When I enter my room, I set my purse on the bed, undress, and get into the scolding hot shower. I try to hurry because I want to spend time with Anthony. When I’m done, I put on a long nightgown t-shirt. But I decide to go without the bra and panties. If he can see the girls all perky, maybe he’ll be a little curious.
Anthony is waiting for me in the kitchen, standing on the opposite side of the counter. There’s a glass of champagne for me and a bottle of beer for him. I hope he noticed I bought his favorite brand.
“What are we celebrating?” I ask.
“You wanted to sit by the pool and reminisce, remember?”
“I do.”
Anthony hands me the glass and grabs his beer. He goes out the back entrance while I turn on the pool lights in the back yard. I join him at the table on the patio.
He takes in the view of my professionally decorated backyard. My pool is shaped like an hourglass, but there’s enough space where it narrows in the middle to swim through. The cement around it is pristine white like rain has never touched it, and there’s a natural barrier of arborvitae trees and Canary Island daisies that separates the pool from the lawn. I only know about the plant life because my real estate agent knew everything about this house, inside and out, and commenced to telling me every single thing. She cooed and awed at the yellow blooms on the Canary Island daisies that still remain on the shrub to this day. I can care less. As long as I don’t have to mow or pull weeds, it can look however it wants.
We both take a swallow of our drinks. The sun is setting. The crickets have started singing. The frogs are croaking. It sounds serene, but lord have mercy, I better not see one of those critters. I’m scared of those things.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Anthony reaches into his shirt pocket and hands me a business card. “A lady came by and gave that to me. She was concerned about you.”
I take the card and read the name. Natasha Mathis is on it, and her title is inspirational speaker.
“Why was she concerned?” I ask.
“She said you walked out after the meeting. She said you were mad because one of the ladies was trying to embarrass you.”
I sure hope Natasha didn’t tell Anthony everything. “What else did she say?”
“She thought you handled yourself pretty good.”
“She didn’t tell you anything else?”
“She wants you to call her, and that’s really it. She’s a nice lady.”
“Seems to be,” I remark as I set down the card. It has an address in Savannah. I wonder what she speaks about that’s so inspirational.
Anthony takes a drink and asks, “Where did you go after the meeting?”
“Huh?” My mind is racing for an answer.
“Where did you go?” he repeats.
“I had to...uh...check on one of my workers.” Inwardly, I roll my eyes. I know what’s coming next.
“Your worker?”
“Yes, Anthony, my employee.” I finish my champagne, and I look back in the house for the bottle. I don’t see it.
“Oh yeah, that’s right. You said you owned a business. You never told me what kind.”
“I have a homecare business. I have several nurses that work for me, and we take care about fifty to seventy-five patients.” Now, I wish I had of told him I went to see a patient instead. Wish I can take it back. So aggravated with myself right now.
“So, you took what you learned from the nursing company and turned it into a moneymaker for yourself.”
“Pretty much,” I reply with a weak smile.
“What’s the name of your company?”
“Huh?” I haven’t thought that far out.
“What’s the name of your company?”
“The name…um…GRN.”
“That’s cool. You’ve done better than I have.”
“I’ve done alright,” I reply.
“No, you’re doing great compared to me. My marriage is questionable. I lost my job. I can’t see my kids because I’m here, and they’re in Texas. My mother is dead. My brother is still pissed off at me. I’m practically homeless, for a little while. I’ve literally managed to slide backwards in less than a month.”
My first opportunity. “I can help you get back on your feet.”
“Not trying to be mean, but I don’t want your charity, Gia. And I don’t want you trying to hire me, either. I’m not a nurse, and I can’t be your accountant because I’m terrible with math. Five plus five is five. You see? I’m terrible.”
I chuckle. He’s being real cute right now. “I’ve already told you that you can stay here with me. You can look for a job and not worry about where you’re going to lay your head at night. And I don’t mind the company. I got all this room and nobody to share it with.”
“That’s real cool of you, but-”
“But what? If you leave here, where will you go? Oh, I know the perfect place. You can live in Chatham Square. I’m sure the squirrels will require you to forage for nuts to pay for your space under their trees?”
“You’re real funny, Gia.”
“Did I make my point?”
“Yeah, but I don’t like being a freeloader. I’m not a freeloader. I’m going to pay you rent.”
“No.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Pay me a dollar a month.”
“That’s an insult,” he replies, pointing at me.
“You’ll still be paying rent, and money is money.”
“A dollar a month is not the same as a hundred dollars or a thousand dollars.”
“Let me put it this way.” I shift in my chair to face him squarely. “If you pay me one red cent, then I’ll take it as an insult. You are my friend, my best friend, and this is what friends do. You are down on your luck, and I’m here to bring you up and in to some better luck.”
He shakes his head. He’s speechless, just as he should be. I wink at him and look back into the kitchen.
“I need more champagne.”
“Let me do it!” He jumps up and runs back into the house. He’s back in no time and already filling my glass. “Gia, I’m not trying to change the subject, but actually, I am. Why doesn’t anything bother you?”
I shake my head in confusion. “Some things bother me. What are you talking about?”
“Well, how can I say this?” He sits back down with a huff. “Why is it I can tell you about my dirty laundry from high school, and you don’t judge me?”
I don’t judge because I don’t want to push him away, because I love him. But I can’t admit that to him. Instead, I remark, “It was a long time ago, and it can’t be changed. I’m not going to worry about or judge you based on your past. You’re here now, and that’s all that matters to me.”
If only he knew that my love is beyond friendship, beyond loving him like a brother. The love in my heart is so thick that my chest is about to burst.
“I should have married you,” he replies with a joking chuckle.
His phone rings before I can respond. Why doesn’t he turn it off? I look the other way so he won’t see how unhappy I am about that damn phone.
“This is Hannah. I have to take this. Be right back.”
I try to listen to his conversation, but Anthony is too far, his back is to me, and he’s whispering. It’s driving me crazy that I don’t know what they’re saying. Giving up, I sit back and finish the glass of champagne.
If I’m making any headway with this guy, I have no idea. But it sure seems like Anthony is still committed to his wife. He’s taking her phone calls, and right now as they talk, he doesn’t seem upset. The conversation is civil. I have to find out if I have a chance at all, and if he’s trying to keep his marriage intact, then I know I have to change tactics to get him. I refuse to give up on Anthony. He’s right here, in my home. I can’t let this opportunity slip by.
He ends the call and sits down with apologies. I don’t want to pry. I don’t want to seem so desperate, but I have to find out more.
“Everything
okay?” I ask, hoping not to sound like I’m being nosy.
“I don’t know, Gia.” He takes a drink.
“Are you trying to save your marriage?” I cringe.
“Yeah, I am. I still love her despite what has happened.”
“What did happen?”
He doesn’t speak at first, but then he sighs and says, “She cheated on me.”
My chances are real. “You caught her cheating?”
“Yeah, a lawyer in the same office she works in. I went to pick her up at work. She told me she was working late, but I forgot. I went in, and there she was.” He takes a long swallow and stares at the bottle afterwards. “I could have killed him. I was so close, but I walked away. I just walked away.”
“When was this?”
“The day after I found out about my mom. That’s why I couldn’t come back to Georgia right away. I was dealing with that whole thing.”
“How long has she been seeing him?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to know.”
“Anthony, I hate to say it, but Hannah could have been with him for a long time.” There is no way for me to prove it, but that doesn’t matter. All I have to do is plant the negatives about his wife into his head. I face him, for effect and to drive my point home. “You probably work all day fixing trucks, and she’s been playing behind your back, probably for months. That’s not right. You deserve better. I think you did right by coming here and starting over.”
“I guess,” he responds. “You know, eleven years ain’t nothing to spit at, Gia.”
“Hannah spit at it. You think she’s with him right now?” Another seed planted against his wife. “Think about it, Anthony.”
“No, I doubt it. She just called me.”
“Anthony, you can’t be that naïve. Your mother is dead, and Hannah should be here with you to attend the funeral. But she’s not. I bet she’s with him right now, in your house.”
“You don’t know that, Gia.”
“And you don’t, either.”
“We shouldn’t be talking about my marriage. There are things going on that you don’t understand, and you never will until you’ve been married.” He’s angry. That’s not my intention.
“I’m just saying I would be here with you if I was her,” I add carefully. “Not in Austin.”
“It’s easy to say what you’ll do when you’re not in that person’s shoes.” Anthony takes the last gulp of his beer and rises to his feet. “I don’t mean to cut you off, but I’m tired. See you in the morning.”
I open my mouth to apologize, but he’s already in the house. That did not go as well as I’d hoped. At least, I got the answer to my question. She cheated on him, but damn it, he still loves her. That means I have to go about winning him by other means. I have an idea.
Chapter Nine
I’m sitting in my secret monitoring room watching Anthony sleep. The steady rise and fall of the covers over him tells me he’s in a deep slumber. I wonder what he would do if I sneak into the bed with him right now. Would he push me away or accept me? Would he open his heart and say he loves me? It’s possible. We’ve been friends for so long. He won’t see me as being an easy woman if I sat on his dick tonight. He’ll love me. He’ll fall in love with me.
Damn it, my cell phone interrupts my thoughts. Mackenzie Perez is calling. She’s an old friend since our days of being a freshman in high school. She’s the one that convinced me to become a registered nurse. She works in a hospital in a cancer wing for kids in Savannah.
“Hey, Gia,” she sings.
She’s always so chipper, and her clothing always match her personality. I can see her now, wearing her pink lipstick and her fake eyelashes. She has blonde hair, and she’ll have blue, green, or yellow highlights in them. She always wear some kind of pink scrubs with some kind of design that’s real fun for the kids. I’ve always thought Mac was in the right profession. She loves those kids as much as they love her.
“What’s going on? You working tonight?” I ask.
“I’m always working. I’m glad you called. I got a bone to pick with you.”
“I didn’t do it whatever it is,” I reply.
“Why did I go by your apartment today, only to find out that you’ve moved? What’s up with that? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’ve been trying to keep it a secret. I moved in with my new boyfriend.”
“He must have a lot of money because you like being on your own.”
“He’s done very well for himself.”
“Why haven’t I met him? What’s his name?”
“In due time, Mac. We’ll have a party or something, and I’ll invite you over to meet my new man.”
“I can’t wait, and what is it I hear that you quit your job?”
“Who sending you smoke signals?”
“Gia, I’m serious. Why did you leave? Did it have something to do with losing Ms. Moran or was it your new guy?”
“Losing Ms. Moran was the thing for me. You know, I used to go over to her house all the time when Anthony and I were growing up.”
“I know, Gia, but you shouldn’t have quit your job.”
“Had to. It’s time I do something different, anyway.”
“What you got lined up? You plan on letting this mysterious sugar daddy take care of you or are you’re going to keep holding your own?”
“I plan on interviewing at a hospital soon. As a matter of fact, I have one lined up tomorrow.”
“You should try here. We can work together. We’re always looking for registered nurses.”
“Maybe, I will.”
“You plan on going to the funeral tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’m going with Anthony.”
“I haven’t had a chance to see him yet. Is he in town already?”
“He came in today.”
“It must be so hard for him.”
“He’s holding up good,” I reply.
“Well, I have to get going. I have to make my rounds. When you see Anthony, tell him I said hello and give my condolences.”
“I will, Mac. Hey, what are you doing this weekend? You want to go out?”
“My brother is getting married on Friday, and then I’m heading to Atlanta for the weekend. One of the nurses here is having a big party at one of the clubs there. She’s turning fifty, and she wants to bring in half a century with a bang.”
“You said that to her? That’s not nice.” I laugh.
“She’s cool with it. I’m just playing with her.”
“Alright, well, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Alright, Gia, I’ll talk to you soon. Smooches!”
“Be careful this weekend,” I reply. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Mac has given me an idea. I can have a party, a housewarming party, so everyone in the neighborhood can come over. Why I hadn’t thought of it before? It’ll set right what I did wrong today. I just have to find some help tomorrow and see what can be done at the last minute.
I check the time on the monitor. It’s a little after nine, and that means Nick is gone to work. I can safely call her now. If he knew Lauren and I spoke on the phone every night, he’d beat the shit out of her. It hurts my heart that she stays in that marriage and takes the abuse on a farfetched hope that Nick will change. I’ve tried so hard to convince her that he will never be the man she hoped, but the love she has for him is stronger than any truth I’ve ever spoken to her.
Lauren answers the phone in almost a whisper. “How’s it going with Anthony so far?”
“He still loves her,” I answer with a pout.
“Were you expecting any different?”
“Yes, Lauren, I expected different.”
“They’ve been married for eleven years, Gia. She is the mother of his children. He loves her.”
“But she cheated on him. He should be mad as hell and asking for a divorce.”
“Sometimes that’s not enough to walk away.”
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“I’m going to give him a reason,” I reply.
“Yeah, okay, we’ll see. I hate to tell you this, but you got your work cut out for you. Anthony loves that woman. She could probably put a knife to his throat, and he’ll still go back to her.”
“I just have to work harder, Lauren, that’s all. By this time next year, he will be mine, for real, in marriage. I’m claiming him.”
“If you say so,” she says with a chuckle. “Don’t get your feelings hurt in the process.”
“Not gonna happen,” I reply.
“Alright, Gia, I have to put the kids to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Did he hit you today?” She’s not getting off the phone that easily.
“No, Gia, he went to bed after we got back from the funeral home, and when it was time for him to go to work, he left. Didn’t even say a word to me.”
“Let me help you, Lauren. Take my offer, please.”
“I can’t, Gia. I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
Every night that man leaves the house, that’s her chance to leave, but she will not do it.
“You know to call me anytime you need me, right?” I remark.
“Yes, I know. You say this every time we talk.”
“I mean it, Lauren. If it becomes too much, I will be there. I will stop anything that I’m doing, and I. Will. Be. There.”
“Okay, Gia. Okay. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She hangs up the phone, and I wipe the tears away. She breaks my heart every single time.
I shake off the emotion and lean more into the monitor. I refocus on Anthony. He’s snoring. I make the decision right then and there to sneak into his room. I take off all of my clothes and tiptoe run all the way to Anthony’s room. I put my ear to the door and listen. He’s still snoring. Slowly and carefully, I turn the knob and push the door open. It creaks but not loud enough to wake him. I peek inside. His back is to me. I hesitate. I can’t do this. He’ll give in because his body will respond, and then what the morning after? Regret, the never again, friendship ruined, my chances gone? No, I won’t do it.
Gia (Women of Privilege Book 1) Page 4