In Between Lies (19 page)

“And that’s a wrap!? Again, the crew dis-assembled, but this time it was because they completely finished the shoot.
Savannah
had pulled it off. They were not only finished, but a full day ahead of schedule. This called for a small celebration dinner…of course at
Savannah
’s suggestion.

Naomi had agreed to go. Jazzy wanted nothing to do with it since Naomi was attending. “I don’t want to go again with her. I can just pass on that. And if you were smart, you’d just get her paid and be rid of her.”

“I will pay her this evening. Before we finished, I called the Accounting department and had her check cut. So this is the second and last day that we work with her. I think we could at least show our appreciation. I want to keep this professional.”

“Whatever. She will appreciate that check. She don’t need nothing else. I will go, but only because you asked.”

“And Kevin suggested that we all meet for dinner anyway. You know, a little celebration of sorts.”

“So, I should call Gio and make it a double date then? He is a partner too, you know.” Jazzy reminded her.

“If that is what you want to do. That’s fine… but it won’t be a double date, because I assume that  Richard is also coming. Make it a triple.”

*****************************

“Hey babe, can you give us a few minutes to get the set cleaned up?”
Savannah
asked Kevin over the cell phone.

“Sure, I am already here so I will go ahead and get us a decent table. Table for four right?” he questioned.

“No, we need a table for six,” she explained.

“Six? Ok, I will be here waiting for you.”

Savannah
gave Naomi her check and thanked her for her professionalism while she was obviously upset about something.

“Well, now that we are no longer working together and you are seeing my best friend, we should get to know each other better.” Now that they were back in her office,
Savannah
offered a seat to Naomi. Jazzy had went to Gio and advised her that she would just meet them at the restaurant.

“What do you want to know?” Naomi said as she put the check in her purse.

“So what was the matter with you today? I noticed that you were struggling through a couple of parts in the shoot and seemed a little distracted.”

“Nothing that you would want to hear. Listen, I have to go. Thanks for the check and it was nice working with you,” Naomi lied.

“Go? Go where? No, Naomi we are having dinner again this evening. Have you already met the owner of The Blue Horizon?” she questioned.

Naomi’s eyebrows raised. “Yes, I know Kevin. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him…on many occasions,” she added.

“Oh really? Were you there opening night?”

“As a matter of fact I was.” Naomi spat out, then caught herself.

“Well, we are meeting him for dinner this evening. And he is a really nice man. I don’t know how well you know him, outside of watching him on the nightly news or the club, but since this commercial was for his place, he insisted on treating us to dinner, provided he gets to meet the local talent in the commercial.”

“So…I’m going to dinner with Mr. Kevin Styles…and you?” Naomi questioned.

“Yes. Do you have any reservations about that?”

Naomi smiled, “Not at all.”

“Then let’s go…you can ride with me if you’d like.”
             
“No thanks, I will drive.  I don’t want to put you out of your way by having to bring me back here afterwards.”

“Suit yourself.”
Savannah
gave her the specifics and location and they agreed to meet there.

Chapter 14

             
Savannah
, Jazzy, and Gio sat at the table while Kevin  stepped out to take an important phone call. She was in a good mood and ready to let her hair down to enjoy the evening. She was sure that being there with Jazzy and Gio, there would be ample amount of entertaining comments they would make to choose from.
             

             
“Kevin returned to the table for a moment. “I will be a little longer than expected,” he said, referring to the phone call he had taken. “So, go ahead and order the drinks. Make sure and get one for our invisible guest.” Kevin took a sip of water, then disappeared again.

             
Savannah
watched him as he turned around the corner.  “I’m sure she will be here shortly, sweetie,”
Savannah
answered in Naomi’s defense.

             
“Maybe she won’t,” Jazzy  said, in fact hoping she didn’t come.

             
“Look, Naomi, I have already told you this before. There is nothing more I can say about this situation. I don’t know how to make it any clearer without being rude and I am not here to hurt your feelings.” Kevin explained. “This is the last phone call that I am taking from you on this subject.”

             
“Well, Kevin, I’m sorry you feel that way.  But I can’t just let you walk away again. I loved you then and I still love you now.”

             
“What part of what I said did you not understand?”

             
It was obvious that Naomi was not going to take no for an answer.

“I understood everything you were saying and doing to me when you slept with me a couple of weeks ago. And I hear what you are saying now. So what could have changed your feelings that quickly?”

             
“Naomi, you are a beautiful woman, just not for me…Oh, and don’t beg. It’s not becoming and a complete turnoff. I have to go.” Kevin hung up.

             
As Naomi was pulling in the parking lot, she realized that he was indeed seriously not trying to hear what she was saying. Rage coursed through her veins as she contemplated even going inside. Since he started this, she decided she was going to finish it. Getting out of the car, she headed towards the restaurant.

“Kevin, is everything ok?”
Savannah
asked. “You have not said a word since you got back here. Anything I can help you with?” She rubbed his back to try to get him to relax. She could feel the tenseness in his back. His muscles had tightened and felt like raveled, twisted, thick cords.

“No, I’m fine,” he lied. He knew that Naomi wasn’t going to let things go so easily.

“Gio, talk to your boy. There is something obviously wrong.” Jazzy nudged Gio.

“And it’s not our business,” Gio added.

Jazzy shot him a glance. “Your friend, I guess you know best.”

Savannah
cut into what sounded like an argument in the making. “There she is,” she pointed to Naomi as she made her way to the table.

“Hi all. I am sorry to be so late.” She stopped short of the empty chair that sat before her. That same chair was also directly across from Kevin’s seat.

Gio jumped up and pulled the chair out so that she could sit.

“Thanks, Gio,”
Savannah
stated. “I’d like you to meet Naomi.”

They were silent. No hellos, no handshakes, …nothing. Naomi was the only one smiling as she sat and got comfortable.
Savannah
continued her introductions, oblivious to the heavy tension that now loomed in the room. The joyous moment that was meant to be shared had quickly turned grey, murky, and overbearing.

“..And Kevin, this is –“

“Naomi Sanders,” she interrupted as
Savannah
was introducing her.

His stare was completely
froze
n, as if in shock.
His speech was stuck in his throat, surprised to
see her. He saw a hint of anger, along with spite,
flash through her eyes. She was beautiful, he thought, but not to him anymore. She looked like the devil incarnate. At that moment, he knew there would be trouble.

“Nice to meet you,” Naomi extended her hand.

Kevin didn’t shake it. Instead he smiled.

Savannah, now realizing that there was something wrong, but unspoken between the two, sat next to Kevin
and couldn’t help but feel the tension that had just been exchanged
and continued to build
.

“What’s the matter, babe?” she asked Kevin.

He didn’t answer.

Savannah
continued,
“Didn’t I tell you she has the look? What do you think?”

“
Savannah
, can I speak to you in private?” Kevin grabbed her by the elbow and practically drug her away, leaving Naomi
, Gio, and Jazzy sitting
there. He was sure she was throwing daggers in his back as he walked away.
Naomi inwardly smiled.

“This is the woman you were talking about?” Kevin asked as he ran his hand across his head.
             

“Yes, what’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Well,
Savannah
, I know this woman. I knew her from way back when… college days. She’s unstable.”

“What do you mean, unstable? Unstable how? And how do you know her?”
Savannah
questioned.

“Just trust me on this one. She is not what she seems. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”

“What is she? An old flame of yours or something?”

“Something like that,” he answered.

“Well, that was a long time ago…right?”

“Yes.” Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead as he thought of all the times he’d slept with her AND with
Savannah
too, within the same time frame. There had to be a way to keep Naomi away from her, as she was sure to tell everything and then some. Anything to break them apart. He pretty much counted on that. With Savannah coming from a cheating relationship, and just now getting to the point of where she was beginning to trust, there was no telling how she would take what Naomi would say.  He was concerned, though he and
Savannah
were not officially a true couple, they acted like it and he was sure that she felt that they were. Hell, he felt that way too when he was with her.

“Listen, babe, from what you have just told me, and correct me if I’m not understanding this right. But what I am hearing is that she is an old fling,”
Savannah
emphasized
old
,
to get her poin
t
across. “Right?”

“Yes.” He spoke the words through clenched teeth.

“So what is the harm of having dinner with her? Though I do have to admit, I’m not exactly thrilled to find out that she used to be your woman.”

“Believe, me, I’m not thrilled about it either.”

“But she does have a man now that she has been seeing, so I don’t feel threatened at all with her.”

“She does?”

“Yes, my friend, Richard. He is the one that took her pictures for her portfolio that she used to get this part.”

“And she told you this?”

“No, I just found out today. He stopped by the studio while we were shooting.”

“Okay, but make it a quick dinner. Also, let me just warn you, she may still have a thing for me even though she is with this Richard character, so don’t be surprised about anything you hear come from those lips of hers.”

“What?”

“Just a fore warning,” Kevin said, thinking that statement would help to cover his tracks. It was his intention to make her look as unstable as possible in Savannahs eyes so that when and if she decided to burst,
Savannah
wouldn’t buy it.
             

“Is everything okay?” Naomi asked.

Neither one bothered to answer. They just sat.

She had already sucked down one drink while waiting for them to return. There was another empty cocktail glass before her,  indicating that she was prepared to get relaxed and stay for a while.

“Well, now with that out of the way, let’s get this party started,” Naomi stated as she waved the waiter to the table.

They sat in an awkward silence until the food was served. In an effort to make small conversation, Jazzy asked, “So, Naomi, how did you get into acting?”

“That is a passion that I acquired back in my college days.” She took a bite of food. “I actually had a passion for a lot of extra curricula activities back then,” she stopped chewing and glanced at Kevin.