A Constant Reminder (12 page)

“Well Roxanne can I get your number?”

“My number. I don’t even know your name.” She was sure she couldn’t be his type but she wasn’t sure why she thought that. She didn’t even know him to make such blurring assumptions.

“My name is Adam, Adam Hardwick. It says it right here on the shirt.”

Roxanne was so busy looking into his eyes she never noticed his name stitched into the pocket of his shirt. “Adam.”

“The oil change is free even if you don’t give me your number.”

“Can you give me a free oil change?”

“I can do whatever I want.”

“You’re not going to get in trouble with your boss?” Roxanne asked, concerned about him when perhaps she shouldn’t be.

Adam smiled. “No I’m not going to get in trouble.”

“Oh.”

“I think you should give me your cell number. I prefer the cell number but I would be willing to settle for a business card.”

“So you want to call me and remind me when I need an oil change?”

“Yes that’s what I want to do.”

“I’m sure you do.” Roxanne half rolled her eyes.

Adam chuckled and it rumbled in his chest because his voice was much too deep for his boyish good looks.

Adam reached in his work pants pocket and removed his cell phone. He unlocked the device and finger tapped his way to his contacts. He typed her name in. She stood there watching him. He handed his cell over to her.

“Put your number in.”

Roxanne took the phone. She felt like he was leading the conversation and she hated to admit she liked to be led.

Adam carefully watched as Roxanne removed what he wrote, typed her name and number into the phone. She typed
The Original Roxanne
then her cell number. He would never get the joke. She was sure he had never heard of The Original Roxanne Shante’ but she didn’t care.

“There you go.” Roxanne handed Adam his cell phone back. Adam glanced at her number in his contacts. He tried to hide his budding grin. He placed his cell in his chest pocket.

“Can I call today?”

“Today?”

“Later.”

“I don’t need an oil change this soon.”

“I want to talk to you.” He looked at her with a passion she couldn’t turn away from. “I need too.”

“Sure.” She shrugged not breaking eye contact. She decided to give in and just go with it. She had been single so long and she was tired of running from every man that flirted with her. This felt weird but weird in a good way. Maybe she was ready to date again.

“Are you free tonight?” Adam inquired.

“For a phone call?” Damn, this Adam guy was really pressing his luck she thought. She had given him the number already.

“I mean for like a movie and dinner.”

Roxanne smiled seductively and flipped her silky hair off her shoulder.

“Maybe you should give me a call first, one step at a time, speedy. We can work out the other stuff later.”

“Okay whatever you want to do. I’m all in.”

Did he just say that? She wanted to see him with his shirt off. She was unsuccessfully trying to push that thought out of her mind.

“The oil change is free. I got you covered. You don’t owe me anything. I don’t expect anything in return.”

“Thanks.” Roxanne knew plenty of guys that spent money on a woman and just assumed that meant the woman owed them sex. For some reason she didn’t get that vibe from Adam. She didn’t know him but still there was something that was different about him, something captivating and something dangerous in the fun way.

Roxanne felt the desire to leave him. She could imagine herself going too far with him. He had swag for a white guy. He was sucking up her air with his easygoing charm. She walked over to her open car door. Adam followed closely maybe he didn’t know any other way to follow.

“So Adam, how many free oil changes do you give out on a day to day basis?”

Roxanne got in her car and sat in the drivers seat. She was worried that this was a part of his modus operandi. She wished she could take the question back. Sure she really wanted to know but maybe she was being a bitch.

Adam snuck a peek at her legs as her skirt glided up her dark bronzed thigh. Roxanne didn’t move her skirt. She was going to give him a show. Her boldness tickled her.

“None. I haven’t given out any free oil changes and if you were wondering, I’ve never asked any woman for her phone number while I was at work either.”

Adam closed her car door and leaned into her driver’s window. His suave and defined movements made Roxanne think he might kiss her.

“Buckle up, drive safely.”

“I will.”

Adam looked in the backseat and noticed the baby doll buckled into the back seat. She has a kid he thought. He wondered how many?

Roxanne buckled her seatbelt. She looked out her window at him. He was far beyond handsome. He would look damn good in a three-piece suit. He had the body for it. That was for sure.

“Let me get the door.”

Adam jogged over to the garage door and slapped the open button with one hand. As the front garage door opened Roxanne pulled forward and out of the garage. She waved as she drove away. She thought this encounter was sweet. Even if he never called, he made her feel attractive.

CHAPTER 10

Roxanne and Adam exchanged texts and talked on the phone for two weeks before they were able to go out on a date. Roxanne was always cautious. She had good reason to be. Her past had dictated her future and she was okay with that.

She always talked to guys over the phone for long periods of time to try to gage their personalities. She checked for words or stories that indicated they had violent tendencies. She couldn’t find anything wrong with Adam. He was mannish at times but he was truly a gentleman from what she could tell.

During their phone conversations he never asked her for sex, he never asked her for nude pictures, he never offered to send her pictures of his penis. He was a winner in her strict rulebook.

Adam wanted to see her right away but Roxanne wanted to move at a slower pace. She was afraid that seeing him would surely make her submit to his will. Adam was a grown man. He clearly wanted her in his bed. She wasn’t too naive to think otherwise. She wasn’t naive enough to know that he could make that happen. She was just afraid she would end up there sooner than she planned.

Roxanne couldn’t understand why he worked at the garage. Adam was smart. She could tell that from their endless phone conversations.

Why wasn’t he doing anything more than changing oil? It was perplexing. She hadn’t figured it out. Adam told Roxanne he dropped out of college. He said he later returned to college and got a Bachelor’s degree in accounting. She didn’t understand why he hadn’t worked in finance. Adam knew things and it seemed like he had came from a good family.

Finally, after all the calls and texts, they had a date. Roxanne chose to meet him at the movie theater. It was hard to mess up a movie date. She was rooting for him. She didn’t want him to mess up the date. She liked talking to him on the phone and if there wasn’t a love connection maybe they could at least be friends. Roxanne was kidding herself. She didn’t want to be friends. She wanted to see him naked.

The movie went well at least she thought so. Hordes of movie patrons exited the Cineplex Theater. Roxanne and Adam walked side by side through the Cineplex grounds.

“So how’d you like the movie?”

“It was decent. I’m bias. I was going to like it because it’s a Tom Cruise movie. I love his movies.”

“So when do I get to see your apartment?” They stepped off a curb and entered the theater parking lot.

“I don’t know.”

“Is there some trial period or initiation ritual?”

“No, of course not.” She smiled.

“Are you sure?” He raised one blonde eyebrow.

“I’m sure. Maybe one day. Let’s just play it by ear.”

“That’s cool. This is a really good date.” Adam added with a bright smile.

“I think it’s going good.” Roxanne agreed.

“I could make it a much better date.”

“I’m sure you could.” Roxanne squinted her eyes. Adam was pushy as hell. He flirted on level ten. But she liked that he knew what he wanted. He had no problem speaking it out his mouth. He had a nice mouth. Roxanne daydreamed about his lips.

Adam’s offer was inviting but Roxanne was determined to be on her best puritanical behavior. There was always this fear looming that if she had sex, it would ruin things, the fear that sex would change things. It happened to her before. It happened to every woman she knew.

“It’s going better than okay. You’re parked over that way, right?” Roxanne pointed to her right.

“Yeah. I’m going to walk you to your car. I want to try to set up another date. So are you free tomorrow?

“Tomorrow?”

“Or I could come over.”

“You are relentless.” She giggled.

“I know. I’m just excited when I talk to you and definitely when I’m around you.”

“I’m trying to move at a slower pace.”

“Why? I could be Mr. Right.”

Roxanne ignored Adam’s claim and suddenly stopped walking.

“Here’s my car.” Words seemed to fail Roxanne at that moment. Adam made her anxious.

“Can I call you later tonight?”

“Sure.” Roxanne opened her car door as Adam stood next to her. “You can get in. I will drive you to your car.”

Adam walked around to the passenger door of Roxanne’s car. Roxanne started her engine and glanced over at Adam. He was smiling at her, not in the mischievous way she had seen so many times before but this time it was a different, pleasant.

Roxanne backed her car out the parking space. Adam glanced in the backseat. The baby doll was missing. He grinned inside. A baby doll strapped into a seatbelt was cute.

Roxanne drove slowly due to the influx of drivers leaving the theater. She automatically lowered the car windows. She needed air. The smell of his cologne was doing naughty things to her insides.

She looked over at Adam. “Don’t let me pass where you’re parked.”

“Okay.” Adam noticed a compact disc case on the floor near his feet. “Let me see what kind of music you like.”

Adam reached for it and unzipped the case. He thumbed through the compact discs.

“You would think that whoever designed this Cineplex would have made it have more than two ways to get in and out.” She blurted out a random comment. She was aware she was rambling. She just couldn’t help it. She was trying to block the feelings she had of being so close to him.

“That’s not the American way. Turn right when you get up here.” He pointed.

“You have an odd collection of CD’s.”

“Odd?”

“Eclectic.” He corrected himself.

“I know I’m the only person with CD’s in their car. Everyone else has their iPhone or iPod connected to the stereo.”

“You’re not the only one. I have a few CD’s in my Jeep. I see you have Amy Winehouse, Kanye, Carrie Underwood, Rihanna and Maroon Five. I have never heard of Minnie Ripperton or Patrice Rushen.”

“I have all kids of music.”

“I see. There’s more country here, Patsy Kline and LeAnn Rimes. I’m shocked and a little appalled”

“Very funny, I like all kinds of music.”

“I’m the black jeep right there.” Adam pointed out the car window.

Roxanne stopped her car behind Adam’s jeep. She waited as the person parked next to him pulled out of their space.

“I’ll give you a call in a few minutes. I need to work on talking you into letting me come over to your place.”

“You can try.”

“Yeah I can.”

“Okay Bye.” Roxanne hesitantly dismissed him.

Adam leaned across the gearshift and surprised Roxanne with a passionate kiss on the lips. He slammed his pointed tongue pass her lips and quickly took charge of her tongue. His kisses were raw and uninhibited. He kissed her like it wasn’t the first time. He pulled away before Roxanne’s panties soaked through the fabric. He left her wanting more.

“Later.” He grinned.

“Yes.” She meant to say something else.

Adam exited her car. Roxanne watched him as he entered his jeep. Roxanne had never been kissed like that before. She started to worry about her feelings for Adam. He was nice. He was kind and funny. She didn’t want to fall for him.

He may be just going through a phase where he wants to be with a black woman. She felt stupid for even thinking this way but she knew guys who would date out of their race just for the experience. They eventually ended up marrying their own kind.

Roxanne didn’t want to waste her time on a guy that wouldn’t even consider getting to know her and having a future with her.

Being alone had taken its toll on her. She was leery of all men. White men seemed to be a waste of time. They only paid attention to her when she had Morgan with her. They assumed that her biracial daughter meant she was only into white men.