Sharp Curves Ahead

by Allison Hobbs

  “What did he say to you?”

  Jayla shook her head. “He didn’t recognize me, due to the weight loss, and I put on sunglasses to make sure he didn’t. Then I sneakily propped my phone up and began recording.”

  “I don’t understand how he found the time to maintain a second family,” Bailee said tearfully. “Those kids looked to be at least four and five years old. How the hell is it possible that he fathered children five years ago and kept up a relationship with their mother?”

  “What about all those overnight business trips he used to take?” Jayla suggested.

  Bailee nodded. “Yeah, and those late Tuesday nights when he was supposed to be entertaining clients.” She groaned. “How could I have been so blind? And what kind of woman would accept a part-time relationship with a married man?” Bailee blurted and then looked away in embarrassment. “Sorry. No offense, Jayla.”

  “None taken.” Jayla gave a shrug. “Don’t blame yourself. Trent’s side chick was in it for the long haul. She wasn’t polished like you, Bailee. She looked like a ’hood bitch to me. For a woman like that to get her clutches into an educated, hard-working professional is a major come-up for the next eighteen years. Trent is probably the best thing that ever happened to her. As long as he takes care of her and her kids, I’m sure she’s been willing to play her part and not make any waves.”

  “This is sick. Trent worked so hard to improve his circumstances. Why would he start a life with someone who’s not up to his level, education-wise or professionally? What on Earth do they have in common?”

  “With Trent’s background, being from the ’hood, too… Well, I hate to say it, but he was probably more comfortable with his baby mom than he was with you.”

  The truth hurt and Bailee flinched from the pain.

  “But maybe there’s a silver lining in all of this,” Jayla said.

  Bailee sucked her teeth. “I doubt it.”

  “Maybe exposing Trent’s deceit can help you with the divorce. You said he was trying to force you to pay his debt. Hopefully, there’s an infidelity clause in the prenup that will exempt you from being responsible for the fucking bills he racked up while trying to take care of two households.”

  Bailee gnawed on her lip. “I wonder where his family lives. What his baby mom drives and whether or not his children attend private school.”

  “We’re gonna find out,” Jayla said adamantly. “I read that it’s hard to prove what constitutes cheating.” She paused and shook her head ruefully and then suddenly, broke into a grin. “But…with the damning video, you have tangible proof that the cheating bastard doesn’t deserve a goddam penny from you.”

  “Actually, I’ve had proof that he’s a cheat for quite a while,” Bailee admitted glumly.

  “What kind of proof?”

  “Nothing that pertains to the children or their mother. There’s something I haven’t had the heart to tell you.”

  “Do you wanna fill me in?”

  “Trent is involved with my mother. They’re living together, and my mom is serious about the relationship.”

  A look of confusion crossed Jayla’s face. She held up her hand and waved it in the air. “Whoa. Wait! What?”

  “You heard me. My mother and my husband were having an affair during my marriage and then decided to go public with it.”

  “But I thought your mom couldn’t stand Trent.”

  “I thought so, too. Stupid, gullible me.”

  “But…all this time that you and Trent have been separated, you never said a word to me. Why not?”

  “I couldn’t talk about it. It was too painful. And I was too ashamed to admit that my own mother had callously stolen my husband. But, in light of the secret-family drama, I suppose she’s in for the surprise of her life. And she deserves it,” Bailee said bitterly.

  “Fuck this coffee; I need something much stronger,” Jayla announced, placing the coffee mug on the counter. She got up and crossed the kitchen in long strides. Yanking open the fridge, she took out a chilled bottle of wine with a colorful label that was a display of modern art.

  “I was going to celebrate with this expensive vino after I sold this house, but I need it now,” Jayla said, holding the attractive wine bottle up for Bailee to see. She retrieved a corkscrew from a drawer and opened the bottle. “Would you like a glass?” Jayla asked.

  “Sure, a drink will probably help me get through the ordeal of telling the disgraceful, heartbreaking story that I’m about to share with you.”

  Jayla poured the dark red liquid into two glasses and handed one to Bailee. Bailee swirled the wine, sniffed it, and then took a sip. “What time is your next buyer scheduled to arrive?”

  Jayla checked her watch. “Not for another hour and a half.”

  “Good. Plenty of time for me to open a vein and start bleeding all over again.”

  “I’m so sorry that you were hurt and betrayed like this. Your mom has to be the most self-centered and non-maternal person in the world. And Trent…” She shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say about him. It’s no secret that I disliked him, but I never doubted his love for you.”

  “Yeah, he was pretty convincing. But, now you know that he’s a deceptive opportunist. He’s a womanizer and it’s within the realm of reason that he’s also a psychopath.”

  “Did you suspect he was seeing your mom?”

  “Never! They acted like they despised each other and I bought into the ruse.

  “Geez. So, how’d you find out?”

  “At our anniversary party, I saw my mother comforting Trent after I’d slapped him on the dance floor. I thought it was strange, but didn’t give it much thought. After the party, Trent didn’t come home for several days. When he finally showed up, he told me he was leaving me for my mom, and he made it clear that he was only interested in her for her money.”

  “Wow,” Jayla uttered.

  “When I confronted my mother, she acted entitled to my husband. She told me she was in love with him and seemed to expect me to understand.”

  Jayla smacked the top of the granite counter. “That dirty bitch has a lot of nerve. She’s nothing but a high-class ho.”

  Bailee chuckled and then said, “I don’t know why I’m laughing. You’re the only person who can make me laugh during the most serious situations.”

  “I wasn’t being funny; I’m dead serious. Giselle is always on her siddity shit, but all this time, she’s been lurking in the shadows, sucking on her son-in-law’s dick. Now, that’s taking hoe-ishness to a whole other level.”

  Bailee snickered again. “I don’t know why I took so long to tell you. I should have known you’d bring levity to the situation and make me feel better.”

  “I’m not trying to amuse you, Bailee. Your mother needs her ass kicked and—” Jayla stopped abruptly. She leaned in and eyed Bailee intently. “If you want somebody to bust her kneecaps and mess up her face, say the word and I got you,” she said, speaking in a hushed tone.

  “Since when did you become gangster?”

  “I’m not gangster! Surely, you didn’t think I was referring to myself. Oh, hell no, I’m way too cute and too civilized to be attacking somebody with a tire iron, but Derek, on the other hand…” She let her words trail off ominously. “Put it this way, after being locked up for so long, he’s no stranger to violence.”

  “No, I don’t even want to go there. Nothing violent or illegal. Trent and my so-called mother are not worth it.”

  “You’re right; that bitch named Karma is going to take care of your mom without your having to lift a finger.” Jayla drained the remaining wine from her glass. “I’m curious, though, are you going to tell your mom about Trent’s baby mom and his two little crumb snatchers?”

  Bailee smiled ruefully. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “My mother thinks she knows Trent better than I do, and she could be right because apparently, I didn’t know him at all. But she had the gall to describe their illicit liaison
as sacred. Can you believe that?” Bailee said, shaking her head incredulously. “So…in response to your question, I’m not going to tell her anything until I feel the time is right. And when it’s right, I’m going to let her know all about Trent and his secret family. I’m curious to discover how sacred she’ll consider their relationship after she finds out that he cheated on both of us.”

  Chapter 27

  Jayla entered her condo and was greeted by the scent of garlic and onions. She could hear the sounds of Derek moving around in the kitchen, opening cabinets, clanging together pots and pans. She dropped her briefcase on the floor, removed her jacket, and hung it on the coat rack.

  She strolled into the kitchen, and the sight of Derek hovering over the stove, wearing jeans and a tank top that exposed his beefy arms, stalled her steps and nearly took her breath away.

  It was a sin and a shame that she was stuck in the friend zone with such a big, fine man.

  Unconsciously, her tongue flicked against her lips. “Something smells good. What are you making?” she asked, purposely keeping her voice steady and devoid of lust.

  Derek looked over his shoulder and grinned. “I found out from your mom that you love lemongrass and garlic shrimp over noodles. I found a recipe online.”

  Jayla looked at Derek, blinked, and sat down. “You found something online?”

  “Yeah, I finally broke down and upgraded my phone.” He turned toward the countertop and picked up a sleek Android. “They showed me the basics at the phone store, and I googled the Thai recipe. Cooking Thai food is a lot easier than I would have thought.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet, but I’m not hungry.”

  “I’m not trying to hear that. I’m gonna keep it a hundred, Jayla. Ms. Lorraine is worried that you’re going to dwindle down to skin and bones and get sick as a dog. I gave her my word that I wouldn’t let that happen. It’s time for you to start following the doctor’s orders and eat a lot of small meals every day.”

  Though Derek’s tone was quiet, it was surprisingly firm. His body language was dynamic and masculine, giving Jayla the impression that he wouldn’t hesitate to beat her ass and force-feed her if he had to. The way his muscles tensed was somewhat threatening and extremely attractive at the same time, and Jayla found herself growing slightly moist between her thighs.

  Damn, damn, damn. Why does this motherfucker have to be gay?

  He catered to Jayla throughout the meal, placing napkins in front of her, adding ice cubes to her iced tea, and even pouring Equal into the drink and then stirring it briskly. It felt good being cared for in such a genuine way, but she wished Derek was capable of seeing her in more than a sisterly way.

  They were as intimate as lovers, minus the sex. They often cuddled together on the sofa while watching TV, they played video games together, he rubbed her feet when she complained about having to walk around in heels all day, and they enjoyed the same kind of music—old school—and were both anxiously waiting for Janet Jackson to lose her baby weight and get back on tour.

  Jayla ate slowly, chewing the shrimp thoroughly in order to get it down. “This is delicious. It tastes like it was prepared by an authentic Thai chef.”

  Derek smiled appreciatively. “Glad you like it. By the way, how’d it go with the house in South Philly today? Any offers?”

  “Not yet, but I’m not worried. The houses in that area are going like hotcakes. Gentrification is no joke! It’s unbelievable that those small row homes are selling for up to five hundred thousand.” She made a scornful sound. “And the only reason my boss gave me that listing is due to my weight loss. I suppose I look presentable enough to show houses that will bring in a decent commission.” She angrily speared a piece of shrimp with her fork. “I can’t wait until I start working for myself on a full-time basis.” She let out a breath of frustration. “Anyway, I’m showing the house again tomorrow and I know I’ll get a sale. To be honest, I have to blame myself for today because I wasn’t into it and my pitch was a little off.”

  Derek’s thick brows knitted together. “Oh, yeah? What was wrong?”

  “After all this time, Bailee finally decided to open the e-mail with the video that I sent her.”

  “Oh, shit!”

  “She came by the house while I was between showings.”

  “Was she was fired up?”

  “Not exactly. It was more like she was extremely hurt and downhearted.”

  Derek nodded in understanding. “Even though their marriage was already over, it couldn’t be easy for her to find out what he was into.”

  “And there’s even more to the story.” Jayla shook her head gravely.

  “Spill it. I’m all ears.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out. “Trent was cheating on Bailee with her mother.”

  Derek frowned. “Huh?”

  “You heard me. Her mom unapologetically stole her man.”

  “That’s fucked up.”

  “Tell me about it. But don’t feel too sorry for Bailee. Believe me, she always lands on her feet. After she got over the shock of Trent’s secret life, and after she bitched about him and her mom, she politely informed me that she’s involved in a passionate love affair with Hayden Charles.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “You know Hayden Charles, he’s the hot-as-hell workout dude—they call him the Workout King. He sells millions of workout DVDs.”

  Derek shrugged. “I’ve been locked up, so how would I know who’s hot and who’s not?”

  “I keep forgetting that you lost ten years.” Jayla pulled up a YouTube video on her phone and handed it to Derek.

  As Derek viewed Hayden’s video, she studied his face to see if she would detect a glint of lust in his eyes. Braced to feel the painful sting of jealousy, she sat on the edge of her seat.

  “I never saw or heard of him, but he’s got a sweet hustle.”

  “I know, right?” Jayla said, relieved that Derek didn’t appear to be attracted to Hayden. “Do you want to meet him?” she asked with a sly grin.

  “Sure. Is he in Philly?”

  “Nope. He’s in Miami and Bailee invited us to celebrate with them. She’s covering our airfare, hotel, food—everything!”

  He questioned her with his eyes. “Celebrate what? Are they getting engaged?”

  “No, it’s not that serious…at least I don’t think it is. He’s having a launch party in Miami for his new fitness clothing line and—”

  “Oh, wow. That brother’s about his business; he’s not bullshitting at all,” Derek interjected, clearly impressed.

  “You and I are not bullshitting, either. In fact, day after tomorrow, we’re going to bid on a property and then we’re going from bar-to-bar until we find my Uncle Gator. He’s a hot drunken mess most of the time, but when he’s sober, he’s a hard worker. He knows how to throw up some drywall and he can follow instructions on anything you need him to do. In time, you’ll have a whole team of workers, and we’re going to be flipping houses like crazy.”

  “I wasn’t comparing our business venture with what Bailee’s man has accomplished. Why’re you taking it personal?”

  “I’m sorry if it sounds like I’m being defensive.” She sighed. “It’s just that Bailee stays winning. Even when she’s down, she has a knack for getting up and leaving me in the dust. It’s bad enough that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but back in college, she consistently made the dean’s list. And then, Trent put a ring on it two seconds after we graduated.”

  “And that worked out well,” Derek said sarcastically.

  “Yeah, but you have to understand…all my adult life I’ve been single, working for commission, and always struggling financially. Being a big girl was yet another burden. Meanwhile, Bailee didn’t seem encumbered by her weight. She had a happy marriage, or so I thought. And, she had a high-powered job and an inheritance to look forward to.”

  “So, you’ve been jealous of her all these years?”

  “Sort of. And the s
ecret jealousy made me feel so guilty because she’s my girl.”

  “You’re only human, but you need to work on the jealousy thing. It’s not healthy.”

  “I know, it’s not cool at all. I thought we were finally going to become equals when we shared our weight loss journey together. In my mind, being equals meant we’d both be single at the same time as we navigated the dating world with new bodies and a new outlook on life. But Bailee is already romantically linked…and with a celebrity, no less.”

  Derek scowled. “Calling a fitness trainer a celebrity is a stretch, don’t you think?”

  “He’s very well known, but that’s neither here nor there. Bailee told me that Hayden chose her to be the face of his brand. My girl, who is such a brilliant mathematician that she could get a job anywhere, is now entering brand-new territory and is about to take the fashion world by storm.” Jayla shook her head. “Some people have all the luck.”

  “It’s workout wear, not high fashion,” Derek said, attempting to lessen Jayla’s envy.

  “You know what I mean. She’s going to be representing plus-size women. With the kind of luck Bailee has, her modeling career will blow up bigger than Ashley Graham’s.”

  “And what’s wrong with that? After the hell she’s been through, you should be happy for her instead of bitching and complaining.”

  “You’re right, but I can’t help how I feel.” Brooding, Jayla put her fork down and grimaced as she touched her stomach. “I can’t eat anymore; I’m full.”

  Derek rose to his feet and removed her plate. “Do you have room for dessert—a half-scoop of frozen yogurt?”

  She shook her head glumly.

  “You need to let it go, Jayla. It’s not cool to harbor resentment and jealousy toward your closest friend.”