Chapter 12
12
When Brian’s mom asked him to install a new ceiling fan for her, he’d gone straight to her place after work. He looked at the description on the side of the box for the new ceiling fan then called down the hall. “Mom, which room did you want this in?”
“In the guest bedroom,” his mom answered from the back of the house.
“The guest bedroom?” he muttered to himself. He lifted the box and headed down the hall toward the guest room. “Why do you need it in there?”
His mom came out of her bedroom and followed him into the guest room. “Your aunt is coming to visit. The last time she slept in there she said she nearly melted. Well, now she can cool off.”
“You’re putting a ceiling fan in here for Aunt Sharon who only stays in this room once a year.” He put the fan box on the floor then kneeled to slice the tape sealing it closed with his pocketknife.
His mom sat on the edge of the quilt-covered queen bed and watched him. “It may be once a year, but I still want her to be comfortable. A fan will help.”
Brian closed the pocketknife and slid it back in his pocket. “You know you can just turn the air-conditioning down?”
His mom frowned and shook her head. “Oh no. I’m not going to run the light bill up. A fan will work just fine.”
Brian grinned but held back his laugh. His mom wasn’t about to turn her thermostat off the recommended settings for maximum energy efficiency. Not even for one or two nights while her sister visited.
“It shouldn’t take me long to put this up.” He started pulling out the various parts and sorting them on the floor.
“I know. You’re good at that kind of stuff.”
His mom silently watched him before asking in a deceptively innocent voice, “So I heard an interesting story at the grocery store the other day.”
“What kind of interesting story?” He had an idea. The rumor was already out there that he was the person sleeping with Tracey. But there was a slim chance the rumor hadn’t gotten back to his mom. He kept his attention on the fan.
“One about you and Tracey.”
His hand slipped, and he dropped one of the fan blades. “Huh?”
His mom gave him a small, knowing smile. “I guess it’s true.”
“What’s true?”
She raised a brow. “Don’t make me say the words. Tell me you don’t know what the story is?”
He couldn’t lie. “Mom, you don’t have to worry.”
“I can’t help but worry. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
He frowned. “Get hurt? No one is going to get hurt. We aren’t even doing whatever the people in the town are saying. That’s just Mattie spreading rumors and getting things stirred up.”
He went back to organizing the items in the box. He didn’t want to look his mom directly in the face. He wasn’t technically lying. Tracey hadn’t given him an answer when he’d asked her to sleep with him the day before. After the kiss he’d expected her to immediately agree. The sparks between them were undeniable. But he’d seen the challenge in her gaze. She wasn’t going to jump into anything with him based on sparks alone. He’d have to be patient, even though patience was killing him.
“Are you sure? There’s nothing going on?”
“Tracey and I are friends and colleagues. We hang out sometimes. We’ll be hanging out more because we’re in the entrepreneur class together. We’re working together on some of the assignments. That’s all it is.”
Though they hadn’t worked on the assignment the day before. There was no way he’d be able to sit across from her at a table and talk about marketing ideas after that kiss. It had taken everything in him not to pull her back into his arms and kiss her again. He’d wanted to touch every part of her body. Which was why he said he’d email her his idea and then she could email him. She’d quickly agreed.
“Look at me,” she said in her no-nonsense voice.
Brian turned and met his mom’s gaze. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him closer. “Are you telling the truth?”
He pulled on every ounce of self-preservation and I don’t want my mom to lecture me he could muster and gave her a smile. “I’m telling the truth. There’s nothing to worry about.”
She watched him again before nodding, satisfied. Brian forced himself not to relax with relief. He’d mastered hiding his devilment from his mom when he was in high school. He loved her and didn’t mind talking to her about most things, but talking about who he was and wasn’t sleeping with was too much for him.
“Good. I’ll go check on the pot roast while you do that.”
After she left, Brian pulled out his cell phone and checked for any missed calls. There were none. As if Tracey would call him up the next day. If anything, she’d keep him hanging while she went over all the reasons why she should or shouldn’t sleep with him.
Brian couldn’t believe he’d thrown the offer out there the way that he had. He hadn’t gone over with the intention of doing that. He had gone with the intention of telling her Craig was no good for her before trying to convince her that she could do better. But when she’d said she wasn’t looking for a relationship, that she was only looking for sex, something inside him had snapped. A decades-long crush on Tracey collided with a primitive need to be the one who touched, kissed and made love to her had him reacting before he could even think.
Now came the waiting game. Would she or wouldn’t she? How could she believe he’d never been interested in her? Had she really been that oblivious to the way she affected him? Granted, in high school he’d never acted on anything because he had been immature and only interested in girls willing to fawn over him. When he’d moved back to Peachtree Cove after his divorce, he’d spent his first few years trying to forget the way Renee had broken his heart. That, and Quinton had been right: he had still been caught up on Renee. It wasn’t until their last night together that he’d really and truly gotten her out of his system. If he thought about it, he understood why Tracey didn’t think he was interested.
“Well, I’ll have to rectify that,” he said to himself.
“Rectify what?” his mom asked from the door.
Brian started and turned. “Uh, nothing. Thinking about something at work.”
She nodded. “Ah, okay. The pot roast will be done soon. I’m going to watch Wheel of Fortune . Call me if you need anything.”
“I shouldn’t take too long. Just chill.”
She smiled, nodded and went back to the living area. Brian got to work taking out the light fixture and putting in the ceiling fan. The entire time he thought about Tracey and how to show her that he was interested in being more than friends. He was willing to wait for her answer, but he could also work to show her that he wasn’t indifferent to her. He would just have to do it in a way that wouldn’t make her uncomfortable or drive her away.
He was finishing up the fan installation and had come up with the idea of visiting her tomorrow and asking her out for drinks. Maybe a casual hangout. Doing something not related to work would be a good idea before they just slept together. His cell phone chimed. He checked the text from Cyril.
Tracey is here with that Craig guy. In case you want to act like a big brother again.
Brian stared at the text and frowned. His excitement about wooing Tracey withered away. Cyril and Quinton had given him hell when he’d walked over to Tracey and Craig in the cigar bar. They’d said he was acting like an overprotective brother. They’d teased him, but his friends had known the truth: he was jealous. He guessed he had his answer. If Tracey was back out with Craig, then convincing her that he was the better choice was going to be harder than he thought.
***
Tracey wished she could say she’d felt disappointed when she’d received the phone call from her brother saying she needed to meet him at their mom’s place immediately. It wasn’t as if she enjoyed having to mediate drama between her parents. She could go the rest of her life without having to deal with their toxic relationship tendencies. But considering that she was in the middle of a date with Craig and instead of feeling a tenth of the excitement she’d had with him before when they’d kissed, she latched on any excuse to leave. She’d spent half of the date forcing herself to pay attention to what Craig was saying and the other half with her mind wandering to the kiss she’d shared with Brian.
So she’d taken her brother’s call, told him she’d be there in a second and thrown a few words Craig’s way about meeting up later as she’d rushed out the door. On the way to her mom’s place, the home she shared with her boyfriend, Raymond, Tracey went over the events of the night. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel and her frustration and confusion grew. She’d never believed Brian was interested in her like that. When they were younger she’d refused to become like the other girls in school who’d damn near melted whenever he bothered to look their way. He’d known how good he looked and used that to his advantage. So anytime she’d sensed flirtation she’d assumed it was because that was his default when he dealt with girls. She’d thought the same when they formed a pseudofriendship after he moved back to town. But she hadn’t imagined that he would offer up a friends-with-benefits situation.
Or that he’d come on so strong.
Worse, she never would have expected that an offer from Brian would have scrambled her brain. She’d hoped putting distance between them and going on the date with Craig would minimize the effect he’d had on her. Instead, she only craved him more. And she hadn’t craved a man’s kiss or touch in a long time.
She was very aware that what she felt was lust. A feeling that had been dormant for too long inside of her finally coming to life. Knowing that didn’t change anything. She wanted Brian, but she also liked him where he was in her life. She wasn’t worried about falling for him, but she was worried about things becoming weird when they ultimately had to end. Could they really go back to working together without any awkwardness?
Thoughts of Brian fled as she pulled up to her mom’s place. Her brother’s truck was already in the drive. He stood out front with her dad, who looked like he was trying to get inside but Devante held him back. Swearing under her breath, Tracey parked her car along the street and got out.
Her dad’s cries for her mom to come outside and see him immediately hit her. “Loretta! Loretta, baby, I love you. Come back! I promise I won’t drink no more!”
Tracey glanced up and down the street. Lights were on behind windows and curtains fluttered. The neighbors were watching. Everyone in Peachtree Cove would know this story before lunchtime tomorrow.
“Loretta! Baby, please! I swear I won’t drink anymore. Not after tonight. Just come back.”
Her brother pulled on her dad’s arms and kept him from going up the stairs to the front door. “Dad, come on. Don’t do this. Let’s go home.”
Tracey jogged over to her brother and father. “What’s going on?”
Devante looked at her with sad, pleading eyes while he struggled to keep their dad from charging toward the front door. “Help me calm him down.”
Tracey moved and stood in front of her dad. She placed a hand on his shoulder and moved her head until she caught his eye. “Daddy. Look at me.”
His eyes focused on her, and he smiled. The smell of gin wafted off him. “Oh hey, Tracey girl. What are you doing here?”
Tracey looked him in the eye. “It’s time to go home, Daddy.”
He frowned, and it took a second for his dark eyes to focus on her face. When they did he shook his head. “No, no, no. Not until your momma comes home.”
“Daddy, she won’t come back if you’re like this. You should go home and sober up first.” She kept her voice firm. She’d learned early that pleading with her dad when he was like this didn’t work.
“But that’s my wife.” He pointed to the house. “Up in there with another man.”
“I’ll get her and bring her home, okay?” Tracey lied calmly and easily. She’d say whatever she needed to say to get her dad to cooperate. “You go with Devante and calm down. You’ll wake up the neighborhood like this.”
Her dad looked around then back at her. His face crumpled as the shame of being seen by the neighborhood settled in. “Oh, Tracey, I’m sorry. You don’t like it when I make a scene.”
“I don’t. So go on home, and I’ll get Momma, okay?”
Her brother tugged on their dad’s shoulder. “Come on, Dad. Let me get you home.”
Her dad’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded. “You’ll bring her home?”
Tracey nodded and helped Devante turn her dad from the house. “I’ll deal with Mom. You sober up. You’re not supposed to be drinking anymore.”
“I wasn’t going to. I swear I just had one drink.”
“Sure, Dad.” She looked at her brother. “You got him?”
Devante sighed before giving her a quick nod. “I got him. Come on, Dad.”
Tracey watched as he led their dad away from the house and to his truck. After they drove away, she walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. She doubted her mom would answer so she knocked as well.
“Ma, it’s me. Come on, open the door.”
The door quickly swung open. Her mom glared over Tracey’s shoulder toward the street. “Is he gone?”
“He is. Devante got him and took him home.”
Sighing, her mom stepped back so Tracey could enter the house. “Good. He’s lucky Raymond isn’t here. He would have come out and beat his ass. Bad enough half the neighborhood heard him. Now I’m going to have to deal with that and try to calm Raymond down when he hears what happened.”
She’d turned and gone farther into the house. Tracey followed her to the living area. The house was large and spacious, with an open floor plan, nice furniture and modern artwork that her mom said she thought was ugly but wouldn’t tell Raymond because she didn’t want him to think she didn’t have any culture.
“Is he going to give you any trouble?” Tracey asked concerned.
Her mom picked up a pack of cigarettes off the coffee table and gave Tracey an exasperated look. “Don’t worry. I can handle anything he gives.” She moved to the sliding glass doors that led out to the back deck.
Tracey quickly followed her. “What does he give? Ma, you don’t have to put up with anyone treating you bad.”
Loretta pulled out a cigarette and tapped it against the deck railing. “He’s not treating me bad. He’s just going to fuss, and I don’t want to hear his mouth. That’s all.”
“You sure?”
Loretta lit the cigarette and took a long drag. “I’m sure. You don’t have to worry about me. I can handle him. It won’t be half as bad as when I had to drag your dad in the house when he passed out drunk in the front yard.”
Tracey sat in one of the plush chairs on the back deck. “If you say so.”
Loretta blew out smoke and raised a brow. “I do say so. Instead of worrying about me, how about you worry about yourself?”
“I don’t have anything to worry about. I’m doing good.”
“Oh really? Then, what’s this I hear about you sleeping with Brian?”
“Would it be anyone’s business if I was?” She wasn’t sure what answer she wanted to give, but she wasn’t about to let her mom know that she was on the fence.
Her mom lifted a shoulder. “It wouldn’t be anyone’s business but your own. But—”
“But what?”
“But you just got rid of Bernard.”
“I’m just trying to take some time to figure out what I want. Wasn’t that your advice to me?”
Her mom nodded and took another drag of her cigarette. “Since when do you listen to me?”
Tracey’s cell phone rang. “I’ve always listened, you just never noticed.” She pulled her cell out of her back pocket and frowned at the screen. “What does he want?”
“Who?”
“Bernard.” Sighing, she answered the call. She wanted to ignore him, but he wouldn’t call her unless he needed to. She hoped he was stranded on the side of the road and Monique had refused to get him. She’d love to leave him stranded. “What?”
“Are you messing around with Brian?” His question sounded more like an accusation.
Tracey’s back straightened, and her brows drew together. “Excuse me? Why are you calling my phone with this?”
“Tell the truth, Tracey. Are you and him messing around?”
“That’s none of your business. You shouldn’t care about who I’m messing around with.”
“I can care because you know how I feel about him.”
Tracey rolled her eyes. “I don’t know or care how you feel about him.”
She did know exactly how he felt. Bernard didn’t like Brian and hadn’t for years, but when he’d started working with Tracey, he’d really started to hate on Brian. She could barely mention Brian’s name without Bernard sneering and calling him a washed-up pretty boy . She had to admit, pissing off Bernard by making Brian the first guy she hooked up with after the divorce held a certain appeal.
“You know I don’t like him. You know I always thought he was interested in you. Have you been sleeping with him this whole time? Did you cheat on me with him?” The pitch of his voice rose with each question.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re acting like you have any right to come at me about what I do. How’s the baby, Bernard?” she asked sarcastically.
“Quit playing. You’ve been cheating on me, haven’t you? You better not have. I knew something was going on. How could you do something like that?”
“Bye, Bernard.” She hung up the phone. Tracey shoved the phone in her back pocket and swore. She pressed a hand to her temple. She couldn’t believe he had the gall to call her and ask if she’d been cheating on him . The same guy who’d had a whole baby with Tracey’s employee while they’d been married. Now he was calling and accusing her. She’d never once cheated on him, but for him to think he had any room to comment on her actions made her want to break something.
“Bernard mad about you and Brian?” her mom asked chuckling.
Tracey looked up at her mom. “How could he do that? What makes him think he has any right?”
“Because he’s a sorry man. He can do whatever he wants, but it’s probably killing him knowing you aren’t sitting around every night crying about losing him. If you aren’t sleeping with Brian I hope you start soon. It would serve Bernard right.” Her mom’s cell rang. She looked at her phone and flinched. “Damn, it’s Raymond. Let me make sure he’s good.” She swiped across her phone and answered in a sweet voice. “Hey, baby.”
Tracey watched as her mom went back into the house to finish her call. Tracey was still shocked at Bernard’s audacity. She’d known he didn’t like Brian. A few times she’d considered breaking up her partnership with Brian because Bernard didn’t like him, but the few times she’d used another vendor to help with the plants for her weddings it had cost more and wasn’t the same level of service. So she’d avoided talking about Brian in front of Bernard. Never had she considered cheating with Brian because, unlike her ex-husband, she wasn’t a cheater.
But now she was single. She’d mastered having orgasms on her own thanks to her new toys and letting go of feeling guilty for masturbating. She was interested in sleeping with a person. She’d never believed Brian would be that person, but they had a spark. A spark that had started when they were younger, but neither had thought to see if that spark could be a flame. Then there was the kiss that had thrown thoughts of Craig out of her head.
She picked up her cell phone and texted Brian before she could change her mind.
My answer is yes.