Olivia

On the plane, we’re both quiet. We hold hands and talk a little. I noticed that we didn’t really talk about a lot of the things you’re supposed in the first date area—religion, do you want kids, who’s your pick for president, that kind of thing.

He’d told me a little about his childhood, and since I could see it was painful, I didn’t push. I told him a little about Royce, and thankfully, he didn’t really push either.

Which is why, as I stared out the window, I thought it was weird that I liked him so much. I didn’t really know him. He didn’t know me. Not really. I’d spent ten years with someone, and that was—I stopped myself.

I’d thought I’d known Royce, thought I understood him. Even though I could predict how he’d react. I’d been wrong. So wrong, the hurt of it still bled within. So what did I know, really?

Because everything I thought I knew was wrong. I shook my head to clear the thoughts that were creeping up and getting ready to pounce. I had enjoyed this trip with Xavier, but I found that right now, I really wanted to get home and talk with Momma. I didn’t know which way was up anymore, and she would ground me in a heartbeat.

“You okay?”

Xavier was looking over at me with concern on his face.

“Yeah, I’m just thinking about the to-do list waiting for me. You know,” I smiled, not wanting to get into my thoughts.

He smiled back, squeezing my hand as he did so. “I hear you. I have a list a mile long at all times, and I have to get ready for my tour.”

Oh, no. If Xavier was going to be touring a lot soon, that would make anything else between us tougher. “When does it start?”

“Not for another four months or so. But I like to get my song lists organized, and I have to go over all the plans for each stop.”

“Don’t you have someone who does that?”

He laughed. “I have a lot of someones, but I just fired the guy who manages them. I have to find a new manager, and since that may take a while, I’ll get started on the managing myself. I’ve done it before. What’s on your list?” He changed the subject.

“Oh, get my momma off the warpath—she and clients are not meant to be. I handle them. With me being gone a couple of weeks ago, and then this week, there’s been a lot more interaction with her, and she doesn’t have my…well, diplomatic touch.”

“I don’t know that I could see you being mean.”

“I can be stern, but there’s no need to ever be mean to a client unless they are just horrible. Most of the people who come to me are referred, and like I told you, they want my help. I don’t generally see horrible people.”

“When can I see you again?”

I thought about it. I was delighted that he’d asked, but I was nervous about making a commitment before I got home and saw how things were.

“I don’t know. I need to see—”

Xavier held up a hand. “I know, I probably do too. Can we still text like we have been?”

I opened my mouth to answer when I looked up at him. He looked nervous, looked almost unsure. How was that possible? One of the most famous guys in the world. One of the, in my opinion, most good-looking men I’d ever seen. He was nervous about whether or not I wanted to see him? Talk with him?

It just didn’t seem real. Even though the tired feeling I had from not getting enough sleep and the way my body felt after what was essentially two days of smoking hot sex was very real.

“You’d better,” I said playfully.

He lifted up my hand and kissed it. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

I thought he might say something else, but at that moment, the steward came in, and Xavier turned to me, beaming.

“Community coffee café au lait, just for you!”

He’d remembered. I’d forgotten all about it, but he’d remembered.

I take the cup, my hands trembling. I could feel the tears welling at the corners of my eyes, and I didn’t want Xavier or the steward to see them.

“Let’s see what’s so special about this stuff,” Xavier took a cup for himself.

No one would believe that I was sitting here trying not to cry over a cup of coffee.

Xavier

As the plane landed, I felt a weight settle in the pit of my stomach. Our little vacation was over, and it was back to real life. I couldn’t believe how much I liked this woman, how much I wanted with her, from her.

I’d never worried about rejection, and now…I was like a teenaged boy asking the Homecoming Queen to prom. Worry all over the place. Like a rash.

Once we’d taxied to a stop, we stepped off the plane together, and the car was waiting.

“Hey hot momma, can I give you a lift?”

She put her arm around my waist. “I’d like that.”

She’d been quiet since we’d had coffee. I don’t know why, but it made me uneasy. I could see why she liked the stuff—and she’d said she loved that I remembered—but I still felt less-than-perfect at the moment.

If there was anything constant about my life, I avoided that not perfect moment. I hadn’t been kidding when I’d told Olivia that you throw enough money and/or lawyers at a problem, and it goes away. Even my mom went away, sort of. The lawyers stepped in when the money itself wouldn’t be enough.

But the coffee was a good thing, right?

Maybe this was why I didn’t have relationships with normal women. I didn’t get them, and after a while, I stopped trying.

I found that I didn’t want to give up on this one. Not yet.

“I’m going to miss you,” I told her as we settled into the car.

“I am going to miss you too, which is strange as we only just met.”

“Hey, when you know something is right…” I stopped, looking out the window. Where had I heard that? Why did it feel like that was supposed to mean a lot more than just a cliché to me?

“Yes, it has been very right,” Olivia turned my face back to her and kissed me. “I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in a long time. Thank you for taking me with you.”

“No, thank you for coming with me,” I said quickly. “I always have fun doing these gigs, but this has been the best one.”

We both grinned, and I knew she was thinking about the sex. Just like I was.

All too soon, we were at her front door.

“I’m not trying to be rude, but I think I should skip walking you to your door. Unless you’re ready to out us,” I said.

I couldn’t say why my heartbeat sped up when I said that.

“What? Your perfect gentleman score just dropped a little!”

“I have a score?” I asked.

“Oh, yes indeed.”

“And how is my score, Ms. Livvie?” I kissed her, holding her tightly to me.

“Oh…well,” she said after a moment, “Pretty good.”

I loved that she sounded all breathless. Like I’d just kissed her senseless.

It was better than any drug.

“I’ll talk to you tonight?” I asked.

“Yes.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but the door opened that moment, and I could see the driver standing with his hand out and her bag on the curb behind him.

I blew her a kiss, and she slid out of the car. I watched the driver walk her up to the door. As he came back toward the car, she looked over her shoulder and blew me a little kiss, and then was inside before I could respond.

I couldn’t wait to see her again.

Olivia

Once the door closed, I leaned against it, taking deep breaths. I could breathe again, but I wasn’t sure I was happy about it.

That had been the most amazing time of my life, and that included the honeymoon for my now nearly dead marriage.

Never had I been with a man who was so easily accepting. That was it—that was what was so different about Xavier. He accepted me. He didn’t care about all the things I’d been worried about with Royce—things I knew that Royce would complain about.

He didn’t worry about anything. Or if he did, because everyone had some worry, he kept it to himself and didn’t make it my burden.

My eyes, drooping until now, flew open. That was it. Everything up until now had been my burden. I had accepted it and spent the last ten years trying to make Royce happy by taking on the things that irritated him. As well as the things that irritated me. And the house, and my business.

While he fucked another woman.

I couldn’t carry anyone, not anymore. Not even Xavier. And I was pretty inspired about him.

The door wasn’t the best place to rest, but all these revelations coupled with the past several days left me feeling exhausted.

All while there was still a call to Margarite Meroux to be made. I sighed. No sense in waiting. Pushing myself off the door, I headed for my room and flopped down on the bed before pulling out my phone.

Xavier had already texted me.

‘I miss you already, super southern lady. Can’t wait to see you again. Thanks for coming with me. ;)’

He was so earthy in his humor. I liked it, although I found it took me back a little. I guess my momma rubbed off on me more than I thought.

‘Thanks for inviting me. It was the best weekend I’ve had in ages. I can’t wait to see you either.’

He replied faster than I thought he would.

‘Let’s plan on this weekend, k?’

‘Sat? Sun?’

‘Both’

‘Greedy’

‘You know it. Let me get back and see what shit I have to take care of and then I’ll call k?’

‘OK. A call? You sure you want to get all serious like that?’

I couldn’t help teasing him.

‘It’s a risk, but I guess I can take it. If you’re too much, I can hang up and hide.’

I burst out laughing.

‘Right. I don’t think you hide from anything.’

‘Not much. Get some rest. I want you ready for anything this weekend.’

‘Sounds enticing.’

‘It’s meant to. Night.’

‘Night, Xavier.’

I almost added a kiss, but then I hesitated. Then I got mad at myself. Why was I hesitating? Because I didn’t trust myself anymore.

But a kissy text certainly wasn’t going to go further than I already had this week. To hell with it.

‘XOXOXO’

He didn’t respond immediately, and I felt my stomach drop out and land on the floor. I set my phone down and closed my eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, it buzzed next to me.

‘Tease. I expect all those and more when I see you.’

‘Deal.’

Another pause and then he responded.

‘X’s and O’s to U 2.’

Could he be any sweeter? I had to pinch myself, he seemed so unreal in his sheer awesomeness sometimes.

But there was no time to sit and swoon. I had to call Momma.

Dialing her number, I braced myself for the interrogation.

She answered on the first ring. “Sugar bean, I’m so glad to hear from you! I was beginning to get worried, but I called the Ritz this morning, and they put me through to your room. Did you get my message?”

“Why didn’t you call my cell, Momma?”

“Because I wanted to see if you were still in the hotel, or if your mystery man had carried you off somewhere.”

Sometimes, it didn’t pay to ask questions.

“I told you he was not like that!”

“Yes, darlin’, but you’re not in the best place to judge. And I looked up your Mr. Xavier Reede. Really, Olivia?” Her voice dropped.

“What does that mean?” I immediately felt like I had to put up the defenses.

“A rapper? And one from a troubled background? That ex-wife of his? All those girlfriends? I’m not sure any of them owned an entire outfit that covered the basic body parts.”

“Well, there’s a reason she’s an ex, and that all those other women are also exes, Momma. I am not one of them, and he seems just fine with that.”

“Did you sleep with him?”

“Is that any of your business?” I was pissed now.

“Yes, darlin’, it is. You’re barely separated, and your whole life has been turned on its ass. All the things you thought were good and right are neither, and while Royce is a grade A bastard, I know this hurts. When have you ever been interested in this sort of man?”

“I have been a fan of his since college, Momma.”

Silence, and then, “You listened to his music in my home?”

“Yes, Momma, and somehow, I managed to not be a devil-worshipping slut!”

“There is no need for such language, or that tone, missy,” she began.

“No, Momma, you are absolutely right. I cannot believe you’re making assumptions about me, about Xavier, and you haven’t asked me one thing that might be based on fact versus something that you can read in some tabloid rag! As if we don’t deal with that sort of nonsense regularly from our clients! You know how much lies and trash are put out there as truth! I can’t believe you’d assume it of me, even though you don’t know Xavier! I’ll talk to you later, Momma.”

I hit End on the phone. My anger chased away the earlier feelings of exhaustion. I got up and collected my bag, muttering to myself as I emptied it and sorted laundry.

Then I went around the house, cleaning up and making sure that things were in place for me to start back to my regular life.

Damn her. I’d have to see Momma at work tomorrow. She’d be fuming, and ready for a fight because I sure wasn’t talking to her again today. I’d left my phone in my room. She could leave another message since she was so fond of them.

I threw myself on the couch and turned on the TV. This was going to be a day of camping out and watching all my favorite chick flicks.

To hell with the world right now. Well, at least the world that had Marguerite Meroux in it.