Revolving Doors (33 page)

CHAPTER
59

~*~*~

As I was applying the last of my accessories, my cell phone rang. Without checking the caller ID I answered, “Hi, this is Gabriella…”

“Hi Gabriella…this is your man.”

“My man, who?” I joked.

“Yeah…I’m not finding that too funny.”

“I know
Kenny
. Just kidding around with you. How are you doing?”

“I’m good now that I got you on the phone. I
know
you’re not still at home? It’s top of the afternoon where you are.”

“Yeah…” I said glancing at the clock. Damn near 3. I’m getting a real late start today. But my morning was pretty eventful.”

“Eventful, huh? In a good way, I hope?”

“Oh for sure. Definitely good.”

I placed him on a brief hold while I paired my Bluetooth for hands-free talking. I grabbed my keys, briefcase, and headed downstairs.

“So, what’s on your agenda for today?”

“Stopping by the San Francisco office, then headed back to this side to make sure things are set up for tonight’s crowd at the club.”

“Look at you! Have I told you how proud of you I am?” he gushed.

“
You did
. But you can tell me as often as you like. I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”

As I opened the door to head out, I was stunned into silence when there he stood with that beautiful smile on his face.

“I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to emerge from inside the house.”

“
Oh my god, Kenny
!” I threw my arms around him, keys and briefcase hitting the ground as I did so.

“What are you doing here!”

“I came to see my baby, of course.”

“
Oh my god
!” I yelled overjoyed. My arms were locked around his neck and then like magnets drawn to metal, our tongues were doing a tango in each other’s mouths.

When we came up for air, all I wanted to do was look at him. No pinching needed, the truth stared me in the face…I loved the way he looked, the way he felt, smelled. Loved every bit of him.

“When did you get here?”

“I flew in on an early flight and came straight to you. My bags are in the rental. Is it cool to bring them in? Or should I head to the Marriott?”

If looks could kill, the one I shot him would have had put him in an early grave.

“I’m kidding, beautiful…” he said, holding me close.

Ooooh
how I loved when he did that.

Needless to say, I called my mother, accepted her offer to do a check in on my behalf, and allowed my man to undress me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in lovemaking bliss. We didn’t engage in much conversation even as we spooned in between. We were caught up in allowing all the beautiful moments to linger.

Each time we made love, it was more powerful than the time before it, and with each orgasm, any doubts I had before slowly dissipated.

After all the playing, we were depleted, more in love than before, and ready for the night.

At exactly
seven that evening, we met in the shower where we bathed each other, got dressed, and headed to Club Rendezvous.

~*~*~

I couldn’t wait for Kenny to see my club. He knew about my businesses, but I wanted him to see what I’d built, in person.

When we drove into the lot and parked in my space, Ken commented, “I’ve always loved this area. You’ve done good, baby.”

“It
is
pretty nice, ain’t it?” I bragged.

Walking through the doors produced a look of surprise on his face.
He glanceed around in amazement, which was the exact reaction I wanted.

“
Wow
…” he exclaimed. “The pictures don’t do this place justice,” he acknowledged.

“Maybe…you should’ve checked our website, instead of Google!” I kidded, nudging his shoulder.

“Ha! ha! ha! you’re funny!”

“I’m kidding,” I said leaning against his arm. “Thank you, baby. I put a lot of thought into it.”

“You got style, that’s for damn sure.”

“
Awww
…you’re making me blush.”

He pulled me to him, for a warm, lingering kiss.

“So, what happens next, babe?”

“Well…” I said, rubbing my hand down his back, “…you can have a seat over in my area, and watch me work,” I flirted.

“Now that’s suggestive!” he flirted back.

I grabbed his hand and escorted him to my reserved area, and got him set up with a drink from the bar. Afterwards, I went to the front of the club to greet the couples who had begun trickling in.

Since I had missed a few events, I did a small introduction in the beginning to welcome the old and the new.

When the introduction was done, I made my rounds to check in on a few of my patrons, and shake hands, before joining Ken.

As I walked his way, I could see the smile on his face from a mile away.

“You look
good
out there, baby. You’re in your element.”  

“You think?” I gushed.

“
I know
. I watched. You’re on fire, and so is this club.”

“
Thank you,
” I said rubbing his face. “And thank you for coming. I still can’t believe we’re here together. I love this.”

“So do I Gabriella,” he said rubbing my hand with his.

“Speaking of which…how long you here for?”

As soon as I said it, I realized it was the first time I posed the question.
The length of his stay should have been the first thing I asked about, but it escaped me in the many moments of passion.

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed surprised, throwing my hand up to my mouth. “I didn’t even ask you that!”

“Yeah, because you were too busy tryin’ to jump my bones!” he joked.

“
Well
…you could’ve offered up the information! Don’t go putting it all on me!”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I guess because I was busy tryin’ to jump your bones too!”

He leaned over and planted a kisses on my neck, as I sat smiling. If anyone had been watching they might have mistaken us for two giddy kids who couldn’t get enough of each other…and their assumption would have been correct!

“See, we’re both to blame,” I said suddenly feeling a little sad that he would be leaving at all.

“I leave day after tomorrow,” he said.

“
Ohh
, a short trip? Okay. I guess we just have to make the time count,” I remarked.

“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” he asked, moving closer to me.

“You came to see me, right? I mean, of course your family too, but I’d like to think you came for me,” I teased.

“Well, I’d like to think you
came
for me too,” he said rubbing my thigh.

“Kenny! Keep the focus!” I scolded.

“Alright, if you insist,” he said. “The reason I’m here is because we have an announcement to make and it was better made as a couple.”

When the word,
couple
, rolled off his tongue, I felt butterflies in my stomach.

“I heard you last night. I hated ending the conversation with you thinking that I wanted to keep you a secret. My surprise was already in motion, so it was my way of throwing you off.”

“Kenny!” I yelled, “Why would you do that? I was
so
mad at you!”

“I figured that. I know attitude when I hear it,” he laughed. “That’s why I asked if you were good.”

“And you really thought I’d say,
I’m good
, in that moment?”

“I know, right? That was dumb as hell.”

“It sure was!”

“Listen, you…There’s no way I’m losing you again. I want the world to know. There’s nothing anyone can do or say that will change my feelings. I know I have a lot to prove to you, and I’m prepared to do that.”

I was speechless.

Over the course of a few days, the walls I’d had around me for so many, came tumbling down with a vengeance.

“I love you so much, Kenny. I really do.”

“I love you right back, Gabriella. I am excited about beginning a life with you. If there was ever a reason to be bi-coastal, you’re it.”

After our heart-to-heart discussion, with the house packed, and guests greeted, I left the evening to my capable staff, and headed home where we continued on our quest to make up for lost time.

CHAPTER 60

~*~*~

When the morning sun greeted us, we were both zoned and depleted of every ounce of energy. I could barely move. In fact, I barely wanted to move. I was content lying in bed for the entire day, being with him made me feel that way.

“
Ahhh
!” he exclaimed, turning onto his back. “Why is that sun in here so bright, and so early?” 

“I would think you’d be perfectly fine since you live on east coast time. You should have been up three hours ago!”

“When I’m on the east coast, I don’t have some lady putting it on me like you did, so it’s a lot easier to get up in the morning without feeling like I just ran a triathlon!”

“All I can say is that it’s the high price of lustful nights. No regrets here,” I said stretching into a full stretch.

“You better not have any regrets,” he mumbled before pulling the pillow over his face to shield the sun.

~*~*~

Kenny had already alerted his parents to
a
meeting so they were onboard and ready. I called my parents and finalized the plans as well.

We decided to choose a restaurant we knew both sets mutually liked on the water.

My parents were ecstatic because it was our first sit-down since I’d returned from my trip, three days earlier. They just didn’t know we would have company, and I was hoping that the calm of the bay would keep things at a level of serenity that we needed for
the talk
.

Nerves were abound.

We arrived before our parents and were seated next to each other when they walked in almost simultaneously and leaving me to wonder if they’d arrived together.

I didn’t know about Kenny, but my palms were moistened with sweat. I was terrified of the unknown.

The last my parents knew, which was a short two and a half weeks ago, I was dating Robert.

I was sure they wouldn’t have been bent out of shape that the two of us were no longer an item (well, my mother maybe), but because of what happened in the past, neither of them cared for Kenny.

My mother knew all the details of the breakup. My father didn’t, but always suspected there was
something
.

My hope for that day as we waited to get the ball rolling was that they could see my happiness, realize that I’d forgiven, and being open to doing the same. 

When they realized what they’d walked into, the looks on their faces were worthy of a Kodak moment. There was some confusion present but I was sure the desire to strangle me was present as well. 

Once the final seat was taken, I rubbed my hands together underneath the table to clear the moisture formed in my palms.

Kenny looked at me, and when I didn’t budge, he decided to initiate opening statements.

Good luck, baby. I got your back…way back.

I was anxious, but laughing inside at the same time watching it all play out.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval. It’s been a long time.”

My father gave a half smile, while my mother picked up one of the glasses of water brought to the table; my guess was to avoid a gesture that might be expected of her. I was slightly disappointed in the way they acted. I knew what our past held, but I wanted them to at least see how things played out during the course of the conversation before taking issue, prematurely.

Kenny, sensing the tension, then turned to his parents to address them.

“
Mom
…
Dad
…I’ll just go straight to the point of why you all are here.”

Uh-oh
, I was thinking to myself and trying to avoid eye contact with both my parents. I felt like a little kid! The games were about to begin.

“Gabriella and I asked the four of you here so that we could tell you that we are a couple –
again
.” He stated that sentence without missing a beat. “I love her. As you both know,” he said gesturing toward his parents, “I never stopped loving her, and recently we found each other again, and decided that we wanted to give
us
a second shot.”

He purposely left out the
where
because that was a situation in and of itself that nobody needed to know about. For all my parents knew, I could have run into him on the streets of Brazil, or when I got back. The possibilities were many, and we agreed to leave them to their imagination.

“Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval…” he re-addressed. “I am very much in love with your daughter. I know that I hurt her in the past
---”

Oh brother
…
it was coming
.

“Hurt her how?”
my dad cut in, with his arms across his chest.

“Oh!” Kenny threw up air palms, “Mr. Sandoval…not in a physical way at all,” Kenny stammered. “I would
never
. It’s an emotional hurt that I’m acknowledging – an emotional hurt for both of us.”

“Okay…go on,” my father authorized.

He turned to look at me. “I’ve repeatedly told her how sorry I am, and how much I would love the opportunity to spend as much time as she’ll let me, making it up to her.”

Turning back to my parents, he continued, “I know you can’t forgive me right away, but I would like the chance to prove my loyalty to Gabriella – with your blessing.”

When he was done with the commentary, the table was quiet, and I deliberately remained so.

“Son,
your
happiness is
our
happiness,” Ken’s father contributed, his mother nodding in agreement.

I was surprised when Mrs. Augustine reached across the table to touch my hand.

“Gabriella…” she said offering a warm smile, “you are even more beautiful than I remember.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Augustine,” I said blushing.

“Mom…Dad…” I treaded lightly. “How are
you
feeling?”

“Kenneth…” my mother began. “As long as your intentions toward my baby are good, I don’t have a problem. Her happiness is what’s important to me, and if that’s with you, then the relationship has my blessing.”

My dad kept it simple. I already knew his stance. He had every intention on watching Kenny’s actions closely.

“As long as my daughter doesn’t end up hurt…
again
,” my father emphasized, “I’m good with the union.”

“
Whew
!” I let out. I hadn’t realized my breathing was strained until I exhaled. When everyone laughed, it was the lightest the mood had been since we arrived.

Before long, conversations flowed around the table between Kenny and me, our mothers, and our fathers – who had managed to sneak off to the bar for drinks, and to have man convo.

Wow
, I thought to myself as I felt Kenny’s hand rest on my thigh.

It sunk in…
We
were really happening.

We had found our way back and it was a beautiful feeling.