Chapter 19
Zack knocked twice on the half-open door and stepped inside. He and Elijah settled into Lizette’s visitors’ chairs, looking pleased with themselves.
“Shomari could have fixed what was wrong.” Zack pointed behind him.
She laid aside the file she’d been browsing. “But he didn’t. Well, the internet stopped working just after he left.”
“You have that slave master’s glint in your eyes,” Eli pointed out. “As if the man isn’t entitled to a life.”
“I’m not saying that.” She looked away from their studious expressions while searching for words. “But he rushed away from work before it was time for him to go.”
Zack shrugged. “Maybe he had an emergency. “They do happen, you know.”
“Well, he’s had more than anyone I know,” she grumbled.
“Give him time. It’s only been a month.” Eli shook his head and looked toward the ceiling.
“My point exactly,” she said, smirking.
“Look,” he glanced at his twin, then let out his breath on a hiss. “I think you should give him a lil more time to settle in. He’s been through a rough patch and from the look of things …”
“You like him,” Zack chipped in. “A lot.”
“That does not mean I’m going to cut him any slack.”
“We’re not saying you should open the floodgates,” Eli shot back. “But I told you he’s been to hell and back.”
She placed a hand on her chest. “Which suggests to me that now is not a good time for him to be contemplating anything with a female in it.”
Giving Shomari access to her heart had been a mistake her brothers didn’t need to know she’d made.
“But love—” Zack backtracked when she cut him a bad look. “Attraction, or whatever, doesn’t wait for us to be ready.”
Lizette chuckled and pointed at him. “But look at you trying to tell me about love. A man who wouldn’t check out anyone for months and months because of a relationship gone bad.”
Hands spread wide, he clapped back. “But here I am, basking in my engagement to the woman of my dreams.”
“Right.” Shomari’s repressed fury and his jerky movements since the Saturday that exposed his problems returned to haunt Lizette, but she pushed that aside.
Strangely, the kids seemed to take the edge off his angst, so she had no complaints there.
But everything else about his attitude rubbed her the wrong way.
Her gaze returned to Zack, and she continued, “All I’m saying is that he needs to manage what he has going on better, and when you guys refuse to say what’s what . ..”
She couldn’t share what she knew about the situation with Natanya. That was Shomari’s story to tell, but a gap existed in his history that the twins could fill, if they were ever inclined to do so in this lifetime.
“That’s his business,” Eli put in dryly.
“Agreed, but I’m still taking a step back.”
Zack leaned forward, “Speaking from the perspective of someone who was hurt by the woman he loved, I think you should give him more grace. He’s perfect for you. He’s educated, personable, good—”
She shook her head. “I think you mean erratic.”
Scoffing, he continued, “Like I was saying, good-looking—”
“Since when are you admiring men enough to classify one like that?” Eli asked, smirking.
Sitting sideways, Zack dismissed him. “Forget you, with your homophobic self.”
“I am not homo—”
“Guys.” Lizette tapped the desk with one hand. “Focus. This is not about the two of you. It’s about my life and how you’ve both turned it upside down by introducing me to this guy who—”
“Clearly is sweet on you, baby sis.” Zack nodded for emphasis.
“I agree.” Eli raised one eyebrow and tipped his head toward her.
“Yeah, you would. The two of you haggle over everything, and then when anyone else steps in, you’re a united front.”
They looked at each other, then grinned. “Of course. We’re twins,” they said in one voice, as if that explained their contrariness.
“Seriously, though,” she said, then sighed. “Shomari has issues with his child’s mother. I think he also has a situation with his mother and father. When someone is at odds with so many people, he might be the problem.”
“There’s truth in that.” Zack set his face in a stubborn expression she knew well. “But trust us on this, he’s a good man. Take a time out, but don’t kick him to the curb.”
“I love you two lugs, but I’m going to do what’s best for me.”
The two men in front of her exchanged a glance, then nodded in sync. “Respect.”
“You’re finished for the day?” Zack asked.
After scanning the office, she nodded. “I think so.”
“Well, let’s go.”
She neatened the files she’d been using and eased them to the side of the desk. “Where are we heading?”
“Picking up some ice cream and then cutting a path to headquarters.”
Laughing, she walked around the desk. “Mom summoned you, right?”
“Like the boss that she is,” Zack joked as he dropped an arm over her shoulder and squeezed her to his side.
When she protested that he was holding her too tight, he tickled her until she threatened to do him bodily harm.
She understood he was trying to take her mind off their discussion, and couldn’t fault him for the attempted distraction.
They helped her to check that the computers, lights, and air conditioning were off before rolling out of the premises in two vehicles. She escaped from them with the excuse that she had to make a brief stop at home before coming over.
After dire warnings about not showing up and leaving them at the mercy of their mother, Eli and Zack went to a nearby supermarket.
At home she took a quick shower, trying to shut Shomari and his behavior out of her mind.
He’d flung her into disarray with his surliness and refusal to communicate.
Although she couldn’t understand the depth of what he was going through, despite what she told Zack, she’d been prepared to support Shomari. If he would let her.
But she’d also asked herself what was the point of falling for a man who’d leave her confused each time he had a problem. What would happen when their relationship deepened?
The thought of it made her clutch the gold crucifix at her throat and swallow hard.
Falling in love wasn’t part of her top five list of things to achieve.
The service she provided through Wintertime was her calling, and she wasn’t ready to be distracted from her goal of expansion.
But Shomari wasn’t asking for her attention.
He’d demanded it with his presence and willingness to help with whatever she asked him to do.
A phone notification dragged Lizette from her thoughts.
Zack had sent an unnecessary reminder, which got her moving. She locked up and headed for her vehicle, humming a carol. On the drive, she switched from a station playing Christmas music to one featuring love songs, then switched back. A moment later, she shook her head.
She was fooling herself by refusing to admit what she knew. Shomari had crept into her heart and mind, carving out his own space. Right now, he was probably locked away in the room he was still using at her brothers’ house, marinating in anger and disappointment.
On impulse, she dialed his number and almost chickened out before it rang.
She had a sudden and urgent need to hear his voice that would not be denied.
If he answered, she’d say she was calling to thank him again for his help with the proposal.
She’d sent it in for a preliminary appraisal and got positive feedback.
Next week, when the financials were complete, she’d submit everything.
After that, she’d wait for an officer to assess the building plans and then submit those to the town planning council for approval.
She dropped back into the present when he answered. “Shomari.”
“It’s Lizette.” As if he doesn’t know.
An awkward silence filled the airwaves before he cleared his throat. “Uh. Did I leave something at the office?”
She looked at the dashboard display, then focused on the line of traffic. Why did she bother? Now she’d put herself in an embarrassing position for nothing. “No, you didn’t. But you know what? Forget I called.”
“Lizette.”
“What?”
An impatient motorist laid a hand on his horn for several seconds. When the noise let up, Shomari said, “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been impossible to deal with since … the park, but right now, my head is all over the place. I can’t think about you and me. It isn’t fair to you.”
He didn’t continue, and she didn’t intend to give him an out, so she stayed silent. On pulling into her parents’ driveway, she gave in but kept her voice light. “It’s fine, Shomari. I understand.”
But she didn’t.