Love In Strange Places (3 page)

She got up, turned off the lights, and locked her office door. “I can’t believe he hung up on me
.” She said, walking toward the elevator.

She
exited the elevator to the parking lot, and got into her car, pushed the ignition button and drove to his house.

He tried everything, from rocking to singing, to calm his little niece down, but nothing worked. Thank God Matthew was asleep. He should’ve known Sherry would be no help.

His doorbell rang. He walked over with Makayla in his arms and pulled it open without even seeing who it was.

“Why did you hang up on me?” Sherry asked, passing by him and dropping her purse on the table beside the door. “Give her here.” She took Makayla from him. Makayla was light-skinned, with big green eyes and curly hair.

“Aun…ty, my…ear…” Makayla said in between cries, pulling at her left ear.

“It’s okay, baby. Aunty is going try to make it better.” She said, kissing her cheeks, and then she looked up at Andrew. “Did Shannon bring pain medication?

“Yes,” he said, digging in Makayla’s backpack. “Here.” He handled her the bottle
and the measuring cup.

Sherry
took the items, opened the bottle, measured the amount and gave her niece some. Makayla opened her mouth and swallowed. “Good girl.” She kissed her. “Where’s Matthew?”

“He’s asleep.”

He watched as Sherry rocked and sang to his niece until she began to fall asleep. She was so tender and loving. Watching her with Makayla made him want more out of life. He needed someone who could handle him and his ways, someone who wasn’t afraid to tell him when he was full of shit.

“I love you my, Makayla
.” Sherry said, kissing her nose. “She’s always so energetic. I hate seeing her like this.”

“Me too.” He sat next to them. “Thanks for coming.”

“You thought I wouldn’t come? She’s my family, and they come first.” She said, playing in her curls.

“I didn’t know what to think.”

“I was only kidding, and you hung up on me.”

“I was stressed out, she wouldn’t stop crying. I’m sorry for hanging up on you.” He sincerely meant it.

He took Makayla out of her arms and placed her in his bed, in between his pillows so she wouldn’t roll off. By the time he stepped back out, Sherry was on the phone.

“Tiffany, sorry, I can’t make dinner tonight.”

“Why?” her best friend asked.

“Because Andrew called and needed my help with Makayla. She has an earache.”

“Your fine-ass brother-in-law?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Okay, I’ll give you a rain check just because you’re spending time with that hunk of a man.” They both laughed.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Okay, right.”

She looked up and
blushed when she saw him, but she knew he couldn’t hear Tiffany’s side of the conversation. “Tiff, I have to go. Call you tomorrow.”

“Don’t do
anything I wouldn’t, and you know that’s not much. Bye.”

“Who’s Tiffany? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“My best friend. You’ve met her before.”

“I don’t remember.”

“She’s your type.” She smiled. He stared at her with his eyebrow arched. “You know, blonde, skinny.”

He didn’t answer.
Let her think what she wants
. “You have a big mouth.” He chuckled.

“I didn’t say anything wrong. I was explaining why I canceled our dinner plans
.” She got feisty, shooting daggers at him.

“Kidding! I know how much you hate it when I say that.” His chuckle got deeper.

She rolled her eyes at him.

“You didn’t have to cancel.”

“Makayla needs me.” Her eyes started getting soft.

“Do you want something to eat?”

“Yes, I’m starving.” She jumped off the couch.

“Come on, I made dinner
before the kids came over.” He guided her to his kitchen.

“You made dinner? Or did you order?” She said, following him.

“Like I told you before, there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” He gave her his sexy, lopsided smile.

“You don’t say?” She smiled, as he uncovered the pots he had on the stove. “Mmm, rice, beans, and chicken, yummy.” She said, her stomach growling.

Sherry sat in his kitchenette area and watched him prepare her a plate. “By the way, you have a lovely home.”

“Thanks.” He said, setting the plate in front of her. “Eat up. I hope you like it.” He went into the fridge and came back with a glass of lemonade.

“Thanks.” She gazed at him, as she took her first bite. “Mmm, this is good,” she took one bite after another. “This is better than Shannon’s.” She giggled.

He smiled. “I’m telling her you said that.”

“You better not…and you say I’m the one with the big mouth.” She took a sip from her drink.

“Why were you at work so late?” He sat next to her.

“I was catching up on some last-minute details. It’s not like I have anyone waiting on me to come home.” She said, feeling a bit sorry for herself. “Why are you always at work too?”

“I’m good at what I do, and like you, I don’t need to rush home unless my family needs me.” He said, staring at her. Out of the blue, he asked her, “What’s your middle name?”

She almost choked, and covered her mouth with a napkin. “Where did that come from?”

“I’m trying to get to know you.”

“You already know me.” She said, putting down her fork.

“Not really. I mean, I know your family, but I don’t know much about you.” He said, not taking his eyes off her.

“Okay, I’ll play your game. What do you want to know?”

“Tell me three things I may not know about you.”

Eyeing him, she picked up her fork and took a bite and finished chewing before speaking. “I have a masters of science in Information Systems.”

“That’s interesting. Why did you pick that profession?”

“I love developing systems, and anything to do with technology. Being a manager at Tech-Source gives me that and so much more.”

He just looked at her, making her nervous. “I see. You love what you do.”

“I do…my boss is another story.”

“What do you mean?”

“He constantly looks over my shoulder. He tries to micro manage everything I do, but he doesn’t intimidate me. We get into it all the time.” She sighed. “But he won’t fire me, because as you said about yourself, I’m the best at what I do.”

“I like your conviction.”

“I’m a fighter. I don’t hold back any punches when it comes to what I want, and I don’t care what people say.”

“We have a lot in common.”

“Let’s see.” She put her index finger to her lips. “That was number one. Number two…I’m very different than my sister.”

“In what way?” He seemed very intrigued; she could tell by the way he leaned forward.

“Shannon tries to please everyone around her. Me, on the other hand, couldn’t care less. She always tries to get approval from our parents. I was so proud of her when she finally stood up against my father, because now she’s happy.” She smiled.

“You don’t need your parents’ approval?”

She started laughing. “Hell no, I’m a grown-ass woman. They lived their lives the way they wanted to, now its time for me to live mine. I do love them to death and would do anything for them, but I don’t need their approval.” She took a sip from her lemonade. “Abigail.”

“
Abigail?”

“My middle name.” She gazed at him.

He couldn’t believe how interested he was listening to her. “That’s a lovely name.”

“It’s my grandmother’s name.” Her smile reached her eyes. “Now it’s your turn to tell me about you.”

“I have a doctorate degree in law.”

“Duh.” She chuckled. “I knew that you’re a lawyer.”

“What happened to our truce?” He said, laughing with her. “Remember I’m telling you everything you told me.”

“Why a lawyer?”

“I honestly chose to be a lawyer because I wanted to help people, and the money is good.”

She finished her food and pushed the plate aside. “Keep going.”

“My brother and I may look alike, but that’s where it ends. I love him to death, but he’s too forgiving at times. Once a person crosses me, it’s hard for me to let that person back in.”

“Are you talking about Shannon, and when she kept the secret about Matthew being Matt’s son? Because if you are…she didn’t do it out of malice. She thought she was doing the right thing.”

“I wasn’t talking about Shannon, but how was keeping Matthew’s parentage a secret the right thing?” He said, crossing his arms.

“I didn’t say it was the right thing. She was wrong and I told her, but I can see where she was coming from. He was married, and she thought his wife at the time had a miscarriage and couldn’t have any more kids. She didn’t want to add to her pain.”

“What about his pain, Sherry?”

“I know, but he forgave her and now they’re married with two beautiful kids.” She smiled and then got serious. “It’s all Karen’s fault.”

The vein in his neck started throbbing. “It is, but she didn’t act alone. My mom’s accountant was the mastermind behind everything.”

“What was his name? Tony something? Hunter? They still haven’t located him?”

“Tom Hunter. And no, but I doubt he’ll come back to the States after learning what happened to Karen.”

She smiled. “I can’t believe she was so stupid and sued Matt, but in any case, she ended up with nothing.”

Their eyes met. “Javier is my middle name.”

“Like your dad.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve noticed that about Spanish cultures, the first-born son is usually a junior.”

He laughed. “Not all Spanish cultures. I’m not a junior. My father wanted me to have my own identity. That’s why it’s my middle name.”

“Is your son going to be a junior?” She said, getting up and walking to the sink.

“If I have a son, no, I don’t want him to be junior.” He watched her place the dishes in the sink. “What do you do on your spare time?”

“Nothing much,
twice a month I volunteer at a Foundation. After Shannon survived breast cancer, I wanted to be able to help people fighting that disease,” she answered. “I’m very passionate about it.”

“What’s the name of the foundation?
” He donated money to a cancer foundation too.

“Pretty-In-Pink
, we raise money to help families with financial needs.”

“Maybe one day I can come with you and help.”

She turned, smiling. “Really?”

“Yes really,” he laughed. “That cause is close to my heart too.”

“I wish I could do more financially.”

“Every bit counts.” He stood. “
I’ll be right back. I’m going to check on Makayla and Matthew.”

Moments later he came in and just watched her from afar.
What if?
He thought, but then shook his head.
He could get used to having a woman permanently in his life, not just one to warm his bed. “She’s knocked out. You didn’t have to wash the dishes.”

“I know, but this is my way of saying thank you for dinner.” She rinsed the last plate.

He moved closer to her. “I enjoyed spending time with you. Maybe we should do dinner again sometime.”

“Maybe.” She turned, drying her hands on a towel.

The doorbell rang. “I hope its Matt and Shannon.” Andrew said as he walked toward the door.

He opened it. “I guess she stopped crying,” Leann said, entering his house. “Sorry it took me so long to get here.”

“No worries.” He replied.

Sherry
stepped out of the kitchen. “Hi, Leann,” she said, tightly and grabbed her purse off the table. “Bye, Andrew.” She glared at him as she passed by and went down the stairs without a backward glance.

“
Sherry!” He raised his voice. She stopped and looked back. “What if she wakes up?”

She continued on her way and yelled, loud enough
the neighbors would hear her. “You have Leann to help you.”

Andrew sat on his bed, watching Leann while she slept. She was beautiful, but he knew there wasn’t a future between them. She’d told him from the get-go their relationship wouldn’t become serious because she’d just come out of a nasty divorce. He’d agreed. He hadn’t been looking for a relationship, himself, but now things had changed. He wanted more.

Leann began waking up. “Good morning.” She smiled.

“Good morning.”

“What time is it?”