Love Thy Neighbor's Nephew
Page 10
“What am I going to tell Lizzy? I don’t want their friendship to fall apart because of this.”
Uncle Hank sat beside him on the bed and put his arm around his shoulder. “I’m sure you don’t. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out how you wanted. By the way, why were you in such a rush to be with Yolanda? Not so much sleep with her, but to start a relationship?”
“The party. I wanted her to be my date for my party and to let everyone know she was my woman.” Lawrence slumped his shoulders and shook his head in disgust. “I didn’t think anything through well at all, did I?”
“Strong emotions make even a smart guy like you lose all common sense. And that’s what you did. No common sense whatsoever.”
“I know.”
“I’m not letting Yolanda off the hook. She’s older, been married with children, and she should have put her foot down about coming to us immediately. But I understand her embarrassment. Elizabeth is her best friend. I can only imagine what’s going through her mind.” Uncle Hank rubbed his chin. “Especially now.”
He looked toward the door. “I really need to talk to Aunt Lizzy.”
“You both do.”
Leaving his uncle, he hurried toward the basement.
“Yolanda, please come out!” his aunt yelled.
Lawrence walked down the stairs, and as he drew Aunt Lizzy away from the bathroom, he noticed his aunt’s pained expression. Moving around her, he pounded on the door. “Yolanda, it’s me. Come out.”
“No! Not until you all leave.”
“I’m not leaving. I already explained everything to Uncle Hank.”
“Oh really?” Aunt Lizzy crossed her arms over her chest. All of a sudden, her height had caught up with Uncle Hank’s. “And just when were you going to let me in on it?”
“It’s not entirely her fault. Okay, it takes two to tango, but I’ve been putting off telling you guys. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was scared.” He banged on the door again. “Yolanda, come out here. We need to talk.”
“Please go away!”
He turned to his aunt. “She’s embarrassed, and I can’t blame her. I didn’t want you to find out this way. She warned me it would happen, but I was too stubborn.”
“You need to start from the beginning,” she said.
“I know, and I will.”
Yolanda wanted to open a hole in the floor, dive in, and bury herself. She’d known this would happen, kept telling herself and Lawrence. But nooo. They’d kept putting it off and putting it off, trying to figure out the “right” thing to say. The fact is, they both should have said something.
“Come on, Yolanda. You can’t stay in there forever,” he said.
She sighed, the heaviness in her shoulders unbearable. She might as well go out and face the music. Unlocking the door, she slowly stepped out. She kept her gaze averted, unable to acknowledge either Liz or Lawrence.
He took her hand in his. “Let’s go upstairs. I’ll do most of the talking.”
She let him lead her to the living room where Hank met them.
“Have a seat, Aunt Lizzy.” Lawrence pointed to the chair next to the couch. Tugging on Yolanda’s hand, he urged her to sit right beside him.
“This was going to come out sooner or later. I would have preferred sooner and under less drama.” Yolanda fiddled with her thumbs. “We really wanted to tell you guys as soon as we both realized how we felt about each other.”
“How long has your affair been going on?” Liz gawked at her. “Did you two…?”
Lawrence held up his finger. “Shortly after I came back home. I was instantly attracted to her and her to me. But we were kinda scared of our feelings. We discussed it and realized you can’t help whom you’re attracted to, no matter the circumstances.” He squeezed her hand. “We’ve been agonizing about how to tell you two, it’s more my fault. I should have said something instead of putting it off.”
“Wait, Lawrence. You can’t take the full blame for everything,” Yolanda said. “Liz, I am so sorry. I should have told you from the start.”
“But why didn’t you?”
She sighed. “I didn’t know if you would have taken me seriously or not. You might have blown it off thinking he just had a crush on me. Or worse, viewed me in a whole different light.”
Liz shook her head. “Oh, Yolanda. You should’ve trusted our friendship.”
“Really? What would you have done if I told you Lawrence and I had strong feelings for each other and that we’d made out?”
“I don’t know.” She turned to Lawrence. “Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I respected Yolanda’s and your friendship. But I guess in doing so, I made a bad judgment call.”
Liz shifted her attention back to her. “Can Yolanda and I have a moment?”
“Sure.” Lawrence leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Can you do this?”
She nodded.
Lawrence and Hank then left the room.
She wanted to find another seat. Like outside. This was so awkward.
“Yolanda, I seriously don’t know where to start.”
“I don’t either. There’s no excuse,” she said, gazing down at her hands.
“No, there isn’t. You should have told me you were attracted to Lawrence and wanted to be in a relationship.”
Yolanda looked up and shook her head. “What?”
“Are you in love with him?”
“I’m very attracted to him. Honestly, I’ve been having a huge internal struggle with my feelings. He is your nephew.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Forget that.”
“I can’t. And I feel bad for sneaking behind your back.” She turned in her seat and faced the wall, her lip quivered. She’d betrayed her best friend. “I-I just can’t look at you.”
Liz tapped her on the shoulder and made her face her. “Be honest and tell me from the beginning.”
She took a breath and told her Liz everything—well, almost everything. Once she started talking, the whole affair poured out—how she’d responded to Lawrence when she’d first laid eyes on him, how she’d tried to ignore her attraction, and her angst over the situation. “I couldn’t believe the emotions running through me. I knew they were wrong, but everything he said and did for me—”
She tilted her head. “Why were they wrong?”
“Liz, he’s younger than me, he’s your nephew, and you and I are best friends.”
“What if he’d been someone else and you’d dated?”
“That’s the argument he and I both used.”
“Well, I definitely find it awkward the way everything came to light.”
“I don’t blame you if you’re upset. I feel like a rat, and….”
“It’s not what you think, Yolanda. Lawrence has grown into a very handsome man. No straight woman can ignore him. Why would I expect anything less from you? And don’t go saying, because we’re friends you should have.”
Wow, she hadn’t thought Liz would be so open. Maybe she was the one making such a big deal out of everything. She looked at her best friend with fresh eyes. “Are you saying you’re okay with what happened between us?”
“Well, I still wish you would’ve come talked to me first.”
“Really? I could only imagine your response.”
She shrugged. “I probably would’ve laughed and said, ‘Oh well, you want to date him?’”
Yolanda shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Honey, Lawrence is gorgeous. And I know that’s weird coming from his aunt, but the truth is obvious, so stop beating yourself up.” Liz got up and walked to the kitchen. “Want some tea?”
She joined her. “Yeah, I guess.”
Taking two glasses from the cupboard, she filled them with ice cubes. “Look, Lawrence might be my nephew, but I raised the boy. Yes, he’s a grown man, but I still have some lingering maternal instincts.” She poured tea into the glasses. “The only thing I want to know is if you really feel
you can have a real relationship with him—long-term.”
Yolanda accepted the drink. “That’s just it. We’re both finding out at the same time. We just know we can’t stay away from each other.”
“Ahem…so I saw,” Liz said, cocking her head and smirking.
Her cheeks flushed, and she downed a healthy gulp of iced tea. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I do. You’ve been single forever. And even though you say you’re happy, you’ve been so busy, you have no social life. Here comes Lawrence, a man you’ve known for more than fifteen years. He’s kind, he’s handsome, he tends to your every need, and then he tells you his feelings for you. That’s bound to trigger something.”
“So I was vulnerable or had a knee-jerk reaction.”
“Well, yeah, but I think it’s more complicated.” She reached over and patted her hand. “You don’t even see it, and I doubt you will. Feelings are complex.”
“Tell me about it.” Yolanda shook her head. “Lawrence seemed more confident in our relationship than I did. I was being logical. You know, the ‘older one.’”
“To be young again.” Liz chuckled. “He is a bit impulsive.”
She drank more tea, a little too sweet for her taste, but she welcomed the gesture. “So now what?”
“First, get over your guilt. Second, I plan to continue our gossip and coffee ritual.”
A huge weight lifted from her shoulders. “You’re the best friend a girl could have. I swear to you, we wanted to get this out in the open from the beginning. But then we decided to talk to you before the party.”
She frowned. “Why before?”
“Remember how much you nagged me about showing up alone?” She chuckled. “Lawrence wanted to be my date.”
Liz’s eyes widened. “Hmm, that should make for interesting conversation among the guests.”
“See! That’s what I’m talking about.” Yolanda slumped. Instead of a step forward, it felt as though she’d slipped back two.
“Okay, so, you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood. You have us to back you up.”
She looked up. “You really don’t have a problem with this? That’s asking a lot, even for a BFF.”
“Nope. I just want to make sure you both go into this eyes wide open, that neither of you get hurt. And to be honest, it’ll probably be a little rocky at first. The stares, the whispers. But that’s nothing compared to what you two will experience between each other.” She nodded, steadfast determination gleaming in her eyes. “Just know Hank and I are right behind you. And I know Lawrence, he’ll shut down the gossip in his own way, too.”
Yolanda sipped more tea. Their unconventional relationship wouldn’t be easy. But Liz was right—the rewards would be worth the effort. Gazing at her friend, she realized the depth of friendship, and a wonderful sense of joy swirled in her chest. “So, we’re okay?”
“Of course. You have my blessings.”
“Oh, Liz.” Yolanda hugged her.
She laughed. “Hey, you’ll really be part of the family.”
***
There were so many guests at Lawrence’s welcome-home party, the crowd spilled out into the back and front yards. Yolanda couldn’t remember so many people in their little neighborhood. She wondered if word had gotten around about her and Lawrence.
“The basement disco is a hit.” He placed his hand on the small of her back.
“I’m glad. I was worried about the downloaded music.” She took another sip of wine.
“I want to dance with you before the party is over. Are you okay with that?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“I want everyone to see we belong to each other. Whatever looks they give us, it’s jealousy.”
Since the party started, he had been virtually attached to her hip. Having him so close took her some time to get used to it.
Even though Liz and Hank had given their blessings to their unconventional relationship, she wouldn’t lie to herself. The whole situation was still odd. But she loved Lawrence, and the more he stared into her eyes, the more she knew he loved her, too. Relationships are challenging no matter what, right?
She smiled, remembering the moment he had come downstairs. He’d made a beeline for her, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her smack on the lips. Yolanda hadn’t pulled back from the blatant display of affection either. She’d pressed her lips to his, enjoying the swirl of heat low in her body. Her knees weak with desire, she’d glanced up to find Mrs. Miller had all but fainted. However, the shock had been short-lived. Only a few seconds passed before the woman quickly approached and grilled her like a hamburger.
Then the rest of the party goers started in with questions. She’d been pulled aside by more women than she could remember.
What’s he like? What’s it like being with a younger man? How does the family feel? How long has this been going on?
Luckily, Lawrence had stepped in. “Hey, everyone. I know you’re all curious about what’s going on between Yolanda and me. Well, I left for college a boy and came back a man, a man who happens to be in love with a wonderful, thoughtful, sweet, and sexy woman. I’m still in the process of pursuing her.”
The room filled with laughter.
“Who said love was logical? Besides I deal with logic every day, I need something like this to keep things interesting.”
Again everyone laughed.
After that, Yolanda relaxed a little and mingled with others. Yes, their relationship wouldn’t be a walk in the park—the party was her first taste. But besides the age difference and the fact he was a relative of Liz’s, she hadn’t been in a serious relationship in almost a year. She’d never even considered dating a younger man. She glanced at the Lawrence and her tummy trembled with excited. Yeah, but she was going to give it a try.
“Come on, let’s dance,” he said, taking her hand.
She gazed up at the attentive, sweet, perfect gentleman, who seemed to only have eyes for her. She felt special in his presence.
And that was all a woman could ask for.
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
My name is Stephanie Williams. I am a native of Los Angeles, born 45 years ago. I am a full-time home business owner in the export/import trade as well as a contract purchasing agent for a medical facility. I enjoy opera, classical music and am a huge history buff. Reading is my passion and it’s not unusual for me to read a book a week whether it’s War and Peace or short stories by Poe and of course romance and erotica. I’ve traveled extensively and it’s not unusual to find me celebrating Christmas in the Land Down Under with a shrimp on the Barbie.
You can visit Stephanie at:
http://missstephaniewilliams.blogspot.com
http://missstephaniewilliams.webs.com
~Also by Stephanie Williams~
Love, Transylvania Style
Thaddeus Dumas is a Vampire looking for love. Well, he was at first until he realizes that finding true love means changing a potentially unwilling female. So he settles for a night of one-night stands, starting with Madame Eve’s services. He can’t possibly fall in love with a one nighter, and he can just move on to the next female. He didn’t count on the feisty Donna Kent.
Donna Kent is bored crazy with the men she’s been dating. The same old same old. Dinner, dancing, hanging out and dull sex. She wants something extraordinary. She’s more than surprised when Madame Eve finds that someone. But is this the extraordinary she’s willing to sacrifice herself for?
House Arrest
Janet Harrison is the number one reporter at Channel Ten News. She is also the go to woman for every mobster in Chicago. She’s their mouthpiece. When they’re ready to snitch they come to her and she is more than willing to listen—anything to put the big fish behind bars.
And she got a big fish: Salvatore “The Lip” Valinci. She also got herself in a whole lot of trouble. She stands before Judge Fernando Gonzales for being in contempt of court for not revealing her sources. But that’s not the only trou
ble she’s in.
Judge Fernando Gonzales has his eyes on the beautiful defiant, reporter Janet Harrison. She’s facing contempt charges because she won’t reveal her sources. Judge Gonzales wants to punish her in more ways than one.
However, things aren’t going so smoothly. “The Lip” is released on a technicality, and wants to even the score. If they work together, Janet and Fernando may survive the threat of death, but can they survive their unconventional relationship?
Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Table of Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~