Betting On Love (22 page)

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Authors: Cheris Hodges

BOOK: Betting On Love
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“So, what went wrong?”
Kandace shrugged as she sipped her coffee. “Seeing him brought all of those old feelings back.”
“Is it that you want another chance with him?” Jade asked as the waitress set her Coke on the counter.
“Absolutely not. Seeing him threw me for a loop, because Devon is still fine, but I need something new in my life. This restaurant is a step in the right direction and since you are the GM, I don't have to deal with Devon.”
“So, throwing everything away is the answer?”
Kandace sighed. “For me, yes. I can't speak for you and James. He makes you happy. Are you sure this is something you guys can't work out?”
“I don't know,” she said as she glanced at her cell phone. It wasn't lost on Jade that James hadn't called her.
Maybe it's for the best,
she thought.
We should've left it all in Vegas, anyway.
CHAPTER 24
One month later
 
Jade woke up feeling as if she had butterflies floating in her stomach. She leapt from the bed and threw up dinner and everything else that was in her system. Chalking it up to the fact that she had eaten a big steak and a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey before going to bed, Jade rinsed her mouth out and crawled back into bed. She was not looking forward to what she had to do in the morning. Going back to Charlotte and overseeing the renovations on the restaurant meant that she'd eventually run into James, who she hadn't talked to in a month.
Ever since the argument in his office, they'd cut off all ties. There had been moments in the last month where she'd dialed nine of the ten digits of his phone number, but she'd hang up before dialing the last digit. He could've easily called her, and if he could go a month without talking to her, then what they had shared wasn't as important to him as it was to her.
To hell with James. I don't have to see him. Nor do I have to talk to him,
she thought as she pulled the covers up to her chin. But moments later she was throwing up again.
What is wrong with me? Maybe it's just nerves.
It was after 2:00 a.m. before her stomach settled down and she was able to go back to sleep. But sleep didn't last long. Her alarm clock blared at 5:45 a.m., and she dragged herself out of bed. Serena was meeting her at 6:30 with some ideas for the contractors. Part of her wished her dour friend was taking the trip to Charlotte with her. But Serena had made it clear at dinner that this was Jade's bed to lie in alone.
“I don't want to say I told you so,” Serena had said. “But ...”
“Please, I don't need to hear you right now,” Jade had replied.
“Well, had you listened a month ago, you wouldn't be sitting here with tears in your eyes.”
I hate it when that heifer is right,
Jade thought as she stepped into the shower.
 
 
James stared at his phone before he finally picked it up and dialed Jade's number. The last thirty days without her had been hell. But she was in Atlanta, and for all he knew, she and Stephen could've reconciled. James slammed the phone down as he imagined her and Stephen wrapped up in each other's arms in her bed.
This is bullshit,
he thought as he rose from his desk and stood by the window. James didn't even hear Maurice walk into his office.
“Yo, man, what's going on with you?” Maurice asked as he walked up behind his brother and grabbed his shoulder.
James slapped his hand away. “Why are you here?”
“Because you missed a meeting this morning, and that's not like you.”
“Things happen,” James said.
“Does this have anything to do with Jade?”
“How's Kenya doing? Is she starting to show yet?”
“Don't try to change the damned subject,” Maurice snapped. “You stay buried in this office, I haven't heard you talk about her, and I haven't seen her around. And your attitude of late is that of a man who's not getting any.”
“Mo, you weren't too thrilled with Jade, anyway, so why are you acting concerned?”
Maurice shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I've seen the light. Jade seems good for you. Who am I to judge the woman?”
“Like I was looking for your approval in the first place,” James barked. “But it's moot, anyway. For thirty days I haven't heard from her, so maybe what I thought was something serious wasn't.”
“Have you called her?” Maurice asked pointedly. “The phone works both ways. You should keep that in mind.”
“What was the meeting about?” James asked, glossing over what his brother had said.
“I handled it, but back to you. Are you trying to push the woman away?”
“When in the hell did you become Jade's cheerleader ?” James slammed his hand against the back of his desk chair. “It's obviously over, and I don't want to talk about it, damn it.”
Maurice backed away as if he were getting away from an opposing linebacker. “Fine. We've been selected by the Urban League to receive a trailblazer award for the development in Wesley Heights. The ceremony is in three weeks. That's what the meeting was about.”
James nodded. “You get the award, and I'll cheer you on from a distance.”
“Actually, you're the one receiving the award. I told the committee that it's your work that keeps us involved in a lot of good things, so you can't get out of going. Besides, it will be a great chance for you to take your mind off—”
“Don't say it,” James said, throwing his hand up.
“This is what I'm talking about. Don't give up on her if this is what you really want.”
James didn't even want to argue the point further, but it wasn't about what he wanted anymore. Obviously, Jade had made her decision. And he was going to abide by it. If there was anything between them, she would have to prove it. He wasn't going to chase her, and he damned sure wasn't going to beg—even if it meant he'd be miserable.
How did it all go so wrong? I was ready to tell that woman that I loved her and she was still hung up on Stephen—a man who has no respect for her.
James dropped into his chair and glanced up at his brother.
“Why are you still here?” he asked Maurice.
“Because you're worrying me. James, stop being so damned stubborn, and call her.”
“Why don't I just wait nine years?”
Maurice shook his head. “I know misery loves company, but I'm too happy to stand here trying to save your love life. I'm out.”
Maurice headed out the door, and James propped his feet up on his desk, pondering if he should reach out to Jade. Maurice did have a point. James wanted her more than he was willing to admit. He missed everything about her: the sound of her voice, the feel of her skin, and the taste of her lips. James picked up the phone and dialed Jade's number. The call went straight to voice mail, and he hung up without leaving a message, wondering if she was screening her calls.
 
 
“Give me my phone, Serena!” Jade shouted as she drove into the Charlotte city limits. She was now wishing her friend had stayed home.
“Why? So you can get all caught up in James again? You haven't heard from him in a month. Why is it so important to talk to him now? We're going to Charlotte for business, not for you and James to have a reconciliation.”
“You don't have the right to ... Just give me my damned phone.”
Serena folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. “I don't think so. Not until after the meeting with these contractors. As soon as they see women walk in the room, they are going to think that we're clueless.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “Why do you think all men are out to get you?” she asked.
“Because they are,” Serena said flatly. “And I don't want this to turn into one of your speeches about the right man being out there for me. Can we just get through this meeting, come up with some plans? And we need to name the place. Serena's has a nice ring.” She laughed to inform Jade she was only joking. “Have you thought about what we should name the restaurant? What does Charlotte identify itself with?”
“I don't know,” Jade said.
“Are you still moving here?”
“What choice do I have? I said I was going to manage this restaurant, and I'm going to keep my word. This is business.”
Serena smiled tersely. “I hope that you plan on calling James after the meeting, because I am tired of you moping about this man. Besides, he's not that bad, and I don't understand why you haven't called him in a month.”
Jade looked at Serena as if she were possessed by an alien. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. It's been a month. You could've called him.”
“No. Did I hear you say he's not that bad?”
Serena shrugged. “Whatever. I just know that I'm tired of you acting as if the world has come to an end because you two haven't talked.”
“He doesn't want to talk to me, because he hasn't called me,” Jade said. “Not counting the call that you made me miss.”
Serena rapped her hand on Jade's forehead. “Are you slow? Is there a brain in there?”
“Shut up,” Jade said. “So, you really think I should call him?”
“Yes, as long as you shut up about that man!” Serena said as Jade pulled into the restaurant's parking lot.
Once they walked into the restaurant, Serena and Jade realized that they had a lot of work to do. The interior of the building was moldy and cold. The smell of the damp wood and mold seemed to slap Jade in the face. Closing her eyes, she dashed outside, nearly knocking two contractors over, and threw up in the bushes near the entrance.
One of the hulky contractors walked over to Jade and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Ma'am,” he asked, “are you all right?”
Wiping her mouth with the handkerchief he offered, Jade nodded. “I'm fine,” she said. “This isn't how I wanted to meet you.”
“Come again?” he asked.
“You're Antonio Billups, right?” She looked at the man, taking in every inch of his chocolate, muscular, six-foot-four-inch frame.
Billups smiled, showing a mouth full of pearly whites. “Guilty. Serena Jacobs?”
“No, Jade Christian,” she said. “Serena's inside.”
He nodded. “Are you sure we don't need to reschedule this meeting?”
“I'll be fine. I had something for dinner that didn't agree with me. I'm going to head to the gas station and clean up,” she said. Though Jade had no choice, she didn't think leaving Serena alone with the contractors was good for business. The plan was for them to be sugar and spice. Without the sugar to balance the spice, Jade feared that the contractors would walk out without even making an offer.
She drove to the gas station, walked into the bathroom, and washed her hands, then rinsed her mouth with water. Jade knew that her nausea didn't have anything to do with dinner. A thought flashed in her mind, and she pulled out her cell phone, then scrolled down to the calendar function.
My God!
she thought.
I'm late. Could I be pregnant?
Jade shook nervously as she thought about the possibility of carrying a child. James's child. Just as she was about to drop her phone back into her purse, it rang. Looking down at the caller ID, she saw it was James. She hit the talk button.
“Hello, Jade,” James said.
“Hi.”
“I still have your things at my house,” he said.
Genius! You didn't call her about her damned clothes.
“Really? So, is that why you're calling me?” she asked. Her voice had a hint of annoyance.
“No,” he admitted. “I miss you. Maybe I was wrong to jump to conclusions about you still having this thing for Stephen.”
“It took you a month to figure that out?” she said sarcastically.
“I didn't hear from you, either,” he said. “But that's not the point. I'm trying to apologize.”
“You're not doing a good job of it,” she said.
James sighed and pushed back from his desk. Jade was right; he wasn't doing a good job at it. “All right. Let me come to Atlanta tonight and apologize in person.”
“Well, I'm not in Atlanta,” she said. “I'm actually in Charlotte, about to meet with some contractors.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Is it possible for us to see each other?”
“Yes, I'll call you when we're done with the meeting.”
“All right,” he said. “I look forward to it.”
When they hung up the phone, James called Ruth's Chris Steak House and made a dinner reservation. Then he headed out to the florist and bought two dozen red roses. Just as he was about to sign the card, his cell phone rang.
“Yeah?” he said after seeing that it was his brother.
“James, I was just in the Cherry neighborhood, and I saw your girl. Maybe you should—”
“We're having dinner tonight.”
“Good,” said Maurice.
“What were you doing over there?” James asked.
“Trying to find my wife some Chunky Monkey ice cream.”
James laughed. “The Ben and Jerry's store is in South Park,” he said.
“That's what that is?” Maurice replied, with a laugh. “I walked into the Circle K, and the clerk looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. Let me get to the south side and get back to her office before she has a fit.”

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