Love Takes Time (7 page)

A
lyssa couldn't believe how nervous she was to actually be meeting her father's girlfriend. Not girlfriend but fiancée and future stepmother. The title was a hard one to get used to. Throughout her life, she couldn't remember a single time when her father showed any interest in a woman. If he'd ever dated after her mother's death, he certainly kept it from her. But what if she didn't like this woman? What if she was some evil, wicked stepmother with two horrible daughters like in “Cinderella”?

Alyssa perked up.

Did Estelle have children of her own? She had no clue and it hadn't occurred to her to ask her father. She suddenly felt uneasy with the idea of sharing her
father's affection—not just with another woman but possibly with a whole other family. Even as the thought drifted across her mind, she realized that she was being selfish. Still, there was a part of her that couldn't help it. She had become so accustomed to being Daddy's little girl that she didn't know how to be any other way.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Tangela asked, glancing up from her
Essence
magazine.

“Nothing.” Alyssa shrugged, but she was unable to remove the frown from her face.

“It doesn't look like nothing to me.”

Alyssa sighed. What was the point of lying to her best friend? The beauty of having known someone for so long was the ability to share everything with them without fear of being judged. “I'm just trying to get used to the idea of having a stepmom.” Alyssa finished hanging her clothes in the closet. “I don't know what to expect.”

Tangela shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Trust me. It's no big deal. My father is on his fourth marriage and my mom is on her third. After a while you just get used to a revolving door of new faces.” With a shrug, Tangela turned her attention back to her magazine.

Alyssa frowned at Tangela's cynical point of view. Once upon a time, Tangie had stressed over her parents' latest marriages or new children. It was probably why Tangie rarely went home anymore. It was sad to see the close bond she once shared with her parents erode over time.

Was that what was in store for her and her father? What if her father and Estelle started having children of their own? That was still possible, right?

“I think I'm going to be sick.”

A knock rattled her door.

“Come in,” Alyssa called out.

The door opened and her father poked his head inside of the room. When his gaze found Alyssa near the closet, his lips stretched across his face. “I have someone here I want you to meet…again.”

Alyssa shot a look at her best friend. This was it: The moment of truth.

Tangela stood up from the bed while Alyssa tried to match her father's exuberance with a bright smile of her own.

“Great. Bring her in,” she said.

Her father widened the door and stepped into the small bedroom with a smiling, elegant woman hanging on to his arm. It had been years since Alyssa had been in Estelle's elementary class but the moment their gazes locked, Alyssa felt seven years old and consumed with the desire to please.

“Estelle, this is my baby girl, Alyssa. Alyssa, this is Estelle.”

“Hello,” the women chimed in unison.

Estelle sputtered, “I'm so glad that you were able to make it to the wedding this weekend. I mean with it being such short notice and all,” she laughed.

“Well, it did sound like a shotgun sort of thing,” Alyssa laughed, taking advantage of the opening.

To her amazement, her father's face darkened. Her antennae sprang up. “You're not…you two aren't…”

Estelle glanced nervously at her father.

“Actually, I was going to talk to you about that.” He looked over at Tangela.

“You know what,” Tangie said, picking up on the hint. “I'm just going to run out to the…um…someplace.” She rushed over to Alyssa, squeezed her hand for moral support and then darted around Alfred and Estelle and then out the door.

Now that it was just the three of them, it seemed as though the oxygen was trying to escape the room.

“Maybe I should sit down.” Light-headed, Alyssa walked over to the bed and perched herself on the edge. “A baby,” she mumbled. The word and the concept seemed foreign.

“Now, Ally. I know that this is a big surprise to you,” her father said, sitting down next to her.

“You think?”

Alfred took her hand into his and laced their fingers together. “I'd hoped that you'd be happy for us.”

Guilt crashed against Alyssa's heart, causing her to be ashamed of her selfishness. She drew a deep breath and glanced up. “Of course I'm happy for you,” she said, her gaze fluttering to Estelle. “For
both
of you. I just—I just need to get used to the fact that—I'm going to be an older sister,” she boasted, though a lump still swelled in her throat, choking her.

Her father beamed as he released her hand and then crushed her against his chest. “Oh, baby girl. I knew that you'd be happy for us.”

Tears burned at the back of her eyes as she soaked in her father's affection. “Yes, Dad. I'm really happy for you.”

 

Roger and Kitty Hinton surprised Alfred and Estelle and their small wedding party by treating them to the exclusive five-star Magnolia's restaurant. The entire Hinton staff and their spouses were in attendance, and quite frankly it was a shock to Alyssa to see Beatrice down a whole bottle of Dom Pérignon by herself. On the opposite end, the more Antonio drank the more Italian he spoke.

Kitty spent most of the time slipping Billy Dee Williams the third, her much-beloved and bejeweled Chihuahua, pieces of filet mignon and cooing, “Aw. That's a good mama's baby.”

Alyssa shook her head at the way the woman continued to baby that dog.

The food was rich and bountiful. The laughs were loud and contagious, but most of all, Alfred and Estelle were happy. Wasn't that all that mattered?

Forever on a diet, Alyssa and Tangie picked over their food and instead just indulged in how wonderful everything smelled.

To Alyssa's surprise, Sterling made an effort to include Tangie in conversation. “So what is it that you do, Ms. Graham? I seem to remember you and
Alyssa being quite the dynamic duo when you were younger. Like the time when you two had a giant bubble bath in the Jacuzzi.”

Alyssa and Tangie glanced at each other and giggled at the memory.

“You remember that?” Tangie asked.

“It's kind of hard not to remember half the back lawn overflowing with strawberry bubble bath,” he chuckled.

“It was Alyssa's idea,” Tangie confessed, pointing at her best friend. “
She
poured the whole bottle in there.”

Alyssa gasped. “Judas!”

They laughed. When they'd calmed down, Tangie answered Sterling's question. “Well, actually, we're still a dynamic duo. I'm Ally's assistant.”

“A wonderful assistant at that,” Alyssa said, pumping up her friend. “She keeps my head and my schedule straight. I would be completely lost without her.”

“Oh, is that right?” Sterling said, nodding. “Have you thought about modeling yourself?”

The question clearly surprised Tangie. She had long thought that the extra weight on her short frame disqualified her in the modeling profession. Alyssa lost count how many times she'd tried to open Tangie's eyes to her own beauty, only to have her friend find fault with everything from her slight double chin to her thick thighs.

Sterling's innocence and sincerity would no doubt
do wonders for Tangie's self-esteem, and Alyssa was grateful to him for that. Of course, Sterling had always had such a kind heart, though he usually buried himself in work so very few people got a chance to see it.

She watched him out of the corners of her eyes for a few seconds.

“You sure are quiet,” Quentin said. His warm breath rushed against her ear and sent a delicious thrill through her.

“I'm just enjoying the evening,” she answered, taking a quick glance over her shoulder. “What about you?”

Quentin eased in close. “I'm enjoying myself
now
and, of course when I won that kiss this afternoon.”

“You
didn't
win,” she reminded him.

“You have your version and I have mine. Either way, I walked away with a kiss.”

“I felt sorry for you.”

“Then maybe I should fall down more often.”

Alyssa chuckled and shook her head. “You know you would have never won that race. Everyone knows you're a lousy rider.”

“Aha! So you were setting me up to fail. You never intended for me to win my prize.” He cocked his head. “Unless you were going to throw the race.”

Her face darkened with guilt.

“Ah.” The corners of Q's lips quirked up. “Not only has little Alice grown up, but she's learned how to play the games women play. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.” He
shook his head, but his eyes remained mischievous. “How disappointing.”

Alyssa lifted a delicate brow. “And what about the game
you
were playing?” she challenged. “You really could have broken your neck riding like that.”

Q's smile remained playful. “Maybe.” He leaned in close. His seductive and heady cologne engulfed her. “But frankly, I think it was well worth it. Who knows, maybe we can do it again?”

Speech eluded Alyssa as Quentin's bedroom eyes dragged her under a spell. She reached for her wineglass in hopes of dousing the flames now licking the insides of her belly, but one sip of her drink only caused them to roar more out of control.

“So tell us, Alyssa,” Mrs. Hinton nearly shouted from across the raucous table. “Have you given much thought to going from modeling to acting? Lord knows you have the face for it.”

“You certainly do,” Quentin whispered.

His praise only caused her blush to deepen. “I, um, haven't really given it any thought,” she answered shyly.

“Well, if you ask me,” Mrs. Hinton continued, “you'd be a natural. Now back when
I
was on Broadway, stars were really stars. They had mystery and class.” She leaned toward her husband. “Isn't that right, honey?”

“That's right, pumpkin.” Roger lifted her hand and placed a kiss against her wedding ring.

Turning her broad smile back toward Alyssa, Mrs.
Hinton's eyes glossed over. “It was truly like being a part of American royalty.”

Alyssa bit her lower lip and judging by a few amused gazes, she realized that Mrs. Hinton was just getting warmed up for her stroll down memory lane, retelling stories her family had all heard a million times. From her heyday as an understudy in August Wilson's
Fences
to how Isaac from
The Love Boat
made a pass at her in front of her husband. Of course Mrs. Hinton's rendition never included the absolutely horrid reviews she received for her performances, but the family, as well as the staff, just exchanged knowing looks.

The minute there was a pause in the conversation, Alfred jumped in. “Well, I have an announcement to make.”

Alyssa blinked and then inched down in her seat. Was he about to announce the pregnancy to the whole group? Her stomach muscles looped into tight knots as everyone gave Alfred their undivided attention.

Her father smiled and looped his large arm around Estelle's shoulder. “I received a call this afternoon about a job in Atlanta.”

A job?
Alyssa frowned.

“I thought you were just retiring,” Roger cut in, looking put off. “If you wanted a new job—”

“This is more than
just
a job—it's an opportunity,” he said, still smiling.

It was clear by Roger's expression that he didn't like the sound of that. He was a very competitive
man and the idea of someone luring his favorite chef from his employ was infusing red heat into his cocoa complexion.

“I'm going to have my own cooking show,” Alfred announced.

Alyssa gasped in surprise while the rest of the table exploded with applause. “Daddy, are you for real?” she asked, jumping to her feet.

He bobbed his head as his eyes shone with unmistakable pride.

“Oh, I'm so thrilled for you,” she said, rushing around the long rectangular table so she could wrap her arms around his broad shoulders.

“Well, well. That's quite a different story,” Roger Hinton said, beaming across the table. “
That
deserves another toast.”

“Hold on.” Quentin stood and brought Alyssa her wine.

She remained locked in her father's arms while she accepted the offered glass. Their eyes met with a smoldering heat. A second later, her father's arms tightened against her waist.