Georgia On My Mind (17 page)

“Yeah, I must admit that you did the damn thing.  This place is phenomenal, Miss Peaches. Okay?” She joked.

“I mean, not to blow my own horn, but... "Toot - toot and beep - beep.  Toot - toot and beep- beep.  Bad Girl!  I'm such a bad girl, talking about a b-a-a-d girl.”  Peaches spontaneously started to dance and sing. 

Chase laughed and quickly joined in. “Toot - toot and beep - beep.  Toot- toot and beep - beep.” They sang as Peaches continued to put the finishing touches on the great room.

Rashawn laughed to himself. “This is going to be priceless when she figures out that all of this could have been hers.”

It was at that very moment that Rashawn really considered what a world class ass clown Charles was and decided that it wasn't over yet.  After all, once a fuck up always a fuck up and Charles was well over due to fuck up again.  Rashawn knew that Charles couldn't keep up the charades of masquerading as a human being forever.

Over the next few weeks Rashawn continued to be an ever present fixture in Peaches' life.  The big day was quickly approaching and she wanted to double up on her training.  It was more than evident to Rashawn that Peaches had feelings for him that transcended their platonic friendship.  He noticed how she looked at him and made excuses to see and touch him. Her spirit brightened whenever he entered her space. Still, it was up to her to make the next move. He had played checkers with her the last time and lost. This time he was playing chess and every move he made was strategically calculated to win her heart. It was just a matter of time before Charles showed his ass and Peaches lost her king. So Rashawn remained hopeful and patient. Game on!    

Now, Rashawn was country boy from Augusta Georgia who loved to get his hands dirty. He could think of no other way to get his need to get down and dirty out of his system other than by working with the landscapers on his estate.  Mindlessly mowing the enormous lawn of the mansion with a riding mower while the landscapers planted flowers he never heard Boss Hog coming.

Moments later, Peaches pulled up and parked behind the landscaping truck. On her way to the mansion she spotted Rashawn on the mower and immediately flagged him down. Anticipating that he had finally been exposed Rashawn slowly exited the mower and walked over to meet her.  Not sure what to say he said nothing.

“Oh my God!  Look at you.  You finally got a job.” Peaches giggled. “Well it’s about damn time!”

Stunned and relieved, Rashawn smiled. “Yeah, imagine that.”

“Hey, let me tell you something! There are three kinds of men I love... A man hard at work... A man that works hard... And a hard man that knows how to work it!” She laughed.

Rashawn chuckled. “Oh yeah, which one of those is Charles?”

“Tee- hee - hee! I see you still got jokes, with your Big head self.” She swatted at him.

“What are you doing out here anyway?” He asked curious.

“This is the mansion that I did the Interior Design work on for the R&B singer.”

“Really?  But I thought that job was finished.”

“It is.  Actually, I'm on a
Hail Mary
mission to see if I can get Big Daddy to let me have my wedding here.”

Rashawn looked puzzled. “Who?”

“Big Daddy.  Well, you probably know him as The Hit Man.  He’s a baseball player that just signed with the Atlanta Braves. I think his name is Martin somebody. Anyway, he owns this place.”

Rashawn chuckled. “Yeah I know, but why did you call him Big Daddy?”

“That's just a name that the women gave him, for obvious reasons of course.”

“Yeah, of course.  Well, he's not home.” Rashawn nonchalantly replied as he took off his work gloves.

“How do you know?” Peaches asked puzzled.

“He left about an hour ago. I saw him when he left.”

“But his car is parked right in front.” Peaches replied as she pointed to the Maserati parked at the front door.

“Yeah, well you do know he has at least six cars counting that one.  And that's just in Atlanta alone.” Rashawn remarked as he briefly looked at his car.

“So how do you know all this?”

Enjoying the opportunity to toy with Peaches, Rashawn took a chance of showing too much of his hand. “Actually he's a friend of mine.  We went to college together.  That's how I got this job.”

“Oh really?  So, do you think you could introduce me so that I could ask him if I could have my wedding here?  It would mean...”

Rashawn quickly cut her off. “Ahh... No, no, no, no mam! That would be the big hell no!  He's very private and I don't think...”

“Please, please, please Peanut.  I can't think of any place more perfect to have my wedding.” She begged.

“Perfect or not I don't think so!” Rashawn stood his ground. He could not even fathom the thought of his woman getting married to that ass wipe on his fucking lawn. “No to the N- O!

“Peanut please, I'm running out of time and money.  It can be your wedding gift to me.”

“Or… I could just get you a damn toaster like everybody else.” He laughed. “Hell no! I am not going to approach that man with that bullshit!”

“Please, please, please… I’m begging you please?”

Unable to deny this beautiful woman anything, he quickly gave in. Rashawn sighed. “I can't introduce you, but I will ask him for you.  But... I'm not making any promises.”

Peaches jumped in his arms and hugged and kissed Rashawn on the lips. “Thank you!  This is incredible.  I know he's going to say yes.  This is so perfect!” She squealed as she hugged and kissed him again.

“Yeah, well we'll see.” He grumbled as he reluctantly peeled her off of him.

Naturally, Rashawn had mixed feelings about having Peaches’ wedding at his mansion, for obvious reasons.  Still he couldn’t deny Peaches her dream wedding. He realized that sooner or later he was going to have to come clean with Peaches about his true identity. 

He decided it was time to tell. “Look Peaches there's something that I’ve been trying to tell you since that night at the restaurant.”

Just as he started to confess, Peaches’ phone rang.  It was Charles. “Hold that thought, Peanut.  It's Charles.  Hey baby what's up?”

“Hey.  Look, I just called to tell you that I'm swamped, so don't hold dinner for me.  I'll grab something here and I’ll be home later tonight to tuck you in.”

“Are you serious?  You have to work late again?  Charles I had planned...”

“Yeah baby, I know, but it can't be helped.  Look, I promise I'll make it up to you.”

Disappointment quickly transformed Peaches’ lovely face. How smile turned to a confused frown. Her mind raced and she looked confused.  Trying to act normal, she forced herself to smile and appear happy in front of Rashawn. “Okay, so what time can I expect you?”

“Late.  That's all I know.  Don't worry about me.  I'll probably just camp out here if it gets too late.” Peaches was silent. “Look, I better get back to work.”

“Alright.  I'll see you when you get home tonight.” Peaches hung up and tried to pretend that everything was okay. “So, I can't believe that you have a job.  I'm so proud of you, Rashawn.  What time do you get off?”

Rashawn watched as the landscapers began to pack up their things to leave. “In a few.  Look, I'd better finish up.”

“Okay, don't let me stop you from working.” Peaches teased. “Call me tonight and let me know how it goes with Big Daddy.”

“Will do.” Rashawn walked Peaches to her car.  He knew there was trouble in paradise and by the look on her face he could tell that Peaches knew it too. “Hey, do you want to hangout for a while tonight?”

“I don't think so.  I don't really feel much like going out.” She mumbled as she processed her phone conversation with Charles.

“Alright, well I'll call you later.”

“Hey... What were you going to say before Charles called?” She asked as Rashawn started to walk away.

“Don't worry about it. I’ll tell you later.”

“Is everything okay?” She asked concerned. “You don’t need any money do you? I mean I can spot you until you get paid, if it would help.

“No, I'm good.” He chuckled as the landscape manager waved him over to inform him that they were leaving for the day, but would return the next morning. “Look, I’d better go.”

“Alright, I hope I didn’t get you in trouble. Look, call me tonight.”

“No problem.”

Peaches got in her car and watched in her rear view mirror as Rashawn climbed back on the giant riding mower.  It didn't go unnoticed how damn fine he was.  She knew Rashawn was still crushing on her.  Hell she could even finally admit to herself that she had some impure thoughts about him as well, but she needed more.  She had a future with Charles. Right? One which she had worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get.  How could she throw away all that she built with Charles away for an infatuation with a landscaper’s apprentice no less? Right? She reasoned.

“Peaches just stop! What are you doing?  You know damn well Charles isn't working late.  Working late my ass! Same old shit just a different day!” She snarled to herself as she cranked up Boss Hog and spittered, spattered and sputtered off.

Peaches arrived at Charles's Law Firm with a hot home cooked meal in a fancy gourmet picnic basket.  She decided that if her man couldn't come home for dinner that she'd take dinner to her man.

As she entered the reception area she ran into Michael, who was heading for the door.

“Please tell me you’ve finished early and Charles is packing up to leave.”

“Oh, hey Miss Peaches.  No I'm done for the night, but I think Mr. Preston is still in the conference room.  They've been back there for hours.  He told me it was okay for me to leave.  So I'm getting out of here before he changes his mind.”

“Damn.  Well I'll just wait awhile in his office.  Hopefully they won't be much longer.”

“Suit yourself.  Do you mind showing yourself back?  Girl I have a hot date and I don't want to keep that handsome man waiting alone. I’m afraid that if Mr. Preston spots me he’ll find something else for me to do.”

Peaches laughed. “No, not at all.  These days you can't even leave an ugly man unattended.”

“You got that right sista.  Not unless you're a damn fool.  A good man is hard to come by.”

“I here you and a hard man is even a better find.” They laugh.

“On that note, I'd better run. Good night!”

“Okay.  Have a good time.”

Peaches immediately headed down the hall to Charles' office.  She passed the deserted conference room on her way.  As she neared his office Peaches heard voices coming from the partially closed door.  It was Charles and a female whose voice Peaches did not recognize.

“Well it's official.  I just told Michael he could go.  So, it's just me and you now.” She heard Charles say. “You don't know how happy I am that you decided to stay and help me with this.”

“Oh it's my pleasure.  I've been dying for this opportunity.” The woman responded.

“Really?  I had no idea.”

Although the conversation sounded fairly innocent.  Women's intuition told Peaches to hang back to see where it was going.

“Here, let me help you with that, sir.” The woman said in a very professional tone.

“Well, if you insist.”

The room became deathly silent.  Peaches strained her ears to hear, but she still couldn't hear a thing.  The abrupt silence made her very uncomfortable.  She simply had to see what was going on. So, she put her picnic basket down, slipped off her heels and quietly tip toed a little closer to the door.  Still unable to hear a damn thing she peeped into the cracked door.

What she saw devastated her.  Charles was sitting on the leather loveseat in his office and a very young, very attractive, very skinny red head was on her knees giving him head. Peaches almost fainted. Stunned and convinced she was hallucinating she took another look to make sure she wasn't imagining the whole thing.  Unfortunately, the scene remained unchanged.

Hurt, betrayed and feeling like a damn fool Peaches remained paralyzed against the wall outside of Charles office as the two made love.  As tears stung her face and forced her back to reality the two began their rapid climb to an earthshaking orgasm.  As they erupted in pleasure Peaches grabbed her things and fled undetected as they screamed out in ecstasy.

Peaches peeled off from Charles’ office as fast as Boss Hog would take her.  She was distraught, confused and hurt.  She couldn’t believe Charles had pulled this same bull ass monkey shit on her after she gave him a second chance. She was a complete idiot to ever leave Rashawn to go back to him.

Driving aimlessly she realized she had nowhere to go.  She knew if she went home and Charles showed up later that she'd need bail money.  So, going home wasn't an option.  She was too humiliated and embarrassed to let any of her girlfriends find out what happened. They all told her that she was a damn fool for giving Charles a second chance.  So, her girls weren't an option either.  Her only option was to call Rashawn and pray that he'd answer his phone. Stifling her tears she dialed his number. 

He answered right away. “Hey, did you change your mind about hanging out?” His sexy voice asked without even saying hello.