Love Again (22 page)

“I’m SO glad you’re here, you look
amazing
!” Corrina practically tackled me at the airport. 

“I’m not going to lie, I’m still a little nervous.” I told her

“You have nothing to worry about Lennie.” She pulled away from me then hugged me again.  “Let’s go!”

“Trevor is so excited to get to see you again, so tell me everything I’ve missed out on.  I can’t believe how good you look!”

I laughed, “Nothing much really, I stay so busy working at the school and helping at the youth center.  The little boy Marshall is now playing tackle football, I try to go to all of his home games.”

Corrina hadn’t stopped smiling since we left the airport, “You have no idea how good it is to know you’re doing good and you’re happy again.”

“I found the letter.” I told her.

“Oh…and?”

I shook my head, “Is Dominique going to be there at the gallery?”

She looked over at me then back at the road, “No, he’s in Texas for the weekend.”

“I see, is he still with Hannah?”

Corrina blew out a breath, “Yeah.”

I nodded my head, “I’m glad he found somebody.”  If he was happy that was all that mattered to me. 

“We can talk about him some other time.” Corrina said.  She started talking about all the people that would be in attendance tonight.  “Wait until you meet my boss’s son Eli,” she fanned her face. “He’s too damn sexy for his own good but of course since I’m an employee I’m put in the friend zone.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, I could tell this weekend would cause me to step out of my comfort zone and open up around people again. 

~~~~~~

Trevor was waiting in the lobby of the apartment building, “OW OW look at you!” He picked me up in a big bear hug and spun me around.

“Trevor, get your hands off my ass.” I thumped his head while I laughed.

“Hey, that hurt!” He rubbed the back of his head. 

“I’m starving, can we go get something to eat?” I asked as we walked to the elevator.

“Absolutely, I’ll even pay.” Trevor said to me.  “For your meal, not Corrina’s.  She’s been too bitchy lately.” He winked at me. 

Corrina rolled her eyes, “Do you want to know why I’ve been cranky?”

I stifled a laugh, “Mmhmm…”

“Because, that BRAT.” She pointed at Trevor that had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and was staring up at the numbers above the door. “Dumped my mouth wash out and replaced it with water and blue food coloring.  I walked around with blue teeth and a blue moon shape on my top lip for four days!”

I snorted but couldn’t hold in my laugh anymore, I wiped under my eyes and exited the elevator.  “She has no proof it was me…none at all.  I told her it was probably an oversight at the company.” Trevor said with a serious tone.

Corrina leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I found the food coloring in his trash can.  I have big plans for my payback—you won’t want to miss it.”

Trevor glanced at her out the corner of his eye.  We exited the elevator so we could go get ready and Trevor could go back to his apartment.

~~~~~~

At supper Trevor almost got us kicked out of the restaurant for ordering pizza and having it delivered to our table.  We were eating at a high dollar steak house…needless to say the owner made it very clear that Trevor was never to step foot back in his establishment.   Corrina was put on the ‘As long as you don’t try to bring that thing with you!’ list. The owner told her as he glared with distaste at Trevor that was shoving a bite of pizza in his mouth.

“Go away!  You’ll get to see her tomorrow after we get back from our spa treatment!” Corrina shoved Trevor back and pulled me into the elevator before he could ride up with us.  “He is a pain in the ass, a five year old acts better than he does.”

“He’s fun though and, easy on the eyes!” I told her.

She snorted, “Yes, trust me I know.”

I narrowed my eyes at her but didn’t say anything else.  Knowing Corrina, after a few drinks she would spill the truth about what was going on between them. 

“I’m going to shower then go to bed, what time does our day start tomorrow?” I asked then yawned.

“Ten o’clock sharp! Meni’s, Pedi’s, waxing--we are getting the works.” She beamed.

“Okay, night.  Love you.”

“Love you too.” We hugged each other then went our separate ways.

While I was showering memories of living with Corrina after I moved out from Justin began flashing through my mind.  It was like I was standing back looking at myself, watching myself fall apart until Dominique came into my life.  Even the memories of him made my entire body tingle.  I shut the water off and got out, those were days that I would never get back and so much had changed that neither of us were the same people we were just a couple of years ago. 

Lying in bed I waited for the memories to stop, I rolled onto my stomach and tucked my hands under the pillow and closed my eyes.  That night I dreamed about Dominique being in bed with me, tracing my skin with his fingers and smiling when tiny goose bumps dotted my body.  “I want to do so many things to you all you have to do is open up to me Lennie.” He whispered before bowing his head slowly licking around one nipple.  “Your body wants me, your mind wants me—you’re the only one stopping me.   You know I can make you feel amazing.”

“LENNIE!” Corrina was in the dream too?  “WAKE UP!” my eyes snapped open just before she pounced on the bed.  “We need to leave soon.” She laid down beside me.  “Did you sleep good?”

I yawned and stretched, “Mmhmm, I need some coffee.”

“It’s waiting for you, I went to Starbucks…come on.” She sprung from the bed, “I’m not buying another one if this one gets cold.  I guess I could just drink it…” she laughed when I threw the covers off and glared at her. 

~~~~~~

The day flew by in a blur of appointments to prepare us for the night at the museum. 

I had chose to wear a full length form fitting halter top dress paired with my black Louis Vuitton black high heels that had small silver accents on them.  My hair was braided with the length hanging over the front of my shoulder. 

When I walked out of the bedroom Trevor was looking in the refrigerator, “How do you look like you do with as much as you eat?” I asked.

He leaned back and looked around the door, “I’m looking for her next…holy fuck you look hot!” he said and his eyes got big. 

“You’re looking for what?” I asked.

“I forgot…Jesus Lennie you’re on fire tonight.” He motioned for me to turn around.  “There’s no back to that dress!”

I smiled at him, “I’m glad it looks good, I wasn’t sure how I would like it.”

He shook his head, “You look amazing.”

Corrina walked out of her room wearing a silver dress that had one sleeve that hung off her shoulder and a tiny strap holding the other side up.  “Ready?” she asked with a smile.

I watched Trevor to see his reaction, he looked her over his jaw muscle ticked then he nodded his head. 

“You look great!” We both said to each other at the same time.

Trevor held the door open for us, “I’m the luckiest man on the planet tonight.”

~~~~~~

At the museum people milled around talking and looking at the amazing artifacts on display.  Corrina was beaming with pride as she talked with people about everything new that had been bought for display. 

“Sooo, why do I get the vibe you and Corrina are failing to tell me something about you guys?” I asked Trevor. 

“Dance with me?” He said with a grin and didn’t give me a chance to protest.

“You avoided my question.”

“Nothing is going on between us, she’s too bratty.” He said with a grin.

“I don’t believe a single word of that Trevor.”

He winked and spun me around, I couldn’t help but smile.  I had missed being around happy go lucky people. 

As one song faded and another started playing a tall handsome guy walked up to us and asked if he could cut in.  Trevor narrowed his eyes, “I’m watching you.” He even added to the dramatics by pointing his fingers from his eyes to the guy. 

“I noticed you the very second you walked in, I’m Eli Archer.”

“Lennie Hudson.” saying my maiden name still sounded strange to me.  I smiled at him, his eyes were a beautiful caramel color with green starburst running through them. 

We danced to ‘Royals’, Eli was a fantastic dancer and never let his hands stray past my waist as he twirled me and waltzed me around the small dance area.  After the song was over we walked over to where the bar was set up. 

While we sipped on our drinks we talked about my work and his part in the museum.  He travelled the world going to auctions and clients houses buying new displays.  We danced a few more times until I finally told him that my feet were screaming for me to stop.  For the first time in a while I felt at ease and comfortable being around so many people.   When he asked for my phone number I didn’t even have to think twice about sharing it with him. 

“I’ll be in town next week maybe we could have dinner?” he asked.

“Well, I’m not from here.  I live in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.” I told him. 

He smiled, “I’m actually going to be close to there in a couple of weeks, what do you say I give you a call and we can spend the day getting to know each other a little more?”

“I think I’d like that.”

An elderly couple walked up to him and started talking to him so I excused myself to go use the bathroom. 

As I was walking back from using the restroom, Trevor was standing against a pillar talking on his phone.  When I walked behind him, I reached down and pinched the lower part of his ass cheek causing him to jump and start rubbing the spot.  “Here, I need to take a piss.” He said to me as he handed me his phone. 

At first when I said hello and nobody responded I thought the caller had hung up, then I heard
his
voice. Dominique’s deep raspy voice flowed through me, my heart started thumping hard and my body started to tingle.  I remembered that Corrina told me he was in Texas seeing his girlfriend.  The conversation wasn’t long between us and hopefully his girlfriend didn’t get mad that Trevor had put me on the phone.

“That was shady.” I glared at Trevor and handed him his phone.

“Aww don’t be mad,” he put his arm around my shoulders, “You two have a ton of shit you need to talk about someday.”

I nodded, “I know.”

Before the three of us left, I found Eli and told him that I would be expecting a phone call in a couple of weeks.  “You can bet you’ll be hearing from me before then.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. 

“Okay,” I smiled, “Thank you for the fun evening.” I gave him a small wave then had to rush so I could catch up with Corrina and Trevor. 

The drive back to their building took longer because Trevor wouldn’t stop giving the cab driver different addresses to go to. 

“Stop listening to him!  He’s drunk for fuck’s sake!” Corrina yelled at the driver.  Then looked at Trevor, “The next address better be for a booty call because I’m pushing you out, I won’t even care if the car is still moving.”

Trevor laughed, “Booty call, that’s a great idea!” he pulled his phone out and started scrolling through his call log.  Before he could dial anybody Corrina yanked his phone out of his hands and screamed under her breath.  “As much as I’d love to know that you humiliated yourself because you’re too drunk to even find your love pump, I do not want to see another one of your conquests doing the walk of shame in the morning.”

“Love pump?” he asked.

Corrina rolled her eyes, “Idiot.” She mumbled.

That was by far the funniest argument I had ever heard and couldn’t help but laugh until my sides were cramping. 

It took almost thirty minutes to get Trevor to his apartment because he kept stopping and talking to anybody that walked toward us.  His cell phone rang as we got on the elevator.

“Yeah, I’ll leave it unlocked.  See you in a bit.” He smiled at Corrina and me.  She however looked like she wanted to claw his eyes out. 

“Should we make sure he get’s to his room?” I said as he staggered down the hallway.