Chapter 33
T HE ANNUAL R ED Party in honor of Juneteenth had long been the most anticipated event of the summer. From the time Chris was old enough to vote, he was expected to attend, for it was the one event that had never drawn boundaries between the Andrewses and the Chennaults, or their kind of people, from the local townsfolk. Everyone of African descent attended to pay homage to the bloodshed of their enslaved ancestors through the transatlantic slave trade and then celebrate freedom from bondage.
Chris fastened the button on his double-breasted burnt red coat, which he’d paired with gray slacks, then helped Chloe from the car. They waited for Carter and his father to make their way around and entered the event as one. Once upon a time the sea of red had been overwhelming. The food and drinks were that color as were the décor and everyone’s attire. Finding the perfect fit for this coveted event used to be a chore. Now he looked forward to it and this evening more than usual since he couldn’t wait to see Carrah again.
Their night together made him want the moon and stars with her at the center of his universe. Never had he dreamed of wanting someone like this, and maybe it was the poison his mother had warned him about all those years ago because he was weak with need for Carrah. He scanned the perimeter, not seeing her, and then separated from his family to go where Gavin, along with Quinn and her brother Roland, were hanging by the water.
“Evening.” Chris extended greetings to both Quinn and Roland while Gavin looked at him as though he had something on his face. “’Sup, man, why you looking at me like that?”
“You got on the wrong colors, frat.” Gavin chuckled, then gripped him up in their secret handshake. “Hell, we all do.” He tugged at his red sports coat.
“Watch your mouth!” Roland laughed, flashing his fraternity sign. “Red and white trumps black and gold any day.”
“So the Nupe said.” Chris chuckled and hit fives with Gavin.
Quinn cleared her throat. “Have y’all seen my girls?”
They all looked around and then responded with head shakes. “Are they ever on time? Reese and Peyton are notorious for being on CP. Carrah is always on her own time, Miss Grand Entrance, and Ava ebbs and flows,” Gavin offered.
“There’s Reggie with Reese and Dunc,” Roland said, waving to them as they made their way to where they stood.
The party of four became a party of seven, which grew again when Lockhart and Trent invited themselves into the circle. Chris checked the time at his wrist then stepped away from everyone and moved closer to the rail. He gazed out onto the dark waters of Lake Dora and wished he could be back at the cottage with Carrah.
“You’ve been MIA lately.” Gavin stepped to his side. “She keeping you busy?”
Chris felt the crease form between his brows and told himself to play it cool. Gavin knew him inside and out, and would sense something was up if he acted any other way. He slid his hands into his pockets and asked, “Who’s keeping me busy?”
“Heather, Summer, work? Hell, I don’t know. I assumed a woman with the way you’ve been moving lately.”
“Neither,” Chris scoffed.
“Then why is she looking for you?” Gavin tilted his head to the lower lawn where Summer stood alongside Chloe, waving to them.
“I’m straight.” Chris didn’t bother to return her wave before he gave Summer his back. He’d given her a million hints that he wasn’t interested.
“Damn, that girl wants to give it to you bad,” Gavin teased. “Ain’t nothing wrong with accepting what’s freely given.”
“Gentlemen,” Reese called to them, waving goodbye before she kissed Duncan and started in the opposite direction.
“Reese!” Her voice was unmistakable. Chris moved back to where everyone remained congregated. “Wait for me.”
Chris himself felt hypnotized as Carrah strutted their way, sparkling like a ruby in her plunging neck wrap dress. The way her thigh peeked out of the slit of her dress was much too high for his liking, given their current company. Worse was that the sexiness enveloping her had him contemplating actions that would have him quickly judged. He loved how her tawny skin glowed, calling to him as her wavy hair accentuated her beautiful face.
Carrah was nothing less than a Miss America, Miss Universe… Mrs. Chennault. His heart stopped. She was everything he ever wanted and didn’t know it. In chasing her dreams, he’d unexpectedly discovered his. He found his breath but the rhythm of his heart was lost, and it didn’t restart until he locked eyes with Carrah from afar.
“Gav, Reg, Dunc, Chris.” Carrah’s gaze lingered on him before she smiled at all of them. “Trent, Lockhart,” she muttered. “The boys clean up nice.” She giggled, joking with Reese.
“Mmm-hmm,” Reese seconded. “Gucci, Boss, Armani, McQueen,” she pointed out, going down the line from Gavin to Chris. “All latest collections too—But Ma’am!” Reese’s entire face lit up. “You. Are. Rocking this hair! I haven’t seen you wear it like this in a long time.”
Trent laughed. “Rightfully so, it’s wild.” His hands swirled around his head. “Big. Guess you decided to tap into your roots tonight.” He sneered then moved to be at her side but she jerked back.
Chris saw that shadow of doubt cross her face. It had happened a few times when they were together. Now he witnessed firsthand what that jackass had done to her. Boys like Trent dimmed lights they felt would steal their shine. He wouldn’t allow her spotlight to be ruined.
“I think it suits you. You look beautiful, Carrah.” Chris looked her in the face, not caring that anyone else was around.
The entire circle went silent. Reese had slack jaws, Duncan scratched his head, while Gavin clasped him by the wrist as though he were about to run interference. Chris recalibrated, unsure of how to process the way his emotions flew off the handle. Never had he allowed his feelings to impact his actions. It was the first rule of law. Carrah was the exception.
Carrah looked away for a second, attempting to hide the flush staining her cheeks. “Thank you, Chris.” She cleared her throat and then waved to Quinn, who was calling for them to join her on the lawn. “Ready, Reese? Quinn’s going to kill me for being so late.” They linked arms with each other and started off. “Catch y’all later,” Carrah called over her shoulder then looked back at him one last time before they faded into the crowd.
“They are truly the prettiest girls in the world,” Reggie said before turning to look over the balcony where all of them stood below in the garden. “I mean, the whole group is fine.”
Duncan cleared his throat. “Watch your mouth, man. Reese is taken.”
So is Carrah , Chris wanted to say but couldn’t. Not yet. He wouldn’t risk exposing them to their friends since she had asked for time to break the news to their families first.
“Carrah’s taken too.” Trent provoked Chris’s attention, forcing his eyes to tear away from where Carrah mingled with her friends. “She just needs to get over herself.”
The icy words chilled Chris to the bone while his right hand tightened into a ball and contemplated disregarding social decorum and punching the other man in his face. “Taken by whom? I thought she was single.”
“So did I,” Gavin chimed in, side-eyeing Chris before refocusing on Trent. “Word on the street is she turned down your marriage proposal.”
“She did.” A sardonic smile stretched across his face. “I can’t help that I love ass or that my girlfriend hung on to her virginity until grad school. I’m a man. What’d she expect, faithful? We ain’t have no rings on our finger.” Trent’s derisive laugh made Chris want to punch him again. “Carrah doesn’t even know about all of the women. Only two, that’s how many she found out about and it was enough to ruin everything.” He gazed into the distance, eyes on Carrah without a trace of remorse.
Reggie shoved Trent. “What’s wrong with you? I mean, I know she can be spicy as hell, but Carrah’s beautiful and crazy smart. What man can’t keep his shit in his pants for a woman like that?”
The frown upon Trent’s face contradicted his shrug. Only, the despondence Chris noted as the man broadcasted his infidelity lacked sincerity.
“Carrah’s not spicy.” Trent walked into Reggie’s face. “She’s a Goody Two-shoes that will do anything to keep her parents happy, and that includes marrying me. She’ll come around. Her parents need my family’s bank and I need her on my arm for this political journey. Besides, I’m her first, last, and my dick will stay fitting her like a glove.”
Chris cracked his neck and took a step closer to Trent. “Must you always be so damned crass? Besides , your comment is only true if you are, in fact, the last.”
Trent lunged at Chris. Gavin stepped between them, halting any possibility of an altercation. He gave Chris a knowing look that communicated he finally understood why he’d been absent this summer while urging him to back down.
“Do I have something you want, Chennault?” Trent popped his collar. “I thought it odd the night of the ball when you were with Carrah on the balcony. But then, I saw the way the two of you looked at each other at Melvin’s meeting. Tonight, you stand defending a girl that has historically been your enemy. So tell me, what more is there between you and my future wife?”
Laugh. That was what Chris did to avoid saying something that would further complicate the way he felt about Carrah Andrews. The woman meant something to him and he wasn’t about to betray her trust and what could be over a pissing contest with Trent.
“You’re a clown. I need a fucking drink.” Chris turned away from the group. His departure was halted when Trent grabbed his arm. He snatched it away, took a few steps back, and was grateful Duncan and Gavin jumped between them.
“What’s going on up there?” Ava pointed up to the balcony where the guys were.
Carrah, Reese, and the rest of the girls all glanced up to see Trent take a swing at Chris and Duncan catch him by the arm. Carrah yanked the hem of her dress into her hand and moved like lightning to get back upstairs. No less than twenty minutes ago, everyone seemed fine. How did it get to this? She ran on her tippy-toes as the volume of their voices increased.
“It’s okay to want what’s mine,” Trent spat at Chris while Lockhart held him back.
Carrah rushed to where they stood, slipped in front of Trent, and then shoved him. “What are you doing?” She shot a quick glance over her shoulder to check on Chris. He remained dignified in contrast to the man in front of her, even as his pensive stare made her heart sink.
“Get outta my way, Carrah.” Trent attempted to brush her to the side. She disregarded him and remained firm.
“No! Is something the matter with you? Why are doing this?” she hissed, and then took a few steps back until she bumped into Chris. She turned to face him. She wanted to kiss him, except she couldn’t. He didn’t deserve this after helping to make her dreams come true. So she settled on helping him save face. God forbid his image get tarnished because of Trent Butler. “Are you okay? What happened?”
Chris dismissively waved his hand then lowered it as he pressed his lips together. “I’m fine.”
A pained groan escaped Carrah as Trent seized hold of her arm, digging his fingers into her skin. Before he could pull her, Chris moved in and created a divide. He secured Carrah behind him and was face-to-face with Trent.
“Is he why you won’t marry me?”
“What?”
“You heard me, Carrah.” Trent stretched his neck to peer around Chris. “What’s Chennault to you?”
She knew the answer to this question. She’d contemplated it since their night together and came to the undeniable conclusion that Chris was everything . Somewhere in between her becoming his client to them becoming friends, she’d fallen head over heels in love with Christopher Chennault.
Only now she was on the spot. It wasn’t just their little summer crowd. Her parents, his father, their siblings, their friends, plus others were watching. How could she answer and not make a mess of their lives?
“I… he…” She struggled to find the words.
Chris turned to face her. His gorgeous eyes scanned her for a minute before they locked to hers. “Let me help you.” He brushed past her and began walking away.
A second, maybe three or four, passed before she registered his actions. She went after Chris, leaving all the gossip and stares behind and called to him, but he kept going. After the third time of him ignoring her, she yelled, “Why won’t you stop?”
He froze, keeping his back to her. She walked until she could stand in front of him.
“I’m sorry… I… I didn’t know wh—my parents, your dad—”
“I don’t care about any of them. What did I tell you?” Her gaze fell to the ground. He leaned down until he found her eyes and she lifted her head. “What did you tell me? You said you wanted this, us.” He motioned his hand between them. “So did I, but never as a secret. I won’t be your dirty little secret not when I know with certainty that I’m in love with you.”
Water welled in her eyes. Carrah had never expected to hear those words. In this moment her heart battled to be whole and withstand the cracking pain of knowing she was unworthy of his confession. “What would you have had me say?”
“More than what you did, Carrah.” He drew back. “You put the lid back on your box. I should’ve expected it… My mother said you were poison, and I fell for this wicked-ass game you played.”
“That isn’t true!” Her insides detonated, finally shattering her heart into a thousand pieces, knowing that she’d hurt the one person who made her believe in herself and the possibilities life had to offer. She closed her eyes, pleading with the saints, and took a step closer to him. She swallowed hard then opened her eyes and focused to his face. “Tell me… tell me something I don’t know about you.”
His lips quirked into a fallen smile. “That along our journey all I wanted was to give you everything you ever wanted, and more if you would’ve let me.”
“I know,” she choked over a sob, and he took a step back.
“And yet you still can’t do it, can you? Stop living in their box and acknowledge this unexpected thing between us?” He released her from his penetrating stare and looked off for a second. “Do you remember the summer you passed me a note in church asking if we could be friends?”
“Yes.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “You were mean about it. Tore it into pieces then left it on the church pew after making an ugly face.”
“I said no because of this. I didn’t want to like you as a friend and then be told I couldn’t be your friend especially when I already thought you were pretty and knew my mom didn’t like yours. Basically, I didn’t want to get hurt… You did it anyway.”
He brushed past her to leave then whipped back around. “I guess this is why you write happily ever afters. You’re too afraid to live your own. Goodbye Carrah.”