Chapter Twenty One
“Hey baby, what time do you get off work tonight? I want to do something special for you because you were so understanding about Rishelle last night.” Nicey waltzed to his desk and sat down on the edge. A stunning smile lit up her face making her dark eyes shine like black pearls.
“Hmm…I can’t have dinner with you tonight,” Spencer answered tossing his pen down on this desk. He usually loved when Nicey surprised him at work, but today wasn’t one of those days.
Some of the light went out of her eyes and the smile on her face slipped a little, “Can I ask you why not? I know you’ll love what I had planned for us.”
He hated lying to Nicey, but if he backed out on going with his sister tonight she would be at Pamper Me first thing in the morning telling Nicey all kinds of lies about him.
He couldn’t let that happen not when he had found the love of his life.
All he had to do was get past tonight and Cindy wouldn’t have any more powerful over him.
It was going to break the cycle of being her protector, but it was going to happen.
“I got this new case and I have to work late,” he lied.
“That’s not a problem I can bring everything here and we still can do what I want,” Nicey said as her face broke into a wide open smile.
“No, I can’t do that either,” Spencer sighed running his fingers through his hair. “I won’t be able to get a thing done if your sexy body is here with me. Why don’t you spend the night with Rishelle and we can do something together tomorrow?”
“Okay,” Nicey agreed sliding off his desk. “Rishelle did want me to watch some kind of picture with her tonight but I backed out. I guess I could call her and see if she still wants to.”
“Wonderful,” Spencer exclaimed getting up from his seat. Touching Nicey’s elbow he drew her into his arms, “I love you. Thank you for understanding about my job. I swear I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.” Lies…lies. He hated lying to her, but after tonight he wouldn’t have to.
“Does that mean I can get all the kisses I want, a back massage and foot rub?” Nicey teased wrapping her arms around his neck. “I expect to get a lot of things for canceling my plans tonight.”
“You can have anything you want,” his tone apologetic and sweet.
Nicey’s lips brushed against his as she spoke. “I’m going to keep you to that promise,” she whispered then stepped back. “Don’t work too hard and I’ll see you tomorrow.” She blew him another kiss and then went out the door shutting it behind her.
A bad feeling came over Spencer the longer he stared at the closed door.
For some unknown reason he had the strongest urge to run after Nicey and confess everything to her, but he wouldn’t have time to answer all the questions that she might have over his deceit.
No, he would make a romantic meal for her and invite her back over to his house and then confess all of his sins.
Tonight, he had to do this one last thing for his selfish sister by accompanying her to this awards show and after it was over this was it for him. If Cindy wouldn’t start respecting him then she would be out of his life. Nicey was too sweet for all of Cindy’s diva drama.
“Lord…I hope this night goes by fast,” Spencer groaned under his breath as he made his way towards the bathroom in his office so he could get ready. “The faster it’s over the quicker I can get back to Nicey.”
* * * *
“Have I told you thank you for doing this with me,” Rishelle asked her as she picked up another hot wing off the tray in front of them. “I know that you usually don’t watch this.”
“Hey, there’s a first time for everything,” Nicey laughed then took a sip of her orange soda. “I’m watching it to see what you find so interesting about it.”
“God, I love watching all the celebrities arriving with their dates,” Rishelle gushed eyes glued to the television in front of them. “I hope that Cindy Carlton gets interviewed this time. Usually she rushes past the camera and goes on inside.”
“You’re a big fan of hers aren’t you?”
“Ravenous, wouldn’t be anything without Cindy Carlton and you know it,” Rishelle said looking at her from the corner of her eye.
“Okay, I’ve to admit that Cindy does add an extra spark to that show.” Nicey agreed bumping her shoulder against Rishelle’s as she tried to spot the star in the crowd of celebrities on the television for her friend, but she didn’t see her anywhere.
It seemed like the pre-show went on for at least another hour before Nicey started to go bored with sitting on the floor watching all the women getting asked who they were wearing.
Why did people stay at home and look at stuff like this?
If Rishelle wasn’t her best friend she would have stayed at home and went over the latest profiles for her business.
Valentine’s Day was coming up and people were out looking for that special someone to get to know.
“Darn it, this pre show is lasting way too long,” Nicey yawned rubbing her knuckles over her eyes. Closing her eyes she rested her head against the side of the couch and wished for a moment that she had gone to Spencer’s job instead of doing this with Rishelle.
“Ohmigod, there she is,” Rishelle screamed shaking her arm. “Nicey, open your eyes and look at the television. Cindy Carlton is right there.”
“Stop shaking me.” Opening her eyes Nicey moved her arm away from Rishelle and focused her attention on the program.
She blinked a couple of times and then leaned closer to the table.
Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her that wasn’t who she thought it was.
That wasn’t Spencer standing beside Cindy Carlton, no it couldn’t be.
Snatching the remote off the floor she turned up the volume and listen to the reporter interview Cindy.
* * * *
“Ms. Carlton, it so wonderful to see you here tonight,” the reporter said.
A dentist fake smile lit up the screen as Cindy flashed a cheesy grin, “Thank you so much. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything in the world.”
“You look gorgeous a usual,” the reporter praised. “But you know I have to ask who your gorgeous date is. I think I might know but I don’t want to say and then I was incorrect.”
“This hunk is my older brother Spencer Davis Carlton,” Cindy answered.
“So, is Spencer married, single, or has a girlfriend? You know the single ladies of the world are dying to know.”
“My brother is very much single and looking for that special woman. He was dating someone but it was just to prove a point to me. It wasn’t ever anything serious.”
“Your brother doesn’t look too happy that you’re talking about his love life on nationwide television,” the reporter observed. “Are you sure it was okay to tell the world and your fans that?”
“Spencer loves all this kind of attention. He’s used to women falling at his feet.”
* * * *
The interview went on for about five more minutes but Nicey didn’t hear any of it all she could think about was that Spencer wasn’t who he told her that he was.
He only asked her out to prove a point to his sister.
What kind of point was he trying to prove?
She knew that she should be crying but there wasn’t a tear in her eye.
She didn’t know if it was from the shock of being lied to her face more than once by Spencer or if his lies had killed all of the emotions out of her body.
However, she knew one thing and that was she had to get out of here and go home. She needed time to herself to think about this and figure out what she was going to do about Spencer.
Getting up off the floor she snatched her purse off the couch, “I need to go home. I need some time to think about all of this.”
“No, don’t leave Nicey. You shouldn’t be driving,” Rishelle protested getting up off of the floor. “Spencer isn’t worth you getting yourself hurt. He’s a jerk and let it go at that.”
The hot sting of tears was beginning to burn the back of her eyes.
She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of Rishelle.
If she was going to cry it would be in the privacy of her own home alone in the dark.
“Rishelle, I’m fine. I don’t live that far from here.
I’m going to be okay. I promise you.” After giving her friend a hug she rushed out the front door before she could stop her.
The second she stepped off of Rishelle’s porch and got inside her car the tears started to pour down her cheek. Spencer had gone out with her as a form of amusement to taunt his famous sister. He never cared about her. Those words of love had been lies and nothing more.
Why couldn’t she see through him? Was she that lonely for a man that Spencer slipped under her beacon?
“I’m not going to waste my tears on him,” Nicey cried brushing away the last of her tears. “I was doing well before Spencer Davis Carlton fell into my life and I’ll be the same strong woman after he’s gone.” Starting her car Nicey pulled out of the driveway and made her way home.
She didn’t want Spencer appearing on her doorstep like everything was perfect between the two of them. She never wanted to lay eyes on him again and she knew just the thing to do to make sure that happened.
* * * *
He was dead tired and all he wanted to do was hear Nicey’s sexy voice on the phone and then crawl naked into bed.
Spencer kicked off his shoes and started to get undressed when he noticed the blinking light on his answering machine.
Making his way over to the machine by the side of his bed he pressed the play button.
She was so perfect from him and tomorrow she would know everything that he had been keeping from her. She might be in shock and try to toss him out of her office, but he would make her understand and things would eventually work themselves out.
“Hello Spencer, I hope you didn’t have a long day at work. I was worried about you,” Nicey’s sweet voice whispered to him.
He couldn’t stop the love he felt for her from pouring into his heart.