Chapter 6
As Lola slept, Jon watched his wife and smiled. She was so beautiful when she slept. Lately, the only time he saw her was when she was sleeping. Had he been working too much and missing out on the most important part of his life?
Pushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead, Jon realized that life without Lola was one he didn’t want to live. “Mr. Joseph,” the captain said as he walked over to him. “We’re going to be delayed about an hour if we land at the Asheville Regional Airport, but we can land at Charlotte Douglas in fifteen minutes.”
“Let’s go to Charlotte. We can rent a car and head to Asheville from there. How’s the weather?”
“Rain in Charlotte. But it’s snowing in Asheville, that’s why there’s a delay.”
“Thank you, Mother Nature,” Jon mumbled.
“Sir?”
Jon shook his head. “Nothing, thanks for the update.”
Lola yawned as she woke up and stretched her arms above her head. “Are we there yet?” she quipped.
“Almost,” he said. “We have to fasten our seat belts.”
“And where are we going again?”
Jon gently pinched her cheek. “You’re smooth, but I never told you where we’re going.”
She rolled her eyes and grinned. “As long as we’ve been in the air, I’m wondering if we’re still in the USA or if we’re heading to Canada.”
“Canada?”
“I’m grasping at straws here,” Lola said. “Can I get a hint? A small clue?”
Jon nodded toward the window. She followed his eyes and excitement flowed through her body like blood. “We’re in North Carolina?” But Lola’s excitement waned a bit. They were in Charlotte, home of the Carolina Panthers. Was this another one of Jon’s business trips in disguise?
“Don’t give me that look,” he said when he noticed the frown on her comely face.
“If this is a business trip in disguise, I will stab you with a candy cane.”
“Business trip?”
Lola slapped her husband on his shoulder. “Charlotte, home of the Carolina Panthers. And I know you have this new NFL game in development.”
“So, you do pay attention.”
“What choice do I have? All you talk about is work.” Lola rolled her eyes and chewed her bottom lip.
“We’re only going to be here long enough to rent a car.”
Lola smiled again. “Really?”
He nodded, then kissed her on the forehead. “Babe, this trip is about you and me. But, if you want to, we can stay overnight and . . .”
“I swear, I will knock you smooth out.”
Jon looked at his watch, realizing that they were in a new time zone. “Are you up for riding for about two hours to get to our final destination?”
She shrugged. “I’m fine. Now, where are we going?”
“You sure? There may be snow.”
“Jon! Are we going to Asheville?” Her excitement made her face glow. Jon couldn’t help but smile as well.
“We’re going to Asheville,” he said. “We’re going to stay at the Biltmore and—”
Lola took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I love that we’re going to Asheville, but I don’t want to stay at Biltmore. I think we should go to my grandmother’s.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Then tomorrow, we can decorate the place and just be us—alone.”
“I like the sound of that. Alone.”
Moments later, they landed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. As Lola grabbed her purse, she realized that she still had Jon’s phone. Looking down at the device, she decided that if this Christmas was about the two of them, then Jon didn’t need his phone. She powered it down and dropped it in the bottom of her purse while Jon and the pilot chatted.
Okay, I’m not saying that I’m going to keep his phone off the whole time we’re here, but he said this was about us and I’ll call Mama Joseph and check on her. There’s no one else he needs to talk to. Lola wrestled with herself for another few minutes; then she decided that she had done the right thing. Joining Jon and the pilot, she smiled. “Are we ready?” she asked.
“Just checking the weather reports,” Jon said. “We might need to leave in the morning after sunrise and some of the roads thaw up.”
“Sounds good. Where are we going to stay?”
“I can see if there are any vacancies at the Airport Double Tree,” the pilot said. “And I’ll get the SUV you requested brought over here, sir.”
“Thanks, Dave, and Merry Christmas.”
He tipped his hat to Jon and Lola. She hugged her husband and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for this.”
“I’m glad to see that smile on your face again.”
“Jon, this feels like Christmas to me.”
“Just standing out here feels like Christmas?” he quipped.
“Yes, silly. Because I’m standing here with you.”
“This does feel good,” he whispered in her ear. She moaned as he pulled her closer to him. Holding Lola in his arms, Jon’s world felt complete. Yes, he had been too focused on work. Maybe it was his fear of leaving Lola in a situation like his mother was in when his father died.
“Why did I have to go to such extremes to get your attention?”
“I wish I had the answer to that question. Lola, you know there is nothing in the world more important to me than you.”
“I wish I felt like that,” she whispered.
Jon’s words froze on his tongue. What could he say? He never wanted her to feel this way. She was supposed to know what she meant to him. She was his world. “Baby, I’m sorry,” he said again. If he had to apologize to her a million times until she believed him, then he would.
“You keep telling me that you’re sorry, all I want you to do is change,” she replied, as if she read his mind.
“Lola, this company is my legacy and . . .”
“This company is your legacy? Really, Jon. Give me a break. If you took the time to create a real legacy, maybe you wouldn’t have to depend on these damned games.”
Jon shook his head. “I don’t want to fight with you, but you’ve known that this has been my dream.”
“And I thought I was a part of that dream,” she said, taking a step away from him. “I’m so proud of you, but at the same time this isn’t what I signed on for. I married you, not this shell of an executive who comes home to me in the middle of the night and forgets that I exist!”
“You’re over-exaggerating things.”
“Am I?”
Jon sighed. “It’s just because it’s the holidays and . . .”
“Then it’s just because it’s the beginning of football season, then it’s just because it’s a new gaming system that’s being launched. You have more excuses for ignoring me than a man having an affair. Sometimes I wish there was another woman. I can compete with that.”
“That’s one thing you never have to worry about,” he said vehemently. “Lola. . .”
She shook her head. “But that’s the first thing you thought I did.”
“And I was ready to take him out because no other man will ever love you the way I do, Lola. You’re everything to me and I’m going to prove it to you, today and every day for the rest of our lives.”
She rolled her eyes. “All right. Let’s start now. I want this Christmas to be like the first one we shared in Orlando.”
“You got it.”
Lola smiled as she saw the SUV approaching. “We have to get two trees,” she said.
“Two?”
“Yes, there’s the Biltmore-like tree that my granny always had to have and then the colorful one that she let me decorate.”
Jon smiled, imagining Lola as a little girl throwing colorful lights haphazardly across a tree. “All right. What else do we need?”
“Food.”
“You’re cooking?” he asked with a toothy grin.
Lola poked her tongue out at him. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m a little afraid now,” he said. “Keep in mind, you don’t have a crew to help you with the turkey.”
“Whatever. And to be honest, I don’t like turkey anyway.”
“You just can’t cook turkey. I’m pretty sure you piled your plate with turkey breast and stuffing last year.”
“Oh, whatever! You’re the one with the love of turkey.”
“Leftover turkey,” he said. “On rye bread with lots of mayo.”
“And tomatoes. Ooh, I know where we should grab something to eat from when we get into Asheville.”
“Baby, we can rest a minute first, right?”
She shrugged. “I guess, if you can’t hang.”
“You’re going to need your energy, Mrs. We Need Two Trees.”
“You’re right, we should buy Christmas decorations first.” Lola clasped her hands together and did a little shimmy.
“Excited much?”
“You have no idea. Here I was ready to spend a miserable Christmas throwing darts at a picture of you and now this! Thank you, Jon.”
He cocked his right eyebrow at her. “Darts? Really, babe?”
“I was perturbed. At least I didn’t pull a move from Snapped. And you’re one to talk, running to Aspen and pulling the caveman card.”
“And I’d do it again. You’re lucky I didn’t have to go all Rambo on you and some random dude.”
Lola rolled her eyes. “You’re nuts, okay.”
“Says the woman who wraps divorce papers for a Christmas gift.”
She didn’t mean to laugh, but she imagined the look on his face when he opened her carefully wrapped gift.
“Glad you find that funny,” Jon said. “I know what to get you for Valentine’s Day.”
“Don’t you dare use holidays to repay a debt.”
“You opened the door, darling,” he said, then kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s go.”
The couple piled into the SUV and Lola leaned her seat all the way back. When Jon turned on the seat warmers, Lola yawned and turned to Jon. “I guess I’m the one who can’t hang,” she said.
“See there, you were talking all of that junk. Now you’re ready to go to sleep.”
“Whatever. Are you sure the roads are too bad for us to drive to Asheville tonight? If it’s safe enough, I say let’s go tonight.” Lola couldn’t wait to see her grandmother’s home. Especially since the last time she’d been ready to head to Asheville it hadn’t been a happy occasion. She chewed her bottom lip thinking about that day and how her world felt as if it had been crashing around her. It had been a year since her grandmother’s death, and a developer had been trying to claim eminent domain and have the house leveled. Lola had been heartbroken when she’d learned of the plans. That house held so many memories and good times. She’d been ready to jump in the car and head to Asheville to fight the developers, literally. “I’m going to kill them, Jon!” she’d exclaimed as she’d burst into his office. Jon and Langston had been working on the NCAA basketball game that had put JMJ on the gaming map.
“What are you talking about?” he’d asked, his voice filled with concern as he leaped to his feet. “What’s wrong?”
“These monsters in Asheville want to tear down my grandmother’s house.” Tears had bubbled in her eyes. “You just don’t understand, I can’t lose that house. I’m going to Asheville to do something.”
He’d stroked her arms. “What you need to do is calm down.”
Langston rose to his feet and smiled at his brother and sister-in-law. “Why don’t I go get y’all some tea or some scotch. Lo, you really look like you’re going to bring hell down on somebody.”
“Get out of here, Langston,” Jon said as he’d hid his grin.
“Jon,” she’d said when they were alone, “I have to go.”
He’d crossed over to his computer. “I don’t think you need to go yet. What’s the address?”
Lola had given him her grandmother’s address and when she was about to ask him what was going on, he’d told her, “It’s handled.”
“What?”
“I just looked up the developer online. He happens to be a popular guy here in Miami and wants to bid on the building of JMJ’s headquarters.”
“And how is that supposed to change what he’s doing in North Carolina?”
Before he’d been able to explain, the phone rang. “Hold on, babe. I think this is Randall.”
Lola had only been able to watch as her husband handled this Randall person. “Listen,” Jon said. “I’m not trying to tell you how to run your business, but I know where I’m going to spend my millions. This Asheville project affects the woman I love, and I’m sure whatever you’re trying to do there won’t be as profitable as building my headquarters. Why not rehab the houses in that neighborhood. One thing I know about Asheville is that people love history and you’d be the man everyone loves if you keep the spirit of the neighborhood intact. And quite frankly, if you tear down the house my wife grew up in, I won’t be able to do business with you. Umm, huh? Of course, I’ll have my brother contact you.” Jon had hung up the phone and smiled at his wife.
“What happened?”
He’d crossed over to her and drew her into his arms. “I just saved your grandmother’s house and the entire neighborhood.”
“You are the most amazing man ever!” She’d hugged him tightly and then kissed him with hot passion. Jon returned the kiss and pressed his wife against the wall. She’d been so happy that she’d decided to wear a little black dress that day.
“Lola,” Jon said, breaking into her reverie. “You do have the keys to your Grandmother’s house, right?”
“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “I keep that key close to my heart, you know that.” She touched the necklace she always wore with the key attached. Jon stroked her thigh.
“Just making sure,” he replied.
“I’ll never forget what you did for me that day, for my grandmother’s memory.”
“Family is important and I wish I’d been able to have a worthwhile relationship with my grandmother. I honestly didn’t get what family meant before you and Adele.”
“I’m glad you had the chance to meet her.” Tears bubbled in Lola’s eyes and Jon wanted to pull over and hold her until the tears went away.
“Me too. Are you sure this isn’t going to be too much?”
“This is actually going to be good. A chance to have a real Christmas with no distractions and none of those god-awful shrimp puffs. You know I absolutely hate those!”
“As I recall, you were the one who said those were the essential party food.”
“That’s until I had to stand there and eat them while listening to stories about nannies and affairs. Do you know how many times I wanted to take that tray and toss it at Genevieve Hunter? Every year, another story about her latest boy toy or the fact that she thought her husband was playing in the administrative assistants pool.” Lola rolled her eyes. “I can’t look at those savory puffs without hearing her nasally voice.”
“So, no more shrimp puffs for next year’s party.”
Lola groaned. “How about no party at all,” she said.
Jon frowned and shook his head while focusing on the road ahead. “Lo, you know those parties are about business and if I had my way, I wouldn’t . . .”
“You’re the CEO, right? Why don’t you make some changes?”
“Like what?”
“Let Langston handle it. He’s your second in command, he’s almost as charming as you are, and he loves talking to investors and flirting with their wives.”
“And that’s the problem with Langston. I can see it now, him and some horny housewife in the bathroom.”
Lola playfully slapped her husband on the shoulder. “You know when Langston is in business mode, he’s more driven than you are. You just never give him or any other executive a chance.”
“I can’t risk all of my hard work being ruined by someone who doesn’t get how important JMJ is to me. This company—”
“Is more important to you than your marriage?” she asked. “Because from my end, it seems that way.”
“What do you want me to do, Lola? You of all people know how hard I’ve worked for this. Why do you think I’m picking the business over you?”
She thought about the lonely nights, the mornings where she’d find Jon asleep in the basement after a long night of coding or whatever the hell he did down there. Yes, he was picking business over her!
“Explain to me how I’m not supposed to feel that way? I sleep alone more than I sleep with you. All for the good of JMJ. I’m the mistress and your company is the wife, unless I’m wrong and there is someone else.”
Jon rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to have an affair, when would I have time?”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because what I’m hearing is if you had time you’d be a cheating bastard?”
“That’s not what I mean, Lola. If I had more hours in the day, I’d spend them all with you.”
“Then give yourself more time,” she grunted. “You don’t have to be everything at JMJ, and I’m telling you for the last time that I’m tired of feeling like I come in second to your damned company.”
“We’ve established that and I’m sorry that I’ve made you feel that way. Are we going to keep harping on it?”
“Harping? Are you ready to work at saving our marriage, because . . .”
“Look, I’m tired, you’re tired. We’re going to argue and end up ruining Christmas. Can we just get to Asheville and talk about this then?”
“No, Jon. No! You and I keep dancing around your issue. And the fact that it took divorce papers and you thinking that I was with another man for us to do this.”
Jon pulled over on the shoulder of the road and shut the engine off. “What can I say that I haven’t already said, Lola?”
“You haven’t said that you’re going to change! Don’t use this trip to put a Band-Aid on the gaping wound that our marriage has become.”
“Gaping wound? That’s what you think our marriage is?”
“I’m tired, Jon. Tired of going in circles with you about this. I’ve told you how I feel and you still don’t get it. Just drive.”
“No, I don’t want to have this same conversation when we get to Asheville and then I’m going to be flagged for ruining your Christmas. Lola, sometimes I feel like I’m going to wake up and none of this will be real. You know why I hire MIT graduates?”
“Because they’re the best?” she replied with a smile.
“No,” he said with a sigh. “I had to go to college on a scholarship. When I decided that I wanted to major in computer science, MIT was the only place that I wanted to go to school. The recruiter promised me that I had the grades and skill to get a scholarship to the university. I had gotten a write-up in the local paper about my acceptance to MIT. Then, I get hit with a letter questioning my immigration status. My scholarship was revoked, despite the fact that my mother is a U.S. citizen. We were almost deported to Cuba and that’s when I said, I’m going to make them pay. So, yeah, I hire kids from MIT and when I work with them, I point out all of their mistakes. And one of the reasons why I have to be on point is because I don’t want any of them to ever have the chance to correct me. And I’m waiting for MIT to invite me to speak at a graduation so that I can tell the story of how they kept me out of school and look at me now.”
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“It’s not my proudest moment. It’s petty and childish, but . . .” Jon’s voice trailed off when he saw the smile on Lola’s lips. Really? “This is funny to you?”
“Funny and stupid. You’re really willing to let an old grudge turn you into a lonely man? I thought you were smarter than that. You don’t need a degree from MIT to be successful. You’ve proven that.”
“But . . .”
“No buts, Jon! Stop fighting ghosts and what-ifs and live your life. Our life.” Lola leaned over and kissed him gently. “You won. Now it’s time to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
She nodded. “Crank this car and let’s go.”
Jon smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”