“I said, it’s you I want.”
Alonzo held her gaze for a long few seconds before pulling her closer to him. Pressing his lips against hers, he repeated his adoration between tender kisses.
“You’re all I think about, Loretta. I have wanted you since the day I laid eyes on you in that airport. I was hoping you were my new housekeeper, but for reasons that had nothing to do with domestic work.” He devoured the fullness of her mouth with his. They lingered in a long, passionate kiss.
“Alonzo, I’m crazy about you, too,” Loretta said. “I’m sorry, I’m just scared of all of this -- of these feelings.”
“I know,” he said. “But there’s no need to be afraid.”
“Yes, there is,” she said. “No matter what you say, you are still somebody else’s husband.”
“Oh, I see,” he said. “But Marissa hasn’t been in my life for a long time, Loretta. You know that.”
“I know, but it still matters, Alonzo. I can’t see you like this, not anymore. I’m not getting any younger, and I don’t want to get entangled with a married man, whether or not it’s just on paper,” she said.
“I see,” he said, thinking. “Just know that I hear you, okay. And no matter what, I am not going anywhere.”
“It doesn’t matter. We can only be friends.”
“Friends?” he almost laughed at that. But looking deep into her eyes, he knew she was serious. He sighed. “Okay, that will have to do, for now. But my heart belongs to you,” he pleaded, trying to stroke her lips again with hers.
But Loretta turned her head so his lips landed firmly on her cheeks.
Alonzo sighed. “Okay, have it your way, Loretta. But I’m not going anywhere -- and you’re not either,” he said.
She shot him a surprised look.
“Because I do have you locked into a ten year restaurant lease remember?” he teased.
“That you do,” she agreed. “That you do.” Loretta rested her head on his broad shoulders and exhaled.
“I’m sorry, Alonzo,” she said. “I hope you understand.”
“I do,” he said, knowing what task lay ahead of him. “I understand and respect it, too.”
After Alonzo left, Loretta sat on her porch for a long time, thinking. She said a silent prayer, thanking God for the courage to say what was on her mind and asking him for the strength to stay away from the man she loved.
As she exhaled, a sadness clouded her world. Lord she would miss him, but she felt good about expressing her feelings. Hoping she hadn’t lost him forever, she knew with certainty that if she had, she would be able to look herself in the mirror, and that was more important than anything.
Later that night, as she was lying in bed picturing Alonzo’s chest, her mind flitted to Velma and what Alonzo had said about Malachi. But she dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come and turned her mind back to Alonzo. She snuggled up to her pillow, in search of sweet slumber, already knowing it would be a long, restless night. She didn’t know how in the world she would be able to work at the vineyard seeing him every day.
Chapter 17
August had almost flown by. Loretta missed Alonzo so much, but she had much to keep her busy with hiring the new staff, coordinating the grand opening, preparing the menu, marketing and more. In the evenings, she was exhausted, and with the help of a heaping cup of chamomile tea, she would fall asleep without much effort.
Just as she was about to crawl into bed to watch the news and doze, she heard a knock on the door.
It had to be Alonzo; no one else would be coming by so late.
She peered out the window into the darkness in search of his vehicle. It was not there.
“Who is it?” she asked, tying the white, silky kimono tight around her waist.
“It’s me,” the familiar, husky voice said.
Loretta glanced up at the heavens. “God give me strength,” she mouthed.
“Hi,” she said opening the door half way. He looked great. Dark blue jeans hung stylishly at his waist, and a light beige summer sweater hugged his hulking frame. She got a whiff of his favorite cologne that sent a passionate swirl between her thighs.
“Hi,” he said, taking in her scantily clad body. “Did I wake you?” His eyes landed on her bosom, barely hidden by the soft fabric.
“No, I wasn’t asleep.”
Alonzo noticed she didn’t invite him in. “I just came by -- to check on you,” he said, leaning against the door frame.
She could see desire oozing from those dark eyes.
“Thank you, that was nice. But I’m okay,” her voice trembled with wanton.
They stared at each other for a long moment. Loretta missed him inside of her. She needed to feel him more than he could possibly know. She missed their walks, their talks, and their lovemaking.
“Okay, then,” Alonzo said, getting the message.
Loretta saw damaged pride on his face.
“I’m sorry, Alonzo,” she said, tears rimming her eyes.
“Me, too,” he said, running his hand through his dark mane. “Me, too.”
He turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
Loretta sighed as she slowly closed the door.
She felt like she’d lost him. Tears rained from her eyes as she climbed back into the bed and held fast to her pillow.
Chapter 18
The next day, Loretta was at the same little airport she’d flown into months ago.
“It’s so good to see you, Terrell!” Loretta said, tiptoeing to hug her son tight. “Boy you’ve grown! “You’re going to be taller than your father.”
“Yeah, I measured in at six foot three,” he said, with more bass in his voice than she remembered.
“Well it’s good to see every inch of you,” she said, hugging him again.
“It’s good to see you, too, Ma,” he said, studying his mother. He could see she had lost a lot of weight. “You look great!”
“Why thank you, Son. I’ve gotten back into my walking.”
“That’s good, Ma. You seem happy.”
“I am, I really am,” she said. “Come on, I can’t wait for you to see the vineyard and the restaurant. And there’s somebody special I want you to meet.”
Terrell gave her a smile. “You met somebody?”
She shrugged off the question because she wasn’t really sure where they stood.
“He’s the owner of the vineyard, and my landlord. I think you’ll like him. His son is about your age, and he’ll be here this weekend, too.”
“Cool,” Terrell said, gathering his checked duffel bag from the circular roller.
Within moments, they were headed for the parking lot. Terrell gushed at the chromed-out SUV and asked his mother if he could drive.
“I already planned on it,” Loretta said, tossing him the keys.
“Thanks, Ma!” he said, opening the passenger door for her and hopping in the driver’s side.
They spent the afternoon at the vineyard. Terrell helped Loretta make sure things were in order for the opening by using a checklist she’d made up for herself. After they finished at the restaurant, they had lunch at the cottage and sat out back catching up.
A little later that evening, she heard a knock on the door. She knew it was Alonzo. He’d gone to the airport to get Umberto.
“Hi,” he said, his eyes filled with excitement. “I have someone I want you to meet.”
A tall young man with Alonzo’s build and dark, wavy mane stepped out from behind him.
“Umberto, this is Loretta Devon. Loretta, my son, Umberto.”
“Well nice to meet you, Umberto,” she gushed. “Your father has told me so much about you.”
“Don’t believe any of it,” he said with a familiar laugh. “Nice to meet you, Miss Devon.”
The boy reached out and embraced her. She liked the young man. He had a natural warmth about him.
Terrell came out from the back porch.
“This is my son, Terrell,” she sai
d, reaching back to grab his hand. “Terrell, this is Alonzo Thornton and his son, Umberto.”
“Hi Mr. Thornton,” Terrell said, reaching out to shake Alonzo’s hand.
“You can call me Alonzo. Nice to meet you, too.”
“Hey man,” he said to Umberto.
“Hey,” Umberto said. “How long you here for?”
“Just the weekend to help my mom with the opening.”
“Me, too. I leave on Monday. I’m heading into town to play some pool. You want to ride?”
“Sure --,” Terrell started, before glancing back at Loretta.
“Oh, go ahead,” Loretta sighed, giving in to the fact that her son may be spending more time with Alonzo’s son on this trip than with her. “I don’t mind.”
Terrell kissed her on the check. “Thanks, Ma!” Within seconds, the young men were gone.
“Be careful,” Loretta hollered after them as they drove Alonzo’s truck out of the driveway.
“Come in for a glass of wine?” she asked, remembering the exchange between them the night before.
There was no reason they couldn’t share a drink with him she decided. With the children in town, there was no danger of anything happening between them.
“I’d like nothing more,” Alonzo said with a wide smile.
Loretta blushed as they headed to her back patio.
Chapter 19
The next day, the grand opening went off without a hitch. The place was packed with guests from Alonzo’s mailing list. And the write up in the local papers of the neighboring villages brought in a stream of curious diners.
The wait staff consisted of a professional crew hired by a local agency, many of whom had been hired to stay on permanently after the grand opening. Loretta’s Garden was so crowded that she had to expand the back patio seating area onto the lawn.
Terrell and Umberto were invaluable in helping set up the garden area right off the flagstone patio as more guests than she’d anticipated filtered into the restaurant. Extra tables and chairs were hurriedly brought up from the store room by Terrell and Umberto, as the wait staff outfitted them with tablecloths and place settings.
Later that evening, after things had died down a bit, a striking woman with Umberto’s dark eyes sauntered into the restaurant. She was dressed in a tight-fitting, elegant white dress that stopped just above the knee. Matching high-heels and a tiny pearl-clad purse was tucked under her arms. Thick tresses that had been dyed a platinum blonde color cascaded loose well below her tiny waistline.
The woman was striking.
Loretta, who was chatting with a couple seated at a table nearby, noticed her as soon as she entered the restaurant.
The woman removed her large, dark sunglasses and spoke to the hostess, who pointed her in the direction of the wine cellar down the stairs off the kitchen door.
After a few moments, Loretta finished chatting with the customers, thanking them for coming. She rounded the corner to the kitchen and headed down the stairs to the wine cellar area.
Standing at the top of the stairs, she listened.
***
“Is my cottage still available?” the lady asked, a natural smokiness oozing through her Italian accent.
Alonzo could tell by the look in his wife’s eyes that she was asking for more than her cottage back.
The cottage that Loretta inhabited had been built specifically for Marissa. The few times he’d spoken to her the first year and a half after she’d left, he’d reminded her that she was still his wife. Even if she didn’t come back to him, to his bed, right away, she could come back to the vineyard and maybe, in time, they could come together again as husband and wife, and raise their son.
But that was years ago, and Marissa had not taken him up on his offer.
But now Marissa was back -- and she wanted her family. She was older and had come to realize she’d been a foolish young woman all those years ago. The man she’d run off with was not a bad man; he was just young and seemed to enjoy the chase more than the prize. But once he knew he had her, he started venturing out, seeking the next conquest, with no regard for her -- or what she’d given up to be with him: the security of the vineyard, her husband, and yes, her son.
“Where’s your significant other?” Alonzo asked, remembrances of old hurt filling his psyche. “What’s his name?” he heard himself ask, his tone laced with an edge of involuntary sarcasm.
“Talbert, and he left me a long time ago,” she said honestly, dropping her eyes to avoid that enchanting stare that could only belong to Alonzo Thornton.
“I am sorry, Marissa,” Alonzo said, softening his tone. Though Marissa was still very beautiful, Alonzo could see a battered woman behind those dark lashes, one who had clearly gone through some emotional toil over the years.
“No, I am sorry,” she said. “For what I did to you. I know now that it was a mistake.” Marissa glanced away as she spoke, embarrassment written all over her face.
Alonzo exhaled. He had waited a long time to hear those words. But it didn’t make him feel any better.
“Don’t be sorry for what you did to me, Marissa,” he said. “Be sorry for what you did to our son.”
“Please forgive me,” she said, coming toward him. “I want to come back home,” she said. “Please, Alonzo.” Marissa reached up to try to embrace him.
Alonzo used a firm grip to remove her hands from around his neck.
“It took you how many years to find your way back here --to your son?” he asked, boring a hole through her with eyes that were growing red from remembering his son’s hurt over the years. He could forgive her transgressions toward him, but not toward their son.
“I am sorry, Alonzo,” she said, pleading. “I was foolish. I wanted to come back, I did. But I didn’t know how, I didn’t know what to say -- and whether or not you would still have me after leaving you for Talbert.”
“I would have accepted you, Marissa,” Alonzo said, running his hands through his hair and looking up at the ceiling for the right words. “Do you know how long I waited? How long your son hoped you’d come back?”
“I know, I know. But I am here now,” Marissa said, her eyes full of sorrow. “I was a foolish young girl. You are my husband, and I want to come home.”
Tears finally rolled from Alonzo’s lids, more from anger now.
“It’s too late!” he said in a loud whisper.
Marissa tried to regain her composure as her emotions ran from sorrow to anger.
“I won’t sign this!” she shot, rage filling her voice as she slammed the divorce papers Alonzo had served on her. He’d had a private investigator searching for her for weeks. “You are still my husband, and I will not give you a divorce!”
A rustle near the back door staircase of the wine cellar caught them both off guard.
It was Umberto.
Their son stood there at the top of the stairs, a young man, growing strong and broad, just like his father. But tears rained from his eyes and spilled onto cheeks red and swollen with emotion. He stood, panicky, looking at his mother as if he were a little boy again.
“Mother?” he asked, coming down the stairs into the cellar.
“Yes,” Marissa smiled, coming toward him with her arms outstretched for his embrace.
But Umberto recoiled from his mother like she was the plague.
“Sign them!” Umberto said pointing at the divorce papers.
Alonzo had told his son about his plans to find and divorce his mother. The loyalty and honesty they shared as father and son ran deep, and Umberto would do anything in the world to protect his father, as he had done for him.
“My father deserves every happiness, and I won’t have you rob him of that.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Marissa said, her voice softening. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you. I love you, you have always been with me, in my heart,” she said, inching closer toward him.
Umberto’s face was flush with tears, and his soul was full of hurt, anger, and con
fusion -- and yet, at the same time, he had the strange desire to reach out and cling to his mother like a toddler after getting hurt on the playground. “I don’t know you,” he said, his lips trembling.
“But we can change that,” Marissa said, pleading with him from arms’ reach. “I want to get to know you, son. Please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you. Please accept me into your life, if for just a little bit. I love you so much. I was a foolish, foolish woman.”
From This Day Forward: Multicultural Romance Page 10