Chapter 10
“Five, four, three, two, one . . . Happy New Year!!!”
Alex pulled Carol in close and planted a big wet one on her in front of God and everybody. No matter, God was probably the only one watching them since everybody else was busy with their own Happy New Year wishes. The fireworks visible from their ocean-view perch were magnificent, rivaling the thousands of mini white lights that had been strung for the affair.
Carol leaned back into Alex’s warm embrace. “This is beautiful.”
“Yes,” Alex responded, nibbling her ear. “The fireworks look nice, too.”
Troy and Gabriella approached them. “Happy New Year!” Gabriella laughed as she reached for her bestie. “May whatever you wished during that heck of a kiss come true!”
Troy and Alex gave each other dap and a shoulder bump before their holiday exchange.
“We’re just making our rounds,” Troy explained. “But come and holler at us before you turn in.”
Carol and Alex hugged again as they watched the festivities around them. “Who’s that?” she asked, lifting her glass to an area where several people gathered. “That one girl looks familiar.”
“You don’t remember?” Carol shook her head. “That’s Shayna Washington. Troy’s sister-in-law. They were at the concert at the Staples Center. She’s married to his brother, Michael, who owns a sports agency.”
“Oh, right. I barely remember anything about that opening night. It was a whirlwind. What about the other couple?”
“That’s Troy’s other brother, Gregory, and the couple next to them is their mother and her new husband.”
“Right, I know that. Gabriella called me shortly before they got married on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, I believe their ceremony was here, in this backyard. ”
The couple continued to talk about other people they saw and knew both mutually and separately: Gabriella’s parents, Gary and Yvonne, her UCLA football star brother Garrett, his drop-dead gorgeous date and fellow college players, R&B star Darius Crenshaw, whom Alex had previously guarded, and his partner, Bo, Gabriella’s new personal trainer, Night Simmons and his wife, D’Andra, and dozens more, around fifty in total. They danced until Carol came out of her heels, ate scrumptious food until their stomachs hurt, and laughed until they cried. Finally, around two a.m., they found Troy and Gabriella and said good night.
“We’re all sleeping in tomorrow,” Gabriella informed them. “But the kitchen will open at nine for breakfast made to order.”
Carol and Alex retired to their guest suite, large enough to accommodate some people’s apartments. There was a large sitting area, a respectable walk-in closet, beautifully appointed en suite bath, and ocean-facing balcony. The couple undressed quickly and began making love. It was tender and wonderful, even better than the half a dozen times before.
Which is why Alex’s apology following their mutual releases had Carol totally confused.
“Sorry for what?”
“For not being able to love you properly. I want to hold you in my arms, feel your body next to mine from head to toe. I want to love you the right way, which is every which way but loose. I want to—”
“Shh.” Carol placed her finger on his lips. “You have nothing to apologize for; I’m totally satisfied. If you’re taking care of business like this, being injured and all, I can’t even imagine how it will be once you’re all better.”
Alex kissed her temple. “You’re a sweetheart. Come here.”
“We have to be careful. I don’t want to bump up against you in my sleep.”
“I don’t even care. Falling asleep with you in my arms is worth the pain.”
Two days later, on the second of January, Alex and Carol arrived back in the Motor City to below-freezing temperatures and a fresh batch of snow.
“Still glad you moved back to your hometown?” Alex teased, as they left the shuttle and got into her car.
“Not right now,” Carol admitted. She started the car she’d left in airport parking and continued talking while it warmed up. “It’s days like this when I envy Gabriella’s sunny Cali lifestyle, when I entertain the idea that fighting that traffic may be worth it after all.”
“It wasn’t bad out there where they live.”
“You’re right. As long as I was somewhere with everything I needed close by, it could be doable.”
“So you’d think about moving there?”
“I never say never, but right now I’m happy with life in Detroit. I’m close to my family, have reconnected with friends, and love the work I’m doing with Jeremy.”
“Your business partner, right?”
Carol nodded.
“Tell me more about that.”
“Jeremy’s construction company is in partnership with the city and a couple banks, housing associations, and organizations to rebuild neighborhoods. Right now we’re concentrating on the Brightmoor area, but have plans to expand the rehabilitation throughout the city. Potential homeowners apply with the cooperating banks to purchase the homes we’ve renovated. Eleven have been built so far and most are occupied. The highlight of all this will be a first-class community center.”
“I like that about you, your compassion and generosity, looking out for someone besides yourself.”
“The houses weren’t given away for free, Alex.”
“Yes, but I bet they got a good interest rate at the bank on what are probably thirty-year loans.”
“True. The mortgages are set up for low- to middle-income families who don’t have a large down payment. I helped two of the families move in, and to see the looks on the faces of parents experiencing brand new instead of secondhand and children having their own bedrooms for the first time and their own front yards . . . it’s priceless.”
“Yeah . . . I can imagine. The friend I’m staying with volunteers for a bunch of stuff. It’s hard to do with me on the road, but he makes me think more about giving back.”
“It’s a good feeling and while not the same as being hands-on, donations always help.”
“Maybe you can direct me to some charities that you know about.”
“I’ll be glad to, starting with the community center. The kids often have nothing to do in these neighborhoods. My goal as activities director is to change that. You’d be giving to a very worthy cause.”
“Just like a woman; always ready to take a brother’s cash. Just kidding, I’m just kidding,” he added with a chuckle, taking a well-placed punch to his shoulder.” Alex’s cell phone rang. “Hello?” He listened. “Yes, I can do that.” He looked at Carol. “Sure, I’ll come right now.”
“Who was that?” she asked when he hung up the phone.
“The detective working my case.”
“What does he want?”
“Wants me to come down to the station; says that a man who resembles my sketch got arrested last night.”
“They want you to identify him?”
Alex looked over, hearing the fear in Carol’s voice. “Yes, but don’t worry. It’ll either be through a one-way mirror or by showing me mug shots. He won’t see me.” A pause and then, “But it makes me feel good to know that you care.”
Carol dropped Alex off at his house and headed to hers. Since Christmas, they’d rarely been separated. She missed him before her car left the block. If this was how she felt when he’d been gone only five minutes, she couldn’t imagine life with him gone on the road . . . or for good.
“Be safe, baby,” she whispered, pulling into her drive.
Across town, heading to the police station, a concerned Alex Worthington was thinking the very same thing.