Real Love 5 (Love the One You're With) Page 3
“I haven’t forgotten. In fact, I was hoping you could come to Tampa for the weekend.”
“You don’t need me hanging around your photo shoot,” Hunter joked. “I may be a distraction.”
Kevin laughed. “You’re right…you will be a distraction. But I seriously wish you would consider coming.”
“If it means that much to you…”
“It does. There’s something important I need to discuss with you, anyway.”
Hunter tried to read into Kevin’s tone to determine if this ‘talk’ had anything to do with him asking her to marry him. However, at the moment, she was not brave enough to inquire about it. “Well, it must be important, if you need me to come to Tampa.”
“Please don’t be alarmed,” Kevin assured. “I just think it is best you be here in person...or if you prefer, I could make a quick stopover to Devin’s Cay.”
“No, no. I don’t want you to miss your photo shoot,” Hunter said. “My photographer has already made plans to be there in Tampa. It’s no problem for me to steal away for those couple hours. So by God’s grace, I’ll be there this weekend.”
“God’s grace? I haven’t heard you say that before.”
“It is a long story,” Hunter said. “But the short version is that I’m seriously thinking about becoming a Christian.”
“I see…”
Hunter recognized the switch in Kevin’s inflection, but she trivialized it with a little friendly chuckle. “Don’t sound so downtrodden. We’ve talked about this before.”
“I’m cool with it. Like I said, I don’t have a problem with Jesus. A have a problem with those who claim to be His followers and are not living up to His standards.”
“Point taken,” Hunter said. “I’ll remember that your eyes are on me as an example.”
“Did I make you upset?”
“No, I can’t get upset at such truth. You are a realist and I love that about you.”
“And I love that you’re so mature about such matters. I have a tendency to be direct when I don’t intend to be, which has gotten me into some tight spots with the women I’ve dated in the past.”
Hunter always got an unsettled feeling in her stomach when Kevin talked about his past relationships. She would usually ignore the feeling and pretend as if she wasn’t interested in finding out the 4ll on the man she intended to marry, but all of a sudden, there was a burning question she knew she would not be able to push to the back of her mind.
“I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask,” she said.
“Ask anything you want to ask,” Kevin encouraged her. “I anticipate that this will be the norm, especially after accepting my marriage proposal. You want to know more about me and I totally get that.”
“Thanks for making it easy,” Hunter said. “But I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me; that I’m trying to be a snoop. Your past is your past.”
“You don’t need to explain, because you’ve never given any indication that you are a snoop. Most times I’m amazed that you don’t question me more than you do. So just say what’s on your heart.”
“Okay…” Hunter took in a deep breath. “How important is sex to you in a relationship?”
Kevin decided to be brutally honest, especially since he’d been wanting to ask the same question. “Very important…but I won’t force myself on the woman I’m dating if she isn’t ready. I can be patient, if I need to be.”
“But how long is too long for you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have a set time…it depends on the woman, really.”
“Six months?” Hunter pushed. “Six weeks?”
“Like I said, it depends on the woman.”
Maybe I should be a little more direct, because you’re taking me around in circles. “Well, did you ever date a woman with whom you had sex within the first week?”
There was a pause on Kevin’s end and Hunter could feel the tension coming through the phone. “Yes…but it all goes back to the woman. In fact, she was the one to initiate the first move. I won’t put pressure on you to have sex, Hunter, if that’s what these questions are about. And I won’t run away if you want to wait until we’re married. I realized from the day I laid eyes on you that you were different and that I needed to handle you with special care.”
Hunter chuckled, despite the reservations in her heart. “You make me sound as if I have a handicap.”
Kevin chuckled too. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to explain how much you mean to me and that I would do anything in my power to make this relationship a success. That’s why I need you to come to Tampa this weekend. There are some things I want you to know before we commit ourselves to what I believe will be a long and happy marriage.”
“You don’t need to convince me any more than you already have,” Hunter said. “I’ll make reservations as soon as I’m done talking to you.”
“Be comforted in knowing that my only intention is to make you happy, Hunter, which includes being upfront with the situations of my life. My only regret is not talking to you about them much sooner.”
Now you’re scaring me, Kevin. I just hope it isn’t what I’m thinking in regards to Shiloh Bethune. “I will say goodbye for now,” Hunter said. “I have taken up enough of your time.”
“Are you upset?”
“Why do you keep asking me if I’m upset?”
“Because your voice sounds a bit strained.”
“Really? I guess I’m just feeling the effects of how quickly things are moving between us. But it’s all good. I just can’t wait to see you.”
“I can say the same…I miss you and I want you to know that I love you.”
Hunter disconnected from the line, unable to bring herself to tell Kevin that she loved him too. That was the second time their conversation had ended that way. What the heck was wrong with her? She knew she loved Kevin, so why couldn’t she say it? Maybe it was a sign to let her know that she wasn’t really ready to marry Kevin. They’d been dating three months – still a very short time to commit to such a serious decision – but she could at least acknowledge Kevin’s affection with a little more finesse.
Hunter swung her blue eyes toward the ceiling, becoming more and more comfortable with talking to someone she could not see. God, I need Your help. Give me a sign that will help me decide whether to go through with this marriage or not. Kevin seems to be such a beautiful man and I would hate to make the mistake of giving in to my silly little fears by walking away from a marriage proposition that may have come from You.
Chapter Five
When Suanne Beckford heard her eldest son was coming to Devin’s Cay to put on a live concert, she went crazy cleaning and decorating her three-bedroom house. If Armando had any sense, he wouldn’t waste money sleeping in a hotel. She had enough room to host him and his entourage. Granted, some of them may have to sleep on the floor or on the sofa, but she would be quite disappointed to know that Armando would snub his nose at his humble beginnings.
Growing up as boys, Kevin and Drake shared a room while Armando enjoyed his own space, simply because he was older and also because he wouldn’t have shared his room anyway. Armando invested heavily in musical instruments, which took up just about every square inch of the twelve by twelve cube. There was a secondhand Yamaha keyboard on his bureau, which he used in place of a keyboard stand; two big studio monitors; headphones, XLR cables, acoustic panels and whatever else Armando could find to furnish his home music studio.
Suanne recalled many times reprimanding Armando for the untidy way he kept his room, showing no regard for how hard it was for her to raise three boys with a father who was rarely at home. She tolerated the noise of the music, because she realized that music was a part of Armando’s destiny and she did not want to interfere with his dream of becoming an artist. But it was the disorganization of his dirty clothes, which seemed to pile toward the ceiling, candy wrappers and empty soda cans that sparked many heated exchanges between them.
It seemed as if music was the only thing that interested Armando and no matter how many times Suanne threatened to auction off his studio equipment, Armando always called her bluff. He reminded her so much of her husband, who was obstinate and determined to persist in his ways. But those heated exchanges between her and Armando always brought a smile to Suanne’s face when she thought of how easily he could wiggle his way out from under her punishment. She thought of one time in particular.
“Boy, turn that music down!” Suanne yelled, then slammed her fist against Armando’s bedroom door. “Do you have any idea what time of the morning it is? Open this door before I kick it down!”
The music suddenly dropped in volume and within seconds, Armando pulled the door open and grinned. “How can I help you?”
Suanne took a swing at her son, but he ducked and bolted backwards. “You may be seventeen years old, but I will still knock your teeth down your throat. Why do you have this music so loud at 7:30 in the morning?”
Armando scratched his head. “Because it’s Saturday and I need to test the acoustics of my songs before I perform at this morning’s event.”
“But do you need to shatter my windows and wake up everyone else in the house?”
“Daddy’s been gone since 6 a.m. And you usually get up half an hour after that…so I figured –”
“So you figured nothing! Your brothers are still sleeping and probably half of the neighborhood.”
“Lazy bastards,” Armando spat. “They need to get up anyway and clean this room.”
“Are you drunk?” Suanne pushed a hand to her side, unable to hide her shock. “We don’t have any maids in this house to be cleaning up after your nasty behind. You’re seventeen years old… just look at this place. There must be a boat-load of roaches hiding in your pillows. How can you sleep in this mess?”
Armando dropped his head and laughed. “Roaches in my pillows? Last week you told me there were snakes under my bed and rats in my closet. Sounds to me like you need to apply for a job at Animal Planet, because you are so dramatic in your descriptions.”
“Boy…”
Suanne took another swing at Armando, but this time he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. He planted a huge kiss on her cheek.
“I love you, Ma,” he told her. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, because I need you to be around for a long time. I have to go, but I will leave twenty bucks on the dining room table for Kevin and Drake. That’s their incentive for making sure the rats and the snakes…and the roaches doesn’t take over my room.”
The only thing left for Suanne to do was to shake her head and laugh. How was it possible that her boy had been able to charm the socks off of his own mother?
Those nostalgic memories were suddenly interrupted by a knock on Suanne’s front door. She rested the broom back in its designated spot and then went to inquire of her visitor. Armando was expected to come in that day, but she didn’t know the exact time that he would show up. Regardless, she pulled the door open, expecting to see him.
“Drake? Sasha?”
Drake grinned at his mother’s questioning stare. He pulled his wife closer to him and sputtered in excitement, “We have to come in person to tell you the good news.”
Suanne wasted no time tossing her arms around their necks. “I always knew you and Sasha would be the ones to give me my first grandchild. God heard my prayers and for this I am going to keep my promise by going back to church.”
Sasha smiled away the pressure she felt from Suanne’s words. Why did mothers-in-law think that having a baby was the only good news a wife could give their sons? “Mrs. Beckford,” she said tactfully, removing herself from Suanne’s neck bending embrace, “there’s no news like announcing the birth of a brand new baby and while Drake and I are not pregnant…yet, I think you will be equally pleased to know that the blessing that your son has just walked into, is beyond anything that you could ever imagine.”
Suanne’s expression wilted, despite Sasha’s effort to let her down easy. “What is more exciting than knowing that I will be a grandmother?” she questioned.
“I think you should take a seat for this one,” Drake chimed in. “Because even after three days of receiving the news, I am still in shock.”
Suanne folded her arms, her gaze moving back and forth between Drake and Sasha. “Okay…let’s hear it.”
Drake produced a copy of Rev. Henderson’s will – the one that Lewis had given him. And while handing it to Suanne, he said with a grin, “Your son has just become a millionaire. Over 3.9 million dollars in assets, with quarterly earnings of over thirty-one thousand dollars.”
Suanne laughed, obviously in disbelief. “You joking?”
“That was my exact response,” Sasha said, “when Rev. Henderson’s lawyer told us the news. And that is not all, Mrs. Beckford. Drake has also inherited two houses and two brand new cars that Rev Henderson had kept a secret all this time…also –”
Suanne placed a trembling hand over her chest, interrupting Sasha. “Hush, child, before you give me a heart attack, because I don’t believe this foolishness you’re telling me.”
Drake chuckled, wiping tears that had begun to form in his eyes. “It’s not foolishness, Ma. Rev. Henderson truly took me in as his son and has left the bulk of his estate to me. He ensured that we won’t ever have to struggle anymore. We can build a new church, pay off all our bills and fulfill so many of our dreams with the money; my head is spinning at what God has done for me…for us all. It’s real, Ma, every word of it is real. Read it for yourself…”
Instead of reading the document, Suanne suddenly took off down the hall as if the Holy Spirit had pushed a pair of invisible skates on her feet. “Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord! I always knew You had big blessings for my son. Keep him, Lord Jesus. Protect him, Jesus and give him good health and long life so that he can enjoy it.” She swung her hands toward the ceiling and then went off in a concoction of tongues Drake only heard in church. “Robo, Shaba, Raca Mo Shata! Thank ya, Lord! Thank ya!”
With such commotion, none of them heard Armando when he stepped through the front door and greeted them in his heavy Trinidadian accent.
“Is all of this excitement for me or am I late for the neighborhood party?”
Suanne whirled around at the voice of her eldest son. She ran toward him, ditching her heavenly language. “Oh my sons, my wonderful sons,” she cried. “How bless and how highly favored I am to be called your mother. Do you have any idea of how much I love you boys? It pains my blessed heart not to see you every day…”
Armando released her, pinning Drake and Sasha with an inquiring gaze. “Will someone tell me what’s going on here, because right now I’m feeling like the grandeur of my arrival has been brutally diminished?”
Drake was about to put Armando’s ego in check, but was stunned to silence when a very pregnant woman slipped in through the front door. She appeared to be in her early forties and did not look to be a pleasant person at all. Armando reached out for her hand only to be met with a cold stare from her.
“Everyone,” Armando announced. “I want you to meet my lovely wife, Annalise Beckford.”
Suanne sized Annalise up in one blink and decided that she did not like her. She fastened her disapproving gaze back to Armando. “When the heck did you get married?”
The way the question was asked sucked the air out of the room. Suanne was not about to hide how she felt about Armando’s choice in selecting a wife who was clearly older than him by at least a decade. And to see that she was pregnant with his child was a big no no in Suanne’s book. All of a sudden she felt like cussing, but Suanne knew it was the devil egging her on. So to prevent embarrassing her sons and making a mockery of the Holy Spirit, she spun around and made a beeline for the kitchen.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Armando asked.
“To take a smoke.”
Chapter Six
The Smithson Hotel
Rena’s suggestion resulted in a mouthful of profanities from an individual who happened to be one of Armonica’s premier clients. He’d been expecting Rena to finish her stage of the editing process since last week. He told her if he’d wanted another editor, he would have gotten one by now, and that there wasn’t time for delays or for any further explanation. He was adamant that Rena just needed to get the job done to prevent him from missing the release date of his independent film.
“Relax, Franco,” Rena said. “I’m more than halfway through to the post-production stage. You will not miss the release date. All that is left is the trimming of the music and graphics. Adding menus are no big deal. So if you can’t wait until I get back to Paris or seek a different editor, then I don’t know what else to tell you.”
Franco slammed the phone down in Rena’s ear, but Rena couldn’t care less. She was actually relieved that that fool had hung up. Now she could return to her peace and quiet and try to focus on her father’s will or rather her decision on whether or not to accept its contents as it’d been laid out. It’d been almost a week since she’d stormed out of Lewis’ office and she was more confused now than she was then. How dare her father put a “no contest” clause next to her name and leave her grappling for her inheritance?
She hated him for that. It clearly showed his favoritism for Drake – someone who was not his flesh and blood. What a prick of a father he was. But Rena had been thinking seriously about her life during those days she’d been locked away in her hotel room. Did she really want to push Lewis’ patience and run the risk of being disinherited altogether? And if she did accept her father’s terms, did that mean she’d done it for Armando or for herself? Because if the truth be told, after seeing Armando on TV, it had changed the whole ball game.