Amber arrived a little after two and saw Jason standing near a building looking at his watch. She presumed he was counting the minutes until her arrival, hoping he was. She couldn’t wait to hop out of her car and run into his arms.
As she approached him, she noticed how impeccable he looked in his navy pinstripe suit with silver shirt underneath; incredible, but not as incredible as he had looked in the raw only hours ago. She snuck up behind him, taking his hand into hers. “So, what’s this big surprise my man has for me?”
Before he even spoke, he took her into his arms, landing the most passionate, loving kiss on her that he’d ever given to anyone. Breathless inches apart, he smiled into her sunny face. “I know this will be hard to believe from a man like me, but I have really fallen for you, Amber. I know we’ve only known one another for a little while, but I have urges for you that go way beyond our sexual relationship.”
“Why would that be hard to believe from a ‘man like you,’ as you say?”
“I’m a little rough around the edges, barely out of one relationship before getting into another. I have a daughter from one relationship and a son from another. I’m not the boy next door, Amber. I’ve been around the block.”
She mussed his hair. “And with that voyage around the block, you still managed to come out looking and smelling like a rose. I’m not in love with your relationships, Jason. I fell for you and everything you are. No man is perfect, but you come pretty damn close.” She nuzzled closer to him. “Now, what’s this surprise? A lavish lunch, a shopping trip for more shoes?”
“Even better than that.”
Amber watched him fish inside his pocket, wondering if an engagement ring was in there and not hovering around the world’s bodies of water with Maurice. Accepting an engagement ring from someone she just met over a month ago normally wouldn’t have been her style, but in Jason’s case, she’d make the transition.
He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “After you read this, look at the building behind you.”
Her questioning eyes searched his. “What? What do you mean?” No ring?
“Just read the paper. It’ll explain everything.”
After unfolding the paper, she silently read its contents. Owner, Amber Marie Donohue. Two hundred square foot property located at 1306 Lafayette Blvd. Renovation underway by At Work Construction Co, Est, 1980. Her hands shook, a smile curved her perfect pink lips. “Jason, what have you done?”
“It’s yours, baby. You’re a chain.”
Amber just stared at the building, then shouted, “I’m a chain!”
“You’re that and more. Everyone in jewelry in Detroit is talking up a storm about Exotica Jewels. No kidding, every piece in our store is almost gone. You know that; I gave you the back orders.”
Ignoring his words, she kept on gleefully. “You bought this place for me?”
“I bought half, and I’m financing the rest.”
“With my help.”
“No way. This one’s on me. I missed your other opening, and I’m really sorry. I made the purchase over those weeks I was away from you.” He looked at the building, then back to her. “Do you like it?”
“I love it. I love you.” She moved into his arms in the middle of a crowded avenue and kissed him, not ever wanting to leave his arms again.
Two months later.
More Exotica Jewels had its opening on a bright sunny Saturday, and it seemed the world was there. Included within that world of people was Cassie, making her usual smug comments. “Who’d have thought my best friend’s baby sister would be a chain?”
“I’m not little anymore, but I definitely am a chain, thanks to my man.”
“Are you the reason he made that break from Gina?”
Instead of answering, Amber poured Cassie another glass of punch. “Spike it, please! The gin is behind the bar.”
Meeting her at the door was another unwelcome surprise—Maurice. He strutted in with a chick on his arm. Amber could hardly believe her eyes as the tall, good-looking half-Asian Maurice took her hand. “I knew that necklace Ava bought had to be your design. It’s distinctively Amber. Love your shop.”
“Why…uh…Thank you?” She hadn’t expected Maurice to be so kind.
“Don’t be surprised by the compliment. I always thought you were smart, one way or another.”
“Smart enough to leave high and dry?”
Maurice looked at the fussy-looking, toothy-grinning blonde on his arm. “Excuse me a minute, Ava. You know how it is with old girlfriends. They can’t stay away from me. Besides, Amber and I have some catching up to do.”
“Old girlfriend! Who the heck—”
“I didn’t mean it to sound that way, not really; although you are a few years older than I am.”
“This conversation is over, Maurice.”
He pulled her hand. “Come on, just take a walk with me to the other room, get to know one another again.”
Not that she really wanted to talk to Maurice in a secluded corner and get to know him again since there was nothing to know. She cut to the chase. “What do you really want, Maurice?”
“To congratulate you on your success.”
“You could have done that in front of Buffy, Bambi, Barbie, whoever!”
“It’s Ava. Don’t be rude.”
“You’re right; she seems sweet, but don’t embarrass me, Maurice, especially at my own opening.”
“You’re still my girl, Amber. You’ll always be mine, and don’t forget that.”
That appalled her, making her stare at him as if he had acquired a third eye and a lot of money-grubbing hands. Her finger and head action got in gear; then she remembered where she was and who really was her man. She took a deep breath, stared Maurice in the face, and politely unloaded. “You sure didn’t act like I was ‘your girl.’ Besides, aren’t I a little old for you? And, if I may quote Erykah Badu, who gave you permission to try and rearrange me? Certainly not me! I have a man, Maurice, a real man; one who won’t leave me stranded and take an engagement ring that I purchased. Look at him, Maurice; he’s perfect, and when I get a ring from him, he won’t be hovering above Lake Michigan with it.”
“What?”
She gave him a smug grin. “If you have to ask, it’s not worth explaining. Go and buy Toothy-Fruity a pair of my earrings. They may do something for her, and you!”
Jason met her halfway across the floor, peering in Maurice’s direction. “Who’s that?”
“A blockhead from my past.”
“Are you okay?”
“Other than the fact that my mother, Maurice, and Cassie are here aggravating me, I’m fabulous.”
“Yes, ma’am, you are. And since you’re so fabulous, follow me into the storage room.”
“No way! There’s too many people here for that, Jason.”
“Just one kiss.”
“Okay, but that’s all you get until I close.”
The minute the door closed, Jason’s lips attacked hers in a powerful, explosive and tremendously wet kiss. “Are you having a good time, girl?”
“It just got better.”
“Good, because in a few weeks, I’ll have another surprise for you.”
“Another store?”
“Not quite.”
“Give me a clue?”
“Fine, you want a clue?” He stared briefly to the ceiling, thinking, then back down at her. “What is it that slides on pretty, delicate fingers and looks stunning when the light hits it?”
“A diamond?”
“Maybe. What is it that hovered over Lake Michigan with Maurice?”
She smiled and caressed his cheek. “A diamond ring?”
“You guessed it! Don’t worry about me hovering over the lake with it. I hate the water—too many mosquitoes.”
“I’ll supply all the bites you’ll ever need.”
“That’s my plan, girl.”
They kissed once more before rejoining the crowd.