Perfect Timing (23 page)

“Y
ou're asking the wrong person if you want advice on love and happiness, Maxi.”

Maxi shook her head. “No, I think you're the perfect person to ask, Mya. No matter what has happened between you and Garrett, you can't convince me that you don't still love him.”

“Of course I still love him but I can't live with him, not with anger eating away at me like it is.”

“And you still haven't gone back to see your minister?”

“No.”

Maxi decided not to push Mya on the issue. She was still hoping and praying that things would work out between her and Garrett.

“At least he's as miserable as I am,” Mya said softly. “I talked to his mom the other day and the family is really concerned.” She inhaled deeply. “They ought to be concerned because a part of me isn't sure Garrett and I will be able to work through this.”

“You will, it will just take some time.”

“It's been three months and I still can't stand the sight of him, Maxi. When I see him I envision him kissing her.”

“Then envision him kissing you.”

“I tried that but it doesn't work. The thought that he let another woman—”

“Don't think about it, Mya. It won't do you any good. Try putting it behind you.”

“It's hard, Maxi.”

Maxi heard the tears in Mya's voice. “I know, but you're going to have to let it go sometime. There are women who have patched things up with their husbands for more serious charges. I read in a book where a woman actually caught her husband in bed with another man and forgave him.”

“She had a bigger heart than I have then.”

Maxi giggled. “Bigger than mine too.”

After a long moment, Mya asked. “So what are you going to do about, Christopher?”

“I don't know.”

“Do you love him, Maxi?”

“Yes, with all my heart.”

“Do you want to marry him?”

“Yes, with all my soul.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Your child to grow up and plan the wedding for you? No matter what happens between us, I'd never regretted marrying Garrett.”

Maxi smiled. “I'm glad to hear you say that.”

“Yeah, me too. Look, I better end our call. I have to get up early tomorrow. I'm flying to Orlando. I'll call you when I get there and leave my hotel number on your answering machine just in case you need to talk.”

“All right. Take care, Mya, and have a safe trip. Love you.”

“And I love you, too.”

 

The next day when Maxi left work, instead of going home as usual, she took the scenic road that lead to the ocean and the Marriott Hotel where Christopher was staying. He had been in town only two days and already news had spread around town about his return.

Her mother had phoned her at work to inform her everyone was curious to know why bad boy Christopher Chandler was back after ten years. And of course, everyone wanted to know what he was up to since rumor had it that he'd met with the mayor yesterday. And according to her mother, everyone was shocked to find out that he hadn't been in jail during the ten years he'd been gone but was a highly successful and wealthy businessman living in Detroit. Her mother had also indicated that she'd heard Ronald Swindel was still in shock; especially after he'd used the tax payers' money to do a background check that revealed the state of Christopher's finances were more fact than rumor.

After parking her car and walking into the hotel Maxi wondered what she would say to Christopher when she saw him, but in her heart she knew.

“I wondered if you would come.”

She turned at the sound of Christopher's voice and noticed he had just stepped off the elevator. “Hi,” she said studying the features that were also studying hers just as intently. “Going someplace?”

“Yes, to get something to eat. Want to join me?”

She nodded. “Yes, I'd like that.” She didn't bother to ask where they were going. And when he automatically slipped his hand in hers, she didn't resist, not caring that a number of local people who worked at the hotel were watching them with keen interest.

They went to a seafood restaurant not far from the hotel and enjoyed their meal. During dinner they talked about a lot of things, mostly how much Savannah had changed. The last time he had come to visit her, he had come at night and had left early the following morning, without seeing much of the city in the daylight hours.

“I remember when an old shack used to sit on this very spot,” he said while they waited for the waiter to bring him their check.

“Yeah, I remember that shack, too. I also remember Lover's Cove wasn't too far from here.”

He raised a brow. “And what do you know about Lover's Cove?”

She chuckled as she glanced over at him. “Not much, since you managed to scare all the guys away from me. But thanks to Mya, I knew enough. Lover's Cove used to be one of her and Garrett's favorite hot spots.”

Christopher chuckled. “Yeah, I bet it was.” He leaned back in his chair. “I understand they still aren't back together.”

Maxi nodded. “How do you know that?”

“From Garrett. I talk to him occasionally.”

Maxi looked at him, surprised. “You do?”

“Yes and he's pretty torn up about it still. Mya refuses to give him any slack or any forgiveness. But he is determined to get his family back.” He then looked at her intently. “So am I, Maxi. I am determined to have you and the baby in my life. The two of you are my family.”

She lowered her head for a second then lifted her gaze back up to him. “Are we, Christopher?”

“Yes.”

A short while later they had arrived back at the hotel. “Would you like to come up to my room a while?”

“Umm, I don't know. It might cause a scandal.”

“But it's a scandal I think we can handle.”

Maxi thought he could handle just about anything. At least a lot better than she could. All during dinner she could feel sexual tension radiating between them and he hadn't seemed particularly bothered by it. However, she had almost been tempted to jump his bones.

“So, do you want to go to my room for a while to talk?”

Maxi doubted they would get much talking done. At least not tonight. “Yes.”

Once in his room, as soon as he closed the door Christopher gathered her into his arms and kissed her. Moments later when he ended it she looked up at him. “I thought we were going to talk.”

“We are. Don't you know that kissing is the best form of communication between two people who love each other?”

“And do we love each other?”

“I believe so. Am I right?”

“Yes, you are right. I do love you, Christopher, and your baby loves you, too.”

He stared down at her, with such deep emotion in his eyes that it nearly brought tears to hers. “How can you be so sure my baby loves me?” he asked huskily, in a voice that trembled slightly.

“Because the baby feels what I feel and right now I feel so much love for you I can't stand it.”

He studied her features. “And can you handle the fact that there have been other women?” he asked softly, watching her reaction to his question.

Maxi knew why he was asking her that. “Yes, because in my heart I know that none of them meant anything to you. I'm the only one you cared enough about to give such a precious gift to. I'm the only one.”

“Yes, you are the only one because I love you.” He reached out and cradled her face in the palms of his hands. “Will you marry me?”

She stared at him as tears formed in her eyes. “Yes, I'll marry you.”

And then he kissed her again before taking her to bed and making love to her. Tender, passionate love. Afterwards, they lay wrapped up in each other's arms, glorying in being together. “Everyone is wondering why you're back,” Maxi whispered softly, in the quiet stillness of the room.

“You're the reason I'm back. You and the baby,” he said without hesitation. He felt her smile against his chest and pulled her body closer to his.

“They're also wondering why you met with the mayor yesterday.”

Christopher chuckled. Evidently some things about Savannah hadn't changed. It was still filled with a lot of inquisitive minds and big eyes. “I met with the mayor to make him an offer that I hope he can't refuse.”

Maxi lifted her head slightly and looked at him. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I want to purchase the Vines.”

Maxi sat up in bed and looked down at him. “The Vines?” At his nod she asked. “Why?”

“Because it was such a part of my childhood and because your name is carved on every tree and because I agree with what you said on the cruise. The Vines should be a place where people can continue to live, but it should be nice and affordable. If the mayor sells me the land, I plan to tear down all those old homes and build a new residential area of single dwelling homes. I'm committed to making sure the Vines never become an eyesore to the city again.”

“Oh, Christopher, that's a wonderful idea.”

He reached out and pulled her on top of him. “But not as wonderful as your loving me, agreeing to become my wife and having my baby. I don't think anything is as wonderful as that, Maxi.”

“She smiled at him. “Do you really believe that?”

“Yes.” He then proceeded to show her how much he did believe it.

M
ya tried to keep her spirits high when she met Robert Noble in the lobby of her hotel on Wednesday afternoon. They had a meeting with Simon Prentice at Noble Technology at three o'clock.

“Sorry we couldn't finish up this business a few weeks ago, Mya, but something unexpected came up,” he explained as he escorted her out of the hotel to his car.

“That's fine and I understand. And in a way it worked out better. The stock market has been doing some unbelievable things in the past week.”

“Good things I hope,” he said with a broad smile as he opened his car door for her.

“Yes, and did you notice that the price of your stock escalated once word got out you're now doing business with us?”

He chuckled. “In my arrogance, I assumed the upward climb in stock prices was because of that calendar getting turned to the month of August.”

Mya couldn't help but laugh. Although she hadn't seen the calendar, she had definitely heard about it. Twelve highly successful black businessmen from across the country had come together in rare form to pose for a calendar where each month one of them was highlighted as the man of the month. Appropriately dressed in designer business suits and looking the epitome of a successful businessman, the calendar told of their accomplishments and the roads that they had traveled to achieve their success. From what she was hearing the calendars were selling like hotcakes and Robert Noble was Mr. August. All the proceeds from the sale of the calendars were being donated to radio celebrity Tom Joyner Scholarship fund to aid historically black colleges from which all twelve of the businessmen had graduated.

Mya and Robert's meeting with Simon Prentice lasted until six that afternoon. When the meeting was over she felt good about it. She had covered a lot of ground with the two men and felt confident that she was slowly winning Mr. Prentice over, although he still tried to maintain a reserved attitude.

“It's late and you must be starving,” Robert Noble said to her after checking his watch. “How about if I treat you to dinner?”

“You don't have to,” she said, although she was hungry.

“No, I want to. I think I heard the ice around Simon's heart cracking,” he said whispering to her. “In no time at all, I believe you will have him eating out of your hand, Mya.”

She smiled. “Instead of having him eating out of my hand, I'll gladly settle for him being receptive to all of my ideas,” she said.

“And in time he will. Simon is a very intelligent man. That's the main reason I have him running things.”

When they were on their way to the restaurant Robert remembered he needed to go by his house to pick up a package he wanted to deliver to Simon later. Mya wasn't surprised when he turned his car into the driveway of a very beautiful home that sat on at least ten acres of land.

“Your home is gorgeous, Robert,” she said when he pulled the car into a four-car garage.

“Thanks. Come inside and have a look around while I grab the information for Simon. Then I won't feel so guilty when I also make an important phone call,” he said sheepishly. “I hope you don't mind.”

“Of course I don't mind.”

His home was a decorator's showcase, she thought, as she moved around looking at things while he chatted on the phone with a business associate in London. She picked up a photograph that was sitting on his fireplace mantel when she heard him hanging up the phone.

“Her face looks familiar,” she said of the beautiful woman in the photograph. She then noticed the resemblance. “Is this your sister?”

He walked over to her and looked at the framed photograph Mya held in her hands. “Yes, that's my sister, Katherine. My one and only. There were only two of us and we're very close.”

“Where does she live?”

“In Atlanta and runs her own pharmaceutical company. You may have seen her in an issue of
Essence
last year. She was featured in an article that highlighted a number of successful business women.”

“Your parents must be proud of the two of you.”

“Yes, the only thing they aren't proud of is the fact that neither Katherine nor I are married.” He chuckled. “They want grandchildren real bad.”

Mya smiled as she thought of Garrett's parents. “Grandparents are special. My grandmother raised me after my parents were killed when I was only six. And my husband's parents have been wonderful grandparents to my sons.”

“You are blessed to have them.”

She nodded knowing what Robert said was true. She was blessed to have the Rivers in her life as well as in her sons' lives.

“You and your husband have been together a long time haven't you?”

His question caught her by surprise and it was then that she noticed just how close the two of them were standing. “Yes. We began dating in junior high school and got married in college.”

“So you've never dated another man in your entire life?”

“Yes, that's right. Garrett has been the only one.”

Robert was staring at her with such intensity she suddenly felt heated…a tad uncomfortable. “Then he is a lucky man,” he said huskily.

Her heart began thundering when she noticed Robert had moved to stand closer. So close it would seen almost natural for the two of them to kiss. But even with the problems she was having in her marriage, she still physically and emotionally belonged to Garrett.

“And what about you, Robert? Is there a lucky lady in your life?” she asked taking a step back as she placed the photograph of his sister back on the fireplace mantel.

Robert sighed deeply, getting the message with her movement. “No.”

She turned and met his gaze, which was a soft caress. “I'm sure one day there will be.” She then checked her watch. “Shouldn't we be leaving for dinner now?”

 

Later that night back in her hotel room she thought about Robert and how easily it would have been to have an affair with him. She knew from his body language that he would have been more than willing if she'd shown the least bit of interest. A part of her wanted to feel that she didn't owe Garrett anything, especially not her faithfulness. But another part of her knew that wasn't true. She still loved Garrett and she wouldn't get involved with someone else just for spite. Two wrongs didn't make a right.

Mya wiped a lone tear from her eye when she thought about how much history she and Garrett had together. She remembered the first day that she had seen Garrett at school and how he had walked her home that day. She remembered the first time they had made love, teenagers satisfying their curiosity about sex, and how gentle and responsible he had been with her. But what stuck out most in her mind was that summer when she thought she had gotten pregnant. All it had taken was a phone call and within forty-eight hours he had returned to Savannah to be there with her and to take care of her. Without wasting any time and running the risk of losing a football scholarship, he had married her and had given her his name. There had never been a time that she had doubted his love for her.

She wiped another tear from her eye. She loved her husband with all her heart. Was there any way she could find it in that same heart to forgive him?

Tomorrow when she returned to Dallas, she would call to see if Reverend Stonewall could meet with her, counsel her, and pray with her. And she wanted to meet with Sister Stonewall as well. She wanted to know how the two of them had moved beyond his infidelity to hold on to the love they had.

When Mya drifted off to sleep moments later, her mind was filled with thoughts of Garret and how they could resolve the problems between them.

 

The next day Mya started shaking her head in disbelief as she glanced around her living room. The placed looked like a florist shop. Vases of flowers were everywhere.

“They are beautiful, aren't they?” Mrs. Butler said behind her. “They were delivered this morning.”

“Yes, they are beautiful,” Mya said as she continued looking around her living room. She had just arrived back in town and had been met by the fragrance of various flowers the moment she had walked in the door.

“The card is on the table, Mrs. Rivers.”

“Thanks.”

Mya crossed the room to the table to pick up the card. Her breath caught when she pulled it out of the envelope and read it:

Mya read the card again. And again. She then smiled through her tears.