Easier Said Than Done (33 page)

“Move to Jamaica?” they said together.

I looked at the confusion on both of their faces and decided to try easing in a different way. “What's keeping you here? Sharneesha, you don't have a job and in two days, they're going to set your stuff out on the curb, and Keela, you're about to have a baby so you're not going to be working for a while. I thought this would be a way we could help each other. It's a big step, I know, but Sharneesha you were saying how you wanted to move to a place where you've never been before, where there's warmer weather all year long. How you wanted to be in a culturally diverse neighborhood so Teeka can be exposed to different kinds of people. And how you want a job where you are helping someone—so you can use your education to make a difference.” I almost quoted verbatim.

“Yeah, but I thought we were just dreaming. You know talking about in a perfect world and all that shit. I never thought it would really happen.”

“Maybe it could be a perfect world or at least a perfect solution to the situation you're in.”

“Yeah, but move to Jamaica?” Keela repeated.

“Why not?” Neither one answered so I kept going. “I could see if you had a job, but you don't. Even if you come for a few months and don't like it, but don't just shoot down the idea without thinking about it.”

“Maybe it's the hormones talking or the holiday spirit, but I'm really touched that you would be so concerned about me that you would want me to come with you to Jamaica.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I feel a bout coming on.” She paused. “It's a big step and I need a little bit of time to think it over. I'm not ruling it out. I just need time.” She seemed to be getting more upset so I backed down.

“Trust me, I went through the same thing myself so I understand. Just thought I'd put it out there, see what you all thought.” I tried to hold in my disappointment. Keela and Sharneesha were not as excited as I thought they would be, but I did understand. I was in the same place not two days ago.

I held out a hand to each of them, which they grabbed gratefully. “Take your time, think about it and let me know. I want the best for both of you and if there is anything I can do to help, I will.”

Now everyone's eyes brightened with emotion. “Not many people would go out of their way like this for someone else. I'm not used to being able to lean on anybody. It makes me wish we'd gotten to know each other sooner.”

“We can't live this life on our own,” I said.

“You're right about that.” Sharneesha stood and stretched, a guttural sound escaping. “I need to get Teeka home. Can't party like I used to and I'm sure you want to get some sleep, too.”She smiled, then leaned down to hug me before running up the stairs.

“Wanna crash here?” I asked when Sharneesha was out of earshot.

“Nah, I think I'll go home.”

“Okay.” The word came out elongated, as I paused, reaching for more time. “Keela, you know my asking you to come to Jamaica was for purely selfish reasons. I don't know how I am going to survive without my best friend.”

Before she could answer, Sharneesha came downstairs carrying a still-sleeping Teeka. “ Can you grab her coat for me?”

I picked up the purple Barbie doll fleece jacket and held it open so that Sharneesha could maneuver Teeka into it without waking her up.

“I'll walk out with you.” Keela grabbed her purse.

Just as I was about to open the door, the bell rang.

“Are you expecting anybody?” Keela asked and reached for the door.

“Don't open it,” I whispered and pulled both of them back toward the stairs. I jumped as the person rang the bell again and then, started knocking on the door.

“Most burglars and rapists I know don't ring the bell,” Keela said, with a slight smile.

That made sense. “Well at least, ask who it is.”

But before she could open her mouth, a voice with bass warm enough to melt even the coldest of souls, slid through three inches of solid wood. At the same time, my heart soared and my blood boiled.

Damon.

Chapter 27

Thirty minutes later, standing with a fist planted on each hip and my foot tapping a tribal rhythm on the hardwood floor, I said, “Dammit, Damon, where do you get off just showing up like this? It's two o'clock in the morning.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” Damon raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, leaning in the recliner, his corduroy-clad legs propped up and crossed at the ankles as if he were at home in his living room, and not sitting in mine uninvited. He had graciously endured the kisses and questions from Keela, then the sexy looks from Sharneesha before I pushed both of them—and the still sleeping Teeka—out.

Damon, however, insisted on walking Sharneesha to her house and Keela to her car. It was the right thing to do, but the gentlemanly gesture piled irritation on top of shock and anger.

If Cocoa hadn't needed to go outside and take care of her business, I might have locked the door and gone up to bed. But Cocoa did need to pee and I'd been forced to wait.

Now, here he sat filling up my space with his overwhelming presence. I was on the verge of exploding.

“Surprise me?” My fists clenched and I felt a neck swerve coming on.

Damon flashed his signature playful grin. “Yeah, I thought I could be your Christmas present. Pretty good-looking package, eh? Wanna unwrap me?” He winked and opened his arms wide.

I stood there looking at him in disbelief.
This fool has lost his mind.

“And while we're talking about packages—you ain't doing too bad yourself.”

I crossed my arms in front of me as Damon's eyes soaked me in. Chill bumps prickled every square inch of my body. The sexy, winter-white, Calvin Klein halter-top that I had thrown on earlier with a pair of skintight denims and high-heeled boots seemed like a good idea, but now I wasn't so sure. I felt exposed.

“Damon, it is two o'clock in the morning.” I stamped my foot for good measure, my finger shaking as erratically as my pulse. “Do you hear me? Who shows up on someone's doorstep at such an ungodly hour without calling first? I'll tell you who—a crazy person—that's who!”

One corner of his mouth twitched and a bushy eyebrow jumped as Damon struggled to keep a straight face. “So I take it you're not happy to see me?”

“Dammit, Damon, where do you get off sashaying in here, wearing my favorite cologne, charming my friends, and trying to take over my life?” I wailed, throwing my hands up and stalking over to the window. Staring outside was a lot less unsettling than looking at Damon.

The snow had picked up momentum, looking close to becoming another winter storm. The sidewalk and parking lot were covered with at least three inches of fresh snow. “Trying to take over your life? Don't you think that's taking it a bit far?”

“Take over my life,” I repeated. “Did you ever even consider whether or not I wanted you here? I mean, I thought I had made myself clear on where I stood about us before I left Jamaica. And then here you go, showing up on my doorstep at two o'clock in the morning.” As I whirled to face him, I knew I was taking the drama to a whole ‘nother level. Most of my anxiety had nothing to do with Damon just showing up. It had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me.

But Damon didn't know that. His face constricted with regret as he sat up and folded his hands together. “I'm sorry Kingston, I didn't mean to intrude. I thought you'd be happy to see me. I never meant to upset you.”

The fortress that I had worked so hard to build up was destroyed in two seconds by the sorrow in Damon's eyes. My shoulders started twitching and my eyes burned with tears. Before I could reel in my emotions, I broke down.

“I am happy to see you. I just, I just . . .” I stammered. “I don't know what's wrong with me.” I went into the kitchen to grab a napkin, blew my nose loudly, then tossed it into the wastebasket.

Damon walked up behind me. “Two points for Kingston Phillips,” he mimicked in his best impersonation of a basketball announcer.

“It's not funny.” Punching him lightly in the chest, I dissolved into more tears. “I think you make me crazy.”

Damon watched me for a few more seconds—long enough for the tears to slow and my composure to return. “Come here.” He grabbed my hand.

Following him back to the recliner, I crawled into his lap like a baby. “Mama Grace is gone and I gotta move to Jamaica and I found out Essence was sleeping with my boyfriend and ...”

“It's okay, sweetie. I'm here. Just let it all out.” And with each circle that he rubbed on my back, I did just that, releasing more and more until I felt like a mound of jelly.

“Why do I always fall apart when you're around?” I asked into his chest.

Damon's arms tightened around me. “Because you feel safe with me.”

“But why is that when you've hurt me more than anybody else?”

“I think you know that it's not in my heart to intentionally hurt you—that I was only doing what I thought was best at the time. I hope you know that.”

“You always sound like you're reciting the words from a Bob Marley song.”

“You mean like this?” And he broke into a shaky rendition of “No Woman, No Cry” that would have Master Bob putting the ganja pipe down.

“'Nuff respect to Bob.” He chuckled.

I shifted trying to get as close as possible to the source of his joy, laying my head over his heart. “Why are you here?” I asked quietly.

“A colleague of mine invited me to spend the holidays with him in Atlanta, so I decided to rent a car, stop in Chicago, and see you first. I'll leave first thing in the morning to drive to Atlanta.” Damon crooked a finger underneath my chin, tilted it up. “I forgot about how the winters in the states could be. I don't know how you stand it; you could freeze your cute little butt off here. I thought it got cold in D.C., but this is ridiculous.”

“So I'm just a pit stop? And here I thought I was special.”

“I don't think you know how special you are.” He kissed me tenderly, quickly, causing me to bluster and search for a change of subject.

“What's the name of your colleague?” I asked, filling my nose with his scent.

“Dr. Alan Baker. He's a professor at Meharry Medical College in Nashville Tennessee.”

“I've heard of him. Didn't he invent a new procedure involving heart transplants in newborns?”

“Very good,” Damon said looking at me with raised eyebrows. “It's called the Baker Maneuver.”

“I saw it on
60 Minutes
.”

Damon rubbed his hand up the length of my calf and over my thigh and then back down again. “I met Dr. Baker at a conference that he holds every year in the spring. The convention is considered one of the most highly regarded among minorities in the medical community. We connected at the first one I attended; now he's not only a mentor, but also a great friend." Damon paused and now he changed the subject.

“I didn't know that Calvin Klein's 212 was your favorite cologne.”

“How could you know something like that?”

“Did you buy it for your boyfriend?”

“No.” The underlying jealousy in his tone amused me.

“And Essence was sleeping with him?”

"Yes." And then, I filled him in on the events of the last forty-eight hours, enjoying the feel of his muscles flexing beneath my hands. I also asked him if Essence had gotten to him.

“Women like Essence can only do things like that with men who allow it. She knew better than to try me. I wouldn't have tolerated her disrespecting you or me.” He paused. “Did this boyfriend break your heart?”

“It would have hurt more if it had been you.” If I could have shoved the words back in my mouth, erase them from the atmosphere, I would have. I reeled at how honest my statement was. With tiny bits of perspiration beaded across my top lip, I started backpedaling. “Well, you know what I mean. With Randy, it was more of something to do than some great romance. You and I were in love; so, it would have hurt more.”

Damon nodded. “Where do you and Essence stand?”

“We don't stand anywhere. She also slept with Keela's man. Not sure if you could tell or not because she had on such a big coat, but she's pregnant; about 18 weeks.” Damon exhaled, his breath ending with a slight whistle. “And here I thought she was still a bit on the chunky side. Whew! That must be rough for her. Did she kick both of them to the curb, too?”

“This wasn't the first time, but Essence was the last straw.” I shrugged. “So now the three musketeers are just two peas in a pod.”

“So have you decided about Jamaica?”

“No,” I lied and ducked my head into the crook of his throat—the fragrant spot was begging me to kiss it.

“I bet the pressure from that isn't helping any. I'm sorry you've had so much pain in your life.”

His words burrowed deep, touching a place that had been locked away for so long. There was nothing to say; nothing that could adequately express how I felt. Hell, I couldn't even explain it to myself; so with a slight sigh, I moved closer into the circle of his warmth and willed my mind to be still. I had done too much thinking already.

The snow sailed downward past the window like tiny angels on their way to something important. The flames flickered and the smell of burning wood hung heavily in the air. I felt the pulse in his neck beating strongly beneath my lips. I let memories wash over me and tried to be at peace with them. We were so still for so long, I thought he had fallen asleep.

Then, he said, “I'm going to kiss you, Kingston.” It was a statement of fact.

“Not if I kiss you first,” I teased. Tilting my head back, I placed my hand behind his neck, and drew his lips to mine. I expected overwhelming passion, but this kiss was long, leisurely. It reminded me of smoldering embers that could explode into flames, but didn't. We cuddled and kissed in that old recliner until the sun peeked over the balcony.