Chapter 16
“Ididn’t know I needed this.” Shomari lifted the basket, the cooler, and a blanket from the van, shut the door, then turned his face to the sun.
Its warmth always centered him, giving him the impression of normality he needed.
They had left the zoo moments ago and returned to her van for the picnic lunch she’d prepared.
“Neither did I, but I figured it was a great way to ease us into knowing each other a little better.”
“You were right about that.” He joined their hands, conscious that neither of them was exactly comfortable.
The gentle charges that pulsed through him each time they touched continued to throw him off guard, which in turn, made him reluctant to get closer to Lizette.
He couldn’t afford to lose his heart to her.
Not right now anyway. And not with the baggage he was carrying.
Going out with her while working for her didn’t feel right, which reminded him of his job search and the interview he had lined up for next week.
She squeezed his hand, which brought him back to her side. “Why do I feel your mind went somewhere else just now?”
Nodding, he admitted, “It did.”
She didn’t pressure him to explain, and he appreciated that. “Let’s find a good spot,” he said, “Preferably with lots of shade.”
“Agreed.”
Five minutes later, they found an African tulip tree with reddish-orange blossoms scattered on a carpet of grass. He unfolded the blanket and spread it in the deepest part of the shade. When he finished, Lizette squirted sanitizer into his hand and hers and dug into the basket.
“I hope you like rotisserie chicken?” she said, while laying out covered dishes and disposable plates.
“I do. What else do you have there? Looks like enough to feed a small army.”
She eased the hair behind one ear. “There’s chicken, ham slices, rolls, a little vegetable, crackers, cheese, and banana bread.”
“You thought of everything. Wasn’t I supposed to bring the dessert?”
“Yes, but I had time, so I baked a little something.”
“She bakes, too? I hope you’re as good as your mother. That fruit cake was boss.”
“I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” She tipped her head into the air, which made him tap her under the chin.
“Your attitude tells me you’re proud.”
“No, sir. I’m accomplished.”
Raising one brow, he nodded slowly. “I like that. A woman that knows who she is and what she can do.”
“My mom and dad made sure we understood our place in the world. That we had as much right as anyone else to occupy space.”
Mother came to mind, threatening to sour his mood.
He shook his head and focused on Lizette.
A cool, gentle breeze came up, reminding him of the season.
In December, the island was cooler, and locals experienced what they called the Christmas breeze.
He released his breath, admitting that being with her was the most contentment he’d experienced in a while.
She prepared a plate for him, which included everything except crackers and cheese. He thanked her with a smile and waited until she finished serving up her own meal before digging in.
“All good?” she asked when he was halfway finished.
“Mmmm. Yes.”
Legs folded Indian style, she laid her plate on the blanket and opened the cooler. “What did you bring us to drink?”
“Pink Moscato?” Her eyes sparkled as she lifted the bottle. “I like, but I want to have some soda first. Haven’t had any in a while. Share one with me?”
When he nodded, she asked, “Pepsi or Kola Champagne?”
“Champagne,” he answered around a mouthful of chicken.
Her grin was enough to make him want to laugh. “I prefer that, too.”
She broke out two plastic cups, gave him one, and poured the soda. “I’m not sure where we’re going to put the wine after all of this.”
“I don’t know about you,” he said, “but give me a few minutes, and I’ll be ready for dessert.”
After they cleaned up with wet wipes and put away their cups and plates, they repositioned themselves to lean against the tree trunk. He was pleasantly full and ready for a doze. When Lizette sat next to him, his arm slipped around her, and her head nestled into his shoulder.
“This vibe makes me feel we’ve known each other longer than we have.”
She shifted and looked up at him. “It could be because of my brothers. They kind of adopted you into the family.”
The stray puppy image crossed his mind, but he shut it down. The Winters were his friends and generous to a fault. He wouldn’t let pride intrude and drag him out of the moment. Not this time.
Tugging his arm gently, Lizette said, “Tell me about yours.”
“Way different from the Winters, for starters.”
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves above them, while he hoped she wouldn’t have too many questions. But he was out of luck because she asked, “In what ways?”
“We’re not as close-knit, for one.” He thought about it for a moment, then added, “Actually, that’s not true. My sister and I are somewhat close.”
“You say that as though you don’t believe it.”
“Actually, I do. Rochelle is good people.”
“Are your mom and dad still alive?”
He nodded, and she touched his cheek. “That’s it?”
“Dad lives abroad and Mother …”
She patted his hand, which was dappled by the sun shining through the leaves above. “Say no more. I understand.”
“What do you understand?” he asked, lifting her chin with the back of his hand.
“Well.” She drew the word out and shifted so her palm rested on his chest. “The relationship with your father might be normal, but no one calls their mom ‘Mother’ except the very rich and the estranged. Oh, or when you’re annoyed with her.”
Lizette leaned away to look him in the face. “Am I right?”
“That’s about it, but please don’t ask me to talk about her. Maybe some other time.”
“Mmmm.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“When someone says maybe some other time, it generally means not in this lifetime if I can help it.”
He laughed and pulled her closer. “We just have different views on life and how to live it.”
“I understand and promise to leave that subject alone unless you bring it up again.”
“I appreciate that. Better to talk about us.” He tipped his head back against the bark. “Although I will confess that where you’re concerned, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
A pat to the arm accompanied her words. “That’s all right because the same applies to me. Wintertime has been my primary focus for the past few years. Yes, I’ve dated, but everything comes back to this business and serving the kids.”
“Something tells me you’ve always been laser-focused.”
“That’s so true.” She leaned forward and hugged her legs. “Since I was a child.”
The wind rose, and he gently laid one of the twists behind her ear as she said, “What about you? What brought you to me? Because the kind of attention you’ve given my proposal tells me you have the same kind of drive and determination.”
He didn’t want to badmouth Christy, so he said, “I had a run of bad luck. Should have been paying more attention to my financial situation, but didn’t. When it came to crunch time, I was on the losing end. Can’t blame anyone but myself.”
Curiosity filled her gaze, but somehow, he knew she wouldn’t ask more questions.
“Sometimes, life takes us on a downward spiral to lift us again, especially when we need to let go of certain things that aren’t meant for us.”
He closed his eyes, allowed his thoughts to settle, then kissed her cheek. “I like the way you reason. That kinda sounds like my situation.”
But he wasn’t exactly convinced. He’d build again, but even now he wondered why he hadn’t seen what should have been obvious.
“Seems to me you’re hard on yourself, but—”
“I can’t help it. Mother would agree I’ve been a fool.”
The laughter of a child pulled his attention, and he frowned. The flash of red clothing and the familiar shape of the little girl as she ran in a zig-zag pattern made him squint. Natanya.
“What is it?” Lizette asked, staring in the same direction.
He pointed. “That looks like Natanya.”
Lizette squinted, then confirmed, “It is.”
The girl ran to Christy, who held her by one hand, and a man gripped the other. Then he swung Natanya into his arms and kissed her forehead.
Natanya squealed and hugged him around the neck.
As they approached, Shomari lowered his head and focused on the couple. He wasn’t jealous, but was curious about how long Christy had been seeing this man since they recently split up. Or, at least, he was done once he realized he’d been fooled.
He looked at the guy again, and a cold hand squeezed his heart and stopped the air from getting to his lungs. The lunch he’d just consumed threatened to come back up, but he swallowed hard and forced himself to take slow, even breaths.
“What is it?” Lizette asked, sounding as though she was choking.
But when he met her gaze, he realized she’d processed the same fact that blindsided him. He couldn’t bear the pity in her gaze, so he threw her an apologetic glance and removed his arm from around her. “I’ll be back.”