Chapter 15

“What did you mean by that?” Angela asked Steve after they’d lain there basking in the afterglow for what seemed like hours.

“By what?”

“That there wouldn’t be any others?”

He brought himself up on his elbow and looked down at her face. Reaching up, he took one long strand of dark hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Just what I said. I want you, fully Angela.”

She chuckled and he brought his brows together in the middle. “Oh, you’re serious,” she said.

“Deadly,” he said.

“But you don’t even know me. That doesn’t make sense.”

He lay back down and pulled her tighter against him. “Then tell me what I need to know,” he said.

She laughed. “Okay, no pressure,” she said. Sobering a little she said, “I’m twenty-four…”

“Yes, but you’re an old soul,” he said.

“You think so?”

“Yep, my soul can feel yours,” he told her. She thought that was one of the most romantic things she’d ever heard.

Taking a deep breath she said, “My parents are both still alive. They live in Miami where I grew up. They are still married and still in love. I have one older brother who I hated when I was ten but love more than life itself now. I have a Bachelor’s degree in marketing. I plan to go back for my master’s someday soon. I was married…”

He picked up his head and looked at her again. “You were married? You’re divorced?”

She fought back the tears and the lump that formed suddenly in her throat. She’d pushed all thoughts of Blake away while they made love. Now he was back, with a vengeance. Her voice cracked as she said, “No, widowed.” It was all she could get out. Suddenly, she felt her eyes wet with tears. “Damn it, I’m sorry.”

He cupped her face in his hand. Leaning down he kissed her tenderly and for some reason, that made the tears flow harder. “Please don’t cry,” he said, softly.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I keep thinking they’ll dry up after a while, but they never do.”

“What happened to him?” he asked, gently.

“He had cancer. He was sick for about six months. I watched him go from the vibrant, healthy man I’d fallen in love with to a shell of his former self. It was so heart-wrenching because I knew he was still in there fighting…but he finally grew too weak to fight and gave in. I was actually angry with him for a while over that. When I finally accepted that he had to go, to be rid of the pain, he went…peacefully. He’s been gone for just about eight months now. I still miss him every day.” The tears flowed freely down her face now and suddenly Steve’s lips were on them. He kissed her with soft swipes of his full lips, kissing the tears until they were all gone. Then he cupped her face once more and said, “I’m so sorry for your pain. He must have been a special man for you to have loved him so much.”

She smiled and nodded. It felt good to be able to talk to him about Blake. That seemed weird, but at the same time, it was so comfortable and seemed so natural. “He was the best and I loved him so much. It’s why this is so hard for me.”

“Did he love you as much as you loved him?” Steve asked.

“Yes.”

“If you had gone first, would you want him to be alone forever? Would you want him to be miserable and lonely?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then what makes you think that he’d want you to be?”

She thought about that. It’s exactly what Joanne had said to her to. “I don’t think he’d want me to. I think it’s my own fears.”

He kissed her lips again. “We’re going to work through those,” he said with a soft smile. “Okay?” She smiled back and surprised herself by saying,

“Okay.”

**

An hour later, Angela sat at the big dining room table with Ana and Joanne. Joanne kept giving her a suspicious look, like she knew something. Maybe it was because she was smiling like an idiot. She couldn’t stop. Suddenly the grief had begun to recede and she felt like for the first time in months, she could see at least a sliver of the sun again.

“How is your soup?” Ana asked her.

Angela smiled. She hadn’t really tasted it as she ate. She’d been remembering… “It’s fantastic,” she said.

Joanne raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything. They talked about the party and about the photo shoot and when lunch was over Ana asked them if they’d like to take a ride with her in their new race car.

“You get to drive them?” Joanne said.

Ana laughed. “Yes, I do own them, you know.”

With a giggle Joanne said, “I know…but I didn’t know you got to drive them.”

Ana smiled and said, “They’ll trailer it down to the track for us. We can take a few spins before the driver takes over. Once he gets a hold of it, he won’t let us touch it.”

Angela liked the idea of riding in a race car and she quickly agreed. When Ana went up to change Angela said, “I think I’ll change too. This shirt is a little hot for the weather today.” She started to walk out of the room and Joanne grabbed her arm.

“No way! You will not walk out of this room without telling me what that goofy smile is about. Did Steve call?”

Angela feigned an innocent look and said, “Nope, he didn’t call.”

“Did he text?”

“Huh uh,” she said with a grin.

“What happened to make you so damned happy?”

Angela giggled. “Can’t a person just be happy?”

“They can, but you haven’t been lately…what gives?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Yes,” Joanne whispered.

“I had sex!”

“You did not! With who? Grant? Jeff?”

Cracking up, Angela said, “What kind of ‘Ho’ do you think I am?”

“Well then, who was it?”

“Steve.”

“Steve? He’s here?”

“Shh! You’re so loud.”

Joanne giggled. “Sorry. What is he doing here?”

“He lives here…at least part of the time. He’s Ana’s brother.”

“Get out! Is he really?”

“I will not get out and he really is.”

“Shut up! He is not!”

Laughing again Angela said, “I will not and he is to.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

“I know, right. I think I might be ready, Jo.”

Joanne grabbed her friend and hugged her. “You go girl! Go get your life back…fuck! Ana’s brother! Who would have thought it?”

**

After Angela and Joanne finished getting ready, they met Ana outside the front of the house. There was a big, black car waiting for them. They got into the backseat and Angela was shocked when she came face to face with Steve. “What are you doing here?” she blurted out.

“You two know each other?” Ana asked, surprised.

Steve casually draped his arm around her shoulders and said, “Yes. Angela and I are thinking about dating. What do you think, sis?”

Angela felt the color rise in her cheeks as Ana looked from her face to her brothers. Before she could say a word Joanne said, “It sounds like a fabulous idea to me.” Then she giggled and said, “By the way, I’m the best friend, Joanne.”

Steve took her hand and kissed it. Joanne looked like she might faint and even fanned herself when he let go. Angela laughed and shook her head. Finally Ana said, “I personally don’t know what a beautiful, smart woman like Angela would see in you, but I’m actually all for it. Your last choice was so bad that I was shocked you got it right this time.” Steve lifted a finger at his sister and she threw her head back and laughed. Looking at Angela she said, “See how crude he is?” Angela just laughed. Then she said, “You don’t like Kim very much, huh?”

Ana twisted up her face and said, “I hate to admit that I despise anyone…but I really do despise her. There’s just something really fake about her to begin with…and then when she started stalking my brother, she started creeping me out.”

Angela looked at Steve. “She stalks you?”

“My sister is being a little mello-dramatic.”

“Am I?” Ana said. “Do you remember the day after you broke it off with her, she showed up at the track?”

“She had to bring papers by for us to sign…”

“Bullshit! She came to see you. Then, two days after that, she came by with cupcakes. Store bought ones no less!”

Steve laughed. “She thought it was my birthday.”

“Bullshit! Your birthday is in May and you know it. Why are you defending her anyways?”

He smiled and looked at Angela. After several seconds he said, “It’s because none of that matters…anymore.” Angela could feel the heat from his stare and she had to remind herself they had an audience. She couldn’t wait to get him alone again and feel those sweet lips on hers.