What in the world had she ever done to warrant such betrayal? From the time she and Evonne met fifteen years ago while waiting to get their hair done at the salon, Evonne had been like the sister she never had. She thought she could trust Evonne with her life and her husband. When it came to men, be it boyfriend or husband, the thin, invisible line that a sister should never cross, Evonne had obliterated. A long time ago they had talked about never touching each other’s man—not out of curiosity, not out of retaliation, not even out of desperation. They made a pact that if either of their men made a pass, they would tell, sparing no details, as their one true pledge to the other was to always remain loyal, always sister-friend to the end, but that was not the way it played out. As she saw it, nothing on Evonne’s face said she had been so drunk she didn’t know what she was doing, and nothing in her eyes said she was remorseful. Jared said Evonne told him she had been seeing someone. Was that Evonne’s lie or Jared’s? It was somebody’s lie. Had Evonne been secretly coveting Jared all this time? Had she always been waiting for her to leave him so that she could slither into his bed? Just weeks ago, hadn’t she said if Jared was put up for adoption someone would be waiting out there to adopt him? Did she mean herself? No wonder Evonne was so eager to give her a helping hand in moving out of his life.
And Jared—at no time did she ever suspect he had any interest in Evonne. When Evonne was over, he usually left the room and on the rare occasion they were all out together, Jared paid no more attention to Evonne than he did to a piece of lint on his pants. In fact, he said of Evonne that she was annoyingly talkative. Had that been his way of throwing her off? If it was, it worked. She never suspected him of being attracted to Evonne. It was the woman, Jackie, he had had the affair with who had preoccupied her, not the woman—the serpent she called friend—who was right under her nose.
No matter how it happened, the bottom line was Jared had cheated on her again. It didn’t matter that they were separated. He should have been able to control that tubular piece of flesh and blood between his thighs. He should have waited until her scent no longer lingered in the sheets, until the mattress no longer remembered the outline of her body. He should have waited until she no longer cared. That’s why she should have slept with Brent the night before. Maybe then she would not have cared. Well, there was nothing to stop her now. Today, she would know what it was to quench the yearning of her own body. It was her turn to be satisfied.
25
“Glynn, I need a favor. I need you to pick Michael Jared up from school and take him home with you for the night.”
“Tandi, I’m at work in Manhattan. I can’t leave.”
“I know you’re at work, Glynn. I called you, remember? I need you to do this for me, like I’m always doing something for you.”
“Fine, Tandi, but can’t you pick him up yourself and bring him over to the house after Leah or I get home?”
“No, I can’t.”
“Why not? Are you in the hospital or something? Is this an emergency?”
She was not about to tell Glynn that the emergency was that she be made love to by Brent Rodgers or she would dissolve into an emotional mess. Glynn didn’t even know she had left Jared, and she wasn’t of a mind to tell him.
“Glynn, I never ask you for anything. In fact, you’ve been home for more than a week, and you haven’t come anywhere near your father to check on him. You’ve left that all up to me, as usual.”
“That’s what you know, Miss Know-it-all. I spoke to Dad this morning. I’ve spoken to him damn near every morning since I’ve been back.”
That didn’t surprise Tandi a bit. She was never privy to anything that went on between the two of them. “So, Glynn, was it too much for you to call and let me know you were back in town?”
“I didn’t see where it was necessary. Dad told me you left Jared and you were staying there. I saw no reason to come over and check on him.”
“You knew about me and Jared? Why didn’t you call anyway?”
“Because you didn’t tell me yourself,” Glynn said. “Tandi, I don’t have time for this petty discussion. Dad’s home. Ask him to pick up Michael Jared.”
“I thought you said you spoke to Dad this morning?”
“I did.”
“Then why is it you don’t know he went to Atlantic City this morning? He probably won’t get back until after ten tonight.”
“I guess he forgot to mention he was going.”
“Yeah, right. That’s because he knew you’d tell him not to go. Look, Glynn, will you please do this for me. Would you pick up your nephew?”
“I can’t just up and leave.”
“You know damn well you can. You don’t punch a clock, Mr. Executive. Should I remind you that I’ve done things for you that were inconvenient for me at the time?”
“Tandi, I don’t have time for this. You’re in a nasty mood. You’d better go dig your fangs into Jared. What happened between you two anyway?”
“None of your damn business!” She slammed the receiver down. She picked it up and slammed it down again twice more. “Damn you, Glynn!”
Riiing!
Tandi snatched up the receiver. “What?”
“What the hell’s wrong with you?”
Tandi slammed the receiver down again and immediately buried her face in her hands, wanting desperately to cry. She made the plaintive, wailing sounds of crying, but no tears flowed. She felt like there was a plug stuck in her tear ducts as well as in her soul.
Riiing!
She felt trapped in a cage of emotional frustration and betrayal from which she could not break. She felt wired. She could not let Michael Jared see her like this. It would scare him out of his mind.
Riiing!
Glynn had to help her. There was no one else. Aunt Gert passed on ten years ago. Daina would have taken Michael Jared, for sure, if she were in town, and she wasn’t due back for two months.
Riiing!
Tandi took a deep breath to try and calm herself. She picked up the telephone.
“Tandi! What the . . .”
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice cracking.
“. . . hell’s wrong with you? If you think . . .”
“Glynn! Glynn, just hear me out.”
“. . . I’m going to put up with your shit, you better think again. I . . .”
“Glynn, please! I have no one else to turn to. Please. Will you please do this for me?” she asked as calmly as she could. “I’m begging you.”
The phone was silent in her ear.
“Please, Glynn, I need you.”
“Tandi, what’s wrong? Tell me what the hell is going on.”
“I can’t right now, Glynn. Please. I just need you to do this for me. I can’t entrust my son to anyone but you, and he should see more of his cousins.”
“Where’s Jared? Did something happen to him?”
“Will you do this for me or not?”
There was a loud silence on the other end of the line, intensifying Tandi’s anxiety.
“What time should I pick him up?”
She gasped a soft sigh of relief. “Three-ten. Do you know where his school is?”
“One hundred and thirteenth Avenue?”
“Yes.”
“Michael Jared is going to ask questions, Tandi. What should I tell him?”
“Tell him I had to do something for his grandfather. He’ll understand that. If he wants to speak to his father, let him, but he cannot see Jared tonight. And I mean that, Glynn. Do not take Michael Jared to his father, no matter how much he begs.”
“It’s your call, Tandi, but what if he wants to speak to you?”
“I can’t tonight,” she said, feeling drained. “He’ll know something’s wrong.”
“He’ll know that anyway, if he can’t speak to you.”
“Please, Glynn, just tell him I’ll speak to him tomorrow. Tell him I’m all right.”
“Whatever you say. I’ll leave here at two.”
“Thank you. I’ll be by first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Fine. And, Tandi, you and I will talk tomorrow?”
“I can’t promise that, Glynn. It hurts too much.”
Glynn was silent. Tandi held the telephone to her ear, waiting for him to say something mean-spirited.
“Okay, Tandi. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m here for you.”
“Thank you,” she said, relieved Glynn was coming through for her. In the state she was in, she didn’t want Michael Jared to see her. And actually, she needed more than an evening to work her way through this madness before she saw him again, but she’d take what little time she could get. Maybe being with Brent would give her back her emotional stability. She quickly dialed his number. This time, she would not tread lightly or timidly, she would be the hunter.
“Hello, Brent Rodgers.”
“Hi, Brent Rodgers. When was the last time you played hooky?”
26
Jared was numb. He had gotten into his SUV with the intention of going to work, but two hours later he was still sitting in the driveway fingering the tiny gold ankh hanging from his neck, lost in his nightmare, cursing himself for sleeping with Evonne. If he could turn back the hands of time, he would turn it all the way back to Christmas Day thirteen years ago when Tandi gave him the ankh. She said then, “Women get heart-shaped trinkets as symbols of love and since I can’t give you a locket, I’m giving you this sign of life, an ankh. It’s also a symbol of my eternal love.” At that moment he could not imagine their love wouldn’t always be strong.
It was 1:45 when he finally went on to work. He didn’t know what else to do. Secretly, he was hoping—no, praying—Tandi would show up to drop MJ off. Jared kept praying in his head as he walked into his office. Marci was on the telephone trying to explain his absence. He quietly sat behind his desk and waited for her to finish the call.
“Jared, where have you been? I started to put an APB out on you.”
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Late? Jared, I called your house fifty times. You had a court appearance. Raoul had to go and have the hearing postponed.”
“Damn, I forgot.”
“You forgot? Jared—”
“Did I get any calls?”
“Of course you did. And two of the lawyers you were supposed to be interviewing were here on time. They left here pretty angry. One guy came in from New Jersey.”
“Damn. Call him back. Reschedule. I’ll go to him in Jersey. Did Tandi call?”
“No,” Marci answered, looking more carefully at Jared. “Where did you sleep last night?”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t look like you got any sleep.”
Jared rubbed the tight, pulsating spot between his brows.
“You and Tandi are having a hard time, huh?”
“How—”
There was a loud knock on the open door. Marci and Jared both looked at Raoul standing in the doorway.
“We were worried about you,” Raoul said.
“I know, I’m sorry. Did you get a continuance?”
“Twenty-four hours. No one was happy, particularly Mr. Hickson.”
“I bet. He’s been waiting to go to trial for three years. Marci, please call him and offer my apologies and tell him I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I’ve already done that.”
He should have guessed that. Marci was always on point.
Raoul placed a folder on Jared’s desk. “This is the Kirsch file. I need to go over the hospital report with you. We might have a problem.”
“Specifically?”
“It seems the hospital is saying that Mrs. Kirsch’s blood was scarred with the hepatitis B marker long before her gall bladder surgery. If that’s the case, then we can’t claim she got infected blood during that surgery. Hence, the hospital is not liable.”
“Then the pre-surgery bloodwork should have picked up on that marker. Mrs. Hirsch contracted hepatitis after the surgery according to her primary doctor.” Jared’s headache was coming back. The painkiller was wearing off. “Try to get in touch with the doctor’s office and see if you can speak with him. If you can’t get clarification from him, call me later at home, and I’ll get on it.”
“Will do.”
“Marci, Raoul, I should apologize to both of you. Things are pretty rough at home right now, so forgive me. I’m not exactly myself.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Marci offered.
“No . . . no.” Jared looked hard at his watch, trying to focus. His headache wasn’t letting up. He stood. “I just stopped by to see if everything was okay and to pick up MJ but I don’t think he’ll be here today.”
“Why not?” Marci asked.
“Raoul, you get on that for me. I’ll be in touch.”
Raoul acknowledged Jared with a nod. He left right away.
“Marci, I have some business to take care of. Take care of things here for me.”
“Of course, but your clients—”
“Tell them I’ll return their calls tomorrow. Call me at home if something really important comes up.”
“And how am I to determine that when everything is really important?”
“If no one is on their deathbed, then it’s not important.” That said, Jared left the office. He trusted Raoul. He was the best paralegal he’d ever had. And, Marci—no one was better. She had been working with him for four years, and this was no time to doubt her abilities.
Outside in his SUV, Jared waited—just in case Tandi brought MJ. He prayed she would.
27
The instant Tandi’s body came together with Brent’s, she was plunged into the depths of her most rapturous fantasy. She gave herself completely over to Brent when the tip of his tongue first flicked sensuously across her erect nipple and then drew it into his mouth sucking on it, making her moan for more than his mouth. Brent’s hand glided lightly down her body until it found Tandi’s most needy place. He began fingering her pulsating clitoris, making her gyrate her hips, wanting more than a tease. Moaning for more, she sucked air in through her teeth. She pushed her pelvis up off the bed into Brent’s hand until he slipped his finger inside her, exploring her, thrilling her, sending her eyes back in her head. With her muscles she gripped his fingers and pulled on him while pushing up and grinding herself against his hand.
“Baby, you’re as ripe as a juicy peach,” Brent said, climbing on top of Tandi.
When he entered her, filling her, Tandi’s breath caught in her throat. Oh yes. Her fantasy was real. As Brent began to move inside her, Tandi was feeling everything she had dreamed or even imagined. She started to cry, startling Brent.
He stopped moving. “Baby, am I hurting you?”
Shaking her head, she held on to him with her arms and legs, keeping him inside her.
“Then what’s wrong?”
Unable to stop crying, she began kissing him fervently, hungrily, trying desperately to erase from her mind the sight of Evonne and Jared in bed together. She could not understand how such an ugly vision could invade her mind and mar the beauty of Brent making love to her.
With her heart racing, Tandi continued to weep even as her and Brent’s bodies continued gliding smoothly in rhythmic, erotic unison. She was weeping not only for the pain that still filled her heart, but also for the ecstasy of the release she had been craving for years. Brent didn’t disappoint her. He made love to her more than once and well into the night. They fell apart, arms entwined, legs interlocked, bodies heaving, both satisfied. When he could catch his breath, Brent rolled over and began kissing Tandi’s breasts, making her feel both beautiful and desirable. No longer would she have to beg Jared to make love to her. She had Brent.
He rubbed her stomach. “I knew it would be like this.”
Tandi agreed with a smile.
“Your husband must be crazy to let you get away.”
“My soon-to-be ex is crazy,” she said. “He slept with my ex-best friend.”
<
br /> Brent sat halfway up. “You lie.”
She shook her head
“When did this happen?”
“When it happened doesn’t matter, the fact that it did, does.”
“Baby, you don’t need friends and family like that. Forget them. Let me take care of you. I would never hurt you like that.”
She kissed Brent on the neck then on the chest. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“Me, too.” He kissed Tandi on the top of the head. “Baby, you said you were moving into your own apartment this weekend. Why don’t we move in together?”
She had to think about Michael Jared. What she wanted could not outweigh what was best for him. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? You’re not with your husband anymore.”
“My son hasn’t met you yet.”
“I can meet him tomorrow. Kids like me. What else?”
“I’m not divorced, Brent. Actually, I’m not even legally separated from my husband.”
“So. The divorce is gonna happen, right?”
“Yes.”
“You left because he cheated on you, right?”
She nodded. There was no need for explanation.
“I don’t see a problem. You’re no longer with him. He caused the breakdown of your marriage, right?”
Again she nodded.
“Then you’re free. Let’s get on with your life.”
“That’s what I want, but aren’t we moving a little fast?”
“Not if you consider the fact that we should have been together since we were teenagers,” Brent said. “I say we’ve moved a little slow.”
Yes, she and Brent should have gotten together a long time ago, but it didn’t happen, and the truth was, at that moment she was frightened by the prospect of them moving in together so quickly. If she had only herself to worry about, she might seriously consider it. Then again, what if it didn’t work out between them? She couldn’t put herself or Michael Jared through another breakup so soon.
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