swallowed. “Good girl.” She kissed her. “Where’s Matthew?”

  “He’s asleep.”

  He watched as Sherry rocked and sang to his niece until she began to fall asleep. She was so tender and loving. Watching her with Makayla made him want more out of life. He needed someone who could handle him and his ways, someone who wasn’t afraid to tell him when he was full of shit.

  “I love you my, Makayla.” Sherry said, kissing her nose. “She’s always so energetic. I hate seeing her like this.”

  “Me too.” He sat next to them. “Thanks for coming.”

  “You thought I wouldn’t come? She’s my family, and they come first.” She said, playing in her curls.

  “I didn’t know what to think.”

  “I was only kidding, and you hung up on me.”

  “I was stressed out, she wouldn’t stop crying. I’m sorry for hanging up on you.” He sincerely meant it.

  He took Makayla out of her arms and placed her in his bed, in between his pillows so she wouldn’t roll off. By the time he stepped back out, Sherry was on the phone.

  “Tiffany, sorry, I can’t make dinner tonight.”

  “Why?” her best friend asked.

  “Because Andrew called and needed my help with Makayla. She has an earache.”

  “Your fine-ass brother-in-law?”

  She smiled. “Yes.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you a rain check just because you’re spending time with that hunk of a man.” They both laughed.

  “It’s nothing like that.”

  “Okay, right.”

  She looked up and blushed when she saw him, but she knew he couldn’t hear Tiffany’s side of the conversation. “Tiff, I have to go. Call you tomorrow.”

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t, and you know that’s not much. Bye.”

  “Who’s Tiffany? If you don’t mind me asking?”

  “My best friend. You’ve met her before.”

  “I don’t remember.”

  “She’s your type.” She smiled. He stared at her with his eyebrow arched. “You know, blonde, skinny.”

  He didn’t answer. Let her think what she wants. “You have a big mouth.” He chuckled.

  “I didn’t say anything wrong. I was explaining why I canceled our dinner plans.” She got feisty, shooting daggers at him.

  “Kidding! I know how much you hate it when I say that.” His chuckle got deeper.

  She rolled her eyes at him.

  “You didn’t have to cancel.”

  “Makayla needs me.” Her eyes started getting soft.

  “Do you want something to eat?”

  “Yes, I’m starving.” She jumped off the couch.

  “Come on, I made dinner before the kids came over.” He guided her to his kitchen.

  “You made dinner? Or did you order?” She said, following him.

  “Like I told you before, there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” He gave her his sexy, lopsided smile.

  “You don’t say?” She smiled, as he uncovered the pots he had on the stove. “Mmm, rice, beans, and chicken, yummy.” She said, her stomach growling.

  Sherry sat in his kitchenette area and watched him prepare her a plate. “By the way, you have a lovely home.”

  “Thanks.” He said, setting the plate in front of her. “Eat up. I hope you like it.” He went into the fridge and came back with a glass of lemonade.

  “Thanks.” She gazed at him, as she took her first bite. “Mmm, this is good,” she took one bite after another. “This is better than Shannon’s.” She giggled.

  He smiled. “I’m telling her you said that.”

  “You better not…and you say I’m the one with the big mouth.” She took a sip from her drink.

  “Why were you at work so late?” He sat next to her.

  “I was catching up on some last-minute details. It’s not like I have anyone waiting on me to come home.” She said, feeling a bit sorry for herself. “Why are you always at work too?”

  “I’m good at what I do, and like you, I don’t need to rush home unless my family needs me.” He said, staring at her. Out of the blue, he asked her, “What’s your middle name?”

  She almost choked, and covered her mouth with a napkin. “Where did that come from?”

  “I’m trying to get to know you.”

  “You already know me.” She said, putting down her fork.

  “Not really. I mean, I know your family, but I don’t know much about you.” He said, not taking his eyes off her.

  “Okay, I’ll play your game. What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me three things I may not know about you.”

  Eyeing him, she picked up her fork and took a bite and finished chewing before speaking. “I have a masters of science in Information Systems.”

  “That’s interesting. Why did you pick that profession?”

  “I love developing systems, and anything to do with technology. Being a manager at Tech-Source gives me that and so much more.”

  He just looked at her, making her nervous. “I see. You love what you do.”

  “I do…my boss is another story.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He constantly looks over my shoulder. He tries to micro manage everything I do, but he doesn’t intimidate me. We get into it all the time.” She sighed. “But he won’t fire me, because as you said about yourself, I’m the best at what I do.”

  “I like your conviction.”

  “I’m a fighter. I don’t hold back any punches when it comes to what I want, and I don’t care what people say.”

  “We have a lot in common.”

  “Let’s see.” She put her index finger to her lips. “That was number one. Number two…I’m very different than my sister.”

  “In what way?” He seemed very intrigued; she could tell by the way he leaned forward.

  “Shannon tries to please everyone around her. Me, on the other hand, couldn’t care less. She always tries to get approval from our parents. I was so proud of her when she finally stood up against my father, because now she’s happy.” She smiled.

  “You don’t need your parents’ approval?”

  She started laughing. “Hell no, I’m a grown-ass woman. They lived their lives the way they wanted to, now its time for me to live mine. I do love them to death and would do anything for them, but I don’t need their approval.” She took a sip from her lemonade. “Abigail.”

  “Abigail?”

  “My middle name.” She gazed at him.

  He couldn’t believe how interested he was listening to her. “That’s a lovely name.”

  “It’s my grandmother’s name.” Her smile reached her eyes. “Now it’s your turn to tell me about you.”

  “I have a doctorate degree in law.”

  “Duh.” She chuckled. “I knew that you’re a lawyer.”

  “What happened to our truce?” He said, laughing with her. “Remember I’m telling you everything you told me.”

  “Why a lawyer?”

  “I honestly chose to be a lawyer because I wanted to help people, and the money is good.”

  She finished her food and pushed the plate aside. “Keep going.”

  “My brother and I may look alike, but that’s where it ends. I love him to death, but he’s too forgiving at times. Once a person crosses me, it’s hard for me to let that person back in.”

  “Are you talking about Shannon, and when she kept the secret about Matthew being Matt’s son? Because if you are…she didn’t do it out of malice. She thought she was doing the right thing.”
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  “I wasn’t talking about Shannon, but how was keeping Matthew’s parentage a secret the right thing?” He said, crossing his arms.

  “I didn’t say it was the right thing. She was wrong and I told her, but I can see where she was coming from. He was married, and she thought his wife at the time had a miscarriage and couldn’t have any more kids. She didn’t want to add to her pain.”

  “What about his pain, Sherry?”

  “I know, but he forgave her and now they’re married with two beautiful kids.” She smiled and then got serious. “It’s all Karen’s fault.”

  The vein in his neck started throbbing. “It is, but she didn’t act alone. My mom’s accountant was the mastermind behind everything.”

  “What was his name? Tony something? Hunter? They still haven’t located him?”

  “Tom Hunter. And no, but I doubt he’ll come back to the States after learning what happened to Karen.”

  She smiled. “I can’t believe she was so stupid and sued Matt, but in any case, she ended up with nothing.”

  Their eyes met. “Javier is my middle name.”

  “Like your dad.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve noticed that about Spanish cultures, the first-born son is usually a junior.”

  He laughed. “Not all Spanish cultures. I’m not a junior. My father wanted me to have my own identity. That’s why it’s my middle name.”

  “Is your son going to be a junior?” She said, getting up and walking to the sink.

  “If I have a son, no, I don’t want him to be junior.” He watched her place the dishes in the sink. “What do you do on your spare time?”

  “Nothing much, twice a month I volunteer at a Foundation. After Shannon survived breast cancer, I wanted to be able to help people fighting that disease,” she answered. “I’m very passionate about it.”

  “What’s the name of the foundation?” He donated money to a cancer foundation too.

  “Pretty-In-Pink, we raise money to help families with financial needs.”

  “Maybe one day I can come with you and help.”