“Is the business you and Terrance have not going to keep you busy enough?”
“I’m an investor. Terrance’s going to run the day to day. I don’t want to get in his way.”
“So, it was all about helping your cousin.”
“And bringing some jobs to Garrison. That plant has been in trouble for years. You never know when it’s going to start laying off folks. Terrance is wise to have a backup plan.”
“He’s always been a planner.”
“I guess you two had that in common.”
“Obviously that wasn’t enough. We’re here,” I said. “I don’t want to talk about my relationship with Terrance. Tell me, have you decided where you want to put the first gym?”
“No, it’s up in the air.”
“Is Atlanta on the short list?”
“I’m not telling.”
“What about the name?”
“Working on that too.”
“Two days of planning and you have no launch city and no name. What exactly have you decided?”
“It’s top secret stuff, but I can tell you something else I decided.”
He stepped closer to me. I stepped back. My heart began racing. “What’s that?”
His voice dropped to a husky murmur. “That I’m nuts about you. I figured that one out the other night after I dropped you off, but I was sure of it by Saturday morning.”
My breath caught in my throat.
“Ethan, your break is over,” Terrance called.
“I’ll talk to you later.” He returned to man his grill.
My heart pounded. He thought he’d missed me. My emotions had put the “m” in missed. Getting through the day without hearing his voice had been horrible. What had I done? Come to Garrison to fall in love with another unavailable man? Was I wrong to want to live in New York City and build my business? Was God trying to show me that by pulling me back here and practically beating me over the head with Ethan?
I felt so unsure about everything. Love is supposed to be something positive and right. I wasn’t supposed to be this confused. But was it me? Was I making it hard for myself by questioning everything? Was I supposed to go with the flow? I didn’t know how to do that. I wasn’t a go with the flow type of gal. I planned everything. That’s who I was.
The photographer called the women together to take some pictures before the food was served. I joined my sister and the girls under the canopy. He took some fun pictures of the group and then some shots of Janette and me.
My smile had a little more “happy” in it because of Ethan’s words and then because of the look he was giving me as I posed for the camera. It was so amazing to me that he looked at me like I was the only woman out here when he’d dated so many gorgeous women over the years. I wasn’t bad looking, but I was no Victoria Secret model. I hid the twenty pounds I needed to lose in my height and a good body shaper, but I knew they were there. Ethan was used to physical perfection. When he wasn’t dating a model it was a female athlete. I wasn’t sure how to compete with that. One could argue that I could work at losing my twenty pounds, but once you started making changes for a man it never ended. I was not going to be that girl. It was all wrong.
After the food was served, the men begged to steal a few minutes in our living room to catch the end of the football game. We ladies had cupcakes and drinks while Janette opened her gifts. She received some pretty sexy lingerie; a few gag gifts and a couple of toys that made Mother Wright blush. Claiming fatigue, Janette retired inside and the ladies and I cleaned up. The men came out, folded the chairs and put them in the back of Terrance’s truck and then they cleaned their grills and rolled them onto the backs of their respective pickup trucks. Every man in Garrison had a pickup. A truck was required to keep a man card.
Ethan and Terrance were the last of the group. Janette and I were in her bedroom where I was helping her sort through her gifts.
“The shower was perfection.” Janette gushed.
“The pictures are going to be amazing.” I leaned against the desk.
“I can hardly wait to see what you have planned for the wedding.”
I smiled. “Something fit for the sister of a wedding planner.”
“I can see why you make so much money doing what you do. If you can do this in a month, I can’t imagine what you come up with when you have more money and time.”
“Most of my clients aren’t rich. They’re just regular people who want to stretch their money and have an amazing wedding. Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire an expert than to try to do it yourself.”
“I suppose,” Janette said. “I know I’ve been to some janky DIY weddings here in Garrison. You remember the Atkins last year?”
“I remember you sending me pictures from the reception.”
We both scrunched up our faces at the same time and laughed.
“I forgot about that,” Janette said. “Must be pregnancy brain.”
A beat of silence passed between us. I looked out the window to see if Ethan was still there. He and Terrance were standing in front of Terrance’s truck talking.”
Janette leaned forward to take a peek. “As long as they aren’t rolling around in the grass.”
I chuckled. “Boys will be boys.”
“Especially when one of them is trying to take the other’s toy.”
I eyed her curiously. “What does that mean?”
“Well, you know, Terrance was trying to block on Ethan. He doesn’t think his intentions are right.” I didn’t respond. Janette continued. “And he was right about him. It’s no wonder he was so successful at playing soccer. He’s good at games.”
I rolled my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s down here trying to get with you and it seems he’s dating that model, Concei, again.”
I didn’t want to have this conversation with my sister, but I was too curious not to ask, “What would make you say that?”
“An interview she had that I read this morning.” Janette reached for her iPad and shoved it at me. “I was going to email it to you, but since you’re here.”
I read the blurb that indeed said that Ethan Wright would be attending an annual fundraiser event as her escort.
A lump stuck in my throat and I swallowed, forcing it down. “He said they weren’t seeing each other anymore.”
“He probably says a lot of things to get what he wants.”
I continued to stare at the article. At his name. At the pictures they posted of the couple when they were on previous red carpets events. I handed the tablet back to Janette. “It doesn’t matter. We’re just friends.”
“Friends who fly off and stay out of town all night. Come on now. I might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night, sugah.”
“Janette, nothing happened. In fact, he was the perfect gentleman. That would be something you know nothing about.”
Janette’s fist flew to her hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I can add, Janette. You and Terrance were in bed practically on your first date. Not only wasn’t he a gentleman, but you weren’t much of a lady.”
Janette gasped. “It wasn’t the first date and here you go with Terrance again. Just because Ethan is a jerk doesn’t mean you have to go passing your pain around by talking about Terrance.”
I didn’t say anything.
“And it’s not like you wanted him. You dumped him. Twice.”
I pressed my fingers to temples. Why couldn’t my sister understand or at least admit she was wrong. “Whether or not I dumped him isn’t really the point.”
“It is the point. You’re being all territorial about the man and you don’t even care about him.”
“And you know this because we what…broke up?”
“No, because he told me what happened. As far as I can tell, he’s the one who should be feeling funny.”
It was me who put my hands on my hips this time. “What do you mean he told you what happened?”
“He told me that you two talked about getting serious when daddy was sick, but then you told him that you were feeling vulnerable because you were sad and it wasn’t the right time to try a relationship.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Yes, why is there more?” Janette raised her head defiantly as if daring me to call her man a liar. I wasn’t going to take the bait.
“Janette, you can be so naïve. It doesn’t matter. He’s your man. You believe what you want. Just try to live happily ever after because if you don’t, I don’t want to hear about it.”
I stomped out of her room passing Terrance in the hall.
“The party was real nice –” he started.
I threw up a hand to silence him and kept moving toward the stairs. I grabbed Janette’s keys off the foyer table and pushed the front door open. This house was too small for the three of us.
“Hey.” I heard Ethan’s voice behind me. “Where are you going?”
“I need to get away from here.”
I could hear his footsteps behind me. “What happened?”
I opened Janette’s car door and climbed in without answering him.
“Let me take you for a drive. You don’t need to be behind the wheel this angry. You’re as dangerous as a drunk.”
I scowled at him and he snatched his head back.
“No thanks,” I barked. “I don’t need them and I don’t need you.”
I started the engine.
Ethan threw his arms up. “What did I do?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “You did absolutely nothing. I’ll see you at the wedding.” I gunned the engine and shot out of the driveway.
***
I didn’t make it a mile down the road before I saw the headlights of a monster truck in my rearview mirror. I groaned. “Why can’t the Wright men just leave me alone? Neither one of them wants me, but they continue to torment me.”
I kept driving. He sped up. I sped up. He sped up again. My cell phone rang. I ignored it. It rang again. I ignored it again. He continued to follow me for ten more minutes. I was forced to pull into a gas station because the gas light came on; so much for my escape.
I climbed out of the car, reached back in for my purse and was hit with the realization that I’d left it at the house, again. I cursed under my breath. I had no money for gas.
Ethan was out of his truck, charging toward me and he was steaming. “Are you out of your mind?”
I was deceptively calm when I replied. “You were the one drag racing on the road, not me.”
“I was trying to catch up with you. When you sped up, you made it racing.”
I had been avoiding his eyes, but now I made contact that would have stabbed him if I could make daggers. “I thought you were smart. How did you miss the message that I didn’t want to be followed?”
He arched a thumb at his chest. “Did I do something?”
Ignoring him, I turned to the car and removed the gas cap.
“You went into the house with your sister and came out like a rhinoceros on the tear.”
I whipped around to face him. “Did you just call me a rhino?”
He shook his head. “I just described how you bolted out of the house.”
“Like a rhino. You don’t think that’s a strong image to associate with me?”
“Deniece.” He put his hands on my shoulders. “Please, I’m just a man. Help me here. What is going on?”
I slapped his hands away. “You’re not just a man. You’re a lying man and there’s nothing I can do to help you with that.”
Noticeably shocked, Ethan stepped back. “Lying about what?”
“Probably everything, but I don’t have time to talk about it. I forgot my purse and the car is almost out of gas.” I mellowed my tone a bit. “Will you loan me ten? I’ll pay you back in the morning.”
He folded his arms across his chest. I could tell he was relieved to have something to hold over me. “I’m not doing anything until you tell me why you’re calling me a liar. I’ve never lied to you.”
I was not going to be manipulated. Images of Concei with her long, lithe body draped around Ethan entered my mind. I groaned. He’d never say she did anything like a Rhino, but it wasn’t even about her. I was hurt that he’d tried to play me. I sneered at him. “I don’t need you.” I stomped into the store with Ethan on my heels as I approached the counter. “Do you receive Western Union here?” I asked the clerk.
“Yes ma’am,” the clerk responded.
“What do you need Western Union for?” Ethan asked.
“I’m going to have a friend send me some money for gas.” I opened my contacts on my phone. I’d seen the Western Union commercials. You could send money online within minutes. Gayle would help me.
Ethan grabbed my phone. “You’re acting insane. I’ll gas up the car.” He reached into his wallet and handed the clerk a credit card. “Fill it up on pump three.”
“Thank you,” I replied and stomped out of the store.
“Hold up. Will you just let me sign this receipt? I’ll pump it.”
I smiled as I charged toward the pump station. I was determined to get my own gas started before he could finish up at the register. I didn’t expect him to be so fast. I had my hand on the nozzle. He reached for it. I raised it over my head and he leaned into me, pushing my body flush against the car. Our faces were within inches of each other. I could feel his breath coming hard from the run he’s just made out of the store. I burned him with the heat of my stare, but instead of discouraging him, he put his lips on mine. I squirmed, fighting with one hand. Ethan reached up for the gas nozzle, took it from me and put his other free hand behind my head and continued to kiss me. I used the force of both my arms to push his body away from mine.
“You don’t get to do that!”
The heat of his glare intensified. “Do what? Kiss you? Want you?”
“You don’t get to lie to me about Concei!” I yelled.
Ethan looked completely mystified. I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t know what I was talking about or because he couldn’t figure out how I knew. “Why in the world are you bringing up Concei?”
“Can I have my gas?” I asked, pointing at the nozzle he was still holding.
Ethan shook his head, inserted it in the tank and pushed the appropriate buttons. “You need to tell me why you’re bringing up Concei?”
“Because you told me you weren’t with her anymore.” I rolled my eyes. “I know we’re not dating. I know I told you I wouldn’t ever date you, but you can’t pursue me when you know you’re already with her. That’s not fair. We’ve been friends for too long for you to lie to me like that.”
Ethan shook his head again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I read an interview someone did with her yesterday. She said you and she were still together.”
He frowned. “She wouldn’t do that.”
“She did and why would she if it wasn’t true?”
Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s find out.” He rounded his truck and returned with his phone and put it on speaker.
A woman answered. “Hello Sweetheart.” Her thick accent sounded sexy and exotic. My heart sank.
“Connie, I need to ask you a question.”
“Without asking me how I am?” She sounded more flirty than annoyed.
Ethan rubbed the top of his head with his free hand. “Please, Connie, I need you to answer a question for me.”
“Sounds serious. Go on.”
“You did an interview recently and said we were dating.”
“No,” she replied.
Ethan nodded. “Okay, that’s what I thought.” Then he said to me. “See, I told you.”
“I did say you were participating in the Heart Foundation Fundraiser with me. You agreed months ago, sweetheart.”
Ethan’s brow knitted. “I don’t remember that.”
“You have been my partner for the casino games for the las
t three years and I win big money for the charity. I mentioned it to you a few months ago you said, sure as long as I don’t elope by then,” she paused. “You haven’t gotten married have you?”
“No, Con.” He gave me the side eye. “Look, I have to go. I appreciate you taking the call. I’ll explain later.”
“It sounds like I need to get a partner. I’ll work on that. Chow.” She ended the call.
I swallowed a lump of anger that must have gone to my heart because it began to pound wildly. Ethan closed the small space between us. He put his phone on the roof of the car and picked me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips. He pressed my back side against the vehicle and said, “I guess now I get to do this.” He covered my lips with his and I let him.
Chapter 12
The next morning Ethan was on a flight to France to attend a memorial in honor of his deceased teammate. I thought it was a good thing, his leaving. He had been such a distraction that I needed him gone, so I could focus on finishing all the details for the wedding. Now that he’d really kissed me, my emotions were on ten.
I was making the place cards for the reception, the favors and the centerpieces for the tables myself. A lot of work, but it was the only way to get it all done at a cost effective price and in time for the wedding.
The three days that he was gone were almost unbearable. I’d never admit that to him or anyone else, but I was seriously getting the shakes from “Ethan Wright” withdrawal symptoms. Without Ethan there was no one giving me incessant compliments, no one to laugh at my sarcastic humor, and no one to spend time with to get away from the evenings with Terrance and Janette. Ethan had been extremely useful.
We video conferenced once a day. He also sent me text messages and emailed me pictures. The pictures were of himself, his friends, and various buildings around Paris. He even made a few videos giving me mini tours. He was so much fun.
My phone rang to the tune of “911” by Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige. Ethan had assigned his number to the ringtone the night before he left to ensure I didn’t miss any of his calls or text messages in the wave of wedding communication I was getting. I pushed the button to read the text that said, “FT” which meant open video conferencing. I obediently and happily pushed the app for FaceTime on my iPad.
Breaking All The Rules (Book 1 - Second Chances Series) Page 11