Breaking Point (Drew Ashley 1) (22 page)

Jazz patted my shoulder. "No, we're not secretly having a hot affair. He invited me to meet his family. His mum's going to cook some American food for me to try."

I shrugged her hand away.

"Yeah. I'll follow you home after we finish here," Jazz told Harvey. "Is your brother here, too?"

"No. He left ages ago. Why?"

"I was hoping to meet him, just in case he's as gorgeous as you."

"Why do you want my bro? Why can't you have me?"

"You're Drew's," Jazz whispered.

Harvey looked at me. "Am I?"

I tore up a few blades of grass and let them trickle through my fingers. I wasn't going to dignify this conversation with my input.

"By the way, you're welcome today, too, Drew," Harvey said. He used his shirt to wipe over his wet body briefly then tossed it on the grass. "This missionary soccer…" he looked at me. "Pardon me, football, seems to be going pretty well. Did Kale organise everything himself?"

"Do you really expect us to hear a word you're saying when you're topless and you've got water slithering down your body?" Jazz asked.

"Hey! I'm hot. I need to cool off."

"You're hot all right." Jazz brazenly stroked a hand down his arm. "Do you go to the gym?"

"No."

I glared at Jazz and she giggled. "I'd better get my hands off you before Drew scratches my eyes out."

"Um, I don't think so," I retorted. It was Kale that I wanted. It was just hard to focus on Kale when Harvey was before me in all his thugged out, bad boy glory!

***

Harvey lived in a three-storey, Georgian style house at the centre of a Georgian enclave in Kensington. The front garden was laid with new grass and was surrounded by a freshly trimmed hedge. A magnificent weeping willow tree blocked our view of the doorway to the house. I noted that there were no flowers. Well, Harvey was single, wasn't he? No woman in his life to make the garden pretty.

Jazz followed his car into the drive. "This is nice."

"Hmm," I commented.

"You don't think it is?"

"I do."

Jazz rolled her eyes and got out of the car. I got out too, thinking that I probably shouldn't have come. After all, Harvey had only invited me as an afterthought.

"Welcome to my spot," Harvey said, stepping out of his car with ease. When you had long legs like his, I guessed getting in and out of that beast was no problem.

"More like your palace," Jazz replied. "I feel like I've entered an enchanted garden."

Harvey's house did have an aura of enchantment about it. Maybe because it seemed so secluded. Or, maybe it was the spicy smell with which the weeping willow tinged the air, and the musical rustling sound its branches made as they swayed in the breeze.

Harvey led the way to the front door, which was flanked by two stone pillars. Jazz exclaimed over how nice the house was as he unlocked the door and took us through an airy hallway to the living room.

"I'll just go get my mom. She's probably in the kitchen," Harvey said.

Jazz sat down on the dark fabric sofa. It had a quilted leather trim and a scatter cushion back. I exhaled. There was something intimate about being in Harvey's house.

"Do you like Harvey?" I asked Jazz.

"Not like that. He likes you."

"He doesn't. I like Kale, anyway."

Jazz gave me a bored look. She wasn't convinced. I wasn't sure I was convinced either. I did like Kale, but there was something about Harvey. I focused on a set of dramatically-shaped nesting tables in one corner of the room. Their design was pretty unusual. I expected no less from someone who renovated houses and built furniture. The room had personality. Not a vibrant personality, but a chilled yet enigmatic feel to it. A Harvey feel.

"Drew, he told me himself that he likes you," Jazz said. "And as for me, I like someone who refuses to acknowledge my existence."

I was taken aback by her snappy tone. "Who?"

Jazz ran her hand over the fabric seat of the sofa slowly, like it was a kitten. "No one."

"Tell me."

She pursed her lips. "Later."

A little girl with huge brown eyes and a halo of soft curly hair entered the room. She frowned when she saw us.

"Hi," Jazz said. "What's your name?"

"Lashon," she said in a small voice, looking wary.

"You're beautiful, Lashon. I'm Jazzlyn."

"I'm Drew," I said, absently. Did Harvey really tell Jazz that he liked me? That couldn't be true.

Jazz chatted to the little girl while I tried to sift through my thoughts. It was hard to think clearly when my most dominant thought was a vivid recollection of Harvey pouring water over his head at missionary football before. The man was a bundle of temptation.

A tall slender woman wearing an apron entered the living room, and Jazz rose to her feet. Harvey followed behind her. He'd changed into a casual black shirt, and he was still buttoning it up. Yup, he was a temptation alright! "Mom, this is Drew and Jazz."

"Daddy, daddy, you're back!" Lashon shrieked delightedly at the sight of Harvey, making any polite conversation between Jazz, Harvey's mum, and me impossible.

The words were like a fist to my gut. They snapped me out of my gooey thoughts about Harvey. Daddy? Harvey was a dad?

Harvey scooped her up into his arms. "I am, princess."

I was speechless. Harvey had a child?

Lashon's screech was deafening as Harvey tickled her. I didn't have time to process it because his mum was talking to me and Jazz. "It's nice to meet you both," she said, above the racket. "Are you the girls that have been looking after my boy?"

"We are," Jazz said sweetly.

"He said he's been going to church," Harvey's mum said. "I'm so glad he's met some nice Christian people. I'll be in your church tomorrow, with Harvey and the kids."

"Where's Landon?" Harvey asked, looking at me.

"Outside," Lashon answered.

"How old is Lashon?" I asked. I needed to say something so that I didn't seem too shell-shocked.

"Four," Harvey supplied, his eyes searching my face.

"She's adorable," Jazz said. "Where's her brother? We want to meet him."

"Go get Landon," Harvey said, crouching a little for Lashon to hop out of his arms. "

She raced out of the room, returning a few moments later with a little boy with thick curly hair.

"Landon!" Jazz exclaimed. "You're gorgeous, just like your daddy."

I couldn't believe she'd said that in front of Harvey's mum. His mum chuckled, but her gaze shifted between Jazz and Harvey as if assessing whether something was going on that she didn't know about. Mothers were all the same. My mum was always on the lookout for possible suitors for me, too.

"How old are you, Landon?" Jazz asked.

"Six," Landon informed her, holding up six fingers.

"This is the assistant I was telling you about, Drew," Harvey said, patting his son's overgrown afro. "You help me renovate houses, don't you Landon?"

Landon nodded. "Can we go today?"

"No, but maybe tomorrow," Harvey said. "You're going to the barber's today. Remember? And then we're going to see Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives."

"Oh yeah!" Lashon said. "Are we gonna see the Queen?"

"Probably not," Harvey said. "But who knows?"

Harvey's mum persuaded Jazz and me to stay for some barbecue pork, collard greens, and cornbread. Jazz didn't take much persuading. I agreed reluctantly, not wanting to seem rude.

Finding out that Harvey had kids was a huge shock. I needed to go home and let it sink in, process it, work out why it bothered me.

"Which way is the toilet?" I asked as we all trooped to the kitchen.

"Lashon, show Miss Drew to the bathroom," Harvey said.

I followed Lashon through the house. "Thank you," I said when she opened a door. I went inside and locked it. I didn't really need it. I just needed a moment to myself.

Why hadn't Harvey told me that he had children? And why hadn't whatever forces that gave me silly random visions given me one about Harvey having kids? Why couldn't I have useful visions like that!

There was a knock on the door. "It's Jazz," came a muffled whisper from the other side.

I opened the door.

"Are you okay?" Jazz asked.

I didn't know the answer to that question.

"Drew, if you like Harvey, speak to him. He'll explain."

Harvey's life and where he got his kids was none of my business, especially since he'd never mentioned them before. I felt my hurt giving way to anger. "Why did he spring it on me? Why let me find out like this?"

"He wanted you to see how adorable they are before you decide to shut him out because of them," Jazz said. "He told me about his kids when he took me to my faculty ball."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Drew, can we talk about this later?"

I exhaled. I needed to calm down. Harvey wasn't obliged to tell me anything.

"And try to cheer up," Jazz said, "or his mum's just going to think you're stuck up."

Harvey looked at me when we returned to the kitchen. I couldn't meet his gaze. His mum's food was very nice. It was a shame my stomach was churning, making me feel sick. I tried to join in when Jazz started telling Harvey's mum about nice places for children to visit in and around London. I just hoped that my internal disarray didn't reflect on my face.

When we finished, Harvey's mum took Landon and Lashon upstairs to get ready for their outing, and Harvey walked outside with me and Jazz.

Jazz tactfully got into the car and left me to face Harvey alone. When I looked into his eyes I was shocked by the pain I saw there.

"I haven't known you long, Drew," he said. "But I know how judgemental women can be about things like this. I promise you, I'm single. I'm not the kind of man who plays around."

"What about their mum?" I asked.

"She left." Harvey raked a hand through his hair. His son wasn't the only one who needed to go to the barber's. "We broke up just after Lashon was born. I've told you a little about it. She was sleeping with my friend so I've been a single dad ever since. It's been hard, but my mom helps out a lot."

I didn't know what to say. Harvey's eyes were filled with questions that I wasn't sure I could answer yet.

"How on earth are you going to work your crazy hours and look after them?" I asked him.

"I don't know. My mom's here for a few weeks, but when she leaves I'll have to work from home sometimes and request working hours that suit me." Harvey stepped back. "I've laid all my cards on the table, Drew. You have my number if you want to talk."

***

I was confused. We'd just gotten back to my house after our lunch at Harvey's and Jazz was looking at me like she couldn't understand what there was to be confused about.

"You've just admitted that you like him," Jazz said.

"I know, but it's just because he's good-looking. There's nothing more to it."

"So, you really prefer Kale?"

"Yeah. And it's not just because Harvey's got kids. I admire him for what he's doing. He looks like he's a great dad."

Jazz shook her head sadly. "My heart is absolutely breaking for Harvey right now. You're letting Kale get in the way. Kale's got nothing on Harvey!"

I stared at Jazz. She was overreacting. Why? "You like Harvey, don't you?"

She looked taken aback then she lowered her gaze. "I don't."

"You told me you like someone who doesn't like you. Is it Harvey?"

"Harvey likes you, Drew. I know there's no point in me liking him. It'd be a waste of time."

I didn't push it. If she was still in denial that was her problem.

Kale called me that evening to tell me that two guys had gotten saved today in Papa John's. Then he asked if I'd be his girl. I was surprised at the sudden change in topic, but I said yes. He started talking about the saved guys again, and said that he would prefer it if they went to my church tomorrow instead of his. I promised to keep an eye out for them.

"Why do you have to keep an eye out for them?" Jazz asked when I clicked my phone off. "Kale knows lots of men in our church. Why can't one of them keep an eye out for them?"

I didn't answer, and I didn't tell her we were now together. She was in one of her moods. I was glad when she left for home.

The next morning, Harvey and his kids and mum were in church. Harvey walked his kids to the children's Sunday school then returned and sat with his mum who was pretty vocal throughout the service. She shouted loud amens any time Pastor Eddie said something she liked. Pastor Eddie seemed to enjoy the exchange, even pausing at times for her to insert an 'amen.' It was pretty comical.

I left church as soon as I could, pausing only to say hi to Harvey's mum on my way out. My mind wandered as I drove home. I wanted a relationship that would last. A relationship that had the possibility of leading to marriage. Dating with a purpose and all that. There was no way I would ever marry Harvey. Not in a million years——especially not when he already had kids and plenty of baby mama drama waiting to be unleashed!