Champagne laughed also. “I guess not.”
“Is that why you haven't started planning the wedding?” Alexis asked.
“I don't know.” Champagne was ready to get married but she also wanted to do her thing, see where this whole being with women could go. She didn't feel like she was done with it and she didn't want to go behind Zyair's back and sleep around, but it was starting to look like she had no choice.
Champagne thought about Sharon, the woman she felt most connected to and how she would call her every now and then to invite her to lunch. Champagne kept putting it off until Sharon called her out on it.
“What's the deal? Why won't you meet me for lunch?”
“I've just been busy,” Champagne lied.
Always one to be blunt, Sharon told her, “Don't lie. I think you're afraid of me.”
“Afraid? Why would I be afraid?”
“You're afraid of your feelings, your desires, your wants, and maybe even your needs.”
Sharon was right so Champagne kept silent.
“You see, your silence is my answer. I know I'm right.”
“If you know you're right and if you know what I'm afraid of, then why keep calling.”
“Because I like you Champagne. Not just as a lover, but as a friend and I was hoping that if we couldn't be anything else, then at least we could be friends.”
“I think maybe you're having some kind of midlife crisis. My psychology books say sometimes it happens earlier than expected. Maybe you and Zyair need to take another vacation. Perhaps have a weekend getaway and talk about the whole marriage thing,” Alexis offered in the form of advice.
“You think so?” Champagne asked.
“Yeah, I do.”
“I just might take that suggestion,” Champagne said knowing she was telling a bold-faced lie.
They both sat silent consumed in their thoughts, then they looked at one another and started to laugh.
“Girl, we're both a mess,” Champagne said.
They continued to sit and talk for a while about nothing in particular until Alexis stood up. “I need to go shop before the stores close.”
Champagne stood up too. “Call me.”
“I'll do that.” Alexis leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “You make sure you talk to Zyair about what's on your mind. Shit or better yet, see that counselor you used to see, maybe she can help you sort things out.”
“We'll see.”
* * *
An hour and a half later after shopping Alexis was driving home. She reached over to get her cell phone out of her purse, when she felt someone hit the back of her car. She pressed on her brakes and looked out of her rearview mirror only to find that someone had run into the back of her.
“What the hell?” She turned her car off and opened her door. Before she could even climb out of her seat, the driver of the other car was standing by her door. He scared the mess out of her.
What if he's the one following me?
She instantly regretted opening her car door.
“I'm so sorry miss, are you okay?”
“I will be the second you back up and give me some space,” she snapped.
“Is that really necessary?” he asked as he took a step back.
Alexis looked up to see who the hell this man was talking to. After all, he was the one that ran into her.
“How did you run into me? The light was red.”
The man didn't answer. He just stood there staring at her through his sunglasses.
Alexis got out of her car and waved her hands in front of his face. “Hello, I'm talking to you. I asked you a question.”
“Did you attend Seashore High?”
Alexis looked at him and tried to place the face. She was hesitant in answering yes.
“Alexis?”
She took one step back and looked him up and down. Whoever he was, he was handsome but this wasn't the time to be checking someone out. She needed to see if there was any damage done to her car.
She stepped past him and walked to the back of her car, which was a black BMW M3.
“It's just a little scratch,” he told her, “I'll take care of it.”
I bet you will,
Alexis thought to herself. She looked at him again and tried to place the face. Behind the shades he looked handsome.
But even handsome men are crazy.
“You do look familiar,” she told him, “but you know it's been over fifteen years since I've been in high school.”
“Maybe this will refresh your memory,” he told her as he took off his shades.
The second she saw his grey eyes, she knew who he was.
“Finn?”
“The one and only.”
Alexis was more than surprised to see him. Hell, she'd heard he went to prison right out of high school. Not only was he an ex-convict who went to jail for armed robbery, but he was also her childhood crush. Alexis reached out to give him a hug and he hugged her back and held on to her a second too long.
After she pulled away, she looked him up and down. He was still in shape.
Probably from the jailhouse workout,
and he was dressed in a suit.
“You know this doesn't excuse the fact that you just ran into me?” she told him.
“I didn't expect it to, but like I said I'll take care of it.”
Alexis looked at her car and saw that there was a small scratch and a tiny dent.
A second later Finn was standing beside her. “Give me your contact information and I'll call you. We can get that fixed this week.”
Alexis couldn't even be mad because she believed he would do just that.
“Let me give you my card,” she told him, “and you give me your contact information and we'll go from there.”
After exchanging information, he told her he'd call her that evening. She told him she wouldn't be around.
He then asked her if he could take her to dinner.
I don't think I can handle seeing another man right now.
She had sex with Thomas, now she had a date with Shamel and was going to meeting Maya's brother. “We'll see,” she told him and walked back to the front of her car and climbed inside.
The second he pulled away, Alexis pulled out her cell phone and called Champagne. She got the answering service.
“Girl, you won't believe who just ran into me, literally. I'm talking about ran into the back of my car. Finn, girl! You remember fine-ass Finn with the pretty eyes? Anyway, I'll call you later. Oh, and don't worry, I'm fine. Love you.”
Alexis hung up and continued to drive home while reminiscing about her first real tongue kiss and it just happened to be with Finn.
* * *
About an hour later when Alexis returned home, she was surprised to see flowers on her porch. Thinking they were from Thomas, she smiled, walked over to them, bent over, pulled the card out, and read it. “I'm watching you closely.”
I'm watching you? What the hell does that mean?
Alexis looked around to see if she saw anyone in the vicinity. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. Maybe her instinct was right and maybe what Champagne said was true, that she was being stalked. Again, she looked around. There was no one. She picked up the flowers and unlocked her door.
Alexis sat the flowers down on the table near the door and went into the kitchen to call Thomas. She placed her purse on the counter and dialed his number.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Thomas. It's Alexis.”
“What's up baby?”
“Did you send me some flowers?”
Thomas hesitated in answering because he had not, and that meant some other man was trying to get her attention. “No. It wasn't me.”
When Thomas told her no and said it wasn't him, it scared Alexis. For one, she didn't play that secret admirer shit and two; it scared the hell out of her. Just knowing that her intuition was right, that someone was following her and knew where she lived made her anxious.
“Hello?” Thomas said. “You still there?”
“I'm still here.”
Thomas could hear something in her voice and whatever it was, he didn't like it. “What's wrong? What's going on?”
“I don't know.”
“What do you mean you don't know?”
“Well, lately I've felt like someone's been following me.”
“What! Who?”
“I don't know, and then when I arrived home there were some flowers on my porch with a card that said, âyou are being watched' and there was no signature.”
Thomas didn't like this at all. “What! I'm on my way over.” Zyair had mentioned to him where she lived before and for this he was grateful.
Alexis liked the fact that Thomas was ready to jump up and come to her rescue. But what was he going to do, come look at the card and wonder who left it like she did? There was no name or any information to indicate who sent it.
“That's okay. You don't have to do that.”
“I know I don't have to, I want to.”
“There's nothing you can do.”
“I can look around.”
Alexis could see that Thomas wasn't going to let up and she didn't want him to come all the way to her house for nothing.
“I said you don't have to do that.” She made sure her tone implied that she was serious.
“Well, if you change your mind, just let me know.”
“I will,” she assured him.
“I got your message about dinner, how about Friday? Would you like to have dinner Friday?”
“I can't,” she told him.
“You sure, I heard of this new restaurant andâ”
Tired from the day and feeling thrown off because of the flowers, she told him, “Thomas, I'm not going to be home Friday night.”
He didn't want to ask, he knew it wasn't his business, but he couldn't stop himself. “May I ask you where you're going?”
Please don't let her say on a date.
“I'm going out with a friend.”
“A male friend?” Thomas knew he was acting like a pussy and he also knew that he wouldn't care if this was someone else, but it wasn't someone else, it was Alexis.
No sense in lying. “Yes,” Alexis told him.
“Is that why you won't go out to dinner with me, because you're seeing someone else?”
Alexis told him that wasn't the reason. She couldn't go out with him tonight because she was exhausted and that during the week it was just a challenge, period, but that she did want to see him again.
“Well, you make sure you call me tomorrow so we can figure out what to do about us getting together.” Thomas hoped he didn't sound as heartbroken as he felt.
Damn it. What is this girl doing to me?
“I promise. I will.”
The sincerity in Alexis' voice made Thomas feel a little better.
When they hung up the phone, Alexis sat down and thought about Thomas and her feelings for him.
She had to admit she was feeling him. The little time they spent together showed her who he really was and that was the opposite of what she thought.
Truth be told, Alexis could actually see the two of them together as a couple but she wasn't ready for that just yet. Khalil had ruined it for other men
. Is that who's watching me? Is it Khalil?
Alexis shook her head to get the thought out of it.
Chapter Forty-two
Keep your eyes open at all times, you never know who you might run into.
Friday finally arrived and as Alexis prepared for her date with Shamel, she admitted to herself she was a little nervous about going out with someone she just met. Hanging with and being around Thomas was one thing because he was part of her circle via Champagne but Shamel, well, that was another story.
What would they talk about over dinner? Would they click? Would she be comfortable around him? Was he going to try and get her to his house? Would she go? There were a million questions running through Alexis' head.
Get it together, girl. Don't worry about it, it's just a date. Enjoy yourself, make small talk and ask him questions about himself; men love that.
Alexis looked in her closet and pulled out the red wrap dress then her red stiletto boots that she'd purchased not too long ago. She showered, rubbed her body down with a vanilla body cream and got dressed. She wore her hair pulled back to show her face. She'd decided to let it grow down her back. Right now it was just a few inches past her shoulders when pressed. Alexis preferred to wear her hair natural.
Thank God it's naturally curly,
she thought as she looked in the mirror. Wearing her hair back also showed her cheekbones which were sharp like Angela Bassett's. Alexis liked to say they were from the same tribe. She then put on the diamond studs she'd just bought herself as well.
After she finished dressing, she looked in the mirror, liked what she saw and said, “The lady in red, that's what I am tonight, hot, on fire, and ready to take on the world.” Yes, she was trying to psych herself up and looking good was one way to do it.
* * *
Alexis and Shamel were going to meet at this new lounge/ restaurant that just opened up downtown called, “Lovers Lane.” To Alexis that was an odd name to call a lounge but hey, whatever worked for the owner worked for her.
It was almost eight o'clock and she had to be there by nine. She was on her way and she would be on time, the question was would he be prompt as well.
As Alexis approached Lovers Lane she saw that they had valet parking. That suited her fine because it meant she wouldn't have to drive around looking for a place to park. She pulled up in front of the building and a young man walked up and pulled open the door.
The young man seemed surprised to see her, “Ms. Olivia?”
She recognized his face and recalled that this would be his first year in college. She glanced at his name tag.
“Michael, how's college treating you?”
“It's all good. I probably would not have made it out of high school had it not been for you.”
Hearing something like that is what made her job worth going to. That's why she did the type of work she did. She wanted to make a difference. Most times she didn't think that she was, but hearing Michael's words told her she thought wrong.
“Thanks, sweetie but all the credit goes to you.”
She stepped out of the way so he could park her car and walked into the lounge.
From first glance it appeared to be full to capacity but not to the point where the service might lack. There was a band playing that sounded like old school R&B in the back of the club on a small stage. A small number of people were dancing which was all that would be able to fit on the dance floor anyway. Even though the kitchen was upstairs along with seating for those who wanted dinner, Alexis could still smell the aroma of barbeque in the air.
Alexis glanced around and her eyes fell on Shamel at the bar. He was looking her way and smiled when she located him.
Am I going to have to walk up to him or is he going to come to me?
Alexis' question was answered when he started walking her way.
She could tell he was taking her in from head to toe as she was him.
“You look dapper,” she told him. The off-white linen slacks and shirt he wore made him look very put together.
“And you,” he took her hand and kissed it, “you look beautiful.” He released her hand. “Come on, let's go to our seat.”
As they were moving from the front door, Alexis felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw that of all people, it was Thomas.
Did I tell him where I was going when I spoke with him earlier?
She knew she didn't and she was certain he didn't follow her because from the time she hung up and got dressed there was no way he could have made it her house, so a coincidence this was.
“Thomas?”
Shamel turned around as well. They recognized one another immediately.
Shamel put out his hand. “Well, well, we just keep running into one another, us three.”
Thomas, not wanting to seem like a jealous asshole, shook it. “Thomas,” he said by way of introduction.
“Shamel.”
Alexis just stood there looking from one to the other.
“Can I speak with you for a minute?” Thomas asked.
“She's on a date,” Shamel told him.
“I'll let her come back.”
Alexis frowned when she heard the word
let.
“You won't let me do anything. I'm a grown-ass woman and . . .” Before she went on, she looked at Shamel. “Please, just give me a minute.”
Is he following me?
She hoped not. Thomas didn't strike her as that kind of man but she was going to find out.
Shamel frowned. “This is the second time you've done this to me. Are we going to make this a habit?”
Alexis stood on her toes and kissed him gently on the lips, “Of course not. Please, just give us a minute.”
Shamel decided to give her just that, especially after the kiss.
“One minute.” He tapped his watch to let her know he meant it and took a couple of steps back.
Alexis turned toward Thomas, “Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?”
“You look sexy,” Thomas told her.
“Are you the one following me?”
Thomas just looked at her.
“Well, are you?” she pressed.
“You'd really stand there and ask me that, when I was the one who offered to come rushing to your house because you thought you saw someone earlier?”
“It's just odd that I'm here meeting with Shamel and you're here as well.”
“How many spots are there in this area for us?”
Alexis knew that “us” meant African Americans. “Well, I guess you're right.”
“What's up with you kissing him, didn't y'all just meet?”
Alexis sighed and didn't bother answering. “You said you needed to talk. What Thomas? What do you need to talk to me about?”
He had to think of something quick. “About the flowers and the note that came to your house and about us.”
“And you have to talk to me about that now and here?”
Thomas didn't answer. Alexis knew what he was doing. “You just don't like me being out with another man.”
Thomas didn't even try to deny it. “You're right, I don't.”
“But you do know you have no control over that.”
“I know.” Thomas looked over Alexis' shoulder and saw Shamel heading their way.
“Come home with me.”
Alexis laughed gently. “We're not going there again.”
Before Thomas could respond Shamel was up on them.
“Your minute is up,” Shamel informed Alexis.
“Listen, you just be careful, okay, and promise to call me so I know you got home safe.” Thomas told Alexis.
That was not a promise she was going to make. “How about I call you tomorrow instead?” Alexis responded.
“I'll be waiting,” he told her before he walked away.
Shamel followed him with his eyes. “Do you and him have a thing going on?”
“No, we're just friends.”
“Is it something I need to be concerned about?”
Alexis looked up at Shamel and asked, “Now why would you be concerned? After all, this is our first real date. ”
Shamel placed his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. “And I hope it won't be the last.”
Alexis looked him in the eyes. “I'm sure it won't.”
Shamel was still holding onto her when she told him, “You can release me now.”
“Did you make reservations?” Shamel asked as he let her go.
Shit!
Alexis knew she forgot to do something. “Oh my God, do you know I forgot.”
“I'll see how long the wait will be.”
Shamel walked away and when he returned a brief moment later he told her, “Forty-five minutes.”
“Damn,” Alexis said. “I apologize for forgetting.”
“Listen, let's leave this place and go to my spot. I can order something for us to eat and have it delivered there.”
“Are you sure?” Alexis asked.
“Yeah.” Shamel nodded toward the right. “Plus, your boy can't seem to stop looking our way and I'm two seconds from stepping to him.”
Alexis definitely didn't want that to happen. “What's your spot?”
“Dreams.”
The only Dreams Alexis heard of was the strip club in North Jersey. “Are you talking about the strip club?”
“Yes.”
Alexis took a step back and stared at him.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“You don't look like the type of brother that would own a strip club.”
Shamel just laughed because he'd heard this before. “And what does that type of brother look like?” He knew that most people expected black men that own strip clubs to look like thugs or shifty characters but no, not him. He liked to keep his goatee tight at all times, have his hair cut low, almost bald, and he stayed dressed in designer clothes. He liked for his style to speak volumes and money.
They were walking toward the door. “I don't know but not like you. You look more like a . . . a . . . Actually, I don't know what you look like.”
“I don't know whether I should be insulted or not.”
“I'm definitely not insulting you.”
They were outside and Michael approached them.
“Ms. Houston, you're leaving so soon?”
“That I am.”
“I'll get your car.”
When he walked away, Shamel looked at her. “You know him?”
“Yes, he was one of my students.” During one of their prior conversations, she'd told him her profession. “Shamel, is your club a dive?”
“Sweetie, do you really think I would own or associate myself with some bullshit?”
“That's just it, I don't know. Plus, I've never been to a strip club before.”
“Don't worry. Dreams is classy and I have only the best looking girls there with the best bodies.”
“Do they show their coochies?”
“Not on the dance floor they don't. I have a rule and that's if the women choose to be nude, it's their choice but there's where it stops. There's no opening of the pussy or doing tricks with bottles and all the other shit that brought the riff raff in.” What Shamel didn't tell her was whatever goes on in the back rooms was another thing altogether. What's done behind closed doors, stayed behind closed doors.
It was at that moment Michael drove up with her car and another young man was behind him in Shamel's car, which was a Mercedes G-class truck.
“Don't drive too fast,” Alexis told him.
“Don't worry, I won't.”
* * *
Less than a half hour later, they pulled up to Dreams. Every parking spot on the street was full as was the lot across the street. The only spots that were open were the two directly in front of the club. It was obvious that those two spots were for them. Shamel waved her into the first spot and then pulled in behind her. Before she could even turn off her engine, one of the bouncers was at her door assisting her out of the car.
Shamel was getting out of his car at the same time.
“What's up, boss?” the bouncer greeted.
“How's business?” Shamel asked.
“Busy as usual. A couple of troublemakers got out of hand but you know it was handled.”
Shamel took Alexis' hand and together they walked in.
Alexis didn't know what to do when they first walked through the door. She didn't know where to look first. There were people everywhere. Near the bar, on the floor standing and sitting at the tables throughout the club. A couple of men were getting lap dances and there were two dancers on the stage.
On one hand she wanted to sit down and take it all in. On the other hand she felt like she wanted to place her hands over her eyes. She felt like she was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be, and seeing things she wasn't supposed to see. But that's how a good Christian lived.
Wow, I've really sheltered myself.
Shamel was watching her look around. He wondered what she was thinking. Was she turned on, was she turned off or did it not bother her one way or the other? He couldn't tell from the look on her face.
“Come on. Let's go to the bar and get a drink. Then we'll go to my office and I'll have something delivered to eat.”
Eating was the furthest thing from Alexis' mind. She started to tell him this when she thought she saw someone that looked familiar getting on the stage.
Alexis hoped what she was seeing was not real. She knew something was going on with Shay, but she would have never thought it was this. Shay was one of her students that seemed to be going through some changes. Alexis had summed it all up to hormones. Okay, maybe she was mistaken, after all there is someone that looks like everyone and hopefully this was the case.