Loving True (23 page)

His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist sending the familiar shock waves through her body. “I wanted to tell you how much I love you and please don’t pay attention to Nicole.” Cupping her face with his hands, he kissed her long and hard before he let her go and got out of the car.

True didn’t let
Hayward
see the smile that played across her face, while she got out of the car. She walked across the parking lot beside him, feeling like the most cherished woman in the world. She was touched that he was still concerned about the way Nikki had treated her.

Inside the store
True
separated from
Hayward
, she made a beeline for the meat department to check on the trout, while
Hayward
went in the opposite direction toward the cereal aisle. Spotting a cheese ball display from the corner of her eye, she headed off hoping Brown’s had what she wanted.
 

Standing back her eyes roamed the three rolls of cheese balls debating on which one to get. The one she wanted wasn’t there. “
Hayward
, what should I make for dessert,” she asked as he tried to sneak up behind her.

“I know what I want for dessert,” He growled nibbling at her ear. She felt his body harden behind her and moved away from him.

Shaking her head, she grabbed two cheese balls and tossed them in the cart. Was there a day in the week he didn’t think about sex?
 
“You’ll have to wait until
Jenisha
leaves to get that particular dessert.”

“What? Why do I have to wait until she leaves?
”.

Groaning, she twirled back around. “
Hayward
, I’m not making love to you while
Jenisha
is staying at my house.” She couldn’t even believe he let the thought cross him mind! “Furthermore, I won’t do it while
Clinton
is at your house either.”
 
She informed him when she noticed the look that came into his eyes.

“Shit, I wish I had known this. I would have sent
Clinton
packing today.” He hissed tossing a box of Cheerios into the cart.

“Baby, don’t be like that.” She rubbed her hand down his arm trying to comfort him, but he jerked his arm away from her. She loved how cute
Hayward
looked when he was pouting. “Just think about how much better it will be since we have to wait awhile.”

 
“I guess you’re right.”
Hayward
agreed, but she could tell he was still pissed about the whole idea of waiting.
 

 
“Hey are you ready to leave?”
 
She had to do something for
Hayward
to make up for their brief self-imposed hiatus.

Looking down into her face,
Hayward
smiled at her. All traces of his earlier animosity were gone. “Kitten, I’m ready to leave if you are.”

“Well, let go.” She said returning his smile.

One the way to the checkout line,
Hayward
paused halfway there and pulled her back next to him. What in the hell was wrong with him now? Why did he just stop in the middle of the aisle like that?

 
“Do you want me to pay for the items?”
 
He asked, looking toward the checkout lanes?

Why would she need him to pay for her food?
 
She followed
Hayward
’s line of vision and saw Nikki standing at the only empty checkout line frowning at them. It was so sweet that
Hayward
wanted to help her, but she wasn’t about to let Nikki intimated her for any reason.

“
Hayward
that’s so considerate of you but Nikki doesn’t bother me and I can pay for my own food.” To prove her point, she pushed the cart ahead of him and paid for the groceries without one problem from Nikki.

Chapter Fifteen

“Baby, let me drive you to the airport.”
 
Hayward
told True early the next morning at her front door.
 
A gust of wind blew a lock of hair across his forehead. He brushed it back with the side of his hand.

“I don’t know honey.”
 
True replied. She didn’t know how
Jenisha
would react toward
Hayward
. Sometimes his presence could be a little intimidating. “
Jenisha
won’t be expecting both of us at the airport.”

“Just tell her I didn’t want you finding a new boyfriend while you were waiting for her plane,” he joked.

True shook her head sometimes
Hayward
was too cute for his own good. “All right you can drive me to the airport, but keep the dry humor to yourself.” She pulled on a light jacket and grabbed her purse off the couch.
 

“I won’t say a word about it, but can I at least say hello?”

Picking her house keys off the table, she punched him on the arm on the way out the door, “You better be nice to my best friend,” she warned as she headed for the Blazer in the driveway.

“I’m always nice.”
Hayward
said closing the passenger door, he walked around to the other side got in and drove off.

* * * *

After the long drive
Hayward
stood patiently beside True in the crowded airport and waited for
Jenisha
. Glancing sideways he spotted an interracial couple locked in a passionate kiss, and it brought a smile to his face. He dragged his eyes away from them and back at True. She kept pacing back and forth in front of him and every few minutes he caught a whiff of her perfume.

 
“Kitten, stand still or you’ll going to wear a hole in the floor.” He teased trying to calm her down. He couldn’t remember her ever being this nervous about anything.

True shot him a quick glance. “I can’t stand still, because I don’t see
Jenisha
yet.
 

“True relax. Your friend will be here. We need to give her time to get off the plane.” He said reaching for her, but she shook off his touch.

Dropping his hands, he slid them into the front pocket of his jeans. He continued to look for
Jenisha
, but he didn’t see anyone who fit the description True had given him. Suddenly a tall gorgeous black woman emerged from the crowd wearing a tan leather coat walking around two men wearing business suit. Was that her?
 
He couldn’t believe his eyes. She was almost as good-looking as
True
.

“
Jenisha
, I almost thought you didn’t come after all.” True muttered. “I can’t believe it, but you have gotten more gorgeous since the last time I saw you.”

 
“Will you stop with all the compliments?”
 
Jenisha
declared, giving
True
a hug.

“You know that I’m telling you the truth,” True said moving back from the embrace.

 
“Umm…Do you know the man standing behind you?”
Jenisha
asked, looking at him over
True’s
shoulder.

True grabbed his hand and pulled him beside her. “Yes, I know this crazy man,” she laughed.
 
“
Jenisha
Roman, I would like you to meet my boyfriend, Hayward Campbell.” Turning, she looked up at him. “
Hayward
, meet my best girlfriend in the world”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Roman,” he said.

“Nice meeting you too Mr. Campbell,”
Jenisha
replied.

“Let’s get your luggage and we can head back to
True’s
house,” he suggested walking toward baggage claim. He moved in front of them, so they could talk with a little bit of privacy.
 

Standing by the baggage claim,
Hayward
watched True approach with
Jenisha
, and he noticed the appraising glances the other men shot their way. Well, as long as they looked and didn’t touch True he didn’t care.

 
“
Jenisha
, show me which bags are yours and I’ll carry them out to the car.” He pointed toward six black suitcases still at baggage claim. He was more than ready to go, since the loud noise in the airport was driving him crazy. He hated the hectic pace of the airport
,.
Everyone seemed in a hurry.
 
Children were crying to the right of him and to the left, the same couple he saw a fifteen minutes go were in a fight now. God, he didn’t think he could stay another minute in this place.

“That’s okay I can get them.”
Jenisha
replied reaching down to pick up two large black suitcases and one smaller one. “I didn’t really bring that much because I’m only staying for a week maybe less.”

He brushed
Jenisha
hands away from the suitcases. “If I didn’t help you
True
wouldn’t let me hear the end of it.” He grabbed the two large suitcases from
Jenisha’s
hand. “Well, let’s go so I can get you two gorgeous ladies back to
True’s
house.”
 
He turned and went toward the parking lot, leaving True and
Jenisha
to follow him.

* * * *

Close to an hour later,
Hayward
pulled into
True’s
driveway and shut off the engine. “Kitten, I’ll help
Jenisha
with her luggage and then I’ll leave the two of you to talk about how sexy and handsome I am.” He smile and got out of the car, closing the door behind him.

True closed her eyes and groaned. Why couldn’t
Hayward
ever listen when she told him not to do something? Now,
Jenisha
probably thought he was a self-centered asshole. She knew it was a mistake to let him take her to the airport.

Jenisha’s
tapped her on the shoulder from the back seat. “Is he always like that?”
 

“No, he isn’t,” True said waiting for
Hayward
to open the car door for her. “He just has a dry sense of humor that takes some getting use to.” The second
Hayward
opened her door; she immediately dealt with
Hayward
’s embarrassing remark. “
Hayward
, you need to let
Jenisha
get use to your sense of humor first, and then you can say things like that.” She said as she slid out of the front seat.

 
“I’m sorry.”
Hayward
apologized. “Sometimes I forget most people aren’t use to my brand of humor.”
 

“Don’t worry about it.”
Jenisha
muttered as she got out of the car behind her.

Standing to the side, True waited for
Hayward
to get
Jenisha’s
luggage out of the trunk. She watched
Jenisha
take in the gorgeous wildlife that surrounded her house. She didn’t forget the feeling of awe that she felt the first time she laid eyes on this place.
 

Heath and Showy Aster, Dotted Blazing star with its pinkish purple petals covered the roadsides, part of the forest and some of the fields at the side of her house. It was getting colder everyday, but some of her gorgeous flowers were still alive and she loved that.

“No wonder you wanted to get back home your house is stunning.”
Jenisha
commented as she walked around. “I can’t imagine what the inside looks like if the outside is this breathtaking.”

 
“Come on let me show you.” True grabbed
Jenisha
by the hand and tugged her toward the front door. Taking the key out of her jacket pocket, she unlocked the front door then shoved her friend inside.

“Go look around. I’ll wait right here for
Hayward
to bring your luggage.”
 
She stood by the door while
Jenisha
wandered over to her bear statue collection in the corner.

“I’ll sit her luggage over there.”
Hayward
said brushing past her as he came into the house. He sat the bags by the couch and then pivoted in the middle of the floor and returned to her. Yanking her against his body, he placed a long wet lingering kiss on her mouth.
 
“I’ll see you later.” He whispered.

“Okay.” She replied, running her fingers through his hair.

“It was nice to meet you
Jenisha
.”
Hayward
moved away from her and glanced over at
Jenisha
in the corner.

“It was nice to meet you too.”
Jenisha
said.

Hayward
ran his finger down the side of her check one last time before he went out the door, closing it behind him.

“I can tell how much he loves you.”
Jenisha
told her after
Hayward
had left.
 

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty obvious,” True replied taking a quick glance in
Jenisha’s
direction. Lifting a suitcase off the floor she moved toward the steps, “Come on so I can show you to your bedroom.” She quickly walked up the winding staircase toward the guest bedroom.

“You have an amazing home, True.”
Jenisha
commented following her up the stairs carrying the smaller bag in her left hand.

“T
hank
you.” She stopped at the closed door at the end of the hallway and opened the bedroom door with her right hand. “Well, here you go. I hope you enjoy the room and the view.”

Jenisha
let the bag slip from her hand. She marveled at the beauty of her room. An old four-poster bed, overhanging with flowing fabric, graced the middle of the room, with silky white linens covering it. A black dresser was pushed against the far wall giving the large room more space. Next to the bed, a reading lamp was on a small shelf with a vase of freshly cut flowers. The room was breathtaking. Rushing over to the patio, she pushed open the door and walked out looking over the railing.

 
“I see why you moved way out here. The view is spectacular,”
Jenisha
said leaning over the patio.
 
“I wouldn’t mind living out here myself.”

“You would never leave
California
, because you love the warm weather too much,” True laughed joining
Jenisha
on the patio.
 

 
Jenisha
left her and wandered back into the room. Her perky laugh filled the air. “I’ve to agree with you.
California
is a great place, and I do love my view of the beach.”
 

* * * *

“How about I help you unpack?” She asked coming back into the room.

True helped
Jenisha
put her clothes away in the closet and bathroom, then after a quick tour of the upstairs, she took her back downstairs. She was a little worried how
Jenisha
would react to the dinner party. She knew how
Jenisha
was a little uncomfortable being the center of attention unless it was in the classroom. She really didn’t know how to tell
Jenisha
, so she just took a deep breath and blurted it out. “Since this is your first night here in
Montana
I’m having a dinner party to celebrate.”
 

 
“True, you know I don’t like big crowds.”
Jenisha
complained, glaring at her.

“Don’t worry the only people at the party will be you,
Hayward
, his brother and myself.” She tossed out.
 

Jenisha
shuddered and gave her a long, hard, searching look. “Are you sure that’s it? I really don’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of strangers.”

“I’m positive.” True replied. “I haven’t made many friends since moving here and I kind of like staying to myself when I’m not with
Hayward
.” She knew how nervous
Jenisha
got around people she didn’t know. Maybe it was a mistake she told
Hayward
to bring
Clinton
. “
Clinton
has been in town for a while and I thought he might enjoy having dinner with us. Should I call and tell
Hayward
not to bring him?”

 
“I would like to meet
Hayward
’s brother.”
Jenisha
sighed. “Don’t worry about me tonight I promise I’ll be good company at dinner.”

Taking
Jenisha
by the arm, she pushed her back toward the stairs, “Why don’t you take a quick nap? It might make you feel better.”

“Maybe a nap will refresh me.”
Jenisha
agreed, moving towards the stairs. “I don’t remember the last time I was able to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon.” She confessed, as she went up the steps.