Mistaken Identities (2 page)

“Tonya.”

She turned to see her friend Letreece, who lived across the hall from her apartment. “Hey, girl. How you liking the party?”

Letreece whirled, taking in the house and guests. They were about the same height and build, yet somehow, her friend made her feel lumbering and bulky the way she carried herself.

“Are you serious?” Letreece gushed. “I’m loving it, but I wouldn’t expect anything else from Gray. You watch. Roman’s going to have something like this soon. I bet Gray will make him partner before you know it.”

Tonya waved her hand. “Shush, Gray’s got other people here who would love to get into a position like that. Anyway, I think Roman is happy right where he is. I’m okay with whatever he wants.”

Letreece rolled her eyes. “Damn, Tonya, stop licking his toes for a minute.”

Tonya drew back. “Excuse me?”

Her friend laughed. “I’m just playing with you. I know Roman’s all that. Where is the sexy beast anyway?” She stretched up on her toes to scan the crowd. Tonya didn’t think she saw any better. Her words rankled. There was nothing wrong with loving Roman the way she did. He loved her just as deeply. Letreece was just jealous, but that didn’t matter either.

“I don’t know where he is. I’ve been looking. Last I saw him, Gray dragged him off with some other guys. How much you want to bet they’re playing video games?”

“You’ll lose that bet.”

Tonya started at Grayson’s deep voice. She peered over her shoulder at him, and he stared down at her with such intensity she licked her lips. Sometimes she wanted to know what was on his mind. Before she could speculate, she thought of Roman, and slid her gaze past him to search for her fiancé.

“Is Roman with you?”

From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Grayson frown, but when she focused on him again, even white teeth flashed at her. “Come with me. Excuse us, Letreece.”

Grayson slipped his hand in hers and curled strong fingers to keep her close. Tonya waved at her friend and hurried behind Grayson. His long legs and authoritative presence cut through the crowd until they reached a spot in front of the fireplace. Roman stood there already talking to another man. She tugged her hand from Grayson’s and joined Roman. His arm slid around her waist, and he drew her tight to his side. A rush of love washed over her, and she kissed him.

“If I can have everyone’s attention,” Grayson said behind her. She thought his tone a bit sharp, but when she turned, he was as calm and collected as usual. “Thanks. I just wanted to make a toast to my best friend, Roman Thomas, and his fiancé, also a good friend, Tonya Cole. Just in case everyone doesn’t know the both of them.”

“We know Roman,” one of the men shouted, “and what is he doing with such a beautiful woman?”

Everyone laughed, and Tonya blushed.

“I agree,” Grayson continued. “I know I should wait until the reception, but I wanted to give them my wedding gift now, so that they can make their plans.”

“What plans?” Roman asked. Tonya shushed him.

Grayson spoke a few more minutes, and then when the anticipation rose to its highest and she was ready to sock him, he let them in on the secret. “The two of you will honeymoon in Hawaii for three weeks at my expense.”

Tonya’s mouth dropped open.
Whoops
of approval went up among the guests. Roman broke from her side and first shook his best friend’s hand and then hugged him. “That’s generous of you, man. You didn’t have to do that. I can’t believe you’d do something like that. What about work?”

Grayson laughed, and Tonya had to admit it was a nice sound, deep and smooth. “Easy, buddy. I wanted to do this for you both. It’s not a big deal. You said yourself you were saving for the future.”

Tonya looked between the two men closest to her and wondered. They were so close but so different. Grayson went beyond what a friend would do on a regular basis. His confidence radiated, while poor Roman often questioned her about her devotion to him. She never minded reaffirming her love because she enjoyed every instant he said the words in return. What would Grayson be like with the woman who captured his heart? Whoever he married, even if it wasn’t Nola, she would be one of the luckiest women on the planet.

Roman interrupted her thoughts. “Baby, aren’t you going to get over here and thank Gray?”

“Of course.” She smiled and moved closer to him. He drew her into a hug, and she went easily. “Thank you so much. I can’t believe you would give us such an incredible gift, but I’m grateful. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” His voice rumbled just beside her ear as he held her, and then he backed off.

The party continued on into the night. Tonya mingled among the guests, meeting new people, but mostly she stayed close to Roman, Grayson, Nola, and Letreece. At four in the morning, when most guests had gone home, she sat curled up on the couch next to Roman with her head on his shoulder. A few too many mixed drinks left her lethargic.

She yawned and struggled to keep her head up. Through the haze that was her vision, she caught the amusement on Grayson’s face. “You two need to spend the night here,” he told Roman. “You’ve both had a little too much to drink.”

“Is she even legal?” someone else asked. Tonya thought she remembered the guy’s name was Ted. He’d been kind of a jerk most of the night and had run after Letreece. Tonya didn’t think her friend dated white guys, given all her boyfriends Tonya had ever seen were black. She could be wrong.

“For your information, I’m twenty-two,” she mumbled, her tongue heavy.

Ted’s eyes widened. “Wow, then Roman is robbing the cradle. What’s he, like thirty?”

Grayson stood up, his face a thundercloud. “Yes, same age as I am. I think it’s time for you to go home, Ted.”

“But I—”

“Good
night
.”

Nola snorted, and Ted headed toward the door. Letreece looked at Roman and also stood. “I guess I’ll get going. Ted, you want to give me a ride?”

Tonya pushed herself upright. “Are you sure, Letreece?”

She sucked her teeth. “I’m fine. Call you tomorrow. Later.”

Tonya must have responded, but then she thought she’d fallen asleep. The next time she opened her eyes, Roman snored at her side, and no one else was around. The house sat quiet, and most of the lights were turned off. She shoved at Roman.

“We should go upstairs.”

He snorted and scratched his side, but didn’t budge. She gave him another shove and then put a hand to her head, which spun like a top. This was why she didn’t drink much. She needed to go to the bathroom bad, but when she stood, the floor came rushing up to meet her face. The carpet muffled her small cry, but the next instant, strong hands curved around her waist and hoisted her to her feet.

She blinked and looked into Grayson’s eyes. “I fell,” she said stupidly.

He grinned. “I noticed. Come on. I’ll help you to bed.”

“No, that’s okay. I have to get Roman.”

“I’ll get him after I get you settled.”

She protested some more, but he ignored her and held her tight to his side. Clinging to his shirt, she cursed herself for being in this position. The last person she needed to see her this way was Grayson. Even if he was Roman’s friend, he was also her soon to be boss. When she stubbed her toe halfway to the bedroom he had assigned her, he made an inpatient noise in his throat and whipped her into his arms.

“Put me down, Gray. I can walk.”

“Apparently not.”

“So embarrassing. I’m just a little dizzy.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She peeked up from his chest into his face. His gaze focused forward as he climbed the stairs, and he showed nothing of what he thought of her drunkenness, but she had the impression he didn’t think much of her. After all, it was just as Ted had said. Being fresh out of college and eight years his and Roman’s junior, she must seem like an opportunist, someone after Roman because of his prospects. Grayson had never said so, but she did wonder.

When he kicked the bedroom door open and dumped her on the bed, she looked again into his face. He turned away. “Gray?”

He stopped, his back still to her.

“Thank you. I…” How did she tell him what Roman meant to her and that she promised to do all she could to make him as happy as he had made her? “Um, nothing. Just thanks for looking out for us. Is Aunt Linn okay? She spent the night, right?”

He still didn’t turn around. “No, I took her home earlier in the night before things got rowdy.”

“I didn’t see her.”

“She said she would see you tomorrow.” He strode to the door and started pulling it closed. “Good night, Tonya.”

“What about Roman?”

“I’ll take care of him.”

She let him shut the door then and flopped back on the bed. Only after she’d started to drift off did she remember she needed to go to the bathroom but probably wouldn’t make it. As sleep claimed her, she dreamed of strong arms and a warm chest—comforting and protective. She tucked a hand beneath her chin and yawned. “Mm, Roman.”

Chapter Three

Tonya ended the call and rolled over in her bed. She folded her hands under her chin and stared at nothing. Beside her, the warm body of her puppy wriggled as he burrowed beneath the covers. She reached over and dug him out then scratched behind his ears. Was she making the right decision? This was serious business, and once she’d been involved, there was no going back. Her wedding just days away, she couldn’t believe she was considering something like this of all things. She reached for her cell again and pulled Roman’s number up on the screen. Her finger hovered over the spot to connect, but she hesitated. On impulse, she pressed the back button and brought up Grayson’s number instead. A sharp stab of pain tightened the muscles of her stomach. No way could she call him.

Sighing, she slid from her bed and strode through the apartment to the dining room. Pookie, the puppy, followed her after navigating the pet stairs she had set against the foot of the bed. On a hook that once held a potted plant she’d killed in the first week of owning it, her wedding dress hung. The sheer volume of the dress with its train and the veil made it too big to fit in her tiny closet, which had never held all of her regular clothes very well. Now that she had less furniture in the apartment in preparation of moving in with Roman, the dining room was the perfect place for the dress. She spent all of her time at Roman’s condo anyway, so he had little chance of catching sight of the dress here.

“Good decisions and bad decisions,” she said. Maybe she shouldn’t. She chewed her lip, thinking some more. Her cell rang, and she realized she clutched it like a vise in her hand. The display read Aunt Linn, and she groaned. Most of the time, she enjoyed talking to the older woman, but not right now. Waiting until the last possible moment, she clicked connect. “Hello?”

“Good morning, Tonya, my darling. How are you?”

“Aunt Linn, morning. I’m okay. How are you feeling? The migraine gone?”

“Oh, yes, thank goodness. I can’t party like I used to.”

Tonya laughed. Aunt Linn had hardly “partied” at all, and Grayson’s gathering had been three days ago. Despite that, Roman’s great aunt had been down with a migraine ever since. Tonya felt sorry for her. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. What’s on the schedule for today?”

“How about you and I go shopping?” Aunt Linn suggested. “We haven’t spent time together in awhile, and you’re about to steal my baby.”

Tonya’s mouth fell open, and she searched for words to say.

Aunt Linn laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that, sweetheart. You know I love you, Tonya, like the daughter I never had.”

Tonya wrinkled her nose. “I…” she began, but really didn’t have a clue how to respond.

“I apologize, sweetie. That comment was in poor taste. The truth is, I’ve always loved Roman as my own. When his parents left him on my doorstep, I was angry with them, but I already loved him. I started thinking of him as my son, especially since I couldn’t have children. When a man marries, he leaves his old relationship with his mother behind and bonds with his wife. Nothing’s ever the same.”

Tonya’s heart softened “Of course. I understand, and I’m not taking him away. We’ll both be at your place more than you’ll want us there, enjoying your great cooking.”

A pleased chuckle escaped the woman. “Oh yes, I can always lure you two with my chicken pot pie. Anyway, my dear, I know you will make Roman the happiest man on earth, and I will be there to wish you both the most wonderful of lives together.”

Tonya dipped her head and picked at a spot on the dining room tablecloth. She shifted from one foot to the other and glanced again at her dress. “Thank you, Aunt Linn. Um, about shopping, I’d love to go, but I have something to do today. Some errands. Can I get a rain check?”

“Of course. Call me when you’re ready.”

“Thanks. I will.”

Soon after, Tonya ended the call and returned to her room to shower. She stood in front of her closet and sorted through the dresses there. At first, she had decided to pack away the few she owned because she preferred a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Casual was the name of the game for her, especially during her days of cram sessions, eating pizza, and drinking soda. Those times were behind her, and the college twenty she had gained had melted off with discipline over the summer. After all, she had needed to look hot for her wedding.

Standing before the full-length mirror on her closet door, she checked out her figure. Longish legs, round hips, and a semi-flat belly. The skin wasn’t as tight as she would have liked, but then the twenty had to hang somewhere, and that had been around her middle. No matter, she looked pretty damn good, and she was still young enough for her skin to get it together. Roman had seen her naked, and he loved her.

She sighed and pushed the closet door wide. Just any dress, she decided. After shutting her eyes, she reached out and felt around. What her fingers landed on, she tugged out and looked down. The leopard print. Nice. Why was she stressing?

Just go and…do it. You already decided.

When she was dressed, she picked up her purse and walked to the front door. Pookie yipped, and she bent down to tickle his belly when he rolled over. “No, you can’t go, Pookie.”