Once You'Ve Touched the Heart (26 page)

“Not a damn thing; I got the hell out of that room. It took me damn near an hour to talk myself down.”

Calvin started laughing and couldn’t stop. JD and Brian just looked at him. Calvin almost fell out of the chair, he was laughing so hard. Brian turned to Calvin. “That shit wasn’t funny.”

JD sat down, put his head in his hand and began laughing. “I can’t believe Tracy actually asked you that,” he said laughing. At that moment, JD was grateful Calvin was finding the humor in this situation. If he had been alone with Brian, JD wasn’t sure they would all be laughing. JD looked at Brian. “You all right, B?” he asked, understanding Brian’s experience with Tracy.

“Man,” Brian said, “I gave her a good talking to and told her not to ever ask a man some shit like that. You better start teaching that girl and I mean like right damnit now.”

Calvin was out of the chair on the floor.

JD was still laughing. “She can be a little frustrating. But man, if I teach her anything else right now, I wouldn’t be able to stand it. She wears me out.”

“Then why does she think different?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know, man,” JD said laughing.

Calvin was up now. “All right, man, I’m sorry. But I would have paid money to see you with her last night.”

“I’m sorry, too, B. Man, I should have warned you,” JD apologized.

“You mean she was telling the truth about the virgin shit and all?” Brian asked.

Sitting back in his chair, JD replied, “Tracy is a very honest person; she wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Then you need to fix this shit as soon as possible and keep me away from her. You lucky you’re my boy, I know that. I’m going home to take a shower. Shit, two or three of them,” Brian said as he walked out the door.

Calvin, still laughing, said, “It’s time for court, JD, you ready?”

“Yeah, let’s do this,” JD replied.

♥

In court, Juan pleaded not guilty on all counts and a trial date was set for a month later. On his way out of the courtroom, a bailiff gave JD a note. The note said, “An eye for an eye.” JD asked the bailiff who left the note, but the bailiff did not know. Brian read the note and set the security team in motion immediately. JD’s home and office were set up with surveillance. Brian and two alternates were assigned to JD personally. Gavin was advised of the heightened security level then Magna, Dan and Calvin each had an agent assigned to them until the trial ended.

Two days had passed and Tracy still was not responding to JD’s calls. Her absence from his life was taking a toll on JD and everyone around him. It was simple: a part of him was missing and it was the very heart of him. JD begun lashing out at everyone for the smallest things, but when that fury was directed towards his mother, Brian knew things had to change.

JD’s mom went to his house to cook dinner for him. Ashley told her about Tracy and Martha was worried about her son. While cooking dinner, she decided to clean up a little, and started with the bedroom. When JD got home that evening he ate dinner with his mom and went upstairs to shower and change clothes. Martha was clearing the table when JD ran downstairs yelling about the bed linens. The smell was different; Tracy’s scent was gone, now he had nothing. Martha smiled at her son and softly said, “Anger will not change what happened; only love will. Tracy touched your heart, and you touched hers. Neither of you have forgotten the other. Fix this, Jeffrey Daniel, and fix it now.”

Brian went by the hotel to see Tracy, as he had for the past two nights. He told her what happened and that she had to go home before Mama Harrison killed JD.

JD was in his office going over security details when Tracy called. Seeing her number on his cell phone prompted him to answer immediately. “Babe, where are you?” he asked.

“At the park across from your office.”

JD walked over to the window and looked out, then smiled when he spotted her. “I’ll be right there, just stay there; babe, please, just stay there.”

“Brian, I got to go. You all stay here and finish this,” JD said and headed out.

“Stay on this,” Brian said, rushing to catch up with JD.

“What’s that all about?” Magna asked Calvin.

“A personal matter,” he replied. Calvin walked over to the window. He saw JD as he entered the park and spotted Tracy. Calvin smiled. “Magna, watch this.” Magna walked over to the window and watched.

Tracy saw Jeffrey walking towards her and her heart began to beat faster as he closed the distance between them. She put her arms up around his neck; he grabbed her around her waist and just held on.

“I love you, Tracy. I’m sooo sorry,” he said as he kissed every inch of her face. “I should have warned you about Vanessa. But I swear I did not touch her, Tracy. I did hesitate for a moment, but it would not have happened, please believe me,” he pleaded.

“I believe you.”

He held her face cupped in his hands and smiled. “You do?” he asked, emotionally drained. JD Harrison, who had the respect of the governor, senators, powerful people, knew that to have this woman believe him meant more than everything in the world to him.

JD kissed her with all the passion he had within. “Don’t ever leave me, Tracy.” JD sighed heavily. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“Okay,” she said in that voice that drove him crazy.

He took her by the hand. “We have some things to talk about,” he said, “starting with Brian.”

They walked through the park and talked for a while. Brian stayed right behind them every step. He saw his men as they joined in flanked on both sides of the couple at a distance. JD explained what had happened with Vanessa. He tried to explain what she did to Brian and the position she put him in with her request. Tracy told JD about the conversation she had with Brian. JD was a little surprised; he never would have thought Brian could be that patient. But it did let him know just how much of a friend he had in Brian. JD told Tracy undoubtedly that he was more than satisfied with their lovemaking and he had no thoughts of being with anyone else. Tracy asked him if he would teach her to do “that blow job thingy.” JD shook his head and smiled at her. “I have to keep you away from Brian.” When JD and Tracy left the park that night, there was no separating them. Their bond was tight, impenetrable, and both of them knew it.

♥

Tracy returned to work the next day and was revealing the details of her nights away with Ashley. Ashley was looking at Tracy in disbelief; she couldn’t believe Tracy would ask Brian, of all people, to teach her anything. They were laughing so hard, neither of them noticed James was standing in the doorway. “Hello, ladies.” James smiled.

They both turned towards him. Tracy continued to laugh and said, “Hello, James.”

Ashley stopped laughing and seemed to tense up. “James,” Ashley said and turned away.

Tracy noticed the change in Ashley’s disposition but did not comment. “Did we have an appointment?” Tracy asked James.

“No, I decided to stop in to check on you two,” he replied while looking at Ashley.

Tracy got a strange vibe from Ashley and James. She remembered getting the same feeling at the dinner the week before. “That was very thoughtful of you,” Tracy said, attempting to make small talk. “Wasn’t it, Ashley?”

“Yes, well, James has shown signs of being a thoughtful person, at times,” Ashley responded without looking up.

Okay, now Tracy knew something was up. Ashley was not her normal throw-everything-to-the-wind, flirty self. Tracy looked from James to Ashley and then back to James. James had a frown on his face telling Tracy to leave, while Ashley’s signs were telling her to stay. “You know what, I left, umm…something out front. Would you excuse me for a minute, James?”

“Sure,” James replied as Tracy left the room. “She’s not a good liar.”

“No, she never has been,” Ashley said. “What can I do for you, James?”

“You have not returned my calls and I would like an explanation.”

“I have returned all calls related to the project. There is nothing you and I need to discuss.”

“I disagree,” James responded. “I think we need to discuss what happened between us, maybe over dinner?”

“Why, because Tracy is unavailable?”

“Tracy’s not unavailable,” James stated. “She’s not married; she’s not dead.”

“No,” Ashley said, “she’s just in love with another man.”

“This has always been the case, for what I can ascertain. But that does not make her unavailable,” James replied.

“Why were you calling, James?”

“I have missed talking with you. Your calls had become a nice routine in the morning.”

“I’m sorry, James, I don’t play second,” Ashley stated as she went to walk by him.

James gently grabbed her arm. “I never asked you to play second to anyone and I’m not asking you that now. Yes, I was interested in Tracy. I will never deny that. She will always have my friendship. But that is all it is, a friendship. I want more than that from you.” He kissed her gently. “The ball is in your court. You know the numbers.” James walked out of the office.

Tracy came back into the conference room. She closed the door then sat down at the table Ashley was standing over and waited. Tracy knew the routine so well. There were many nights Ashley would come into the dorm room and need to talk. She would never give Tracy any background on whatever was on her mind. Ashley would start with what she was thinking at that moment. Tracy knew to sit and wait; Ashley would eventually start talking.

“I really like him, you know,” Ashley started, “from the very beginning. He reminds me so much of my father and JD. Isn’t that funny,” she smiled. “I would have never believed another man was out there like them; I was wrong.” Tracy moved to the other side of the table to see her friend’s face. Ashley had never talked about her father before. Tracy did not want to miss any of what Ashley was about to say. “I excelled on this project because I was trying so hard to impress James Brooks. But he did not pay me one bit of attention. It was always you.” Ashley’s words stung Tracy a little, so she lowered her head as if feeling ashamed. Ashley saw Tracy’s reaction. “I knew you were in love with JD and James did not stand a chance,” she said with a faint smile. “I thought, why not, I’ll take a chance. No matter what I did he didn’t see me. When David showed up at the function, James got into this protective mode. It made me feel special. Safe. After the function he insisted I stay at his place. Nothing happened; I slept in his guest room. The next day I told him about David. Can you believe that, Tracy? I have never told anyone about that night, but I told James. For the first time since it all happened, a man made me feel safe, secure; you know what I mean.” She hesitated for a moment, and then continued. “I kissed him and it felt so right. For a moment I thought he responded, but I guess I was wrong.” She smiled faintly.

“What did he say when you told him how you felt?” Tracy asked.

“Hmm, see that’s the thing. I didn’t really tell him.” She laughed nervously. “I asked him if he was in love with you.”

Tracy hung her head. “What did he say?”

“He said he wasn’t. I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else.”

“You two haven’t talked since then?”

“No, he’s called several times, but I think, no, leave it be.”

“Ashley, you should at least talk to him; hear what he has to say.”

“I know how he feels about you, Tracy; how do I deal with that?”

“I don’t know what he might have felt for me. But he told you it was a friendship and that’s all he offered to me, nothing more.” Tracy smiled.

“If you had opened that door, Tracy, he would have run in.”

“Life is too short for what-ifs. Maybe you should talk to the man. He seems to be genuinely interested in you.”

Ashley smiled at Tracy. “Do you have feelings for James?”

“No. I mean, I like James very much. But I am in love with Jeffrey.”

Ashley smiled. “If you are so in love with my brother, what possessed you to ask Brian to teach you how to give head? Girl, don’t you know that’s a conversation for your girls, not your man’s best friend,” Ashley said laughing. “I would love to have been there to see Brian’s face.”

Tracy began blushing. “I did not ask him to teach me that, not exactly.”

“No need in you blushing now. You should have been blushing the other night.”

Ashley shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll think about it.”

“You know, I think you are scared to really explore the possibility of James. He is very sophisticated and a little conservative. He may be out of your league.” Tracy smirked.

“I know you are not challenging me,” Ashley exclaimed

“Prove me wrong. Show me you can get and keep James Brooks. Talk to the man.”

A
shley was parked outside when James pulled into his garage. The night she was there she had not paid a lot of attention to his home
.
But while she was waiting for him to meet her, she got a good look at his house; it was enormous, yet elegant. For a moment Ashley thought Tracy might have a point; maybe she was out of her league.

“Oh hell, no, I’m not Tracy. No one is out of my league.”

As James approached, Ashley got out of the car. “I realize this was short notice. Will I be interrupting any plans?” she asked.

James walked over to her car. “No. I would not have agreed to see you if there were a problem.”

Ashley stood there, not certain where to go from here.

“Are we going to talk out here or would you like to come inside?”

Why did she feel unsure of herself around him, Ashley wondered. “Inside,” she replied.

As they entered the house, Clair came from the back. “Hello, Clair,” James greeted.

“Good evening, sir. Good evening, ma’am. Dinner is on the stove. Will you need anything else this evening?”

“No, thanks, Clair. You have a good night,” James replied.