Mistaken Identities (3 page)

She left the whining puppy and crossed the hall to Letreece’s apartment. Her friend took her time answering, and Tonya groaned in impatience.
Don’t let her ask me any questions, please.

Letreece opened the door. “Ain’t you cute this morning?” She gestured with her hand, taking in Tonya’s form from head to toe. “Loving the whole leopard thing. Of course, I already have—”

“Letreece,” Tonya interrupted. “I’m sorry, girl. I’m in a hurry, but could you please do me a favor and take Pookie for a walk in a couple hours? I’m going to be awhile.”

Her friend’s brows went up. “What you doing, girl? Why I feel like you’re up to something?”

Tonya sucked her teeth and put her hand on her hip. “Because you’re always up to something, everybody else has to be?” She forced a laugh, and after a flash of annoyance in Letreece’s gaze, she laughed too.

“Whatever. Yeah, sure, I’ll take the rag mop out, but I’m not calling him Pookie in public.”

This time, Tonya’s laugh was genuine. “Come on. You know you love that name.”

“Yeah, no.”

Tonya stuck out her tongue. “Well, I do. I named him for my pookie Roman, who gave him to me, so that’s his name. I’ll see you later, okay? Call me if you have any problems with him. I’ll get back as soon as I can. Thanks.”

Tonya walked out of the apartment building and started down the street. She strolled two blocks in the opposite direction to the one she usually took and stopped to wait. Checking her phone every so often for a text, she battled second thoughts. Maybe she shouldn’t go. If Roman or Grayson called, then what? On second thought, Grayson never called unless they were planning an outing.

She chewed the inside of her lip and checked the time. Ten minutes had passed since she arrived. Cars zipped up and down the busy street with fewer pedestrians walking by. No stores were located around in the area, and the bus stop wasn’t on this route. She strode to the curb and scanned left and right. Just when she decided to go back home, a small, black vehicle zipped around the corner and pulled to a stop in front of her. The sound of the automatic lock grated on her nerves, but she opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. The car shifted into gear, and they were off roaring down the road.

* * * *

Tonya sat in the chair outside the restaurant and slid her feet out of her shoes. She had been walking for hours, her mind filled will doubts and fears—most of all guilt. Mistake didn’t begin to cover what she had done that day. Worst, she had gone against her principles. They were what made her who she was just like anyone else.

“Will there be anything else, miss?” the waiter offered.

She bit her lip and checked her empty glass. “Another one, please.” He nodded and zipped the glass away. She really shouldn’t drink any more. That made nothing better. Nor did it help her to forget. She ran her fingers through her hair and shut her eyes. Day after tomorrow, she had a mani-pedi set up, and after that, an appointment with her hairdresser. Letreece would go. She sighed and dug her phone from her purse. The display read three missed calls from Roman. Her mouth dried, and she considered what she would say to him.

“Here you are, miss.”

Tonya received the drink with thanks and took a huge sip. The alcohol burned a bit going down, and her head swam a little. No more after this no matter what kind of courage she hoped it would give.

She checked the time—eight p.m.—and then dialed Roman’s number. After four rings, the phone went to voicemail. A second time gained the same results, and she frowned. He should be home. Even when he worked, he got in before seven-thirty. Maybe he was in the shower. That could be a possibility. The best move at this point was for her to come clean. He might be angry, but he would move past it. Honesty was the best policy, and starting off their marriage with lies was not.

She stood. Just making the new decision took a huge weight off her shoulders, and she flexed them. A smile curled her lips at the thought of what was to come after she talked to Roman and the next few days. Yes, she had to keep that in mind—being Mrs. Roman Thomas, the most important decision in her life.

A little while later, she stepped from a taxi outside Roman’s condo. She recognized Grayson’s car, and her heart sank. Just what she needed, to deal with them both at the same time. She needed to be alone with Roman and talk to him one on one. Oh well, the sooner they put this day behind them, the better.

She let herself in with her key, and called out. “Roman? You around?”

No answer. She walked down the short hallway, a flash of memory coming to her of when she’d hid in the closet with Grayson to surprise Roman. The door stood firmly shut, but somehow, she didn’t think he laid in wait. In the living room, Grayson sat on the couch leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs and hands folded together. Roman stood facing the fireplace, his back to her. The stiff set to his shoulders and the opened bottle of Jack next to him on the mantle told her something was up. He poured what was obviously not his first drink over the ice in his glass and knocked it back before turning.

“Tonya.” The name hung ragged from his lips, and he pressed them together as if he didn’t want her to know the extent of his emotions. She rushed to him and rested her palms on his chest.

“What’s wrong, baby? Did something happen?”

He set the glass down and almost missed the mantle. A shock of pain and confusion belted her in the gut when he reached up and removed her hands from his chest and then dropped them. Her eyes burned. That one move hurt more than she could say, but it had to be some mistake. Roman had never been mean, even when she pissed him off. He raised his voice, but he had never cursed her out. The same couldn’t be said on her part because she’d called him more than a few choice names.

She swung in Grayson’s direction. Maybe he could provide some answers. “W-What’s going on, Gray?”

He flinched like she had slapped him, but he didn’t say a word. Tonya studied his face and noted the strain around his mouth and the slope to his shoulders. He too had been drinking, and if possible, he seemed cooler than usual. When he glanced up, his gaze cut through her, an expression of sheer malice. Bile rose in Tonya’s throat, and she stumbled back away from him. Did he hate her all of a sudden? Why?

Then she remembered where she had been that day. They couldn’t possibly know about that, could they? How? Had someone told them, and so quickly? She considered pulling her phone out and checking for a warning text, but thought better of it. Instead, she stood there waiting, vulnerable—dreading when someone explained.

“Where were you today, Tonya?” Roman said at last.

Her chest constricted. “I—” She looked at Grayson, but he had lowered his gaze back to his glass. Unlike Roman, his was still semi-full. Grayson didn’t drink a lot. He seemed to prefer to take care of his friends when they over imbibed. Tonya had always admired that in him, but at the same time had always wished he would cut loose and have uninhibited fun.

“No, you don’t have to tell me. I already heard everything.”

She blinked at him and then looked at Grayson. “Did you?”

The sorrow she’d sensed in him a moment ago turned to irritation, and he walked over to her. She’d never seen Roman so angry. His eyes were narrowed and his nostrils flared, and he seemed to have trouble forming words. “You… I can’t believe you! So close to our wedding day. Or was it going on all along? You played me for a fool.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb, Tonya,” he shouted.

Now her anger rose, and she put her hands on her hips, lifting her chin. “Maybe you should come right out with what you’re accusing me of because I don’t appreciate the attitude.”

“You don’t appreciate the attitude?” He laughed, a humorless sound. “Who was he?”

She frowned. “What?”

“Who was the guy you were fucking at that hotel?”

Fucking
. Roman had never once used that kind of language with her. The word took her by such surprise, for a moment she could say nothing. Her mouth fell open, and she widened her eyes. The look of triumph on his face threw her even further for a loop.

“Yeah, you were seen.”

When she spoke, her voice came out a hoarse whisper. She tried clearing her throat, but it made no difference. “I—”

“You what? Wasn’t you?” The sneer hurt her to her core. “I always had my doubts about you. Why would a beautiful black woman like you want a white man like me? Why wouldn’t you marry your own kind?”

She stared. “My…own…kind? Are you for real? I’ve shown you how much I love you, all this time. I know you’re not questioning me about skin color. Yeah, you’re the first white guy I’ve ever been with, but that doesn’t mean anything to me, and I thought it didn’t mean anything to you.”

He raised a hand slowly to her face, and a tremor went through her. All she wanted was to throw herself into his arms and declare her love over and over. She knew he had insecurities, sure, but they had been together since she was nineteen. No one thought they would last because of the difference in their ages, but she had stayed by him and had no problem demonstrating her love for him in front of anyone. Why now, just before their wedding? Was it the usual jitters?

“You’re not addressing the truth,” he said, his voice cold.

“What truth? You said—” She stopped. His accusatory words came through to her muddled brain. “I can’t believe you think I cheated on you! I love you.”

His hand slid from her cheek to her chin, and he tightened his hold.

“Roman,” Grayson warned.

“Like I said, you were seen, Tonya. You were with a black man, in the bar of a hotel uptown. You were hanging all over him, and he kissed you. Now that I know you’re really a dirty whore, I want you to tell me who he was and how long it has been going on.”

He couldn’t have stabbed her and hurt her more. She slapped his hand away, tears welling in her eyes. “Fuck you, Roman.”

In an instant, his hand rose, and he poised it to smack her. Grayson appeared at his side and caught his wrist just as he came down. Tonya shrank back and looked between the two of them. A tremor started in her belly and spread to her limbs. She hated being seen so weak, but emotion welled up inside, making her want to collapse onto the floor.

She raised a hand to her head and wiped at the moisture there. “I want to know who lied about me, and why you would believe it?”

Roman remained silent. She looked from one man to the other. Her fiancé jerked his arm from Grayson’s hold, and he moved away from her. The sense of loss took her breath, and he compounded it by turning his back on her.

“No one lied about you. He confirmed what I should have known from the start.”

“
He?
”

Roman stuck his hands in his pockets and stared out the window.

“I did,” Grayson said.

He hadn’t moved from the spot where Roman left him, less than a couple feet from her. His gaze pierced hers, unwavering, not accusing like Roman’s had been, but without question condemning.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true, Tonya. I saw you.” He gestured at her outfit. “Same outfit as you’re wearing now. Your hair wasn’t pinned up the way it is now. I know you, and I saw you today at the Omni on Trade Street, where I had business. None of us spend much time uptown, so maybe you thought you could get away with it. You didn’t.”

His voice was so calm and calculated. Where he had stopped Roman from hitting her, no one stood by to keep her from slapping his face. Her palm stung, and a red splotch started where she’d connected with his skin. “You’re a liar! Roman, you can’t believe him over me. I’m going to be your wife, and we should trust each other.”

“You’re wrong,” Roman snapped. He turned to face her. “The wedding’s off. I want nothing else to do with you.”

The tears she’d held back with all her might flooded her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. This was a nightmare, a waking nightmare. She couldn’t believe it. She
wouldn’t
. “N-No, that can’t be. You’re listening to him? He’s lying. I love you. He… He’s jealous of our happiness.”

“So jealous he threw us a party and paid for our trip to Hawaii? He even offered you a job in his company, a woman with no experience, for me.” When he approached, Grayson took a step to move in front of him, but Roman raised a hand to ward him off. “Don’t worry. I’ll never touch her again.”

Tonya flinched.

“Grayson came back from his meeting and went straight to his office. A few people who saw him said he looked pale, like he’d seen a ghost. No one could get him to say a word, and he left the office soon after. I was worried so I called. He didn’t answer. I went to his house, and he didn’t answer. Good thing I have a key. I found him with his head in his hands, shaken up. I spent the better part of an hour trying to get him to tell me what was wrong, Tonya, and you’re telling me he is just lying about you because he’s jealous? No one knows Grayson like I do. We’ve been friends since we were both little kids, but you… Take the ring off and leave it on the table. Then I want you out of my house and out of my life.”

There was nothing she could say, nothing she could do. She twisted the engagement ring from her finger and set it on the table then turned and stumbled from the room. Out on the street, she walked and walked. The hour grew late, the tears dried, and devastation held her in its grip. Grayson Porter had destroyed her life in a single night, and she hoped he would burn in hell.

* * * *

Tonya fell through the doorway into her apartment, and another sob escaped as she caught sight of the wedding dress in the dining room. She rushed over to it and ripped it down from the hanger then tossed it on the floor. About to stomp the thing under her foot, she shrieked when hands dragged her back.

“Are you insane, Tonya?” Letreece asked. “What the hell are you doing?”

Tonya spun around. “Letreece, why are you here?” Her voice came out sharper than she intended, but she had no energy to fix it up. Letreece pointed to the bundle of fur wiggling at Tonya’s feet.

“Returning Pucky.”