Doomed. He felt doomed.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Maxi had put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup and had slid into her dress when there was a soft knock on the cabin door. “Yes?”
“Are you decent?”
She smiled at Christopher’s deep familiar voice. “Yes, just about. But come on in. You can help me with the zipper.”
Christopher slowly opened the door and stepped inside, not sure what he would find. Again he was surprised but really should not have been. Maxi was a beauty. He had discovered that fact in the first grade. But what he hadn’t counted on was her still being the most beautiful female he had ever seen twenty-two years later. But she was.
After leaving her face his gaze went first to her hair, liking the way she had combed it back away from her face with a beautiful white flower pinned to the side above her ear. In his mind the style made her look like an island princess. When she noticed where his attention had strayed she said. “The welcome reception. It’s a tropical theme. That’s the reason for the flower.”
A little smile touched his lips. “Oh.”
He then moved his gaze down to her feet, which were encased in white open-toe sandals. She had pretty toes, he thought. They were polished a bright red. He’d never had a fetish for a woman’s feet before but the sight of hers could definitely turn a man on. They seemed soft, cuddly, sexy.
His gaze then moved to take in her dress. It was a tropical print silk that looked as soft as a summer’s breeze, and the way it swayed around her body clearly showed all her feminine curves. He took a step toward her, suddenly deciding he didn’t want her going to the welcome reception without him.
“Are you going to stand there or are you going to come over here and zip me up?”
Maxi’s question brought him back around. He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at her intently. “I’m not Wilson Harris, Maxi.”
She lifted a brow. “Meaning what?”
He took another look at her from head to toe. Slowly. Deliberately. He wanted her to feel his gaze touch her like an intimate caress. It worked. He saw the way her breathing went from even to uneven, the way the pupils in her eyes darkened and the way her lips parted when she released a breathless sigh.
“Meaning you can’t feel as comfortable in sharing space with me like you did with him,” Christopher said huskily. “Where he may not have been interested in you as a woman, that does not hold true for me. Fair warning.”
Her gaze met his for a long moment. “Warning taken,” she said before turning around and presenting her back to him. “Now zip me up, please.”
He closed the distance between them, wanting to do more than zip up her dress. A few ideas came into his head but he forced them out. Standing this close he was getting the full effect of her perfume. Alluring. Seductive. Feminine. His hand trembled as he eased up the zipper, especially when he could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra. He stepped back before he was tempted to do something stupid. “All done.”
Maxi slowly turned around to face him. “Thanks.” She then noticed his attention had shifted to the beds. “They came and changed the sleeping arrangements. The bed had been two singles and they pulled them apart to make them up separately. I think the way they have them arranged now is sufficient, don’t you? I’ll take the one closest to the window. You can take the one closest to the door.”
His gaze returned to her as the corners of his lips curved upward in a smile. The beds were not in close proximity to each other. They were separated in the middle by a long dresser and the bathroom. If she got the one by the window, there would not be a reason for him to cross into her area unless he had something on his mind. “Yes, I think the way they have them arranged is sufficient.”
Maxi picked up her purse from the dresser. “I’m meeting Mya and Garrett a little early on the upper deck. I’ll see you later.”
Christopher gave the doorway Maxi walked through a disapproving glare. He then quickly moved into the bathroom to take a shower, deciding to make an appearance at the welcome reception after all.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mya walked out on deck and was met by the scent of the ocean and the sight of Garrett looking out over the waters. As if he sensed her presence, he turned around. His gaze captured hers and he smiled, opening his arms to her. She automatically went into them.
“Sorry I kept you waiting.”
He studied her outfit, a pair of white loose-fitting linen slacks and a matching white linen shell. “It was well worth the wait, sweetheart. You look gorgeous.”
His compliment pleased her. “Thanks, Garrett.” She glanced around. They were early. “Have you run into anyone we know yet?” she asked as they began strolling along the deck.
Garrett’s face pinched into a frown. “I ran into Ronald Swindel. He was looking for Maxi. He claimed to have called her cabin and a man answered so he hung up. He figured there must have been some sort of mix-up.”
Mya nodded thoughtfully. “I believe there was. Maxi mentioned it to me earlier. She must have gotten switched to another cabin or something.”
“That explains it then, although I’m sure she would just as well not have gotten a call from Ronald. He hasn’t changed at all. He still brags on himself and thinks he’s all that. I have a feeling he’s still interested in Maxi after all these years.”
Mya shook her head smiling. “Well, Maxi was never interested in him. She only had eyes for one guy back then.”
Garrett lifted a brow. “Who?”
“Christopher Chandler.”
Garrett released a soft chuckle. “Too bad Chandler didn’t know that.”
“Why?”
“Because he only had eyes for Maxi.”
Mya stopped walking and looked at her husband, surprised. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not kidding. All the guys knew it. That’s why none of them bothered to hit on Maxi. Christopher was like a watchdog protecting her. And since he had started school late and was two years older than the rest of us—with a bad reputation for kicking butt, too—everyone took heed of his warnings. The only person who didn’t was Ronald. That’s why he and Christopher knocked heads so many times.”
“Wow, I never knew. Neither did Maxi.”
Garrett gave his wife a warm smile. “That’s understandable. Back then Maxi had her eyes glued to the books and you had your eyes glued to me. Neither of you were very observant to other things going on around you.”
Mya laughed. “I guess we weren’t.” She and Garrett began walking again. “We used to have some good times together, me and Maxi. They were the greatest.”
“Yeah, everyone used to call the two of you M and M candy because you were so close.”
“I remember. It was so good having a girlfriend who you could share things with. We used to tell each other everything.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said solemnly, taking her hands into his. “And that’s the reason the two of you lost what you had. I convinced you not to tell her what was going on with us that summer and why you changed your plans about Howard University.” He gazed down at his wife. “And to this day you never told her, have you?”
Mya shook her head. “No, I promised you that I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“I think it’s time you told her.”
They stopped walking again. She looked up at Garrett. She wouldn’t tell him that she had thought that very same thing. “Why?”
“Because it’s time for the two of you to recapture what you once had. You and Maxi had a very special friendship, one few people can boast of sharing with another individual. You were closer than sisters. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for you or you wouldn’t do for her. I think this cruise provides the perfect opportunity for you and Maxi to patch things up.”
He glanced over her shoulder. “Here she comes. After I say hello I’m going to leave the two of you alone. I’ll catch up with you when it’s time for the reception to begin. All right?”
He smiled. “Thanks for being the love of mine.”
They then moved forward to greet their old friend.
Garrett swept Maxi up into his arms, lifting her easily off her feet. “It’s good seeing you again, Maxi-million,” he said, calling her by the nickname he’d given her years ago. He kissed her on the cheek.
She curved her arms around him and hugged him. “Same here, Garrett. You still look good and although I still don’t like football, I always tune in when I know you’re playing.”
He laughed as he released her. “That makes me feel special.”
“You are.” Maxi then turned to Mya and smiled. She was flooded with memories of the first day they had met. Even without all those braids, Mya practically looked the same. At twenty-eight her cute and adorable features had transformed into those of a beautiful woman with satiny brown skin, chocolate-colored eyes with a noticeable slant to them, huge dimples in both her cheeks, and a head of luxurious black hair that fanned around her shoulders. “Hi, Mya Ki’Shae.”
Mya grinned. “Hi, yourself, Maxine Jeanae.”
The two gave each other a warm embrace. “It’s so good seeing you, Maxi,” Mya said, holding back the tears in her eyes. “We have so much to catch up on don’t we?”
Maxi wiped the tears from her own eyes. “Yes, we do.”
“I’ll see you ladies later,” Garrett said to them.
“Hey, you don’t have to run off,” Maxi said, smiling up at him.
Garrett returned her smile. “I’m not going far. I’ll meet back up with you two at the reception.” He turned to leave then turned back around when he thought of something. He flashed Maxi a wide grin. “Oh, by the way, Maxi-million, Ronald Swindel was looking for you. Thought I’d give you fair warning.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Maxi shook her head. That was the second fair warning she’d received that day.
Mya touched Maxi’s arm, reclaiming her attention. “Come on.”
Maxi lifted a brow. “Where are we going?”
Mya smiled softly. “Someplace where we can fix something that should never have gotten broken.”
Maxi stared at Mya. “What?”
“Our friendship.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Maxi and Mya found an isolated spot in a restaurant located near one of the pools. Most people were either at dinner or savoring the nightlife since the ship offered a great variety of entertainment choices. They didn’t call it the “Fun Ship” for nothing.
Sitting down at one of the tables they ordered a tropical drink for Maxi and a glass of white wine for Mya.
Maxi immediately picked up on Mya’s nervousness. She reached across the table and firmly gripped her hand. “What’s this about, Mya?”
A wry smile formed on Mya’s lips as she studied their joined hands. She then met Maxi’s gaze. “I owe you an explanation as to why I didn’t go to Howard University with you.”
Pulling her hand away Maxi slumped back in her chair. “No you don’t. It’s in the past.”
Mya shook her head. “No, it’s not, Maxi, and we both know it.”
Maxi stared at her for a long moment before saying. “Why now, Mya? Why do you want to tell me now after ten years? Why couldn’t you have told me then?”
Mya shifted her gaze to an object on the other side of the room. Moments later she returned her gaze to Maxi. “Because I couldn’t. It was a secret Garrett and I couldn’t share with anyone.”
Maxi stared at Mya thoughtfully, wondering what it could have been. She and Mya had shared everything. There had never been any secrets between them. “And you can tell me now?”
Mya nodded. “Yes. Garrett and I think you should know. Hopefully you’ll understand why I did what I did and find it in your heart to forgive me. I know changing my mind at the last minute about going to Howard messed things up for you in a lot of ways.”
Mya waited for the waiter to place their drinks in front of them and leave before she began talking again, recalling that time right after they had graduated from high school. She met Maxi’s gaze. “You know Garrett and I were sexually active.”
Maxi nodded. “Yes.” She’d known that Mya and Garrett had started sleeping together at the beginning of their senior year in high school.
“We’d always been careful but the night before he was to leave to began training at Texas Southern we got kind of careless and he didn’t use a condom.”
Maxi raised a brow but said nothing.
“When I missed my period the next month I was fairly certain I was pregnant. You had gone on that trip with your parents to New York to visit your aunt and uncle, so I didn’t have you around to talk to about it, and Garrett was in Texas. When he called one night I told him my suspicions, and he made up some excuse with his coach so he could come back home to see me.”
Mya took a sip of her wine to relieve the sudden dryness in her throat before she continued. “Neither of us knew what to do so we went and talked to Coach Johns.” Coach Johns had been Garrett’s football coach and his mentor during high school. He had been instrumental in Garrett getting a full football scholarship to Texas Southern.
“Coach Johns explained to us that if Garrett married me because I was pregnant he would lose the scholarship. He suggested that I go somewhere and have an abortion.”
A soft gasp escaped Maxi and she sat up straight in her chair. She should not have been surprised by what the older man had suggested. Mya had told her several times that Coach Johns thought Garrett’s relationship to Mya was too serious and should take a back seat to his career in football. “Did you…get an abortion?”
Mya let out an audible sigh. “You know me better than that. And Garrett wouldn’t hear of such a thing either. He got upset with Coach Johns for even suggesting it.”
“So what did you do?”
“Garrett and I decided to get married anyway. Coach Johns wasn’t happy about it but he helped us to make all the arrangements. Everything was done in secret. No one knew. Not my grandmother or his parents. Not anyone. Coach Johns said we had to keep it that way because if anyone found out, Garret would be stripped of his scholarship and get kicked out of college, destroying his dream of becoming a professional football player. The only persons who knew we were married were Coach Johns and the retired judge, a personal lady friend of his, who performed the ceremony but made sure it never became a part of public records.”
Mya took another sip of her wine. “Needless to say it was a false alarm and a few weeks later I discovered that I wasn’t pregnant after all. But it proved to me just how much Garrett loved me and just how much he was willing to give up for me. That made me love him just that much more, Maxi. We were glad I wasn’t pregnant but since we were married he wanted me with him at Texas Southern, which was understandable.”
She leaned back in her chair. “At first I had thought about telling him I couldn’t go to Texas Southern, but Garrett had been under a lot of stress about making the team, and our marriage only escalated his worries. With me attending Howard, all he could visualize were skyrocketing phone bills between us and countless flights between campuses for us to be together whenever we could. He didn’t want that because there was no way we could afford it. He wanted me with him and threatened to quit football altogether if I didn’t attend Texas Southern with him.”
Maxi nodded, fully understanding. She had always known how much Garrett loved Mya. But then she’d known that he had loved football too. In the end he’d been willing to give up his love of football for Mya. Anyone knowing Garrett Rivers knew that was some kind of love.
“I couldn’t let him give up football for me, Maxi. I couldn’t let him do that. But then I knew I couldn’t tell anyone we were married. Not even you. It wasn’t a question of me not trusting you with the information, it was a question of me keeping my promise to Garrett and not tell anyone what we’d done.”<
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Mya held her head down for a second. When she lifted it up her eyes were filled with tears. “You don’t know how much I wanted to tell you. How much I needed to tell you. I had felt so alone and confused. And that day when I had to tell you that I couldn’t go to Howard with you, you got so upset because I didn’t give you a reason why, I felt even worse. After that things began happening fast. In order to make the cheerleading squad at Southern, I had to leave right away and once I did things got too hectic to call and talk to you. By the time things slowed down you had left for Howard and I knew that, although we would always be friends, it wouldn’t be the same. And it hasn’t been.”
Maxi stared at Mya until she lowered her gaze. She knew things had been hectic back then and her father’s unexpected death had almost devastated her. It seemed both she and Mya had been going through their own personal crisis that summer, and because they didn’t have each other to lean on and confide in, they had suffered because of it.
“I just want you to know, Maxi, that I miss having you for my best friend. At times I would reach for the phone to call you to share things with you and then stop myself when I knew I couldn’t because things weren’t the same between us anymore. I wanted you there when the boys were born, and although you were at my wedding and at my granny’s funeral, it was like you weren’t really there—at least not for me. Not the way it should have been. You were supposed to be my maid of honor in my wedding, and you were supposed to be my sons’ godmother. I was supposed to be your maid of honor but I didn’t even know you were getting married until Granny called to tell me your fiancé had gotten killed. It didn’t seem fair after all we’d been through together.”
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