The Sweet Potato Queens' First Big-Ass Novel (19 page)

He sighed. “I knew this conversation was coming. I've been trying to avoid it. The truth is, I have good reasons for being vague about what I do.”

A drug dealer. I knew it! He's come to the Bahamas to make a buy.

“I'm ashamed to say what it is I really do,” he said awkwardly.

Shit! Pornography!

“My father's estate was huge. I'm the only heir. Basically, I manage money.”

“That's all?” I said, trying to conceal my relief. “What's to be ashamed of?”

“It's not a
real
job,” he said with a shy smile. “Makes me appear lazy. Actually, it takes a lot of effort to manage large sums of money. I'm very good at what I do. I've doubled the estate in two years.”

“Damn, hunny.” I leaned back in the lounge chair I was now sitting in, trying to absorb the news. I'd suspected Ross was wealthy, but I had no idea we were talking so many zeros.

He planted a soft kiss on my cheek. “Now I just need someone to help me spend it.”

 

“Jill! Thank God I ran into you,” Tammy said, steering her buggy into the produce section of the Piggly Wiggly. “I've been worried sick. I called your house and the machine never picks up, and the gym says you haven't been in for over two weeks.”

“I'm sorry for not calling, but I haven't been home in days. So much has happened! I moved in with Ross.”

She didn't jump up and down and holler like I'd hoped. Instead, concern crossed her face.

“So soon? Y'all barely know each other.”

“First of all, have you forgotten how much shit I know about YOU? I can't believe I'm getting this from the Queen of Fuck First Ask Questions Later—but you would not believe how wonderful Ross is,” I said, placing a bunch of bananas into the cart. “He brings fresh-squeezed orange juice and hot coffee to me in bed every morning. He gives me foot massages galore. I've never been so spoiled in my life.”

“But what about your work? Why haven't you been to the gym?”

“Before I met Ross I was putting in seventy-hour weeks. That's just not healthy. You yourself said I deserved time off. And again, let me say, I can't believe I'm getting this crap from you—I would've expected pointers from you, not questions and certainly not disapproval. What is this about?”

“What happened to your column in the
Diddy
? I noticed it was missing this week.”

I picked up a cantaloupe and gave it a squeeze and sniff. “I decided I can't spare the time to write a column for free.”

“But you
love
that column,” Tammy said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Paging Jill Conner,” said a voice over the PA system. “Please come to the courtesy desk. Jill Conner.”

I swung my cart and rushed over; Tammy followed on my heels. Ross was the only person who knew I was at the grocery store.

“I'm Jill Conner,” I said breathlessly to the clerk behind the counter and she handed me the phone.

“What's taking you so long, baby?” Ross asked.

“I was just about to go through checkout,” I said. “I'll be home in just a few minutes.”

“Good!” he said. “You know what a worrier I am. I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” I said, hanging up the phone.

Tammy stared at me, green eyes narrowing. “That was Ross, wasn't it? What in the world did
he
want? I haven't been able to talk to you for five minutes without being interrupted by him.”

“He's just overprotective,” I said. “Listen, I'll call you when I get home.”

“That's what you said last time. We're supposed to go to California. Remember the Emmys? That's one of the reasons I've been trying to reach you. We're leaving on Saturday.”

“Count me in,” I said, a little nervous about how Ross would react to the news. He hated for me to be out of his sight for a couple of hours, much less a couple of days. “I gotta go. I'll call you later, and we'll discuss the plans.”

“You promise?” she shouted after me. “There's something I need to talk to you about. Today!”

“Yes!” I called back, hustling to the checkout line.

 

Later, after dinner, while Ross relaxed in his easy chair with a book and some iced tea, I brought up the trip to L.A.

“I haven't discussed the Queens with you much, but they're like family to me.”

“I don't want you to go.” He tucked me under the chin. “I have something very special planned for us this weekend.”

“You do?” I said. “Can't we put it off?”

“I suppose we could, but I really don't want to.”

“I'm sorry, Ross. As much as I'll miss you, I
have
to go. This is a huge night in Mary Bennett's life, and I just cannot miss it.”

“Didn't you say two other Queens were going? Let the others cheer her on.”

“That's not the issue. I can't just send my proxy to something like this. I want and need to be there—we all need to be there. We've always been there for each other in the past.”

He pointed a finger at me. “The key word is ‘past.' The Queens are your past.
I'm
your future.”

“Course you are, but I've been ignoring my friends and I need to fix that. This trip is really important to them and to me.”

He gave me his now-familiar pathetic puppy dog look. “More important than me? You know I hate to be left alone.”

“It will just be for two nights,” I said, refusing to meet his eye for fear I'd weaken. “I'm going to California. It has nothing to do with you.”

He slowly lifted his drink to his lips. “So that's your final say on the subject?”

“Yes,” I said, proud I hadn't caved in.

His drink came flying at me so fast I didn't have time to duck—it hit me square on the jaw.

“You're so goddam ungrateful!” he said, his handsome face warped by anger. “I do
everything
for you, and all I ask of you is one simple thing.”

I touched my jaw and slowly backed away from him.

His hateful expression immediately fell away. “Oh my God, Jill. What have I done? I didn't mean to. That was a mistake. I—”

I didn't stick around to hear another word, but instead turned tail and tore out of the house to my car. Ross followed me, but tripped on his front step.

I was halfway down the drive when I saw him waving and running in my rearview mirror. I roared down the street, sobbing hysterically. It wasn't until I was several miles away that I realized I had nowhere to go.

I drove past Tammy and Bob's house, but all the windows were dark. Bob was probably at night school, and God only knew where Tammy was.

How could I have been so foolish as to move in with someone I hardly knew? All of my furniture was in storage, and everything else I owned was at Ross's. The only thing I had was my purse and the clothes on my back.

I stopped by the drugstore to buy toothpaste and a toothbrush, and checked into the Best Western. As soon as I was in my room, I called Mary Bennett, Gerald, and Patsy. All I got was three answering machines. I'd never felt so alone in my life.

I switched on the TV and stared at it mindlessly through a torrent of tears. An hour later the phone rang.

“Jill, it's Ross. Don't hang up.”

I sat straight up in bed. “How did you find me?”

“I drove around to all the hotels until I saw your car. I'm in the lobby. Thank God you're okay.”

“I don't want to talk to you,” I said coldly, but couldn't bring myself to hang up.

“Sweetie,” he said in ragged whisper. “I didn't mean to hit you with that glass. I swear I didn't. It was an accident, but I never should have lost my temper and thrown it in the first place.”

Was it possible he hadn't meant to hit me? It had happened so fast I couldn't be sure.

“I love you, Jill,” he said, choking out the words.

My grip loosened on the receiver. I could feel something shifting in my chest.

“We're so good together. You
know
we are. Don't let one isolated incident ruin everything.”

Anger slowly drained from my body. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. It was only a plastic stadium cup so it really hadn't hurt all that much. It was almost as if nothing had happened.

“Meet me down in the lobby, and let's go home. I
need
you.” His voice dropped to a husky whisper. “And I know you need me.”

It was true. Despite the horrible thing that happened between us, my whole body ached for him.

“I'll be right down,” I said.

We barely got into the door of Ross's house, and we definitely didn't make it to the bedroom. As we tore away each other's clothes, our hands shook as if we couldn't wait to get our fix.

Ross kept whispering “I'm so sorry” and kissed my jaw over and over. We made love until our bodies were limp and spent. Afterward, Ross pulled open the drawer of his nightstand and withdrew a small velvet box.

“This was the reason I didn't want you to go to California this weekend,” he said, handing it to me. He got down on one knee beside the bed. “Will you marry me, Jill?”

 

Two days after he'd proposed and I accepted, Ross sat at his desk doing some paperwork. I brought him a Coke.

“So you
do
work after all?” I said, looking over his shoulder.

He sighed. “That's one of the burdens of having a lot of money—constantly having to figure out what to do with it. Luckily, I've gotten a tip that gold and silver are going to go through the roof. I'm investing half a million, and I'll probably double that before the month is up.”

“Isn't that risky?”

“Not really,” Ross said. “Precious metals never lose value, long-term anyway.” He grinned up at me. “And besides, I have a lavish wedding and honeymoon to pay for.”

“It just so happens I've been looking for some investment opportunities myself,” I said. “Maybe I should buy some silver and gold.”

“Baby,” Ross said, flipping through his papers. “You'd need at least ten thousand dollars to make it worth your while.”

“I've got a hundred and fifty thousand,” I said softly.

Ross swung around in his chair. “You're kidding! I would never have guessed you had that kind of money. Where is it invested?”

“Nowhere, yet,” I said. “It's just sitting in the bank.”

“Jill!” Ross shook his head sternly. “We gotta do something about that. Right away.”

“I know, I know,” I said. “I sent off for a free investment kit but I haven't gotten it yet.”

“That's good. There are all kinds of scams out there. Do you want me to take care of this for you? I'll find you some safe investments.”

“Would you?” I asked. “I hate to—”

He rested his hands on my hand. “Sweetie, that's what husbands do. Besides, this is my area of expertise. We'll go by the bank Monday to sign a signature card so I can get access to your account.”

I hesitated. “You need access?”

“Of course.” He chuckled. “What's wrong? Don't trust me?”

“No, it's not that,” I said, feeling somewhat foolish. “I just didn't know how it worked.”

“Any transactions concerning your account would require both of our signatures. I'd first clear any decisions with you, but if you don't feel comfortable—”

“No, no, no. I do!” I said. “We'll go first thing Monday.”

 

The next morning, I started to read the Sunday paper but the text blurred. I'd gotten only four hours' sleep. Ross, who never required more than five, couldn't stand to be up by himself.

I tuned the TV to CNN. The anchorwoman was reporting on Hollywood.

“Dreams will come true in the Shrine Auditorium tonight in Los Angeles,” she said.

I was so startled I immediately turned it off.

The Emmys are tonight?
I'd completely forgotten! I'd been so wrapped up with Ross I'd never called Tammy back. The Queens would be worried sick. I was torn between wanting to get on the phone—or a plane—to them immediately, and wanting to crawl in a guilt-filled hole for being a shitty friend. I was paralyzed by my inner turmoil.

 

Ross and I were eating French toast for breakfast when the phone rang. I jumped.

“Did you give anyone this number?” he asked.

“No. Was I not supposed to?”